The Express.
London, England, 1861-04-27 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 27, 1861.

wade, and added that those forts ought to be
evacuated by the Federal Government. The
Union would be stronger without such an ally ea
this ; and it is probable that Virginia has
already seceded. The Montgomery Government
may be emboldened by this first success
to tempt the fortune of war in another enterprise
which it is known to have at one time entertained.
Washington is but inadequately defended. The
Militia of the district cannot be relied on, and the
oath is refused by hundreds of them, including per-
sons in the pay of the Government. Southern
politicians, annoyed at finding that the governments
of Europe are not eager to shake the polluted hand
which is extended to them from Montgomery,
persuade themselves that if they were in posseesion
of Washington they should acquire a certain
prestige in the eyes of the world. Vain as is this
imagination, it is just such an one as the Southern
leaders are likely to indulge, and an attack on the
national capital must not be dismissed from the
catalogue of contingencies because the project is
wild and absurd. The dire poverty of the Confe-
deracy, and the hopelessness of obtaining credit,
as shown in the failure of the new loan, while the
loan offered by the Government of the Union has
been subscribed four millions in excess, powerfully
as they must tell in a protracted war, will only
make the Montgomery Government more despe-
rately adventurous.
But the most important effect of these occur-
rences must be expected in the North, the East,
and above all in the West. The temper of the
proud and idle Southerners inclines them to osten-
tatious and premature military display, and per-
haps also to a mistake which has been made
elsewhere, that of supposing that an industrious
population of forbearing disposition may safely be
trifled with. But in this respect the North is
likely to undeceive them. The tenor of letters
and newspapers leads us to expect that, now that
the Montgomery Government has shown its colours,
all hesitation will be at an end—that a conaolida-
tion of opinion will take place, that men's minds
will be united in common resolutions, and that we
shall soon hear of the rapid development of war-
like force. The people of the North are as high-
spirited as those of the bragging South, and they
are now at liberty to consult only the per-
manent interests of the country. England has
invariably and unanimously desired a pacific ad-
justment of the differences of the Americans ; but
if this cannot be, her own undivided sympathies
are for those who represent the liberty, social and
political, the morality, the enlightenment, energy,
and all that is hopeful and progressive among the
American people.

PARIS FASHIONS FOR MAY.

(From the 111u:tealed Leaden News.)
Although Easter is past, and the season advances
favourably, bariges have not made their appearance in the
public promenades ; but already the poi' de cheers is
brought into use, and makes up into charming spring
dresses, competing successfully with the light fancy silks so
popular in Paris, as indeed everywhere. For simple drowse
the pod de chevre is especially adapted, and may be em-
ployed almost without trimming, particularly for young
persons. When, however, they are ornamented with a
ruching trimmed with silk their effect is considerably
heightened.
It appears that coloured stockings are to be the mode
this summer ; the jupons seem to indicate that this fashion
will be vary general Coloured stockings, or white ones em-
broidered with coloured silk are, moreover, in harmony
with the Swims jupons or those in scarlet For a country
"at home" it is already decided that these fanciful petti-
coats may be worn with a black cloth or velvet basquine,
the effect of which, contrasting with the gay colours of the
quasi-skirt, may be somewhat coquettish, but will certainly
be pretty, not to my picturesque.
Black straw bonnets are coming much into vogue, and are
to be met with at all the principal milliners' ; they show off
a tasteful trimming to great advantage. We have seen one
decorated with roses du roi and black and red velvet ; the
bavolet was double, one part being of black silk and the
other of black velvet. The edge of the bonnet is usually
simple, without velvet or other trimming, and the strinp
are also black. Altogether, we must declare ounelves par-
tisans of this innovation. The straw used iu the MALIMILIC.
tare of these black straw bonnets is of the largest descrip-
tion.

The llama shawls mentioned is our Let are becoming
;at:oohed even in the highest quarters ; they are undoubt-
edly very distingue, and an noon as the warm weather shall
have set in in right earnest they mast be generally worn,
either for riding or walking. These shawls are mostly
black, a colour that has of late much increased in favour
for many of the articles composing a Parisian lady's toilet.