The Sun.
London, England, 1842-04-02 00:00:00

ENGLISLI POOR IN PARIS.

(Extract from a Parls letter of Thursday.)
A ball in aid of the funds for the distressed English in
Paris is to take place to-morrow night at the capital
room of hertz, the pianist and manufacturer of pianos,
in the Rue de la Vietoire. Another, to be given by
Lady Cowley (on the Queen's birth-day, it is said) has
raised the hopes and expectations of all who have or look
fur the entree at the hotel of the British Embassy.
Respecting th,.! former, I have a circumstance to-com-
municate which will cause you, I think, with Peter
Pindar, to exclaim, "Lies—lies—lies."
The Committee for the mana:;ement of this charity
ball employed a person acquainted with the details
of such matters, who furnished to them nn-estimate of
the .expenses, in which, to their astonishment, they found.'
this item:—
" For the poor of 1112 arrondissement (or division)
Goof. !"

The Committee called the contractor before them, and.
ashed an explanation of this charge.
" It,is customary," said he.
• " Cestomary ?"
" Yes ; and x ithout subs fitting to it you \ VIII not be
allowed to give the ball you contemplate. Indeed, I am
not sure that I
1"..;,,
required," ve underrated the sum that will be

! —en proceed forthwith to the person empowered to
enforce this exaction, and ascertain the truth. You must
surely make a mistake."
The contractor shook his head, but obeyed. He re-
turned shortly afterwards to the Committee, and made
to them a communicati;,n which indUced a deputation of
that budl to wait upon the officer in question.
On being introduced to him, the deputation asked were
the facts communicated to them by their contractor cor-
rec.'tly stated ? Upon which the following colloquy took

" How many tickets have ycu disposed of for this ball?"
demanded the functionary.
" Five hundred and fifty," replied the spokesman of
the Committee, " and hope that we shall get off 250
more."

"Thnt will make tOO. Now, 800 tickets, at 9.0 france
each, will product," 15,000 francs. Of that sum I must
hare one-fourth."
" 4.000 francs ?"

" For the poor cf the arrondissement."
What, Sir ± do you pretend to a right to extort from
such a fund—a fund for the benefit of poor foreigners, a
clear fourth part of the whole sum contributed by their
charitable countrymen and countrywomen ?"
For the poor of the arrondissement," repeated the
functiona ev,

" Then, Sir, we know our countrymen and country-
women subszribers to this fund, and are quite sure that
the best that we could do in the interest•of those for
whose benefit it was proposed will be to relinquish the
idea or a b4ll.altogether (th,.e functionary started), for we
are convinced that the majority of the --subscribers will
not reclaim or take back themonev paid for their tickets."
This and other observations, which I do not deem it
nteessary to mention, had apparent effect upon the func-
tionary, who at length lowered his demand by 50 per
cent., and he consented to receive out of the gross SUM
subscribed for the poor English in Paxift only one-
eighth, or 121- per cent., for the poor of the arrondis-
semtint," as he said, and no doubt said truly, for the mo-
ney goes not into his pocket.
I am quite sure that neither you, nor the " friends of
the foreigners in distress in Landon, nor Count D'Or-
say and other charitahle Frenchmen, who lately so
worthily and laudably resolved to found in your city an
institution similar to that established here for the benefit
of the English poor, will believe one word of what I have
written. " What ! (you and they will exclaim) " rob
the suffering foreigner in order to diminish the taxes of
Paris? No, no, Mr. Correspondent, you are in error,
are misinformed, or worse." Now, I reply, in the words
also f the aforesaid Peter—

" I tell you, roaring infidels, 'tis true—"
and 2,000 f. out of the money received for this charitable
purpose must be paid before the doors can be opened for
holding a charity ball for the benefit of the distressed
Bristish poor in Paris I