The Press.
London, England, 1858-06-19 00:00:00

foreign QotrespoitDcnce.

PARIS, Thursday.
ALTHOUGH the proceedings of the " Con 'erence on
the Danubian Principalities " now sitting in this city
are kept secret, I happen to know that a very• high
personage has stated to a great dignitary of State
that the political union of the Principalities which
France and Russia were anxious to brin4 about will
not take place, inasmuch as Englan 1, Austria,
Turkey, and Prussia are decidedly opposed to it,
whilst Sardinia alone supports the two powers in re-
commending it. The abandanment of the projected
union is another triumph of English policy to be set
down to the credit of the nre-ient Cabinet. H w-
ever, to soothe France and Russia under their check
on this question, it is not unlikely that England and
the other powers will consent to a certain similarity
being established between the two Principalities as
regards customs, miliiary force, and other matters.
The public, not with 3ut surprise, found in the
official Moniteur of Tuesday an imperial decree ac-
cepting the resignation of General Espinasse, as
Minister of the Interior, and another appointing M.
Delanzle, Chief Judge (First President) of the
Imperial Court, his successor. But in the higher
political circles it had been known for some days
that General Espinasse's reign was about to cease.
You are aware that the Emperor some time ago es-
tablished a sort of Privy Council, consisting of high
dignitaries of the State ; and this Council, alarmed
at the ill-feeling towards the Imperial regime which
of late has prevailed amongst the people, and which
was manifestly spreadinp, met last week, and unani-
mously warned his Majesty that something must he
done to check it. "And what must that something
be ?" the Emperor asked. " A change in the arbitrary
system which has prevailed since general Espinasse
was nominated." The general, fighting hard for his
place, attempted to convince his Majesty that "the
parties" hostile to his throne had lately become very
audacious, and that if the strong hand were not
shown they might engage in some desperate enter-
prize. But he spoke in vain—and wag made to re-
sign. The Emperor has undoubtedly done well in
getting rid of him. The French, in spite of their
military character and tendencies, cannot bear to

see a mere soldier engaged in the administration of
civil affairs ; and the manner in which General
Espinasse discharged his high duties was not calcu
lated to lessen their antipathy. Appointed in the
midst of the panic caused by the attempted assassi-
nation of the Emperor, for the avowed purpose of
striking the disaffected with terror, he so acttd, br
arresting and exiling people by wholesale, by the
harsh execution of severe laws, by intimidatit n of
the press, and the seizure or exclusion of fol, igu
journals, by the adoption of unpopular measures of
various kinds, and particularly that for the sale of hos-
pital property; and last, but not least, by military arro-
gance in all things and towards all—as to transform
vast numbers of peaceable men into enemies of the
Imperial Throne.
It is not to be doubted that the general's successor
will follow a different system, and it appears that it
is the Emperor's pleasure that he should do so,
inasmuch as General Espinasee bore the menacing
title of " Minister of the Interior, and of Public
Safety"(a man must have lived in France to under-
stand the full meaning of the words underlined),
whereas he is simply designated " Minister of the
Interior." It is allowed on all bands that he is a
very able and energetic man, but the French are
hard to please, and they grumble at the nomination;
because, say they, ever since he appeared on the
political scene, he has been in favour of harsh procsed-

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