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

TYIE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 10, 1869.  CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.  (FROU OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) PARIS, TUESDAY, February D. The Liberia devotes an article to the important question " Who is to be the successor of the Pope 7" 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 Liberte 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 temperate of men, regular in his habits, takes daily walks, but yet lie is himself, the Liberte is assured, under the in• fluence of the legend, and believes that he will not live to see the assembly of the General Council. .No videlis annos 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 Liberte, 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 he 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 the Liberff. It does not throw out any hint as to what the probable " extension of the franchise" will be, but it is positive that the subject must sooner or later receive attention. The moribund ritiltamPnt " 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 Ugislatif met and received two reports. One of these related to the cession of a domanial 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 m-endu analytique of the length of a column. The hope that the Corps L4gislatif should do something to relieve the world of France from its dullness has yet to be realised. The Greek difficulty has become hopelessly uninteresting. Paris, in fact, cares nothing about Greece, or the Corps i46gislatif, or any other political dismal swamp. The one topic of interest is the great drama of real life in which the count and his bonbon; 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 bonbon; 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 Duc 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 Co-ant 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 mid night 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 accomplice is inwaiting 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 golns np, the commissioner heard something fall, he lighted a match, 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 punish. ment can be to the dead, and even to the enraged living such retribution must be poor,