The Express.
London, England, 1861-05-16 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

. .
Mom Obey* amaseroxvirr.)

• PARIS, WIMICSDAT EVENING.
The (lobate in the Senate on the Syrian petition
exldnded to such a lesgth yesterday that M. Bil-
lault war compelled to adjourn the ministerial ex-
Phisations till to-day. .Y9st will not probably be
abMsto find room for any report of the speeches ;
and; indeed, the interest in them will be entirely
merged in that of M. Billault. General de Ca&
telbajac said that the opinion of the French
Senate would be of immense weight both in France
and Europe ; but I venture to think this a mistake,
and that the honourable general would have done
well to have stretched the modesty which he pro-
fesses individually so far as to include the Cham-
ber to which he belongs. In point of fact there is
not a more insignificant body politic in the whole
world than the French Senate. They represent
nothing existing—nothing but the policy of the
Emperor after the coup trit,tf, and which policy he
has, happily for himself and the country, now re-
nounced as dangerous and unworkable. M. de
Larochejaqueliu and the cardinals and fanatics who
spoke against Prince Napoleon on the Roman ques-
tion were the speakers on this occasion, and their
object now, as then, is to damage the Emperor by
representing him as neglecting his duty as eldest
sou of the church. They profess, indeed, to be
animated by no feeling of opposition, and to
prove this they blandly cite the Empe-
ror's own words when he first started the
Syrian expedition. But this is a shallow
device. They know very well that the Emperor
did at ono time mean to remain in Syria, if not
permanently, at least much longer than was stipu-
lated by the treaty, and they also know that the
firmness of the other powers (and principally of
England) has forced him to modify his intentions,
and therefore they seek to plat* him in contradio-
lion with himself. Count Segue d'Aguesseau made
a furious attack upon England, and talked about
France drawing the sword. Nobody in Paris cares
a farthing rushlight what the senators say, because
they enjoy no consideration and possess no power.
Bat M. Billault's speech, the substance of which
you will have by telegraph before this letter, is
looked forward to with intense interest.

The reiterated assertions of the hidipcaddrice
that negotiations are going on, and approach a
conclusion, for the evacuation of Rome are again
denied by the Pays and Patric. The first of these
journals says roundly that the statements of the
'Belgian journal are " altogether unfounded," and
that "the stutu quo is maintained at Rome." The
language of the Pattie is, however, much weaker ;
it merely says that the gaits quo is " provisionally "
maintained—a fact quite consistent with the ex-
istence of negotiations for putting an end to it.
The Opinion Nationale and Presle both say that
the rumours of negotiations are "confirmed ;" but
I am afraid the confirmation to which they allude
rests only upon the paragraph of the independence,
now contradicted by the semi-official journals.
" It appears from authentic documents," says
the Patrie, " that France now possesses 475 vessels,
of which 349 are steam and 126 sailing. Among
the steamers are 37 screw liners ; 6 screw iron-
cased frigates; 17 frigates, paddle-wheel and
screw ; 47 corvettes, ditto; 126 steam advice boats,
and 44 screw transports. Among the sailing
vessels are 8 line-of-battle ships, 25 frigates, 13
corvettes, 21 brigs, 26 light vessels, and 33 trans-
ports." The journal adds :—" It is very long
since our navy presented such an imposing
ensemble."

The Bourse, after opening well, became very
much weaker. The Rente clo4ed at 69fr. 441 c. for
cub, and 69fr. 63c. for the account, with a fall of
100. and 60. The fluctuation ranged from. 69fr. 75e.
to 69fr. 59c. Mobilier fell sfr. Railways were
about 2fr. 60c. lower. Several small houses at
Lyons have stopped payment on account of the
American crisis.

Count de Nieuwerkerke is shortly going to Rome
to take possession of the Campana Museum, which
has just been purchased by the French government.
The price paid for this esteemed collection was
3,700,000 fr.
A theatre for operettas and ballets in about to be
erected on the island on the lake of the Bois de
Boulogne.
I have seen a copy of the following letter from
Garibaldi, addressed to the Polish General Micros-
lawski, which has not, I believe, yet been made
public :

Geode, May 4.

My dear friend,—The great strug;le of the suppressed
natioaalities is at hand, but no man can precisely foretell
the hour. We must be always ready ! Therefore, say to
your countrymen what I tell the Italians :—" Tho money
iseocesary for • million of muskets must be had." The
bravo Poles, who at the time of the Warsaw massacres
showed that they knew how to sacrifice their lives for their
country, will not shrink from devoting a tort of their in-
comes for the same cause. You, general, and your friends,
are ready to give your lives for Italy—be assured that I
sad my friends will do as much for Poland.
To General Illernalawaiti. O. GARIBALDI.