The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-19 00:00:00

FRANCE.

PARIS, SATURDAY EVENING.
The retirement of Lord Palmerston from the
English government is thus noticed in the " latest
news" of this evening's Patrie:
The news of the retirement of Lord Palmerston at first
produced a certain sensation in Paris. Some persons
thought they saw in this event a check to the policy which
since the commencement of the Turco-Russian conflict has
constantly directed the common action et the two cabinets,
united by the same sentiments and the same intere4a.
This appreciation does not seem to us correct. Lord Pal-
merston, whose policy was more decided than that of hie
colleagues, has made an internal question very secondary in
presence of the existing state of foreign affairs the pretest
(or his retirement. Re retires—bat having public opinion
on his side, at a time when a movement of public opinion
perhaps unparalleled in the annals of Great Britain may
be expected to declare itself, and there is every probability
of his speedy return to power. Those who know the con-
stitutional habits of England cannot deny the ability of this
course. We will go further and say it is doubtful whether
the opposite party in the cabinet will dare to face the
coming session and expose itself to a signal overthrow.
Unless I am much mistaken the above paragraph is
indicative of some sudden and unexpected resolution
taken by the head of the French government. It is
reported that at the last cabinet council held at the
Tuileries the ministers were greatly divided in opi-
nion, and the Emperor, after thanking them for
their advice, said he would reflect and decide himself
what should be done on a future day. The uncer-
tainty which has prevailed in political circles here
for the last few days is, to a certain extent, a confir-
mation of this rumour. A fresh cabinet council was

held this morning, and now the Patric comes out
with a species of manifesto totally at variance with
the tone of the government morning journals (which
encouraged the notion that Lord Palmerston's retire-
ment had nothing to do with foreign politics), and
even contrary to the spirit of a leading article in its own
columns composed an hour or two earlier. According to
to this paragraph in the Patric the element of con-
cord with France has left the English cabinet with
Lord Palmerston • and Louis Napoleon, distrustful
of Lord Aberdeen and the influences surrounding
the British court, looks to Lord Palmerston's return
to power as the actual or virtual head of a ministry,
elevated by a manifestation of popular opinion, be-
fore he can co-operate with England in the settlement
of the Eastern question according to his own views.
If the Patric does not mean this, it is the instrument

of some mystification.
The Preece thinks the retirement of Lord Palmer-
ston itself nothing but a mystification. Lord Pal-
merston will, it has no doubt, come back to power
before Feb. 3, 1854, and Lord Aberdeen will then
have disappeared ; but in the mean time his policy
will have prevailed. The substitution of Lord Pal-
merston for Lord Aberdeen will be made merely as
a sacrifice to public opinion, and public opinion will
consent to be so humbugged.
To give you some idea of the confusion in which
the public mind is here, I may mention that in the
course of the day, before the Patric appeared, it was
very confidently. asserted that the Emperor, disgusted
at the vacillation of the English government, had
sent orders to recall the French fleet.
At the Bourse the confirmation of Lord Palmer-
ston's resignation was very much talked of, but it
produced no perceptible effect upon the funds which
have been remarkably steady. Although many con-
flicting opinions prevailed as to the probable results
of this event nobody believed for a single instant
that the reason assigned by the Times for his retire-
ment was the trite one. The rente opened at yes-
terday's closing price, 74.76, and closed at 74.70.
The Orleans railway fell 7.50, and the Southern 5f.,
but in the other lines there was no change worth
noting.
The Duke de Carigliano, whose betrothal to one
of the daughters of Queen Christina of Spain was
recently announced, has just died at Florence.
M. de Lacour, the ex-ambassador at Constantinople,
has arrived in Paris.
A telegraphic despatch from Mezieres announces
that the court martial, by a majority of four to three,
has acquitted Captain Laporte.
It is said that at the reception of January 2, a
striking modification of court etiquette will be made.
The corps diplomatique instead of passing in proces-
sion before their Majesties will be ranged round
the throne, as is the practice in Spain. This change
is stated to have been ordered in compliance with the
wish of the Empress.
We read in the Moniteur de l'..4rmee
The classes from 1842 to 1847, as *very one knows, were
in 1848 called out. Since 1848, on the contrary, the political
situation of the country has so much improved that only
the first portion of the contingents of the last five classes
from 1848 to 18.52 have been called into active service,
whilst the annual liberations from service have been applied
to the whole of the contingents. This is what will again
take place on the 31st inst., the period at which the whole
of the class of 1846 will be liberated from service. This dif-
ference between the number of those called out and those
discharged has hitherto rendered easy the consi.lerable re-
ductions which the gent ral effective strength of the army
has successively undergone. This, however, cannot be
continued without bringing it below the most imperative
wants of the service. The Minister of War has therefore
just adopted a measure intended to fill up at least in pull
the fresh vacancies which will be caused by the approach.
ing liberations. By a decision of the 9th inst., voluntary
engagements are opened for all the corps which recruit
themselves by that means, with the exception of three regi-
ments of &unveil, the first company of workmen for con-
structing military equipages, and for the detachments of
military hospital men employed in any hospitals, except
those of the Bth and 9th divisions.

PARIS. SENDAI EVENING.
Lord Palmerston's resignation is thus officially
noticed in the Monitetsr : .

-----
The news arrived be-day from London confirms the report
circulated yesterday that Lord Palmerston had resigned the
poet he held in the English cabinet as Secretary of State for
the Home Department. This retirement, as all the English
journals are agreed in stating,* is the consequence or a dif•
(creme of opinion that has arisen in the cabinet upon
a question of parliamentary reform. Foreign policy
has nothing w:tatever to do with the noble
lord's resoluion, and this incident cannot, we are

assured (nous en aeons Cassumnee), in any respect affect
the understanding so happily established between the
French and English governments regarding the great in-
terests which pre-occupy Europe. It will not, however, be
thought strange that our regrets should accompany in his
retirement from the cabinet a statesman who has so actively
contributed to bring about this contort, and whose senti-
ments have at all times been pleasing to his Majesty the
Emperor's government (et des sentiments do qua le gnu-
vernment de S. 31. l'Entitereur n'ajainalis en get' d se toner.)

Although the studied official language of the above
note &tiers widely from the expressions rind
by the Patrie last night, the fundamental idea is the
same, and I have good reasons tor believing that the
two paragraphs proceed from the same pen. There
is as yet no official rupture, but Lird Palmerston has
taken with him in his retirement all the sympathy
that existed between the English Cabinet and Louis

• This is a mistake The English journals arc by no
mums agreed on this point.

Napoleon. Of this you may be sure, let theintet7"-."1
from the fact be what they may.
According to the despatch published in the 3/,.
(cur this morning, the Russians have already de.
ducted 4,000 from the 5,000 Turks they at first pre,
tended to have killed at Achalzik. ith the siege
exception of the disaster of Sinope, all the netts
brought here by the last mail from Constantinople it
favourable to the Turkish arms in Asia. lutelligeaaa
of the taking of Tiflis, the capital of Georgia, teas
daily expected. The Turkish army was prey
hard upon it, and had penetrated very near ta
Koutais, in ancient Colchis, now the capital
of Imeritia. Abdi-Pacha's forward movement was
greatly favored by the diversion operated by Scharnyl,
With respect to the affair of Siuope itself, although
the accounts are generally hurried and evidently
incomplete, several letters concur in stating that at
least two of the Russian ships of the line were sunk
by the fire from the fort. The ltussians attempted%
land but were vigorously repulsed. It may perhaps
have already occurred to you that had the Itussiaa,
gained such a complete victory as they ptet„d,
they would have taken possession of the important
town and fortress of Sinope, instead of sailing
away as fast as they could for Sebastopol. A highly
important fact, as bearing upon the conduct of Rosie,
is disclosed by these letters. The Turkish shire
were not, as has been pretended, in the act of trans.
porting ammunition and troops for the purple of
attacking any Russian possession. The battle did
not begin in the Black Sea, and it is not true the
the Turkish flotilla ran into the harbour of Sieope ia
escape from the Russian fleet. They had beta
tying at anchor fur Arleen tlagi, and the
Russian ships of the line stole in under
cover of a fog, and opened a murderots
fire upon them in the harbour. Thus, the tine dzi
unction drawn by the Tinael (if it were ever worth
anything) falls to the ground. The Russian at-
tack was not an ordinary operation of de•
fensive warfare. It was as decided en get
of aggression upon the Turkish territory al
it is possible to conceive: it was an insolent de&
ante to the French and English fleets, crippled is
they are by the deplorable policy of the French and
English governments, and if there was ever any gin.
eerity in the arguments put forward in hectoring
language, though in a hypothetic form, for emerge.
tic action, those arguments are now more than ever
valid, and without the encumbrance of an hypothesis
The cholera, in Paris, which since its breakingoot
in the autumn, has never been very virulent or
widely spread, has sensibly diminished within the last
few days.
M. Arnold Scheffer, the brother of the celebrated
painter, Ary Scheffer, and a well-known writer in
the National, under the management of Armed
Carrel, is just dead.

SPAIN.

-7. • 7-

According to the ParisConstitutionnel, the Sane.
rius cabinet, in Spain, will attempt Wine viuieut act
to rid itself of its opponents if these should prove a-
accessible to the ordinary persuasions of the Spate&
government.
The Constitutionnel says
It is thought at Madrid that the ministry, before advs.
ing the measures called for by t lusting circumstances, vii
' endeavour to exhaust every possible means of cuneilicial,
and that it will negotiate with the chiefs of the opposite
who are paramount in the Senate, in or. et to make them
understand what a heavy responsibility will weigh on then
if they persist in impeding they rogress of pubic dkin
from personal feelings of pride or ambition. If an honour
able means of cninpromige be accepted, the ministry ell
yield to it, but if not, the present advisers of the am
will not hesitate to fulfil their task to their end. They vial
have energy and patriotism enough to follow the moment
of public opinion by causing to disappear from the paned
stage those elements of disorder which hare for so long
opposed invincible obstacles to the tranquillity, the gm.
deer, and the prosperity of Spain.
A Madrid letter of the 10th says:—" The Cooed
of Ministers assembled yesterday evening after the
vote of the Senate, and then went to the Palace to
hold a Council, under the presidency of the Quiet.
Before the President of the Council could speak, the
Queen said that she was well informed of all tint
had taken place ; that she was of opinion that the
opposition of the Senate was not based on any WE-
Meat reason, since it did not attack a single mine.
tonal act; that the Cabinet possessed all her cad.
deuce; and that it might act as it thought right.
The President of the Council then proposed to the
Queen a suspension of the Cortes. lier Majesty im-
mediately acquiesced. It is said that the Ministry
is determined to dismiss all the high functiontriesd
the state, who, in the Senate, did not hesitate tosco
against it."