The Express.
London, England, 1862-04-19 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

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PAWS, FILIDAY Evixtera.

I hear that this government is drawing up a very
sharp reply to Mr. Seward's note on the Mexican
intervention, which it means to treat as uncalled
for, not to say impertinent. A hardy denial will
be probably given to the assumption that France
has any design to change the form of government
in Mexico from a republic to a monarchy, and it
will be asserted that * French legions march, as
always, from the purest and most disinterested
motives in the cause of liberty, justice, humanity,
order, enlightenment, and so forth. Meanwhile,
the Patric—which pretends to receive fresh news
from Mexico every day, just as if the new trans-
Atlantic packets ran as often as the trains to Bou-
logne—continues to advocate the necessity of the
conquest of Mexico by French arms on the
specious pretext of "enabling the people
freely and independently to choose the form
of government which they may like best." The free-
dom of election' under the protecting shadow of
French bayonets is so notorious that Mr. Lincoln's
government must, of course, be completely shut up
by the answer going in from M. Thouvenel's office.
The liberal journals here lose no opportunity of
saying all they dare to do against this mysterious
intervention, and lament the threatening compli-
cations and unfathomable expense to which it is
likely to give rise. It is not easy to make out
clearly whether further reinforcements are still
going out. There was a generally received rumour
• few days ago that the embarkments were sus-
pended. But Builices Currespcmdence says to-
night that two companies of marines have just
been ordered to Toulon, and, as it is supposed, for
Mexico.

The Emperor and Empress regularly attend
Passion Week services in the chapel of the
Tuileries, which is always crowded on these occa•
sions with ministers and high dignitaries. The
Abb4 Frappel is the court preacher this Lent.
On Easter Monday the end of the penitential
season will be inaugurated iby a grand dinner
and a concert.

Prince Napoleon gives a dinner to-morrow to
the Sardinian Ambassador, IL Nigra, M. Pietri,
and other friends of the Italian cause.

The French Bourse is open on Good Friday,
but there was very little business doing. The
Rents was firm, closing at 70fr. 40c. both for cash
and account, with a rise of 15c. and sc. Mobilier
rose lfr. 250. ; and the Italian Loan 150. The
Orleans Railway rose 6fr. 25c. ; Southern, 3fr.
75c. ; Lyons, 2fr. 50c. ; and Northern, Ur. 25c. ;
Eastern and Western fell lfr. 2k. each.
The Cosmic,. du Rains says :—" Considerable
sensation has been caused here by the fact of a
bank note for 1,000 fr., which had been paid to the
receiver of the finance, having, after close examina-
tion by the Bank, been declared a forgery, and
cancelled. It appears that, in consequence of this
circumstance, the custom-house and other public
services refuse to take bank notes in payment. It
is very desirable that such a state of things, which
would cause considerable perturbation in all com-
mercial relations, should be put an end to as soon as
possible."
The Japanese ambassadors, whose arrival in
London has been prematurely announced, will not
leave Paris for that destination till next week.

" Six different plans," says the Toulonnais, "have
been already submitted to the French council of
naval constructions by the Minister of Marine, for
couverting wooden steam vessels into iron-plated
ships. A vessel is spoken of which, in addition
to her iron sheathing, would carry an iron ram
weighing 60,0001ba."

The French court went into mourning on Monday
in ceesequeuce of the death of the Prinoese Marie-Sidonie,
Duchess of Saxony. The etiquette on such occasions has
been of the strictest kind, and, unfortunately, has bad to he
frequently observed of late. Since October lest the Empe-
ror and Empress have had to be mourners on various occa-
sions for 77 days. The Empress has been to Fontainebleau
to give the ne,vaaary orders for the reception of visitors,
who are to remain with the imperial family during their
residence there. The court intends to leave Paris oo the
10th of May.

It appears, according to that fashionable chro-
nicler the Sport, that nothing has astonished the Ja-
panese ambassadors but the gentler sex in Paris. They con-
sider them excessively ugly, and their dzeu an abomination.
They said that they had beard of the Hottentot Venue, and
her singular conformation, but they think she could not
have appeared so monstrous as do the lilies with their
exaggeration of crinoline. One of them, who speaks Eng-
lish, has asked, in the name of his countrymen, why do the
Parisian ladies attempt to make themselves look deformed,
when in all other countries they try to appear to the great.
est advantage, and would wish to approach even ideal
beauty with beauty's Parisian tricolours, rouge, white, and
block !

A Paris letter says :—" This is Holy Week, and
daily attendance at church is the duty of all who entertain
any regard for sacred things. In every church kr officer
succeed each other without intermission all day
long. In many churches they begin u early as
six o'clock in the morning, and continue till to-
wards ten at night. It must be confessed that the
clergy do all they can to render them attractive ;proeee-

skins with palms in commemoration of the ascent of Christ
to Jerusalem ; the wuhiog of the feet of the poor in imita.
tion of one of His acts ; His crucifixion brought as vividly as
possible before the mind's eye; solemn chanting altars decked
with black, priests in robes of woc, and sermons by the

ablest preachers the church pomesses—these are what are
offered in this week to excite the piety of the faithful. At
Notre Dame, moreover, there is a curious exhibition—that
of a nail called the 'holy nail,' which' is represented to be
one of those which pierced the Saviour's hands ; of a piece
of wood which is alleged to have come from the cross on
which He was suspended ; and of a crown of thorns which,
it is affirmed, is the very one that He wore."
Letters from Rome mention that all the Lent
preachers is that capital have for their theme the neces-
sity of the temporal power. The same &deices state that
the canonisation of the Japanese martyrs, it is estimated,
will not cost less than a 'Militia.

The programme of the Middle Rhine Musical
Festival, to be held this year at Darmstadt, is to include
among other music, "Jades Msocubseus," Sebastian Mach's
cantata, " Du Hide Israel," two choruses afla Capella, by
Paleitrina and Vittoria ; the overturn and a chorus of men
from Chernbini's " Faniska," and Mendelssohn's " Lob-
geeing."
M. Mario and Mme. Grisi have left Paris
for a brief sojourn at their villa near Florence, described
as one of the most beautiful spots in that lovely vicinity.

The Algiers journals state that the quantity of
vegetables exported from Algeria to Frans and Esgiand
during the first three months of the present year is double
that of the whole of last year.