The Express.
London, England, 1861-12-04 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 4, 1861.

tion, should we be driven by a deplorable noose-
sity to take up arms to obtain justice from a
people one with us in language, religion, and blood.
When France has had a vessel boarded as the
Trent was boarded, she will doubtless know how to
obtain satisfaction, but this is a family quarrel, and
we don't want any other Power to avenge our
wrongs. But if, until lately, the American Govern-
ment knew less than the rest of the world of the
leanings of the Government of France, it is now at
length fairly warned, and perhaps may be better
able to appreciate the plain honesty which has
constituted our simple policy.
It is indeed time that the Washington Govern-
ment made up its mind and spoke frankly as to
the relations it wishes to sustain towards this
country. Much more depends on the spirit it
.
displays in this grave conjuncture than upon the
terms it may be ready to offer as a
settlement of the special question in
hand. Peace cannot be maintained while
a policy of irritation is pursued on either
aide. It is time to come to a full and clear under-
standing. We cannot have our markets deranged
and our public securities deranged by alarms and
armed visitations of our ships. The course of our
Government towards that of the United States has
been clear, consistent, and friendly. It rests with
the Government of that country to decide whether
those dtspositions shall be confirmed or their con-
tinuance rendered impossible.

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(nom on OWN

PARIS, TOISIDAT EVICIIITIL

The Opinion Nationale ventures to express an
opinion that the divisions or sections into which
the ffenatus Consultum proposes to divide the
budget are so large that it is doubtful whether the
control of the Corps Legislatif will be more effec-
tive than when it voted by ministries.
The following "latest news" in the Pays, touch-
ing the Austrian intervention in Herzegowine,
seems to me highly improbable :
A correspondent, usually well informed, states that France
and Austria have agreed to interpose their mediation, with
a view to put an end to the conflict between Turkey and
the lierzsgosine insurgents. This step, which we announce
with all reserve, is said not to be unconnected with the
Venetian question, the settlement of which may depend on
a territorial indemnity.

Another paragraph in the Pays will be read with
a certain interesit :

We lately called attention to the taking possession of the
isle of Lagos by the English. This act is now explained in
the following nanner :—The commandant of the English
maritime forces bad prepared • treaty of oesaion, to which
the King of Lagos was asked to affix his signature within
three days. The King, wishing to escape this treaty, orga-
nised a conspiracy with • view to the assassination of
Captain Bedingfeld and the English officers. But the con-
spiracy being discovered, Captain Bedingfeld effected •
landing, and pointed his guns against the town. It was
under this threat that the King voluntarily signed the
treaty.

The Pays, whose anger, as distinguished from
the mild tone of the Constitutions, /, in regard to
the Jules et Marie, I noticed yesterday, now says :
—"lt appears that this affair is not altogether so
important as the account we published may have
led our readers to suppose." The Jules et Marie
then may be fairly struck out from the list of
causes of quarrel in the world—the San Jacinto has
enough to answer for without her.

The Patric says the news of the arrest of Joseph
Karam in Syria is confirmed, and, without adopt-
ing the opinion of the Monde--that it is quite as
important as that of Messrs. Mason and Slidell—
it opines that France cannot learn this intelligence
without "painful emotion." The Patrie confines
itself, however, to the not unreasonable desire that
France should know "what Karam is accused of."

The Temps is informed that in case the govern-
ment of the United States shall refuse satisfaction
in the affair of the Trent, the English cabinet
has resolved to recall Lord Lyons, to recognise the
Southern states, and to raise the blockade of their
porta. England would not then declare war, but
leave the United States to do so if they pleased.
The Temps adds that the French Emperor is said
to have intimated to the cabinet of London that he
is quite disposed to offer his " good (Acme for a
friendly settlement between England and the
United States ; but the Temps, evidently sensible
of the importance of such news, is careful to add
that it only accepts it under reserve.
I observe that the New York papers bout that
the San Jacinto got possession of Messrs. Mason and
Slidell's despatches. There must be some mistake
about this, at least so far as Mr. Slidell's despatches
are concerned. For I learn from a private source,
which can hardly be erroneous, that at the last
moment,when Mr. Slidell took leave of his wife on
board the Trent, he placed his despatches in her
hand in a box loaded with shot, told her to go to
her cabin and sit at the porthole, and if any at-
tempt were made to take the box away from her to
drop it into the sea. Mrs. Slidell obeyed these in-
structions, and consequently deprived herself of
taking a last look at her husband on deck. She
was not molested, and brought her despatches
safely to England.
At the Bourse confidence is far from returning.
The fall in Consols affected the Rente, which left
off at 69fr. and 69fr. 20c., with a decline of 30c.
and sc. Mubilier fell 10fr. The railway settle-
ment went off with difficulty : Orleans fell 16fr. 25c.,
Lyons 6fr. 25c., and Northern 3fr. 75c. ; in other
lines not much change.

There is a great probability that the unexampled
event of an independent candidate being returned
for a provincial constituency will occur on Sunday
next, in the department of the Aude. Out of 38,000
registered electors, and 33,000 actual voters, only
12,000 polled for the government candidate, who, as
already stated, was not returned, for want of the
"absolute" majority. The clerical candidate, M.
de Vaudeuvre, who pulled between 3,000 and 4,000
votes, now announces that he retires in favour of
"liberty." If, as seems probable, the various
liberal candidates who were very low down on the
poll, follow this example, there can be no doubt
(barring, of course, official tampering with the
ballot-box, which does not seem to be apprehended)
that M. Lignier, the leading liberal, will be elected.
An example of this sort is very likely to prove con-
tagious.

The celebrated composer Verdi has (according to
a theatrical contemporary) mind in Praia, and proposes to
remain a few weak&

M. Alexandre Dumas has just paid a flying visit
to Pori., sad read hi. new drama, Les A:shim*. de Paris,
to*. Mare Fournier. This is intended to be the drama—the
COUCCR Bairn of the winter IMMO in Paris. The writer his
already set out, it is said, on hie return to Naples. _

M. Victor Hugo, juu., bus, it is stated, drama-
tised the romance of La Macrahla, announced from the
pen of his father, and it is likely to be represented at Paris
in the course of the seism

Les Huguenots, lung barred out by censure, has
at last got into the Papal States, having been recently
given at Bologna, with great cua, under the direction of
the Chevalier Mariani. Three of the principal singers were
French—Mmes. Bizhot sod De Joly, and M. Juno i.

M. Rubinetein's Children of the Moorland is to
be performed nt Berlin.

Fuur concerts, directed by MSnbeer Von Bree
the younger, have been organised at Amsterdam, with the
purpose of bringing forward the works of Dutch composers,
many of which are of real solid merit.
_ _

A now ulnas, by Myulteer Verhulat, has been
bitoly an object of attention aml tliacuaaion in the German
journals. _ _

From the Deutxhe 3fitsik Z•itung we learn that
Hatlnes Oratorio, The Return of ToUri', has been per-
formed at Munich ; Cherubim's " Requiem" and Handers
''Dettingen Ts Daum" (an odd choice!) are to be per-
fonLed at Leipzig; that bf. Gounod's Fume has travelled
into Coburg; and that the prize for the best pianoforte trio,
offered by the "Deutschen Tuoballe," has been awarded
by Hansa David, F. Hiller, and F. Lehner (the appointed
umpires) to Herr Julius Schepder.

. .
The Ust-Deutsche Post says :—" The celebrated
historian Schlosser has refused to give anything to the
subscriptions which are being made for the construction
of a German fleet. 'I have nut,' he said, 'studied the
history of nations and states for sixty years without learn-
ing that a fleet cannot be created by charitable donations.'"
A St. Petersburg letter of tbe 20th ult. nays :
"The winter has set in here with extreme severity. The
Neva is already passable on foot, and will soon bear
sledges. A merchant, N. Solodovnikov, has applied steam
power to drawing sledges, and purposes establishing regular
trains for pamengers and goods between St. Petersburg
and Cronstadt."

Iu the Madrid journals of the 29th ult. it is
stated that in one respect the Emperor of Morooco has
already faithfully executed the treaty with Spain—namely,
io giving up to the Spanish authorities in Africa several
criminals who had sought nine in his territory. fie was
also allowing Spaniards who had abjured the Christian
religion in order to be allowed to reside in Morocco to re-
turn to their former faith.