The Express.
London, England, 1866-04-21 00:00:00

HUNGARY.

PESTR, Aran, 20.

The conference between the joint committee of
the Hungarian Diet and the deputation from the
Diet of Croatia held its first formal sitting here this
morning, to negotiate on the question of the union
of Croatia with Hungary. General harmony pre-
vailed, and a favourable result is expected from the
negotiations. M. Deak has quite recovered.

ITALY.

FLORXNCE, APRIL 20.

Prince Amadeus was thrown out of an open car-
riage, in which he was driving yesterday at Parma.
The Prince escaped with a few slight contusions,
and is now progressing satisfactorily.

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(PROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, FRIDAY EVENING,

The Senate, which on the debate on the petition
of M. Degouves Denuneque inclined to arrogate to
itself the light to prevent the Corps Legislatif from
discussing constitutional questions even on such
an occasion as the debate on the address, has been
obliged to " cave in." After the vote on the peti_
tion of the previous question, which was opposed
by the Duke de Persigny, on the ground that,
though he did not agree with the doctrines of the
petition he thought them entitled to discussion, M.
Le Verrier exclaimed :—" The meaning of this
vote is that the constitution cannot be criticised
elsewhere than in the Senate." There were some
dissentient cries, but the Senate on the whole
relished the maxim. Following it up a senator
brought forward a motion intended to cen-
sure, perhaps to punish, or at least to
prohibit for the future articles in newspapers
such as have been recently published apropos of
the debate in which the Duke de Persigny spoke.
The motion, however, which stood for yesterday,
has disappeared from the order of the day. The
government feels the impossibility at this time of
I day of holding the constitution of 1852 a thing
I too sacred for argument. too perfect for amend-
ment. True, M. Paulin Limayrac has in the Con-
' stitutionnel of to-day a grand article, four columns
long,which he pompously heads "An Anachronism,"
the object of which is to show that the
authors of the amendment of the forty-five fancied
themselves in a bygone epoch, instead of the
glorious one of 1866. The elucubration, the
inanity of which defies analysis, even if it were
worth it, is merely a variation on the hack theme
that an executive which can once contrive, no
matter how, to get a vote by universal suffrage, is
entitled for ever afterwards to do whatever seems
good in its own eyes to prevent the electors from
laying their heads together to reconsider their
verdict.

One of the articles of the merchant shipping bill
was voted against yesterday by the considerable
minority of sixty-eight, among whom were all the
democratic opposition members, except MM.
Havin and Gueroult, who voted with government.
The only ground, however, on which they joined
the protectionists on this special clause was that
they objected to the delay of three years before the
discriminating duties on foreign flags should be
removed. They thought the ministry should
decide one way or another at once.
The Council of State is said to have at present

under consideration a bill for the purpose of modi-
tying the French customs duties on several articles.
A duty of Mr. is to be levied on each 100 kilogs. of
fresh sea fish from foreign fishing grounds, with
the exception of cod. Herrings, dry, salted, or
smoked, of French catching, imported from New-
foundland in French ships, are to be exempt from
duty. The same fish imported in foreign bottoms
would pay 2fr. the 100 kilogs. Fish, fresh caught
in the French waters of the Mediterranean by
Italian fishermen, and landed in French ports, are
to be subjected to a charge of sfr. the 100 kilogs.
The Bourse was again much better, and although
nothing specific is known, there does seem to be a
feeling that Austria and Prussia will be prevented
from coming to blows, at least just yet. Route
r rose 30c. for cash, and 15c for account, closing at
67fr. 80c. and 67fr. 65c. ; Italian rose only 10c. ;
' Mobilier rose 3fr. 75c. ; and Credit Foncier, 10fr.
Railways were not much higher.