The Sun.
London, England, 1850-05-13 00:00:00

from the deliberations now about to be resumed by
the Princes of the Confederation. Their jealousies are
not only as strong as, but_are actually stronger, than
ever ; their doubts in each others' integrity are
greater; their rivalry is infinitely more virulent.
Austria clings with the despairing grasp of an
avaricious decrepitude to the shadow of its already
evaporated predominance. Prussia aspires and
aspires boldly, though its efforts are nullified by the
hesitations and duplicities of its vacillating and
ambitious sovereign. Bavaria and Hanover, Saxony
and Wurtemburg, with the whole mob of subordinate
principalities, retain severally and individually their
hopes, their fears, and their aspirations. Yet it is
from this incongruous agglomeration of states that a
lucid solution of the great problem of German unity
is insanely anticipated. That we do not in the slight-
est degree coincide those anticipations, we fancy
must be sufficiently obvious to the mass of our
readers, not merely from the tone of our
present remarks, but also, and more especially,
from the drift of all our previous observations upon
Germany. To dream, for one instant, that the diffi-
culties of its position can be solved by the wrangling
and jealous Princes of the Confederation would, in
very sad truth, be to read history like an old alma-
neck. We have no such idle expectations. Now
that the popular representatives have abandoned the
question, almost untouched, into the bands of their
Sovereigns, the future looms upon them as unpro-
pitiously as hitherto. If, before, the danger was
tr merging into Socialism, now it is,
on h Y'
ultra-Retrogression, tending to the
u]
ta-eDem contrary,ocrac
triumph of Absolutism. The responsibility conse-
quently devolving upon the German population is
that with more unwinking vigilance
tho
an ever
btsheervgpianlicy
who have often adventured upon by those rulers
before contrived to extend and in-
tensify the national embarrassment. Without this
cautious and scrutinizing observation of the royal
councils some result of the most disastrous character
may, only when too late, be discovered. What we
mean is that the Princes, by attempting to restore the
force of Absolutism without .ncountering due resist-
ance from the German multitude, may impel the latter
to the adoption of some extreme course, conducting
them to the verge of Red Republicanism. Not that
we look forward even to the temporary success of a
retrogressive movement, but that we view any such
movement as the inevitable precursor of some other
yet more calamitous. Therefore it is that we con-
ceive the wisdom of German Democrary to consist
ust now in a patient watchfulness and a sedate reso-
ution.

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris journals of yesterday
and Saturday.
On Saturday the Orleanist, M. PISCATORT, whose
escapades as the agent of M. GUIZOT in Greece must
be in the remembrance of all our readers, gave notice
that he should on Monday address interpellations to
the Minister for Foreign Affairs on the subject of the
Affairs of Greece. In reply, the Minister for Foreign
affairs General LAISITTE, said—
" It is unfortunately most true that we hare received
news from Athens es unfortunate, as unexpected. The
Government has not lost a moment in addressing to
that of Great Britain a demand for explanation. We
hope to have a reply by Monday or Tuesday. I will at
once lay upon the bureau of the Assembly all documents
relative to what has passed at London and at Athens, and
I hope they will serve to show how little our conduct or
intentions are to blame in this matter."
M. PISCATORY and his friends had imagined that it
would be as easy to bamboozle Lord PALMERSTON as
cet excellent Aberdeen, but they reckoned without
their host, and are therefore exceedingly angry. In
the meantime the French nation, as distinguished from
the French Government, are rejoiced at the check that
has been given in this affair to Russia, and through
Russia to the reactionary " Burgraves" of Orleanism,
who had instructed Baron GROS not to consent to any
thing that should be offensive to Russia.

The Siecle says—
" By the proceedings, the result of which cannot make
US approve of either the violence or the rigour, the
British Cabinet has shown the Greeks—ht, That
Russian protection, in which they so rashly confided,
vanished before a resolute attack ; 2ndly, That France
and England have the same line of policy at
Athens and at Constantinople. We sincerely regret
that Lord Palmerston was not able to attain this ob-
ject by a different means ; but we cannot too often re-
peat, the object being good, that it was necessary to
adhere to it, by leaving to each of the two great Go•
vernments, the moral responsibility of its acts. The in-
fluence of France in Greece has b( en more noisy, or, to
use a more suitable word, more revolutionary, but it has
never been greater than at present, for the people who
do not regard the euphemisms made use of by diplomacy
clearly see that England has accepted France, to the ex-
clusion of Russia, as the arbitrator of her differences
with the Greek Government."

The Opinion Publigue says
"A. are far from approving of the mode of pro-
ceeding of England against Greece ; but, N\ itnout
giving it an example, we may say—we, who for
fourteen years have in vain been making demands at
Buenos Ayres—that England has given us a lesson.
All Europe protested against her mode of acting, but
she was not intimidated, and has brought Greece to
obedience."
The Committee on the Electoral Law has ap-
pointed M. DE BROGLIE President, and M. LEON
FAUCHER Secretary.
Iu the Bureaux the opposition to the measure was
much more energetic than had been expected. The
Members of the Mountain abstained from taking
any part in the proceedings, but, among the Legiti-
matists, MM.DE FONTAINE DE OHARENCY, FELIX DE
Sr. PRIEST, and VESIN opposed the measure. In ad-
dition to these,the whole of the CAVAIGNAC party are
opposed to it, and MM. DE LAMARTINE and GUSTAVE
DE BEAUMONT spoke most energetically against the
measure.
The Democratic journals are most earnest in their
recommendations to the people to preserve the peace.
They recommend them to remain quiet even should
they see barricades erected, far the agents of the po-
lice, says the Freese, may perhaps erect barricades for
the purpose of endeavouring to draw the people into
a snare. Should the measure pass, there will be a
general refusal to pay taxes, and perhaps the whole
of the Members of the Left will resign their seats, so
as to bring on upwards of 200 elections immediately.
M. NAPOLEON BONAPARTE has deposited on the
table of the Assembly the following declaration :—.
i
"Inasmuch as the sovereignty of the people resides
n
the universality of eitiz-nsi that the sovereignty s .
alienable and imprescriptible, and that no fraction cf the
people can assume its exclusive exercise; that the repre-
sentatives of the people possess no other
powers than
those delegated to them by the people; that the manda-
faire of the people cannot destroy the rights given by
her mandut, without destroying the mandat itself; that
the right of suffrage is a premOrdial right
.above that of
all others; that the electoral project would, if converted
Into law, deprive a large fraction
of the people of their
rights;—the undersigned representative of the people
declares that he solemnly persists in the line of conduct
already adopted by him in demanding the previous ques-
tion; that in consequence, faithful to the principles of
the sovereignty of the people, and of the constitution,
and not recognising any
right to attack universal
suffrage, he protests by his abstention against this re-
volutionary measure.
(Signed) "NAPZ'LEON BONAPARTE."
He has also addressed his constituents on the
subject, and to them he says
The National Assembly will not,outrage I hope, follow
fatal advisers—the majority will not violate the consti-
tution, and do outrage to its mandatazres; and if this re-
form has not already been rejected by the adoption of
the previous question, let us hope until the last moment
that it will throw out the Bill. Should it be otherwise,
we would then have to consider if the time be not come
to organise a tefusal of taxes! As universal suffrage
ought to be the orgittlit'iDg force of republican France,
so the refusal of taxes ought to comprise its force of
resistance. To those insensate and bad men who say
that France and society are lost by the regular and
pacific exercise of universal euffrage, you must take his-
tory in your hand, and answer that every attack com-
mitted by previous governments has been founded on
similar reasons. You see, my dear electors, how grave
has become our situation, and how that prudence ar d
wisdom, which has deserted certain men, should find a
sanctuary in the minds of the people.'
According to the Siecle there is a probability that
the electoral law will be rejected. It appears that of
'
the votes for the committee 115 were against the
Bill,
make 315, while the whole amount of votes for the
which, added to 200 who refused to vote, would
committee was only 325 ; and amongst the latter
were
many who did not give entire approbation to
the Bill. Should the 200 of the opposition persist in
remaining away, the Bill would of course be carried •
but should they change their resolution, it is probable
that the Bill would be thrown out.
On the 9th a meeting of more than fifty members
of the Tiers- parti was held at the house of
QUEREL, to consult upon the course to adopt in rela-
tion to the new Electoral Law. It was agreed to vote
against the ensemble of the law,. and to reject the tax I
qualification, fixed domiciles of more than one year,
and the influence of masters of servants and workmen
over the franchise of those whom they employ.
The proposition of M. CRETEN, for the abrogation
of the law exiling the Bourbons, has been rejected by
a large majority of the Commission of Parliamentary
Initiative.
The Napoleon contradicts the rumour published in
several !Jape:, r,epu,;iii)g the intention oF treveferring
the seat of Government to Versailles.
The PRESIDENT of the Republic, accompanied by