The Express.
London, England, 1867-01-23 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

PUBLIC OPINION ON THE NEW REFORMS.
(nON OUR OWN OORTNISPONDINT.)
PARIS. TUMMY ETRYING.

Almost the only remark I have to add to-day to
those of my last two letters on the constitutional
reforms of January 19 is that, out of a desire not to
speak of them in a systematically hostile spirit,
and to seek fairly what good might be found in
them, I under-estimated the diapason of the dis-
appointment and irritation which I now find they
' have occasioned in France. There was a talk to-
day—and the rumour led to transactions in the
Rente after hours at figures lower than the last
official quotations—of an intention on the part
of the opposition deputies to resign their
seats en masse as a protest against the abolition by
imperial decree of a privilege granted with much
ado six years ago, and the exercise of which, so
far from having hitherto been publicly blamed by
the Emperor, or any of his most trusty counsellors,
has been over and over again vaunted by such
imperialists as M. de Moray, M. do Schneider, and
M. Walewski, as a proof of the progress of
imperial institutions, and one of the " most
shining glories of modern France." The
loss of time occasioned by long speeches,
although it struck foreign correspondents (myself
among others) was never officially complained of ;
the Munitevr, it has been proved, exaggerates the
time which the address took up in one ease, by con-
founding with it the many days occupied in the
verification of powers. Moreover, it is remem-
bered that French debates on the address in Louis
Philippe's time often took as long, and were never
conducted on the Eng,lish model. The two great p .ints
of hostile criticism are the monstrous pretension
to " finality" in the changes absurdly called " the
crowning of the edifice," and the implied admis-
sion in the announcement that government will
this year " accept" interpellations on foreign
affairs, that another time and on any other ques-
tion the bureaux, acting under the orders of go-
vernment, might reduce the minority to silence.
While doubts are expressed as to the value of
the political changes of Jan. 19, the inclination of
opinion being that a valuable privilege, that of
discussing an address, is clearly taken away,
while it is by no means clear that any-
thing worth having is given in exchange,
there can be no difference of opinion, at
least while this bitter weather lasts, as to the
policy of a measure just taken by the Emperor
for relieving the sufferings of the poorer classes in
the most populous quarters of the capital. His
Majesty has ordered the immediate opening of
several soup kitchens, in which portions of nourish-
ing hot provisions are to be supplied to all corners.
'For one halfpenny a working man may get a basin
of soup ; for another halfpenny, 60 grammes—
rather more than two ounces—of meat ; and for
another, a small plate of vegetables—either kidney
beans, rice, or split peas. No later than
to-morrow (Wednesday) six of these kitchens are
to be opened. I regret that they are all so
far off from the quarter of the town I frequent
that I shall probably not have an opportunity of
inspecting them at once. But I give the addresses
in the belief that English philanthropists who
study the condition and wants of the poor could
scarcely pay a more interesting visit. The six
kitchens at once to be opened—[several snore are
promised)--may be found at No. 19, Passage des
Gravilliers ; N 0.5, Rue Lacroix ; Rue des Anglaises
Gobelins, Rue Vaudamme 44, Rue Polonceau
21 (La Chapelle), Rue des Amandier U (Menil-
montant. )
The Bourse was very heavy. Rente fell 15c.
Mobilier, despite immense efforts in the way of
1" discounting," failed to maintain yesterday's rise.

A Paris correspondent in the latlipendance
says :—"The Queen of Spain has ordered the Duke and
Duchess of Montpeneier to leave that kingdom before the
end of the mouth. They are making preparations to go,
mid intend fixing their residence in England. The Spanish
ministry make it a crime on the part of the sister and
brother-in-law of her Majesty to have given an asylum to
a few honourable men, and to have aided with their puree
persons without means to escape from the persecution of
Names."

Another accident occurred two evenings back to
Miss fienken at the G&W Theatre, Paris, daring the per.
formulae of the Pirates de Is Barone. Her horse again
fell. but this time the lady did net escape unhurt ; are
had en ear eat and en arm and leg severely bruised, and
was not able to appear again that evening.