19 DECEMBER 1863, Page 2

The Imperial Government has sustained two serious defeats in the

elections. A district of Paris has, in spite of unprecedented efforts on the part of the Minister of the Interior, returned M. Eugene Pelletan by 15,115 votes, against 9,778 given to the official candidate, M. Picard. At Dijon also, the opposition have triumphed.by a majority of 3,579 votes, nearly 4,000 peasants included in the circumscription having voted against the Prefect's wishes. The blow is said to have been severely felt by the Emperor, and the tone of M. Rouher, charged with the defence of the Government, has become perceptibly harder. He actually affirmed that the press of France was free, the avertissements being merely acts of necessary tutelage.