The Express.
London, England, 1861-10-04 00:00:00

THE PRICE Or BREAD.

For some days past there Las Leen a talk of uneasiness
existing among the Parisian population, and the working
classes moro especially, in consequence of the rise
in the price of bread, and political passious natu-
rally endeavour to turn this uneasiness to ac-
count. list these passions are out of date, for the
popular classes know bow enthusiastically the Emperor
takes thought fur their interests and wellbeing, and their
gratitude is not to be affected by a momeutary alarm.
There was a time when the governmeut of France disdained
the people : there was another period when it feared them.
But these things are altered. The people now-a-days is
neither despised nor feared. It is the object of a °mutant
solicitude. The imperial government dues not diadaia or
dread the laborious classes : it loves them. There is the
secret of its strength. And, therefore, when embarrass-
ments result from a subsistence crisis, they are economical,
sad never political. They may he very real, but they are of
an order altogether different from what they were under
the ancient monarchy of 're and the government of July,
As to the present crisis, we must neither attenuate
nor exaggerate it, and we call attention to the following
reflections.

Thou follows a long article putting the prospects
of the winter supply in the best possible light, and
insisting upon the large public works to be executed
in Paris as a fruitful resource for the poor.
" Credit and free trade" is the watchword on which
the Pays relies. The Opinion Nationale last night
said it had received • memorial alleged to have
been signed by 750 working men ; but in default of
the signatures it could not print it. This evening
the journal makes no reference to the subject, and
therefore, I presume, has had a hint to be silent.
I have just heard of a horrible assassination of •
police officer, which occurred an hour or two ago in
the Boulevard Selsuitopol, under these circum-
stances :—The Prefect of Police, with that spirit of
minute interference which was lately exemplified
in the decree touching preserved plums and China
oranges, has within the last few days ordered all coach-
men and draymen in Paris to give up the use of whip-
cord. This ordinance against a useful and accus-
tomed aid to driving was not issued out of any
humane consideration for the horses, but because
nervous citizens complained of the noise made by
the cracking of whips. This afternoon, as a dray-
man was conducting a cart laden with stones along
the Boulevard de Sebastopol a sergent de rifle ob-
served that he had whipcord on his whip, and de-
sired him to take it off. The man paid no
attention to the order, and thereupon the police
officer shortened the whip himself with a pair of
scissors. Upon this provocation the carter seized
the policeman, threw him on the ground, and,
whether intentionally or not (I hope not), placed
him in such a position that the wheel of the cart
passed over his head and killed him on the spot.
The masonic meeting for the election of a grand
master, which was forcibly prorogued by the police
in May, is to be held on the 14th of this month, in
the Rue Cadet. Up to this time the interest which
was felt in the matter does not seem to have been
revived in the public mind ; but I have no doubt
that the craft will elect Prince Napoleon against
Murat, unless—of which there is at present no evi-
dence—the former should have been persuaded to
withdraw his pretensions.
The Bourse was more calm to-day and quotations
recovered to a considerable extent. Rents rose
25c. for cash and 15c. for amount, closing at 68fr.
25c., and 68fr. 40c. Mobilier ruse 16fr. 25c. The
Orleans and Northern railways rose 7fr. 50c. each.
In the other lines there was little change. Money
rules on the Bourse as high as 10 or 12 per cent.
Father Passaglia's Latin pamphlet, arguing the
non-necessity of the temporal power, is dreadfully
long and dreadfully tiresome. The moat striking
part of it is the announcement (or threat, as some
may read it) that if the Pope does not
give way there will be a schism in the
catholic church. After this he proceeds to prove,
by most diffuse arguments, supported by intermin-
able quotations from learned doctors and fathers of
the church, that the temporal power is not an
article of faith, and that the Italian revolution
being " neither evidently just nor evidently un-
just," but a matter concerning which a theologian
may lawfully doubt, the Pope is at liberty to com-
pound with it for the sake of peace and the in-
terests of Christianity—in dalnis libertna. " Three
objections," continues the author, " may be made:—
I. That the Pope has too often said no' to say
`yes' at this time of day. 2. The oath that Pius
IX. took on his accession relative to tho mainten-
ance of the states of the church. 3. The fear lest
the spiritual power of the papacy could not be
freely exercised if Rome should become the capital
of Italy." To these three objections Father
Passaglia replies by an excessively wordy
dissertatiou, from which may be deduced
these simple propositions :—A. The Popo may
always, with honour, reverse a previous deci-
sion if the necessities of the church require it. B.
The oath imposed on the popes of the sixteenth
century wax intended to Prevent them from muti-
lating the domains of the church for the benefit of
their nephews and natural or legitimate children,
such as Caesar Borgia, Paul Louis Farnese, et hoe
genus opine, and is therefore wholly inapplicable to
the present ease. O. That it is very easy to con-
stitute a free church side by side with a free state.
and that, with the guarantees offered, the Pope will
be freer than he am before.

".1 • 947.../AMA ns on .• • • •
Lie t. • . ••-• attrUllee ;•f
ft protest,
signed by forty-four deputise to the congress of workmen,
protesting against the vote of the 27th ult., by which it
was agreed to introduce a political element into the
societies.

At Copenhagen a rather curious circumstance is
mentioned respecting Count de Hamsterlf, Foreign Minister
of Prussia. It seems that he is a Danish 'abject, and that
before entering Prwodau diplomacy he took an oath of
fidelity to King Predorick VII., at the time of the Recession
of that sovereign to the throne of Denmark and the two
German Duchies.

In Prussia the approaching coronation occupies
public attention, more, perhaps, than the great political
questions of the day. AU the principal burgomasters in
the kingdom have been invited to the ceremony, and towns
of above 5,000 souls are to be represented by deputations.
Besides their travelling exposes the members of the
Chamber of Deputies will teosive for their stay at Konigs-
berg an indemnity of eight days' pay, at the same rate as
when attending the legislature.