The Express.
London, England, 1865-05-29 00:00:00

which it does not become.

OPERA and RACE GLASSES, by NEGRETTI I
sod Y....MBAs, tia. mad 41, to loather oats, with rock
crystal leases, or la alsadalsa. A plasm sod upward` To Do
had oaly at UNIIT tour ostablkhosatV=orgardso ; ta,
Corabill : 111. logrutotrast : awl 1611.

JOHN BROGDEN'S EXCELLENTE BIJOU-'
TftiMBOOUBAN'[i MODILIB 11P101A1TX ass LUIRIQIIL !
J. & beams lima balmily.* a Mnadaes Medal at the ?arts
Valveseal Mallattoe, eatoed by tbe alma flattering fair
Vocals% eseyeettully invitee the public to an impaction his
tilleANS and extensive smortsmat IiWZILYBot
Y. all
made on the remises.—Joll/1 BROODKN, Goldsmith. Manu-
factory, No. le. kleariettmetmot, Corent•gartan. W.C. data-
bathed A.D. ifieg Amara made of Chains and Jewell/q for le
each. N.B. This letablishommage claret at •In the lTSNag,and
on fieturdays at 1 o'clock.

GINTLIKM MN'S DIMS& —No. 106, titasod. --
HAMILTON sad 111IPTON, T.II I, lava* AD «rl7
!MALoa of the NM STRING GOODS, which an now road 7.
stock
STRAND , M
k of Overcools always
OUTH oa band for M
NAL mecca nao.
1, ILIUL

REMEMBER ! you will see your friends •t
J.SO MUM after the apn. Ws shall sup Uwe.

gihe Orpreols.

TO 0013MPONDISTIL
Adthetthetheets Isteadea tee " ingthee" Leedom Ithelso
mut be at the Other.Deetheleeleeth. 7e7 Tim
1.. arl on the dth of babthethth

omnr Lain.
TM ivory.", Tlll MILL.III4 DAUOUTER. Moors.
Clopersad Whin"): Needanha IDAtisYsed Wright —3I.OTHIII
SAW. Allord. Sahara, badidess, and Compton ; Madams
Snowdon and Moono.—Ashd /UM OUT 01 WATKIL.

Tins Immo, SZLIT4ITILINGS AIND VDDLLIMLINGS.
—ARRAN NA POGITZ. Ussers. D. loadaault. J. Iroudbam
H. Varidenliod, D. Asher. D. Handy. loybon. Manes Dirs. D.
gouelcasit and Ina IL OliVer.—And LK /LIMA APOWDY.

BRITANNIA.
Vos BM" THE HOWLS: OR. THE DRUNKARD'S
NATL—Madlla C. iRepbso.—BIAOTY AND THE BEAST. Miii
Bt. Ow. CHARLOTTE CORDAY. Kr. G. Bigwood maul
lin E. Tinsel& —womanise al BAN4IOI

HIM WATIMIATIANDOMMMIDOZ.
To. DAY orals& 4k. Mt. 225.
To-so/mow Moralism Mi. Mm.....llMrassas. Walla

LONDON, MONDAY, MAY 2s.

WHEN ALCIBIADES, who might be fairly dr
scribed by a competitive candidate as the
D'Osur of his period—but that the D'ORSAY of
modern times was neither a soldier nor a disciple
of philosophy—was persecuted by the imper-
tinent curiosity of the Athenian badauds, he
resolved upon a sudden and heroic remedy, and
cut off his favourite mastiff's tail. This mast's
was as famous among the Athenians as I'a
master, and his tail was the most famous part of
him. So, in order to give the Athenians some-
thing new to talk about, ALCIBIADES made a so-
lemn sacrificial offering of his favourite dog's famous
tail to a prying and impertinent public, who were
incessantly eager for " some new thing."
It was not that the mastiffs tail was
too long, or that his master could cut it off
without • pang, but that ALCIBIADES threw it to
the citizens of Athens, as he might have thrown
• bone to the owner of a to", to draw their
eyes and teeth off himself. Whether the result
of this vicarious sacrifice was all BLit Atm:timers
exproted or desired we cannot pretend to affirm ;
we only know that he immortalized his dog, and we
hope be found himself relieved by the operation.
Is it possible that the Emperor of the FRENCH,
while he is practising the devotions of a good
Mussulman in Algeria, has felt the necessity of
giving the modern Athenians something ne.r to
talk about, on the eve of the Budget debate, and
while Prince NAPOLEON'S speech and the last
Mexican mail are ooeupying some few serious minds
in Paris t He has not followed the prescription of
Atenusnes ; but he has executed a tremendous
domestic diversion by emptying the family laundry
into the streets, or, literally speaking, into the
Moniteur, in spite of one of the beat remembered
injunctions of the chief of the family.
Prince NAPOLEON'S Ajaccio speech, published at
full length in all the independent Paris newspapers,
was conspicuously suppressed in the Moniker. If
it was intended to give relief and importance to that
Manifesto, the silence of the Monikur was the
best of all advertisements to set the wits of the
Parisians at work, commenting, interpreting, em-
bellishing it; inventing we know not how many con-
tradictory rumours as to its origin, design, and
effect ; some saying that the Faceimon bad read
it in the rough draft, some that the Council of
Regency was aghast at it, some that it was all
arranged beforehand, some that the Fluxes had
taken an unfair advantage of his Cousin's absence,
some that it was the vendetta of a "Corsican
ther." Something no doubt of the generous
and quickening ardour of that speech might
be attributed to the rays of a Corsican sun ; hut
the climate of Algeria is, we fear, at least as sti-
mulating as that of the birthplace of the Bons-
esarra. It now appears that the Gloire, which
had been detached from the Algerian squadron to
attend the inauguration of the monument at
Ajaccio, brought back to the EMPEROR the
first impressions of his Couain's speech ; and
that these impressions were more striking than
satisfactory. On the 15th inst. Prince Narotion's
oration was delivered at Ajaccio, on the 18th it
was published by the unofficial press in Perlis ; and
in the Moniteur of the 26th, at the head of the
first column iu the front page, in the largest type,
the first notice of it appears in the form of a Letter
from the EMPEROR to his Cousin, administering in
the most formal and stringent terms, the most un-
equivocal rebuke. NAPOLEON 111. is known to
be a perfect master of all the forms and cere-
monies of language and deportment ; from a
button to a comma he is thoroughly versed in the
secrets of his business ; and when he begins a letter
with Monsieur et trio cher Cousin, and ends it with
Sur et, Monsieur et cher Cou.in je prie Dieu qu'il
eons sit en so sainte garde, we may be sure he has
studied as nicely every shade and turn of style, as if
it were a question of bow far down the great stair-
case at the Tuileries he should descend to welcome
a constitutional king. One is not born on the steps
of a throne, or brought up at the feet of a Lord
Chamberlain, for nothing. The Emperor of the
Fairies( doubtless devoted some spare moments
of his days in prison and exile to these indis-
pensable accomplishments.
This Letter, if not like the Mexican expedition,
to the history of which it probably belongs, the
greatest perfoi mance of a reign, is, we are disposed
to think, only second in importance to that un-
finished enterprise. There was enough and more
than enough in form and substance in the speech at
Ajaccio to provoke irritation and displeasure. It
may be doubted whether the Emperor of the
FRENCH feels much natural sympathy with the
Corsican branch of his family tree. It can-
not be doubted that he objects to any other
Nszosion presuming to identify it with a
purer and more elemental Bonapartism than
that which the trials and responsibilities of
power have taught himself to consider safe and
practicable. But the Emerson accuses his
cousin of having, as Vioe-President of the
Pricy Council, betrayed the confidence of his
Sovereign. The Panics has replied with proper
spirit to this heavy charge by resigning an office
to which no other member of the Imperial family
can have an equal title. The EMPEROR has thus
created a void which it is impossible for the most
- trusted devotion of subordinates to fill.
Thin rosigoation, ktinrtvort is • family matter,

~19~

The point in this Impair
public attention wol be Wert—VP 1..
programme which the Pincus traced, and
which the EMPEROR declares can only 81M/0 the
enemies of his government. What was this pro-
posal Respect for nationalities, as • basis for
permanent peace ; the unity and independence of
Italy ; the abolition of the temporal power ; friend-
ship with the United States ; complete absten-
tion from Earopean interfezera a on the
continent ; approval of the " Monroe
doctrine," in that sense ; liberty under ell its
forms in France. The Panics spoke of the Aus-
trian marriage of the First NaPoutox as an error
in policy, and of an Austrian alliance as incompa-
tible with French traditions and ideas ; but he cer-
4ainly did not utter any sentiments of hatred
towards any Power nut even towards
Russia, though he regretted the sacrifice o'
Poland. All the liberal ideas which NAPO-
LEON the THIRD has not proscribed are part
of his Cousin's programme ; and as to the other
liberal ideas which are contained in that programme,
they were also to be found in the pro-
gramme of the Prisoner of Ham, and exist
to tb4s day in the published works of
NaroLsoN 111. In repudiating and rebuking
this programme of his Cousin's, the EMPEROR--
no doubt to the satisfaction of his Ministers and
of his Senate, and of his majority in the Corps
liggistatif, and of all those " underlings," whom
his Cousin described as " eager to shield the Go-
" vernrnent from the slightest attack, in order to
" hide from their Sovereign and the public their
" own inefficiency and faults "—cute himself
and his Government off, as he has never done
before, from the cause and the hopes of public
libel q, and identifies himself with the purely nega-
tive policy of forcible possession of absolute power,
belted on public corruption and national
indifihrence. One may smile at the Corsican idea of
placing a nation's liberty under the tutelary auspices
of a despot's deathbed repentance. NaroLzoN
at St. Helena spent his time in performing • series
of intellectual poses plostiptes for the mystification
of posterity, and his favourite attitude was that of
a " Prometheus Vinctus," except, indeed, when
he was straining his eyes through • spyglass, and
fancying himself • Prometheusunbound. But the
Prince at Ajaocio made a very bold and very
happy hit when, anticipating the doubts of liberal
legume, he suggested that the co.ivers•tions at
St. Helena expressed, at all events, the
I lot ideas of the EILPEEOa, and his last ideas
of the only policy which could hereafter restore
and consolidate his dynasty. Now from this
policy lila heir and successor emphatically sod
ostentatiously separates himself ; and with a touch-
ing humility to which we hops Ificron Huoo will
do justice, signs himsef rot "Narita=
"le Petit," but "NAPOLEON the Pigmy." Really
the Empowe is too modest in declaring his
incapacity to appreciate at its just value the grand
historical figure of NAPOLEON. No mm &ins
should be able to appreciate it better. Nor can
he fairly charge his Cousin with looking at only
one side of tie colossal statue. The Prince's speech
was a complete view of his Uncle as General of the
Republic, Emperor, prisoner at Elba, Emperor
again, and captive at St. Helena. It was a front,
a ride, a three-quarters' view of the colonial statue.
It was a whole history teaching by example--and
by romance. It may not have been very digni-
fled in • Prince of the Blood to come all the way
from the Palais Royal to Corsica to preach
liberty when his Cousin's back was turned, but
it is more dignified even to " romance " about
the great original EMPEROR than to be content
with • " pigmy " imitation of that " severe
" discipline " which NAPOLEON I. exercised as we
know in his family and in his government--but
with a difference. His family severities were
family secrets, not published to the world is the
lefonittur. NAPOLEON the THIRD'S letter to his
Cousin would read better if it were published for
the first time fifty years hence.

A Cabbiet Council was held on Saturday at the
official residence of the First Lord of the Traseury,
in Downing-street. The ministers present ware
—Viscount Palmerston, the Lord Chancellor
Earl Granville, Sir George Grey, Earl Russell,
the Right Hon. Edward Cardwell, Earl de Grey,
Sir Charles Wood, the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer the Duke of Somerset, the Right Hon.
T. Idihier Gibson, Lord Stanley of Alderley, and
the Right Hon. C. P. Villiers.

Their Royal Highnesses the Count and Countess
de Paris remind at dinner on Saturday night at York
House the Duke and Duchess of Cleveland, the Spanish
Minister and Madame Oomyo, the Earl and Coaster !bos-
om, the Earl of St. Germane, Sir Hamilton and Lady Sey
moor, Mies Seymour. the Marquis Bouilki, General Sabine,
and Mr. Praia&
The Bishop of London and Mrs. Tait entertained
at dinner on Saturday, at London House, St. J mei&
square, his Excellency the Premise Ambassador end the
Countess Bonistorff, the Countess of Strafford and Lady
Victoria Byng, Lord and Lady ischlquie, Lord and Lady
Lyvedee, the Right lion. Sir David iindas, the Right
lion. Dr. Lashington, the Venerable Archdeacon Hale.
Lady Sitwell and Miss B. Sitwell, the Rev. Emilina and
Mrs. Bayley, the Rev. W. H. Fremantle, MT. and Mrs.
Campbell, of Stoneffeld, ke.
The Lord Chief Justice of England had the
honour of meadving his Roy,' Highness the Duke of
Oambridp at dinner on Friday, with the following guests—
the Duke of Manchester, Earl Granville, Esrl of BOBS-
borough, Earl of Sandwich, Viscount Falkland, Lord
Chelmsford, Load Stanley, Sir Charles Wood, Sir James
Hamilton, How Frederick Brig, Hon. Colonel Mandosald,
Lieutenant-Gwen' Crease:l, Lieut.-Colonel kienhall.
and Mr. Cockbsrn.
The recent illness of Viscounteea Palmerston has

for soave weeks interrupted the series of aseembliee at which
her ladyship reosiees bar friends end the more dietiesuisbed
members of society, political, general, sad literary. OD
Saturday sight the ?fusions were resumed. sad a large
number of parte paid their respects to Lady Palmerston.
The death of the Hon. Thomas Stonor, eldest son
of Lord Ofisx*Tv. took pica• yesterday morning at an early
hour, from, we bear, smallpox.
The Committee of the House of Commons upon
the South Wales sad Greek Western Direct Railway Bill
bare decided, after a lengthened investigatiou, that the
preamble of the bill has been proved. The committee sug-
gest that the promoters of this bill should take the neces-
sary steps for effectieg a junction with the Midland Railway
at Mahoesbury. The practical result of this deal= will
be that two of the great railway oompaaiss—the Great
Western and the Midlead—will compete i• carrying coal
from South Wales to Loudon by • direct line across the
river Sworn.

To-morrow the Royal Dramatic College proceed
to the election of Moo mots intoaton Tb Priam of Wale.
will attend at Maybury on Whit Monday to formally open
the tooted hall of the cons" aad t►e annual bazaar and
fancy fair will be be id at the Crystal Uncle on the UM and
17th Jcly.

A dinner was given at the St.Janseee-ball. on Gs-
tardily. to Mr. Gaya& Duffy, who, alter being tried anewel
ewes for sedition in Ireland without Inds; s jury that
wesld agree epee a 'midi/6, .acne afterwarde to lit in the
Hews at Oeenewlee, thee west oat to Australia, where he
was a member sod a wiebter in the Legislative Omani of
Victoria, and is at present In Segiesd as a vidt. The
disk woe takes by Sir George Bowyer, sad the pvhsolnel
preens attend* was Irish or Awn:alien friends of the
'vest. Mr. Daffy wade a leer epee* whirl' was Wady
devoted to an able defence of the system of vepreeleistion
la the Anstedbin minis@ gigabit the recent attack wale
by Mr. Lows, Mr. Omar!, sad nine Is s Hoots 61
COMINGS.