The Express.
London, England, 1863-03-05 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

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PARIS, WZDIIIIIDAI EV13117210.

The Opinion Nationale, no doubt sufficiently au-
thorised, says positively that the report of Prince
Napoleon's visit to England for the Prince of
Wales's wedding is wholly unfounded.
The France undertakes to say that all the alarm-
ing rumours about the Pope's health are false ;
and that there is no truth in the report of Cardinal
Antonelli's resignation.
It is believed that the French government has
officially expressed a hope that Count de Christen,
a French subject of ultramontane opinions, who
was lately convicted of conspiring against Victor
Emmanuel, may be set at liberty. He has already
been removed from the ordinary prison to a com-
fortable apartment, but this indulgence is not
considered enough by his French protectors. He
was in the French army before Sebastopol, and
stress is laid upon the fact that when the Italian
police threw him into prison he wore the Crimean
medal. "To repair such an indignity," says the
France, "the government of Turin has but one
course to take—not to change his prison, but to set
him at liberty." This is an argument which can-
not be too strongly protested against. Let Count
Chriaten's friends prove his innocence if they can ;
or, otherwise, let him plead extenuating circum-
stances, or ask for mercy as a favour. But all
Europe is interested in repudiating the pretension
that a French decoration carries with it immunity
from the laws of the country in which the wearer
may be staying.

The Charivari has a caricature which I am sato-
niahed to see published, and which leads me to
suspect that there may be some truth in the ru-
mour that the Emperor is looking for an excuse
to withdraw his army from Mexico. A soldier
wearing the medal* of the Crimea, Italy, and
China turns his back upon two female figures repre-
senting Mexico and Cochin Chins., and pointing to
a Polish woman in tears, says, " There is a poor
little creature who has been ill-treated this long
while ; I would much rather help her than those
other two strangers, about whom I don't much
care—but, no remarks, and attention to the word
of command."

It is rumoured that the following batch of new
senators is about to be created :—M. de Germiny,
governor of the bank of France ; M. de Sacy,
editor of the Journal des Thibats ; M. Sainte Beuve ;
M. Mocquard, the Emperor's private secretary ;
and M. Auber, the great composer.
M. Vuitry, the councillor of state, is likely to
replace M. de Germiny iu the direction of the
Bank of France.

M. Alphonse de Rothschild, son of Baron James,
is at Turin, and has had an interview with DL
Miogbetti on the subject of the Italian Loan.

The Bourse continues firm.
M. EugAne Pelletan, who was lately prohibited
from lecturing in France, has been making a highly
successful circuit in Belgium. The juxtaposition
of these two facts suggests to M. E. de Girardin
the question, what good does the French govern-
ment expect by driving eminent writers, orators,
and professors to display their talents in foreign
countries 1 Why should France, that "great
country where liberty is so little," export such a
man as M. E. Pelletan to Belgium, "that little
country where liberty is so great ?" The Prase
compares this policy to that of the revocation of
the edict of Nantes, which endowed foreign
countries with the skill and intelligence of the
French protestants, and founded the silk manu-
factory of Bpitalfields. It would fain hope that the
Emperor does not know of these acts of his
subordinates, which but a few years hence people
will scarcely believe. It is a very sore point in
Farb; now that French literary men should be
debarred from emulating the success of Mr.
Dickens as a lecturer.

Meyerbeer has lately arrived in Paris. His
long talked-of opera, L'Africaine, will now, it is
said, really be brought out, " provided he finds
performers at the Grand Opera capable of doing
justice to the principal parts." This qualification,
I think it safe to predict, means further postpone-
ment.
The Duke de Rausan died yesterday.

The temperature has risen rapidly within the
last forty-eight hours, and yesterday was quite
like a summer's day, the sun shining brightly, the
whole world abroad, and crowds enjoying the beau-
tiful weather outside the cid& aloug the Boule-
vards. The thermometer at four yesterday after-
noon marked 14 centigrade (GO Fah.).

The well-known chestnut-tree in the Tuileries
Garden, known as the Vingt-Mare, does not this
year wait for the 20th, to justify its traditional re-
putation. It is at present covered with buds which
begin to show their leaven.

"The preliminary investigation into the late
gambling transaction," says the Droit. " has resulted in
mending M. Garcia mid IL Calzado for trial before the Tri-
bunal of Correctional Police."

VICTOR HUOO ON CAPITAL PuNIRIDIENT.— In
• recent letter to • Belem association for the abolition of
capital punishment, Victor Hugo says " The abolition
of the punishment of death is henceforth certain in all
civilised countries. The inviolability of man is the starting
point of every principle ; it will be an honour to the
nineteenth century to transform this philosophical truth
auto a social reality, and to wipe away the stain of blood
from the august forehead of civilization."
THE NATIONAL DRAMA OF FRANCE.—The first
performance of • new military drama, entitled Marengo,
took place a few nighte since at the Thatre Imperial du
Chltelet, in Paris. A correspondent of the I adependanee
Beige, in reference to this performance, says, " Was it really
the first representation! For my part, it seems to me
that, for at lust • quarter of a century, only one piece has
been given at this theatre, with the exception of two or
three fairy eztravaga•ras—a piece having for its hero Napo-
leon I.,either on foot or on horseback, but more frequently
on horseback. During that quarter of a century we have
successively buried tragedy, romantic drama, historic drama,
rustic
drama, the coatelha-drams—we are in • fair way to
bury the revues. The Napoleonic, or National Drams, if
you please (to quote the play bill), has alone survived, with
its drums, its music, its artillery, and its Old and Young
Guard ; and that drama Mill stood. erect above the tombs
and the ruins of all the others. In truth, take my word
for it, that dm= is immortaL"
THE ICE TRADI.—Au extensive business is
carried on at present between Switzerland and a Feat part
of Europe in the transport of ins. In imitation of the
German railways, the French Eastern line has just Woad •
special tariff at reduced prices for the conveyance of that
commodity. Letters from Switzerland state that the orders
already received are enormous. At Grindelwald hundreds
of workmen are employed io cutting ice into blocks Ice
being sent to • distance. A depth not hitherto reached in
the ice has been attained, and unknown marvels of • new
kind have been discovered. At Griodelwakl, after penetrat-
ing several layers, the labourers arrived at • sort of opening
in the mass of ice which led to a natural grotto 160 feet
long, 85 feet wide, and 65 high. The men who first
entered this cavern were lost in admiration at the maga'.
ficeot spectacle. The grotto has since been lit up with
torches and illuminated with Bengal fire, and the light re-
flected from these walls of crystal produced a dazzling
effect.

MIII.IIODISN IN THE UNITED STATE& —Tho sta-
tistics of church-membership for the year have bees
gathered up. " They show a total in society of 942,906,
which is a decrease from last year of 45,617. The number
of deaths is set down at 10,622. Of the 942,906 in
society, 843,401 are members, and 99,505 probationers.
The decrease of members is 22,055—0 f probatiosers
23,573." This is accounted for by the demands and ravages
of Lb. war.—Meaodim.