The Sun. — 1867-05-15 (London, England)

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.  (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)  PARIS, Tuesday Evening. The official communication made yesterday to the Chambers on the part of the Government, of which I sent you an account in my letter, has excited great satisfaction among the press and the public generally. Sime of the papers are enthusiastic in the highest degree. I see but one excep tion to this joyous feeling at the maintenance of peace—that of the Avenir National—which seems still to have some misgivings, and insists upon the truth of a report which has been circulated, that Luxemburg will continue to form part of the German Zollvereiu. The Avenir National says :—" The Customs frontiers at this time are real frontiers. To leave to Prussia the direction of the interests of national commerce would, in reality, be to leave to her the sole direction of important affairs. The Conference, in making such an arrangement, would only have finished its labour by leaving Luxemburg as Prutsian as it was before. The fortress will fall, it is true, but in its place the Powers have raised another less capable of attack, their guarantee of neutralisation."  Le Temps applauds the Convention, but wishes to see the treaty followed by a general disarmament. According to the Gazette de France, Prussia had only one object in view, that of obtaining the conservation of Europe in the position which she has obtained for herself in Germany. It believes that Prussia has perfectly succeeded in the object which she had in view.  The Presse says that the honour of France is maintained, but it expends a little ill temper upon the unskilfulness which, it says, has been in this stance displayed by M. Bismarck. The France is delighted that France has obtained a triumph without a sanguinary war or any perturbation in Europe. The step taken has not even troubled the great Exhibition which now exhibits its marvels in the Champ de Mars. A serious calamity has occurred at the village of  Louesmes (Cote d'Or). During service the foundations of the church gave way. Twelve persons were seriously injured, and ten were killed. The Sub-Prefect went to the spot immediately and rendered all the assistance in his power. Medical men were also promptly in attendance. The Empress has sent I,ooof. for the moment, and has promised to send such a further sum as may be required.  There was a fair attendance at the Chantilly Races on Sunday. A melancholy and mysterious affair is in course of investigation by the authorities. The circumstances, as far as they have transpired, are these : A young man of 20, Ernest X., after an absence of a week, which he said he had passed in the country, came home to his parents, who reside in the Faubourg St. Germain. He was pale and haggard, and saying that he was very ill he went to bed. Three days afterwards he died, and the medical attendant was unable to form any opinion upon the cause of death. Shortly before he died Ernest complained of severe internal pain, and when upon the point of death in his delirium he pronounced the names of several of his companions. He seemed to imagine that he was still in company with them, and cried out " I forgive you. You have murdered me. What a misfortune at my age." At the earnest desire of the father a post mortem examination of the body took place. The operation enabled the surgeons to pronounce that death had been caused from internal injuries in consequence of violent blows upon the stomach. This led to further investigation, and it was discovered that Ernest and four friends of about his own age had made a bet with some others that on every day of a week they would inebriate themselves with various strong and rebellious liquors, and that they would finish their Bacchanalia❑ orgies on the Sunday, closing the week by drinking a large quanity of punch composed of kirch, absinthe, cognac, rhun, white brandy, and other liqueurs of peculiarly intoxicating character. The programme of this foolish wager was carried out to the letter, or, more strictly speaking, to the spirit. The five young men passed the Sunday at the house where one of them resided in drinking 'and uproarious festivity. Not a drop of punch remained. The liquor had the effect of making them quarrelsome. They fought, and kicked, and danced together until, overcome by drinking and exhaustion, they all fell asleep. In the morning when they awoke they had but little recollection of what had passed, and they parted in a friendly feeling, aftqr shal;ing