The Express.
London, England, 1851-06-03 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, JUNE 3, 1851.

FRANCE.

',Alas, MONDAY EvExixo.
Yesterday took place the inauguration of the sec-
tion of the Lyons Railway between Dijon and Ton-
nerre. A burst of glorious sun shine, which is the
soul of all fiqes, favoured the efforts of the inhabi-
tants to do honour to the day opening their closer
union with the capital. 'rho President, having
passed the precediug night in the Palace of the Arch-
bishop of Sens, reached the terminus of Dijon at
three. Although no enthusiasm characterised his
reception, it was such as, compared with his last
visit, must have been highly gr iteful to him ; for his
welcome was quite undisturbed by those democratic
manifestations which called for the protection of the
troops ; and the cries of " Vive Napoleon!" certainly
drowned all others. As I was present on the spot,
I can bear testimony to the favourable
character of the l'resident's reception at Dijon.
I do not, however, draw from this auspi-
cious circumstance the ',AMC inference as the
partisans of Louis Napoleon, who attribute his
warmer welcome to pohtical motives; while it is
clear the inhabitants were bent upon doing honour
to a !Pe marking an important era in the existence
of flick eitv ; and their acclamations were addressed
rather to the occasion than the guest. But, however
this may be, it is clear from the speech which the
President made that his spirits were excited by what
ho seemed to regard as a demonstration of enthusiasm
for his person. Leaving to the fancy of your renders
the decorations of the ceremony, consisting in
flags and wreaths of flowers tastefully arranged
about the terminus, suffice it to say that as soon
as the Bishop of Dijon had sprinkled holy
water and uttered a benediction over the engines,
in presence of a gaily-dressed crowd of citizens, the
President, and those who were with him, mounted
their horses and rode through the acclaiming
city, followed by squadrons of cuirassiers, dragoons,
and gendarmes, to the palace of the Duke of Bur-
gundy, now the Hotel du Ville. A more beautiful
city un a small scale it is impossible to see. Every-
where the churches lift stately fronts, which are
among the purest models of Gothic and Cinque-cento
art; and the present fate of some of these fine edifices
attests the decay into which the old capital of Bur-
gundy is fallen. Under the vaulted roof of one is
held the corn market; vegetable stalls are ranges' in
the dim religious ai,les of another; and a third serves
as a stable tor cavalry. The palace in which the
president was received is a spacious patchwork of old
and modern piles, in which jou may discern, rising
with its peaked roof and grey round turrets, behind
the new facade, the old tower where the wily Louis
found himself trapped by Charles the Bold. Having
received the authorities, the president retired until

dinner-time. The mayor then made an appropriate
speech, which was answered by Louis Napoleon in
the following words:
. . .

Gentlemen,—l wish those persons who have doubts as
to the future could have accompanied me in my journey
through the populations of the Yonne and the Cote d'Or ;
they would have been aida to have judged for themselves
of the true state of public opinion. They would have seen
that neither intrigues, nor the attacks, nor the passionate
discussions of panics arc in harmony with the senti-
ments and with the condition of the country. France
neither desires the return of the ancirn njime,
under whatever form it may disguise itself, nor the ex-
: perimcnt of sad and impracticable Utopians bermes. It
es because I am the most natural enemy of both one
and the other, that France has placed confidence in me.
It' this were not the ease, how could we explain the affect-
ing sympathy of the people towards me, which resists the
most subversive polemics, and which acquits me of
being the cause of their sufferings. If my govern-
ment has not been attic to realise all the ameliora-
tions which it had in view, we must attribute the
failure to the manmuvres of the factions, who paralise the
good intentions of assemblies as well as that of :overnments
most devoted to the public welfare. It is because you have
thus comprehended the state of the question, that I have
had, in patriotic Burgundy, a reception which it
for me an approbation and an encouragement. I take
advantage of this banquet, as of a tribune, to ex-
hibit, to lay bare my heart before my fellow citizens. A
new phasis has commenced in our political life ; from one
end of France to the other petitions arc being signed for the
revision of the constitution. I await with confidence the

manifestations of the country and the drcisions of the
Assembly, which will be inspired only by. the sentiment of
the public interest. Since I have been in power I have
proved how much, in presence of the great interests of
society, I set aside all that had affected me personally. The
most unjust and the most violent attacks could not shake
my equanimity. Whatever may he the duties which the
country may impose upon me, it shall that ine resolved to
obey its will; and, be assured, gent:cmcn, that France shall
not perish in my hands.

-
Three ministers, MM. Fould, Magne, and Leon
Faucher, were present. Other distinguished guests
were MM. Dupiu, Montalembert, and General
Castellano. The two former looked exceeding grave
at the sharp and decided language of the President,
and retired early. By the remaining company the
speech was vociferously applauded. In the evening
there was a sumptuous ball, which presented a more
pleasant variety than falls commonly to the share of
such entertainments, from the circumstances of the

theatre, the Hotel de Vile, and the Museum having
been thrown into ono vast range of building, by the
construction of tasteful galleries ; so that, without
being incommoded by, the immense crowd, you could
peep through a box into the dazzling theatre, and
see the President in his silver epaulettes walking
through a quadrille with the prefect's lady ;
or you could repair to the rich store of
monuments saved from the revolutionary icono-
clasts, and the handsome tapestries, pictures, and
busts of the civic palace. Among the latter you note
those of Carnet and Menge, illustrious natives of the
Cote-d'Or, and an eager intense head of the first con-
sul. But the gems of the exhibition were those
famous tombs of the early Burgundian dukes.
A little Gothic cloister, fretted in alabaster, and
filled with mourning monks, surrounds the pedestal
which supports the painted effigies, and was lit up
with wonderful relief by ingeniously disposed lamps.
The President, having inspected all these interesting
relics, retired at eleven.
It is said that the President did not speak the
speech as it was set down, and shown to the minis-
ters; but that his boutudes against the Assembly
were much more violent. On this account M. Fau-
cher is represented as rather compromised and ag-
grieved. He returned by the train which arrived
this morning. I had almost forgotten to mention the
chief wonder of the railway, which is the tunnel of
Blaisey, two or three miles m length.
M. Thiers is gone to London.
General Aupick has arrived in Paris.