The Express.
London, England, 1848-04-21 00:00:00

LATEST FROM PAR:

POLITICAL AND POPULAR
DEMONSTRATION IN PARIS,

PARIS, THCRSDAY, 6
An extensive amphitheatre, with retreshment
morns and other conveniences, being erected under
and in front of the Arc de Triomphe, at the top of the
Champs F.lyekes, the members of the government,
deputations of the chief bodies of the state, and su-
perior officers of the army, arrived there at half•past
nine this morning, and the ceremonies of the day
commenced. The colonels and ensigns of the
various regiments of the line were collected
in front, waiting to receive the " drapeaux" of
the republic. Meanwhile the entire body of national
guards of Paris and its environs, as well as the troops
of the line which had been marched into Paris, took
up positions along the entire line of the Champs
Elystes and the boulevards, as well as along the quays,
at which spaces were completely filled with them.
The standards were delivered to the colonels by
k Arago, as Minister of War, accompanied by a
imitable address, after which the colonels, accompanied
by their ensigns and other attendants, filed off to join
their respective regiments.
The troops then commenced marching in front of
the arch, saluting the Provisional Government as they
posed, and the entire body, extending over so many
miles continued this procession, which commenced at
half-past ten, and is still moving as I conclude this
letter. The immense numbers may be conceived from
the fact that they have now been moving in front of
my window, with only occasional halts, for uearly
seven hours, 20 abreast ; and when I look up the
Boulevards now, I can see no end to the forest of

bayonets.
Happily the day has passed over in perfect trim-
qaillity ; many and enthusiastic have been the recip-
meal greetings between the national guards and the
line; incessant have been the choruses of the " Mar-
malaise " and other patriotic hymns, sung by
thousands of voices, in which the troops of the line
were to the full as energetic as the civic soldiers.
Were Ito attempt to express the number of armed
men which joined in this prodigious manifestation, I
maid only give a very rough approximation indeed,
bat 1 tbink it may safely be said that a quarter of a
million is a fair minor limit for it. If this demonstra-
tion be taken, as it seems intended to be understood,
as an indication of the conservative spirit of Paris to-
wards the majority of the Provisional Government, it
is impossible to imagine anything more striking. If
itbe designed as a warning to the Communists and
the Terrorists, they most be dull indeed if they are
insensible to it. Nothing like it has probably been
witnessed in say capital of Europe for a century.
There is no intelligence of course, foreign or do-
mestic, to communicate, for the post-office has been
closed since noon, and all public and private business
of every description is suspended.
Since the above was written, I learn that the num-
ber of national guards, including the Mobile and
trliaine Guards, and exclusive of the regular troops,
which hare token part in this demonstration, amount
to 310,000: the number of regular troops do not, I
believe, exceed 3,000 or 0,000 men.
National guards have come to Paris from the various
places accessible by railway, at considerable distances,
such as Rouen and Blois, with the purpose of signi-
fying their adhesion to the government.
I now clone my dispatches at six o'clock, and these
interminable legions, which for eight hours have'
been moving under my window, are still passing,
and extend further than the eye can reach. I am
assured that two hours more will elapse before this
prodigions military promenade will close.
We find the following in the Assent/rigs Nutionak :
Oar readers will find it difficult to believe that a '• Comite
de Sa'ut Public " can possibly exist at Paris, and yet we can
entity the the. following facts are of the most rigorous ex-
attitude. The journal La commune de Paris is installed at
35.16, Rue de Rivoli, in a vast edifice which belonged to
Me don list of the Duchess d'Orleans. On Sunday,
`lke* disquietude reigned in Paris, and whilst the
national cuard paraded the city in evi ry
some men of suspicious appearance ad- I
creek I.o^iting obeervattoes to the groups, u,d creased
"601, to plunge into a quarrel. A respectable man,
who andf s,,se efmciFsfing observations, was suddenly
i'm4ll7 seized by some strange-looking men in blue blouses,
with a large floating sae, of red cloth, and a cravat of the
tune colour, and dragged to No. 16, Rue di Rivoli. A curi-
os spectator followed the cortege. Ile witnessed all that
'ft we about to relate, and his character and position,
sub the consideration he enjoys, do not permit
u to doubt his word. On arriving, he saw in
the interior of the hotel a garrison, with the
some sapid, the same coaume. Armed men, musket in
hand, were placed as sentinels at the gate of the hotel,
is the courtyards, on the staircases, at the entry of the apart-
rents. After passing an entresol, guarded by sentinels, our
informant, following the old man and his cortege, pissed
throush a xestibule, and through some small saloons crowded
by wined men, and arrived in an immense saloon splendidly
furnished. Re there saw a person of middle height, of about
f"t, lean of age, with a beard, of a brief and haughty
manner of apeskiag, of a sombre and bilious physiognomy,
*llO. unexpectedly surprised in the midst of orders which he
vat giving to those around him, violently questioned
~!..thief at the head of the cortege. This man replied,
Sobrier, I bring before you a suspect. I be-
hind.,it right to cause him to be arrested by your
ji synardr, because he appeared to me to be a relic-
t
'rY Propagandist." " Give explanations, this in-
rea said Citizen Sobrier, in a theatrical tone. A
i; who, like our curious informant, had followed
t." 61%
cortege. sapped forward and explained the facts.
Be
brief;' cried Citizen Sobrier, energetically. The
agitated by the strange spectacle which sur-
eued tru, hesitated and stammered. " Well, begin I"
het
judge, passionately. A public accuser endeavoured
f:Pin the motive of the arrest. The witness made a
simple 04,atione in favour of the accused. The
is his turn, calmly protested, era declared that he
141 1y employed words of conciliation. Jae then asked