The Express.
London, England, 1863-04-25 00:00:00

M. de Persigny's unlucky note in the Moniteur is
covered with ridicule by the independent journals,
and the most provoking thing for the minister is
that he cannot retaliate without making himself
more ridiculous still, so vulnerable is the position
which he has taken up. The Debate says that
although governments have occasionally repudiated
epithets affixed to them by their adversaries, this
is the first time that the opposition has been pro-
hibited from taking a name for itself. If a man
must not call himself an "independent candidate,"
on the ground that that designation implies a want
of independence in his favoured opponent, what
other adjective would not be equally objectionable ?
Suppose an unpatronised aspirant calls himself a
"partisan of economy," the government may say
he thereby insinuates that the official candidate is a
prodigal. By parity of reasoning, " liberal candi-
date" would be constructively libellous, as
implying that the government man was au enemy
of liberty. Will it be safe to say simply " opposition
candidate ?" Who will certify thet the other side may
take offence at being called " ministerial ?' Is it
even certain that the Constinitionne/ would be satis-
fied with the designation "a candidate not to be
elected ?" The Debate finally begs the latter jour-
nal to give the non-patronised class a name, since
they are not allowed to baptise themselves. The
Stacie observes that there was nothing to hinder the
government from dubbing its own candidates " in-
dependent," and humbly protests against the mono-
poly of that word. Like the Debate, it inquires
what other epithet would be more lawful 1 Like the
Temps, it observes that the use of the appellation
" independent" was tolerated at the last election,
and it sales what the government expects to gain by
striking off a few adjectives from the common voca-
bulary 1 After the decree of Nov. 24, after the
speech at the Crystal Pekoe, the country did not
expect, s►ys the Adele, such acts as the last two
warnings to the press and the note in the Monitotr.
It laments that on the eve of the elections attempts
should be made to restrict liberty instead of ex-
tending it, and recommends its friends, in ooneo-
gnome, to be doubly solicitous to do their duty at
the ballot-box.
The debate on the budget began yesterday. I
mentioned some days since that several members of
the majority, who know that the government does
not mean to have them re-elected, would join the
" five" in opposition on this occasion. Accordingly
Viscount Anatole Lemercier opened the ball by a
severe criticism on the financial administration of
the empire. He produced figures to show that for
the eight years from 1863 to 1880 the average
annual increase of expenditure had been 200
millions, while the increase of revenue had been
' only 95 millions. There was, therefore, a normal
deficit of 105 millions a year. He could not speak
with certainty of the budgets subsequently to 1880,
because they were not finally balanced, but
he did not anticipate any better results.
A celebrated communique, resulting in the dis-
missal of a minister, tended to destroy the hopes
of economy founded upon the abandonment of
supplemental credits by decree, for the object of
that communiqué was to show that there bad been
as much extra-budgetary expenditure since that
vaunted reform as before. He condemned the
levity with which the Mexican war had been un-
dertaken, dwelt upon the necessity of restricting
" extraordinary unproductive expenditure," as the
only means of realising economy, and drew a com-
parison in favour of the financial system of countries
where, as in England, ministers were responsible.
N. Picard dwelt particularly upon the dangerous
amount of the floating debt, which he said
reminded him of the motto which the city of
Paris used and abused, Fleetest nee esergitur.
He alleged that much of the boasted financial
prosperity of the country was in reality
attributable to the diminished value of gold, and
cited figures to show that in many instances the
government had received a larger revenue without
there being any corresponding increase of produc-
tion. He charged the government with neglecting
in home affairs the sound commercial principles
which it bad happily introduced in its relations
with foreign countries, and enforced the doctrine
that increase of revenue was more often obtained
by diminution than by augmentation of taxation.
The government was defended by M. Morin, M.
Meson, the reporter of the budget, and M.
Vuitry, Councillor of State. The debate will go
on for several days.
The academicians who, in spite of the excommu-
nication of the Bishop of Orleans, voted yesterday
for M. Littro were the Duke de Broglie, MM.
Thiers, Mignet, Remusat, Sainte-Beuve,
mie, Angier de Sacy, Lebrun, de Pongerville,
and Ponsard. All these eminent men are, in the
estimation of the Bishop of Orleans, friends of an
infidel whose doctrines lead to the denial of " God,
the soul, and the moral sense." Although the
bishop bas gained his electoral campaign, it will
probably be thought that his rhetoric prove@ too
I much.

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The hanging committee now hard at work in
Trafalgar-square will read with especial interest the
following note in the Afoniteur, which has surprised ,
the artistic world of Paris this morning :
Numerous complaints having reached the Emperor re-
sporting the refusal of works of art by the Exhibition jury,
him Majesty, anxious that the public should have an oppor-
tunity of deciding on the justice of those complain* has
determined that the works refused shall be exhibited in
another part of the Palace of Industry. This exhibition
will be optional, and the artiste who may not choose to
take part is it have only to inform the administration of
their dmisioe, and their works will be at once returned.
This exhibition of "rejected pictures" will be
quite a novelty. I think the Emperor's decision
highly commendable.
M. Renan's new work, which was advertised as
the " Life of Jesus," and the publication of which
is looked forward to with extraordinary interesl,
has been denounced to the government by leading
members of the clergy, who hope to have it seised.
Their efforts will probably be unsuccessful ; but,
by way of a compromise, the author has changed
the title to that of "The Origin of Christianity."

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DAILY TIDAL 8111VICI BILTWNEN LONDON AND
PAM. —The directors of the South-Eastern Railway Com-
pany have made sirmagements, from the Ist at May Onto
to resume, in conjusctico with the Great Northers
France, the special expreas daily direct tidal serving
between Loadoe and Paris vii Folkestoce and
• mute which the shortens of the sea passege,B°:ol=
with other (militia., has rendered deservedly popular.
During the period of the loternatiocal Exhibitios so great
was the prepondersoce of pamengere by Folkeetoue and
Bouloaue, that it was found necessary to °rpm's. a mooed
service daily of special trains eaoh way, to meet the roluire•
meats of the tragic. It may be mestiosed that the
same companies convey the Continental mail via Dover
and Calais. under contract with the Gass& Poot-Milos,
the journey being completed In 104 hours. The route vie
Folkestone and Moulage* is, heoevw, the shortest,
quickest, sad cheapest of the two, sod, with its excellent
service of tidal tisias, obtained • general and decided
preference.
The Maid of Judah, from Sydney January 24,
has paned un Chimed. Mr was of Pymosth yesterday.
The Maid of Judah Wage 23,500 sovervipm 13 panniers,
and • full cargo cd °Mound produce.