The Express.
London, England, 1852-04-13 00:00:00

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LONDON, 7L'ESDAY, APRIL 13.

TO-DAT Louts NAPOLEON is to deliver his Mes-
sage to the new French Chamber. If we have
of late abstained from comment on the affairs
of France, it was simply because there was
nothing to remark upon. In that country now, u
in the time of Lows XIV., the ruler may say,
" eat woof." And for some time past the pro-
ceedings of this state have been as monotonous as
they have been intelligible to U. To-day's pro-
ftedings in Paris may give muse for breaking the
silence that has for awhile subsisted in relation to
French affairs.
The PRINCE-PRESIDENT has declared that he will
not change his present title for that of Emperor, or
convert his ten years lease of power (renewable
when the term expires) for a lease fax his owu life or
for lives, unless the anarchists force him by their
machinations. And satisfied that he can get up such
machinations whenever he comes to need them, ho
has been quietly preparing the dresses and decora-
tions fur the empire. lie—a bachelor—has made his
dumb legislature vote him a larger civil list than was
granted to Lot 14-P ere with his numerous family;
place at his disposal all the national palaces, and
allot for his use forests in which he may pursue the
eying deer and wild boar with all the pomp and
of a yraad poonarepse. Ile has put tho Coun-
cil of State and the two bodies of the legislature into
tasteful liveries, and is devising uniforms fur his in
ferior tenants. lie is making all public characters
take =dui of fidelity to him, down to the garde*
ehomprtres and auctioneers. The coming empire
will tee as Sao ads well-drilled domestics, plush, em-
broidery. and feathers can make it.
Thelie weighty matters, however, belong rather to
the department of a court newsman than of political
chroniclers and commentators; and heece the Oallic
state in one individual has escaped recent criticism.
Some indications of a renewed crusade against the
press brings the subject back within our urisdiction.
For a few weeks, the Parisian journals hare OMR-
gamily contained articles that formerly would have
attracted little attention, but havebeen noted in 1832
as seeming to indicate some relaxation in the severity
of the Peesitiesr's censors of the press. A few of
the good-natured credulous people who persist in
holding up Loris NAPOLEON as a counterpart of
cAoLvLE's coomwELL--a hero-legislator destined
to bless a people incapable of taking care of them-
selves—hailed these phenomena as proofs that their
patriot-despot courted fair criticism on his policy.
This delusion has not been allowed to last long.
Last week the Ors/sire was seized; the Press. re-
ceived a first warning in terms of the decree of
February 17, which authorises the Minister of
Police, after two warnings, to suspend any journal
for two months, without instituting legal proceedings
against it ; and the Asseniblefe Nationale has received
an intimation that if it do not change its tone, its
editors will be warned also.
The offence of the Carsaire is the publication of a
"petit dialogue ear des title petite, chows," understood
to be levelled at a distinguished deserter from
the ORLEANIST to the BONAPARTIST camp. The
offence of the .Issemblee Nationale, it is whispered, is
its advocacy of the fusion of the two BOCRBON parties.
The offence of the Preue deserves a more extended
notice. _ _

The eccentric chef of that jsurnal, M. E. DE Gl•
RARDIN, has re-assumed the editorial office, and
inaugurated his resumption of the pen by a series of
articles. in which he professes to acquiesce in the
coup Vent government as a fait aecompl i; and
catching at an expression in the PRESIDENT'S open-
ing address to the legislative body, preaches the
doctrine conserrotas la ncpaillique. The French
people, mote convinced of the cleverness than of the
honesty of N. DE GIRAKDIN, have been rather mys-
tified by these articles. When read without reference
to the author's antecedents, they have much the ap-
pearance of a dare-devil attempt to oblige the PRE-
SIDENT to declare at once either for or
.against the
republic—to pull off the mask. The position of the
writer appears analogous to that of a reckless boy,
who, seeing a mad bull in a field, seats himself
astride of the fence, prepared if the animal charge
him to jump down on the outside—if it runs
away, then to step on the inside. There were
passages in the articles, however, which be-
trayed such a rancorous spirit against General
CAVAIGNAC, that many were disposed to believe N.
DE GIRARDLN'S hatred of that statesman bad drawn
him into an alliance with the PRESIDENT. The official
warning given to the editor of the Presse by the
Minister of Police would seem to
_imply that the
PRESIDENT either distrusts the Membi4 of M. ne
OIRARDIN, or the judiciousness of the Made he has
adopted of @hewing that friendship.
And it must be confessed that the palsy ef the
Presse, if meant to serve the PRESIDENT. WM rather
too tine-spun. Comet-eons iu ripubliges t that is
in plain English, let us recognise the new aftelitu-
tion ; take for granted that it is a repabliej *bate,
intrigue, and strive each to promote ik own
political opinions and objects, as if we really lima
tinder a free government. This would be in &et
to recognise the legality of M. BoNsemeffin'm govern-
ment on condition that pnblis was
_
to act as viceroy over him. ffisa flit Mt art
the PRESIDENT, who, when be nsmisseed lihnself
dictator, meant to be dictator in reality as well as in
appearance. Besides, if Frenchmen are to be per-
mitted to discuss, and almost° to promote political
measures, they may some day take it into their heads,
when their organisation is strong enough, to ques-
tion the justice or expediency of allowing the Paz-
-I•IDENT to continue in Aloe. It is therefore not at
all surprising that the friendly overtures of itl. DE
GIRSRDIN have been declined.
Of course the PRESIDENT is too knowing to find
fault with M. DE Giasaulm's taking. for his motto
comerraws k rpoiblisnoe, or his advising the go-
vernment to adopt a legal and constitutional course
of action. The PRESIDENT merely objects to an in-
cidental remark in M. DE GIRARDIN a articles, im-
puting pin:Sects of assassination to the republican
and royalist parties. Not that M. BONAPARTE calls
in question the justioe of the imputation; ho avoids
that question. But M. BONAPARTE, or his Minister
of P4ioN has a great regard for public morals, and
fears that French innocence may be perverted by
letting Frenchmen know that people wicked enough
to be messelas exist. The Prase is to be punished
if it limeade in letting the Parisians know that
naughty maple exist, and naughty actions are com-
mitted. The new model French Irc/VPIIIMPIO is de
toramisd that its ;mope shall be innocent even of
the knowledge that crime exists. Frenchmen are
to be restored to the Paradisaical condition of our
first parents before they acquired the fatal knowledge
of rood and evil.
The maxim of a certain class of politicians—
that &massage was given to man to emcee' his
i --im so well known that the pretext of
ttsritrteench Minister of Police for gagging the
Prow needs no further comment. Enough that
his official warning shows that political discussion is
still under an interdict in France. The system which
since the 2nd of Deeember has extinguished eight
Perinea and forty-nine provincial journals is still
persisted in.
" The children of this world are wise in their
generation:" there can be no doubt that free discus-
aim in the prelim would be incompatible with the
permanence of the existing government of France.
Its three mainsprings of actionare intrigue, equivocal
pecuniary arrangements, and direct intimidation.
The only chance any politician who incurs the dis-
pleasure of the government has of obtaining pardon,
IS to court the favour of some astral. Parisian po-
litics resemble ILose mended la the amain' of the
reign of Lours XV., or in the pages of Oil Blas.
The Bank of France has been taken into the melee
of government, and employed to " work" the raitlzz
and other interests bylilieral advance'. To s
the bank to do this the publicity of its operadeos
has been diminished. Lastly, them an at this
moment 6,000 prisoners sentenced to ttnnipeetation
for political offences without having been hied,
waiting till the ships can be got ready which ace to