The Express.
London, England, 1848-05-22 00:00:00

NATIONAL FESTIVAL.

PARIS, SUNDAY, 6 30 rm.
The new Prefect of Police, M. Trouve-Chauvel,
has published the following proclamation :
Inhabitants of Paris,
The government has appointed me to the Prefecture of
Police of the Seine. This mark of great confidence
imposes on me serious duties. But, the greater the diffi-
(*hies, the less can I allow myself to shriek from them ; we
are living in times when every citizen must sacrifice himself
to his country.
• wr.inger in this great city, I would willing have left to
ethers more compete..t the lebour and honour of this onerous
msgistrstion. My own inefficiency counsels me to decline—
my duty commands me to accept the burden.
We are on the morrow of events which might have
proved disastrous, but which have turned to the profit of real
democracy. The criminal folly of some conspirators has
proved closely the wisdom and energy of the Parisian people
Some of the principal offenders are in the hands of justice;
I will pursue the others into their secret hidiug-ploces, and
here to deliver them to the laws.
I am, citizens, the friend of the republic. I was so
when a was forbidden to avow it; but, if my high func-
tions i ~pose on me the duty of protecting the people, they
also rive me the right to counsel them. I will serve zed
not Maur them. I will tell them the truth, as I have
already done to princes under a monarchy. The people in
their might have nothing to fear from open enemies, their
only danger is in their false friends.
'Your welfare depends on yourselves more than on your
government. If they owe you their care, you owe them your
support. With harmony between the people and their
functionaries order will be estahlahed, and with order pro-
sperity. As to liberty, you have conquered it; you know
hew to defend it; and, in its defence, you may rely on my
aroistanee. . . _ _

Citizen., the government has deemed me worthy of its
confidence. I will merit yours. You shall judge me by my
deeds, and in the difficult duties which are imposed on me,
if I give you sufficient proof of my patriotism and devotion,
I ask no other recomp.ll.e than that you confirm by your
approbation the honourable testimony of these whom you
have invested with piwer.
The following are the descriptions of the members
composing the committee appointed by the Assembly
to propose the project of the Constitution :
NemDENT, M. de C9rmeoin, ex-deputy, President of
the Council of State.

-
Steil ETA KY, M. Corbon (operative), editor of the Atelier,
Vp iceresident of the National Asfembly
liniment., MM. Armand Maryut, Mayor of Paris;
L'Abbe Lamennais; Vivien, ex-deputy, ex-minister of
Justice, Ex-Vice l'resident of Council of Stye; Alexis de
Toqueville, ex-deputy, Member of the Institute, author
of " Democracy in America;" Dufaure, ex-deputy, ex-
Minister of Public Works; Martin (de Strasbourg).
ex.dep.ity, Advocate at the Court of Appeal;
Woirbaye, Procureur General of Court of Appeal at
Metz ; Coquerel, Protestant oliniver ; Tourret (de l'Allier),
ex•deputy, agriculturist ; Dapin, ex-deputy, Procureur
General of C.nart of Appeal; Gustave de Beaumont, ex-
deputy, Member of Institute, author of " l'lrelande,
&Male et Politique"; Gdolon Barrot, ex.deputv Pages
(de l'Ariege), ex.deputy ; Dornez, iditor of National;
Considetant, chief editor of the Democratic PaciNque.
NATIONAL FESTIVAL.

From an early hour of the morning the troops—
cavalry, infantry, and artillery--were in motion in
various directions towards the Champ de Mars. The
population which tormed part of this vast spectacle
assembled at points.previously assigned, in an exten-
sive line, extending from the Place de la Concorde,
along the Boulevards, to the Place de la Bastille.
At about ten o'clock they began to move. Nothing
can convey a better idea of this pantomime than a
Lord Mayor's show, uron a scale magnified about one
hundred times. The processioneis were classed ac-
cording to trades, such u jewellers, glasaworkers,
bakers, silversmiths, shoemakers, &c. Each trade
was preceded by a car or .bier, supporting some
characteristic emblematic structure, and adorned
some cases by the most showy and beau-
Will specimens of their respective art Tri-
coloured cords extended usually from the canopies
Of these, which were held by ladies, apparelled in
*me, with tricoloured ribbons decorating their hair,
and in many instances furnished with parasols of
white silk with tricoloured fringe. The large
Portion of thoae who composed the procession eon-
mating of females, attired with more or less elegance
Ind Poe, gave a very pleasing effect to the solemnity.
Atter the procession had passed my windows I
drawl out to observe the Champ de Mars. The best
Point of view was from the heights of Chaillot, imme-
dutely overhanging the theatre of the spectacle, and
rfering a close bird's-eve view of the whole. There
Accordingly first drove.
lcoullieratile tricolour drapeaux and ortilamme
Boated over the field. The brilliant uniforms of th
14°Pui especially those of several regiments of ours'

!lien and lances, sparkled in the The Ecole Mill-
Mire was crowded with spectators, both on the win.
dews and the roof. Galleries' erected sloop,
the sides and ends of the field, end to-'I
banes constructed at regn:ar intervals, fins
end to end of the area, were also filled. The
field itself literally swarmed with human heads.
The quays, bridges, and all the surrounding heights
were quite alive with the populace.
Artillery, stationed on the heights of Chaillot,
thundered their salute unceasingly daring the entire'
ceremony.
The solemnity consisted in little more than the de-
filing of the procession before the government.
At three o'clock, the affair of the day terminated,
and the various trades filed off to their respective
places of rendezvous.
The greatest object of attraction to the curium',
however, promises to be the illuminations and
fireworks this evening, which are really projected
on a most magnificent scale. I drove through the
town to-day to observe the preparations. The
Avenue des Champs Elysees will present a per-
fect blaze of splendour. Besides a wall of coloured
lamps on either side, chandeliers, made on a
seals of great magnitude, arc suspended over
the centre of the avenue, at intervals of about
fifty yards. These chandeliers are to be lighted with
innumerable coloured lamps.
The works are to be projected during the evening
from the top of the Arc de Triomphe, from the Champ
de Mars, and other parts of the capital.
I write these lines at six o'clock, and the day has
passed over so far without any incident to be regretted.
It would be impossible to give even an approxi-
mate estimate of the number of persons who have
shared in this national demcns.ration. Inde-
pendent of the troops, probably not less than half
the population of l'aris was present.
The weather was splendid.

ITALY.—The Piedmoniese Gmette, of the 16th
contains the following news from the army:
Somme. CAMPAONA, MAT 14.—T0-day Peachier', pressed
more closely by our troops, has commenced a fire which
hoe been as yet almost inoffensive. The works of
our sappers ominous with activity. The enemy have not
made any attack or inoverseet ',inside the fort from which
we can judge of their hateustions. Y.sterday the TWICSIS
and Neapolitan troops sustained a vigorous assault from the
garrison of Mantua, opposite the positions of Curtasone and
montanare. The combat lasted about three hours.

The Austrians, to the number of 4,000, were driven back
under the walls of Mantua, agar having suffered considerable
Lou, and left the ground strewed with drad and wounded.
Our allies had only nine killed and thirty-five wounded.
The Resoryirnexto of Turin quotes a letter from
Genoa, of the 16th, which ay.:
This morning at eleven o'clock, there was a great meet-
ing at Banchi. A proclamation of Mazzini, in opposition to
that of the government of Milan, which incites the citizens to
oppose it, was read. The hat of signatures was handed
about, which was received with stamping of feet and yells.
The name of Iltzzini was received with shouts of " Death to
M■zzini !" The proclamation was burned, amidst cries of
" Live the King!" " Live Italy !"
The Gareth. of Milan says " Palmanova is in-
vested."

- - -
The same journal of the 15th says:
Yesterday evening a great agitation was observable in
the numerous groups who conversed on the political affairs
of the day, but we are happy to have seen that thus
groups which met in the most frequented promenades did
not for a moment trouble the public tranquillity.
The Gazette of Venice contains a proclamation of
the government of the republic, calling on the citizens
to persevere in their efforts to drive out the Austrians.
The Ituiw Centrak says:
The Council of Modena, en proposing the union of that
duchy with the kingdom of Upper Italy, appends to it six
conditions, relative to the property of the public domain,
the property of the Jesuits, and the establishment of a
school for military engineers. The examination of votes
will be made on the 25th.

fhe 22nd March has the following:
A note from the Provisional Government of Venice has
been sentto the Provisional Government of Milan of the 12th
May, by which it declares its free and complete adhesion
to whatever may be decided on the political det,rmination
as to the Lombardo-Venetian kingdom by the Assembly
named for that purpose.

IRELAND.
(By Me Etedrie Telegraph Company's Ealwas.)

DUBLIN, SUNDAY.
This day the clubs proceeded, in marching order,
to Belle Vue, where a meeting was held to denounce
the "bloody practice of packing juries." The leader of
one club during the march, having given the word
" halt," wu detained by the police. The meeting
pledged itself, in case Mr. Mitchel was convicted, " to
bring to punishment every man implicated in so foul
a wrong."

ELECTION COMMITTEES, SATURDAY.
LANCAtiTCR.—The scrutiny was continued, but not
a single vote was invalidated. It was understood that the
petition woald be withdrawn.

ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
OF ENGLAND.

A meeting of the council was on Saturday
afternoon, at the Society's house, Hanover square. T. Ray-
mond Barker, Esq., chairman of the Finance Committee,
presided. Several important practical communications were
acknowledged to have been received.—Mr. Fumy, M.P.,
chairman of the Journal Committee, reported that the
judges to whom the essays for the Society's prizes were
referred, had made awards to the following comp. titon:
For the best report on the farming of the West Riding of
Yorkshire, the prize of 50 sovereign., to Mr. John 11. Char-
noels, of Wakefield, one of the suneyors under the Drainage
Act. For the best report on the farming of Gloucestershire,
the prize of 00 sovereign., to Mr. John Braveader, of Ci-
rencester, land agent and surveyor. For the best report on
the farming of Devonshire, the prize of 50 sovereigns, to
Mr. Henry Tanner, of the Hermitage, near Newbury, Berk-
shire. It was stated that the arrangements for the society's
neat county meeting at York were nearly complete, and in
all respect. satisfactory. It will take place the third week in
July. The county meeting for the following year will be
held at Norwich, and the agreement with the corporation of
that town was formally ratified.—The council then ad-
journed.

REFORM MEETING.—SUNDERLAND:A public
meeting of the inhabitants of Sunderland, convened by the
mayor, was held in the Athenaeum Hall, in that borough, on
Friday evening, the object being to take into consideration
the question of parliamentary and financial reform. Mr.
William Morday presided. The first motion, complaining
of the excessive amount of taxation annually raised from the
people in this country by means which make it fall with
disproportionate severity on the middle and working classes,
and declaring it to be the opinion of the meeting that it is
the interest and duty of those classes to combine and pro-
tect themselves against injustice, was proposed by Mr.
Thomas Thompson, seconded by Dr. Bowman, and carried
unanimously. Mr. Hills proposed the neat resolution,
which attributed the results stated in the preceding resolu-
tion to the tact that the House of Commons did not suffi-
ciently represent the people, and expressed the satisfaction of
the meeting at the intention of Mr. Hume to bring under
discussion the state of the representation, and to propose
important measures for amending it. Mr. Robson having
seconded the motion, Mr. Dickenson, better known as the
Manchester Packer,— came forward and proposed that the
meeting should declare itself at once in favour of the whole
of the points of the charter. Mr. Williams, a chartist, op-
posed this proceeding as injudicious under the circumstances,
and, after some discussion, Mr. Dickensori's amendment was
withdrawn, and a petition, founded on the above resolu-
tions, was adopted. The meeting, which was very numerous,
then separated.

•
REPRESENTATION OF CIRENCESTER.—CIRENCESTER,
SATURDAY.—rise writ for the election of a burgess for this
town, in place of the late Mr. Cripps, arrived here yesterday,
and the returning officer has fixed the nomination for
Tuesday next, and the polling for Wednesday. The Hon.
C. Ponsonby, as we form sly announced, is the candidate
in the liberal interest. Mr. Mulling', &solicitor, is started on the
conservative side. Both parties have been actively canv using
the elector', and each expresses himself in the most sanguine
terms as to the result. The number of electors is about 450
or 460, and the struggle between the two parties is expected
to be a severe one. _ .

Tna YORK ELEcttox.—The York electioneering
movements have taken a sudden turn. The conservatives
did not at first offer to interfere in the present election, and
thus the liberal party had the field to themselves. They,
however, could not agree. The eldest eon of Sir W. Milner
was brought forward, but when he came to enunciate his
political principles it was found that he went too far for
some and not fez enough for others, more particularly as re-
gards the reform movement of the day. The party thus
became disunited; but although there were rumours of opposi-
tion, there was no appearance of it until Friday even-
ing, when it wag positiv.ly announced that Mr.
Vincent would present hivaelf u a candidate for the
suffrages of the electors, on the following day; and
this announoement was followed by the issue of an
address from Mr. Serjeant Wilkins, in which that gen-
tleman also stated his intention of contesting the vacant
seat. The learned serjeent arrived in York en Saturday
morning, and he was quickly followed by Mr. Vincent, whn
reached the city in the course of the day. Both addressed
the electors. Mr. Wilkins professes liberal opinions. Mr.
Vincent's politics are well known.
RUMOURED GOVERNMENT CLAtss.—For the last
few days a rumour has existed that the Commissioners of
Woods and Forests are about to lay claim to the whole fore-
shore on both sides of the Mersey at Liverpool. It is also
stated that the claims made by the corporation of Liverpool
to the foreshore of Wallasey Pool have led the law officers of
the crown to search into the nature of the crown rights in the
neighbourhood, the result of which is supposed to be a de-
termination to claim the whole frontage on the Liverpool
side of the water from the dock trustees of Liverpool.