The Express.
London, England, 1856-03-04 00:00:00

SPEECH

OF THE
FRENCH EMPEROR.

A telegraphic summary of the Emperor Napo-
leon's address to the Senate and Legislative Corps
appeared in our second edition yesterday, having
been transmitted by our Paris correspondent. For
• copy of the speech in its entirety as given below,
we are indebted to the courtesy of the Submarine
and British Telegraph Company.
The Emperor said :

" GENTLEMEN,—When last I called you together
it was a time of serious solicitudes. The Allied
Armies were being exhausted by a siege in which
the obstinacy of the defence made success appear
doubtful. Europe, under a sense of uncertainty,
seemed to await the end of the struggle before pro-
nouncing on either side. To sustain the war I asked
a loan which you voted unanimously, although it
might appear excessive. The high prices of commo-
dities threatened the labouring classes with general
distress, and a perturbation of the monetary system
gave came to apprehend a decline of the transactions
of commerce and manufactures.

" But, thanks to your aid, thanks to the energies
displayed in France and England, thanks espe-
cially to the support of Providence, these
dangers, if they have not entirely vanished,
are for the meet part overcome. A grand feat
of arms has decided, in favour of the Allied Armies,
a war whose intensity is without example in history.
Since that event the opinion of Europe has been more
openly pronounced. Everywhere our alliances have
been extended and confirmed. The third loan has
been opened without difficulty. The country has
given me new proofs of its confidence by subscribing
•sum five ernes greater than that which I had asked.
It has supported with admirable resignation the
sufferings inseparable from a dearth of provisions—
sufferings which, however, have been mitigated
by private charity, by the zeal of the muni-
cipalities, and by the ten million francs dis-
tributed to the departments. Arrivals of
foreign wheats are now producing a sensible
diminution of prices. The fears caused by the dis-
appearance of gold are passing away, and employ-
ment has never been more plentiful nor the public
revenues more considerable. The adventures of war
have re-awakened the military spirit of the nation.
Voluntary enrolments were never so numerous,
nor wee more ardour ever exhibited by the conscripts
drawn by lot.
" To this brief outline of the situation I have to
add facts of a high political signification. The Queen
of Great Britain, wishing to give a proof of her con&
denim and her esteem for our country, and to render
our relations more intimate, has visited Prato.. The
enthusiastic reception which she found here mast
have eonvineed her Majesty how profound were the
sentiments inspired by her presenoe,and how well they
were calculated to fortify the alliance of the two peoples.
The Lug of Piedmont, who, without looking behind
him, had embraced our cause with that vigorous
courage which had formerly distinguished him on
the battle-field, has also visited France to consecrate
a union that wee already cemented by the bravery of
hie soldiers.

"These Sovereigns have had opportunities of seeing
a country bat lately so agitated and disinherited of
its place in the counsels of Europe, to-day prosperous,
peaceable, and respected, making war, not with the
momentary delirium of peasioe, bat with the calm•
ness of justice and the serenity of duty. They have
seen France, which sent two hundred thousand men
across seas, convoke at the same time, at Paris,
all the arts of peace, as if she had meant to say to
Europe, 'For me, the war that now rages is but an
episode; my mind and my strength are still engaged
in the arts of peace; let us neglect nothing to an•
derstand sash other, and do not compel me to bring
all the resources and all the energies of a great nation
to bear upon the battle field.'
"This appeal seems to have been heard, and the'
winter, by suspending hostilities, has favoured the
intervention of diplomacy. Austria resolved on a
decisive step, which introdesed all the influence of
the sovereign of a vut empire into the deliberations.
Sweden united herself more intimately with Ragland
and France by a treaty which guaranteed the whole-
nese of her territory. Lutly, from the cabinets,
counsels or prayers arrived at St. Petersburg.
" The Emperor of Russia, the inheritor of a situa-
tion which he had not created. appeared animated with
a sincere desire to pat an end to the causes which
had brought on this sanguinary conflict. He ac-
cepted with determination the propositions trans-
mitted by Austria. The honour of his arms having
been satisfied, the Emperor did himself honour when
he deferred to the clearly expressed wish of Europe.
" The Plenipotentiaries of the belligerent and
allied Pewees are now met at Paris to decide on the
conditions of pesos. The spirit of moderation and
equity which animates all of them bids us hope a fa-
vourable result. Nevertheless, let usawait with dignity
the end of ti.e conferences, and be equally ready
either to draw the sword, if we must, or to extend the
hand in friendship to those who have fairly met no
in the field. Whatever may happen, let us occupy
ourselves in striving by all proper means to increase
the strength and riches of France. Let us draw yet
closer, if that be possible, the alliance formed by a
community of glory and sacrifices, and the reciprocal
advantsgesof which peace would make yet more appa-
rent. And fleally, in this solemn moment of the
world's destinies, let us put our confidence in God that
He will guide oar efforts in the way most conformable
to the interests of humanity and civilisatioo."

(PROW ova OWN

PARIS, TOZSDLT.

The Pays and Petri* are authorised to state that
t►e news given by the Independance Beige, to the
effect that "the plenipotentiaries have definitely
signed the prelinfinatira of peace, containing A. came
belli," is altogether unfounded.

In oar parliamentary report will be found Lord
Palmerston's account of the transaction above re.
tarred to.

The Paris correspondent of Le Nord writes :—j
" A friend who has never given me incorrect infor-
mation, and who is in this our, I believe, well in-
formed, states that the Resides plenipotentiaries have
accepted the propositions relative to the 1100-Teooo-
- of the fortifications of Bomarsund, and the
engagements which guarantee that Nioolsieff will
not interfere with the nestralieatioe of the Black
fleas while on the other side, the considerations pro-
rated by Count Orloff end Baron do Branow, Ma-

five to the rectification of the frontier in Bessarabia
and Aeia Minor, have been favourably received."

yesterday, under the
heaWde reofSand in the
Mnifru
—u°lsliEr of
xcelleticy Nlnsurns Bey,
Ambassador of the Porte at London, bad the honour
of bring presented to.duy to their M tjenties the Eat•
peror and Empress, by his Excellency Mehemmed
Djemil Bey, Ambassador Extraordinary and Yieti-
potentiary of the Ottoman Porte near the Emteror.

"Their Majesties the Emperor end Empress also
received many foreigners of distinction, presenttd to
their Imperial Majesties by his Excellency L.rd
Cowley, Ambsasadur Extraordinary and Plenipoten-
tiary of Great Britain ; Marquis Pee de Villamarina,
Envoy Extraordinary and Miniver Plenipotentiary
of Sardinia; and by M. de 0 azsga, Envoy Extraor-
dietary ant Minister Plenipoten jury of Spain."

THE EAST.

MARSEILLES, MONDAY.

The Borysthene has arrived with ~dvices from Con-
stantinople of the 25th, and from tho Crimea to the
23rd of February.

The Constantinople correspondent of the Times
Writes:—

"On Friday night a fearful tempest oocaaioned
much damage in the Bosphorus and in the Golden
Horn. The Alma and the Doris suffered injuries;
the Sylph ran aground in the Black Sea."

It appears, from accounts brought by the Bury.-
tbene, that Omer Pecha was still at Rrdont•Kaleb.

The English were pushing forward their prepara-
tions for an eventual expedition into Asia, and they
were enlisting labourers to be despatched to Trebi-
send.

The Ottoman Cossacks, still incliocd to insubordi-
nation, were at Shawls.
In the Crimea the cold was excessive. Fort St.
Paul had been entirely destroyed, and the Quaran-
tine Fort was mined and would shortly be blown up.