The Express.
London, England, 1863-12-21 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

PRINCE NAPOLEON ON THE PROBABILITY
OF WAR.
(NEON oux owx onaispowoxar.)

PARIS, &rimy EaNum

Prince Napoleon, whose mouth has been shut in
the Senate, is now brought before the public
in an unexpected manner. The Nation repro-
duces from the niter/and of Vienna the following
letter, attributed to him, and expressing an opinion
that war is inevitable. The name of his cor-
respondent is not stated. The Nation, while pub-
lishing the letter under all reserve as to its authen-
ticity, says it finds iu it the bellicose language of
the prince, who seems to desire a war at any price
both in the north and the south. Here is the text
of the letter in question :
You ask me whether I believe in war. Yes, I do. How
iral Wolk oat I I will tell you. It will busk eat is the
spring, and my father-in-law will begin it. The situation
of Kiag Victor Emmanuel is no longer tenable. The public
debt iecreaus every year. There must be an end to this.
The King ban several times written to the Emperor that he
most have a solution, and that he would rather be plain
Chevalier de 'Carignan than continue to play the part of a
sovereign who is gravitating towards a precipice. I repeat
to you, my father-in-law has warned my cousin that in the
spring he means to attack the Austrian lines. Be-
lieve me that this is the way the struggle will commence ;
the King gives way to no Mogan ; he knows that Austria
will gain the victory, but he knows also that his magnificent
army will sot yield without making a serious resistance.
The oxiqueron will roentar Lombardy ; they will, perhaps.
oocupy Turin ; but then the situation will change. How-
ever great may he the desire of the Emperor for peace, he
amok allow Austria to destroy the work of France in Italy.
He will be forted, in spite of himself, to maintain the king-
dom of Italy. If, however, contrary to all expectatioo, the
Emperor should abandon my father-in-law, he would prefer
to biome oboe again King of Piedmont, and so be relieved
of the responsibility which weighs open him aa King of
Italy. What is moat probable is that Trues will interfere,
sad that, after a war, the King will have Northern Italy,
and the Emperor will dispose of the oath as he thinks fit.

A few hours will probably decide whether the
above letter, which a Paris journal, with all the
fear of warnings and suppression before its eyes,
ventures to print, is or not an impudent forgery.
If it be genuine, it will probably rank as one of
the most stirring events of these momentous times.
This much is certain, that all the recent letters from
Italy speak of preparations for immediate war
which nobody can account for. Prince Napoleon's
letter—if it be his—gives an explanation of them.
M. Jules Fevre, who was at Dijon the other day
with a special retainer, met with an ovation. He
was asked to a public dinner, and a handsome
porcelain vane, manufactured in the town, was pre-
sented to him. Dijon is the capital of the Cote
d'Or, which has just returned an opposition
member, K Magnin, by an overwhelming majority.
This election is in some respects • more important
' manifestation of public opinion than even that of
M. Pelletan in Paris, for the displacement
of votes is much greeter. As in Paris, the
number of voters who went to the poll is
much the rune as in Juno; but whereas
in June the government candidate, M. Vernier,
(now elevated to the Council of State) had • very
large majority against this very same M. Magnin,
DO less 7,000 electors have (if we can believe the last
ballot to have been fair) changed their minds within
six months. Under these circumstances it is im-
possible that the government can feel the equanimity
which it affects. The town of Dijon was always
liberal, but now the country districts around it
have caught the infection. The movement will
spread, and that probably with • rapidity
which will astonish the most sanguine leaders
of the opposition. War or liberty seems
now to be • pressing alternative. I, differing
with many close observers of events, do not think
that the Emperor sees his way clearly to war. But
yet, unfortunately, all the rumours of more liberty
are now discouraged.
K Emitter's speech was a clamber, and we are
now told that on the morning following the day
on which K Rouher delivered his speech in the
Senate, he received a telegraphic despatch from
Compibgne, thus worded :
My compliments ; I am delighted.

Earocaoir.
The Emperor, the Empress, and Prince Imperial
arrived at the Tuileries yesterday afternoon, bevies
finally quitted Compiegne, to take up their resi-
dence in Paris for the winter. To-day the Em-
peror presided at a Conned el Ministeta.