The Express.
London, England, 1862-02-07 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(now ova owx 001

PARIS, THURSDAY EVINIRO.
The case of Dr. Pamard's election for Avignon
came before the Corps Legislatif to-day. M. Le-
mercier (a member of the Keller clique) spoke
against the validity of the return, and, although
returned to the house himself as a government
candidate, expressed the opinion that the system
should be altogether abandoned, as being an ille-
gitimate interference with universal suffrage. M.
Picard made a few facetious remarks upon the
celebrated story of the electors who were made
to "run" round the table when the scrutiny was
going on—such being the interpretation put by the
local authorities on the law which gives them the
right to " circulate " about the scrutiny tables in
order to watch the proceedings. M. Earache (go-
vernment orator), ignoring with supreme contempt
all the enormities articled and objected against
this election, merely announced in a general way
that the Emperor's government would certainly
continue to give the electors the benefit of ita re-
commendation in order to aid their free choice.
Dr. Pamard was then duly voted a lawful member of
the house without a division, only about twenty
bands being held up against him.
The Bourse has been heavy to-day, notwith-
standing the rather unexpected announcement that
the Bank of France has lowered its discount from
4} to 4 per cent. It is quite plain, when we con-
sider the great demand for money at the Bank,
that the directors have taken this measure from
political motives, in order to support the govern-
ment, and not out of ordinary considerations
founded upon the state of its haleness. The Reute
fell 15c. for cash and 10c. for account, closing at
70fr. sc. and 71fr. 25c. Mobilier fell 10fr. The
only considerable changes in railways were a fall in
Orleans of 15fr. and in Lyons of 12fr. 50e.
An article in the Temps, by M. Forcade, ex-
presses the following hostile opinion to M. Fould's
scheme for the conversion of the Four-and-A..llldt
per Ceuta. :

Regarding the project now about to be disclosed by the
Corps Legialatif in a large point of view, the first thing
that strikes us is this: So far from the interests
of the stockholders being hurt by the measure, they
are wonderfully favoured to the detriment of the state.
And why does the state so kindly consent to abandon in
their favour the benefit which would arise from the strict
exercise of its rights? Alas! the answer is but too easy.
The state does not avail itself of its rights, because its
credit is not strong enough to allow it to do so. If the
general course of our policy and good management of our
finances had brought the Three per Cents. up to 75, the
government would not have released the holders of Four-
and-a-Half per Conte, from the liability to future salver-
sion for the sake of the paltry Fouler (difference) which
some people have the lad grace to make a fuss about. In
the sacrifice which the state now makes for the benefit of
the fundholder, we can but see the consequence of the bad
management of our finances for several years put, and the
justification of those who have protested against that
management.
A priest named Gaubet has been convicted by the
assize court of the Var of attempting to murder a
girl named St. Cernin, at her home in a Toulon
brothel. There appears to have been no other
motive than that the girl was tired of him, and did
her best to keep out of his way. He fired two pis-
tole at her on the staircase. The jury, having given
him the benefit of "extenuating circumstances,',
he was sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment,
with hard labour.

Madlle. Fleury, a favourite actress of the Theatre
Francais, is to be married on Saturday to K Fran-
uhesi, the sculptor, whose statue of Andromeda is
one of the ornaments of the park of Fontainebleau.

The Carnival season is proceeding gaily in the
Eternal City. The Roman palaces are thrown open by
their princely owners to the privileged dames, foreign and
indigenous; and theatres.of all grades, from the Apollo to
the Plana Nevem, are crowded by their respective habitat.
British and American visitors are docking to each other's
dinner parties, tea lights, or state balls, much as if they
were at home.

The contributions for the London Exhibition are
gradually leaving Rome. Mr. (Utley's colossal baaso•reliero
has been got on board a vessel on the Tiber after groat
difficulty, the mass of marble, with its case, weighing not
less than 14 tone. Mr. Cardwell's beautiful statue of
Diana, and his group of Cupid and Pan, have also been
packed ; but Mr. Spence's colossal group. " The Finding of
Mass"—s moat striking production—is still in the artist's
studio. On the 25th ult. Mr. Macbeau was to forward the
production, of Roman oontributors from Civil*, Vocehia on
board Maws. Griffith and Co.'s ecrewatesmer Chester,
which was chartered to all there on purpose to mei,'
them.