The Express.
London, England, 1867-11-19 00:00:00

TO THZ 'limos Or TEI EXPELS&

SlR,—Having received from an authentic source
of information at Florence a statement of the treat-
mentof General Garibaldi at Vnano, I trust
you will permit your valuable journal to be the me-
dium of giving it publicity. The General is not
allowed to write or receive letters, nor to receive
visitors. Moreover, the pleasure of seeing him two
sons, Menotti and Ricciotti, is denied to him,
although he entertains for them both, as I have
witnessed, the most tender affection. Fresh air is
not denied to him, provided that he do not walk un-
attended. To this indignant condition he would
not submit, and therefore this disinterested hero,
who has done the state some service, is doomed to
solitary confinement in the convict prison at
Varignano.
Last week Colonel Chambers, a gentleman who
combines English independence of spirit with Sa-
maritan benevolence of heart, wished to send the
prisoner a box containing shirts, towels, English
books, and English newspapers. At first the
Italian government interposed to prevent the
transmission of these luxuries ; but the American
ambassador, not at all dreading the ruler of a na-
tion where conscripts are numerous and free men
scarce, interfered in a manner so peremptory as to
ensure the delivery of the English present to
General Garibaldi.

May I now venture to ask, through your widely
circulated paper, whether the illustrious prisoner
at Varignano is not entitled to the same indulgence
there as is granted to the lowest criminals in the
prisons of free, independent, and Christian England
—I am, &c., C. B. M.
Hyde.psrk•street, London, Nov. 18.

Qusszorrown, Nov. 19.—The Guion steamship
Minnesota, from New York, arrived here at midnight
with 102 paiwenpra. After landing some of them she
proceeded for Liverpool immediately.—Renter's Telegram.
DESPATCH OF WEST INDIA MAII.S.--SOUTHAMP-
Tole, Nov. 18.—The Royal Mail Company's steamship
Tasmanian, Captain Leeds, sailed this afternoon with
mails for the British and Foreign West Indies, the Pacific,
California, Central America, &c. Bhe took out 75 passen-
gers and a general cargo, including silver coin, 2001. ;
gold coin, 301. ; jeweller;, 1,2081. ; and French jewel-
lery, 2,9321.

THE LATE LORD DUDLEY STUART.—Saturday,
the 16th instant, being the 13th anniversary of the death
of Lord Dudley Stuart, a meeting of the Polish Historical
Society was held yesterday, at Sussex Chambers, Duke-
street, St. James's, in commemoration of the ead event,
which deprived the Poles of their best friend in this
country.

A supplement to the London Gazette, published
last evening 0011W111 Orders in Oonnellrevoking such
parts of previous orders as prohibited the importatsen of
cattle, bides, Sic., into this country from the States of the
Netherlands, except so fax as South Holland is concerned.
Her Majesty has graciously forwarded to Dr.
Barrett, of 75, Blackfriars-road, the medical practitionea
in attendance, the sum of 31. for Mrs. Sarah Martin, of 3,
Bear-eourt, Bear-lane, Southwark, who was delivered of
Shies living male children on the 4th inst. Both parents
are blind.

OPENING OF THE FRENCH CHAMBERS

THE EMPEROR'S SPEECH.

EII:MEW/I TELEGRAM.)
[The following appeared in our late edition of last
evening] :
- -

PARIS, Nov.lB.

The French Chambers were opened to-day by
the Emperor in person, who delivered the following
speech :
" MESSIEURS LES SENATZURS,
" MESSIEURS LES DEPUTES,

" The necessity of resuming the uninterrupted
discussion of important laws has obliged me to call
you together earlier than usual. Recent events
have further caused me to experience the wish of
availing myself of your sagacity and your
assistance.

" Since you separated, vague disquietudes
have arisen to affect the public mind in
Europe, and to restrict the movements of industry
and commercial transactions in all quarters. Not-
withstanding the declarations of my government,
which has never varied in its pacific attitude, the
belief has been spread that any modification in the
internal system of Germany must become a Mlle
of conflict. This state of uncertainty could not
endure longer. It is necessary to accept frankly
the changes that have taken place upon the other
aide of the Rhine, to proclaim that so long as our
interests and our dignity shall not be threatened,
we will not interfere in the transformations effected
by the wish of the population. The disquiet that
has been displayed is difficult of explanation at a
period in which France has offered to the world
the most imposing spectacle of conciliation and
of peace.
" The Universal Exhibition, which nearly all the
Sovereigns of Europe have attended, and in which
the representatives of the labouring classes of all
countries have met, has drawn closer the ties of
fraternity between the nations. It has dis-
appeared, but its traces will leave a deep impres-
sion upon our age ; for if, after having majestically
risen, the Exhibition has only shone with momen-
tary brilliance, it has destroyed for ever a
past of prejudices and of errors. The shackles
of labour and of intelligence, the barriers
between the different peoples, as well as the
different classes, international hatreds—these are
what the Exhibition has cast behind it. These in-
contestible pledges tof concord do not allow us to
dispense with improving the !military institutions
of France. It is the imperious duty of every go-
vernment to follow progress, independently of cir-
cumstances, in all the elements which constitute
the strength of a country, and it is for us a neces-
sity to bring to perfection our military organisation
as our weapons and our navy. The project of law
presented to the legislative body divided equally be-
tween all citizens the charges of recruitment. That
system has appeared too absolute, and arrangements
have been come to for mitigating its application.
Since then I have thought it advisable to submit
this important question to further consideration.
In fact this difficult problem cannot be too care-
fully investigated, as it touches upon such great
and often contradictory interests. My government
will propose new arrangements to you, which
are only simple modifications of the law of 1832,
but which achieve the object I have always had in
view—the reduction of the effective strength of the
army during peace, and its increase during the
time of war. You will examine them, as also the
organisation of the National Guard Mobile, under
the impression of that patriotic idea that the
stronger we are the more certain will be the
assurance of peace. That peace which it is the wish
of us all to preserve seemed I for a moment in
danger. Revolutionary agitations prepared in the
broad daylight threatened the Pontifical States.
The Convention of the 15th September not having
been carried out, I have been compelled once
again to send our troops to Rome, and to protect
the power of the Holy See by repelling the in-
vaders. Our conduct could not partake of any-
thing hostile to the unity and independence of
Italy ; and that nation, for a moment surprised,
has not been long in understanding the dangers
which these revolutionary manifestations caused to
the monarchical principle and to European order.
Calm is now almost entirely re-established in the
states of the Pope;and we may calculate the proxi-
mate time when our troops will be recalled home.
" For us, the Convention of September 15 exists
so long as it is not replaced by a new international
act. The relations of Italy to the Holy See interest
the whole of Europe, and we have proposed to' the
Powers to settle these relations at a conference,
and thus to prevent new complications.

" Attention has been turned to the Eastern
question, from which, nevertheless, the conciliatory
spirit of the Powers removes every irritating
character. If some differences of opinion have
existed between them as to the means of
bringing about the pacification of Crete, I am
happy to announce that they are all agreed upon
two principal points, viz., the maintenance of the
integrity of the Ottoman Empire and the ameliora-
tion of the condition of the Christians.

"Foreign politics permit us, therefore, to devote
all our efforts to domestic improvements. Since
your last session universal suffrage has been called
upon to elect a third of the members of the
Conseils Gdn4raux. These elections, carried out
with calm and independence, have everywhere de-
monstrated the good feeling of the population.
The journey I have made with the Empress in the
east and north of France has afforded the oppor-
tunity for manifestations of sympathy, which have
touchedme profoundly. I have been able to ascertain
once more that nothing has been able to shake the
confidence the people have placed in me, and the
attachment they entertain towards my dynasty.
For my part I labour incessantly to anticipate their
wishes.

" The completion of connecting roads was re-
quired by those agricultural classes of whom you
are the enlightened representatives. It was for us
an act of justice—l should almost say of gratitude—
to satisfy this want, and an inquiry upon a large
scale is preparing its solution. It will be easy for
you, in concert with my government, to assure the
success of this great measure.
"The situation is undoubtedlynot free from some
embarrassments. Industrial and commercial so-

tivity has slackened. This uneasiness is general
in Europe, and is in great part due to apprehen-
sions which the good understanding prevailing
between the powers will cause to disappear. The har-
vest has not been good, and dearness was inevitable,
but free trade can alone secure supplies and lower
prima. if these various causes prevent the revenue
completely balancing the estimates of the budget, the
provisions of the laws of finance will not be modi-
fied, and we may be allowed to foresee the period
when a reduction of taxation may betaken into con-
sideration. This session will be chiefly devoted to
the examination of the laws, of which I took the
initiative in the month of January last. The time
that has elapsed since then has not altered my con-
victions respecting the utility of those re-
forms. Doubtless the introduction of these new
liberties exposes the public mind to excite-