The Express.
London, England, 1861-05-11 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(MOM OUR OWN

PARIS, FRIDAY EVENING.

I have reason to think there is some truth in the
report (already noticed from the Independence Beige)
that larger liberties are about to be conceded to
the press. MM. de Persigny and de la Guerron-
there ale said to have had many meetings on the
subject, and some people go so far as to predict
that the result of their labours will be announced
by the Moniteur in a day or two.
The canard, which I denounced on its first flight,
of Lord Dufferin'a resignation, is now admitted to be
one in the " Latest News" of all the evening papers.
A telegram says that this false news was invented
by the Journal de Constantinople. But the Petrie,
which pretended that he had thrown up his com-
' mission in Syria because he was " disgusted with
the conduct of the English government," sticks to
its text so far as to assert now that his lordship
"did manifest a wish to retire, but took no action
on his resolution, which he subsequently altogether
abandoned." Fudge !
Koesuth, whose arrival in Paris was prematurely
announced some days since, is said to be here at
the present moment, but only sines yesterday, and
it is added that he is going off to Turin imme-
diately. Some say that he is already gone. At
Turin he will certainly have a conference with some
leaders of the Hungarian emigration.
The Bourse was dull at the opening, and quota-
tions were lower. Afterwards there was a conside-
rable improvement. The impression that the
Syrian question may be considered as good as
settled gains ground. The legitimists and ultra-
montanista in the Senate, with Larochejaquelin at
their head, will probably accuse the French govern-
ment, on Monday, of truckling to England on this
question, but there is no doubt that they will be
defeated by a large majority. The cold water
thrown upon the Syrian petitions by K de Royer
is remarked as a good omen. After all, this pe-
titioning movement, which was to have been a
grand demonstration, is a wretched failure. Only
10,000 signatures have been collected in all France,
and even these were got by means of a centralised
organisation in Paris, which K de Royer de-
nounced as an abuse of the right of petition. The
Route, after fluctuating between 69fr. 40c. and
69fr. 10c., closed at 69fr. 35c. both for cash and
account, with a rise of 10c. and be. Mobilier rose
7fr. 50c. Railways were all better. Orleans rose
lfr. 25c. ; Northern, sfr. ; Eastern, lfr. 25c.
Lyons, 2fr. 50c. ; Southern, lfr. 25c. ; and
Western, sfr.
The Petrie notices with blame and regret that
the funeral sermon preached at St. Roch for the
Poles who fell at Warsaw on April 8, was made the
occasion, by the Dominican monk who filled the
pulpit, of an ultramontane demonstration. The
cause of Poland, it says, is too popular in France
to be injured by manifestations "the object of
which was much leas to lament for the dead than
to enrol them after their death under a flag to
which they did not belong. Poland is catholic
just like France and Italy, but she is no more
ultramontane than her two sisters."

Garibaldi has addressed the following letter to
K Mare Meunier, the author of a pamphlet en-
titled " History of the Conquest of the Two
Sicilies :"
Will you allow me to make a slight objection? Yon
should change the title of your book. I did not conquer
the Two Sicilia; ; I only seconded the impetus given by the
civic virtues of this generous nation, which have ever
guided it in the ways of liberty. In the month of May the
Siam patriots helped me to put down the Bourbon
gensawle, and on September 7 the descendants of Yessaniello
prepared my entry into Naples.

FINLAND.

(101011 A 001

HELSINCIFORS, NAT 3.
In the columns of your journal you have lately
enlightened the British public on the late tragical
events which have taken place in the capital of Po-
land, and the gracious concessions which the Rus-
sian administration have conferred on the Poles,
which no doubt has fully convinced the most
sceptical of the fatherly protection the Czar has
been graciously pleased to bestow on that portion
of his empire ; but you are ignorant of what passed
almost at the same period in another portion of the
empire—l mean the Grand Duchy of Finland—
of an almost similar nature.
It will be remembered that when Finland was
ceded to Russia in 1809 the Emperor Alexander I.
confirmed and guaranteed to the Fins their funda-
mental law, which is that of Sweden, and according
to which the administration could not effect any
changes in the civil law, &c., without the approba-
tion of the Diet, consisting f the members elected
of the four orders of the nobility, clergy, citizens,
and peasantry. The Diet, however, has not been
convoked since 1809, consequently a number of
laws are inapplicable to the present times, and re-
quire modernising, as does also the present mode
of taxation, tkc. Hopes had been held out
some time ago that a Diet was likely soon to
be convoked, and such subjects as required a speedy
settlement would be laid before the assembly. In-
staid of this, however, the Emperor was induced
to issue a manifest, a copy of which I send you
herewith, in which he convokes twelve members of
each of the four orders to form a committee to de
liberate on such subjects as the government will
lay before them, and any suggestions or proposals
this committee may make, if approved by the Em-
peror, were to be in force, or in fact become law,
until it should please his gracious Majesty to call
• general assembly of the Diet. In this way, of
course, it was thought gaverument might dispense
with the disagreeable consequences of calling a
Diet, and by that mewls render the fundamental
laws void ; but the Fins did not appreciate the
gracious favour bestowed on them on this occasion,
but expressed loudly their indignation and dissatis-
faction at being treated as children, and showed
more than usual energy and spirit in sending
delegates into the provinces calling together the
most influential members of the nobility and
landed proprietors, who assembled at Helsingfors
and drew up a petition to the Emperor showing
that the appointment of a committee was no
concession at all, but that, on the contrary, it
was a step which might deprive them of their
fundamental rights, and soliciting his Majesty to
effect a change in the wording of this manifest,

The Governor-General, as in duty bound,
attempted to get the members of the Senate to
address a vote of thanks to his Majesty for the
favour shown this portion of his empire, but five
of the more independent members of the Senate
refused to comply with this order, and their con-
duct thoroughly coincided with that of the public
at large, who gave vent to their feelings by
visiting the houses of these members in a body of
500 or 600 persons, who expressed their approba-
tion of the senators' protest by loud cheering, na-
tional sough, and cries of "Long live the funda-
mental laws of Fiuland."

Theses demonstrations had the effect of pro-
ducing a second manifest in the shape of instruc-
tions to the senator who had been appointed chair-
man in the proposed committee, and in which the
Emperor explains his intentions respecting the
committee, which are the very opposite to what was
ordered in the first manifest, and now no change
can be effected by this committee before confirmed
by the Diet, which was all that the public required.
These events have given some life to the other-
wise monotonous existence we lead in the north ;
and it was surprising to see the otherwise sedate
and phlegmatic Fin show so much animation and

excitement as during the last few days, when his
rights and privileges were in question.
The navigation for this season has just opened,
and steamers have left this port for Lubeck
Stockholm. The exchange is very low, 340. per
silver rouble, and business rather dull.