The Express.
London, England, 1848-03-27 00:00:00

THE REPUBLIC OF FRANCE.

SATVIDAY, 6 P.M.
I regret to have to say that the aspect of affairs
here becomes from day to day. more gloomy and dis-
astrous. What is to be the issue of events exceeds
human sagacity to discover. There are no commer- ,
cial failures of any importance for the last few days.
The foreign news is rather favourable than otherwise
to the external relations of France, aed yet the funds
fell considerably to-day. The Threes opening yester-
day at 50, closed to-day at 445, being a fall of 6 per
cent. The Fives opened yesterday at 70, and closed
to-day a 645. Bank sham have dropped down to
1,475. The cause of this is something worse than
distrust of the present government and the immediate
prospects of the country. The principal sellere to-dayut
were not those pressed by pecuniary exigency, b
wealthy proprietors, and among them numerous
English holders, who sold from utter despair of the
situation of the country.
That a struggle and a speedy one must come, no
well-informed person doubts—a struggle not with
the partisans of royalty, for they have long since
abandoned all hope, but between a republic in which
the intelligence and property of the country would be
fairly represented and most unmitigated democracy ;
between, in tact, the government el intelligence and
property and that of the rabble. This will be the
struggle, and this struggle is inevitable; its issue no
man can tell.
In such a state of things foreigners of course are
flying from the country by thousands. Those who
have something to lose fly to save it ; those who have
, nothing but their labour are hunted from it like wild

beasts"
One of the most monstrous systems of social
oppression of which I have had any knowledge is
now in operation here. Manufacturers, shopkeepers.
masters, and every class of employers are compelled
suddenl to discharge frm their service all foreigners,
no matter how long theoy may have been resident in

France.
Meanwhile the Minister of the Interior devotes
himself to the invention of measures for the gratui-
tous amusement of the perpetrators of these offences.
We have an ordonnance this morning, signed " Ledru
Rollin," in which the government commissary who
presides over the Theatre Francais, is ordered to give
gratuitous periodical representations for which free
tickets are to be sent to the 12 municipalities, the
Hotel de Ville, and the Prefecture of Police, to be
distributed in the workshops, the clubs, the schools,
and to the poorest citizens. The most eminent artistes
are to be engaged for these performances.
I am assured that the Provisional Government in-
tend to support M. Emmanuel Arago in the arbitrary
measures adopted by him at Lyons ; and, also, that
they intend to back M. Latrade, and force him as
commissary on the people of Bordeaux. It is pro-
bable that this latter move will be resisted by force.
The public have been for some time waiting, with
a mingled feeling of solicitude and curiosity, to learn
what decieion the leaders of the dynastic opposition,
and particularly M. Thiers and Odillon Barrot, would
take in reference to the approaching elections for the
constituent assembly. M. 'Driers has at length broken
silence, and has addressed the electors of the depart-
ment of the Biruchcs de Rhone, whom he has never
ceased to represent since 1830. The following address
appeared in the leading journals to-day.
I thank you, gentlemen, for your remembrance of me and
of the services whichl have endeavoured to render to my coun-
try during eighteen year'. I have as much right, methinks, as
my opponents to be chosen by my native department. Per-
hsps I have shed some lustre upon it; at least, I have served
with ardour the cause of order, liberty, and national great-
ness. It is true that I neither sought nor desired the re-
public, since, in my opinion, constitutional monarchy sufficed
to insure a large degree of liberty. And the state of Eng-
land during the last two centuries sppeared to me a destiny
which France might not disdain. Providence has decided
otherwise. I bow to its decrees : and however prepared to
resit,: tyranny, I shall never put myself in opposition to the
force of things, when manifested by such striking signs. I
accept here the republic witti.iut after-thaught, and by so
doing I do not mean to disavow any part of my life.
During the five years which succeeded 1830, I defended
the cause of order. This obtained, I defended the cause of
liberty and of national greatness, menaced in turn with peril
from royalty, which I shall not insult since it has been pros
scribed. I might have gained the good grams of that
royalty. I did not seek them, my conviction not according
with those of the reigning king. Of eighteen years, I
passed twelve in the firmest, mist c instant, and disinterested
opposition. Independent of experience, a useful quality for
• public man under all selyimer, and especially under new
I ones, the members of the late opposition have claims on the
electors; for if the new republic will only allow those to
serve it who were republicans six weeks ago, the republic
cannot but be moth isolated. I have, therefore, consented
to stand for the deputation, from motives of duty, devotion,
honour, not to strive in the national assembly for a die.
I pulsed restoration, but to labour honestly to establish
the new republic on solid and durable bases, and
to defend the essential condition of all society, the
existence of the tamily, the rights of property, and liberty of
commercial interchange. It is said that explanations or de-
clarations are expected of me ; that the republicans of yes-
terday, or of more recent date, find menet republican enough
(which I admit in all humility) ; moreover that the cower-
vatives do not forgive my opposition ; and that the clergy
have need of some assurance of my opinion on the subject of
education. I answer at once that I disavow none of my
former opinions. I have supported the interests of my
country, with the measures suitable to our late inetitutione.
1 may yield to other candidates in talent, not i i patriotism;
and if lam not elected I shall not feel myself embarrassed
in the eyes either of Europe or of France. I beg my friends,
therefore, to make no effort for me, no compromise, no
eagagement. For if rejected, I shall betake myself with
happiness to retirement and to study, to meditate on the
eternal laws of human society. which cannot be altered by
agitation, and to make vows for France, which I cannot but
love the more in proportion to the dangers which beset her.
—A. THIERd.
An order has been received at Toulon for the
squadron to put to sea. It is composed of three ships
of the line, several of smaller force, and sailing and
steam-frigates. La Republique says the presence ofl
this force will produce the best effects on the shores of
Italy, Africa, and Spain.
The Provisional Government has issued a decreel
ordering that, as two signatures are necessary for all
bills presented to the national discount banks to have
money obtained on them, and as the greatest
number of small traders and agriculturists cannot
easily obtain the second name on their paper, a
guarantee bank shall be established in each town
where a national discount bank exists, for the
purpose of serving as intermediate party between
such bank and the traders. The capital of the gua-
rantee bank is to be raised by joint-stock companies, ,
and in no case is to be less than 100,000 fr. The
business of these guarantee banks is to procure for
small traders the discount of their bills' on sufficient
security in goods, warrants on bonded goods, &c.,
being given by the parties demanding assistance.
The Provisional Government, taking into considera-
tion the present embarrassment of commerce, has
issued a decree making a temporary reduction in the
expense of protesting bills, registration dues, and the
emoluments attached to those documents. The reduc-
tion amounts to about 3d per cent.
About 4(8) of the Poles living at Paris assembled
yesterday to form the first column for returning to
their awn country. They have written to their fel-
low-countrymen in the provinces to join them either
at Paris or at Strasburg. They have made an appeal
to the republic of France for a supply of arms.
We read in the P«trie of yesterday evening : " At
the moment of going to press we were assured that a
great movement had taken place at Genoa, and that
it had detached itself from S'ardinia, wih the project
of contributing to the foundation of ant Italian unity
with a republican form of government."