The Express.
London, England, 1848-04-26 00:00:00

FRANCE.

PARIS, MONDAY, 6 P.M.
The schism which I noticed in my letter of this
morning as prevailing in the government has become ,
so flagrant that it is not any longer disguised by
those journals which are understood o speak the
sentiments of the one party or the othetr. fhe Na-
tional to-day says :
We have believed it good and wise policy to maintain the
principle of unity in the government to the period of the
meeting of the constituent assembly. It seemed to us ne-
cessary that the men who took possession of sovereignty on
the 24th of February should arrive altogether before the new
chamber, to render an account of the exercise of their power.
Faithful to this sentiment we continue to give the list of the
central committee, without being desirous of entering on the
system of exclusion. Our independence towards all the
members of the Provisional Government, without exception,
is complete; but our personal sympathies are not equal
towards all—we declare that distinctly,. Still, on behalf of
the republican cause, we have imposed silence on our private
sentiment', desirous as we are to secure, before everything,
by the union of all democratic forces, the consolidation of
the republic. A day will come on which, resuming our full
liberty, we can discuss not persons, wbo interest us little, but
acts. That day cannot be far distant; but we are certain
that public opinion will thank us for adjourning to the
meeting of the assembly a discussion which at present would
only embarrass the march of the government, and by conse-
quence aid the enemies of the republic, who ere always alive,
always ready to profit by our faults. It is impossible for
• moderation and patience not to prevail in the end.
Considerable disappointment has been felt and ex-
pressed at the apparent apathy of the electors. On
visiting the polling places to-day I found no more
signs of excitement or movement than yesterday.
La Presse comments on this apparent indifference as

follows :
It was generally expected yesterday that the new electors,
jealous of the exercise of their rights, and responding to the
reiterated appeals of the journals of every shade, would have
'looted to the voting places to throw their list into the urn.
That expectation was greatly disappointed, for scarcely did a
feeble minority take put in the ballot, which is to close this
day. Is this political indifference or electoral manoeuvres'
The latter we could not comprehend; we should more easill
comprehend indifference, without however approving of it.
- ____—..-- Such indifference could be explained by the absolute low of
ON Monday our columns were darkened with the all hope. Without doubt the situation is eminently grave,
Particulars of one of those sad tales of shipwreck, 4
an the men in power are far from being equal to the situa-
tion ; but a country such as France ought not to despair of
piracy, and murder, of which the Oriental seas can itself. It would be to desert in the face of Europe.
alone furnish examples. The melancholy fate of the The Constitutionnel complains in strong terms of
General Wood is soon told. She was a merchant the influence which has been exercised to induce the
vessel belonging toJsRDINE, MATHESON, and Co., Chi- electors to vote for the candidates recommended by
nese traders, and was appointed by tender to convey the delegates of the Luxembourg, and states that in
a body of 93 convicts, one of them a Portuguese, from some cases force has been resorted to to prevent the
Goa, all the rest Chinese from Hong-Kong, to Ban- distribution of other lists ;it also publishes several
bay. The ship was also laden with merchandise, and letters from correspondents pointing out abuses in the
carried passengers. The convicts consisted of the mode of distributing the cards, and obstacles thrown
most desperate wretches, doubly convicted in China in the way of electors who are considerd unfavourable
of piracy and other of the moat heinous offences ; men to the candidates put forward by the party of
As. the
who, in our ordinary penal settlements, under the , kyorme and the Luxembourg delegates. The
recent regime, would either have been executed at males Natianale contains a very strong and indeed
once, or sent to Norfolk Island. Yet, according to an violent article, in which it declares that there is a
insane usage, these desperadoes were taken on conspiracy to establish a dictatorship, at the head of
board of a vessel in which were ordinary passengers
with their families, without military escort, or other which it gives the four names comparing the minority
1 of the present government.
efficient means of keeping them in order. As soon as I
The Rjpablique publishes an account of the meeting
placed on board it even appears that all their handcuffs I
were taken off and earned away—though on the rc- lof workmen that was to be held in the Champ de
monstrance of the captain, SS pairs were returned for use 1 by
Mars yesterday, which does not agree with that given
the Petrie, stating that but few workmen were
during the voyage in case of need. present. The ltriatblique says:
Yoor Capt. STOKOE was a humanitarian. For a while The meeting of workmen which was to have taken place
his cargo were inlet and well-behaved. He began to in the Champ de Kars was held is she Champs Elysees. A