The Express.
London, England, 1852-02-10 00:00:00

FRANCE.

PAWL KOWIDAT ETIIIIIIO.
Yesterday the President paid • visit to Versailles.
He went in • close chariot, attended by Edge!. Ney,
and with an escort of cuirassers. The object of
his visit wen, I am told, to address the officers
of the garrison, who were reported to be
extremely dissffected. Rumours had been circulated
that it was intender; to place 200 officers on half pay
in consequence of their °demist leanings. Gene-
rally the confiscation-decry has proved highly
offensive to the army, from the coarse manner in
which they are invited to partake the spoil.
Notwithstanding the earnest desire of • few
honourable men to make the most of the narrow
footing offered by the constitution of January 14, in
order to form a legal parliamentary opposition in the
('orps Legislatif it begins to be too obvious that
they. will be forced to give over this course as en
illusion, and wait patiently till the departments be-
come alive, as Pans already is, to the intolerable
oppression of the government. The article of
the Putrie which I described to you yester-
day is regarded as • manifesto of the Presi-
dent, proclaiming that no sort of opposition
will be tolerated. In the meantime there is no pos-
sibility of the different fractions of the opposition
coming to an understanding. When a dozen men
of any party meet they. do so secretly, they. take
all possible preenutions against the inter-
loping of policemen, and depart separately
to avoid suspicion. Among the democratic candi-
dates are mentioned Prondbon, Carnet, Pierre
Leroux, Charms, Cavaignac, I)ufaure, Bethmont,
and Ferdinand de Lasteyne are spoken of among the
moderate republicans. But there is no certainty in
any list, sa no possibility of organization yet exists.
The silence obs i ervable n the Moniteur during some
days past is likely, I am told, to prevail more or less
until the elections. The bud effector the late decrees
upon public opinion has opened the eyes of
the government to the impolicy of provoking
more criticism than can be helped at this critical pe-
riod, when the country is on the eve of choosing its
representatives. Although the government will cer-
tainly resort once more to a dissolution if the new
Assembly should not be to its liking, of course it
wishes to be spared the dangerous necessity of doing
so. The fusionist party is displaying a good deal of
activity in convassingoinder the auspices of M. Ducha-
tel. lam told that, notvrit hstanding the deeisioe of the
leading legitimists to abstain from presenting them-
selves as candidates, Leo de Laborde intends to come
forward for the Vaucluse. But you are aware that
he and Larochejacquelin stand almost alone in the
extreme Right.
You are aware that Madame Georges Band has
been some time in Paris, preparing a drama of her
composition for representation at the Theatre du
Oymnase. I understand that this celebrated writer
had solicited an interview with the President, for the
purpose of representing on the part of the rural
inhabitants of the province of Berry the effects of the
coup detat on that port of France. General
Rouguet, Louis Napoleon's aide-de-camp, having
answered that the President would receive Madame
Sand, the latter went at the time appointed, and,
during a long conversation, depicted to the Prince
the sufferings endured by the peasantry, in conse-
quence of the multitudinous arrests. their terrors,
misery, despair, and complete innocence of all par-
ticipation in the insurrection. The President was
much impressed with the eloquent description given be
this woman of genius of the misfortunes of those
simple country people whom she has sketched so
happily in her novels. But he positively declined to
grant the amnesty which she solicited for them.
He seemed, however to wish to convey the impres-
sion that vast designs of beneficence were rolling in
his head; for he said that she would be astonished
at what he would do, but gave no clue for arriving at
his mysterious designs.
Last night, I hear, • Madame Pauline Roland,
a disciple of M. Pierre Leroux, and author of
pamphlets on working associations, was arrested. It
is also reported that sixty journeymen printers were
arrested at the same time.

A fresh list of senators is said to be on the eve of
1 appearing. About half the senators, I hear, will re-
ceive pensions.
I lately mentioned a rumour that the Corps Le-
-1 gialatif would only have the privilege of voting the
budget of expenses in a lump, and would not be
allowed to examine the details. It is now said that
that body will be relieved from the labour of con-
sidering the public expenditure altogether. They will
be asked to vote the supplies, and it will
be raid that as the constitution gives the power of
refusing them, it is no business of theirs to inquire
what becomes of the money. That would bo to re-
vive in a measure, the' system of impertinent and
annoying parliamentary inquiries which it is the
express intention of the present government to put
down. Meanwhile 240,0001. a year is talked of as the
civil list which the Senate will be asked to vote for
the President. This, considering that he has not
the domains prire, to keep up, would be about equi-
valent to the 480,000 f. which was allowed to Louis
Philippe. I shall be much surprised if the civil list
do not far exceed the above-mentioned sum.

The President gives a ball at the Elyse.) to-night.
The invitations are limited to 600.

At the Bourse the Five per Cents. rose 5e., and
closed at 102.85. The Three per Cents. rose 15c.,
closing at 61.60. Bank of France shares fell sf.
Railways were well supported :—Rouen rose 15 ;
Versailles (left bank), 7.50; Orleans, .5; Havre,
Central and Lyons, 2.50 each; Boulogne and North-
ern, 1.23 each.