The Express.
London, England, 1851-12-20 00:00:00

SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 20, 1851

THE
REVOLUTION IN FRANCE.

A NEW LOAN.

PARIS, FRIDAY EvENINO.
I have a piece of extremely important news to
communicate to you this evening, which reaches me
from a source of undoubted authority. 'f ho govern-
ment is about to raise a loan of eight millions eter-

ling.
They are also going to abolish the octroi-duties,
and the tax on wines. In order to supply the
enormous deficit that will result from the latter
measure they intend to lay a heavy tax on the rich
classes. I am not exactly informed as to the nature
of the latter impost; but it will be one that will not
bear directly upon the working classes. This
plan, to say truth, was not difficult to fore-
see. It is a fatal necessity fastened upon Louis
Napoleon by the logic of his policy, which is
to establish a democratic despotism, if I
may use this term to express a government which
aims at a tyranny supported by the multitude. It
is clear that the new government will stick at no act
which can afflict and oppress the upper and middle
orders of society, so long as it can retain the favour
of the deluded multitude.
The matter of the loan is kept as yet a profound
secret, in order that it may not affect the elections
unfavourably for the President. Indeed it is evi-
dent that the announcement of the intention
to levy such an enormous loan must throw
the whole moneyed system into a state of pro-
found agitation, and produce a considerable fall
of securities at the Bourse. Louis Napoleon is now
playing exactly the same game, in so far as the
real drift of his government is concerned, as
Ledru Rollin or Louis Blanc might have
done had they obtained the supremacy instead
of the nephew of the Emperor. The present
scheme is a monstrous and chimerical alliance between
imperialism and socialism. But it will certainly re-
ceive its death blow from financial difficulties.
Already the landed proprietors are taxed to the
uttermost. They pay ruinous interest for
• the loans which they can with extreme
difficulty obtain ; and to renew the bargains
which deliver them into the hands of usu-
rers, they are obliged to make fresh sacrifices.
It is the most difficult of problems where
to lay a fresh productive tax. The tax
on drinks, you aro aware, was abolished
by the provisional government, and the poor peo-
ple pay it with extreme reluctance ; so that when
tho coup d'jtat of Dec. 2 produced disturbances in
the centre and the south, the insurgents proclaimed
that they were only . taking what belonged to them
rightfully, in plundering the cash-boxes of collectors
of the indirect taxes, of which the most
productive is precisely this tax on drinks, which is
now to be abolished. Immediately after the first
proclamations the lower orders were dazzled by the
pretended restoration of universal suffrage. By
means of the industrious agency which supplies the
place of newspaper intelligence in a country•
which possesses an almost electric system
of social communication, the masses in the capital
and large towns were speedily disabused of their
first error. The peasantry are, it is to be feared,
still kept in the dark by the bigotted portion of the
clergy, and will no doubt iu the vast majority
vote in favour of Louis Napoleon. But Paris and
the large cities will in all probability pronounce
against him. No one is better aware than. the Pre-
sident that the vulnerable point of his government is
the financial one. But he is obliged to run on in
the fatal rut made for him. lie began by deceiving
the masses; and in proportion as they aro disabused
new boons must be thrown to them. But while de-
vising sonic means of tieding the multitude, he tears
to alienate the proprietary and bourgeoisie.
The government returns of the voting of the army
and navy are CLS follows :
VOTE OF TUE ARMY.
213,831
16,381
843

Againgt,
Abstaining , .

VOTE OF TILE NAVY.

For ..
Against
Abstaining

.. 14,675
.. 4,830
.. 417

It is repotted to-day that General Cavnignac was
no sooner set at liberty, and found himself in an
hotel at Ham, than, finding that he was the only
prisoner in that fort allowed to return to his home,
he declined to accept the liberation offered to him
unless his fellow-captives were likewise set free.
I have made inquiries at the general's house and find
this confirmed.
The posts of the national guards at the Hotel de
Ville have been supplanted by troops of the line,
under pretence of a tender regard for the commercial
interests of the civic soldiers during this busy period
of traffic.
From the inimical tone towards England, which
the Aesembli,e Nationale is permitted to adopt at a
period when the press is subjected to the strictest
cousure, it is clear that the government of Louis
Napoleon plays into the hands of Prince
Schwarzenberg and the Czar. It is beyond
doubt, 1 am informed, that the present government
has established since the coupttlat an intimate
alliance with the northern courts. The offensive
mode in which Lord Westmoreland's ungracious re-
ception by the Austrian court has been mentioned
by prints at Paris, in which M. de Moray inserts
exactly what suits his wishes, is an instructive fact
when viewed in relation to the new league of mili-
tary despots in Europe.
Ilarcelonette (Basses-Alpes) has surrendered to the
authorities. _ _

.....
In consequence of the great number of electors
who throng to the inairies to get cards, it has been
decided that to-day and to-morrow cards will be
distributed from S o'clock in the morning till mid-
night, and on Sunday from S till 4 in the afternoon ;
also, that the ballot will be prolonged on Saturday
and Sunday from 8 in the morning till 6 p.m.
The Prefect of the Seine has caused to be posted
a notice warning electors of the penalties to which
they expose themselves by voting more than once,
and non-electors, especially foreigners, that they will
be rigorously punished fur taking part in the elec-
tions.

The Bishop of Chalons writes to the journal of
Chalon-sur Marne a letter of adhesion to the declara-
tion of the Bishop of Chartres. The reason he gives
is that "God is with the President." The Bishop of
Le Mans recommends his clergy to give their active
support to the prolongation of the powers of Prince
Louis Napoleon Bonaparte.
The Mutister of War has addressed a circular to
the heads of legions of gendarmerie, demanding re-
turns relative to those who have distinguished them-
selves, and to the circumstances of the families of the
gendarmes who have fallen in the recent distur-
Lances.

M. David, ex-Minister of Justice, is reappointed
to his former place of Procureur General at Rouen,
and named officer of the Legion of Honour.
A decree appears appointing a consultation com-
mittee for Algiers.
The Patrie gives the following additional votes of
the army on the question of the prolongation of the
powers of Louis Napoleon :—Garrison of Bayonne,
Behobie, and Socos: Yes, 1,767; No, 297.—Artillery
of Montauban: Yes, 330; No, 47.
A number of political arrests were effected yes-
terday. About four in the afternoon, four large
vehicles conducted 40 prisoners from the Prefecture
of Police to the fort of Bicitre.
The following is a list of the representatives who
have been transferred to St. Pelagie: —MM. Pascal
Duprat, Antony Thouret, Laydet (re BixM,
Duvergier de Hauranne, Durrieu Poulin), Joret,
Renaud, Besse, Helen, Cholat, Emile can, Latrade,
Miot, Marc Dufraisse, ltichardet, Burgard, Charles
Lagrange, Gambon, Valentin, Colfavru, Labonlaye,
Racouchet, Delbetz, Chain, Agricole Perdiguier,
Nadaud, Faure, Greppo, Benoit, Madet, Charles
Huguenin, Teillard-Lateri-sse.
The arms of the sth and 6th legions of the Na-
tional Guard, which have been dissolved, were con-
veyed yesterday from the Tuilleries to the fort of
Vincennes under a strong escort.
It is forbidden to celebrate midnight mass this
year in the churches of Paris on Christmas-eve.
The public works have been discontinued on
account of the excessive rigour of the temperature.
! A decree is about to appear for the amelioration cf
i the navigation of the Seine, and for the clearing 9f
the mouth of the Rhone.

The candidates for the two seats in the academy,
vacant by the death of MM. I)upoty and St. Priest,
are—MM. de Mussett, Ponsard, J. Janin, Philarete
Chasles, Mazeres, de Falloutsand Berryer.
All along the boulevards booths are erecting for
tits fair, which takes place yearly at this time, and
addle masons are still occupied in mending the holes
tads by cannon balls in the houses, a world of small
traffickers arc hawking below every conceivable sort
d Christmas merchandise for arenties.
I learn through a private letter from Bordeaux,
which may be relied on, that there was a scheme on
foot for the arrival of the l'rince do Joinville in that
city, through the steamers which communicate with
Holland. The Prince was expected by the Ville de
Bordeaux, which plies between Bordeaux and Rot-
terdam. This explains the dismissal of M. Ncveux,
the prefect, and the replacement of General d'Arbou-
vile, who sympathised with the Prince, by General
Bourjolly. It also explains the subjection of the
city to a state of siege by M. Nevcux at a mo-
ment of profound peace, without any disturbance
whatever having occurred. General d'Arbou-
ville had for this purpose given his powers into
the hands of M. Nevcux, who is supposed to have
thus wished to cover the coup de main. Be that as it
may, the Ville de Bordeaux steamer arrived at Bor-
deaux a few days after the coup de main, I need
hardly say without the prince in question. M. Nc-
veux has disappeared from the field ; General d'Ar-
bouville has been superseded; and MM. Dufour,
Dubourgier (president of the Chamber of Commerce),
and Ganthier, mayor of the city, who knew the plot,
have suddenly put on a lionapat list zeal, wonderful
and not very creditable for gentlemen who were
understood to be devoted to the house of Orleans.
At the moment of closing my letter, and too late
to do more than notice it hastily, I have seen a most
interesting pamphlet, by M. Granier de Cassagnac,
just published, with the " piquant" title of " A Com
plete and Authentic Account of the Events of De-
cember, 1831." It appears that for more than 15 days
before the coup d'etat, Louis Napoleon imparted his
plans to three confidents,Gen. St.Arnaud,M. de Moray,
and M. de Maupas, the Prefect of Police. They kept
his counsel, and concerted their measures so well that
not one of the seventy-eight persons whom it was
determined to arrest on the night of the 2nd of De-
cember escaped them. Curious details of the arrests
are given. The task of securing the person of Gen.
Changarnier was confided to two men selected for
their rare energy, Capt. Baudinot, of the republican
guard, and the commissary of police, Leras. They
took with them no less a force than 13 picked police
agents, 30 republican guards, and a picket of 10
cavalry. At five minutes past six they rang the bell
at No. 3, Roo du Fuubourg St. lionore, where the!
general lived. The porter asked who was there, and,
being told to open the door for some one who wanted
to speak to him, he became suspicious, and refused
to do so. The commissary then marched into a
grocer's shop next door, front which he rightly
guessed there must be a communication with Ge-
neral Changarnier's apartment. In 'an im-
perious tone he demanded the key, which
was instantly given to him. Followed by several
of his men, he proceeded to the general's room,
snatched the keys front his servant, whom he met
upon the staircase, and rushed towards the general's
bedroom. General Changarnier by this time knew
the designs of the intruders. lie appeared at the
door of his bedroom in his shirt, with a pistol in each
hand. The commissary said, " What are you going
to do, general? We are not attempting your life;
why should you defend it." Changarnier then gave
up his pistols, saying, " I am at your service ; let me
dress myself." He begged that his servant, with
whom he could not dispense, might not be separated
from him. This favour was granted. On his way to
prison, he said," 'I lie President was sure of his re-elec-
tion. lie need not have had recourse to a coup (Feld ;
he is giving himsalf much useless trouble." He af-
terwards added, " When the President shall have a
foreign war, he will be glad to seek for me to give
me the command of an army."
General Cuvaignac was taken without more diffi-
culty. Base, the questor, was the only man that
resisted seriously. lie, Citssagnac says, resisted
"unguibus et rostra" like those called by Potronius
" Vultures togate."
A letter from Prague, of the 12th, states that the
Count do Chambord uuw intends to remain in that
city for some time.
" In the course of the past week," says the ("merrier
de Lyon, "there have been sold hero 1,136 bides of
silk, representing a value of ten millions of francs.
This unexampled activity furnishes an idea of the
impulse which has been given to business since the
late events."
The following account of the coinage by the mint
of Paris during the last six years, shows the extra-
ordinary increase of gold currency within the last
last twelvemonth. In 1816 the amount coined was
2,086,420 fr. ; 1847, 7,706,020 fr. ; 1+44,4, 39,697,7401 r.;
1819, 27,118),360; 1830, 8.5,192,390; and in 1831
(first 10 months), 231,583,220 fr. ; making a total
for the six years of 410,383,330 fr.
The metallic reserve of the Bank of France has
declined of a million in Paris, and 4 millions in the
branch banks. The discount accommodation has
fallen off 1 million in Paris, and increased 1; millions
in the branch banks—the amount of the former being
31,524,088 ft., and of the latter 73,333,346 francs.
On the side of the liabilities the notes in cireu-1
lation have increased nearly 7i millions in
Paris, and declined nearly of a million in the
deparments. The [account-current of the Treasury
has increased nearly 4 millions, the present amount
being 70,222,700 fr. General accounts-current at
Paris have fallen off nearly 5 millions, and increased
1 million in the provinces, the amount of the former
being 107,489,803 fr., and of the latter 31,310,110 fr.
The whole amount of the metallic reserve is now
3621, millions, to 3761 millions of notes in eircula,
tion.
At the Bourse, the funds nearly recovered from
the fall of yesterday. The Five per Cents. rose 60c.,
closing at 101 fr. 10c.; and the Threes rose 30c., and
closed at Crlfr. 30e. Railways were rather better,
without much variation.