The Express.
London, England, 1861-07-25 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(1110 X 01111 OWIII

PARIS, WEDXLSDAY EVIIITWO.
1 don't know what may be the consequences—
not that I apprehend they will be very serious—
but it is quite certain that the French government
has given orders to its press to abuse Lord John
Russell. In spite of all contradictions, I affirm
that M. Grandguillot's article in the Constitution-
mei, and M. Paulin Limayrac's in the Pays, are
written from the same set of instructions. The
Constitationnel says that Lord John's speech has
"produced a very unfavourable impression in
Paris, and the feeling cannot fail to extend to all
France ;" moreover, that "our national suscepti-
bility has a right to be offended." The Pays
chimes in :—" Lord John Russell has wounded our
national pride without a motive, and almost with-
out a pretext." The Pays says that Lord John
ought to have let such men as Mr. Kinglake
and Sir Robert Pvl "have their say without an-
swering them :" the Cemtitutionnet, putting the
same idea in fiercer language, and fancying that
an English minister can treat the House of Com-
mons as M. Billault does the French deputies, in-
quires why he did not "at once impose silence" upon
Mr. Hinglake 1 Both M. Grandguillot and M. Li-
mayrac are inspired to hold up Mr. Bright and Mr.
Cobden as patterns from whom Lord John ought to
shape his foreign policy. Both these original
writers are careful to say, and this in precisely the
same words, that no "serious danger" to the
Anglo-French alliance is to be apprehended ; but
the Constitittiounet talks of Lord John's ha-
bitual " rhodomontatie ;" and the Pays is
of opinion that his " imprudence and want
of tact" will seriously compromise his re-
putation. While thus jointly saying what was
set down for them, each writer ventures, after his
own fashion, on a little bit of originality, and, in
each case, with curious infelicity. "Let us be oar-
taia," says M. Grandguillot, " that these childish
provocations will find our country al proud and
unbending as at the period when we annexed Nice
and Savoy, in spite of England. England, it may
be remembered, then protested with much less
vapouriug against the fait accompli." Was there
ever such an unfortunate illustration to ar. argu-
ment I Why, Savoy and Nice, previously to their
annexation, went through all the phases that
Sardinia is traversing now. There were mysterious
French &puts sent to agitate the country, para-
graphs iu semi-official journals disavowed officially
as soon as they attracted notice in England, and
positive diplomatic assertions from Turin and Paris
that nothing of the kind w.ui contemplated, and
yet, after all, the annexation was impudently
and suddenly effected. After these facts, all sug-
gested by M. Graudguillot's vapouring, M. Limey-
rac's effusion is indeed unlucky. He says, " Thank
God ! the day has gone by when a French ambas-
sador could say in the tribune of the Chamber of
Deputies, when giving an account of his mission,
I spoke, but they would not believe me.' Now,
when the French government speaks, it is entitLi
to be believed." Uuder favour, M. Limayrac, is
is just the contrary. The conduct of the French
government, precisely in pari rnateria, has been
such that its word does not meet with implicit
credit, and therefore an English minister, having
his immense responsibility before his eyes, has been
obliged to declare, in substance, that he must act as
if no such word had been uttered.

We have not to wait long fora different view of
Lord John Russell's speech, which the government
journals predicted was to produce such a bad effect
in France. The Temps of this evening says :

Lord John Russell, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, has in-
troduced into diplomacy unprecedentod frankness; in his
despatches there is no reticence ; and this sincerity, always
praiesworthy, is above all pleasing to us when principles of
liberty are so nobly professed in the face of Europe. Such
• man, even when we may differ from him, deserves more
respect than is shown by thin morning's Cunstautionnd, in
• regrettable and uncalled-for article.

The Gazette de France observes upon M. Grand-
guillot's ignorance of the atmosphere of Euglaud
when he talks of "imposing silence" upon a mem-
ber of the House of Commons.

The case of the Duke de Broglie v. the Prefect
of Police was called on to-day. M. Andra', for
the duke, desired to withdraw from the prueecu-
tiou on the ground that the copies of the duke's
work which were seized had now been all restored,
although a delay of five weeks proved sufficiently
what he wanted to know, that the books had been
lent by the authorities for purposes of private
curiosity, and that it would not be the duke's
fault if the work should surreptitiously appear in
print. M. Buason, for the prefect, complained
of K Audral's statement, and the argument was
still going on at a late hour this afternoon.

The Bourse was a little more animated. Rente
recovered the 10e. fall of yesterday and clotted at
67fr. 66c., and 67fr. 70e.; Mobilier rose lfr. 50e.
Railways were from lfr. 25c. to 2Fr. 50c. higher.
Baron de Pontalba, who had bad the good for-
tune of being left by the Correctional Tribunal in
undisturbed possession of the enormous sum of
1,700,000 fr. (68,0001. sterling), paid to him by
Mires, as commission for a journey to Rome, from
the funds of the company of whose interests the
baron was an official protector, is not yet free from
annoyance about the matter. The official assignees
appointed to wind up the affairs of the Oisisse 04-
n6tale des Chemins de Fer have brought an action
against Baron de Pontalba for the restitution of
the above sun], alleging that the ostensible ground
on which it was paid was but a pretext, and that
in reality it was hush money intended to stay the
criminal proceedings against Mires, which were set
on foot iu cousoqueuor of Pontalba's denunciation.
The cause was called on before the Tribunal of
Commerce ou Monday, and stands over for hearing
on a future day. It is said that both Baron de Pon-
talba and Count Simeon have sent their resigna-
tions to the Jockey Club.
The Opinion Nationale persists in its statement
(which has been contradicted by the Patrie) that
General de Goyon has handed over to the Pope the
25,000 or 30,000 stands of arms and 30 guns taken
from the Neapolitan troops who took refuge in the
Papal States, and that the Pope has transferred
them to Francis 11. for the armament of his par-
tisans.

The Opinion Nationale also says in its leading
column :

At Rome discontent grows every day deeper and more
dangerous. The population is Malignant ;it is goaded by
the intrigues and plots of the reeictioisists, and people trem-
ble at the thought that its patience must at length be nearly
worn out. General de Goyim of course could repress any
outbreak, but at what cost? Rumours—the authenticity
of which we will neither affirm nor deny—augment the
effervescence of the =Cam! party—in other words, of the
entire Roman people, with scarcely any exceptions. It is
mid, and affirmed, that Francis 11. has set up a manufactory
of gunpowder and shells in his palace, that he is endeavouring
to effect a general riving in hie lost dominions, sod that the
pontifical government aids him to the utmost of its power.
The principal go-betweens of this alliance of the Holy See
and the Bourbon camarills are Mgr. de Merode, and Pasqua-
loci, the dews ex machina of the Roman police. This
much is, at all events, certain, that agents of Francis II
leave the Farneee palace every day for the Neapolitan pro-
einces, where they enlist peesenta and bring them over the