The Express.
London, England, 1848-06-22 00:00:00

FRANC E.

PARIS, WEDNESDAY, 11.30 A.M.
The most terrible problem of the epoch is unques-
tionably the dissolution of that fearful institution,
raised upon the barricades of February, the at liers
nationaux. One hundred thousand pairs of hands
receive from the state a daily stipend of a franc and
a half, and sixty thousand claimants are knocking at
she door for admission to a like bounty. The indus-
trial establishments forming the regular, natural, and
profitable channels for labour are mostly closed,
unable to stand against the combinations for increase
of wages, the formation and continuance of which
are facilitated by the ateliers nationaux. The opera-
tives who desire to extort a rate of wages which
would swallow up the entire profits of the employers,
have the ateliers nationaux to fall back upon for sup-
port, until they can compel compliance with their
terms.
It is feared (says a journal of this morning) that
the government does not see with any very unquiet
eye that army of 100,000 men that the pay
of each day places at its disposal. It is
anxiously demanded if this be not a-force which is
reserved for a special purpose, and if the ruin of
commerce and industry which its continuance pro-
duces, do not enter into the plans of a social revo-
lution, which is s cretly but certainly advancing.
The state would become the grand capitalist,
the grand entrepreneur, the fraud proprietor of
France, and communism would issue triumphant
from the crisis. In this system the ateliers
nationaux would be the corner stone of the new
organisation of labour—a temporary shelter presented
to the operatives to enable them to wait the final re-
sult with patience.
Such are the suspicions which have been long
lurking in the minds of a large and respectable
portion of the Assembly and the public, and which
now have attained a consistency which forces their
open expression. The government, meanwhile, doss
nut pretend that the ateliers nationaux are not an
enormous social evil, but, nevertheless, it resists all
the remedies that are proposed. It does not defend
this ter-ible establishment, nor dispute the necessity
of dissolving it, but it does nut move an inch towards
the attainment of this end; it promises much, but
dues nothing.
The Chamber yesterday was occupied with the
granting of 3 millions for the maintenance of this
colossal social evil; the alternative being to make
the grant or let loose on the streets of Paris 100,000
men, unemployed, and without subsistence, including
20,000 liberated convicts. The grant was, of course,
made under moral compulsion, but the debate
indicated the sense of the Assembly. It was
intimated that no further grant of more than a mil-
lion at a time would be given, and that serious mea-
sures should be adopted for the gradual and speedy
termination of the establishment.
The committee of secret service money yesterday
called before it the members of the executive govern-
ment, to demand explanations of the manner in which
1,200,000 f. had been disposed of in the interval be-
tween the 24th of February and the Ist of June.
M. Ledru Rollin, through whose hands, as Minister
of the Interior, this amount of 50,0001. sterling passed,
was the chief object of their interpellations; every
effort was made to resist inquiry, and the traditions of
the monarchy were appealed to as to the privilege of
the executive to dispose of such funds without ren-
dering an account. The committee, however, declared
that under a republic such secresy and irresponsibility
are inadmissible, and M. Ledrußollin, and his succes-
sor, M. Recurt, were ordered to supply to a sub-com-
mittee the vouchers necessary to show the application
of the large sum which has been disposed of.
T; o 3 question of the mobilization of 300 battalions
of the national guard was discussed in the bureaux,
end raised serious opposition on the ground chiefly of
the injurious effect produced by the difference of pay
of these and the regular troops, the one being nearly
double the other.
The report which I mentioned in my despatches of
last night of the deficit of the Piedmoutese by the
Austrians near Verona, and the capture of the Duke
of Genoa, son of Charles Albert, is mentioned in the
journals of this morning, but has as yet received no
confirmation by any advices which have arrived.
Last night the att•cmpemente and disorders which
took place the night before at the Hotel de Vile, were
renewed. At nine o'clock considerable numbers were
assembled, principally operatives, singing and crying
"Viva l'Empereur !" the armed force which is
always on duty at the Hotel de Ville prevented serious
disorders, but the continually increasing numbers
obliged more severe measures. The national
guard and the line made some charges to compel
them to evacuate the place. Stones were thrown at
the gardiens of Paris, who were assisting the troops.
Orders were then given to drive all the crowd on the
quays and the neighbouring streets, which was im-
mediately done. Some arrests were made. The
mob dispersed about 10 o'clock.
Numerous patrols, composed of soldiers of the line
and national guards, obliged those who had collected
to move on.
M. Cormenin has resigned the Presidency of the
Council of State, in consequence of its incompatibility
with his duties as a representative.
M. Godchaux has sent a circular to his. customers,
stating that he intends to wind up the affairs of his
bank.
The Club of the Revolution has agreed on an ad-
dress to the Assembly against the adoption of a
" cautionment " for the journals, in which it says it
considers it the most severe blow that has been aimed,
against the principles conquered by the people, at the
price of their blood, on the 24th of February.
The Messager has the following :—" A new Pre-
tender is spoken of in the person of the Prince of
Leuchtenburg, the son of l'rince Eugene, and a relation
of the Emperor of Russia."
The Marquis of Boissy, ex-peer of France, has ad-
dressed a long letter to M. Bastide, the minister of
foreign affairs, in which serious charges are made in-
culpating the diplomatic arrangements of M. de La-
martine. These imputations are so grave that it is
scarcely possible that they can fail to be answered
either in the press or in the assembly.

The Madrid mails of the 16th have arrived. The
resignation of M. Beltran de Lis, and the appoint-
ment of M. Orlando in his place, which we announced
yesterday as probable, appear in the Ga:eUe.
MADRID, Jens 16.—Three per Cents., 22 221; cult; after Bal.a.
211 22 malt; 221 paper; Vtvr
per Oenta., l 3 paper; utter Balsa,
I 1 cash; rAli1•01. 41 paper; after Baba, it hrth ; Coupons, tik cash;
11•111i1 uf tit. Fe:14.16=470 paper. ra.chauige on Laudon. at 32 dap,
0114. • •