The Express.
London, England, 1857-12-17 00:00:00

IXPkESS FROM PARIS.

,„imperial decree in the ifortitestr of today in-
flounces that foreign brandies bare to pay oh impor-
tation into France a duty of 25fr. per hectolitre of
pure alcohol.

(ROY OCR ORX

PARIS, WIDWEIDAT EVININD.

A duel was fought on Monday, Dec. 14, between
M. Chili d'Est Ange, jun., the son of the recently
appointed Procureur Imperial, and a gentleman of
ancient family, the Marquis de Penan. M. Oleic
d'Est Ange, jun., has for some years been known at
the Palms as a rising barrister, and on his father's
prosnotion, the conduct of a chronic law snit of very
long standing, between the Marquis do Person and
his wife, a lady of high lineage, which had been
entrusted to M. Chine d'Eat Ange, the father, was
transferred to the eon. The latter had almost
immediately occasion to make a speech in
court, for the purpose of obtaining an order
that the Marquis do Person, who had
been permitted to visit his children at their school
every week, should in future be only allowed to see
them once a month. In the course of this speech
the young advocate made some remark+ which
induced the marquis to send him an insulting letter.
A hostile message at once followed, notwithstanding
representations made to M. Chile d'Est Ange by the
leaders of the bar that it was against the principles
of the order to fight in justification of any remarks
made in the performance of the duty of an advocate.
A long negotiation followed, but without tending to
any amicable arrangement, and ultimately a meeting
took place, at an early hour on the day above men-
tioned, in the Avenue Villiers, near Themes, on the
outskirts of the Bois de Boulogne. M. Chan.
d'Est Ange was accompanied to the ground by M.
Caumartin, advocate, and the Dine of Rovigo. I
have not heard who were the seconds of the marquis.
The duel was fought with sword+. After several
pawn the Marquie de Parma received a wound in
the right wrist, which rendered him unable to hold
his weapon, and the seconds declared that the honour
of both parties was satiatied. It is said that a pro-
mention will be instituted, with the view of laying
before the public a full explanation of the
affair, and in that case it will be the

duty of M. Chair d'Est Ange, senior, as
Minister of Public Justice, to direct the prosecution
of his son for a breach of the law. This proceed-
ing, however, wiU not infer any severe Roman vir-
tue on the estimable Procureur Imperial, for a trial
for a duel is never a serious affair, and always ends
in either an acquittal or a ridiculously light
sentence,

I learn that the Emperor will shortly preside at a
grand sitting of the Council of State, in which a
decision will be come to respecting the bill for Agri-
cultural Assurances, which has been rejected by the
commercial section of the Council. It is more than
doubtful, notwithstanding a caricature of the
Charicari representing a street in which a leg of
mutton, a calf, or a joint of beef is seen hangigg out
of the window of every story in every house,
whether the abolition of the butchers' monopoly
will not be indefinitely adjourned. lam assured
that the project which the Municipal Council has
rejected was signed by the Emperor himself; but
as they insist strongly upon reasons affecting the
city funds, an impression prevails that the Emperor
will give way. As to the bill for the alteration of
the usury law of 1807, which has been for some time
before the Council of State, I understand that it has
been refetred to the Procures., Imperial, to make a
report upon it.
It seems to be quite certain that the vacant seats
for Park will not be filled up until after the Carps
Legislatif re-assemble in January. The supposed
reason for this is the desire to avoid an appeal to

the constituency which elected earaignac,aarnot,
end Cioudchaux, whilst the impression made by the
suppression of the Proud is warm in the public

mind. It is perhaps doubtful, however, whether
anything will be gained by this procrastioating
policy, for besides that the electors of Paris have
shown that their memories are not short, they will
be likely to resent the meeting of the house for
important buaineis while they remain unrepresented.
The Bourse was firmer to-day, owing to an im-
pression that the Bank of France would to-morrow
extend the reduction of its discount to 6 per cent.
for three months bills. The Route fell 40e. far
cash, and 3k. for account, closing at 68fr. 80e.,
and 67fr. Mobilier rose 16fr. The Orleans Rail-

way rose 12fr. 60e.; Northern, 62fr. 60e.; Lyons,
12fr. 50c. ; Southern, 71r. 50c.; and Eastern, lfr.
23c. Western left off without variation.
The Davis says, in its weekly commercial
review :

Although the financial situation of Paris la steadily Improv-
ing, general buaineem deed nut manifestany ptopoetionateamc-
'location, sad even the approach of the jour de len fails in
producing anything like its ordinals animation. Manufac-

Wren en fabricating but little, snit the Mocks in band a

•
gradually diminishing. At Lions, however, some trans-
actions In silt goads am hiking piece, and the accounts from
Roubaix, Lille, and Tonrcotag are a shade better than them
of the preceding wash. Letters from Rotten declare thatoom-
piste stagnation prevails among the manufacturers of that
. .

piece. The opinion rem.■ to pierail that the peat rinierve
exhibited ►t present by the French manufacturers la the
effect of exeggsrated apprehension, and that aa soon as the
money market becomes decidedly buoyant, lewdness will re-
vive with redoubled activity.