The Express.
London, England, 1863-01-03 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(mon oux owl'

PARIS, FRIDAY EVENING.

The Emperor's short new year's speech to the
Corps Diplomatique will probably have been
thought merely formal and singularly colourless.
The Pays, however, thinks it impossible not to see,
in the few words expressive of a desire to livo on
friendly terms with foreign powers, an allusion to
" events too recent for it to be necessary to reca-
pitulate them." It thinks it pertinent to the occa-
sion to say that the initiative of France spoke the
Snit word of peace to America ; that it was France
who " allowed" England to pursue &policy in Greece
which it would perhaps have been dangerous to re-
press at first, and from which, thanks to France's
"apparent indifference,"a clear and distinct situation,
free from all inquietude, will result ; that France,
after being " patient " with England, could, with-
out difficulty, be " indulgent " for Spain ; that
nothing can trouble the " serenity " of French
policy ; and that the Pope's nuncio must have un-
derstood the full importance of the Emperor's
words. All this the Pays discovers in the new
year's complements. The other journals make no
comment upon them.
The Paris says that in a private conversation
with M. Muro, the Spanish chargi d'affaires, the
Emperor expressed his regret at the departure of
General Concha, and his hope that the relations
between France and Spain might be established
on the beat possible footing.
It is certain that General Concha is not coming
back to Paris. His luggage is now being packed up
to be sent to Madrid.

M. Darnour, major of the 23rd battalion of the
National Guard of Pantin, fell dead on the stair-
cue of the Tuileries on New Year's-day, imme-
diately after he had Sled past the Emperor at the
head of his men. His Majesty, who heard of the
melancholy event, immediately sent one of his or-
derly officers to break the news to the family of the
deceased, and the body was sent home in a court
carriage. Major Damour felt at before he went
into the Tuileries, and was obliged to rest at the
cafe at the corner of the Rue de l'Echelle. His
comrades advised him to go home, but he insisted
on resuming the march, and in a few minutes after-
wards he was dead.

The Nation says the story circulated by the
France on tho faith of "several journals," of there
ever having been an idea of opening the Corps
Legislatif without a speech from the throne, fol-
lowed by a debate on the address, is "pure inven-
tion." The Nation indignantly declares that the
Emperor will never, "without being provoked to
do so" [the importance of this saving clause may
be noticed in passing), withdraw liberties sponta-
neously granted, and which have been so mode-
rately and usefully enjoyed.

The Archbishop of Florenoe issued, on the 4th of
„Tune, 1861, a decree against an ecclesiastical mutual benefit
society, suspending a disinis all priests who should not
have left the society within a stated period. The society
appealed agsinst the decree to the Council of State on the
ground of abuse of power. The matter has just come be-
fore the Council of State, which, after hearing the fiscal
solicitor—who moved that the revenues of the archbishopric
be placed under sequestration until the obnoxious decree
be revoked—issued a summons to the archbishop to present
his defence within a month, or to revoke the decree.

It is generally remarked that the ceremonial of
the French court is becoming more imposing, and the regu-
lations for the receptions of New Year's-day more precise
each year. These rules are issued several days beforehand,
to give time to the persons who figure on these occasions
to study them carefully. Four-and-twenty quarto pages
are filled with the details of the ceremonial observed at
court on the Ist and 2nd.

The municipality of Florence have done honour
to the memory of Mrs. Barrett Browning by placing a marble
slab in the wall of the house the occupied in that city. The
slabhearsaninscription in Italian to this effect :—"Elizabeth
Barrett Browning lived, wrote, and died in this house. She
was* woman who, with a woman's heart, possessed the
wisdom of a sage and the spine of a true poet, and made tier
poetry &golden band between Italy and England."