The Express.
London, England, 1861-05-15 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(molt ma owm

PARIS. Ist:M.BOAT EVENING.

It was fully expected that the Moniker would
contain to-day a ministerial declaration confirming
the statement that the French army will evacuate
Syria by June 5 ; but the sitting of the Senate
yesterday, in which this statement should have
been =de, was entirely taken up by an adjourned
debate on the fishermen's petition. The discussion
on the Syrian petition comes on to-day, and there
cannot be the least doubt that M. Billault will
declare the intention of the French government to
fulfil its engagements, and that after a catholic
demonstration by M. Larochejacquelin and some of
the cardinals the petition will be shelved.
Yesterday the government allowed the senators
to gain a protectionist battle in the matter of the
fisheries ; but it was only a sham fight. Nothing
can be wilder than the idea of going back upon
the provisions of the commercial treaty. What
the petitioners want is to restore the protectionist
duty of 48fr. upon fish instead of the 10fr. fixed
by the new tariff. MM. Rouher and Baroche,
ministers without portfolios, followed M. Michel
11Chevalier, and demolished the arguments by which
it was sought to prove that the high duty was
essential to the existence of the French fisheries
and the French navy. But, as the only ques-
tion was whether the order of the day should be
voted on the petition (a formality tantamount to
rejection), or whether it should be referred to the com-
petent ministers for consideration, the government
speakers, just to humour the protectionist senators
and flatter their sense of self-importance, saicl4at a
question of this kind was always open to considera-
tion, and therefore they would by no means object
to its being "referred." They, however, clearly gave
it to be understood that the further inquiries
to be made would be principally for further facts
tending to show the absurdity of the fears enter-
tained by the petitioners, and M. Rouher pleasantly
told the supporters of the petition that two or three
years hence he would receive their congratulations
on the failure of their sinister predictions. On a divi-
sion the reference was voted by 99 to 14. M. de Per.
signy voted with the majority--on the principle, I
suppose, of that perpetual inquiry admitted by M.
Ronher—but the ministers Delangle, Ronland, and
Marshal Randon voted in the minority, clearly
showing which way the Emperor inclines.
MM. Emile 011ivier, Jules Favre, Darimon,
Picard, and Hinon have availed themselves of an
opportunity afforded by a clause in the budget to
bring forward once more a proposal for the repeal
of the law of public safety and other laws of an
"exceptional character. They have in due form

lodged an amendment proposing to reduce the
secret service money of the Minister of the Interior
from two millions to one million. The grounds of
their amendment, as stated in an explanatory note,
are that they feel it impossible to concur in the
credit demanded so long as the following laws are
not repealed :-1. The decree of December 8, 11331,
concerning individuals placed under the surveil-
lance of the high police and individuals known to
have belonged to a secret society. 2. The law of
June 26, 1852, prohibiting certain categories of
individuals from residing in the department of the
Seine or the communes forming the Lyons
agglomeration. 3. The Articles 3,6, 7,8, 9, and
10 of the law of public safety of February 27,
1858.

It is now said that the departure of the court for
Fontainebleau is postponed to the 27th.
The Bourse was good. The Rente, after being
firm all day, closed for account at G9fr. GOc., with
a rise of 10c. and at yesterday's price, 69fr. 55c.,
for account. Kohllier rose 6fr. 26c. The Western
Railway rose Mr., Southern and Orleans 3fr. 75c.,
and the other lines from lfr. 2150. to 2fr. 50c.

According to the &Mc, it has been decided to
adopt one uniform tariff for telegraphic despatches
in Franoe ; a telegram between any two places in
the same department is to cost lfr. ; and the price
to any part of France will be 2fr. Of course this
announcement must be understood as referring to
a simple despatch, not exceeding a given number of
words.