The Express.
London, England, 1863-12-23 00:00:00

EXPRN3B FROM PARIS.

(nom ova ow),

PARIS, TOZODAT ETIOUNO._

In my judgment the Emperor's speech to the
Senate, which the government journals, of course,
call " a grand utterance, destined to awake an im-
mense echo in Europe," signifies absolutely nothing.
What echo can be awakened among practical states-
men by the assurance of an absolute sovereign to a
complacent Senate that he "always means well,
and they know it 7" The Mate of such an assertion,
made under circumstances in which contradiction
is impossible, may, perhaps, be questionable ; but
as to its want of any tangible meaning there can
be no doubt. The opinion expressed last
night that the speech was extremely "con-
ciliatory and peaceful" seems to me even leas
borne out by the text than would be the opinion
that it is "threatening and warlike." I think it
neither one nor the other—that it merely marks
time, and contains no indication whatever of the
course that will be taken after the failure of the
" restricted " congress which must swiftly follow
upon the fiasco of the " general " congress. If it
were positively necessary to choose among infini-
tesimally fine shades of language for the inclination
of a meaning, I should say that the expression
about "confounding incredulity" is more menacing
than conciliatory. It is intended to say that
those who are incredulous about the con-
gress scheme shall be confounded. But the
incredulity is general. Drouyn de Lhuys's
circular, the contents of which were known, but
which is only now published in the Moniteur, says
the thing which is not when it affirms that
most of the courts " adhered without reserve " to
the French proposition. Only the Kings of Den-
mark, Italy, and Greece adhered without reserve,
as anyone may see who will read the answers pub-
lished by the Moniteur. K Dronyn de Lhuys's cir-
cular is probably only now published in ezfremis,
and because all serious hope of a congress is given
up. The negotiations now going on are
merely to gratify the personal vanity of
the Emperor, and mask a retreat. Girar-
din, who has over and over again said that be
never believed in a congress, now does the Emperor
the bid Mtge to urge hire to go On, and, careless of
the ridicule which would ensue if his advice wan
followed, pretends to believe that if but three or
even two sovereigns would accept the invitation,
good would come of it. The Opinion Nationale,
more sincere, says that the confederation of
nationalities, such as the Emperor imagines,
would no doubt be a very splendid thing, and may
hoped for some day, but that nothing but war can be
triumph over the " obstacles to be vanquished and
the incredulity to be confounded." In point of fact
the Emperor has now suddenly, but with an ap-
pearance of solemnity and sincerity, adopted the
motto of the Peace Society, "Arbitration instead of
war." But then the world does not all at once adopt
this device because it falls from his month, any
more than it did when Messrs. Cobden and Bright
were the sponsors of it. Unfortunately the Emperor
proposes his universal peace maxims too much in
the tone of the old conventionalists when they
invited citizens to "fraternity or death." Accept
universal peace, he says in effect to the nations,
or I will fight as many of you as I can, and as soon
as I am

K Isaac Pereire has been elected in the Pyre-
nits Orientals' by 21,227 votes against 14,864
given to K Durand, who was the government
candidate in the last parliament, but has now lost
favour—or rather has been superseded by the
desire of the government to have such a consider-
able man as M. Pamirs in the legislature. On this
occasion the prefect proclaimed himself neutral. Of
all the elections that were quashed, the least
objectionable one, as it seemed to me at the time,
was that of K Pereira. I have no doubt that his
return for the second time is the genuine expression
of the feeling of the constituency.

The Brussels journals announce that the court
Lath for the preeent season are to take place on the 6th.
13th, sad 27th January, and 3rd February.

The French Academy ban decided that the re-
empties of M. de Cam; who replaces M. Blot, shall take
place cio the third Thursday in January, and that of Y.
Datum, who replaces Duke PaNuier, three weeks after.

•
IL Flaubert, the author of SalarnmbG, has re-
mitred frost the Bay of Tunis the insignia of the Order of
the Nista, as an acknowledgment of the Bey's mimed-
Ma of the work above-oemed, the principal *cone of which
is laid on the rite of Carthage, is the Tunisia, territory.
THE WAR lw New ZRALAND.—Ient sight's
Gazette °anteing a series of despatches received by
the Secretary of Sete for War from Liwat.-Gmeral D. A.
Claineros, C. 8., commanding her Majesty's forme in New
&and. They Me that the forties occupied nearly the
sap politica aa at the date of the last despatch, The
adtaios Isis 3i cad acid tbi guaLoaia sad atoms: ware
available. The 110014117. has, is the meantime, takes the
opportunity of practiong bin favourite mode a warfare
by forming marauding bends, plundering the saattarad
sediments in the bush, and murdering iodividinds. This.
in snob a country sa New Zeeland, it is icapasdble wholly
to prevent. It has, howerer, led to several skirmishes
the 'sighed credit on the °Mews and men en-
have enviably fought with great plestry
Metedilmees, sad is every instance, emptied the cen•
!fiat at Omerole Town (where a smell detacenseat wee
suddenly exposed is a moat unfavourable aositioe to the
lire of overwhelming numbers), they inflicted a much
gime, led as the enemy than they bad themselves ens-
dined. The of to command, may of them yeas& and
meta them untried, have one end all merited approbatem
The followers °Moen are mentioned as haven rendered
ditlartithed service:—Major Lyoo, Auckland Volumene;
formerly el the Wed Highlanders ; Captain Russell, 57th
Regisseet ; Oatesin lonian, lab Royal Irisk Cnitain
fialemersies, 70th Regimes; ; Lieutenant Railer, 65th
Regiment ; sad Coleser-Serment liMenoa, 6541 Rogi-
. resat. •
no aerie to rape volantgen I. this sad the
seldshowirieg asked', for general service during the war,
en esadtlise of eldaming yenta of dad, have bees nap'
MIONININN, upwind,l,Boo having been already milled
end emend aengrtl mere are expected. They a for
; lie most part !bas ads-bodied men. About cone-half of
the ass egad and It to service at the outposts, and
the resider are Ming rapidly trained. Several add".
Wed deeps lam arrived from Melbourne and Hobart