The Sun. — 1869-02-10 (London, England)

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 10, 1869.  CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.  (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) PARIS, TUESDAY, February 9. The Liberti devotes an article to the important question " Who is to be the successor of the Pope ?" Considering that his Holiness is still alive at the Vatican, and, though unwell, by no means in actual danger of life, most people would be of opinion that the discussion was premature. But the LibertO finds ground for serious apprehension, not in the state of the Pope's health, but in the necromantic decision that no Pope can occupy the Pontifical chair for more than 25 years. Out of 258 Popes who have ruled the Catholic Church only three have reigned 24 years, and not one, except Saint Peter, has completed the quarter of a century. Now, as Pius IX. enters upon his 24th year on the 17th of next June, the Liberte sees in this a grave reason for considering his successor. His Holiness has a good constitution, is the most ternperate of men, regular in his habits, takes daily walks, but yet be is himself, the Libcrte is assured, under the influence of the legend, and believes that lie will not live to see the assembly of the General Council. .Yon videlis a 727103 Petri is one of the most prominent topics in ecclesiastical circles. Some believe that the General Council, before separating, will designate, by its vote, the successor of Pius IX. The Libertj, however, hardly believes this possible. What is just possible is that the council may make a change in the mode of electing Popes. It is not unknown at the Vatican that several bishops intend to call the attention of their brethren to this grave question, and Rome is at present much occupied with this matter. The question was raised at the Council of Trent, but it was not submitted to the serious deliberation of that tumultuous assembly, and has never been broached since. But now many prelates are of opinion that in the present state of the Church the selection of the Pope should not be for the future the exclusive right of a small number of Italian cardinals. They argue that an Italian is sure to be chosen in that case ; whereas, by widening the privilege of voting, a French Pope might be secured, which would he the surest mode of saving the temporal power. I shall add no comments to this article of tbe Liberte„ It does not throw out any hint as to what the probable " extension of tne tranchise ' will be, but it is positive that the subject mutt sooner or later receive attention. The "moribund Parliament" of France does not cut a very glorious figure in its declining days. It cannot signalise itself by any question like that of the Irish Church, and, so far as its present business is concerned, it might as well give way to its successor at once. Yesterday the Corps L6gislatif met and received two reports. One of these related to the cession of a donsanial ground in the city of Toulouse, in order to establish there a Protestant Church in a larger space. The present site is insufficient by reason of the increase of the Protestant population. This, with other matters, is neither important nor interesting enough to warrant a compte rendu analytique of the length of a column. The hope that the Corps Legislatif should do something to relieve the world of France from its dullness has yet to be realised. The Greek difficulty Las become hopelessly uninteresting. Paris, in fact, cares nothing about Greece, or the Corps .I,6gislatif, or any other political dismal swamp. The one topic of interest is the great drama of real life in which the count and his bonbons, and the- lady of the demimonde, the erring duchess, and the doomed duke, are the central characters. The story, though incredible, is real. All the names of the actors have been disclosed. The Polish count is named Kzidniakowski, his accomplice, a medical student, who was to prepare and supply the bonbons, is named Marson ; the lady who informed the police instead of murdering the Duke, is Madame Belval alias Mdlle. de Narbonne, and the doomed Duke is the Due de Beauffremont. It appears that Madame Belval never saw the 20,000 francs, for the Count did not possess them. Though his mother enjoys a good income in Poland, the means supplied to her son are very restricted, so much so, that the portable property found on him consisted largely of pawn tickets. At first the Count told Mdlle. Belval that a farce only was in contemplation, and that she was to write a letter to the Duke appointing a rendezvous at the ball. She refused, and the Count wrote himself. On Saturday, at five o'clock, he informed her that the real design was to get the Duke out of the way by a poisoned bonbon. He then went away, appointing midnight as the time for going to the ball. No sooner was he gone than Madame Belval got into a carriage, and went to seek a commissioner of police. One was not at home, another disbelieved her story, and she was sent about from one place to another for about four hours. At length the functionary who lived in the same quarter as Madame Belval managed to get out of bed, and went with a colleague to her residence. She, who had preceded them, opened the door, and pointed to the boudoir where the Count now was. They went in and searched him, finding 241 f. and some pawn-tickets, but no bonbons. "But I forgot to tell you," said Madame Belval, " that an etc....puce 13 inwaitiub at the bottom of the staircase." With divers nameless expressions one of the commissaries rushed out and found the young student. He was arrested, and conducted up the staircase, which.was intensely dark. Whilst going up, the commissioner heard something fall, he lighted a snatch, and there were the bonbons. The Count has since attempted to commit suicide in prison. The affair will be profitable, at least, to the lady of the demi-monde, who will lose nothing by refusing £BOO for committing a murder. She stood only in the second rank of ladies of her class ; now she has risen to the first. The Jockey Club has sent a depu tion to thank her for saving the Duke's life !  One scandal produces another. It is now reported that the ex-King of Naples' uncle has run away with an American beauty.  A man has just been condemned at Vienna to three months' imprisonment for offensive language against the Empress Maria-Theresa. This august lady died in 1780. It is difficult to divine what sort of satisfaction this punishment can be to the dead, and even to the enraged living such retribution must be poor.