The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-18 00:00:00

E E NV S.

KONIGSBERG, THURSDAY ,EVENING.

To-day, at the reception of the functionaries,
Deputies, and other persons invited to witness the
coronation, the King, addressing the members of
the Prussian Diet, said—

"I desired to summon the representatives of the
Chambers to my presence, even before the coro-
nation, and I thank you for having complied
with my wish. The rulers of Prussia receive their
crown from God. To-morrow, therefore, I shall
take the crown from the Lord's table and place it
on my head. This is the signification of the ex-
pression ' King by the Grace of God,' and therein
lies the sanctity of the Crown, which is inviolable.
I know that you will thus understand tfie meaning
of the act which I have summoned you to witness.
The Crown, has been surrounded by new institu-
tions, by virtue of which you are destined to
afford to it the benefit of your counsel. You will
advise me, and I shall listen to your advice."

PARIS, OCT. 18.

The Moniteur of to-daypublishes a circular, dated
16th inst., addressed by Count Persigny, Minister
of the Interior, to the Prefects of the Departments,
explaining the necessity of bringing the charitable
societies established without the formal sanction of
the Government under the operation of the law.
Count Persigny acknowledges the benefits dif-
fused by these associations, and then speaks
of the Freemasons, who, he says, are ani-
mated by a patriotism which has never failed
them in great emergencies, and have not for a
long time given the public authorities any serious
cause of complaint, unless in reference to their
central organisation, whose mode of election, tend-
ing to excite rivalry between the different lodges,
and to disturb their good harmony, calls for some
modifications. Count Persigny continues, "But
it is advantageous to authorise Freemasonry,
and to recognise its existence." He also acknow-
ledges the good done by the local societies of St.
Vincent de Paul, but regrets that the provincial
committees, while pretending to afford encourage-
ment to the different charitable societies, deprive
them of the right of choosing their dignitaries, thus
imposing themselves upon all the societies of a pro.
vince, as if they wished to make them serve as the
tool of an idea foreign to charity."
In reference to the Superior Council of the Society
of St. Vincent de Paul, now sitting in Paris, Count
Persigny says—" The Government cannot approve
the existence of a kind of committee not ap-
pointed by the local societies which fills up its
ranks by its own sole authority, assumes the
right of governing the local societies in order to
form them into a secret association whose ramifica-
tions extend even beyond France, and collects from
the societies a budget, respecting the employment
of which nothing is known. Such an organization,
inexplicable on the sole ground of charity, is use-
less. The honourable and charitable people of
Lyons, Marseilles, and Bordeaux have been influ.
enced by the committee at Paris. The law inter-
dicting these kinds of associations has been too long
violated.

Count Persigny then requests the Prefects to
authorise these societies, if there be any such in
their departments, without delay, according to the
legal forms, and to ascertain whether they wish
to have a central representation at Paris. The
votes of these societies, it is added, are to be for-
warded to the Ministry of the Interior, and the
Emperor will determine upon the bases and princi-
ples of such central representation.

" Until then," concludes the circular addressing
the prefects, " you will prohibit the sittings of any
superior central or provisional council, and will
order their dissolution."

The oniteur also announces that the Revue des
Doux blondes has received a first warning for its
last fortnightly summary of political events, signed
by E. Forgade.

CONSTANTINOPLE, OCT. 12
(via KIISTENDJEE).

The Sultan goes to Ismid, on the Sea of Mar-
mora, on Monday next, to lay the keel of a new
steam-frigate.

It is rumoured at the port that his Imperial
Majesty will visit Egypt in January next.
Riza Pasha will proceed to Smyrna to-morrow,
The treaty of commerce between Turkey and
Belgium was signed yesterday.

MADRID, OCT. 17.
The health of the Infanta Donna Maria de la
Concepcion has again suffered a relapse.

FRANCE.

BOURSE, Oct. 17.—Business continues limited in
amount, speculators appearing averse to enter into
any material operations, but the market is firm.
Threes, for the Account, now stand at 67f. 85c.
Railways quiet, but prces well maintained.
The following are the last quotations:-
41. per per Cents ... 95 50, Credit Foncier —
Do end month.... 95 55; Belgian 4} lO2
3 per Cents
Do. end month 67 85 ( Roman
Bank Shares 2900 Austrian ... . 72 50
Credit Mobilier 691 25 , Spanish Threes.... 48
Do. Account 692 50 ; Home Debt

RAILWAYS.
Cash. Account.
Orleans 1325 .. 1326 25
Northern
New ditto 9OO ..
Lyons and Mediterranean 1020 '— .. 1022 50
Geneva 335 335
Southern 625 .. 626 25
Western
Eastern
Sardinian '
Austrian
Lombard .. 521 25 .. 521 60

POLAND.
(PROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

WARSAW, OCT. 9.

The elections for the district and municipal
councils are almost concluded. They were carried
out in such an orderly and business-like manner
that the people seemed to be performing a cus-
tomary formality in the midst of full constitutional
freedom. And yet for more than a quarter of a
century, no one was even permitted to speak of the
rights of a citizen, and all the array of cruel and
vindictive oppression and persecution under which
the country has been groaning for the last 30 years
is there, watching an opportunity to regain the
ground it has lost.

The truth is that notwithstanding the self-pos-
sessed and calm appearance of the population, and
the passive bearing of the Russian authorities,
during the elections, a heavy storm is hanging
over this country. Rumours are in circulation
about an impending military reaction which the
Council of Administration is said to have been or-
ganising secretly for some time.

The Council of State held its first general assem-
bly on the Ist of October. It was opened by the
Viceroy General Count Lambert, who, according to
the statute, is its permanent president. The Ger-
man newspapers hastened to put into circulation an
apocryphal document, purporting to be the opening
speech of the Lieutenant-General. The following
is the exact translation of that which is published
in the official Dziennik, Powszechny
" Gentlemen—l feel very happy in being able to
open the first sitting of the General Assembly of the
States on the day fixed by the new regulations
issued for the kingdom.
" The shortness of the time since the Council of
State has been created, the changes which have
taken place in the administration, and in the per-