The Express.
London, England, 1863-04-20 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(TROY 001 OWN

PARIS, SUNDAY EVIOIING.

In the Senate yesterday K de la Oueronnihre's
report upon K Darimon's petition relating to the
right of the press to comment upon the debates
was voted, as I anticipated on Thursday last,
without a division. K Tourangin, who alone
opposed the report, attempted to show that the
Senate had no right to entertain a petition praying'
for either an alteration or interpretation of the
constitution, because the constitution had only
provided two codes by which it might be changed,
L A vote of the Senate on the proposition of the
Emperor—and 2. A vote of the Senate on the
initiative of ten senators. President de Royer, at
great length, repudiated this narrow construction
of the right of the subject to petition, and argued
to the Senate that they had jurisdiction
to recommend to the consideration of the
government the suggestion of any private indi-
vidual for the amendment of the constitution,
although they could not discuss a senaeue conauUum
actually proposing a change, unless signed pre-
liminarily by ten members. The course which this
affair has taken is bailed by the journals as a symp-
tom of progress towards liberal institutions ; and
within certain sober limits I think it may be so
considered. But as long as the government retains
its arbitrary jurisdiction over the press, it will
always be dangerous to review the debates ; be.
cause the slightest verbal deviation from the text
of the Monilewr will run the risk of being deemed a
false "report." The journals will now comment
on the debates with, perhaps, somewhat more free-
dom than heretofore, but they will not dare to do
so effectually and thoroughly.
In the Corps Legislatif, yesterday, the bill for
amending the penal code was carried by 158 votes
to 48. There had been some expectation that it
would be thrown out altogether ; but the govern-
ment at last put the screw on, and it is only wonder-
ful that the "five" should have been reinforced on
this occasion by so large a contingent as 43. Several
articles of the bill bad been modified at the 'inges-
tion of the chamber, but the most obnoxious part
of it, which was retained to the last, is a clause re-
striding the discretion of judges in giving prisoners
the benefit of extenuating clic:Lima/woes, and aug-
menting the minimum of sentences. K Regent
St. Laren, an eminent advocate, who generally
votes with the government, distinguished himself
greatly by an energetic speech against this change
in the law, which he describes as "retrograde."
K de Parien, the Vioe-President of the Council
of State, who appeared as the principal government
orator, reproached the speakers against the bill
with having sought to relieve the " five " members
who usually 'constitute the minority from their
state of isolation. This attack led to some smart
sparring between M. Jules Fevre and M. de
Parien ; but it no doubt produced the effect in-
tended, of intimidating a servile majority into a
vote against their consciences. The Temps charac-
terises the result as a "painful deception."
In the minority of 48 I observe the whole squad
of ultramontanists who know that the government
will withdraw its support from them at the coming
elections, MM. Keller, Plichon, Lemercier, Kolb
Bernard, &c.
The government journals are not able to give
any confirmation of their own knowledge of the
Cadiz telegram stating that Puebla was actually
attacked by the French army on March 18.
Mr. Eliot, passing through Paris on his return
from Greece, has had a long interview with M.
Drouyn de Lhuys.

Tax FEr..vca ACLDENIC.—An active contest has
commend in the French Academy between the friends of
Y. Lit*/ end Y. OUDE. The whole of the clerical party,
headed by the Bishop of Orleans, oppose the former on ac-
count of the " rationalist" character of his writings, and the
Bishop of Orleans has published a pamphlet called, " A
Waning to youth and to the fathers of families," which is
11 di:octal against B. Littre. it Goixot, who is deocribed by
the rechfpenda nee as one of the most furious " catholic' "
of the Academy, is opposing tf. Littre. The liberal press
I of Paris, the Temps, the &We, &c., warmly support his no-
inleatioo.

" The Paris Opera House," says the Journal du
Havre," according to the credits opened sad to be opened,
is to be finished in four years. • report is current that the
Commute Immobiliere of Park, feeling the inconvenience
resulting from such a delay, has decided, in the general in-
terest as wall as for its own advantage, as it pommies con-
✓iderahle property in that quarter, to offer to the city an
edemas of twelve million on condition that the building
shall be completed in one year."
Advioes from Dauiaecus state that the immi-
nent which had been excited in that city by the react
murder of an Armenian is by degrees subsiding, the soar-
Lelia interference of the foreign causal' bevies induced
the Turkish authorities to adopt the necessary measures
of repression. The snort of a certain number of persons
has istiasklated the fanatics and tranquillised the popula-
tion, so that the great majority of the Chziatians who
had departed to the Mountain are now returning.
Wont Huirrota or Parries—The Duke of
Beaufort with his son the Marquis of Worcester, has bees
continually Used by the Freese gentlemen, and the "fields"
have been attended by as nnsy as three hundred hormone.
The following is as amount of their last doings :—On
Friday, the 10th, the duke's hounds killed a wolf. On
arriving at the meet in the Bois des Cartes they heard of
three wolves which had just been seen. The French bounds
were laid on, and the duke's went to the cry much better
thee they had hitherto done, for at first they very naturally
did not take much notice of the wolf. The field of be-
tween 900 and 400 gentlemen on horseback (all the
sporting world of France being there), is their over.
seal to be up with the Markle got rather before them and
ee the line, so that there was some dellloulty in forcing the
wolf into the open plains, as the duke wished, and they
only ran from snail wed to mall wood, about 10 miles
from point to 'ot, for two home sad 10 minutes. The
wolf, much exhausted by the internee hest, lay down for
• time, sod there was a loss else, whoa soddenly they
found him again. Contest sad Paradox (two of his moo •
hounds) went at him, and rotting him over, the rest of the
noble pack joined in, sad killed Mut. He was sot as old
wolf, which is what the duke particularly wishes to kill.
bat he took a "great deal of killing," as they are very
tough in the skin. The deka expects to have better sport
now, as the hounds have entered and usderetted what is
expected of them. This will prove that his grace is risht
In 'eying his, hoards 'maid. kill anything. The duke
enjoys himself very snob, and goes about to &joggers and
dinners got up for him. All are most amiable and civil to
him.