The Express.
London, England, 1848-05-30 00:00:00

NEWS FROM PARIS.

APPREHENDED DISTURBANCES.
PARIS, MoswaT, 101
Mee the departure of the mail last evening consi-
derable agitation continued to prevail ; generals and
staff officers were seen galloping to the different posts
followed by squadrons of Lancers. To-day the
condition ot the national ateliers and the position as-
sumed by the Minister of Public Works in relation to
them, by reason of the measures he has taken towards
their late direvor, M. Emile Thomas, is the subject of
corm ration in all circles, and of comment in all the
iournals.
The ateliers nationaux are those to whom employ-
ment is given by the state. The number thus em-
ployed at present in Paris amounts to 120,000.
They are classed in brigades, with sub.offi-
cars, chiefs, and captains, in a manner com-
pletely analagous to the army. At their head has
been placed a general-in-chief, under the name of the
Director of the Ateliers Nationaux, and this general-
in-chief has been hitherto M. Emile Thomas.
The employment at which this immense multitude
of operatives has been occupied since the 25th Feb.
has been digging and shovelling earth in various places
in and around Paris, but more particularly in the
Champ de Mars. At first there was at least some
semblance of real utility in the objects of their labour;
inconvenient mounds and embankments were cut
down, aclivitiee, too abrupt in some thoroughfares,
were graduated, but the multitude of hands soon be-
came too great, and the inventive powers of their
leaders too circumscribed to provide occupation,
having even the appearance of utility, and at
length thousands of men were actually employed
one week in making vast excavations, and the next
week in filling them op. Such a system could not
fail to disgust the operatives themselves, and to be-
come a subject of general ridicule ; the consequence
inevitably was, that the labour soon became nominal,
the men stood with their spades and shovels in their
hands discuesing politics, and their chiefs found it im-
practicable to insist on the execution of work which
was so palpably futile. Disorders followed, and an
enormuue system of fraud was practised, and it is
to be feared connived at. The same individuals
register themselves under different names and receive
multiple wuges, others, pretending to be without em-
ployment, obtain the wages of the state, and are
werrertheless profitably occupied otherwise. Among
this multidudinous body are also vast numbers of
liberated convicts and maarais at jets of every imagi-
nable class ; the departments, especially, threw upon
Paris the rouse of their population; is fine, of sue i
materials, to a great extent, is now compel d that
organised bxly of 120,000 men, against whom the
authorities of the capital have been night and day,
for the last wrek, on the alert.
A mystery in, &awhile continues to hang over the
affair of M. E. Thomas, and innumerable conjectures
are aflaat as to the cause and manner of his disappear-
ante. The leter addressed by him to his mother,
and which, by an almost miraculous chance, reached
its destination, would indicate that his departure was
the result of moral amid even physical coercion. This
letter, which I sent you last night, appears in the
;mime's this morning. The following report has
also been published, addressed by two engineers to
the Minister of Public Works:
M. LE Slisilsiltn,—We have the honour to report the
resent et our inqeiries as ti the person. employed in the di-
rection of the a tiers natioaaus. These gatlein. n
have declared that their position with the work-
men, in consequence of the act of the govern-
ment towards M. Emile Thomas, is such tnat it
Is impot•hible to be reapomible fur what may occur.
That they were under the necessity of protesting against the
seer. sy and mystery of this proceeding, but at the same time
they would eintinue their functions' to maintain order end
quiet among the runnier,. They declared that they would
only give ,Ins arm-urrencv on the condition that it should
not interfere with the interests of M. Emile Thornier, and de-
man to be released as see as possible from their temporary
direction, as tiey would not take part in any new
orgiunsation which should weaken the influence and autho-
rity which, up to this time, they had exercised over the
ouvriers. They also demand a proof that M. E. Thomas
has willingly and. rtaken the mission with which he is
charged. In short, we have Lund among these gentle
men the unan mous wish to render in the critin.l
aitusth,n ot the ateli,rs natio,ealsx all the services
Nat the most di-interested di votion can inspire;
but we equally find that an act of reformation to sustain
M. Triunes in the position which be has acquired in public
estimation, eith.r by his services or by the devotion winch he
has he,-n enabled to create for himself personally, was use'
formal culthtion of thi it concurrence, and that they demand
that this act to satisfy tho-is who protest against the seeding
away M. E. Thomas should be immediately published.
The petition, of which I sent you a copy last night,
from the operatives to the government is in course of
signature. The Minister of Public Works has issued
a proclamation, announcing preparations for the re-
Orirani-aiion of the ateliers nationaux.
The committee of the assembly appointed to pre-
pare the draught of the republican constitution has
decided unanimously on a single chamber and a single
president, both to be the result of direct popular elec-
tion, by universal suffrage. There is some difference
as to the duration of the Chamber and the president,
and put or the committee desiring that the elections
shall be triennial, while another would have them
once in four years. The project is to be preceded
by a declaration that the state is boand to place
within the reach of all citizens employment and gra-
tu'rous educat ion, and to supply aid to those who re-
quire it, and are unable to work.
It is proposed that the legislative body be com-
p, ed of 750 members. In case of revision of the
eons itutinn, the constituent assembly to be com-
posed of 900 memlers. The election to take plate
by department and by ballot from a list. The Presi-
dent is to be incapable of re-election, and must have
at least two millions of votes. It is expected that in
about three weeks the committee will conclude its
labour/I,EO that the project will be brought before the
Chamber before the end of June.
It is stated that M. de Circoart has been appointed
minister to the United States; and M. F. Mallefille
minister at Lisbon, in place of M. de Nivifire.
It is said that M. Duclerc, the Minister of
Finanee, will resign if the project for the di,posses-
tion of the railway companies is rejected.
The rappel has been again beaten in all quarters
or Penis this morning. I have not yet beet. '.Llu to
obtain any certain informat'on as to the exted rause
of this, but there is na &edit that it is producA by
the rete.lt among the earners nationaas, who, it is
reporied, have assembled at several points and refused
to go to work.

We have received the Madrid mails of the 24th.
Our c.trn spondent mentions rumours which are afloat
of ncco•iationa for a rccarciliutMn betaeen the
QUCPIt'R g overnment and the Count do Montemolin,
the ultimate object hcii.g to a •lrnowl, age the succes-
don of the latter. and to cut aside the Infanta.