The Express. — 1852-03-01 (London, England)

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, MARCH 1, 1852.  Pariswithtbsosnal formalities. Notwithstanding the comparatively insignificant r6le attributed tothe shambag elected by universal suffrage,a good deal of activity is exhibited by the electors; and although for thesis of locel convenience there are sev 1 pollen% tog seetime selablished ea& aressiffiesems, the quick succession of esters at all those which I ham visited isliseess that there will be fewer &brawniest§ than was supposed. In fact, it appears that every means his bees taken to intimidate those whointeoded to adopt this sort of passive resistance ; and as it is easy, by means of the fans gone through for the deposit of a vote, to procure a list of these electors who abstain, each voter's name being taken down by a clerk of the bawd as be presents himself before the ballot-box, the mere fact of being exposed to the persecution of a vindictive government by appearing on this black list drives the timorous herd to the polL I am informed that in this way great numbers are voting for or against the government merely through terror. Emissaries of the government are stationed at all the sections, and carry hourly intelligence to the ministries of the Interior and Police as to how many cards have been distributed at the mayories, how many voters have deposited their tickets,and other poin ta on which information is desired. The operation is conducted u on the 21st of December, the 30th of November, and previous occasions under the rAgirue of universal suffrage. But nowhere have I seen any strong military posts. A single sentry of the lino and a serpent de line are all the force put in requisition for the maintenance of order. Two or three touters, with parcels of tickets bearing the names of the respective candidates, both of the government and the opposition, stand at tho doors of the sections and extend their bulletins to each entering elector. A table covered with a Freon cloth stands at the head of the room, supporting a small box about two feet square, before which the president of the board and his: assessors are seated. The elector at the head of the queue, which is formed to prevent confusion, delivers the card which attests his identity to the assignor on the President's left hand, and the folded ticket, which is inscribed with the name of the preferred candidate, to the President himself. The latter holds the ticket over the slit of the ballot box, while the ameseor declares aloud the voter's name and his number on the electoral list of the district. The assessor on the president's right hand writes down the name, and another clerk checks the number, while the president drops the ticket into the box, which is dubbed classically the electoral urn. Nothing can be quieter and more orderly than the manner in which this aim. plc operation is conducted. The polls arc kept' open until six this evening; they re-open at eight to-morrow, and remain open until four in the afternoon. The ballot-boxes are sealed and deposited during the night in a room at the rnayory.of the arrondissement, whose doors arc scaled. The voting operation over, the board break the seals of the ballot-boxes, and count the tieketseorresponding to each name. 'fo be proclaimed a deputy, at once without farther formality, a candidate must have obtained at least ono vote more than the half of those given, and one fourth of those incribed on the electoral list. If these conditions are not fulfilltd a second ballot will take place next Sunday week, in which it will suffice to obtain simply a relative majority in order to be elected, whatever be the number of voters.  Up to this hour, the only district in which the opposition are likely to obtain a victory is the 3rd, iu which General Cavaignac has obtained a great number of votes. If he should be elected, I understand that he will formally refuse to take the oath of fidelity to the President. A good number have voted for General Lamorichlre in the 9th district. Those are the only facts worth mentioning. The Chnstitutionsel has the fallowing contradiction of a rumour which has been much accredited : The war of false reports h is been recommeneed within these few days. You will meet people who affirm in the most serious way in the world that government it about to decree a progressive ineome-tea. We can affirm that this new rumour, spread by malevolence, is destitute of an kind of foundation. The grnventsnent abhors a tax which gßnm at the head of all socialist programmer, and which leads directly to "spoliation." It is to be observed that the above is not a COPIIMUnigra, but rests only upon the responsibility of the editor of the government journal. Hence little importance is attached to the declaration, which is regarded merely as an electoral manteuvre. Tho rivalry which has subsisted fur some time between M. do Persigny and M. do Nlaupas seems unabated; but if I may trust the information I receive, the influence of the former over tho President has been greatly abated by his lusitatiou and scruples in the face of public opinion, and the Minister of Police is decidedly in the asceuuant. Louis Napoleon seems more and more to shut himself; as far as the haute pohtique is concerned, into the narrow circle of this second Fouche and his head myrmidons, the inspectors-general. Notwithstanding the announcement of the departure of the latter functionaries for their provincial destinations, it is noted that several, and rticularly M. Berard, the inspector-general at lions, still remain in Paris, and are continually at the yrke. The importance of M. Berard's post having been greatly increased by the capital of the Rhone becoming the pivot of the projected operations against Switzerland, the assiduous presence of this gentleman at head quarters indicates the activity with which such designs are pursued. I understand that he is one of the most ardent adherents of M. de Maupas, and proportionately opposed to M. de Persigny, whom he loses no opportunity of lowering in the opinion of the President as a minister incapable of grappling with great plans. A number of political prisoners were brought out of the 'Montpellier prison on Feb. 26, and escorted by a numerous body to the Cette Railway. They are to be embarked on board the Dauphin, together with others from Bezeirs, Pezenas, and St. Pierre, for transportation to Algeria. On the 27th 350 convicts were shipped at Rochefort for Brest, of whom 230 are to remain in hulks, and the remaining 120 to be transported to Cayenne. M. Enter, the English vice-consul at Lorient, committed suicide at Concarneau, on the 22nd inst., by shooting himself in the head with a pistol. The Assemblie Nationale contains an article by M. Salvandy, arguing that the fusion" is the only thing to be looked forward to as the salvation of the country. The only importance of the article, which is long and dull, consists in the authorship of the former minister of Louis Philippe.