The Express.
London, England, 1864-04-01 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(nom mum owl( oolamocermunq
PARIS, THIMISDAY EVININGI.

In the Corps Loginhail yesterday M. Ganger
Pages attempted to call the attention of the chain
ber to the invasion of his domicile by the police,
and the prohibition of all electoral meetings ; but
the Duke de Moray very speedily told him that he
was trying by a side wind to exercise the right of
asking questions of the government, which the
Emperor's deputies do not possess. He sarcasti-
cally added that he would have a full opportunity
of stating his grievances in a court of justice, before
which he is going to be prosecuted for receiving a
few friends in his modest rooms. The majority
greatly applauded the interruptions of the
president, and seemed to think it out-
rageous that their ears were to be annoyed by
whining.; about such a trifle as the invasion of a
peaceable citizen's house by the police. M. Gamier
Pages sat down—not, however, without intimating
that he might probably find an occasion in the debate
ou the budget, when the rules of the chamber would
allow him, to make his statement.
In the coarse of a long debate upon a credit of
120,000 fr. for the surveillance of railways, M.
Brame called attention to various accidents which
might have been prevented by common caution,
and said that the press seemed to be in a
conspiracy nut to report railway accidents.
M. Boinvilliers, the government speaker, replied
that there were fewer railway accidents in France
than in England and America, and that I believe
is true ; but then, as M. Picard remarked, the
trains go much slower. Of course a general answer
that accidents will happen is insufficient when it is
shown that many occur from carelessness which •
better system might prevent. As to the habitual
silence of the press on such matters, the govern-
ment orator said he could not be responsible for
that. The excuse is scarcely a good one, because
the astute laws against "false news" make
the newspapers afraid to publish anything
beyond the official account of au accident. The
knowledge that many influential official personages
are connected with railway directions leads the
journals especially to fear that those laws would
be rigidly enforced in the case of any statement
about a railway which they could not move to be
true to the letter.

The Pays affects to be gravely wounded in its
honourable feelings by the assertion of M. Brame,
that the press does not fulfil its mission in the
case of railway accidents ; but after a great deal of
vapouring it goes on to admit the gravamen of the
whole charge when it confesses that because it
" has not the electric telegraph at its disposal,"
because the duty of every good citizen is "to re-
assure the public and not to alarm it," it habitu-
ally waits for such informati',n as it may please the
directors themselves to funiish, and is contented
with that. This is in substance just what I have
said above. The press in France cannot do its na-
tural duty, because the laws against the freedom of
the press prevent it.
In consequence of the scandal of the Armand
trial, petitions to the Senate are now being signed
praying that the question of civil damages arising
out of criminal trials may be submitted to the
jury, and not decided separately by the court.
Public opinion is very much excited on this
subject. It would be a curious consequence of the
straining of their powers by the Aix judges if it
were to lead to an extension of trial by jury.

The Bourse is a little firmer. Rents for account
closed without change, but for cash there was a
rise of 10c. Mobilier rose 10fr. The rumour this
afternoon is that the difficulties about the accept-
ance of the Mexican crown by Archduke Maxi-
milian have been gut over.

The Paris tiltraniontane journal, the Monde,
takes up the subject of the Armand trial for the purpose of
defending the practice of applying the torture in certain
cases. its principal argument being that the dreadful cruelty
in question was never applied except in cases where guilt
was manifest, and when there were accomplices whom it
was noes:emery to discover !
Rossini's new mass bears the title of " La Petite
messe solenelle quatre parties, avec soli et aurora, do
=laicism Gioacchioi Rossini, n.: a Pesaro 1e29 Feirrier,l792.'
The first giving of this mass brought together a strange
mixture of Christians and Jews, bankers and diplomatists.
It is well known how many of the great composers
and singers, put and present, were and are of the
children of Israel, including Rossini himself. They
are supposed to be descendants of the harpists of
King David's musical period. The list of the company who
honoured the performance of the new mass with their pro-
mos is thus given by the Stir& Dronyn do Lbuys.
Minister of Foreign Affairs ; Djamil Pasha, Turkish Am-
bassador and Mahonsetan ; Mgr. Chigi, the Popes Nowa ;
Prince Poe tato wok i, Count de Germany, Marquis d'Audiff rot,
M. Schneider, Vice-President of the Corps Li:gislatif ;
Barons Gustave and Alphonse de Rothschild, MM. Emile
sad Isaac P,:riere, Baron %sights, governor of the Bank
of Kosice ; M. de Voitry, governor of the Bank of Preece;
and MM. Auber, Meywbesr, Ambrcise, Thomas, Carafe,
Vitet sod lagouve, composers. There were also present
the directors of the principal theatres and • great number
of writers of all natioria.

Mr. Thomas Edward Chitty, of the Northern
Circuit, has been appointed clerk of assize on the Western
Circuit, in succession to Mr. Sidney Gurney (son of the late
Baron Gurney, and brother of the Recorder of London),
whose recent premature death at Dorchester, when on
circuit, is so generally regretted. Mr. Chitty is a graduate
of Oriel College, Oxford, and is a brother of Mr. J. W.
Chitty, who is well known en a cricketer at Eton and an
omen= at Oxford ; the umpire for many yaws in the Ox-
ford and Cambridge boat-race.

A meeting in anticipation of the Reform Con•
finance to be held in Manchester, on the 19th and 20th of
April, was held in Chorltos last night, and delegates were
appointed to attend the aggregate meeting. The object of
the conference is to "establish a basis of feta» action
adapted to mite all true reformers in one common 'float for
the attainment of parliamentary reform."

The manufacturing branclies of the Royal Arsenal
at Woolwich yesterday closed the departments for the
week, in order to afford an occasion for taking stock oe
entering the new financial year. which commences this
morning. They will resume operations on Monday next.
Seventy of the mechanics and labourer. ordered to be dis-
missed from the royal carriage department left the estab-
lishment yesterday morning.
CHATHAM DOCKYARD.—ATTSLOgeMeeta have been
foram/le time in progress et Chatham dockyard for the
adoption of the new system of accounts connected with the
building of sew remolds, the repairs of those requiring
" conversion" or alteratioe, and the charge for labour in
each department, the whole of which have been arranged
under the immediate superinteedence of Mr. Stens-
feld, M.P., on. of the Lords of the Admiralty.
Under the direction of • competent staff of cleric
and assistants front the Storekeeper-General's department
a complete stocktaking of the whole of the mattrici, of
every kind, in Chatham Dockyard will be commenced this
morning, and periodical returns afterwards forwarded to
the Admiralty. Under the auspices of Mr. Stansfeld, and
mainly, if not entirely, through hie exertioes, the dockyard
accounts will from the let of April be placed on • basis
which will enable them to be compared favourably with
the accounts of the best private shipbuilding establishments
in the country. In future the porosities* charges for
the different description of work will be eliminated,
and all labour sot employed on manufacturing
tioas will be charged, pro mid, oa the ships. It is,oroir.
ever, io the important item of labour, which has hitherto
defied all the attempts made to properly apportion the
charges ceder that hied, that the greatest alteratioos will
be made at Chatham. This will be effected by what are
termed " labourcharts," in which the fullest explanation
will hr periodically given of the nature, variety, end amount
of the labour employed on any given vessel, or other un-
dertaking, its relative and actual cost. These "labour.
charts" will he laid before the House of Commons, which
will thus have the opportunity of ascertaining the amount
expended for labour, as Warted by the aeostata—Tistat.

GERMANY.

(nom out owl onuaromar.)
FRANKFORT, MARCH 30.

On Easter Monday meetings upon the Sleswig-
Holstein question were held all over Germany,
and resolutions proposed by the central committee
have been passed as follows :—" The duchies have
the right to remain united and separated from
Denmark ; any decision of foreign powers against
the will of the people is null and void, a lawless
act, and treason towards Germany." At Berlin it
was added that the votes of the people of the
duchies ought to be taken previous to any settle-
ment. The proceedings showed everywhere that
the enthusiasm of December last has passed away,
and that things look hopeless for the present.
Austria and Prussia were sternly censured, still it
was unanimously expressed that the German
people would not accept any peace short of the
just wishes of the Sleswig-Holsteiners. All the
speakers showed great distrust against the apparent
calmness of France, and rancour against the par-
tiality of England.
The Austrian Minister for Commerce recently
assured a deputation that be would never enter into
negotiations with the Zollverein on the basis of the
French treaty ; but if the other members of the
Zollverein ultimately joined Prussia, and accepted
that treaty, Austria would,by a reduction of its tariff,
prepare for a future amalgamation, so that the bar-
riers between Germany and Austria should fall
either by treaty or by legislation. He admonished
the Austrian manufacturers to remember that
Colbert's system of shutting up one country against
another was incompatible with the change which
railways had made in the intercourse of the various
European States.

DANISH ACCOUNT OF THE PRUSSIAN
ATTACK UPON DUFFEL.

OOPENBAGEN, Yawn 29.
The following official report baa been issued by
the War-office :

Dispatches received from headquarters, dated 10 a.m.
yesterday morning, announce that at 3 o'clock the Pruesiatis
attempted to surprise the position at Nipped, penetrating
suddenly between works No. 4 and No. 8. After •
vehement engagement, 'editing without intermimeion until
7.30 a.m., our garrison in the works and entrenclunenta
drove back the meaty to his former position. Fighting
was general all aloft the line. On the left wing the iron-
clad batter►, Rolf Hake, took part in the engagement, her
fire upon the ravines at Venniogband preventing the ad-
vance of the enemy, while she was herself en-
gaged by the Brasier batteries without effect
or lase. 36 Prussians were brought in primers
to Sooderburg, two of the number being officers, and all
belonging to the 18th Regiment, which MA foremost in the
attack. Our loss cannot yet be distinctly stated, but not-
withstanding the violent musketry fire, it is not great.
Advice' received from North Bigwig lead to the cooclu-
sion that the Prussian troops in Jutland have withdrawn to
the southward. The monument in Bkandiapbsek is re-
ported to have been pulled down and &mobil:led. Pro-
clamation is stated to have been made in the churches, the
day before Good Friday, that Pruonan currency is hence-
forth to be the circulating medium of the country, and that
in future none but German money will be received in public
offices.

Dagbladet has published the following telegram,
dated Sonderburg, March 28, 11.25 ►m. :

At 3.30 this ;sondes, the enemy made a deter-
mined attack upon oar works. Vehement fighting
followed along the whole hoe. The enemy wee repulsed
several times. Rolf Krake fired upon the enemy's right
wing with good effect from Venninghund, and was her-
self bombarded from Bringer. Oar troops. among whom
were the North S:eswig men, fought bravely. Our loss
is not large ; the enemy's very considerable. Twenty-foot
privates and two officers were brought in prisoners, one of
the Akers wounded. The hand-to-hund encounter lasted
four hours, but the fun of the works continued longer.
The Ministry of Marine reports as follows :

At 3 this morning the enemy's batteries begets to fire
upon the position at Duppff. The Rolf Krake tripped
towbar and steamed in towards Venningbuad. At dawn
she ran into the creek, and was met by a heavy fire from
the Broager batteries. After remaining two home in the
meek, shelling the enemy's Poops, the battery withdrew
upon the enemy's retreat. The Rolf Krake has suffered
no damage, and is reported by the Commander•in•Chief to
have made umilent practice.

The following additional details have just been
published by the War-office :
_ _

Our loss yesterday was as follows :—Officer. killed : First
Lieutenant Becher and Second Lieutenant Dichnseise of the
?ad Regimest ; First Lieutenant Petersou of the 10th and
Second Lieutenant Beszon of the 6th. Officers wounded :
First Lieutenant Hammier ad Somata Lieuteeent Gold-
schadt, of the 10th Regiment, badly ; °Weis Rdell, of the
2ad Regiment, slightly. Colonel Harbon received • costa-
mien from • spent ball, aud will not be fit for
service for come time. In nos-commissioned officers
and privates our Ices was 30 killed and 108
wounded ; four of the enemy's caws (three
wounded) and 27 sonemionimiased °Some and privates

were captured. During a trace agreed upon from 11
till 1 o'clock, the enemy retreated, and carried away many
dead and wounded ; his loos most have been considerable.
The attack was made with about 6,000 men, behind whom
very considerable reserves were held in reedits's, but not
brought under fire. Theinteetios of the attacking party is be-
lieved to have been to trees a parallel as close to the line
of work. as possible. When the engagement h►d ter-
minated, the fire of the batteries at Broager was renewed
with vigour.

Much interest is felt in Copenhagen in the evi-
dent change which has taken place in the plans of
the allied armies before Fredericia since the 21st.
Military operations have almost completely ceased
since the attack made on that day. Referring to
the subject, the Slestrig-Holsteitocht Zcitung of the
23rd says :
Field• Marshal von °ablest was appointed to an inde-
pendent command in Jutland some days no, and in that
capacity furnished with extended military powers. On the
occasion of the attack upon Fredericia on the 21st, a col.
lixion is reported to have occurred between she Field-
Marshal and General von der Muni, the commander of the
Prtusian Guard dirties, which compelled the Austrian
commander to make use of hi authority.

The latest advice; received by the Berlingske
Tidende assert that Jutland has been evacuated by
the Prussians, and that only a small force of
Austrians is to remain in the southern part of the
province.

RectiviNG IY Ben.—Our conversation drifted
sloop to the old French custom of receiving in bed. It was
10 htftill, correct, that the newly-made wife of the Doc de
i,t. Simon went to bed, alter the early dinner of those days,
io order to receive her wedding visite. The Duchesee de
Maine, of the tome date, used to have • bed in the ball-
room at Sarni, and to lie (or half-sit) there watching the
daimon. I ~eked if there was not some difference in diem
between the day and the night occupation of the bed. Bat
Madame A— seemed to think there was very little. The
custom wm put an end to by the Revolution ; but one or
two great ladies preserved the habit until their death.
Madame A— had often seen Madame de Villette receiv-
ing in bed; she always wore white gloves, which Madame
A imagined was the only difference between the toilette
of day and sight. Madame de Valletta was the adopted
daughter of Voltaire, and as such, all the daring innovators
upon the ancient modes of thought sad behaviour came to
see her, and par her their respects. She was also the
widow of the Marquis de Villette, sad as such she re-
ceived the booms of the Woe and gentlemen of the
•e'iea Koller. Altogether her weekly receptions most ham
been very amushig, from Madame A —'s account. The
old marquise lay in bed ; around her eat the oompasy ; and,
at the mats of the visit, she would desire ber femme de
chambre to band round the heart of Voltaire, which be bad
bequeathed to her, and which she preserved in a little
golden PAW Then she would been and tell anecdotes
about the great man ; great to ►er, and with some justice.
For ►e bad been travelling in the South of France, and had
stopped to pass the night in a friend's house, where he was
very much struck by the deep 'adipose on the face of a girl
of seventeen, one of his friend's daughters, and oe inquiring
the cause he found oat that, in ceder to lactase@ the portions
of the others, this yonnf woman was to be sent into a ocm-
vent—a destination which she extremely disliked. Vol.taire saved her from it by adopting her, and promising to
give her • "dot" sufficient to insure her • reepeetsble mar-
roge. She bad lived with him some time at Feeney before
eh* became Marquise de Villeste.—Preser's Mepaziee for