The Express.
London, England, 1863-05-14 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(MON OUR OWN oolueroinnar.)
PARIS. WED/MOAT EVIIONO.

The great electoral news is that M. Thiers, at the
request of an influential deputation, has consented
to stand for Paris. He does not present himself as
one of the nine members of MM. Ravin and
Gueroult's list, but as a purely independent candi-
date, relying upon local support in the 2nd circum-
scription. lam told that K Laboulaye, one of
the nine, retires in his favour, but I cannot be sure
of this, because I see M. Laboulaye's name still
printed at the head of the Opinion Nationale this
evening. He would, however, do well to withdraw,
for he has not the ghost of a chance against M.
Thiers. There is this objection to be made against
the list of nine—that although every name
is individually unobjectionable, yet, as a
whole, the set of men brought together by the
committee do not form a sufficient representation
'of Paris. The metropolis should aspire to a more
varied representation than is afforded by four ad-
vocates and five journalists, all belonging to the
same set. The name of M. Thiers is an immense
improvement to the list. I bear that in revising
an electoral address laid before him in which oc-
curred the phrase " extend political liberties," the
historian of the Consulate and the Empire struck
out the word "extend " and substituted "restore."
K Thiers will stand for Valenciennes as well as
for Paris.

A great many electoral addresses have now ap-
peared in the provincial journals. Tho opposition
candidates' ask very generally for more liberty and
fewer taxes, more economy and fewer arbitrary acts,
a more just partition between the great powers of the
state, and more effective control by the country in
the management of its own affairs. Several of the
addresses seek to stimulate the courage of the con-
stituencies, adjure the electors to rely manfully
upon their rights and the secrecy of the ballot-
box, and assure them that the administration, how-
ever it may threaten, cannot, and will not, dare to
, hurt them. In many districts, however, publicity
is exceedingly difficult. Of the thirteen journals
published in the department of the Pas de Calais,
not one can be found to mention the candidature of
M. Degouve Denuncques, an eminent member of
former parliaments, who is determined to come
forward. Many candidates are forced to
I send to Paris to get their addresses printed,
the local printers being afraid of the prefect's
taking away their license. Some select the
liberal passages from M. de Persigny's last circular,
and place them as mottoes at the head of their
addresses, in the desperate hope of nailing the
minister to his word, and forcing the prefects to
allow fair play. It must be remembered that, con-
! teary to the proverb, M. de Persigny's bite is worse
than his bark. That circular in which there is not,
perhaps, much to be found fault with, was meant
for foreign readers, and to curry favour with Euro-
pean opinion. This the prefects know well, and
they, in too many instances, act accordingly. While,
as I have mentioned, several provincial journals do
• not dare speak of opposition candidates, some of
them are forced to insert the names of the govern-
! meat men in COMMUlikplid.
M. Prevost Paradol will, I believe, stand for one
of the circumscriptions in Paris.

The action of the Duke d'Aumale against the
Prefect of Police came on to-day before the Tribunal
of First Instance, presided by M. Benoit Champy.
The simple ease is that the Duke d'Aumale, ha%ing
published at Michel Levy's " A History of the
Princes of Condii during the 16th and 17th
Centuries," the Prefect of Police, under gene-
ral orders from M. de Persigny, seized 4,000
copies at the printer's. Ho prosecution followed the