The Express.
London, England, 1862-04-23 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(nom ow: Uwl owerosozza.)
PARA TOILSDAT EV3111210..

The acquittal of Mires, which yesterday was only
known late in the day, and then but to compara-
tively few persona, is now the universal topic of
conversation. The text of the judgment fully bears
out the telegraphic description. It is an unquali-
fied acquittal, leaving not even a moral stain upon
the late prisoner ; and people, remembering the
terrible philippics against him of three imperial pro-
cureurs in succession, and the stern sermons of the
judges who condemned him in Paris, may well be
astonished that, not upon any doubtful balance of
evidence as to facts, but upon the appreciation of
certain undisputed acts—upon a question of right
or wrong—there should have been such a radical
difference of opinion between the highest judicial
authorities. The Temps has had the happy idea of
publishing for public instruction the sentences of the
Paris Courts of First Instance and Appeal side
by side with the acquittal by the court of Douai.
' The three documents are curious reading for the
legal student. At Douai the ovation given to
Mires was most brilliant. When the audience per-
ceived, while M. de Monlon, the president of the
court, was reading, that the judgment was to be
one of acquittal, a shout of applause interrupted
the judge. He ordered the ushers to arrest the dis-
turbers and bring them before him. These officers
could identify only one man, and lie was simply
turned out of court instead of being sent to prison.
When the delivery of the judgment was concluded,
applause burst forth again, and was not attempted
to be repressed. Mires and his counsel, MM.
Nougier and de Sete, threw themselves into each
other's arms. Ladies pressed round the hero of the
day, waving their handkerchiefs, offering him
dowers, and overwhelming him with congratula-
tions. Mires made a little speech, in the course
of which he said :—" At length I have attained
the object of which I never despaired. My honour
is restored. I pardon my enemies. I thank you,
ladies, from the bottom of my heart, for your
flattering sympathy. The town of Douai will soon
see that lam not ungrateful." Although accord-
ing to the wording of the judgment of acquittal
Mires was to be set at liberty "immediately," it
was necessary in point of fact to take him back to
the prison, there to go through the formality called
la leek de pierce. In consequence of the crowd
around the court, a good deal of time was lost. He
was taken aback way through the advocate's library,
and it was 5 o'clock before he could leave Douai.
He was accompanied in the railway train by his
wife and his daughter, the Princes+. de Polignac.
The Prince de Polignac was not there, being de-
tained on duty with his regiment of artillery at
Rennes. A crowd awaited Mires' arrival at his
house, and cheered him vociferously when he drove
up to the door at 11 in the evening. Re perceived
among his sympathising friends two sinters of
charity who had nursed him at Mazes, and warmly
shook hands with them. The Caisse Mires has
risen to-day to about Mfr., being four times the
price of Saturday last.
The Bourse was animated, but the Rents and all
other securities (Caisse Mires excepted) left off with
scarcely any change from yesterday.
The Volontaires is positively to be played to-
night at the Porte St Martin, but the Emperor
and Empress are not going. As much as 100 fr. is
offered for a ticket, but it would be impossible to
get one for any money. The whole house is, as I
understand, taken by the police, both for to-eight
and the next two representations.
M. de Lavalette arrived at Calais yesterday,
from London, en route for Paris, where, doubtless,
he now ia.

Letters from Cayenne, to March 20, state that
Madame Tardy de Montravel, the governor's wife,
gave a grand convivial ball, which was attended by
almost everybody of distinction in the colony,
whether black or white. One lady disturbed the
fête by refusing to stand up in a quadrille with
people of colour. The only consequence of this
little scandal will be the exclusion for the future of
the lady in question from the Government House.
Prince Napoleon has left Paris for Geneva ; his
Imperial Highness is to return to Paris in a few
days.