The Express.
London, England, 1853-07-25 00:00:00

FRANCE.

PARIS, SUNDAY Evaxixo.
The Merateur annouLces the reception by the
Emperor of a letter from Don Jose Maria Obando,
announcing his election as President of the Republic
of New Granada.

A report having been presented to the Emperor
by the Minister of Public Works, recommending the
construction of the railway from Rheims to Mczitlres
and Charleville, and from Criel to Beauvais, by an
Imperial decree those lines have been conceded: to
Messrs. Iklasterman, Laing, Ilutchinson, Uzielli, and
others.

The Court of Caseation yesterday pronounced judg-
ment upon the appeal of Count Alfred de Coetlogen,
Dr. Flandin, and MM. Virmaitro and Plaohol, four
of the " foreign correspondents," against the decision
of the Tribunal of the First Instance, confirmed by
the Imperial Court, convicting them of sedition upon
evidence obtained by breaking open letters confided
to the post-office. The venerable judges of the tri-
bunal of the last resort have quashed the conviction
as illegal. Honour to the Court of Cessation There
is a plain text of law originating with the Bourbons,
and confirmed by the Code Napoleon, expressly pro-
hibiting the agents of government from opening let-
ten, but an exception was engrsftid upon this law in
thecase of a person taken inflagrante delicto. Tho im-
perial Court of l'aris strained this exception so far as to
hold that the Prefect of Police was justified in open-
ing letters written by or to persons suspected by him.
To bring the case within the letter of the law they
pretended that the notoriety that certain persons
were foreign cerreepondeuts constituted the ease of
flayrante delicto. This was evidently to do away with
the benefit of the law altogether. The Court of Cas-
eation has now laid it down that although in the in-
terest of public order and the general safety tho 88th
article of the criminal code authorizes the breaking
open of letters in certain cases ; this can only be done
by order of a judge of instruction, who can only set
upon a specific indictment before him. It is now, there-
fore,decided by the highest j udicial authority in Frazee,
that no authority whatsoever has the right to violate
the sanctity of the post-office upon mere suspicion,
and that the Prefect of l'olice especially has not,'
under any circumstances, the right to break open
letters. 'the judgment orders tire fines paid by the
prisoners to be returned to they. In point of term,
further proceedings in the case may yet be taken.
The Court of Caseation never pronounces an original
F; it can only quash that of the court below.
Part of the order now made is that another chamber
of the imperial court shall rehear the appeal, but in-
asmuch as the decree expressly states that the only
evidence in support of the conviction appealed
from was the letters illegally seized, the
judgment is in substance one of complete
acquittal. The only consequence of a renewed
prosecution would be a fresh appeal to the
Court of Cessation, and a second government defeat.
The result of this trial has agreeably disappointed
pnblic expectation. It is the most cheering symptom
of a return to regular and legal government that has
been seen since Dec. 2, 18.51.
The trial of M. Jeanne, the stationer of the Pas-
sage Choiseul, and other persons implicated in an
affair to which the name of the "Vincennes plot"
has been given, upon I know not what grounds, is
fixed for August 10.
M. Bratiano, the brother of M. Ledru Rollin,
nod 31szzini's colleague of that name in the Central
European Committee, who was arrested on suspicion
of being concerned in the Opera Comique plot, has
been removed from prison to a tnaison de sante, in a
dying state.
There is no news from Turkey to-day. The story
of part of the fleet having entered the Dardanelles,
given by the Prase of Vienna, is not confirmed, and
may safely be considered false.
Within the last few days there has been a remark-
able change in the tactics of the Russian agents in
Paris. The great object of the Emperor of Itussia
from the first has been to divide France and England.
Relying upon the old Anglo-Russian alliance and the
supposed tendencies of Lord Aberdeen, all the efforts of
Russia were directed until lately to encourage suspicion
of France on tae part of England, and to propagate
the opinion that France was playing a double game
with ulterior selfish views. In furtherance of this
policy a report was circulated that Nicholas intended
to affront Franca by refusing to treat with her, on
the ground that she, by first stirring the affair of the
Holy Places, had originated the quarrel. At the
same time it was given out that he would listen most
respectfully to any suggestions from England. By
this time the Czar is pretty well convinced that all
attempts to make England favourable to his cause, or
even to remain neutral, will fail. He is therefore try-
ing to achieve the same result—division of the two
powers—by different means. The Russian cue
now is to court France, and to insinuate that Eng-
land, indifferent to the religious question and having
separate interests with regard to Egypt and India
is an unsafe ally. The very persons who but a few
days since loudly affirmed that England would
follow France in aggressive steps against Russia,
now say just the contrary, and pretend to know on
good authority that Louis Napoleon will not allow
himself to be hurried on by England to humiliate
the Czar.

The Prase, in its weekly commercial review, says
that, although business is not very active, it is some-
what better than last week. Several commission
agents, who for the last two months have been
waiting for a settlement of the Eastern question,
have at last decided to make their purchases. Some
important orders fur jewellry have been given for
Russia. The late rains have revived uneasiness on
account of the harvest. Flour has again risen, and
the speculators in grain hold out for higher prices.
The absence of decisive intelligence respecting the
progress of the Eastern question, combined with the
usual dulness in business at the termination of the
week, exercised an unfavourable influence at the
Bourse yesterday, and a decline in prices took place.
Final quotations : For cash : Three per Cents.,
78f. 50c. ; Four-and-a-Half per Cents., 103 f. 40c.
For the account : Three per Cents., 78f. 25:". ; Four-
and-a-Half per Cents., 103 f. 20c. Bank Stock,
2,740 f. In the railway market a general decline
took place.