The Express.
London, England, 1859-01-08 00:00:00

Audi at tatsza mita trenttiscit Olympam.

Louts NAPOLIWN, at the diplomatic reception on
New Year's-day, addresses a few words of common-
place civility to the Austrian Ambassador with a
little more animation than usual, and straightway all
dm wires of all the telegraphs in Europe are charged
with currents of disaater and dismay, and all
the Ezchanges in Europe are convulsed with panic,
and convinced that the Deluge is come. The gigantic
struggle of what is called the French Revolution
against privilege and prejudice of every kind has
attained this 'magnificent result—the creation of an
absolute form of Personal Government in which all
the forces 'tidal the responsibilities of a great mili-
tary Power and an enlightened nation are conoen-
trated in the will of a secretive individual, who was
an adventurer in his youth, a prisoner in middle life,
and a ruler at an age when contempt for one's fellow-
creatures is not easily unlearned. We put it to the
large class of practical and business-like men among
our neighbours, who have outgrown the
follies of freedom, and who prefer tranquil-
lity ander the shadow of an Imperial Throne
to the turmoil and distraction of Parliamentary In-
stitutions—are they completely satisfied with the

change after ten years' triumphant experience?
The barardaye of the Tribune and the Press is lapsing
into a tradition which only a few veteran incurables
and a few young enthusiasts ears to cherish ; but
there must be men on the Bourse who remember
that when in other days war seemed imminent, it
woe averted by a timely change of ministry, con-
fidence was restored by explanations in the Cham-
bers, and public feeling war appeased by discussions
in the Press. It was not left to any one man to feed
fat as ancientgrudge or to satiate an exorbitant ambi-
tion at the cost of civilisation and humanity. But
cow all this is changed. Constitutional pedantries
sad Parliamentary checks have been exchanged for
the vigorous unity of a democratic despotism, and,
cm New Year's-day, 18.59, we have arrived at the
Apotheosis of Irresponsibility. An Emperor raises
hie voice a note or two, and Europe quakes. Surely
this is enough to put us out of conceit with the safe
and slow formalities of self-government.
How admirable are the guarantees of international
security presented by an Empire, in which no
/dog barks without permission. On Saturday, the
lit of January, the Emperor of the Fnetccn ex-
presses his regret that " our relations" with Austria
are not so good as they have been, and requests
M. as Htßica to wish his Imperial brother a happy
new year. Some say this compliment or this
menace war emphasised by a cold and distant
manner; some say by a warmth and vivacity
of gesture. In any case, down go the funds,
and the hundred tongues of rumour wag omi-
nously wherever men of money congregate. On
Tuesday a semi-official journal oomes out with the
textual words as they issued fresh from the Imperial
lips, but rumour will have it that they have under-
gone a cooling process in the passage ; and another
seimi-eMcial journal interprets them as neither a
compliment nor a menace, but something of both ;
and, in short, whichever you please. This is not
very re-smuring, and down go the Node deeper and
deeper still. Journals published at Brands, but
supposed to be " inipired " from Paris, take up the
solemn theme and decide it in a most pacific sense:
they tell ea that the true meaning of the Imperial
phrase is to be discovered in the context, and the
context is the phrase addressed to the Papal
Nuncio, than which nothing could be more
friendly or more harmless in sound and sense-
Unfortunately, the words addressed to the Nuncio
were not officially recorded. It is not until Friday,
the 7th instant, that the Moniteue itself deigns to
come to the rescue of the mass of speculators, and to
relieve the anxieties of governments and nations by
the following oracular paragraph:—" For some days
" public opinion has been agitated by alarming re-
" ports, to which it is the duty of the Government
"to put an end, in declaring that nothing in our
" diplomatic °fairs authorises the fears which these
" rumours tend to create."

We hope the most nervous of our readers will
sleep soundly after this frank and explicit
seminar* from an authority distinguished for its
frankness and veracity. Perhaps a few entices
and ill-disposed people will fail to gather from the
words we have italicised all the comfort they were
doubtless designed to convey. In November, '6l,
when rumours of a coup crltat were disturbing men's
minds, a paragraph might have appeared in the
Moniteur to the following effect:—" Fee some cloys
" public opiniee has been agitated by alarming
" reports, to whit* it is the duty of the Government
" to put an mid, in declaring that nothing in oar

" legislative affairs authorises the fears which thew

" rumours tend to create." Whether such a para-
graph would have been considered satisfactory we
will not take upon ourselves to decide at this date;
but what degree of truth it would have expressed
we an now at no loss to determine. In a Govern-
ment of silence and secrecy—absolute, personal, ins-
sponaible—it matters little whether, in " our
" diplomatic affairs " there be more or less to
justify apprehension. The real danger lies else-
where, in councils less amenable to correction,because
practically inaccessible.
The only suppesit ion by which "the lean which these
"rumours tend to create" can be removed is one which
aggravates rather than diminishes the gravity of the
offence with which the Imperial Government stands
charged by all the political and commercial interests
of Europe. Were it not the common talk of Paris,
and what is worse, almost as probable as it is dis-
creditable, we should hesitate even to admit as a
rumour the explanation which has reached us of
the recent war-panic and its tardy alleviation.
Personal government is at best a questionable
evil; but a personal government of gamblers
is en unquestionable curse. It is bad enough
that a European war should be lightly spoken
of as a trump card which may one day be played, but
that the Council-table of a power like France
should descend to the morality of rouge et noir,
is an alarming phenomenon indeed. It may be the
misfortune rather than the fault of a p4TVONN poten-
tate that he is surrounded by adventurers, some of
whom are needy, and all extravagant. But that the
peace of Europe should be placed in jeopardy and
its commerce paralysed, and thousands of ignorant
and innocent people rained, in order that a near
relation may " pot" a trifle of something like
80,0001., and that a " book" may be made up at the
Tuileries, is a public crime so unpardonable, a con-
dition of affairs so intolerable, that only the ante-
cedents of the Imperial Government can excuse the
existence of the rumour to which we have alluded.
That such a rumour should be possible is, we fear, no
matter for surprite ; but we cannot, of course, for a
moment accept it as an adequate explanation of the
angry address to the Ambassador, or the long-
delayed lclaireissement in the Moaiteu►.

if bt Court.

WINDSOR, lax. 7.

Her Majesty's dinner party yesterday incladed
the Priam oil Wales and the Princiew Alice, the Hon. Fre-
derick Braes, the Km Colonel R. Bruce, Lieut.-General
Sir WiWam and Lady Co'Clanton, Sir Charles Eastlake.
sad Captain Grey. Also the Hon. Charles Gore and Mr.
W. Fitzgerald, who arrived at the Castle in the eftenicion.
Lady Emily Cavendish and Colonel the Hon. 81r Charles
and Lady Phipps had the honour to he invited.
The band or the 2nd Life Guards was la attendance and
performed dariag dinner the

Oembshed Mud; Neuman.
Owlßolo do Palau*. "Lo Overoxe -
OWL "IOW."
Moe Ms &NOM. " riliffli .
Orson
Her Majesty's private bead played adterveads la tin
Drawlag-room the

Orator*. " Mideths narlera lb
I•trooluction. " P* ada ware-..
beloselka. :Alma

=l*
wow.

The Queen, with the Preemie Alice, walked this morning
in the grounds adjoining the Castle.
The Prisms Consort sod the Priam of Wales went out
shooting. The Duke of Aumale arrived early, sad swan.
pealed the nine., sad also Prince Edward of Bate-
Weimar.

The Duke and Duchess of Anmale visited her Majesty.
Mr. Hardt, of Flormses, had the honour of submitting to
the Mace Consort a copy of a work published by him, and
of which his royal highness baa accepted the dedication. The
work consists of photographic fac-similes of original designs
by Raffeelle in the galleries of VltiPla and Venice.
Llwatenant-Gerieral Sir William and Lady Codrington,
the Hoe. Frederick Brune, and Sir Chas. Eastlake, have left
the Castle.

The Master of the Mint had an interview with the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer yesterday. Mr. Thomas Baring,
M.P., hod also en interview with the right hon. gentleman,
at his official residence, in Downing-street.
Despatcbee were stet to the Lord High Commissioner of
the lowan Islands, yesterday. from the Colonial-office, and
to the Governor of Canada. Des were received from
the Governor of Falkisacr•

Her Royal Highoesa the Princess of Leiniagen,
and hie Serene Highness the Prince of Leiningen. arrived
at Manthoad on Monday last, on a visit to Bir Lycleton sod
the Mimes Newman. The diethtgolehed guests invited to
most them Included the Dale and Duchene of Somerset and
Lord Edward St. Manr, Viscount and Lady Katherine,
Earl and Coeutteae Fortesene and Mime dale,
Lady lulls Lockwood, Lord Earlsfort, Mr. Babson, and
Mr. Hamilton.

The Earl and Countess Howe have been receiving
• select family parq during the holidays at Gopeall Hell,
Among the gnome may be stalatkeed Lord end Lady Barg-
harsh, Viscount and Viscountess Curzon, Mr. and Lady
Charlotte Start end Mlle deur; Colonel and Lady Emily
Kinpoot., Lady Arthur Hay, Hon. Julian Face, Colonel
Baring, &c.

The marriage of Miss de Satin, a daughter of the
late Count de Bane, with Colonel Cliellocer, of Portman
Park, took place on Thursday by /pedal license, at Herlizug-
tom, ia Moldiest:.

Mr. Warren, M.P., and Mrs. and Mir Warren
ays mitt( • visit to the Earl and Countess of Egmont, at
Cowdvay Lad" Bonny.

The Duke of Argyll delivers • lecture on geo-
logy, in the City Hall, Glasgow, on Thunsisy !text.

Mr. Layird will lecture before the Reading Lite-
7, on the disooverier in Ample' , on the 11th
Wind.

The Royal Commissit
win rent= their aittiag at

for manning the Navy
don-gtrest„ on Monday.

Mr. E. W. Sergeant, of Balliol College, Ozford,
hes been appointed ose of the =atm ht Wellingteet

The next oratorio to be performed by the Sacred
Harmonic Society will be St. Pawl, In which Signor BeMil
will Ong the yrieclyel p.m

The first concert of the New Musical Society is to
take place shortly; at which will te performed the Key
Camels, by likens. Illeeiwees led Oseeford, with Mademe
listliartae Hayes es the llarQuen.

We (Athasedeeme) utalerstaad that Herr Joachim
has oomplehmli a now Concerto for the violin ; which, there-
fore, we may expect to hear during theonsuing 11011400, whoa
we believe, it Is his intention to revisit England.

Madame Anna Bishop is now no longer Madame
Anna Bishop, bat Madame Schulze, having been recently
vatted to an American gentleman of that name

We (Post) much regret to hear that Mrs. Sims
Rewvss baa been for Wine weeks very seriously ill, so vouch

so indeed se to cause hoc fsmily and friends mat anxiety
sad alarm.

The managers of the Artists and Amateurs' Con-
veratztose, enesting in Willie's Knows, bare organised soirees
SerTlinrsday, Feb. 3, Minh 3, April 7, and lisp 5.

Mr. Charles Kean revives the tragedy of Mania
to Monday mei/wok! the Priseenee.

Mime Annie Fowler, the favourite columbine at
Me Oneini Theater, died risterday (Friday) morning. The
Ere learns that her widths 601111119 WU caused through her
clothes accidentally catching Ise.
ITALIAN OPERA AT DRURY LANE.—We have
authority for stating that hir. R. T. Smith, the lessee of tbs
Theatre Royal Drury Lena, has rewired upon opening his
theatre for Italian opera performanon (after the run of the
pantomime) some time in April, and that eagagenanta ere
already completed with the following celebrated artistes:—
Tenon: Signor Alumni, of the Royal Opera, St. Penne
burp, and Signor Genteel, of the Imperial Opera, Feria;
Winans . Signor Bodied (now singing at the Imperial
Theatre, Parisi, &nor Graziaai (late of the Royal Opera,
Coyest Ceram), and Wiper Fasottl, of the ttayal Opera,
Perna. MAW. Weber sad Bambini, hoot Turin ; 11$111e,
!throats (peel of Mow. Lairy), Mdli.. Vatted, and also a
lint-nets pine dame. Daring the amain both Perini
end Fiendst wl/1 probably appear. M. Benedict Is to super-
Riad tla dens and the cealweira. —Sunday lionis.