The Express.
London, England, 1866-12-28 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(nom OUR owl! col

PARIS. THURSDAY Evinmca.
The Courrier du Pas de Calais. the prefectorial
journal, which gave an enthusiastic support to the
newly-elected deputy, M. Sens, has commenced an
action for libel against the defeated candidate, M.
Florent Lefevre, and a relative of his, who writes
in the opposition paper, the Propagateur, of Lille.
After the disclosure made a few days ago in a
Paris law court touching a late municipal election
at Sevres, the editor of a government print, who
comes forward as a plaintiff in a libel case
growing out of an election, cannot but appear
at a certain disadvantage. What passed
at Sevres was this An obscure individual
named Fitte made a progress through the streets
of the town in a charlatan's car, and collecting a
crowd by the process of drum-beating and trumpet-
blowing, like Doctor Dulcamara, distributed to all
corners a printed lampoon upon the opposition
candidate. The correctional tribunal of Paris
held the publication libellous and sentenced Fitte
to pay 500 fr. damages. But now Fitte vouches to
warranty the Mayor of Sevres, the prime patron
of the government candidate, and says that he,
the mayor, employed him to circulate the libels
and guaranteed to hold him harmless against
the consequences. It is still sub judiee
whether the pauvre diable Fitte can make
his guarantee available, and whether the
Mayor of Sevres, who basks in court favour
at the gates of the Palace of St. Cloud,
will not get off on the ground of public policy,
and by virtue of the maxim ex turpe contractu non
oritur octio.
Figaro was seized this evening in its bureaux
and in the booths on the Boulevard. When the
news spread there was a general rush to buy
the number, and very many readers who
secured copies before the police order was com-
pletely carried out puzzled themselves in vain to
discover the corpus delieti. I have, I believe, found
it out, but cannot repeat it in termes hOundes. The
article for which the Figaro will be prosecuted is
written by M. Jules Claretie ; it contains some
facetious strictures upon Father Hyacinthe'. Ad-
vent 'sermons, and tells an indecent anecdote tend-
ing to show a solidarity between clerical and mili-
tary immorality, the whole ending by sati-
rical observations upon the worship of the
needle gun and the proximate reorganisation
of the army. /is candy venenum. Had the
writer let the army alone he might probably
have been allowed to poke his fun at Father Hja-
cinthe with impunity. The incriminated passage is
no doubt contra blows mores; but few people would
have noticed it but for the prosecution, which I
cannot think will tend to edifying in any way

whatever.
A Paris correspondence in the Ustios de r Ouest
—a clerical journal in Brittany Ys that
General Fleury sent to the Emperor from Florence
a largo collection of caricatures and pamphlets,
holding him up to odium and ridicule, which cir-
culated there with impunity.
The Patric takes upon itself to contradict the
news that Admiral Roze hi.s met with a check in
the waters of Corea.
The rise at yesterday's Bourse cannot be said to
have made any further progress. Bente rose 12c.
for account, but fell 10c. for cash. 310bilier fell
2fr. 51.1 c. The market was dull at the close.

TILE CRETAN INSURRECTION

The Leraiit Herald, of December 19, writes as
follows respecting the Cretan insurrection :
Locally, as well as from the island, the Cretan news of
the week is almost nil. Two government 'reamers came
in on Wednesday and Thursday, the latter bringing Djemil
Paths, lust aide-de-camp to the Sultan, who had been seat
on a mission of inspection for his Majesty's private infor-
mation. We believe the young paella's report entirely
agrees with the despatches of the Imperial Commisaioner,
and again proves that only an obstinate remnant of rebels
still holds out —" coerced into continued resistance by
the volunteers." In fact it is only these pestilent Hellenic
brigands who now remain to be hunted down, and, that
done, the Cretan revolt is at an end—as indeed it has been
any time during the past couple of months. Mustapha Pacha
is stated to have returned from Itethyruno to Canes on the
6th, after haviag, he reports, named mudirs and sent out
collectors for the eastern districts of the island. On the
Nth be again started with nine battalions for Selino, to
give yet another finishing stroke
return of to the rebellion. Al nearly
a week, however, has passed since the Dng
Pachn, without any steamer following to announce the fac
ro-
t
that this final blow has been given, some accident, p
bably the weather, has doubtless intervened to suspend its
delivery. In the meantime, Admiral Mustai ha l'acha is
said to have organised an effective blockade with the
Tally the Fevaidiit, and the two quick Egyptian steamers
lent by the Viceioy. Syra letters, however, affirm that
the Panhellenion has nevertheless made two f
cou further
successful runs with stores and volunteers ; but o
for this fact we cannot vouch. Here in the capital, the
transport help rendered to the destitute Cretan families
by her ?dainty's ship Assurance seems to have created a
very similar impression to that reported by our correspon-
dent from Athens, and a rumour was current on Monday
that A'ali I'acha had on the previous day addressed a
friendly protest against the act to Lord Lyons, but we
have reason to believe that no special communication has
yet taken place between his highness and his lordship on
the subject. The American Admiral Goldshorough has
also written to his government for permission to employ a
vessel of his squadron in transporting the women and
children of the insurgents tower reece, the wholeof his ships
—except the Ti, ch is at Marseilles—being
now at Gibraltar, ready for any service that may be re'
quired.
The correspondent of the same paper, writing
from Canea on the 7th inst., says :
Since my last there has been but little fighting on either
side. The tragedy at Arkatli, with its immense destruc-
tion of life, seems to have paralysed the energies of the
troops as well as those of the insurgents,. at least for a
time. The details we continue to receive of the affair
render yet more gloomy the story of this as yet saddest
episode in this unfortunate struggle. The desperate and
prolonged resistance made by two hundred irregular Cre-
tans, some of whom had shouldered a musket for the first
time, against so ninny thousands of disciplined troops, seems
almost incredible. It in fact recalls some of the peges of the
classic historyof Greece, where mere hundreds foiled the ad-
vance of overwhelming maws. What effect it will have in
promoting the prosper
peace you can divine as readily as
myself. Ilynntios will in all probability unite his forces
with those of the other commanders for the defence of
Sebago against which Mustapha Naha is advancing with
a very large force. As the bulk of the families of the in-
surgeuts are concentrated in this part of the island, the
resistance will be a bloody and prolonged one. Should
a reverse happen to the Cretans the disaster will fall
heavily on the women and children. I hear it slid to-day
that her Majesty's steamer Assurance is preparing to carry
off such of the perishing families as desire to leave. If
so, I suspect that the Turkish authorities have consented
to such a transaction. If this is allowed, the Russians and
others will follow suit. and much suffering will be saved
to helpless creatures who have not the power to do harm if
they were so disosed. Some difficulties have arisen with
the local authorities on ammo' of complaints of officers
of the English, French, and Italian vessels of
war against the Turkish soldiery for acts of violence.
How well-founded these complaints may be I have no
means of judging, but the persistence with which de-
mands for satisfaction are made gives them a certain
eerionsness. Thus far no redress has been given. Euro-
peen naval officers must not expect to be able to shoot in
perfect security over the desolate plains of Crete. War
necessarily brings insecurity, and the times are so sadly
out of joint, that much is regarded as tolerable now
which would not be permitted In a season of peace.
Where wrong has really been dons, 1 cannot but