The Express.
London, England, 1864-09-17 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(nom OUR OWN COI

PARIS. FRIDAY EVENING.

The Emperor is said to have under his con-
sideration several constitutional questions of great
importance. The country awaits the imperial
solution with confidence that useful reforms and
liberal measures will be the result. The questions
over which his Majesty is said by the France to
be poring are not announced, but that paper
seems to indicate that there will be some change
of ministers. We are told that
Formerly ministerial crises were brought about by per-
sonal questions, but they are produced now by con.
stitutional questions. With regard to the combinations
which are being prepared at this moment it is not a matter
of men, nor is it important to know what ministers the
Emperor will name. His will is perfectly free, and no
ambition can Wives itself on the counsels of the Sore-
, reign. In our eyes this is es it should be. We consider
that patriotism has a more noble aim than the possession
of power—it is the application of just and neomsary ideas.
What does it matter to rule? The essential point is to
he well governed. The Emperor chooses his ministers, sod
if they umlentand and carry out the generous notions of
the Sovereign, we cannot understand how they can have
rivals instead of auxiliaries. The interest of the changes
announced is not in men but in things. There may be
different appreciations in official regimes, but the important
question is—how shall the government be represented
before the chambers?

La France, after this rhapsody, explains the
three systems of government—the Council of State
as under the Oonstitntion of '5l; speaking
mi-
nisters, representing the cabinet, as was in force
last session ; and then ministers sitting in the
chambers and defending their own acts, as was de-
manded by the opposition. The different merits
of these systems are pointed out, and the France
pronounces in favour of the second. But if the
article it has written has any meaning at all, it
portends some change, and the Emperor must
either be on the point of making a retrograde
movement, or of according to the Opposition mi-
nisterial responsibility. As yet his Majesty has
made no retrograde movement, and his supporters
assert that he will march from one liberal
measure to another. It was certainly thought,
by many that he would be likely to be
alarmed at the array of talent presented
by Paris and other opposition towns, and
would be forced to repeal the concession of allow-
ing a debate on the address. Perhaps his Majesty
c Insiders that the prepared shafts of M. Thiers,
tile brilliancy of Berryer, the searching criticism of
Jules Favre, and the frequent taunts of M. Glais
Bezoin, have had no serious effect on his govern-
ment ; that the Opposition was fully answered by
his talking ministers, who went to the chamber
crammed like barristers. The battles which took
place between these irresponsible ministers without
portfolios and the Opposition phalanx could not be
such serious encounters as if a minister were in his
place defending his acts. There was a palpable
disadvantage on both sides. M. Thiers could not
attack with all his vigour'!. Rouher defending a
policy about which he had never been consulted,
nor would M. Rouher, no matter what his good-
will, defend the ideas of another minister as he

would have defended the emanations of his own
brain. M. Thiers might easily feel that he was
attacking the wrong man, and M. Rouber that he
was defending wrong measures. The " feeler'.
thrown out by the Prance would lead one to believe
that the speaking will become real ministers, and
sit in the chambers.

M. Emile Perrin, director of the French Opera,
has •ddreseed a letter to the editor of the Figaro-Pro-
gramme, contradicting • statement recently made M that
publication reepectios Meyerbeer's Africatoe. The director
asserts that the opera in question has not been read at the
Opera, and that not one of the artistes or persons employed
at the theatre have any knowledge whatever of the work,
and ommequeotly cannot be in • position to express an
opinion as to it. score.
_ . . . _

The new Paris terminus to the Northern Railway
is nearly completed. This immense building covers a space
of eight acres, and is composed of five principal parte. The
great hall is in the centre, the ball for traveller about to
quit Paris is to the left ; next that the waiting-room. To
the right of the great entrance are the halls for travellers
arriving in Paris. The entrance hall is 210 feet wide ; it is
subdivided by metal pillars bearing an iron roof. The
grand front of the building, which extends the full length
of the Place de Roubaix, is ornamented with a number of
statues. The old terminus is gradually taken down
according as a provisional service gets organised in the now
• _ . .

An amusing episode occurred a few days ago at
the dinner the Duke of Nassau is in the habit of giving after
the Baden mow to the foreign sportsmen who have attended
them. The dinner takes pleas in the salmi of the Russian
Club. This year among the Weide were the Duke of Keck.
'sebum, the Comte of Oldeiburg•Saze, the Prince of Here-
Camel, some of the Jockey Club, and the Comte Westpits„
leo, the whiner of the annual steeplechase at Iffesheim.
As the Duke of Nassau and his friends were Wien down to
dinner, one of the party remarked that there were thirteen.
This fatal number struck terror into the hearts of most of
the noble emu* who, however willing to risk their necks
busting or at a steeplechsee, proved utter cowerde in pee-
wee* of this mystic number. The question wee put to the
vote, and an overpowering majority compelled the Duke of
Nassau to wad for the officer of guard to avert the fearful
danger to which he bad so inadvertently exposed his treads.