The Express.
London, England, 1848-05-05 00:00:00

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programme which I sent you this morning. A large
force of the regular troops and the national guard
lined the road on both sides, from the Place Vendome
to the chamber.
The members of the government appeared in their
ordinary costume, being merely distinguished by
tri-coloured sashes. They were surrounded and fol-
lowed by a body of officers of the National Guard.
The private .carriages of such of these temporary
sovereigns of France as possessed such an article of
convenience, followed. 'these consisted of two very
dingy and plain chariots, and two broughams.
'the weather continued throughout the day most
favourable, and every thing went off, so far as I have
learned, without the occurrence of any sinister event
In the procession to the Chamber the members of
the government marched two and two, MM. Albert
and Flocou leading, followed by MM. Louis Blanc,
Ledru Rollin' Lamartine, and the others.
The as et of the ceiGge more resembled an acade-
demical than a political or military spectacle.
The procession was closed by tie " Etat major " of
the first military division, surrounding (;en. Foucher.
The Boulevards, outside the lines of troops' were by
no means as crowded as was expected. There was
abundant space for free walking on the footways.
We observed that al though of course the Government
was saluted with cries of " Vivo la Republique" and
"Vive de Lamartine," the enthusiasm was by no
means so unbounded as some parties expected.
No individual of the government was saluted by
name in our hearing, except M. de Lamartine. The
appearance of M. Ledru-Rollin wee serious.
It was about half-past one when the Government
entered the Hall of Assembly, amidst salutes of ar-
tillery from the Invalides and the Champs Elysees,
the military bands playing the national air.
On the arrival of the government within the hall
the galleries were completely crammed. One box, a
tribune, was appropriated to the corps diplwtsatique,
a second to the reporters, and a third to the council of
state. Several were exclusively occupied by ladies
gaily dressed.
The gallery at the end of the hall, with the excep-
tion of a box reserved for the national guard, was
public, and was of course thronged by persons of all
classes.
At a quarter before 12 the representatives &seem-
bled in considerable numbers in the hall, and formed
groups on the floor, in the centre, and around the
tribune. It was not observed that the conversations
were marked by any animation, which was explained
by the fact, that the members were generally
strangers to each other. A few members were ob-
served in the ecclesiastical costume.
It wait observable that the decree of the govern-
ment prescribing a certain costume was almost
affectedly disregarded. Scarcely a white waistcoet
was visible, even by accident, and we were not able
to discover even one individual wearing the uniform
ordered in the Mositeur.
Among the ex-members, we recognized Odillon
Barrot, Dupin, Billault, Duvergier, d'ilauranne,
Berryer, Leon de Maleville, Larochejaquelin, L' Her-
hette, &c.
The arrival of the Abb.:. Lacordere in the dress of
a Dominican friar produced much sensation, and a
movement of curiosity was especially marked in the
ladies' gallery. The abbe:l took hie place on the
highest bench, on the lett of the president. Ile was
scarcely seated before he was surrounded by several
members, among whom we remarked M. de Monts-
lembert and some ecclesiastics, who hastened to ad-
dress their felicitations to the celebrated preacher.
At a quarter
in
one, a considerable movement
was perceptible in the chamber, as if the Provisional
Government was on the point of entering. The ushers
cried out to the members to take their places and
preserve silence ; the moment after a tumult was
heard at the door on the left of the President's chair,
and a crowd of officers of the national
guard, wearing their swords, were seen to ap-
proach, with M. Chateau-Renaud, the governor of the
chamber, before them, but advancing backwards, and
apparently endeavouring to prevent their coming
forward. At last, when he was borne back just within
the predate of the hall, he exclaimed : " No, I will
not permit any men in arms to enter the assembly
without being authorised to do so! No. Sn&
conduct is contrary to all rule !" Loud cries el
approbation followed this allocution, and cries of
" He is right ! he is right!" burst out from various
parts of the assembly. M. Odilon Barrot's voles
was heard loud above the rest in his exclama-
tion. The doors were then closed, and the par-
ties withdrew. A few moments after the noise was
repeated, and voices were again heard, as if in alter-
cation. The doors were then thrown open, and the
officers who had been applicants for admission were
seen withdrawing. This little episode finished there,
and the moment after the deepest silence prevailed,
the cannon being heard thundering forth its welcome
to the Provisional Government The drams next
were heard to beat the salute, and the instant after
the members of the Provisional Government appeared
at the right entrance of the chamber.
At once the whole assembly rose, and with hand'
and voice greeted in the most enthusiastic manner
the gentlemen who thus appeared. "Vive la Re-
publique! " burst forth from every part of the immense
hall, and was echoed back by the persons in the pub-
lic galleries, and by the crowd outside, who had
heard the sound, and caught it np as it reached them.
M. Dupont (de l'Eure) entered first, and next to
him M. de Lamartine; the others following in a,
mass behind. They were followed by a considerable
number of national guards, who remained standing
near the tribune below. When the Provisional Go-
vernment had entered well into the Chamber, the
cry of "Vive la Republique !" again arose, and after
the sound had ceased, it rose the third time louder
than ever; the representatives the whole time accom-
panying the cry with clapping of hands. A cry of
" Vive le Gouvernement Provisoire !" followed, and
then one of "Vive Lamartine!"
The Provisional Government then took their seats
on the left of the hall, and silence having been
fully restored, M. Andry de Puyrevean, the senior
deputy, took the chair as Provisional President,
whilst the six youngest members took their places as
temporary secretaries.
The President then having declared the sitting to
be opened, M. Dupont (de l'Eure), es President of the
Provisional Government, ascended the tribune, and
in resigning the powers of that body into the hands
of the Assembly, delivered the following speech,
which appeared in a Second Edition of this morning's
Doily News :
Citizen Representatives,—
The Provisional Government bows before the
nation, and renders homage to the supreme power
with which you are invested. Elected of the People,—
Welcome to the great capital where your presence ex-
cites a sentiment of happiness and hope, which will
not be disappointed. Depositories of the National
Sovereignty,—You are about to establish new institu-
tions upon the large basis of democracy, and to confer
on France the onlyconstitution fitting for her-- arepub:
lican constitution. Thus, having proclaimed the great
political law which will definitively constitute the
country, you will, citizens, like us, occupy yourselves
in regulating the peaceable and efficacious action
of the government in the relation which the neces-
sity of labour establishes among citizens, and which
must have for its basis the sure,' laws of justice and
fraternity. In fine, the moment has arrived for the
Provisional Government to resign into your
' hands the unlimited power with which the revolu-
tion invested it. You know whether with us
the dictatorship has been anything more than a moral
power, exercised amidst the difficult circumstances in
which we were placed. Faithful to our origin and to
our formed convictions, we hesitated not to proclaim
the nascent republic of February. To-day we
inaugurate the labours of the National Assembly to
that cry at which we will always rally—" Vive la
Republique." (The applause which followed wan'
continued for some time, and the cry of " Vive: la
Republique" wanrepeated over and over again.)
M. Cremieux, the Minister of Justice, then an-
nounced that the labours of the National Assembly had
now opened, and he would call on the deputies to
proceed to their bureaux, to verify the returns of the
various members. (Cheers.)
The Provisional Government then rose, and pro-
ceeded, followed by the whole of the representatives,
from the hall. It was a moat curious sight to behold the
vast crowd as they flowed out, the members coming
down the passages from the sides, looking like tribu-
tary streams going to join the larger river in the

mitre.
At half - past two o'clock it wu remarked
that among those who left the Salle de Seance,
were several of the old deputies, who made very ex-
pressive signs of friendship and esteem to-
wards each other, although many of them
formerly belonged to the ranks of the oppo-
sition, and were consequently violently opposed