The Express.
London, England, 1860-04-26 00:00:00

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.OE4IT ARBIL
.
E P S FROM PAR ISS.•
. DION OUR OWN coansrossuse.)
PARIS, Warmness Eventss.
There in nothing more certain than yesterday
about the conference. The latest news still comes
from 'axiom. A Belgian jouriail, alluding to the
remarkable expression in a recent telegram, that
a " majority " of the powers had consented to a
conference, says positively that England is not in
the majority. The French government journals
continue to pooh-pooh the idea of a cosference,
while still taking credit to France—who le;prays
moderate and . conciliatory, of oourse—for Uving
expressed her willingness to join in one. This
journal says, with offensive arrogance :
_ _

Now, aa far as regards the guarantees required by fiwit•
aerland, we see no inconvenience in a ratiosation of the
conditions proposed by Thouvenel, by the ordinary
ambassadors of the powers aaaembled in conference inParis.
But it is for the cabinets to judge whether it is very wee.
eary to give this ratification, not to accomplished factitwith
which they have no businces to occupy themselves, but to
conditions precisely laid down beforehand in the treaty of
cession—a ratification which cannot by possibility change
the subject of thinp, or give to the Helvetic Confedera-
tion ray guarantee or satisfaction beyond those which she
might legitimately " hope " for from the French govern-
ment, which was the first to offer them to her.

A reoent article in the Pays, apropos of the farce
of universal suffrage in Savoy and Nice, calls forth
the following pungent observations from the Cha-
risari :

Whenever M. Gauger de Cassagnac takes up his pen to
writs in the Paps, it is always for the purpose of impress-
ing Europe with • dos sere of respect for greet political
principles which he rerestablishes in all their integrity.
Now, for instance, may people look upon the vote in
Savoy and Nice for ratifying the annexation to France as •
really smote proceeding, and the government itself ap-
pears to attach greet importance to it. M. Grapier de Cos-
levee points out the dangerous tendency of these views,
and teacher us to consider this ballot and universal suffrage
as • laserioes superfluity, of which it. is no doubt lawful to
be justly proud on fitting occasions, but which we should
always remember might have been very well dispensed
with. There is no harm in a set of people marked for an.
notation consenting to their destiny, but their consent is
but the feather in the cap, the ring on the finger, nothing
in the world but • fancy ornament. The only true and solid
basis of the annexation is the treaty of cession between
Sardinia and France ; it is effected by virtue of the rights
of princes and not of the rights of peoples. Having thus
triumphantly trindkated mound political doctrines, Y.
Granter de Caseignac m 4104.118 the objection/thl the
polar votes in Central Vary and in France itself took Oboe
not only without the permission of legitimate princes,jbut
even against their will. But a statesman and moralist of
hie calibre is not to be embarrassed by such • trifle. He
gets out of the difficulty by declaring that " the right of
nationalities to dispose of themselves' is admissible, but
only " in rare and exceptional cane, where all the ordinary
and legal powers being broken up or paralysed, the supreme
right of nations to save themselves from anarchy becomes
incontestable?' Whence it follows, according to N. Grimier
de Cessagnac, that governments born of universal suffrage
and of the rights of nationalities to dispose of themselves,
can only be considered as a pia oiler. He is • dangerous
advocate, this M. Grassier de Cassegaac, and certainly. if
ever we had • lawsuit, we should not like him to plead
kr as.

You will, perhaps, remember that the Count de
is Ferri4re, • government candidate elected some
time since for the department of the Orne, was
compelled to resign his seat in consequence of his
adversary, the Marquis de Torcy, a rich, influential,
and determined man, being prepared to bring
forward overwhelming proofs of fraud on the part
of the government agents. At the second election,
the prefect paraded an intention to stand strictly
neutral, and he must in all probability have kept
his promise to some extent, since the Marquis de
Torcy has been returned by • majority of 500. g
There has been no change of importance at the
Bourse. The Route rose 10c. for account. Mobi-
lier remains as yesterday. In railways therein
scarcely a franc of difference to note.

EXECUTION OP GENERAL ORTEGA.

The Diari4, of Barcelona publishes the following
particulars of the execution of General Ortega, which took
' place, as already stated, at Tortosa on the 18th
"On the previous day the general was put •in chapel,'
according to the Spanish custom. He immediately pro.
ended with the utmost composure to make his will, and
settled all his family slain even to the minutest details.
Soon after, a sergeant came for the purpose of searching
his person. This proceeding affected him deeply, and
he exclaimed, 'This was wanting to complete my humilia-
ition !as sergeant search a general !--ani I then. capable of
committing suicide as they apprehend! Certainly not ; I
shall die like a Christian !' He then took a medal of the
Holy Virgin, which he wore suspended from his neck by a
gold chain, and charged his cousin, Don Ramon Blesser, to
deliver it to his mother. His confessor, the Canon Don
Benito Sans, afterwards came, and had a long conversatioa
with him. At six o'clock on the morning of the 18th
he took the sacrament, and some time after had a cup of
chocolate, and received successively a missionary and a
friend of his, a physician, both of whom were astonished at
his seMpossession and firmness. Having been informed
about 10 o'clock that his execution would take place at
3 in the afternoon, he merely remarked, 'That is eery
We.' Then he asked for a basin of soup and ate it with
good appetite. At a quarter to 3he was informed that his
time had come. He immediately rose, saying, lam
at your orders, gentlemen,' drew his loon coat round
him, and took his place in the centre of the guard. All
he passed the postern of the cantle he took off his coat, and
requested that it might be given to his aide-de-camp,
Moreno. On hearing the roll of the drums, he exclaimed,
My God ! you, who were innocent, also suffered
these humiliating preparations ; it is just that I,
who am guilty, should undergo them too.' His
voice was unfaltering, and his step firm. On entering
the middle of the square formed by the troops, he noticed
the people crowding round, and said, ' The Lord also
allowed the people to be present at his execution.' He
knelt under the flag to bear his sentence reed. On being
conducted to the fatal spot, he inquired, How must I
place myself!' Facing them,' was the reply ; at the same
instant a handkerchief was put over his eyes, and he knelt
down. An explosion was heard, and the genaal was no

The satirical journal of Turin, called the Cam-
panile, was condemned on the 20th to two months' im-
prisonment and a line of 300 fr. for having published disre-
spectful articles spinet the Emperor of the French.

The Rev. Daniel Worth, a Methodist preacher of
excellent life and character, has been convicted in North
Carolina of circulating Helper's " Impending Cnsis," the
antislavery work that has calmed so much excitement, and
sentenced to a year's imprisonment.

A PROPOSED DUEL 'trill Bowls Krrnms. —The
following account of a " misunderstanding" between a Re-
publican and • Democratic member of the Home of Repre-
sentatives at Washington, is published in the New I ork
papers ;—" It is understood that after Mr. Putter (Repub-
lican) replied to Mr. Pryor's (Democrat) gist note that
he would receive any message that might be sent him
in the district, Mr. Pryor asked him if he
would
accept a challenge ;to which Mr. Potter replied that he
i would inform him whenever a challenge reached him.
Mr. Pryor then sent him a challenge to which Mr. Potter
replied, referring him to Colonel 'Lender to make the
necessary arrangements. These terms, as proposed by
Colonel Lander to Mr. T. P. Chisman, were that Mr.
Potter, though disclaiming allegiance to the code, would
fight Mr. Pryor in any place, in doors or out, in the
district, with bowie knives. This was declined, on the
ground that the weapons were barbarous and inhuman and
not usual among gentlemen. To this Colonel Lander replied
that Mr. Potter detested the whole eystem of duelling as
barbarous and inhuman, but being caned to account for the
exercise of free speech on the floor of the house he con-
sented, not being accustomed to the usual weapons of the
duellist, to meet him in a way that would place them on
equal terms, and to name the time, place, and weapons.
But as the weapons named by Mr. Potter were objected to,
Colonel Lander, without Mr. Potter's knowledge, tendered
himself to Mr. Pryor without restrictions, which was also
declined on the ground that he had no quarrel with Colonel
Lander." Another account says, "It is said that the only
way r can obtain satisfaction now is by • street attack,
which Potter will not shrink from."