The Express.
London, England, 1863-02-13 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

Mak oft owi

PARIS, THURSDAY Emma.

The government journals very indignantly deny
the truth of checks to the French forces before
Puebla, which are reported in London on the
strength of information from New York. The
Nation affirms that whereas this news bears date
Jan. 9, it has " precise information " down to the
19th, which enables it to give a positive denial to
the statement It must be admitted that all
Mexican news rill New York is untrustworthy,
but hitherto the canards coming that way have been
favourable to the French. The Moniteur itself did
not disdain to accept as "probable " the intelli-
gence of the taking of Puebla which was rumoured
at New York a month ago, and the minor officio.
prints clung to that fable for a very long timel
At the present time, although I agree with the
French journals that the naked statement of 14,000
French troops having been beaten in the open
fields by 10,000 Mexicans is incredible, yet I have
no doubt that the government is in possession of
lead Deus. which it keeps back from the public.
A pregnant prod of this is that the Moniteur not
only gives no news from Mexico, but does not so
much as announce the arrival of the Louisiana
packet at St. Namire, which was known in Paris
yesterday morning. As on former occasions, so
much of the truth as cannot possibly be suppressed
will ooze out little by little. It is significant that
the Nation to-night puts back the contemplated
siege of Puebla just one month. Hitherto the end
of January has been assigned as the latest date for
the attack. Now the best that a government jour-
nal can say, after taking twenty-four hours' time
for consideration, is that, " judging from the situa-
tion of our army, and according to the
opinion of several supeperior officers, it was
supposed that the works for the attack of
Puebla might be begun towards the end
of February, and that the army would arrive in
Mexico about the end of March." This, from an
optimist organ, is clearly a very melancholy pros-
pect. If the siege " works " are only to be "com-
menced " about the end of February, it is little
better than a forlorn hope to anticipate that
Puebla will be taken and the city of Mexico also
before the end of March. The Nation admits that
at Mexico the determination to resist to the utmost
seems to be general, and it speaks of a project, in
case of extremity, to lay the city under water
(which can be done by opening the sluices from
the surrounding lakes), and removing the seat of
the government to another state. The success
of such a desperate measure on the part of
Juarez might render Mexico the Moscow of Napo-
leon 111. No d oubt " if,"as the Nation suggests, Gen.
Foray were not only to take Puebla, but to make
prisoners of a great proportion of the fifteen or
twenty thousand men which form the garrison,
such a success might cool the enthusiasm of the
inhabitants of Mexico. But there is much virtue
in this "if." The hot season when European
troops can scarcely live, much less fight, in the
climate of Mexico begins in March, and General
Forey has little time indeed to loose. It will be
remembered that by the last packet information
was received of the French troops in Tampico
having met with some reverses. It is now stated
that General Forey having need of the garrison
gave orders that Tampico should be evacuated, and
that this "prudent measure was effected with
perfect order." "Perfect order" is rather
an. ominous phrase, for it is one invariably
used by a general when describing a re-
treat. Another excuse offered for abandoning
Tampico is that the principal object in taking it
was to get mules, and that " mules having now
been found elsewhere" the occupation of the town
bad ceased to be useful. The French are going on
as rapidly as possible with their railway from Vern
Crux to Orizaba, but they have to get all their
materials from the United States. It is asserted,
however, that the section to Soledad will be opened
in April. The Temps, is an article which very
clearly explains the " Monroe doctrine," or the
settled determination of the republic of the United

States to resist any attempt of European sovereigns
to introduce their system of government with any
part of the American continent, shows all French-
men capable of putting two and two together
that their Emperor, by his wild Mexican expedi-
tion, has raised a cares beUi with the Saxon
race in America, which will assuredly be taken
up on the first opportunity.

The more France comas to understand the true
bearing of the war in Mexico, the less she will
like it. The government knows this, and there-
fore keeps back the truth as long as possible. To
suppress the diffusion of what M. Jules Fevre said
about Mexico was the great object of the reoeut
campaign against the press, which has made such
an extraordinary commotion. That object has
been to a great extent attained. Even M. Emile
de Girardin thought it prudent, while apparently
defying the government to prosecute him, to skip
over Mexico in his series of commentaries upon the
debates. A fact which ought to be generally
known is, that the iforeiteur des Communes, au
official journal which is placarded in every one of
the 37,000 communes of France, contained a full
report of M. Billault's speech on Mexico, and not
one word of what M. Jules Fevre said. That is a
sample of the way in which the French government
" guides" universal suffrage, and assists the sove-
reign people in determining a question.
To-day a number of students belonging to the
Eoole Normals and the law and medical schools
formed in procession as they left M. Saint Marc
Girardins lecture and marched towards Prince
Czartoryeki's residence fur the purpose of making
a demonstration in favour of Poland. They were
dispersed by the police and several of the young
men are arrested. It is said that the assemblage
consisted of from 1,200 to 1,500.
M. Darimon, the deputy, has presented a peti-
tion to the Senate, praying that the verbal com-
munication of the Minister of the Interior to the
journals of February 7, may be annulled as
unconstitutional and that the Senate may be
pleased to interpret the precise meaning of Article
42 of the Constitution so far as relates to the right
of the press to discuss the debates.
The Bourse has nearly recovered the ground it
loot yesterday, the Bank of France returns being
considered good, in a Bourse point of view,
there bellig no reliable bad news from Mexico of a
decisive character. Rents rose 150. both for cash
and account, closing at 701 r. 500. and 70fr. 66e.
Mobilier rose lbfr. Railways were rather lower.
The Daily News is milled.
NAvAL Rssava The following appointment
kw Loos made :—To M beetroot, James ILite

MUSIC.