The Express.
London, England, 1862-01-28 00:00:00

AlliallWATlS AT 1411001 BILUTAIL

T_ 4.
TO-111411.110W —WWI& Afianowa. 11. Oa

LONDON, TUESDAY; JAN. 28.

PLACE and propriety are the two promisee of I
the Speech with which the Emperor NAPOLEON
opened the French Chambers yesterday. Nothing
could be more welcome in the present state of
France and Europe. There are too many great
international questions open, political decwtrerte of
menacing magnitude, and there is too little dia.
position to solve them by reasonable scoominoda-
tions, which never seem to be in season but on the
morrow of a decisive battle, to permit us to hope
that Europe is about to settle down in a state of
permanent tranquillity. It is much if we can live
on in peace from year to year. The Exreaoa
reminds us that alarms were heard and

uneasiness was felt last year, and that never-
theless the peace was not broken. Reviewing the
relations of France with foreign Powers, at the
beginning of a new year, he finds in them grounds
for the most entire satisfaction. Austria
has not the honour of individual mention, but
is of course included in this pleasing generality.
The diflicultMs which the EMPEROR'S government
finds at Rome are similarly evaded. Prussia is
named for the purpose of a compliment which will
surprise the majority of her second Chamber. The
reference to Italy is vague, as was, perhaps, neces-
sary. French policy in Italy does not follow a
very obvious programme, and can only be tracked
in events. If, however, the contending interests
which the Eursaoa will seek to reconcile are the
nationality and independence of Italy on the one
side, and the respect of the Catholic world for its
spiritual head on the other, be will have the best
wishes of England in his work. Nobody can con-
tribute so powerfully as he to this end, since he
alone has hitherto upheld the POPE in a position
which, while it exposes his weakness, is the cause
of trouble to Italy. The civil war in America is next
referred to in terms which, cold and even repellent
as they are, compared with the vain expectations
which our cousins indulged to a late period, are
not more so than might reasonably have been ex
petted. The war is declared to be seriously
damaging the commercial interests of France. It
does this not only by means of the blockade, which
forbids the beneficial exchange of commodities,
but by deranging the industry which produces the
objects of trade. This is inevitable. It is im-
possible to make war upon an exporting
country without inflicting harm on third parties.
If Germany were compelled to make war
on Russia for any cause however good,
the effects would be seen in the price of every
poor man's bread in England. It may he
hoped that whenever an opportunity occurs for
reviaang the law •of war something will be done to
mitigate the effects of warfare upon innocent parties,
and make its operation more directly dependent
on the shock of fleets and armies. The present
practice of blockade is altogether barbarous, and
the right ought to be contracted so as only to per-
mit of the blockade of ports and coasts where the
active operations of war are carried on. Proposi-
tions to this effect have been much discussed within
the last few years in Germany, France, Amsaima,
and also in this country. Here, however, they
have been vehemently opposed, because their adop-
tion would deprive this country, as a great mari-
time Power, of a simple and efficacious means of
obtaining redress. It is singular that America,
the proposer of this important reform, should be
the very Power to harm us and France by using a
weapon which we insisted on retaining in the
arnioury of modern warfare. The Eicrlium'a
practical reflections on the commercial consequences
of the war to France are very brief. He says,
" However, as long as the rights of nentrals shall
" be respected, it is proper that we confine our
selves to the hope that them dimensions may
" soon reach their term." Nothing fairer could
have been said. The Exrraus refers to the
unpromising adventure in Cochin-China only

in its military aspects, and the expedition to
Mexico receives but little elucidation from him.
It is noticeable, however, that he restricts the
latter to the end originally professed, " to protect