The Express.
London, England, 1851-09-23 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 23, 1851.

singular phases in the laws which regulate the dis-
persion of the precious metals, and affect the value
of money. And consequent on the discovery of gold
mines m Austral', we may have a new mining-
mania created, great speculafim, a panic, and the
usual crash.

IT is really difficult to say, whether people in the
Levant say more absurd things of England, than
people in England say of the things of the Levant.
The last news from Athens, which have gone the
round of the press, French, German, and English,
are that King OTno's ministers have made a
clean sweep of all their employes, tax-gatherers,
governors, clerks, and even consuls. All have been
turned out, from the chef de bureau to the office
sweeper; and the reason assigned is, that all these
people were in some secret understanding with
England to blow up King_Orno, his dynasty, and
his government Lord PALMERSTON IS certainly
a man of marvellous wealth, activity, and
übiquity. He bribes, it seems, all the sub-
jects of all the despotic powers to be discontented
with their masters and conspire against them. Lord
PALMERSTON is, it seems, the author of tt Italian
Unity." It was his lordship who taught the POPE
to turn Ghibelline, mistrust Austria, and ap-
peal to constitutionalism to support him in
the national struggle. The Neapolitan con-
stitution, tho Sicilian insurrection, the Paris re-
volutions of 1830 and 1848 were all of his doing.
And now this English ALBERONI has suborned all
the clerks of all the public offices in Greece to make
a bonfire of King Orno's throne, and establish a
republic at Athens. What good this republic was
to work for England or for Lord PALMERSTON does
not appear. It has been prevented and defeated.
however, fortunately, not by a charge of cavalry, or
a shower of grape, but by turning some thousands
of employes out to starve.
Heaven knows that England has had no share in
the formation or nomination of Grecian 'daemon.
From the days of CoLerri, who declared publicly
and officially, that he governed Greece in the in-
terests of France, and during the reign of PlsesToint
at Athens, the favour and selection of the Greek
court and minister have been as anti-English,
that is as anti-constitutional, as possible. For the
word Eaylish, in Italian, Austrian, Russian, and
Greek dictionaries, means constitutional, and nothing
more. If employes, from clerks to consuls, thus
selected, do still entertain English, that is, constitu-
tional leanings, then we fear the evil is past re-
medy, and that there does exist a spirit in Greece
that the tyrannical theories of all the absolutism of
Europe cannot put down.
We have not the least doubt that every educated
Greek is for constitutional government; and that
even such men as Mrraxs, and others considered as
the Russian party, are as anxious for it as choir
nominal opponents. The only
.party opposed to
constitutional government is, in the hrst place,
the King ; then the ignorant PALIKARI,
like GRIVAS, whom he trusts. They, and his
MAJESTY, are irrevcctably of the same opinion,
which is, that constitutional government is a mere
system of intimidation and corruption, a holding of
bribes to a certain class of the population, and the
holding forth of a rod to the other.
Unfortunately this was also M. GUIZOT'S idea of
constitutional government, and LOUIS PHILIPPE'S
too. Fully did they develop, and largely did they
employ it in France, with what fruit to the country
and results to themselves we know. And this selt-
same system was introduced into Greece by CoLETTI
and PISCATORY. And this system is so rooted in
King OTHO'S mind, that when his brother, the pre-
sent King of BAVARIA, came to warn him that such
government would infallibly alienate the Greeks,
and destroy every hope of the Bavarian dynasty,
OTHO would not listen even to his brother, but de-
clared that he would go on as ho has ever done.
And now this unfortunate King is the victim of
his cupidity, his meanness and his terrors. He
knows himself detested and despised. He sees that
of his subjects there is not ono to give hint
a cordial, or even a respectful salute. The
press is opposed to him. Public opinion con-
demns him. And hence ideas of conspiracy
haunt his mind. For months he has filled the
corridors and halls of his palace nightly with extra
guards and battalions of police • and in order to
keep his fears in countenance he has invented a con-
spirac They.
Minerra is the oldest journal in Greece. It is
the Constitutionnel of Athens, but much more con-
sistent, liberal, and constitutional than its French
prototype. Nothing could be farther from the
thoughts of such men than to conspire. Such
men are the Pericles and Reeritvssas of Athens.
But as is the case at Vienna and at Naples, moderate
constitutionalists arc more persecuted and punished
than even communists. It is on them that every
vengeance is wreaked. So as BATTUYANI was shot
and POEIIIO tortured, so is the editor of the Greek

Minerra incarcerated:
But 02110 has his cupidity as well as his fears to
consult. It is well known that no appointment
to any office, even the smallest, in Greece,
is made by any one save the King person-
ally. The Greek ministers are a mere string of
MARIONNErrEs, who durst not even nominate an offi-
cial scavenger without the sign manual. Ills MA-
JESTY, therefore, has to indulge in a rich feast
of what the French call tripotage, by cashiering
every public servant who could be suspected of con-
stitutionalism. Their successors will be nominated at
the royal pleasure, and at the suggestion of such
fellows as Gaiv.ts. And thousands of drachmas will
thus grease the itching palms of royalty and its ad-
visers. For nothing, not even royal favour, is gra-
tuitous in Greece.
Corruption and intimidation, thus, are the prin-
ciples, the two pillars of the edifice of mock consti-
tutionalism—a species of government which has
flourished certainly more in France than in any
other country, and which is even more rampant and
luxuriant, transplanted into Greece.

FRANCE.

PARIS, MONDAY EYZNINO.

The event of the day is an extraordinary rise in
the funds, which is attributed to the following as-
surance contained in the Patrie:—

The journals of this morning make mention of the ru-
mours which yesterday produced so much agitation at the
Bonne. We have already said what opinion ought to
be formed of the insinuations respecting coups &Etat
which is mixed up with these rumours, and what
character ought to be attributed to these manoeuvres,
the object of which is no longer a mystery. A change in
the ministry was also spoken of, in consequence, it is said,
of a diference of opinion existing in the cabinet, relative to
the law of May_3l? after deliberations on that measure in
the council of Ministers. We are authorised to declare that
as deliberation has taken place in the council of Ministers
ea that law, as the subject was never brought forward ;
that, consequently, no disaccord could manifest itself there
Om the point, and that all the reports disseminated on the
matter are without foundation.
The Fives rose If. 20c., closing at 91.90; and the
Threes closed at 68.45, with a rise of if. 10e.
The ministry takes a great deal of pain to deny
which nobody believes, in protesting continually
Sfainst the rumours of a violent attempt at military
revolution to install Louis Napoleon permanently.
Not only have leading parliamentarians, such as M.
Daze and General Changarnier publicly proclaimed
the utter futility of all such attempts, and promoted
a feeling of public security by their declarations, but
Louis Napoleon, in his messages and speeches, and
the ministers in the Assembly, have constantly dis-
avowed any such ambitious aims. One cannot,
therefore, discover any. sincere motive for the repeated
assertions of the Patric in official style that no coup
d'etat is contemplated; for the oaths of the President
and the engagements of his ministers assuredly do
not need the endorsement of MM. De Lamarre or
Cesena. On the other hand, it seems that the go-
vernment is anxious to attribute the recent fall in
the funds to reports of coups dYtat rather than to the
generally assigned cause, which is the flagrant abuse
of power in persecuting the opposition press. This',
subject has seriously occupied the public mind, and
his been handled by most of the leading organs.
According to the De,buts, the press is unpopular, and
condemned by public opinion, which is said to be
faithfully and exactly represented by the Seine
juries. In describing to you recently the composition
of these juries, I believe that I made it clear that
i they represented nothing but the spirit of the
government by which they are exclusively ap•-
, pointed. The responsibility of the prosecutions
rests immediately with the government, the first step
• of seizure and accusation being taken by the pro-
cureur of the republic, an officer removable at will,

Who must therefore be the servant of the ministry.
Hence the persecution of the press is wholly trace-
able to the authorities, and is not in the least to be
attributed to public opinion, by which, indeed, such
rigour is loudly condemned. The charge of exciting
to civil war has been brought against the Arenemerst,
as the establishment of that head of accusation
enables the court to pronounce at once the suspension
of the paper. Such acts exhibit a systematic merci-
less intolerance of the free expression of public
opinion in a country where such an intolerance has
never been successfully maintained even under the
rule of greatly more able and important men than
are now at the head of affairs. Such a course must
therefore be regarded as a proof of blind presump-
tion which will lead rapidly to the fall of
the ministry. The Prase has been prosecuted for
the single word " gloriously." It said that "the flag
of the young republic had been gloriously pierced by
the balls of two condemnations." For this expression
it was deemed, by the ingenious lawyer whose duty
it is to pick some hole in opposition articles for plant-
ing. a prosecution, indictable on the charge of apolo-
gising for an act qualified as an offence by the penal
law. M. de Girardin, in withdrawing the expression,
justly remarks, that a man may die gloriously in a
wrong cause, and asks whether M. de Genoucic, the
editor of the Gazette de France, who endured fines,
persecution, and imprisonment during 18 years, from
the government of 1830, did not struggle " gloriously"
in the cause of legitimate monarchy, making no
doubt that the monarchic party who now bear sway
will answer in the affirmative.
the Pays takes it for granted that application
will be made to the Assembly for leave to prosecute
MM. Victor Hugo and E. do Girardin, and indeed,
according to the letter of the law, the government is
bound to follow up a seizure of a journal by a prose-
cution against the writer of the article incriminated.
But in the case of an article signed by M. Lamen-
nais, proceedings were taken against the responsible
editor only, and this was sanctioned by the Assembly,
after a warm debate, and a violent protest by the
Mountain. The government is acting upon this pre-
cedent by prosecuting the editors of the Arenentent
and the Presse as rapidly as possible, and they will
probably. follow it also by abstaining feom any
molestation of MM. Hugo and de Girardin.
The Assize Court of the Two Sevres has sentenced
M. Ginestel, the editor of the Wit do People, to six
months' imprisonment and a fine of 2,000 tr., for an
incorrect report of the sittings in which the case
against the "A B C Democratique " was tried.
The responsible editor was sentenced to 100 fr. fine.
A new Bonapartist paper, to be called the Oniser-
rateur, is shortly to come out. It is reported
, that M. de la Guerroniere will be the editor.

The statement of the Pattie, that the council of
ministers has not been occupied with the discussion
of the law of May, does not in the least invalidate
the report generally credited, that great discrepancy
of opinion exists between the ministers on this head.
In the meantime no change has taken place in the po-
litical situation. The Berryer-legitimists obstinately
refuse to entertain the question of agreeing on a can-
didate for the presidency. which is continually urged
on them by the party of the Opinion Publigue, and
are generally thought to be a shade more favourable
during the last day or two to Louis Napoleon. The
military Mendenr contains an official account of the
transposition of regiments to various garrisons.
There is nothing important in these, although mali-
cious paragraphs appear in the Ordre, animadvert-
ing on the removal to a gre .ter distance from the
metropolis of those regiments which preserved a de-
corous silence on the field of Sutory. The new regi-
ments of the garrison of Paris will be reviewed
shortly in the Champ de Mars.
A great deal of pretentious gossip circulates about
the results of the late interview between the Orleans
princes on the arrival of the Duke d'Aumale, sonic
affecting to know that the Prince de Joinvillc has be-
come shyer in consequence on the subject of his candi-
dature, and others, on the contrary, that he is confirmed
in his intention by the adhesion of his brother. All such
gossip is as destitute of importance as of authenti-
city. The Joinville candidature has been deliberately
put forward by a serious party. The progress of
that candidature in France is the grand point in
question. That M. Thiers and his friends are ex-
erting themselves during tke recess to push the
Orleauist canvass as actively as possible there is no
doubt; and upon their ultimate success must depend
the Prince de Joinville's definitive recognition of the
flag for which they seek adherents.
M. Thiers is actively engaged in gaining over the
republicans to vote the proposition of M. Croton, for
the repeal of the laws of banishment against the
House of Bourbon, which is a necessary accompani-
ment of the Joinville candidature. He is said to have
met with considerable success in this task.

M. Leon Faucher is gone to Rheims, to spend a
few day in the department of the Marne, which de-
partment he represents in the assembly. At Rheims
he was received by the authorities, who gave him a
grand breakfast. lie then took his departure for
Chalon.

The Chancellor of the Legion of Honour is said
to have demurred to register the appointment of M.
Leon Faucher, as commander of the order, that mi-
nister not having passed through the intermediate
grades of chevalier and officer. This, at least, is the
reason assigned fur the appointment not yet having
appeared in the Moniteur, which has published the
promotion of MM. earlier and Berger to the same
rank.
The Constitutionnel and other ministerial papers
yesterday took occasion of the reported murder of
three gendarmes in the commune of Grigny, near
Lyons, to make a more declamatory onslaught than
usual against the machinations of the seditious. But
according to the Mositeur there seems to be no
authentic foundation for the story at all, whereby
the attacks in question become so much windy noise.
The revisionist movement continues in the councils
)of arrondissement. About thirty of the councils
which had abstained in the first part of their senior
from expressing any opinion, have now passed reso-
lutions in favour of revision.
In several reports, addressed by the prefects to the
Minister of the Interior, there is talk of the forma-
tion in several localities of bands of ruffians, for set-
ting fire to farm buildings, and to stacks of hay and
corn. These reports are confirmed by the news hese
various parts of France. Everywhere, however, the
authorities arc preparing to make an energetic re-
pression, and the farmers themselves have already
made more than one example. But the forces et
which the departments can dispose are not always
sufficient ; and the prompt creation of new battalions
of the gendarmerie mobile are considered indis.
pensable.
The communists have proposed to bring forward
M. Cabot as a candidate for the presidency ; but he
declares, in the periodical journal which is the organ
of his party, that he declines the proposition.
M. Caylus, the principal editor of the National,
now in the department of the Dordogne, writes that
people in Paris have no conception of thei mistime
annoyances to which citizens in the provinces are
exposed who are suspected, not only of professing,
but even of entertaining privately, republican
opinions. He declares that he has often thrown
aaide,as exaggerated,complaints from correspondents
which he now knows to have fallen short of the
truth. He describes society as poisoned by informers,
to whom every functionary, from the prefect to the
private gendarme, is ever eager to lend an ear.
The slightest word or misunderstood sign suffices to
throw a man into prison. Letters are broken open,
and portentous accusations of conspiracy are built up
out of some few ambiguous phrases. Even the priest
sometimes opens the gaol doors for his flock.
Some coal-merchants were lately clanking toge-
ther in a wine-shop, to bind a bargain just con-
cluded, and over their wine they sang a well-known
song, the burden of which is " Aux armes! courons
aux frontitlres." The parish priest passing by,
thought he heard the words "Aux acmes ! couroas
ma fonctionsairea." The timorous priest denounced
them as conspirators against functionaries, and they
were actually tried upon the conveniently vague and
now most common accusation, of " exciting hatred in
citizens towards each other." Fortunately, in the
country accusation and conviction are not, as in
Paris, synonymous terms, and they were acquitted.
At the same u.ssizes a man was tried and acquitted
upon a charge of persuading electors to abstain from
voting at the election which, owing to the absten•
tation of the whole republican party, sent M. Magne
to the Assembly. Several mayors have ibeen sus-
pended because the electors of their communes re-
fused to vote. The national guard of Mussidan has
been dissolved, without any other plausible
motive than the abstention of its members
from voting. A coffee - house keeper was

threatened with an order to shut up his house
for having some portraits of refugee representatives
hung upon his walls. At the same time the police
made a domiciliary visit to his brother-in-law, a
cutler by trade, and were with difficulty prevent:4
from seizing, as unlawful arms, a parcel of knives
which had been ordered for the colonies. M. Quilts
represents the inhabitants of the districts that he has
visited as determined to bear all patiently till 1832,
which period they confidently believe will inaupvat
a sew system.
Dy a decree of the President of the Republic, M.
Henri Welter, mayor of Resume, has been dismissed
from his office.