The Sun.
London, England, 1819-04-26 00:00:00

PRIVATE AND AUTHENTIC CORRESPONDENCE,

PARIS, APRIL 17.—We have always set our
faces against the SysteM of Epurations ; we bAve
protested against those at the Polytechnique
School, demanding from children of 13, what
were their political opinions; we protested against
those of the Ex-Prefect of Deux Sevres, who
pitilessly removed every person from office, be-
cause they were nor Ultras. We have maintained
that it is not necessary, that it is even im-
possible, that a certain number of men should
have the same opinions upon arty one subject ;
that to exact it ot them is to, make them impos-
tors and hypocrites. That the grand considera-
tions to be regArded are marality, talents, and a
cheerio' obedience to the Constitution, such as
the King gave it, without any commentary, by
either the lodep,tidants, the Ministerial', or the
Ultras. It is the political creed of every French-
man ; let him profess it, let him act according
to it, and he must be in the way of salvation,
whatever be his irivate opinions on the more es-
sential, or even the doctrinal points. If such a
man be to he tound ; it, with this willing obe-
dience, he unite gr •at talents, immense know-
ledge of business, and a life without re-
proach, it is a ,crime to remove such a man,
be lie Ultra or what he may. Yet such it
would seem is the intention ot the Stock Jobbing
Minister of. Finance. The enemy of whatever
does not bring grist to his mill and create a ficti-
tious appearance of conktence, he is the enemy
of the Cadastre, or general survey and valuation of
the property of France,
and Industrial, from which alone, accOrdiug to
the French manner of levying taxes, an equitable
levy car) he made; but he is not so much an enemy
of the Cadastle as of the Gentleman at the head of
it, who was the projector of it, and has consecrated
the best years of his life to it, who devotes night
and slay to it, and whose honour and moral virtue
ate such, that though nominated by BcoNaPARTR,
his Majesty continued him iu the office at both
his first and second Restoration. He is, it is
true, an Ultra, but he is so from principle, and
not like Messrs. FICOU, CHATRAUBRIAND, VI-
TROLLES, &c. from interest ; and all agreed, even
his .enemies, that he is an honest and virtuous
man. Can this be the reason of the Alibi
Louis's enmity to him or does he wish
to abandon a plan, the execution of which
has, cost so many millions, to substitute some
fanciful scheme of his own, which is to create
resources by magic like CALONtii; till the great
secret escapes that the State is undone by his
wisdom •

The plan of the Editors of Papers giving an
immense security in the deposit of the transfers
of Stock originated with him, for the purpose of
neutralizing so much and keeping it out of the
market. We will give the devil his due, the plan
was not a bad one ; but to create Stock-gambling-
houses throughout the country was a measure as
immoral as impolitic ; hut he thinks of nothing
but the Stocks, and we have heard that an im-
mense enterprise, on which upwards of 20,000
pounds has been expended, is paralysed by this
Stock Minister, who will not grant a licence,
" unless the shate-holders for every 401. share
they take, will deposit in addition GO/. of Stock."
Does the Abbe pretend to 'be the Minister of a
free or a despotic Government ? If 'the former,
such ,a condition cannot be characterized by any
term in the language of good-breeding, for he
renders the execution of the plan impossible,
though the Government had sanctioned it, with
its approbation, and induced the parties to en-
gage their whole fortune in it. But' is he really
against it Does he think it unconstitutional or
injurious to the industry and the prosperity of the
nation ? We believe not. However, we put this
plain question—Did he, or any perion of his
and title ever offer to engage to get' the
measure passed through both Houses, with the
sanction of his Majesty, on condition of re-
ceiving a sum exceeding one million, and not
exceeding five ; we heard such reports at the time,
they are yet in circulation and remembrance, and
though none are hardy enough to attribute such
a proposal to the present Minister, they would
be glad to find that it was not him, but some
other who usurped his name and title.
Much as we condemn the inadequate steps of
this Minister, who possesses talent, much as we
know of the intrigues of his past life, we yet
spurn theldea of his being base enough to turn
the Stock-jobbing at the 'Change to his private
benefit; those who frequent 'Change assert it, but
We are persuaded that it is false. We have no great
opinion of the moral yirtues of Abbes in general.
The Abbe Svavis, the Abbe TALLEY RAND, the
Abbe MAURY, and half-a-dozen Abbes we could
'name, exclusive of the Abbe Louts, have given
proofs of great talents, and proved that they could
exist without any affinity to virtue. To conclude,
though we freely acquit the present Minister of
all that is laid to his charge, it still remains in-
controvertible that he is far from being a good
Minister, and that the hopes conceived•of him un
his accepting the Seals have all been blasted.