The Express.
London, England, 1863-07-24 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(nom ova OWN 00ERZSPONDLWT.,

PARIS, TITUVIDAT EVISNINO.

The momentous question of peace or war eclipses
every other ; and upon that question it is exceed-
ingly difficult to say anything worth listening to.
There are no indications to-day of the probable
course of event& Sympathy for the Poles is as
traditional in France as in England, and, owing to
the more excitable nature of Frenchmen, the ex-
pression of that sympathy in the newspapers is
more
emphatic, and takes less account of practical
difficulties. Almost everybody you meet in the
street will tell you that France cannot do other-
wise than resent Prince Gortchakoff's insolent
despatch. At the same time, I do not believe
that, in the present political state of France,
" public opinion " is capable of exercis-
ing a sufficient pressure upon the Emperor
to force him to make war unless he desires war for
his own preconceived purposes. Opinion, whipped
up by the Emperor's connivance, and possibly by
his instigation, is indeed now ripe for war ; but I
am quite sure that if he thinks it prudent not to go
forward, ho will have no trouble on that account
from the multitude. The people, on the contrary,
will be too glad to wreak their vengeance upon
Russia's misdeeds by hard words, and to save the
tremendous imposts of blood and treasure which
war would inflict upon them. I think it important
to insist upon this, because I well know that
if the government shall resolve upon war it
will talk about " public opinion ;" but be
well assured that, without a free press and freedom
for public meetings, opinion can exercise no
pressure on the government on sentimental ques-
tions. It can only make itself formidable when its
own material interests are immediately concerned.

The moat important event of the day is that the
Empress has left St. Cloud for Vichy. She pre-
sided at a ministerial council yesterday, and the
idea of course is that she has some important com-
munications to make to the Emperor.
The Temps refers to a rumour that several cavalry
and infantry regiments have just been supplied
with campaign materiel. It does not know whether
this is true, but says, rightly enough, that the
French army is always ready for a campaign at a
few hours' notice.

The Bourse underwent considerable fluctuations,
but in the result has scarcely recovered a point
from the effects of yesterday's panic.
Bullier's Correspondence says that Count Trail-
bard, the director of the press, is likely to replace
M. Pietri, who has resigned the prefecture of Bor-
deaux. This news tends to confirm the rumour
which has been some time current that, in conse-
quence of the more liberal views adopted by go-
vernment after the general elections, the direction
of the press, if not abolished (which it ought to be)
as a noxious superfetation, will at least be shorn of
its present maleficent splendour.

ITALY.

THE FIVE BRIGANDS.

(ISOM 008 OWN COBRAMPONLIMT.)
TURIN, JULY 19.

To-night Count Vimercati was to set out fur
Vichy, charged with despatches to the Emperor
Napoleon concerning the five brigands arrested on
board the French ship Annis in the port of Genoa.
Count Vimercati would also have been able to ex-
plain many circumstances which could not well be
committed to paper. Amongst other things he
might have referred to the state of public opinion
upon the subject, and mentioned that yesterday
evening the ministry wished to resign, and
that the intelligence excited deep regret in
this city. Public opinion, including the advanced
party of the Diritto, is favourable to the ministry.
The only party opposed to it (excepting the cle-
ricals, who, of course, support the brigands) is
the small Eattazzi party, which seems to have a
happy knack of rendering itself more and more
unpopular.
While Count Vimercati was making his ar-
rangements for departure, Paris despatches arrived
from Signor Nigra, together with news of a conci-
liatory article iu the Ahniiteur. Signor Nigra an-
nounced that the matter was all but arranged ; so
Count Vimercati came to the conclusion that his
mission to the Emperor was no longer necessary,
and it was therefore decided that he should not go.
Some of the very considerations I recently urged were
submitted by Signor Nigra to M. Drouyn de Lhuys,
who had been ordered not to exaggerate his claims,
and who, therefore, displayed a conciliatory spirit.
The final arrangement is as follows—the five bri-
gands are to be surrendered to France, who will
conduct them to Marseilles, or more probably to
Chambery. Meanwhile their extradition will be
requested in due form according to the treaties,
I and the necessary formalities will be curtailed, so
that in a few hours, or at the utmost in a couple of
days, the French government will re-surrender to
the Italian government these five malefactors, who
would have escaped from justice altogether if the
Marquis Gualterio had not arrested them in the
nick of time, at Genoa, acting thus in the spirit of
honest indignation rather than in that of rigid
fidelity to the letter of postal treaties. Thus the
honour of the two governments is preserved.
At present the five brigands are coufiued in the
prisons of the ducal palace at Genoa. One of them
has made some important revelations.
The King presided this morning at a ministerial
council, and indicated his satisfaction with the
course adopted, a course I foreshadowed in my last
letter.