The Express.
London, England, 1848-08-01 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 1, 1848.

The Frankfort Assembly ought at once disown
the question. It is the want of this fair, full, and
open discussion, which embarrasses and delays a set-
tlement. Let the same spirit, which has examined and
decided upon the affairs of Posen be brought to bear
upon Schleswig, and there will be no need of media-
tion. We trust, that General WRANGEL and the
Danish Monarch will on both sides have the good
sense to remain passive, though they cannot agree
upon express conditions thereto, until the German As-
sembly have come to a decision.
The Archduke JOHN, bent on conciliating Prussia,
in this and on the whole federal question, has taken
the step of appointing the Prussian diplomatist, Che-
valier BuNsme, to be the head of the council. The
chevalier has been the great nelvocate of Germany
against Denmark, and has put forth a learned
pamphlet ou behalf of the fcrmer. M. Busses is a
man of learning and taste, and a good theologian, but
we should doubt his powers of winning the confidence
or modifying the passions of a popular assembly. Any
other statesman might make concessions to Denmark
with less chance of being suspected. He never can
be consideled at Frankfort in any other light than NS
the servant of the King of PRUSSIA.
We doubt, indeed, altogether the success of that
policy, which is to render the imperial government
of Germany a kind of Pact, and a sharing of influence
and power between Austria and Prussia. Just as
we doubt here the wisdom of that bascule, esta-
blished between whigs and PEEL-tories, which makes
it a rule that whilst Lord Jolts RUSSELL holds prime
office, he should make choice of tory personages to
be his chief governors, chief diplomatists, and chief
commanders.

We doubt much that either Old Engl.tnd or Young
Germany will tolerate very long this tacit alliance of
old perriwigs and superannuated influences against all
that is young, talented, independent, and liberal.
The Archduke JOHN is, indeed, a happy exception.
and we trust M. ItunsEN may prov, so. But it is
not often the world finds liberalism in the courtier, or
political wisdom in the pedant.

FRANCE.

PARIS, MONDAY, 11.30. A t.t

The contents of the Paris jou'rnals this.morning are
of little interest, there has been no new event of
importance on which they could comment. The
Bios Prate, which was the other day so severe on
M. Thiele, for having given what it regarded as
undue importance to the wild theories of M. Proud-
hon, admits now that it is perhaps useful to subject
the school of which M. Proudhon is the chief to the
solemn test of public niscussiou.
Tue discassion on the seizure of certain journals of
Paris, which was appointed for Saturday in the
Na-
tional Assembly, but chick did not take place in con-
sequence of the illness of M. Marie, the Minister of
Justice, is to come on this day. The death of Gen.
Dames= was announced to the Assembly amidst
symptoms of marked regret from every part of the
Chamber.

The receivers general (says the .11fesseger) have
been invited to come to Paris. Everything leads to
a belief that this meeting of financiers is in conse-
quence of the new loan already voted by the Na-
tional Assembly, and perhaps with a view to another
loan, which it may be necessary to raise at an early
period.
It is in contemplation to prorogtv. the National
Assembly from ti e 25th of August to the 25th
of September. The representatives would thus
have a month's vacation preparatory to the dis-
cussion on the constitution, which cannot well coin-
' invite before the Ist of Oetober,in consequence of the
labours imposed on the committee for the introduc-
tion of the votes come to in the late conferences. This
course has been considered the more desirable, as the
assembly must sit permanently from the Ist of Octet-
' bet' until the constitution shall have been voted.
The bureaux, however, will remain constituted, so that
the Assembly may be called together in a few days,
if circumstances should imperatively require it. Tae
presidency of M. Marriun will expire before the day
of the proro:ation of the Assembly. According to all
appearance, M. Marrast will be re-elected, and the
honour of this reelection will be the more valuable,
as up to the present time no president of the National
Assembly has he Id .he post more than one month."
A new " cercle " is about to be formed by M.
Olivier (Demosthenes), and others of the social-demo-
cratic party. Ail the extreme socialists, such as M.
Louis Banc and M. Proudhon, arc to be excluded.

A lsmentublo occurrence has taken place in the
Ituvil Barracks. During adi Inge of the regiment
occupying these harraeks mattresses to the number of
1,200 were placed in the court. By some accident
these caught fire, and, in spite of all efforts at pre-
rentiot:, the flames spread to the infirmary, where
five men were burned to d ath.

The good peeve of Paris were yesterday morning
somewhat stuttltd by !fearing the rappel beaten. It,
however, turned out that it was merely to call
together the 2nd and :3rd legions, who met to acknow-
ledge tht it colouelN Generals Itapatel and Bar.
.Imong the arrests recently made at Charnme anti
Belleville were several officers of the National Guard.

The Madrid mails have not arrived.

ITALY.

LONIBARDY. We have letters from our core-
spondent at Milan down to the 26th ult., with jour-
nals of the previous day. His letter of the 25th is as
follows:

The last advises from the comp, received yesterday (24th),
state that on the refight of the 22nd-23rd, whilst a violent
dorm was bursting on r Villafranes. Somme Campagna, and
Sens, the Austrians m ole a furious attack upon the Pied-
montese troops and their alli, s, which were stationed at and
dispersed about those places. The Austrians had muffled
the wheels of their cannon-carriages, &c., and the horses'
feet. They came from Verona about 8,000 in number, in
(entry, cavalry, and artillery. The surprise was complete.
and argues but little prudence, ordinary foresieht, and
caution on the part of the Piedmontese efficers : the latter
did not discover the enemy's approach till they were
equally attacked. That part of the Piedmontese line
extending from Villatranca to Sena was guarded by the
re gime. t.t of Savona, .end about 1,200 Tuseens, who had but
r, eentlyk,ined the army, distributed about in small detached
parties. Villafranca was taken by the Austrians, who set
te tire to it, inne.iog to burn it to the armed. 'fee Pied-
montese, taken by surprise, were witheut command, and,
overwhelmed by number‘, driven hack on every point.
About IGO of the Tuscans were killed ; also a Pied-
montese general, and many officer+, Piedmontese and
Tuscan. The Austrians committed the mod terrible
ravages, slaying, burning, evil devastating every place
tney came to. All the troops that were in the neighbour.
hood of Castelnuovo, Alezamhano, &c., received orders to
retire within the fortifications of Pesehi.ra, up to which
place the Austei.ns pursued them, and even beyond, as far
as Laicise. The secant adds teat the Austrians afterwards
precipitately withdrew on the approach of Charles Alb rt
from Marmirulo, with a divisi.n and his guards, and ten
pieces of cannon.
WEDNEsowy, JuLT 26.—The excitement which has pre-
vaileel is indescribable and I have had my full share of
it. Events of a decisive character are actually in progress
of execution, and on which the fate of Italy, of Europe,
portals., de psnds. The most contradictory intelligence has
b,.ear received ront the scene of hostilities, some state-
ments attributing the vic.cry now to the Piedmon-
tese, now to the Austrians, and again dividing the
successes between tne two parties. Tho position tet
Rieroli—a most important one in this campaign, as
it was in that of 1796, when Bonaparte warred with the
Austrians on the sell-same ground now occupied by the con.
tending armies of Charles Albert and Radetsky—has been
wrested from the Piedmontese, retaken by them, and again
lost. On the other hand, the Austrians have advanced with
a strong force upon the centre of the Piedmontese at Villa-
franca, which they attacked by surprise on the night of the
tlnd to the 23rd inst., killing and wounding some hundreds,
and driving the rest as far as Pescbiera, into which the
fugitives took refuge. Meanwhile Charles Albert's army
advanced in two corps from his head-quarters at Marmirolo,
uponNillafmnea, leaving another corps to cover the blockade
of Mantua, which is completely invested. The Pied-
montese retook Villafranca, and drove the Austrians hark
upon the Mincio, which a body of them crewed and will he
made prisoners if the battle, the news of which I expect to
trans.nit to you by this pest, is in favour of the Piedmontese
arms, as it is hoped and believed it will be. The ef-
fect of the movements of the two armies hos been to place
the principal Austrian corps, said to be commanded
by Radetaky and Nugent within the centre of a
triangle, at each side of which a Piedmontese corps
bars ttr:ir retreat—that at Mantua, that at Pesehiera,
and the third, commanded by the King in per-
son, cutdog off the rotreat of the enemy upon Verona.

The announcemont has just been made from the balcony of
the provisional government that the enemy has n deo
(tend. with the loos of '2,000 priwn..rs. 50 pieces of cannon,
and 7 standards (pain of colours) • killed and wounded on
both sides, number unknown. At the' same time the member
of the government who made the announcement said that
the governm, cat had not official news from the camp, but
believed the private information from which he gave the
news. Of this be certain, that a hard-fought battle his taken
place, and that the Yiedmontcse have had the advantage.
I Prisonets and =tun taken from the Austrians were seen
last evening near Brescia, and some had been seen at
Lout°.