The Express.
London, England, 1868-05-09 00:00:00

OUR PARIS LETTER.

(711,031 ova Ow, CORILIZPONDZNT.)

PARIS, FRIDAY EVINING.

There seems to be a parti pria to clear the poli-
tical atmosphere for the Emperor's visit to Orleans.
All the news of the day is the precise counterpart
of that of yesterday, and the " black points " on
the horizon have all disappeared. In the first
place the Constitutionne/ says that the reports of

remonstrances having been addressed by France to
Prussia on the subject of the fortifications of
Mayence were set about for speculative purposes,
and are utterly untrue. This is very likely. As-
suming the contradiction to be well founded, it
only shows that France has not thought it
desirable to raise a " Mayence question," which the
Berlin journals were prompt to say the Prussian
government would not suffer for an instant. That
Mayence is being every day strengthened and that
its garrison is very powerful are notorious facts not
in any way denied by the Constitutionne/. In
I estimating, moreover, the value of that journal's
denial, as far as it goes, it is material to remember
that last year, and up to the very moment when
the plenipotentiaries for the London Conference
were named, it denied with equal emphasis and
solemnity that there was any such thing as a
Luxembourg question. Another paragraph in the
Constitutionnei, professedly written in answer to
rumours about what the Emperor will say
at Orleans, affirm that his Majesty has
intimated that he will listen to no speeches
and make none. The amusing part of this an-
nouncement is that the greatest noise about the
imperial speech which was supposed to be forth-
coming was made by the Consfitutionne/ itself,
which proved very conclusively in four successive
articles that the Emperor must necessarily deliver
a pacific discourse on this occasion. Rightly con-
sidered, it is far from a reassuring symptom that
his advisers think he cannot be trusted to speak at
all. The Libert4 says on the subject :
It is evident that at an agricultural meeting the Empe-
ror could scarcely have made any other than • pacific
speech. If he is to be silent the logical inference is that
he fears his words might have been susceptible of warlike
interpretations.

The Tunisian question, which yesterday was
menacing, is to-day all serene. General Rustem,
the Minister of the Interior of the Bey of Tunis,
and General Raffia, a special envoy, just arrived in
Paris, had an interview with the Marquis de Mous-
tier yesterday. It is said that they are disposed
to give France all the satisfaction required, and
that in all probability a committee will be formed
in Paris to consider the French, English, and
Italian claims.

A report that Prince Czartoryski communicated
beforehand to the Emperor a copy of the speech
he lately made in London predicting the res-
toration of Poland is also contradicted.

The ensemble of the day's news naturally pro-
duced a good effect upon the Bourse. Rente more
than recoverod yesterday's fall, and closed at 68fr.
40c. both for cash and for account, with a rise of
15c. and 'lnc. Italian rose 271 c. ; Mobilier, llfr.
26c. ; and Credit Fonder, 7fr. 50c. The favour-
able influence of the news above alluded to was
greatly aided by the telegraphic intelligence
that the unitary address in the Ger-
man Customs Parliament had been rejected
by a majority of 23. Moreover the crowd
which thronged Dente's shop this morning to buy
the pamphlet La Pai.c par /a Guerre were disap-
pointed. The publication, if not countermanded,
is postponed. One very sufficient reason for re-
modelling it would be that in the proof sheets which
I saw great staves is laid as a reason for war upon
the very address moved in the German parliament
which we now know has been negatived.
As I have all along anticipated, the boisterous
opposition to the Press Bill in the Senate dwindled
down to insignificant proportions before a deter-
mined speech from M. Rouher. The reactionists
at last only mustered 23 votes against 94, and the
bill has passed. Cardinal Donnet, who pleaded hard
for an adjournment of the debate to enable him to
speak against the measure could not obtain it, and
was fain to content himself with giving an adverse
vote. The other cardinals kept out of the way,
and did not vote at all.