The Express.
London, England, 1859-05-03 00:00:00

FRANCE.

'Awe, liomowr, 11.6 p.m.
'lentos ince Ant loop* 61.06, raw to 61.16, and
en now 61.10. U. doing.

12.35 p.m.

Rents. opened at 61.06, but fell immediately to
60.95, rose again, and are now 61.20, being a de-
cline of I since yesterday's closing. Little doing.
2.18 p.m.
Liquidation is proceeding quietly. Tendency of
the Bourse flat. Rents. 61.16.
Closing not arrived.

The letter of our Paris correspondent, dated yet.
terday evening, had not arrived when we went to
press.

THE UNITED STATES.

C7lOll OCR OWN CO]

NEW YORK, Aram 16.

The trisl of Sickles for the murder of Key has
filled the newspapers and been the prevailing topic
of conversation for the last week, and it is still
trailing its slow length along at Washington. The
utmost excitement prevails about it amongst the
" politicians," and male circles of the community.;
during this dull season it is an invaluable resource in
leisure moments. The interest it excites is partly
due to the prominent position of the two leading
actors in the tragedy, partly to the fact that Sickles
is looked on by some ef his own set as the represen-
tative of Northern pluck opposed to Southern in-
solence, and partly to the morbid sympathy which
a large class of persons in this country—it is useless
to deny it—extend to any person who has killed his
man. To this must be added the fact that Sickles has
for some years been a leading democratic politician
la this State, and counts amongst his immediate
Mods and adherents large numbers of idle adven-
turers, fond of excitement, and fond of notoriety,
and willing to work might and main for anybody
who promises them either the one or the other.
The greater hero these people can make of their
chief, the greater their own glory, of course ; and
they have, consequently, left nothing undone, as far
as the press can do anything, to magnify him. The
seam that have been taken to concentrate on the
and for Sickles's special benefit, all the
curiosity of the whole Union, furnish a curl-
MI illustration of the sort of entertainment which a
certain class is found to relish most. In this depart-
ment the illustrated papers of this city have out-
done themselves. Soon after the occurrence ap-
peared in one of them a picture of the
" Hon. Daniel E. Sickles in his cell," in
which that distinguished individual was repre-
sented flinging his body acres a table, his legs
remaining on his bed, his hands clasped and his eyes
turned towards the ceiling with a most demoniacal
expression. Next came portraits of the whole trio,
Mr. and Mrs. Sickles and Mr. Key. These pictures
of the scene of the tragedy given from every possible
point of view, containing in the foreground one long-
legged man shooting another long-legged man, while
a third stood at a little distanoe with his arms

folded. Then the coat worn by. Philip B. Key on
the melancholy occasion, showing the bullet-hole,
&c. ; then the waistcoat, ditto, ditto ; then the
trousers, showing the stains of blood; then the
Derringer pistol from which the first bullet came;
then the opera-glue which Key threw; then the
handkerchief which he waved. This week we have
portraits of every man, from the judge to the court
crier, connected either directly or indirectly with
the trial, including the twelve jurymen; and one
estuprising 4oninsl has outdone its competitors by
giving portraits of many of the talesman, distin-
guidung those who were challenged peremptorily
hem those who were challenged for cause.
The trial until yesterday wee conducted, consider-
ing the excitement which prevails, with remarkable
decorum and absence of personalities, and the coun-
sel on both sides displayed remarkable ability. The
mass of evidence which is being heard is enormous,
and the cue is so peculiar that nearly every. inch of
ground is contested, and hardly a question is asked
without being signed. The defence is twofold, and
certainly somewhat inconsistent. The first ground
is that the killing was justifiable, inasmuch as Key
was to all intents and purposes taken in adultery ;
the second is that the deed was done during a fit of
temporary insanity brought on by the sudden reve-
lation of his wife's infidelity. The defendant accor-
dingly makes the most desperate and ingenious
attempts to get the fact of the adultery and its
attendant circumstances directly or indirectly before
the jury, and the prosecution is equally strenuous
in its efforts to prevent it. Yesterday the defendant's
counsel deliberately got up a personal quarrel with
the district attorney, apparently for the purpose of
delivering a piece of clap-trap addressed to the
audience, and he was, of course, rewarded by a round
of applause, before the officers of the court could
sumer it.
About the result no doubt is entertained by any-'
body. Sickles will be acquitted beyond question,
and amongst his admirers will be more popular than
before. His case would need to be very much
weaker than it is before ajury of Maryland farmer',
such as his is, would convict him. The popular
sympathies in the slaveholding states are always with
the man who avenges his own wrongs ri it areas,
and almost any provocation, however trifling, is
sufficient to excuse murder, however brutal. The
only offenses on which juries are severe are offences
against property ; so that the law has virtually
ceased to take cognisance of offences against the
person, unless robbery is the motive. The only thing
that can be said in Sickles's favour is that he treated
Key in the only way in which Key's fellow-citizens
consider it honourable to treat a personal enemy in
extreme cases.

Amongst the intelligent and reepeotable portion of
the community here there is but one opiolon of the
affair, and that is, that, whatever palliation Sickles's
offence might admit of ifeommitted by another man,
committed by him it admits of very little, if any.
I mention this because I see some of your contem-
poraries are trying to make him out an ill-used indi-
vidual. Outside the "rowdy politician" class here,
there is no dissent from the belief that he was one
of the last men in the community who should have
taken on himself to execute human justice on an
adulterer, even when the wrong be avenged was his
own.

A Paris letter says that the Zottavea of the Guard
have delighted the crowds in Peel by the rapidity of their

movements. One of them was running the other day towards
the railway; "Hallos, comrade," cried some workmen,
"Foe seem In • hurry," "A little, old felew," said the
&nave. " But where off to se fast " Oh, to the Con-
gress, parbkts was the reply. At Marreilles • Zoucee,
imile.ing the cry of the railway guard., shouted to his com-
rades, " Parengers for Austria,—this way." Another, at
the moment when the vessel was quitting the quay, called
out to his brother, "My address—Pate Restante, Vienne."
The first of two lectures on " The Revival of
Leiters and its Influence'," was delivered by Professor
!Mott to a select end highly intelligent indicate., at the
Marylehons Institution, on Friday afternoon. His
eloquence is of that peculiar order, which must be
heard in order to be fully appreciated. Professor
Beott possesses a ram faculty of oral exposition, which
enables hire to present the condensed result of much reedits(
and more reflection In a vivid and instructive form. By a
happy union of graphic detail with profound general views,
he gives • picture of the historical period relected for Mu-
trades which is et once fell end minute, philmophical end
picturesque. The expositice is so stimulating and euggea-
five, that the hearer is oarrkd on till he fancies he is not
only reflecting on the subject for himself, but posteesed of
views es dear and comprehensive se the lecturer's own. The
subject of the lecture to-day will be the age of Brame. end
the old age of Michael Angelo.

THE MAIL SZILVICE.—SOUTHAMPTON, MON DAY.—
TY steam ship La Plata, Captain Weller, left this day with
the West India and Nettle mails, 1601. in speck. 7,9001. in
jewellery, and 66 masingers, among whom were Kr. Kett-
right, Governor of Grenada, the Bishop of Jamaica, Captain
Murray, Lieutenant Helder, &e. The steam ship Weser,
from Bremen, will loam to-morrow fir New York, with the
English end German stalls. The steam ship drag% from
Havre to New Y..rk, will leave on Wednesday with the
Preach and Engllrh mails. The mum ship Born*, tram
Hamburg to New Y.rk, will leave on Wedzieeday with
freight end passengers. The Sultan, with the Pentnaular
mull, Is expected to•mortow.