The Express.
London, England, 1867-03-25 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT AND THE
MEXICAN BONDS.

(nos ous ows cosassposomn..)

PARIS, SUNDAY Evnatio.

The holders of Mexican bonds have done rather
a clever thing by drawing up a " case" for the
opinion of several eminent barristers—Messrs.
Marie, Allen, Cremieux, and Plocquc, all of oppo-
sition politica—asking whether, notwithstanding
the imminent break-up of Maximilian's empire,
the French government is not bound in equity to
make a provision for their claims. I should have
been astonished at the rumour current during the
last few days, that all these great lawyers had de-
clared in favour of the Mexican bondholders, did
I not know that a French counsel's opinion
is very often nothing but a written argu-
ment or pleading, saying everything that oc-
curs to him to say in favour of the per-
son who consults him. I have now seen M.
Marie's opinion, and find that so far from his
affirming that the deceived Mexican bondholders
have any legal case against the public treasury• of
France, he expressly says the contrary. He says
most justly that the finances of France ought not
to be squandered in obedience to the dictates of
pity or favour. He cites from a speech of M.
Rouher when the objection was made in the Corps
Legislatif that the encouragement given to the
Mexican loan might at a future time be held to
constitute a moral engagement, the following frag-
ment :—" There is nu question whatever of any
moral responsibility of the French government.
France does not interfere either directly or in- '
directly in the question of the Mexican
loan." Then, again, M. Corte, a deputy, just
returned fro& Mexico, whither ho had been sent
as a special commissioner, told the Corps Legislatif
that they might rely entirely upon the " resources"
of Mexico, the enlightened government of the 1
Emperor Maximilian, and the " real prosperity"
of Maximilian's finances as guarantees to those a ho
had lent their money to the Mexican empire. M.
Marie also records the undoubted fact that the ,
French government, though careful to borrow in
the name of the Mexican empire, encouraged French
subjects to subscribe by opening the subscription at
the Comptoir d'Escompte in Paris, and at the offices
of the receivers-general throug,hout the departments.
From these premises M. Marie most logically con-
eludes
that France, whose representatives, to whom
constitutionally the public purse belongs. were ;
neter consulted in the matter, is not legally re-
sponsible
to the Mexican bondholders. But
whether, with the complaisance of an advocate
asked to make out the but case he can for the
party who asks his opinion, or whether, as I incline
to think, with the irony of a political opponent, ho !
goes on to say that the " government," by en- I
couraging people to risk their money, and by ins-
pounding the greater part for debts owing by

incurred a " int wall rebponsiLi:lty. i;
must be remembered as.. that in questions of moral
responsibility a lawyer's opinion is ne IsAtkr than
that of any other ititat's. 'AI. Marie's legal
is most distinctly against the unf
wh., consult him. His appeal ad 0, it
11l no wan tv• cothr,i, et.

The committee on the Army Bill intend, I iti%
told, to ask for an audience of the 11mptr-r,
order to solicit his sanction to extensive
malts, so that they ucp not be reduced t•i
against the bill.

The committee on the bill for making M. (1..
Lamartine a present of 400,000 fr., of which
Emile OUivier is reporter, Iran sent it bitvk ;
Council of State with an amendment,
insksul of a large stout pail down, to giv, M.
martine an annuity of 2.74000 fr.

111 r. J. P. Col:ier, of the Trenaory, 1' ML. ct
api.ititol Assistant I'myth.thtet-Genentl Lf th• 1%.• t•
(~.iOll to Mr. Fader, C.M.

The population of Sweden does not incr:• sc at
the 1:41:110 rate as it does in EngLuid and in a., .41,r
comae," ; but yet the addition during the pa.tyvr ,
looked upon to be batisfactory, the amount brit,g .1.41t4
soul.. thug making the whole population now t,
4.114,141, and showing that tho increAse ia to:.....tida;
more than 1 per cent. per annum.

Railway carriages arc to be henceforth :.!
to traverde the rontificd States from Naples t•. 1 ..• Cr
awl rice n rat without being overhauled by
Custom-house officers, Lithcr perdonally or as ;:
baggage.

A mysterious loss is reported from Vier t:a. It
appear* that among other valuable articles sent
gary when the capital Tr.us threatened by the Pr 1,-tta
there was a large map of Wallachia, in P2o 2...ctiato
which had been taken with permission of the IVa:larhiat
authorities by Austrian officers during the occupazi,
the Principalities at the time of the Crimean
ex:amse of making this map amounted to MAO 9 ducats
and one copy of it had been made and sold to th: \\' as
cinan government for 20,00 u ducats. This map 110}
di•24,rured to be unaccountably missing.

A new institution within the domain of "spurt,'
has just been called into existence in Vieiria, flawed
" Tattersall's." The English establishment has •
taken as a modeL The stabling is good, and ke,,t wit.
great neatness. All the arrangements, the court•yaril
the placed roped off for spectators, the trotting out
horses by well-dressed persons, are thoroughly "
and the whole thing is a novelty which attracted a lei
days ago, a number of visitors. Not only many nobleine.
were present at the first ado, but several ladle;
belonging to the Au,t rim' aristocracy.

A railroad is projected across from the Atka
to the Pacific, across Costa Rica from Lemon on C.
eastern to Caldera on the western coast. It will be
miles in lenzth. The coat is estimated at 12,000,000 doh

. . ._.
The Antilles, a \Vest India paper, publishes a
prospectus of a new steam packet company, viz., the N.
York and West India Mail Steam Pucket Compa..y, witi
a capital of 1,500,000 dole.
Advice,s frotu Turk's Island state that the ink .
bitants still suffered from want of shelter, lar,te nau,lan
being crowded together in ill-ventilated rooms.
ADDREMS TO CON VoI'ATION UPON RITUALI.M.—
In reply to the draft of a proposed address, in the ant
deaconry of Sarum, the following letter has been seat:-
" Pear Mr. It is the less necessary fur ice to ji.i.
in your address, since my senthuents are developed in .
volume, which I hope to issue in a few days nom ii,
press. So far as you would discourage extravagant mu.:.
istic display, you will find me substantially agreed ; thorn:
my sentiments of gratitude and confidence towards th,
rpper House of ronvocition are not unitut enou,:
to require expression. It seems to me :I .untie,"
able, if not an unconstitutional, policy to anu a single boy
in the church, apart from the law of the laud, and a,se
from the investigation of the merits of any CU.'. Wit]
power to dictate the sentiments or practite d
the clergy. There is no knowing how far or iu wii.:t dim.
tion, such power might be canied. Having experieito!
its unjust operation a•minst myself, I cannot aid in fora
fyiog it, when it happens to be directed against 1l
opponents. My conception of a sound policy would 4.
that the law should be wade clear, and the bishops et.
... trusted with administrative, but nut with 'tanner,
powers. Thu Dom of Ripon, if I may judge from an ss
count in the Due., I',sc,, appears to have written to 1,
same purport. I have the honour to be, NOW( Av.
WII LIMIS, Broad-thalke Nl:Nage, March 12.—Safisw
Jourad.

Srunazow AT THE AGRICULTURAL 111 ALL.-
The Metropolitan Tabernacle being under repair,
Spurgeon has taken the Agricultural H.dl, at Is'Mgt,
fur a few weeks, awl yesterday preached his first trerlr,
in that vast edifice. The scene inside the bedding s.
remarkable and imposing, the entire area being the I:
the top of the back emits under the galleries. It ws
calculated that from ten to twelve thousand
mostly nudes, were present. Although the pea
did not appear to exert himself greatly, those watt
at the extreme end of the building op mite
him seemed to hear, as they turned readily to
places in the Bible which were announced es Cie les,
and text. Mr. Spurgeon.* sermon was, founded
a passage in the 21st chapter of the Gospel by M.ittla a
which shunted the preacher examples of two class
irreligious persons, viz., those who avow their irreligiwi.
new, and those who make insincere professions of p..:5
He commenced his discourse with an allusi.,n to t:
scenes in ancient amphitheatres, which w,le enacts
when Christian martyrs were turned into the ant
to contend with furious beasts by which they as
soon destroyed. It was easy, then, he said, to
guish between the believer and the pagan, but as tier
were no outward marks by which he could elasef)
the people before bins, he coked them to deti•enr...
for themselves the position which they oce•iiii,sl
relation to religion ; end, admiting °feel used
the House of Commons, called out " di%
plain words, and with homely illustrations, lie sq,ouisl.:
and enforced his views about the failings owl
of the two classes of persons whom be specially ad,lress4
At times the preacher's manner was striking. as when la
leaned forward and pointed with the forefingi r his I..`'
11..1141 to the people in the distance, and then raiss,l hi
clenched right hand, which he brought floss like a h.a
mer, as though he would drive home the truths he sa
enforcing. Mr. Sturgeon was listened to with great Avis.
tion throaghout his discourse.
EIIUcATED PLOUGHBOYS.—At the meeting
week of the Birmingham Domestic Mission, Mr. Tiniest..
Kenricic mentioned a plan by which the eta
experienced in introducing e•lucation among an :L., e,:lts
ral population might be met. He said that Mr. Charli
Paget, late member for Nottingham, bail, for the last
years, been educating his ploughhoys on a systeh,
they winked and attended seined on alternate .1
that the plan had been attended with results w,,i, h a. r
very beneficial to the boys, and entirely mtisf
himself. Mr. Paget found that, by this elm n Sr
study and labour, they made in respect to eilee n,
prognsas than was made by boys who went to school eer?
slay, and a Mend who was visiting bins had been err jr.r.C:
struck with their superiority to farm Nervants of the •
nary stamp, as to remark that they were •" not
boys," hut " young gentlemen." At the same time,
were excellent hands :it finis work.
Mit. HteNum A MEMISF.It oF CONGFEss.--0' •
the results of the growth of the periodical las ei an!
the wffle diffusion of remlinz is to carte x slues
be ix.a good spe,iinen, and who are well content to
their moral deformity exhibited to all corner- .• leis_
makes the dollars t!ow into the till, lint ellen
stands amongst the foremost in ed t
tient). and ought to stand amongst the foree.....t
fineinunt, and which abounds in high
high character, combined with hot% 1..1:-
eloquence, deliberately conies forward, awl ,
world that the I,rty of progress, of ref. rive, c._
find in its borders no fitter rupresentatise o'=
than the proprietor of the woolly horse an.' 5...,-
a •
it is time for people in whose eyes rir.•
still a political force to speak their minds eez
risk of doing sonic 'NOR ical ohmage. A 5,0.- ,hos. '•
a good illustration of Mr. Barnum's career and e
hardly do hotter than to visit his
witness the great " nerd ilvaniii" of the " :55 11
tree," which is now presented there to ".I.'.i .'.r-1 ,
sands."ltiain affecting portrayal of christial sr,:-'' •
constancy in the worst days of the pagan eniptie
am gorgeous, the pions rant is unexceptionalib, mei .!•
scenery immisine : the martyrs are delivered :e the ..t. n.
to Van Amburgh's lions, brought up fro, she 1,,5, •'
of the mneettiu for their bloody work- and all `..5
cents, a head. In the final tableau, enn•d:.nti,..s, •
• VW appears in the sky, snit the Homan empire is .0 •
amidst bursts of applause, whereupon the casein.
isleen to be covered thickly with putt of "
, ment,"" Yahoo Bitters," "Heady Beliefs" aid " '
Extractors," and other quack me,licines. - .N•' •
Nation. March 7.
A MAN IN THE SNOW.—The depth ..f .1r"" •
snow around this town is unusually greet. tMt Te-e!
man was buried in it on the Salisbury-hill ter.
for the timely aid afforded by the toll-sate ke.p,
have perished. His limbs were benumbed, but af
ing about for some time he was able to go on. M.
Lord Ailesbur's Home Farm, cleared the mark
Forest. and, indeed, in oar High-street, with a
forming at once a snow-ploneh and trasallirg ri
which six horses carrying bells were harness •:1.---s•
Journal.