The Press.
London, England, 1855-05-05 00:00:00

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ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF THE
FRENCH EMPEROR.
ON Saturday last, within a week of his return to
France from visiting the English Sovereign, the
Emperor Napoleon was made the subject of an
attempt at assassination, from which his escape
seems little short of miraculous. His Majesty, it
appears, was riding slowly up the Champs Elysees,
keeping nearly close to the tootpavement, and as
usual somewhat in advance of the three or four
officers who were his Pole attendants. When near
the Villa Beaujou a well-dressed man advanced and
fired two pistol-shots in succession, and was about,
to discharge a third, when a police agent, happily
standing near, seized the culprit, and after a
struggle succeeded in capturing him. One of the
balls is said to have passed near his Majesty's head.
The Emperor displayed the most perfect self-posses-
sion, taking off his hat in acknowledgment of the
cheers with which a crowd, assembled as if by magic,
testified their joy at his escape. His Majesty con-
tinued his ride at the same walking-pace, and pro-

ceeded to join the Empress, who was at the moment
taking an airing in the Bois de Boulogne. On their
return their Majesties were greeted on all sides with
the warmest and most enthusiastic cheering. On
ente►ing the Tuileries they found Prince Jerome
Napoleon and Prince Napoleon, the other members
of their family, the ambassadors and foreign Minis-
ters, the Emperor's Ministers, the grand officers and
the officers and the ladies of the houses of their
Majesties, and a large number of other persons, in•
formed of this event., who had hastened to congratu-
late their Majesties.
Official congratulations on his escape were offered
to the Emperor on the following day from the great
bodies of the State, the corps diplomatique, &c. In
his reply to the address of the Senate he used these
words :

There are lives which are but the instruments of the
decrees of Providence. So long as I shall not have fully
accomplished my mission, I run no danger.
Numerous messages were afterwards received from
different sovereign powers as the news of the event
successively reached them by telegraph. The Papal
Nuncio in Paris is said to have been the first to re-
ceive instructions to notify to the Emperor the joy
with which his Court had received the news of his
preservation. Other envoys, including those of
England, were charged with a similar message, and
on Tuesday his Majesty held a reception at the
Tuileries to accept and acknowledge their congratu-
lations. A meeting of the English inhabitants in
Paris was held on Wednesday at the British Embassy
to frame means of expressing their special t atisfac •
Lion at the harmless issue of so atrocious an attempt.
In France the Emperor has forbidden all official or
formal notice being taken of the event. But this
prohibition does not extend to England, and congra-
tulatory addresses have begun to pour into the
Tuileries from the Loudon corporation and a multi-
tude of other civic bodies.

The Moniteur of Thursday contains the following
paragraph :
The whole of France has received, with the twofold feel-
ing of indignation and gratitude, the intelligence of the
attempt on his life from which Providence has preserved
the Emperor. Everywhere the population have proceeded
in crowds to the churches to render thanks to God for
having so visibly protected France, and to beseech Him to
preserve the life of one so precious to it. Although the
Emperor has expressed a desire that no official addresses
should be presented to him on the occasion, his Majesty
cannot witness, without profound emotion, this unanimous
and spontaneous manifestation of the sentiments of the
nation.

The assassin remains in custody, and will be tried,
it is said, by ordinary process and with as little
parade as possible. He is an Italian, and &passport
bearing the name of Livorani was found upon him,
together with three pistols and a considerable sum in
gold. It has subsequently been discovered that his
real name is Pianori, and that he is a native of
Faenza. He was a volunteer at Roma under Gari-
baldi. Since the taking of Rome by the French he
has principally lived in England, and belonged to the
sect of Italians who renounced Catholicism.
M. Drouyn de l'Huys reached Paris on Monday
evening, on his return from Vienna.
By an Imperial decree, an extraordinary credit of
9,600,000 fr. is opened to the Minister of Publics
Works for the part of the expense which devolves

SATURDAY,

on the State, attendant on the opening of the
Bouvelard du Centre, and prolongation of the Rue
Rivoli.

GERMANY.

The Vienna papers report the suggestion of new
propositions for peace, set on foot it is stated by
Prussia, and the consequent holding new conferences.
General Hess has again postponed his departure
for head-quarters.
An Imperial decree is expected, calling out 80,000
men as an addition to the Austrian army. An ordon-
nance has been, made public, recalling to their
colours all soldiers absent on furlough.
The Austrian Government has commenced prepa-
rations for making a military survey of the princi-
pality of Wallachia. Austrian engineers will execute
the work under the superintendence of Count
Coronini, and a convention has been concluded
directly with Prince Stiroey, respecting the aid
which the local authorities are to render for this
purpose.
The session of the Prussian Chambers was closed
on Thursday, by a speech from Baron Manteuffel.
After enumerating the various legislative enactments
passed this session, the Minister promised that
the credits granted will be used as economically as
could be found consistent with duty in the presence
of an army prepared for war, during the actual
unsettled state of affairs, so as to vindicate the
independence and position of Prussia as a great
power.