The Express.
London, England, 1866-07-25 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

THE PRUSSIANS AT FRANKFORT.
(rsou OUR ows CORRESPONDIXT.)
PARIS, TOSSDAT JAWING.
There is a report, I know not whether well
founded, that General Manteuffel's frightful forced
levy upon the peaceable citizens of Frankfort has
been disavowed by the Prussian government. I
hope, for the sake of the Prussian cause, which I
have come to think that of the well being of Ger-
many, this news may be true. The conduct of the
Prussians in Frankfort is universally reprobated in
Paris. The Libel*, in the following ingenious
observations, seeks to screen the Prussians to a
certain extent by declaiming against the horrors
of war :

The conduct of the Prussians at Frankfort provokes
universal indignation. One cannot understand how that
free town, renouncing all defence and throwing its gates
wide open to the conquerors, should be treated with such
extraordinary rigour by Generals Falkenstein and Man.
teuffel. We have no desire to plead extenuating eircumm•
I stances for collectors of Indirect taxes, who offer a receipt
at the point of a bayonet. We think, like everybody else,
that the pillage of Frankfort was a very deplorable act
of vengeance ; nevertheless we are of opinion that the
public, in its natural anger, mistakes the nature of the
act, The Prussian @oldie's are condemned whereas war
itself is the culprit. An army on the march is peripatetic
devastation. And here we find a consolatory symptom.
A good round levy of money and provisions raises a cry of
horror throughout the world. People forget that at the
commencement of the century our armies did more or leas
in all the towns of Europe what the Prussians have just
done in Frankfort. There is a word for this kind of thing
—it is called a mina. The thing must be. Troops on
the march cannot behave like peaceable citizens. When
death faces you at any moment, when you are armed,
when you represent physical force, no matter how
strong may be the principle of discipline, it is impossible
to be very scrupulous. Necessity is there pressing, and
notions of morality are thrown into the background. Ideas
of serum and Nun are only seen through a very thick fog.
The prevailing notion is that money has been sacrificed to
beat the enemy, and that the enemy should pay the ex-
penses of the war. . . . The disgust excited by the
Prussian exactions is evidence of progress. War is getting
out of fashion. To do away with it altogether we need
only direct against the thing itself the indignation which
we waste upon its inevitable consequences.
The Bourse was very heavy. Rente fell 35c.
for cash and 30c. for account, closing at 68fr. 70c.
and 68fr. 85c. Italian, after the great depreciation
of yesterday, sustained the further fall of lfr. 35c.
Mobilier fell 13fr. 75c., and Credit Foncier, 15c.
The Orleans Railway fell 12fr. 50c., and Lyons
7fr. 50c. I cannot think the " state of the ac-
count " sufficient to explain this persistent depre-
ciation. The solidity of the proposed peace must
be doubted by financial people.

Edward Knell wee charged with throwing stems.
Police-constable Jones, X 63, was on duty. Saw the
mob acting with violence. The park railings were partly
forced down. The prisoner threw stones. Ile was taken
to the Marble Arch and detained.
Crosenxemined—Did not see the defendant before the
stones were thrown. Sew distinctly the prisoner pick up
three stones end throw them. Did not strike the defen-
dant with his truncheon, nor see him struck. Never sew
the prisoner before. The prisoner made no complaint that
he was in pain.
Mr. Merriman said he had several witnesses to prove
that the police were guilty of the greatest possible excesses.
The case would be fully investigated in another court, but
he did not state that circumstance with the view of teak. '
ing an impression on the mind of the court. The doings
at the Marble Arch would be inquired into. The defen-
dant was much injured, and if remanded he would be able
to bring witnesses to prove his respectability, and to con-
tradict the evidence of the police.
Mr. Knox had no right to disbelieve the testimony of
two police-eourtables. Ile should fine the defendant 40s.
Frederick Wilmshurst, for throwing 140=11 and assault-
inidlrnspeetor Dart, S division.
. E. 1). Lewis said he was instructed that a mistake
had been made, and he should endeavour to establish that
assertion by witnesses. The defendant was a hard working
Ind, who had been attracted to the scene by curiosity, and
not from a desire to incite or amid in a breach of the

pesTheos.
father of the defendant, a wheelwright, said his
son was under 19 years of age, and in employ. The buy
was a good boy to work, and always brought home his
wages to his mother. He was a mild quiet boy.
Mr. Knox bad no doubt the boy threw the stone, but be
was so struck by the tone assumed by the defendant's
solicitor, who did not impute every sort of blame to the
police, or seem to think they had neither bodies nor
tempers to be injured, that he would put the case back,
and after hearing the rest of the stone-throwing cases
would decide whether be could not inflict a fine rather than
imprisonment.
James Dempsey. Throwing stones.
Mr. Knox said he wee sorry the law did not allow him
to inflict a higher penalty than 405., or one month.
James Harman was charged with throwing a missile at
Captain Harris, of the police.
Police-detective Mulvany saw the prisoner take up •
piece of stick and fling it at Captain Harris, collicEbut
" Down with the police !" Took the prisoner to the
Arch.
Mr. Wellman, on behalf of the prisoner, CIVIS-9X-
sanined—The mob appeared in a state of excite-
ment. There might be about 100,000 persons collected.
The stick did not strike Captain Harris, but it did his
orderly. The defendant went quietly to the station, but
previously the defendant, himself and another constable
were on the ground together. The constables were being
kicked about by the mob.
40a. or a mouth.
Charles Cook, charged with sesault.
Police-oonstable F 164, said about nine o'clock
he saw the prisoner throw a stone. He laid hold of the
prisoner and took him into custody. Saw the prisoner
throw the stone in the direction of Sir Richard Mario.

Mr. Knox—When did the disturbance quits subside'
Inspector Bowles—About 12 o'clock at night.
The prisoner, a navvy, denied throwing stones. He had
212 just come to London, :it'd a friend took him to Hyde-
While standing there heard persons say, "Don't
rurZthe soldiers; let that in the white waistcoat Lave
it ; and then three brickbatawere thrown at him.
Mr. Knox—Hal Sir Richard Mayne a white waist-
coat on?
Constable—Re had.
Mr. Knox—These valiant proceeding', throwing bricks
at a gentleman about 70 years of age, made him feel quite
proud of his countrymen. He believed the police, and be
should fine the prisoner 40a. or one mouth.
Robert Wakeford. Disorderly conduct.

One month's imprisonment.
James Macperson, for climbing over the park railings
Discharged after a warning.
Daniel Dobson. Wilfullly damaging the park railings.
A witness came forward and dared that the prisoner,
his nephew, never put a hand to the railings. The prisoner
was never out of his sight all the time.
After bearing two other witnesses, who said the railings
were forced down by the pressure of the mob,
Mr. Knox remanded the case for a week.
John Godbold, charged with climbing over the railings,
was discharged with a caution.
John Ithellabeare, assaulting the polies, 10e. or Raven
days.
William Crotty, charged with throwing stones, 40a. or a
month.
James Ferry, assaulting the police.
Police constable DiLlaway, A. saw the prisoner throw
part of a brick and strike another constable named Wilding
on the face, knocking him down. The prisoner then ran
among the mob, hat was secured and taken to the Marble
Arch. i The constable Wilding was so much injured that he
had been obliged to leave the court.
Mr. Knox remanded the prisoner.
Alfred Ellis chrrged with wilful damage.
Police.constable Davis, 11179, saw the prisoner wilfully
force down some railings in Park-lane.
Mr. Knox remanded the prisoner.
Alfred King, William Barnes. and William Welch,
charged with throwing stones, 40s. *roue month.
William Haydon, charged with disorderly conduct by
endeseounng to unhorse some of the mounted constables
was ordered to enter info his own reangsissnems to be *I
good behaviour.
George Mann, charged with stone-throwing.
The pawner denied the charge, but
Mr. Eno: did not believe him. and said he night flaw
the court with the proud eatidaction that be had Mt an
old man, 70 years of age, with MOMS ; the dohs-
dant must, however, bat pay 40a., or one meth.
William Kart, charged with damaging the perk aging&
108. for the damage and a time of 51. es one mouth.

MEETING OF THE WORKING MEN'S AMIOCIATION.
—A crowded meeting of the London Working Men's Asso-
ciation was held last evening, at the Brougham Dining.
hall, Fleet-street, Mr. G. Potter in the chair, to 'insider
the conduct of the government in reference to the Hyde-
perk meeting. A long and animated discussion took
place, during which several instances of brutal violence
on the part of the police were given, and a general
opinion expressed that a continued agitation mad
ibe kept up to get rid of the premed ministry,
who had shown by its conduct it possessed the
old spirit of toryism and distrust of the people. Mr.
Bligh moved the following resolutions :—" That this sem-
dation emphatically condemns the action of the govern-
ment in attempting the suppression of the reform meeting
in Hrde-park, called by the Reform League on Monday
last, and considers the government to be responsible
for ell or breeches of the peace sonimitted in Hyde-
park on the above evening. That this association, while
deeply regretting the disorder which occurred in Hyde-
park on Monday evening, is of opinion that such di orders
were mainly if not wholly provoked by the brutal violence
of a huge portion of the pollee on duty in the park
on that evening. That the beet thanks of this moo-
ciation are given to Mr. Baxter Lengley for his taking the
chair at a public meeting held in Hyde-park on Monday
evening last, in defiance of the police stithorities, and thus
practically vindicating the right of the people to hold a
meeting in the park." The resolutions were carried amidst
loud cheering. Mr. Strong then moved, " That the asso-
ciation call an open-air meeting in Lincoln's-inn-fields on
next Tuesday evening, to give the working men of London
an opportunity of publicly expressing their opinion on the
conduct of the tory government on Minday lath." The reso-
lution was agreed to, and the executive committee were
instructed to carry out the details.