The Express.
London, England, 1852-02-18 00:00:00

FRANCE.

THE NEW PRESS LAW.

PARIS, WZONZIMAY, UALT-IPAST 8 A.M.
The Momiteur publishes the law on the press, of
which the main provisions are as follows:
No paper is to be created without government
authonty.
Political newspapers published in foreign countries
will not be allowed to circulate in Franco without

government authority.
The caution-money of a paper appearing more than
thrice a week to be 'so,ond.
AU publication of a paper without authority, or
without lodging the caution-money, is to be punished,
with a fine of from 11101. to 2,0001. for each number,
and imprisonment of from ono month to two years.
'rhe stamp duties imposed on newspapers are also
applicable to foreign newspapers, unless they arc
exempted under a diplomatic convention.

PARIS, TIMSDAT RIMMING.

The last blow to the revolution of 1848, has been
dealt by the Mono'Meer of this day, which abolishes
the nationalflges of Feb. 24 and May 4, and aub-
stitues as the only anniversary worthy of commemo-
ration, the birthday of the Emperor Napoleon.

The decree on this subject is as follows:
Louis Nepoleos, President of the French Republic,
Considering that the celebration of political anniversaries
locals the remembrance of civil di.eowls, and that among
the fetes it is • duty to choose that the consecration of
which the best tends to unite all minds in the common ICU.
dement of national glory,
Decrees,
Art. 1. For the (wore, the only ere to be recognised and
celebrated as • notional one, shall he the anniversary of
the Ihith of August (the fete day of the Emperor Napoleon).
Art. 2. All former laws contrary to the present decree
are hereby abrogated.
Art. 3. The ministers are charged, each as fat as it con-
cerns them, with the execution of this decree.
(signed) Locie NAPOLION.
(Countersigned) X. op. CARABIANCA.
Nee at the Palace of the Tuileries, Feb. 16.
The .Ib»iiieur contains an order of the Minister of
the Interior, regulating the changes to be made in
the costume of the prefects, sub-prefects, mayors,
and other public functionaries.
A decree of the President of the Republic orders
the creation of a special museum at the Louvre for
the reception of all objects which can authentically
be proved to have belonged to the sovereigns who
have reigned in France, and which are now distri-
buted among the different museums belonging to the
state.
The Mmtitrur publishes a very long report, ad-
dressed by the Minister of the Marine and Colonies
to the President of the Republic, pointing out differ-
ent measures, which in his opinion were necessary
to be adopted, for the purpose of encouraging the
immigration of free labourers into the French colo-
nics, rendered necessary by the abolition of slavery,
and of regulating the relations of these labourers
with the masters into whose service they might enter.
The report is followed by a decree, tarrying out the
different recommendations therein contained, and
enacting various regulations for ensuring order in the
colonies.

Another decree regulates the duties to be paid
on imports iuto and exports from the French
colony of Senegal and its dependencies. French
merchandise of all kinds, and certain foreign articles
imported in French bottoms, will pay en ed valorem
duty of two per cent. Bloc India cloths, called
Guineas, will not be admitted at this duty, unless
they have been taken to France and reshipped.
Madeira and Tcncriffo wines imported in French
bottoms will be charged GO francs per hecto-
litre. Fruits, fresh vegetables, and stones from the
Canary Islands, in French vessels, will be admitted
duty free. The produce of Senegal can only be ex-
ported to France and the French colonies, and by
French vessels, and it will continue to be subject to
an ad valorem duty of two per cent. The relations
between France and Senegal and the island of Cioree,
and between the last-named places and the other
French possessions in Asia, Africa, and America,
can only be carried on in French bottoms. Foreign
vessels will pay a tonnage duty of 4fr. per ton
on entering Senegal, but will be exempt if they
again leave without loading or unloading merchan-
dise.
The lloailear makes its appearance again this
morning without the law on the press. This fresh
delay is occasioned, I understand, by an application
on the part of the Societe des Dens de Lettres to the
minister of the interior for the abolition of the centime
stamp on the romanieuilletoll. This petition in fa-
vour of a characteristic and popular appendage to
French newspapers, now more than ever desirable
to compensate their political insignifiance, has been
granted ; and the ingenious traders in light literature
will no longer have their modest gains taxed
by the maintenance of one of the most morose fea-
tures of the law Tinguy. For the rest, this new press
law is the annihilation of all liberty in the publication
, of opinion. The whole law is summed up in one arti.
I cle, which gives the government the of with-
drawing the authorisation for pub • giblas re.
quired from all newspapers. With thin kfiosmisd
above his head an editor will beams imbue' Ilom
by the censure. At present the eons of solallom
hes at the door of those sawn the gwoommone
appoint* to smatemise and raw/late &Okla. Otto lite
gross d ouentison of t=t its
s tb
Ai•• sea lma; sitilesermarillat
of holler mime may oar does NO& the
pang essegh the dooms of such papers as
the adieds. Bat nor the responsibility is
Alibi to the editor, whit has is write with the cen-
t sciemems that his most homiem meanings may be
ofy an nmbrammte power to the ruin
costly estaillitifist.
Thlebileablissemsi says :
lisite Immo allwitheardimo It
wMAW= ono 1111111101161 /ME i-
n
itliaNolll/ Mak enl mho lissoee, wlMk
about Ipb,

The chief pee-occupation of the governmenrat the
present moment is the unprecedented depression of
every branch of trade. Great apprehensions are
entertained lest the elections should on this account
turn out unfavourably.
The ministry are already prepared to attribute to
Orleans intrigues and the like the alarming state
of commerce ; which is, of coarse, entirely attributable
to the want of public confidence in the duration of the
present regime. Thus the failure of an oppressive
system is a pretext for the imposition of still more
intolerable tyranny, and the preface to fresh violence
and more appalling terrors. It is feared by the go-
vernment that Caviugnse will be elected in several
districts.

The Watts mentions the folio ring candidates for
the approaching elections:—M. Lumen Mechin, ex-
sub prefect of St. Denis, for that arrondissement. M.
Henri Thenard, ex-auditor of the Council of State,
for the section of Sens and Joigny, in the
ment of the Yonne. M. Moutier, mayor onaret
(Drtlme), for that canton; he will be opposed by
M. Sapey, ex-deputy. The candidates definitively
presented by the government for the Marne are said
to be M. Souillif, ex-representative of the National
Aseembly ; General Parchappe, and M. Godard,
mayor of Chalons. MM. Delavau and de Bryas are
the two candidates proposed by the government to
the electors of the Indre.

—AwilOntpellier journal states that the Duke do
Doudeauville will bo brought forward u a candidate
for tho Herat'lt. _

The following are the latest definitive announce-
ments of government candidates:—M. Richebe and
M. Theodore Demist, Lille ; Henry Lemaire, Valen-
ciennes; de la Omar, Hasebroack ; Clebsattel, Dun-
kirk; Choque,Douiu; fieydoux, Cambrai ; de Merode,
Avows'); de Parieu, Aunllac ; de la Guerroniere, St.
Flour; General Oellibert, Angoulemo; Colonel Le-
mert4er, Cognac.
His Excellency the Marquis of Normanby pre-
sented yesterday, at half-past two o'clock, his letters
of recall to the President of the Republic.
General de Castellano, Commander-in-Chief of the
army of Lyons, has just left Paris to return to his
polt.
t has been often announced that the government
was about to abolish the octroi duties collected upon
articles of consumption at the gates of towns. It
numbs that the municipalities are so alarmed at the
prayed of losing this, their main resource,
whistle the substitution of any equivalent rates, that
the mayors have addreseed from all quarters of
Fromm the most urgent resnotultrances to the govern-