The Express.
London, England, 1849-09-04 00:00:00

FRANCE.

PARIS, MONDAY, 5.30
Possibly on the principle that ao one know, when
his tura may come to suffer, the Journal des Debals
has dilated in its leading colams ou the conduct
meted out to M. Furet, whose case has already been ,
noticed in this correspondence. This gentleman
being ch:rged with apolitical offence in his capacity
of editor of an ultra-democratic journal, was furred
to march Letween two gendarmes, and in fetters like '
a common felon, from St. Denis to Rouen, the
place of his trial, instead of being furnished ,
with a vehicle. The government organ at
first denied that such bad been the case; but,
peered by the reiterated denials of the joarnale, at
lost admitted the facts, adding that M. Furet had
been aliened a carriage as far as St. I)enis, but by
law the certificate of a doctor was necessary at each
station to obtain the vehicle required, and the doctor
at St. Denis was not forthcoming. This certsinly is
the legislation in cases where ordinary criminals are
concerned; but is no difference to be made in the
treatment of a political offender and that of a common
felon? This argument was urged by the DVerts yes-
terday, and an apology inserted in the Mondeur .lu
Solt last evening, to the effect that M. Dufaure, on
whom, as minister of the interior, the blame had been
thrown, cannot be liable for a negligence, which, if it
concerns any one, must be laid at the door of tee mi-
nister of justice, M. (Won Barret. The Debals re-
turns to the charge this morning, and very justly ob-
serves that it is of little moment whether M. Dafaure
or M. Barret be to blame. The facts are still the
same, and its arguments untouched, the only dit-
ferenoe being, that they must be applied to the minis-
ter of justice instead of to him of the interior. " Save
this insignificant modification (says the Debate) as
far as the moral value of the tam is concerned, we
maintain all that we have said." The Journal des
Debals begs, however, not to be misunderstood, and
that it may not be supposed that, in blaming the
treatment applied to M. Furet, it makes this a
political question. "We do not w ish to be con-
founded with these who make use of this affair to vary
the (tome of their declamations against every senti-
ment of order, against every necersity of government.
The thing to keep in view is this, that a writer
reeled of a political offence has been ill-treated, and
because it has been so, we protest against it, net only
for the honour of the profession but for the dignity of
our country. We cannot but approve, therefore, the
project that government is said to be about to present
of a law that will regulate the treatment of persons
accused as distinguished from persons found guilty. We
need not add that we did not hope to find in th's cir-
cumstance a means of entering into a sort of coalition
against the present cabinet, or at least some of its
members. It is well known, indeed, how averse we
are to coalition. We shall not make any difficulties in
allowing that we should regret to have el-en indirectly
contributed to shake a ministry whose existence
seems to us at the present moment indispensable to
the public welfare, and whose acts, with some ex-
ception, have generally obtained the approbation of
all honest and sensible people."
The latter portion of this article shows the feeling
that now exists. Stability was much talked of some
time since, and it is admitted that stability cannot
be attained without union. Union, therefore, is what
the great parties are now endeavouring to effect, and
what their org ens unceasingly preach.
The manufactures of the country are gradually im-
proving, more especially those whose produce is it-
tended for exportation. There is little activity in-
deed in the markets which supply raw material, and
the price of merchandise is still high, but there is no
tendency to any further increase ; and the height of
pr;ces is attributable to the large amount of purchases
lately made simultaneously—it shows there is a de-
mand. Several of the houses more especial y con-
cerned in the export trade have large orders that will
keep heeds employed for several months, and if the
winter is favourable it is expected that the demand
will not slacken. Transport is so active, indeed, in
Paris at the present moment that the houses engaged
in that trade have more to do than they can well attend
to. The Freese from which the information here given
is taken mentions the wool-spinning factory of 'Prevent,
in the Pas de Calais, which now employs from 12,000
to 15,000 hands, and many other spionirg factories
have resumed LP e same number of hands that they
were obliged to keep before the revolution of
February. It will be seen from the bank returns,
unfavourable though they show the mosey circulation
of the country to be, that the number of protested