The Press.
London, England, 1857-08-15 00:00:00

foreign Qi;orrrsponbtutt.

PARIS, August 13.
THE short visit of the Emperor to Osborne bas
softened down many irritating questions. The ex-
planations, frankly given and as frankly received,
have cemented in the strongest bonds the alliance of
the two greatest nations in the world. It is said that
his Majesty has succeeded in obtaining a half promise
from the Queen that her Majesty will at no distant
period visit Fontainebleau.
As regards politics I have little to say. The
Danubian question is settled, thanks to the elasticity
of Lord Palmerston, who has relinquished the point
which so much dishonest intrigue had been applied
to establish. You may, perhaps, hear of protocols,
diplomatic notes, conferences, new elections ; but you
may rely upon it that all opposition upon the part of
Lord Palmerston to the union of the Danubian pro-
vinces is at an end.

The reception of the Emperor and Empress at
Havre and Rouen was most enthusiastic. The
speeches of high functionaries and municipal autho-
rities car, perhaps, scarcely be considered as offering
proofs of the real feelings of the people; but when
it is seen that the inhabitants of the first maritime
town in France, and the first manufacturing city of
the country, received their sovereign with a most
hearty welcome—when thousands of workmen quitted
their looms, and cried " Five l'Empareur," we must,
indeed we are forced, to come to the conclusion that
either the people are debased slaves, or that their
sovereign is most warmly regarded by them. It has
been the fashion of late to attribute all such public
testimonies to corruption. Now, I have resided for
more than thirty years in France, and have, there-
fore, been accustomed to hear the word "corruption"
applied to Louis XVIII., Charles X., Louis Philippe,
and, be not astonished, the immaculate Republican
Government of 18-18. I am, therefore, not sur-
prised at hearing the present Emperor accused of
corruption. Yes !I the Emperor has corrupted his
subjects. He has corrupted them by raising Fiance
from a secondary political power to become one of the
arbiters of the destinies of Europe, by increasing the
commercial prosperity of the country to that extent
that the harbours of the country, which previously to
1852 were only partially filled with sailing vessels
of from 150 to 300 tons, have not now sufficient room
for magnificent steamers of from 1,000 to 2,000 tons.
Take Marseilles as an example, where two new
harbours have been found necessary to contain the
number of vessels loading and unloading in that
rising and prosperous city. But the greatest weapon
of corruption made use of, and continues to be used,
is the security given to persons and property, by
keeping down the turbulent spirits of the Socialists,
and preventing the erection of barricades. It is
truly ridiculous to see English would-be Liberals
endeavour to fotce down the throats of eight millions
of Frenchmen their own political nostrums and
universal-health pills! Voila tout. I am no
admirer of despotism, but I am a lover of " fair
play."
We have had the most oppressively hot weather,
bnt, thanks to a few refreshing showers, the atino-
sphere is greatly cooled, and our sight-seeing world
will be enabled to enjoy the fetes to-morrow and
next day, without running the risk of being suffocated.
These fetes commence to-morrow by the inaugura-
tion of the Louvre, by the Emperor, assisted by all
the officers of State, marshals, generals, prefets,
It will be a glorious sight, and will cause many
serious reflections. The height of the ambit►on of
Charles X. and Louis Philippe was to complete the
building of the Louvre) but each was the dread of

the Chamber of Deputies, that none of the Ministers
had the courage to propose the voting of a sum of
money for that purpose. To Louis Napoleon
is due the honour and merit of bringing this
gigantic work to a conclusion. Immediately after
the inauguration of the Palace, prizes will be dis-
tributed to such artists as have contributed to the
erection and beautifying this truly elegant structure.
On the Isth there will be the usual amusements for
the million, fireworks, etc.

The condemned conspirators have not appealed.
It is said that Tibaldi will be sent to New Caledonia.
The trial of Carpentier, Grellet, Parod, and
Guerin, accused of robbing the directors of the Great
Northern Railway of a considerable number of
shares, will commence about the 20th of August.
You cannot have forgotten their examination before
the American magistrates on their extradition being
demanded by the French Ambassador. _

Our great poet, Roger de Beauvoir, has lost nearly
all his property in the Calvados by a fire which broke
out on the 11th instant in his artistical mausion.

The Pope is doing all he can to become popular.
During his visit to Ravenna he visited the tomb of
Dante, and remained for some moments in deep con-
templation. On being asked by the local authorities
to subscribe his name in the book kept for illustrious
visitors, the Pope took up the pen, and wrote the fol-
lowing lines taken from the " Purgatorio" :
Non e it mondan rumore altro the un Sato
I)i vento, cher or va quindi, ed or va quinci,
E muta nome, perche mute late.
The wheat harvest is likely to prove most abun-
dant throughout France. The apples are looking
bad, and it is feared cider will be very dear : this will
he a great calamity for the whole of Picardy and
Normandy. The grapes are looking healthy, and a
good vintage may be expected.

FOUR, P. N.
I have just learnt that the long pending question
of the organisation of the Grande Aumonerie will be
settled the beginning of next week. The Emperor
has decided that the Abbe Bonaparte is too young
for such an important and onerous post as Grande
Aumonier. It is supposed that Monseigneur Morlot,
Archbishop of Paris, will be named to that high
office. Alt the necessary Bulls are already signed at
Rome and Paris.

I have just now come from the Champ de Mars.
The whole of that immense parade is transformed
into a Kabyle landscape, with its mountains, rocks,
and villages.
The departure of the Emperor and Empress for
Biarritz is fixed for the 17th of the present month.