The Express.
London, England, 1867-12-07 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(FROM otl OWN CORIUMPONDINT.)
PARIS, FEMAY EVZNING.

M. Rouher has completely taken the wind out
of the sails of M. Thies. To the astonishment of
all parties, he declared yesterday, in terms as
absolute as those which M. Thiess, little thinking
that his desire was about to be complied with,
had dictated, that France would in any and every
case protect and maintain the temporal power, that
Italy should never have Rome for capital, and that
by the word Rome he included all the Papal States
now in the Pope's possession. Moreover, that,
until durable guarantees are given for the mainte-
nance of the temporal power so understood, France
will not withdraw her troops from the Papal States.
" If Italy marches against Rome " (and it is a most
remarkable thing that the Minister of State should
reason upon this hypothesis), " she will find a French
army to oppose her." Going far beyond the
Marquis de Moustier, who in the Senate talked
rather facetiously about " daily bread," and would
not say what might be done to-morrow, and whose
later speech in the Corps Legislatif was thought
equivocal, M. Rouher said :

We will say to Italy—What do you want with Rome for
capital? Why should you have this enclave which protect.
the great interesta of catholicism! Of what use to you
would be 700,1100 souls to add to your 25,000,000 of Ita-
lians! Do you not understand that this idea of Rome
capital is a factitious, sterile idea, and that the acquisition
would be a fatal one ? Let us say all that to Italy ; and
let us, moreover, tell her that she is a nation born yester-
day, without precedents, without traditions, without ex-
perience ; let her cast far from her that revolution which
unfortunately helped her birth, organise her credit and
finances, and, in a word, become a state like any other
state.

The effect of M. Rouher's totally new declaration
before the Chamber was tremendous. The ultra-
montanist interpellations were withdrawn, M.
Chesnelong, their mover, declaring himself per-
fectly satisfied. M. Berryer was so overcome by
delightful emotion at what he had heard that he
said his feeling almost choked his utterance. M.
Thiers said nothing. He was, it may fairly be
assumed, as much disappointed as astonished to
find that the prime minister had fully adopted the
conclusion which ho had taken three hours and a
half to lead up to.
The democratic opposition admitted quite as
fully as the clericals that now at least the declara-
tions of government were not equivocal.
The Bishop of Orleans was in the senators' tri-
bune, and in forgetfulness of the rules of the
Chamber concerning strangers, vehemently ap-
plauded M. Rouher while he was speaking.
The Correctional Tribunal gave judgment to-day
in a prosecution instituted by the Austrian am-
bassador against the Courrier Fronton, fora libel on
the Princess Metternich. The public cannot know
the grounds of the defence of the paper, because
reports of libel cases are prohibited. But it will
I fancy occur to most people who read the incrimi-
nated article, which was one on the general cor-
ruption of manners in Paris, that to drag in the
Princess Metternich's name as a type of a " Be-
noiton," was to insult a lady without any plausible
pretence that the illustration of the writer's argu
ments was necessary on public grounds. Whether
it was worth while or wise on the part of Prince
Metternich to set the French public prosecutor in
motion for &frivolous squib is quite another question.

M. Vermorel, the editor of the ro,rr ier Frau
is sentenced to two months' imprisonment and
I,ooofr. fine ; and M. Lepage, the manager, to a
month's imprisonment, and a fine of the like
amount.

President Delesvaux, the judge whose name
so intimately associated with press condemnations
in his little Correctional Tribunal, is about to
be promoted to a seat in the Court of Appeil (Im.
perial Court).
The Bourse was decidedly weak. Rento fell
10c. for cash, and Inc. for account, closing at
69fr. and 69fr. no. Italian fell 40c., and Credit
Fonder, 7fr. 50c.

ADJOURNMENT OF PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—(Tuts DAY.)
The Loan CHANCELLOR took his seat upon the woolsack
at 12 o'clock.

ROYAL Af3SENT.

The royal assent was given by consent to the following
bills :—Sales of Reversions ; Drainage and Improvement
of Lands (Ireland), supplemental ; Metropolitan Streets
Act (1867) Amendment ; Income Tax ; Consolidated Fund
(2,000,01100 ; Totnes, ko., Writs.
The royal commissioners were the Lord Chancellor, the
Earl Cadogan, and the Earl of Tankerville.
Their lordahipa then adjourned to Thursday, the 13th
of February next.