The Express.
London, England, 1847-03-09 00:00:00

EXPRESS; TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 9, 1847.

porters plurals that they have concurred in stopping
the Sur* trains, not because they think they ought
to be stopped, but because they, think the people of
Scotland dislike them. Why, then, did these Man-
chester men vote on the question? Why did Mr.
OBEG speak, and Mr. CHEETHAM write, in favour
of stopping the trains--instead of leaving the Scotch
shareholders to decide on the matter P We admire
sincere piety, and we prefer even an extra spice of
Puritanism to the opposite error; but when a starched
outward demeanour is combined with such lax habit.
of dealing, the contrast is offensive in the extreme.
After all this manceuvring, the Sabbatarians will
carry their point it appears (if they do carry it), by
some hundred votes, with more than 6,000 votes given
on each aide. This cannot finally decide the question,
which must continue to be agitated to the great de-
triment of the company's affairs. Really, the new
directors are doing wonders. They have plunged the
company into three or four law snits they are
irritating the public by withholding proper accom-
modation; and they have allowed the Caledonian, by
getting the Wishaw and Colinas into their hands, to
afford a more direct line of transit between Edinburgh
and Glasgow, than the railway named after these two
cities. All these things must in time affect the divi-
dends : and for what the sacrifice is made we have
indicated above.

We have received the despatches of our Paris oar-
respondent, with letters from our correspondents at
Rome, Constantinople, Mosul, &c. •
The Paris joanaL of Sunday are occupied princi-
pally, with reports of, and comments on, the defeat of
the Cabinet on the question of parliamentary reform
in the Chamber on Saturday, which we announced in
general terms in oar correspondence of yesterday.
This result proves, that however absolute the control
may be which the government exercises in France
over the majority of the Chamber, there is above the
government itself a paramount power in public opinion
which will still, at least in extreme cases, assert its
sway. The English reader may, perhaps, require to
be reminded that no question can be brought before
the Chamber of Deputies by any independent member
without being first sanctioned by three, at least, of
the nine bureaux or standing committees, before
which all subjects of discusion must be brought in
the first instance. In the present case every effort
was made by the government to smother the clues.
tion of parliamentary reform proposed for discussion
by M. Duvergier d'Hauranne. The Journal des
'Wats published, on Saturday morning in its lead-
ing article, a denouncement of the discussion,
and injunctions were sent to all the satellites
of the cabinet, and entreaties to all its friends, to use
their exertions to suppress the question. Notwith-
standing this, a majority was obtained in three
bureaux, and consequently the object of the cabinet
was defeated. In two of the remaining six bureaus
there was a bare majority to support the ministry;
the division in one being 22 against 21, and another
21 against 19. Taking the total result of all the nine
bureaux, 360 deputies voted, of whom 173 gave their
votes against the cabinet.
It is not difficult to see, from this state of things,
that the actual electoral system of France is not
destined to be long-lived. The main features of the
reform now proposed are, an extension of the suffrage
by diminishing the amount of the qualifications of an
elector, and by admitting in certain cases an intellec-
tual qualification in lien of the condition of property,
the second feature being the augmentation of the
, number of representatives.
The Levant mail was received in Paris late on
Saturday evening, bringing letters from Constanti-
nople to the 18th ult. An important modification had
taken place in the Ottoman ministry. Naffs-Pacha
had resigned the ministry of Finance, and was re-
' placed by Sarim-Effendi, represented as being one of
the most able men in Turkey.

The journals and correspondence of Madrid of the
2nd inst were received in Paris on Sunday.
Queen Christina, with her husband, was to have
left for Paris on Monday lest. M. Isturitz, late prime
minister, was nominated to the embus,' at London.
Count Breseon had left for Paris: his secretary, the
Duke de Gluckaberg, had been named &argé
(Wailes.

Accounts continued to arrive of partial Gsrlist de-
monstrations in the provinces, but no serious move-
ment was expected before the latter part of the month.

ROME, Pas. 28.
The Italians are gifted by nature with a high order
of intelligence, and whenever the swathing bands by
which their very infancy is enveloped are removed,
their native energies are in immediate evidence. The
growth of public spirit in Rome, within a few months,
resembles the 'sudden exuberance of a Russian er Cana-
dian summer. Among the clergy liberal opinions are
professed with a marvellous enthusiasm, which, under
the late Gregory, di frattesea memoria, would have
not only barred all chance of promotion, but involved
more serious consequences. The public journals teem
with the effusions of clerical penmanship in favour of
political reform. In yesterday's Cotemporaneo, so
ably edited by the prelate Ouzel*, the leading article
is on the " liberty of the press," and the same paper
contains vigorous essays en the " right of petition,"
the necessity of a " penny postage," and the sacred
duty of every citizen taking pet in politics, " it
'.seluppansento della vita publica." Gioberti's prin-
ciples are forcibly maintained in the teeth of Austria
the Jesuit—considered by public opinion here u the

political teols of the retrogriiii. e faction, whose centre
is Modena—are rather roughly handled, and it is
clear that the secular priesthood leads the van in the
march of political progress.
" Sir Ricardo Cobden," as the Italian aewapapers
insist on calling him, was introduced this week to
Pius IX. by Cardinal Fieschi, and bad a pnroglxclat
interview with our Sovereign. The most disti
of the Roman nobility vie with each other in doing
honour to the English cotton-spinner. An edict went
forth this week, opening the ports to foreign corn of
every sort, which, though limited for the present,
will no doubt be made a permanent measure. Gas-
works are being organised ; the railway board is
actively engaged : the national guard is a favourite
object of the Pope's emotion, and a splendid banner,
sent them from the civic guard of Bologna in token of
fraternisation, was this week solemnly acknowledged
and hung up in the capitol.
The birth-day of Geaeral Washington occurring
last Monday, a grand banquet was held in the Hall of
Bertioi, at which nearly sixty citizens of the United
States assembled, under the presidency of their
Neapolitan charge d' ajfaires, Mr. Polk, junior, whose
name is not unknown to your readers. Thirteen,
toasts were gone through with republican vigour and
perseverance, trot omitting " a successful termination
to the Mexican War, with three cheers far General
Taylor." Judge Welborn, of 01:04:11111seimplet
in showing how a visit to Europe midi! his own
countrymen all the prouder of their . instita-
haus " Hail, Columbia," and the " Star-spangled
Banner," were perfirmal on the pianoforte by Mr.
Karsten ; and the American gymnast, Big. Risley (who
has made a harvest in Rams), volunteered an ap
priate nigger dance, in honour of the hither of
Such of your readers as have visited Room, or have
merely seen drawings of the porch of St. Peter's, with
its ambidextrous semicircular colonnade, must recol-
lect two statues of mediaeval design, meant for Peter
and Paul, standing on each side of the ascending steps
before the portico. These two blocks of shapeless
travertine might have harmonised with the Byzantine
taste of the old basilica to which they belonged, bat
were a palpable eyesore in juxtaposition with the ex-
quisite sculpture prevalent throughout the work of
Leo X. and his successors. Their limbs were stiff,
their attitude awkward and clumsy, their antiquity
undeniably venerable. Like many other of our time-
honoored merAiklihilitlell, they have received nods'
Scatani ba
More mplarisd before Eager by two
ail= et mbet different mate, from the
eldeileef Midis emi.Tedslisi. the ere director of the
Ad Ile Misr. Claim These
modem prodeadoes ace iiiirpl sub; each Ague
it nearly twenty feet in mellimdbridht. a angle
Nook from Carrara. Bads awn 12,000 isliars, and
bath am now ready to be taimpsirtsd Sem the work-
=the Taber, near St. Past% on the Odin road.
of St. Peter reminds me of eitlleverecee
lamer to the remuntssnass of M. WWI gni the

Portuguese ambassador, on the late escape of Don
Migna: " Our keys are not those of a jailer!"
Since last night a snow storm of the most unusual
description has suddenly come down on this capi-
tal and the whole oampagna, which is covered
with an abundant fall. To me, looking out on this
Pincian mount, there is bat one tent visible from the
Latin hills to the sea. The cupola of St. Peter's
looks as if it were indebted to "Sir Riceirdo
Cobden" for a bran new cotton night-cap.

THE GERMAN OVERLAND POST.
Sir,—l forward a general table of the reeelta
' of the mix experimental journeys made through Germany and
France for the expedition of the Overland India Mail.

la snow is stow
loom. or et
Km. On. TAW.
llama Boom Holm limn.
L Maximirls to Illsrolles 194 273 i
11: .64.10 LAY=
wrilir
11-9491asies lo7
IL 113e5m1149 Sr tea ISO tif, 1
llosslllis Is Issim .
1 Arosids Mired,
Trlsolimin 139
111. to 1699911394
r Mora
Alain is WINN
Insle9s Lim..... 97
IV. Alesurldsl9 llosallo
118 lieradies to Imam B7
1 Alsamads le !dab
v. meow -s umiak. in
ell 34994 06994 tasks
Muni& Is TAM.
Triode Is Lino .
Vt =94 to Idarta:Bl4a
to London . .
Akmadirla to 'Mesta
Trieste to London 193 lel
Totals

By this table you will observe that, in the total of the
six journeys, the Trieste Or German route has had an admn-
tyre over its rival of 78 hours, averaging thirteen hours on
each journey. This amounts, I consider, to a decisive
visteey over the Marseilles route, especial) y when the dr-
anseetances et these trial journeys are mmddered. Let us
midi% them, the Idtsbances against which the Trieste route
he/ had to contead. in the first place, it may be observed,
that the Freneh courier service has been well oeganised
for some years, while, through Germany, all the
ananaements have been only provliional and hastily got
up. Again, in the second and third trials, you will
recollect that the Marseilles boat, the Ariel, made her un-
commonly rapid pass ges, while the Triage boat, the Ardent,
has required fer ito pump (on an average of the six jour-
neys) not less than 1484 hours, or upwards of as days. On
the other hand, the Led journey through Germany bas been
aotompished (still taking the average of the six trials) in the
spans of 106 6-8 homy, though here there have been difficul-
ties which will be removed by future plasm Yet, even in
the incipient stage of the enterprise, aeither the mews of
the Alps, nor the ineenvemence of a roues through
seven distinct Matta (each requiring peculiar arrange-
ments) have prevented our maintairimg the speed
and regularity of the land journey. It is possi-
ble that some patieulare in the above table may admit
of alight corrections ; but the totals are certainly fair,
and, on the whole, are allowed to incline favourably toward
the Marseilles route, rather than otherwise. Thus, in the
first two journeys, 24 hours are allowed in favour of the
French poet ; beaase it carried the whole mail, while Lieut.
Waghorn's courier carried only the despatches. The French
journals may pick out some small points for criticism in this
ointment, but they will find nothing like the assertion lately
made by the Courier Francais and the Carrier de Mar-
seille, that, in the fifth journey, the Ardent leR Alex-
andria sooner than the Ariel. The two boats started from
Alexandria at the same hour. What Trieste barn lost
on the land journey may be all reduced to the imperiled ar.
raragements of the service hitherto with regard to the rail.
way-expremes. The twenty-four boon in the second journey
were lost on the rail between Cologne and Ostend, and the
same MOH will explain the lea of the ten hours is the led
jimmy. In winter, the Rhine steam passage could not be
employed, nor meld we avail ourselves of the Teams Rail-
way, while the Baden Railway has been employed for us
only twice. In the seesaw tWee detests will be remedied;
but let us only see the rails down frqpn Trieste to Ostend,
and there will be no need of further argument, as there will
not be a shadow of a doubt than remaining respecting the
superiority of the German overland post.
ERTlller SCHWAZZII,
Editor of the Austrian Lloyd's Newspapers.
London, March 8.

CONSTANTINOPLE.—Our correspondent writes
thus:—" Feb. 18.—Immediately on his arrival, M. Musurus,
the Turkish minister at Athens, repaired to the Porta,
where ho had a long interview with Ali Effendi, the
Minister for Foreign Affairs. At the conclusion of the
Interview, the grand council assembled, and remained in de-
liberation till late in the afternoon. The council will assemble
. .

again to-morrow, when a final determination will be
come to with regard to the line of conduct to be
adopted by the TSUI, sh government in the difference
which has arisen between Greece and the Porte.
A certain activity was visible in the arsenal this morning.
Two ships of war Dave moved out to the entrance of the har-
bour and are evidently on the eve of departure. It was the
unanimous opinion of the representatives of the five great
powers that M. Musurus bad acted correctly in demanding
has passports and returning to Constantinople, on the re-
fuel of M. Coletti to comply with the demand made to Dim '
through their envoy by the Turkish government."
PARAGUAY.—Sir,—An extract from the British
Packet—an English paper, published in Buenos Ayres—has
appeared in Reverel of the daily papers, in which it is stated
that Senhor Lopez, the president of Paraguay, had refused
the terms offered by the Argentine government, and appeared
determined to separate Paraguay from the Argentine Con-
federation. This is, I think, an attempt on the part of cer-
tain parties in Buenos Ayres, to impress the European pub-
lic with the idea that Paraguay has hitherto formed part of
the confederation, and thus justify the conduct of the Buenos
Ayrian government, in denying its right to be considered
an independent state. It is well known to all who
have visited South America, that Paraguay has been
and still is as independent as either Chili or Bolivia ; and
with an industrious and tractable population of above a mil-
lion and a half, physically superior to that of any other
South American state, and a climate and soil producing
sugar, coffee, cotton, and tobacco, in perfection, it is worthy
of much more attention than it has hitherto received. Prom
being shut out from all intercourse with foreigners, little
has yet been done beyond producing a sufficient quantity of
these articles for their own consumption ; while, at the same
time, they have been compelled to manufacture all the
clothing and other goods that they required. But if their
independence wu ackaowledged, and the right of free
navigation of the Parana secured to them (this being their
only outlet), in a few yaws we should be receiving large
supplies of sugar, At., the produce of free labour, in
exchange for our goods. Not only would the opening of
the Parana be beneficial to the Paraguayans; but the Ar-
gentine provinces on its banks—particularly Concentes and
Santa Fee—would be equally benefited ; and a great portion
of the produce of Bolivia, which is now conveyed to the
shores of the Pacify by expensive land-carriage, would find
its way down the Paraguay and Penns rivers. At present
there would be no difficulty in obtaining from Boner Lopes
a favourabb treaty, which would secure the exclusion of
enery boa dee penises; but if it is to be still neglected by
ZOMPpia undue, Sid sifted to depend on the adjoining
aspire of der countenance and protection, we may
expect a very different state of things to arise. Should it
prove true that the provinces of Corrientes and Entry Rios
have determined to be independent of the authority of Ream,
it will do more than anything to secure peace, and remove
all difficulty to the free navigation of the rivers, as the power
of Roue would then be confined to the right bank of the
Parana, and the provinces of Corrientes and Ectre Rios,
under Urquiza, would form an effectual barrier between the
Argentine provinces and the States of Paraguay, and the
Banda Oriental.-8.--March b.