The Express.
London, England, 1852-02-25 00:00:00

FRANCE.

PARIS, TrIGIDAT EVINING.
had almost forgotten that this day is the fourth
anuiversary of the revolution of Feb. 24. Indeed
you would lark iu vain at the present moment for
any vestige of that democratic triumph. Under the
auspices of M. de Moray the favourite device of the
republic was carefully obliterated from the front of
all public buildings; and M. de Persiguy followed up
the blow dealt at the symbols of the revolution
by proscribing the celebration of its anniver-
sary. Lost veer, on this day, six thousand
republicans walked in orderly procession to lay their
votive wreaths at the foot of the column of the Has-
tile. To-day, perhaps, six thousand republicans are
crossing the seas towards various penal colonies in
Africa and South America. The coincidence of
Shrove Tuesday tends In sonic degree to direct the
attention of the Parisian public from the unceremo-
nious treatment to which the anniversary of the
republic has been condeunlasel. At this hour the
Boulevards arc thronged with an immense stream of
carriages and people, dotted here and there with the
rag-fair frippery of the Carnival, and sending up a
dissonant hubbub of conflicting sounds from earthen-
ware trumpets, mixed n ith the roar of wheels. Such
arc the pastimes of the multitude; while their bet-
ters, equally oblivious of politics, seem more intent
on discussing trutfied turkeys than the decrees of the
Moniteur. Nlcanwhile all official dignitaries are
striving, each after their degree, to comply with the
injunctions issued from head-quarters by giving balls
and dinner parties, and thus atoning in some small
measure to the mortified shopkeepers for the rigorous
parsimony systematically adopted by the opposition.
By decree. in the Monsieur, a prize of 30,000 francs
is instituted in favour of the discoverer who shall
render the Voltaic Pile applicable with economy
to industry as source of heat, to lighting, chemistry,
mechanics, or medical practice. Scientific men of
all nations are admitted to compete during five years
for the prize.
The government has taken measures to suppress
the candidatures of exiled ex-representatives.
The elections excite the least possible interest. The
newest incident of importance on this subject is the
following announcement of the Patrk :
The caoilidateship of several ex-representatives now
under banishment has been spoken of. It is stated that
the necessary arrangements are about to be t Ikea to put an
end to such a state of things, which is in direct opposition
to the measures of public safety which have been adopted
by the chief of the state.
This interdiction seems addressed to the Sieck,
which pint are aware has proposed the candidature of
LamoricUTe and others. Ihe latter journal, nothing
daunted, however, by the frown of power, repeats
the same list to-day, without condescending to notice
the Patric's hint. It remains to be seen whether
the fresh provocation will be allowed to pass, or
whether the journal of General Gavaignac is doomed
to feel the first rigours of the law on the press. It is
remarked by some that the candidature of Lamori.
ciere is incompatible with the provisions of the elec-
toral law. This is an error. The law lays down
no positive prohibition against the proposal of any
paid functionary as a candidate. Only it that func-
tionary be elected he must make option between his
seat in the Corps Legislatif and his employment
under the government. Meanwhile, true to his sys-
tem of breaking upon the heads of his victims the
rod which he was spared himself, Louis Napoleon,
who was proposed and elected to the National As-
sembly while in exile, takes advantage of his power
to exclude exiles from being chosen members of the
Corps Legielalit: I have already stated that
the only sort of opposition contemplated in
the elections is rather the recording of a
protest against the coup dela! and its consequences,
than a practical effort to return a legislator unfavour-
able to the government. In the absence of all means
of publicly canvassing tho constituencies, the utmost
exertions could only ensure the return of an opposi-
tion candidate here and there. And it is felt that if
even a majority in the Corp. Legis:atywould be im-
potent for all practical purposes, of cow* a very
small minority could lead to no visible result. Hence
the elections of February 29 will be the corollary of
the election of December 21. The contest was then
between Louis Napoleon and nothing. While
the electors are prohibited from meeting and
organising an opposition candidature the case is pre-
cisely analogous to-day. Tho national will is sur-
rendered. People in general, even those who bear
the government no good-will, wish the government
candidates to pass, if it were only to defeat before-
hand that absurd lie which is resorted to for the ex-
planation of failure, that the stoppage of all affairs
arises from the factious conduct of the opposition. In
conformity with these views, M. Dupin, sen., has ad-
dressed the following letter to theJetirial des Debats:
Paris, Feb. 23.
Sir,—Permit me to have recourse to. your estimable
Lal to declare to each of my friends is the Nieves
.. expressed a wish to return me to the Legislative Corps,
that I thank them for their kind intentions, but that I for-
mally decline Blooding for soy place.—Roceire, &c.
Dorzw.

M. Gamier Pages has written to the Siegek the
following letter, announcing the withdrawal of his
candidature far the 4th electoral district of Paris in
favour of M. Cannot:

On the poldlogisa ed the element dense, I masted
Ow eandidataddig of the 4th skenseal .sal of Pads,
in which dieted- I meek the Ime yeses el my yak
clic
and of my labour; but It has sines beta theight
to bring forward us Memorable Mead, it whip
I believed to Mee leas a mediate he the 7th
M. Cornet hes lar bele Me myeemeleilve et die
smeeihmement. Mt sinless, his deeetednies, led bis
well bases laded= eseesias him mom= vele k
thee seastiabaslea Se aim Mat I witliew we me&
Mossidy, brew Mei Se yeresna as est et mid% see
10 She SO SS Masi a testimony el my ammo albsika.
, yg °lain bas writ= to tbajoarnale to
, .
my thaAreramemee. his candidates* ter the 12th
arrosolimalat of Paris.
Bodies the Dieele's list of opposition candidates for
Paris the following independent names are spoken of
in the Prase of this morning : far the Ist district,
Casirner Perier ; for the 2nd, Mortimer Ternaux ;
far the 6th, Napoleon Launes, Duke of Montebello •
for the 9th, Ferdinand Lastyerie. The latter, in the;
Sieele's list, is a candidate in the Bth district.
The manceuvres of the administration to prevent
the success of any opposition candidate, are, as usual,
bawd on the plea of protecting the public.
The prefect of the Isere has just issued a decree,
forbidding anyone, from the 26th to the 29th of the
present month, from going through the villages and
hamlets of any easuonne for the pupae of carrying on
lan anarchical yrogsgandism by means of false news,
calumnious rays** other fraudulent =ocean...
Any seeembhigss of pep* or any public speaking or
dimassiou in the istiklmearbsoi oi the electoral ool-
rtalso tostiddia, under pia of the offender or
being imaidiately arrostsd. It is also pro-
ldbitsd for anywoo to statics themselves at the
doors and Isms Mats bearing mamas the electors.
The Probst of has puttied as election-
=lag dim.% rosamearradiag the govaroment can-
didmtre. sad elastaling is them wade:
Tea mill =aim watt me every modliature except
the medlineas abeismeatkesd es a denims thrown down
so sad every citizen who may be either the
se peemelee el it as hostile to the government of
Leslie Nereees.
The &ads justly observes that this proclamation is
not very consistent with the recent circular of M. del
Pcrsiguy, in which ho said that the Prince President
would feel himself hurt in the honour of his govern-
ment if the slightest obstacle should be put in the
Iway of the freedom of the vote.
Th. ball gran last aight at the Tuileries was cooly