The Express.
London, England, 1850-04-16 00:00:00

FRANCE.

PARIS, MONDAY, 7 p x.
The conclave of socialist delegates assembled on
Saturday at midnight in the Old School of Commerce,
i Rue de.Ciaaronne, and did not separate until late
yesterday afternoon, when it appeared that M.
Eugene Sue was the successful candidate. The name
of M. Dupont (de l'Eure) was set aside, notwithstand-
ing the efforts of the more moderate portion of the
committee, and the ballot took place on the names
of M. Eugene Sue, M. Daniel, a nomcommissioned
officer of the Casemeate of Vincennes, M. de Oirardin,
M. Villardet, and one other. The numbers on the
ballot were as follows :—M. Eugene Sue, 143 ; M.
Daniel, SO; M. de Gitardin, 74 ; and the two other
candidates two votes each. M. Eugene See was,
therefore, proclaimed the socialist candidate for the
election of the 28th inst. The delegates separated,
shouting "Vive N Republique, a bas Ice Jesuitee."
This result seems to have taken everybody by sur-
prise. The general opinion among enlightened libe-
rale is that the choice has been singularly unhappy,
and can only owe its eventu it success to the bad ma-1
nagement of the opposite party. Yet the National,
the Press., and other papers direemble their dissatis-
faction, and strenuously urge all sections of the so-
cialist party to support with all their energies the
candidate elected by the conclave of delegates. It is
curious to reflect that M. Eugene Sue conquered the
first title to that !popularity which has now brought
him forward as the socialist candid ate fir the repre-
sentation of Paris, in the columns of a journal which
is now the bitterest foe of socialism. The Moth-lee
de Paris first appeared as the Ruilletun of the Jour-
nal des Dibate.

I can assure you, on good authority, that the can-
didature of M. Fernand Foy will be withdrawn.
Fifteen influential representative, of the Assembly,
and the leaders of the whole moderate press met yes-
terday together to consult upon the most effectual
means of displacing M. Foy; and it was agreed that
such representations should be made to the candidate
of the Union Electorate as could not tail to make him
desist from canvassing the votes of Paris on the 28th.
If these remonstrances are followed by the retirement

of M. Foy. I hear it is the intention of the party et
order t bring forward M. Leclerc, an old military
officer, member of the Legion of Honour, who in the
days of June distinguished himself by an not of
heroism of the antique Roman stamp, which drew
much notice at the time. His son was killed by his
side in charging a barricade. M. Leclerc took the
body home, and brought back with him a younger son
to the scene of battle. Then planting a musket in the
boy'shsnd he bade him avenge his brotht r's death. Per-
haps there can be no more striking proof given of the
bitter animosity of the party spirit prevailing et the
present moment, than the fact of the majority of the
Assembly, of the men of civilisation and intelligenoe,
dropping all other considerations as to the qualities of
a candidate for the forthcoming election, in order to Ax
upon some badge which may characterise, with the
deepest emphasis, their hostility and hatred to the so-
cialtsta. It enters into the head of no conservative to
ask whether the person to whom he is to give his
vote can speak or think, has any knowledge of politi-
es! questions, or any experience of parliamentary bu-
siness ! No : but he must bear some broad and *b-
eim stamp that may respond to the passion which
Ares all hearts, and, like a word inscribed upon a flag,
symbolise and concentrate the thought aid resolve of
the whole army of conservative voters. The mode-
rates would rush to the poll to vote for Leclerc,
stimulated by as blind a rage in one direction as they
Imputed to the socialists in the other, when
these caused to triumph on the 10th of March an in-
=of June, M. de Plate. The catdidature of
is equivalent to stooping to pick up the de-
mocratic gauntlet flung down on the 10th of March,
and consenting to combat the socialists with their
own weapons. If, instead of one election, a general
eleotioi were to take place at the prestmt moment, it
would probably be conducted everywhere upon this
principle, of each party bringing forward the candi-
date who would most aptly express their defiance of
their antagonists; and thus, instead of an Assembly
being chosen that would be capable of reasoning upon

political questions, and conducting rationally the
legislative business of the count 7, the parliament
would be the concentrated expression of all that was
most bitter, violent, and contentious in France.
To-day M. Gustave Beaumont laid on the table of
the Assembly the report of the committee on the bill
relative to a credit for the maintenance of the French
army of expedition of the Mediterranean.
M. Rather, Minister of Justice, demanded that the
Transportation Bill should be placed on the order of
the day for Thursday next. (Murmurs on the Left.)
The Assembly adopted this proposition by a majo-
rity of 390 to 228.
M. Leon de Malleville demanded a subvention of
80,000 fr. for the Italian Opera, which was referred to
a committee.

M. Raudot demanded a diminution of 274,000 fr. of
the credit relative to the eubvertions of the national
theatres. The reduction was put to the vote and
rejected.
Upon the chapter relat've to aid to political pri-
soners in indigent circumstance*, a reduction of
300,000 fr. was proposed by M. Morin de la Drome,
and adopted by the Assembly. The vote excited
great sensation. _

The sitting broke up at a quarter after six.
Ti. Conatitutionnel, noticing the official returns of
the quarter's revenue, says:
We call the attention of our readers to the comparative
tables of the produce of indirect taxes daring the first quarter
of the present year and the corresponding quarter of the pre-
ceding years. The importance of these returns will bs ap-
preciated at a time when cur financial situation occupies so
mach attention. The principal fact which reaufa from these
comparative tables is that the produce of the indirect taxes
charier the first quarter of the present year has exceeded by
3,344,000 k. the produce of the corresponding period of last
year. This amount proves a considerable improvement in
the public fortune. Tn augmentation would have been still
more considerable but for the accidental deficit in the salt-
duty during this quarter, end which probably will not affect
the following one.. We have ski any had occasion to men-
tion several times that the increase in the payments for salt
during the first months of 1849 was in s great measure
caused by the replacing the stocks, which had been run low
during 1848, in expectation of a lowering of the duty. N,
astonishment should, therefore, be felt that the pit duty
should have produced 4,400,000 k. less during this quarter
than during the same period of lest year. EA': for this cir-
cumstance—that is to say, if the salt duty had not shown
this unusual deficit, the increase of the receipts of the indi-
rect taxes would not have been only 3,344,000 k., it would
have been nearly 8,000,000 k, As the same 433010, there-
fore, will not act, at least in the same proportioo, on the fol-
lowing months, there is reason to conclude that, if the
manufacturing and commercial movement dues not relax, the
other quarters of the year will give a more considerable profit
than that which has just expired. Another fact which it
appears useful to point out is the disastrous iefituence which
the political agitations of the month of March have exercised
on the produce of the indirect taxes, and consequently on the
transactions in and consumption of the articles which supply
that essential branch of our taxes. Out of the increase of
3,344,0001 e. in the quarter, the last month chows the least
part. The months of January and February gave
2.689,0001 r., and March only 656,000 fr. At the head of the
branches of revenue which have shown V.' greatest Ina
provemeut may be placed the registration and stamp dues,
the produce of which has increased more than five mil-
lions, the result on which we may congratulate ourselves,
not only in a financial point of view, but as regards the situa-
tion of landed property, which tends to resume its former
value. After the registration ditto comes the tax on porta-
ble liquors, on which there is an increase of 1,803,000 k.
Tubaceo and other indirect taxes are also improving. There
are scarcely more than two taxes which shows a decrease in
receipts—those on salt and customs dues. We have already
pointed out the particular circumstances which explain the
deficit in the former ; es to the latter, it will be remarked that
the reduction bears principally on colonial sugars, which has
been espied by the increase of beet root and foreign sugar, a
part of which will remain in consumption ; it may, moreover,
be attr.buted to the increase in the price of sugar, and thus
adds a fresh argument in favour of the utility of the measure
le bleb has been drawn up by the government, and is now
uuder the corsid• ration of the Council of State and the Ge-
neral Councils of Agriculture, Manufacture, and Commerce.
If we compare the proceeds of our indirect texts during the
last quarter with those of England during the same period,
we snail find that whilst our public revenue has increased
by 3,311,090 fr., that of England has decr.a.ed 2,500,0101 r.
Oar neighbours may doubutes allege that the decrease of
their revenue is in a great measure the consequence of the
fresh reduction made in the duty on sugar; but have we not
a'eo been subjected to accidental causes which have acted in
30 unfavourable meaner on our taxes, and particularly en
that on salt? It may be also remarked that it is not only
the customs dues in England that are decreased, but also :he
stem? duty and the poet-office returns.
The government has interd cted the electoral meet-
ings of La Chapelle, Aubervilliers, Cour Neuve, Bou-
logne, and Nlontrouge, in consequence of speeches of a
seditious character and attacking public morality
having been delivered. 'the interdiction has taken
place in virtue of the law of 19th Ju..e, 1819, against
Abe.