The Express. — London, England, 1852-03-08 00:00:00

vie enrols. • Swat Liam one main', a Oievelle.9apelthshee every Troia? mad spy Is Igo are=goes Waded' The Lapeer; Leaden tvestag pew, EMI is ea Ihe Mee. to, Eoaveriv-vievet, W Tee ealeek ea tie EM HIGH MITRE AT LONDON BILIDOS Tale Par—liondue, Y. Ste. Afternoon. Sh. No. To•aoarr.—Nrart. 41. 13ia Alionise% 416 Um. LONDON, MONDAY, MARCH 8. Tire first council of the Disitatta-Deans cabinet assembled at the Foreign-office on the afternoou of Saturday, and sat upwards of three hours. It is carefully recorded by the ministerial authorities that Sir Jolla l'avasorox was the first of the council who arrived. As the youngest and least experienced of the bridesmaids is always the first at a wedding, MO the greatest nos ice in diplomacy is the most eager for initiation into the mysteries of the ministerial deliberations. Sir JOHN PAKINGTOM was half an hour in the council-roam heron: his colleagues joined him, and had full opportunity of testing the quality of the bleating-paper and speculating as to whether the inkstands were of colonial or foreign wood. Mr. litsnami, less inquisitive, but more important, iuriaed with the l'rime Minister, say the oracles, after all the others had assembled, testifying. as lw would have the world believe, the depth of his leader's confidence, and the rave nature of the preliminary considerations in which they had been engaged. The subject which engaged the attention of the protectionist leaders the public are allowed only to guess at. It is probable that the inexpen ence of the country gentlemen assembled—their utter ignorance of thZ tomes usual upon such occa sions—was the clime of some of the embarrassments which led to a sitting so rotracted. The novelty of their position may have a lso had its charms for them, and Cie probability that they would not have many op portunities of meeting in the same way, doubtless rendered them less anxious than usual to break up. Ifoe.ver this may the final result is before us. Our rulers, after three hours deliberation, came to the solemn resolution " that another Cabinet Council be summonvel to assemble on Monday, at three o'clock." The difficulties of the new government hare evi dentiycommenced already. The gravity of their posi tion forces itself upon them even before . their leader in tin House of Commons has secured his re-election. Nor can this excite surprise. With a nation prepar ing itself to oppose their policy—with manufacturing and productive industry suddenly checked—with commercial men alarm - el, the relations of landlord and tenant unsettled and dies urbed, and every inte rest of the empire placed in jeopardy by Lord dimity's threat to reimpose a food-tax—how is it possible but that the government must feel that even their first week in otlice has been fraught with causes for anxiety ? That which the whole nation at this moment experiences is the effect of uncertainty. No man knows what to-morrow will bring forth. No man knows to what extent the government desire to go, or may propose to go. No man knows when their contemplated change of policy is to commence, or what is the exact direction it will take. The most important commercial and financial questions of the age await adjustment. The income tax, the great source of national revenue, is about to expire. The charter of the East India Company awaits renewal : the Colonial Minister him self has a m o tion on the notice paper of the House of Commons atibeting the sugar trade, and all the varied interests involved in it: the Home Minister tells his constituents that he inclines to an imme diate re-adjustment of the entire taxation of the country. Such arc the questions pending, with a government in power from whose policy the nation are declaring their dissent. The nation feels, moreover, that the government is most unscrupulous. The very position renders them so • for they are pia, ins for political existence. What desperate men will do in theirdesperation every day's experience teaches all of us and what these officials may do to-morrow who will venture to predict ? With an inexperienced Foreign Secretary in office— one whose antecedents are utterly unknown, and who has been pushed forward for reasons that appear utterly inexplicable—who will say that to-morrow morning we may not find ourselves upon the verge of war even with the most potent nations of the world ? To the party now in power war might be a godsend. It is almost the only accident that could keep them in office even for a limited number of months to come. Under the smoke of their cannon they could retreat from a protective policy. Their tenantry they could divert with militia uniforms and rifle practice. Upon the manu facturers they could revenge themselves by the sus pension of trade and the pressure of taxation. To the parliament they would allow no time for any other discussions than those which concerned the safety of the country; and the c matitnencies they would teach to sing " God save the Queen and " Bade Britannia," until they were as hoarse as rusty muskets. It is very observable that though Lord Lanny in his declaration of opinions treated on almost every other topic, he said not one word con cerning peace. Ile spoke, indeed, of arming the country against foreign ag 7 rression, bet of his desire to preserve to us the blessings of peace ha gave no pledge or promise. Such considerations, in the present critical junc ture of affairs in Europe, ought to make us more and more decided in bringing the government to an issue respecting their policy. It is due to the nation th it,on the very first day of the re-assembling of par liament, the ministers should state what they in tend. And it that statement is doe to those who oppose the revival of protection, it is infinitely more due to those who support it. We observe the at tempts which the government organs are making, morning after morning, to keep the fanners quiet to induce them to exercise what they call "a tempe rate forbearance in urging their just claims." " A temperate forbearsnoe. Who taught the farmers to be otherwise than temperate? Who bayed them on to put a protectionist government in power? Who promised them everything they wished and wanted the moment that power was obtained? Who but the very men who arc now at this moment tell ies them that a " temperate forbearance " is (essential ? Ever since 1846 the members and parliamentary supporters of the present government have been tell ing:the farmers in and out of the house, on the hosting., at agricultural meetings, at fairs and cattle shows, in market ordinaries, and in more private circles, that Lord Mans and his friends in parliament stood pledged to protection, and that their first act on at taining ones would be a restoration of the taxes upon food. They now tell them that these pledges, by which they enlisted their favour and support, were only "opinions," and that "opinions are not binding upon public men;" that they (the farmers) must exercise a " temperate forbearance" in urging their dilute; and "that they (the government) promise nothing." What sort of political morality is this ? Such langua,m is more degrading to the nation than any political teaching employed in this country since th . e century commenced. The doctrine that " pledges" are only " opinions" is destructive of all confidence in public men. It is so calculated to corrupt the public sentiment, that we say unhesitat ingly that the retention of power by men guilty of such deceits would be as great a social injury as the restoration of a tax on food. Honest and straight forward farmers cannot fail to see this; and, seeing it, they will not, we hope, fail to demand of the county candidates who go back to their respective electorates this week, as members of the government, an explicit statement of their intentions with re gard to the revival of the corn law. If the farmers will do their duty, the commercial community will certainly do theirs. Tne nation beginning to feel what it has to trust to. The demo ralising teaching that opinions" are not " pledges" will not be acted up to—will not lull the manufac turing and trading classes into false security. A contemporary appositely reminds us of a fable which shadows forth the position of the people and the go vernment. There was a wolf th.,t had taken possession of a cave to n ar a litter of whelps. In answer to the requests of the owner of the Ogre• that the wolf would provide herself with other quarters, she pleaded the helplessness of her young family, suet begged for time to enable her to bring up her whelps. The prayer was granted, and at the expiration of the time, when possession was demanded, the reply was, " You gave me time for the growth of my young ; they are now yawn up and rd 100 say tarn me oat if yea ran beat ma and my wW• Bo it ours to take are that we do not agreed " time" for growth and strength to the litter of wolves that would eat us up verw. FRAIirCE. PARIS, SATIIRDAT EVRNIXO. I understand that a decree is on the eve of pro mulgal—u, which will effect an important change in the administration of affairs. The main principle of this measure is to extend the powers of the prefects. These functionaries will be enabled to settle defini tively off hand many questions, on which they are now obliged to refer to the ministers. Thus the pre fects will become • sort of pachas ; and as their seal to please the Omnd Signor Louis Napoleon has already been evinced in so exaggerated a style as to 1 1 call for circulars from M. de I'ersigny to moderate their ardour for ant sting and imprisoning, we are compelled to conclude that the increase of their powers will scarcely be in harmony with that benignant sway which M. de Maupas announces in his instructions to his inspectors-general is to be the ruling principle of Louis Napoleon's government. On the other hand, the ministers already shorn of the fair propor tions of their old importance, and reduced to the sire of clerks, will naturally lose by the new arrange ment all the power which the prefects gain. You are aware that for some days past the Presi dent has been unwell. If lam rightly informed, his malady is of a much more senous character than generally given out, and is suspected to he peritonitis. He does not rise until five in the afternoon, and holds cabinet councils till seven. It is now spoken of as extremely probable that the first proposition sub mitted to the corps bsyislatit; on the opening of that body, will be a decree for the establishment of the empire. The momentary satisfaction of the public at the reduction of the Bank's rate of interest to three per cent. has disappeared already; and great complaints are raised against the prorogation of the tram for the repayment of the loan of 75 millions, which is re glinted justly in the light of a fresh loan, and a na tional composition with the pnblie creditor. The elections excite not the smallest interest. The results of only seven circumscriptions remain to be known. These are certain districts in the Aveyron, Bouches-du-lthone, Corsica, the Eure, and Maine. The day fixed. for the inaugurative sitting of the Senate and corps Vyrslotif is now said to be March 29. 11. do Morny has received a feeble compensation for not being proposed for a district of Pans, by be ing elected for two circumscriptions of the Puy-dc dome. As the government adopted the principle of proposing a different candidate in every circumscrip tion, this circumstance must be regarded as the reply of de Morny's friends to the government's zealous re moval of his candidature from the capital. The question of who is to be president of the corps Myeslatif seems still open. The Union announces that tilts honour will be conferred upon M. Billault ; but this is not confirmed by better authority. Last Wednesday some serious riots broke out at Douai among the coal miners. Some of the most disorderly having been arrested there was an at tempt made to raise the colliers of neighbouring pits. A strong body of gendarmes were called in and made some prisoners, who were rescued by the mob. A detachment of artillery was then brought our, which silenced the rioters by its determined attitude. The communication by electric telegraph between Paris and Marseilles is to be finished before the end of October. The Dtgats says:—" It is stated that Count Ber nard d'Harcourt, Minister Plenipotentiary at Stutt gart, has just given in his resignation. The Duke de Guiche, French Minister at Cassel, will, it is said, remove to Studtgart in the same quality. M. Ser rurier, First Secretary of Embassy at London, will be named Minister Plenipotentiary at Cassel, in the room of M. dc Guiche. M. Charles Baudin, now Secretary of Legation at Naples, will proceed to London as First Secretary of Embassy, and will be replaced at Naples by M. do Banneville, who some years since was Second Secretary of Embassy at Berne." I understand that at a recent cabinet council, M. Bincau seriously called the attention of the l'resident of the Republic to the fittareiai embarrassments that are likely to arise at no distant day, from the rail way concessions on the vast scale of the last few' weeks. It is said that in consequence of these repre sentations the Toulouse and Cctte and Bordeaux and Bayonne lines will be postponed. The Prince President of the Republic his received letters from the King of Saxony and the reigning Duke of Brunswick, in reply to the notification of the new powers conferred' on him by the French nation. pedal title by Louis Napoleon, slum to be confirmed in seam measure by the mysteries& significance with width the Paris annanaose that the - Council of State is occupied with the. first jects of law to be submitted to the Cbrps Es' • . The same government organ states, with the autho ritative signature of Coninseessigui, that the mumeare of a ministerial crisis are wholly without founda tion, and can only be spread from views of private interest. The -11imitotr contains the following decree : Louis Napoleon, President of the French Republic, on the report of the Minister of General Police—seeing the circular of the 3rd lebrusry last of the Ministers of Justice, Interior, and War—seeing the returns relative to the affairs oss which the departmental commissioas, and the commis sion of revision for the first military division have defini tively decided—considering that the decisions given by thew commissions, in virtue of the above-mentioned circa Far, require a pried sanctum—decrees:— Art. I. The persons placed by the departmental commis bi./11.1, or by the commission of revision of the first military division, in the category of those who are to be cited before courts martial or before correctional trimmers, shall be immediately sent before the competent tribunal. Art 2. The persons comprised in the category of those who are to be transported to French Guiana or in Algeria, shall be placed at the disposal of the Minister of Marine to he trimenertml to French Guiana, and at the disposal of the Misig/gdWar to be transported to Algeria. Art. 3. The ;natOlapeisesi in the category of those who are to be en . Igmeisearity removed from the territory, shall be pledged we fibs Elepoeal of the Minister of General Police, to be samara es tie bossier. Art. 4. Persona comprised in the et thee libelers to be compelled to reside in a pardeslee .bell iposeeed te, sad fix their residence in, the pia* tibia ay ed to them by the Minister of GeneralPsiles. The inhe is &Al also indicate to the per sons passel wader bie surveillance the places in whisk they dial be interdicted from residing. Art. I Aey puss transported to Algeria, who shall, wide. out saga, eation, quit the place fined for his Till. =/ay, ea en administrative Etelifuft, be trans. te French Guiana. Art. 6. Any person expelled eie usiesrarily retained from the territory, who shall return 6D Pusses without authorisation, may, as an administrative suseure, be transported to Algeria or French Guiana. AIL 7. Any penes onlered to re.ide in a particular place, wile shall quit that place without authorisation, may, as an simainistrative morare, be removed from the territory. Art. 8. Any peones placed under the Mance of the Minietey sf Omni Felice, who shall be found in one of Os *so at mblele Is le forbidden to reside, mar he sent to • lied reeldwiets. MD as administrative measure. Art. 9. The lasietees statistics. War, Marine, and General Police, are 'boned, old In what concerns him, with the execution of the present dean. Louis NAPOLEON. De Mauro., Minister of General Police. All the elections to the Corps Leg ialatif are known but those of Mahan (Aveyron) and Bastia (Corsica). The six opposition candidates said to have been elected are reduced to five by the corrected poll of Lyons, from which it appears that M. Ilenon has not obtained within 98 the necessary number of votes. A second election will therefore take place next Sunday. The five successful opposition candi dates are MM. de lierdrel, elected for Pougerea; de Civrac, for Beupreau • Bonhior de l'Eoluse, for Sables d'Olonno • ivaignac, for Paris ; and do Calvieres, in the Oard. The latter gen tleman was one of those candidates whose cer tainty of election caused him to be patronised by the government; but he wrote to M. de Porsigny to de cline the official stamp wherewith it was sought to brand his independence. Tho Petrie, however, insi nuates that M. de Calvicres, after having profited by the support of the government, made this declaration when it was too late to disavow him; and that it was only in consequence of the peculiar zeal exhi bited by the prefect in his canvass that his election succeeded. Fresh ballots will take place for 9 cir cumscriptions, not including the 2nd circumscription of the Puy-de-Dome, for which M. do Morny has been elected. These nine districts, which will proceed on Sunday neat to the definitive election of their deputies are the 4th circumscription of Paris, and those of Lille, Arras, Rennes, Nantes, Brest, Chateau-Oouthier, Lyons, and Dinan. The Minister of the Interior has addressed a cir cular to the prefects, to trace the manner in which the law on the organisation of credit former is to be executed, and to engage them to promote by all means in their power the development of this new institution. The Monikur also publishes a note confirming the announcement already made by the Petrie that the Minister of Finance has g►ven orders to have journals occupied exclusively with subjects relating to the arts, sciences, and agriculture, exempted from the duty imposed on newspapers by the decree of Feb. 17. Cardinal Mathieu has set out for Rome, to receive his hat at the hands of his Holiness. The government is highly pleased, apparently, with tho termination of the question of the Holy Places, and even the rnirers declares itself satisfied with the achievements of M. de Lavalctto at Con stantinople. The Swiss question gathers daily more importance, as the spring bears nearer the hour suited for mili tary action. 'fhe insolent note published in the Frankfort papers as having been addressed by M. Salignac-Fenclon to the federal council, although without date, has been adopted as authen tic into the columns of the Patric., which observes that its perusal will sufficiently demonstrate the ab surdity of the reports given by English papers con cerning the pretensions set forth by France on this question. The Sie , cte, after quoting this note, and expressing its agreement with the judicious article of the //Ants, adds in a postscript that up to the present hour the propositions of the capital of Vienna have been neither accepted nor rejected by the French government. TheAseentbli'e Nationale, true to the illi beral line of policy originally adopted by M. Guizot when minister, with regard to Switzerland, attacks the just conclusions of the DAals, and flatters the bent of Louis Napoleon to close with the Austrian proposals of blockade and invasion. Now, as in 1847, the clisenddle regards the victory of the radicals over the Sonderbund as the triumph of brute force over right. France and Austria have to complain of the protection granted to revolutionary men, because the Swiss government is in the hands of revolutionary men. To destroy the effect, these powers must destroy the cause. In other words, they must destroy the radical constitution by an armed intervention. It is quite beside the question to invoke in favour of Switzerland the principle of national independence asserted by the Ditbals. "This principle has always admitted, and will always admit, numerous excep tions in practice." Such is the language of the Assenthae, which has never failed to fulminate against Lord Palmerston for violating the national independence of Spain, Naples, and Greece as often as the ex-foreign secretary tendered any wholesome advice to the misguided governments of those op preleed countries. Finally the Asseinlei4 says: " Switzerland is in an anormal position in Europe. She formed a neutral state, organised upon settled bases, with the express agreement of Europe. By upsetting these bases to substitute others quite contrary she has renounced herself the common guarantee which protected her. Let her replace herself in the condi tion of treaties, Austria and France will no longer need to demand guarantees from her; they will find them in her re-constitution. To this end the two powers ought to tend." Thus the two powers, which complain of a free and an independent state fur harbouring persons who foment revolution against their absolutist governments, are to force that state to revolutionise itself; and because there are a few Germans and Frenchmen in Switzerland, who desire a little more liberty for their respective countries, Austria and Franco are to insist upon Switzerland renouncing all her own liberty. Such is the reasoning of the Assemblige. In the meantime what better proof can we have than such language in the organ of MM. Mole and Guizot, that it is not to the coterie of these statesmen that France must look for her rescue from degradation. Nothing can demonstrate more clearly the inanity of M. Salvandy's ma nifesto in the same journal about fusion than this effete and retrograde policy upon a question which touches the very life of civil and religious liberty. On the other hand, the liberal and judicious tone assumed by the Mbats on the subject of intervention in Switzerland is a good augury fer the cause which it advocates. I may add that the report of the reconcilia tion of the two Bourbon branches in sedulously spread of late is formally contradicted in the most important provincial journal, the Courrier de la (invade, which was compromised by the publication of the protest of the Orlcanist princes against the decree of confiscation. There has been a strike of several miners at Douai, in consequence of the arrest of their comrades for being concerned in the riots which I reported yes tcrduy. The Moniteur contains a notice from the " Comp toir National" of discount of Paris, that, from and after March 8, a reduction of 1 per cent. will be made in the rate of interest upon commercial bills upon Paris and the departments. The comptoir will receive bills, subject to the conditions of its tariff No. 9, at the rate of 31 per cent. for bills payable in towns where there are branches orate Bank of France, and at 3 per cent. for bills upon Lyons, Marseilles, and Bordeaux. After the 15th of March the rate of interest allowed upon deposits at the Comptoir will be reduced from 21 to 2 per cent. per annum. I have more than once stated that General 8t Arnaud was in disgrace, and that his removal from the post of commander-in-chief could not be long de ferred. I beiicve that I particularly alluded to the fact of his having refused to countersign decrees for placing . a vast number of officers suspected of Orlemma in retirement. The independanes of Brussels now says that the retirement of General St. Arnaud is more than ever imminent on this very ground. Marshal Vaillant is spoken of as his suc cessor. The difficulty seems to be that St. Arnaud won't resign, but will put the President to dismiss him. It is pretty certain that the respite which the general of the romp J'flat has gained by this course of conduct will not be of long duration. The rifor.'e asserts that official accounts fix the loss of men during the recent march from Bougie to Algiers at half the number (30(l) stated by the .Ikkbar. People talk of Vcron for President of the corps lcgisfatij, but I can only look upon this as a joke. At the Bourse the Five per Cents. fell 15c., closing at 105.95.; tho Three per Cents. fell lin., and closed at 68.60. Bank of France Shares fell 55. Railways wore allivti.sl by the weakness of the funds, and were generally lower. EVISNINO. The Monti'cur contains a decree convoking the Senate and Curp,s Lewis Miff on Monday, March 29. I already mentioned in my letter of yesterday the probability of this date being adopted in preference to the 20th. A surmise to which 1 alluded at the same time, that the first proposition to be submitted to these bodies would be the assumption of the im- THE EXPRESS, MONDAY ETEDIING, MARCH 8, 1 SWITZERLAND. The Postampi Ginette of Frankfort publishes the text of the note respecting French refugees presented by the French ambassador to the Swiss government. The ambassador says :- 1 desße a formal promise that every expulsion of refugees that I may solicit shall be granted, without inquiring to what category belong the French political refugees affected by this measure ; and, moreover, that the orders of the cen tral power shall be executed on the terms prescribed before hand, without mitigation by the authorities of the can tons. The ambassador of France is alone in a position to know the individuals whose former or present relations render impossible the prolongation of their residence on the territory of the Helvetic confedera tion, as well as thaw to whom toleration may be shown, if their conduct should reader them worthy of it. The first must leave as soon as they are designated, and the others must be told that they call only be permitted to remain in Switzerland on condition of their giving no cause for coin plaint. The President of the R e p u bli c expects f rom th e ifederal government, in consideration of the relation. which he wishes to keep up with it, and which a refusal to satisfy would gravely compromise, that it will give him this proof of friendship anti amid neighhourhooti which have been no long traditional in Switzerland. A different line of con ' duet would produce sad complications, and impose upon the government of the Republic the Outy of clerking measures, which, it is true, it would apply very unwill ingly, but which it would be forced to adopt, if the demand which I have the honour to address to your Excellency should fail in its object. The &bats, speaking with regard to the contem plated Joint intervention of France and Austria in the affairs of Switzerland, says : It his been announced by certain journals in • positive manner that a secret convention hos been concluded between the two powers for the above purpose, to commence by a commercial blockade, and then to establish a military secs- Fresco. ia that caw, wee to cantos i sal Vail, sad Austria Ueda*. the paddy, mom, in whisk eh C2 a z iwnwa ie oradin it lama% or @l oad domande ea Nelda pehtieV bees addreemed to the Metal reveumiat. mad ler lamesese et w nw thearlealas elorarlir . hat we mel believe t rat say pukka osaveadas lios emadeded • owl we lute that the Freed govoiaseat, lehre on ailli elpt no the eao ragimmeddlity of inch meseures, will weigh well their iresetgasamee. OPENING OF THE SARDINIAN CHAMBERS. THE KING'S SPEECH. TURIN, MARCH 4. King Victor Emmanuel opened , arliament to-day in person, and delivered tho following speech : Gentlemen,—The session of 1851, the prolonged fatigues of which you have supported with never failing activity, has been as useful to the state as honourable to parliament. The budgets—the principal object of represen tative functions—settled for the first time; economical liberties sanctioned by law and fortified by treaties ; the revenue augmented ; public security strengthened ; prove that your work has worthily responded to the exigencies of the state and to my expectations. Under these auspices the new session will not be inferior to that which has just expired. The friendly relations of my Noveroment with foreign states have not been altered. My Milken will submit to you new treaties with Switzerland and France. Thu governmout of that great nation marches with us in the path of econo mical principles which, by reciprocal advantages, strengthen the friendly relations of states. They will also present to you some important laws relative to the reorganisation of the central administration, to instruction, and to other grave matters of internal policy. It is by such laws, and by all its acts, that the government hopes gradually and opportunely to accomplish those civil reforms which, so far from weakening, preserve and fortify authority, by conferring upon it the initiative of all real ameliorations. Our duty will be to pursue to the end the difficult but honourable task of re-establishing our finances. With this view, wo shall again ask fur your assistance. Under the most trying circumstances, the spirit of voluntary self-sacrifice, the ancient virtue of our people, has never been wanting; the e w a ir On ' is c° f futu the re, ore , and pas t is I. h have there e t° fute w t co w s tantee t he i people n th em. Every government ought to regulate and guarantee the civil condition of families. The law that will he presented to you with this object, although purely civil, is connected with reli gious and moral interests which your consciences will lead you to protect. May the old faith of our fathers, which has given to Piedmont virtue enough to surmount religious trials, be ever present with you, so that it may preserve intact its venerable inheritance. It is also in this view that negotia tions have been opened with the court of Rome. Our frank and respectful proceedings permit us to hope that we shall succeed in reconciling the rights of the state with the true interests of religion and the church. Gentlemen of the Senate, gentlemen of the Chamber of 1 Deputies, in referring to the past events of the country, and comparing them with its actual condition, our hearts must profoundly render thanks to that Providence who has blessed our work in so evident a manner. Entire confidence exists between the people and their prince; the confidence is also undivided which we &Neatly place in the valour and fidelity of the army. The utmost harmony prevails among the various powers of the state, thanks to you, who, in the most trying circumstances, have never departed from the thought of the public good. Devoted to the institutions introduced on this day, four year Iwo by my august father, let us continue the course then begun, mu tually relying, I upon your spontaneous and efficacious as sisance, you upon my firm and loyal will. GERMANY. BERLIN. MARCH 6. The First Chamber commenced yesterday the dis cussion of the motions concerning the new orgunisa tion of the First Chamber. The ultra•royalist amend ment of Deputy Koplin, which gives to the crown the right of forming the peerage of representatives of large property, or of largo towns and the heads of universities, was adopted, AUSTRIA. A telegraphic despatch from Venice, tie Vienna, dated February 29, states that on the previous day the Emperor Francis Joseph attended a military parade, and afterwards dined with the Grand Prince of Russia and his consort, the Archduke Charles Ferdinand, the Russian Ambassador, Baron Meyen dorff, Count Radetzky, General Gortzkowsky, Count Gyulai, and the Lord High Admiral, Field Marshal Count Wimpffen, and numerous minor notabilities. In the evening the Emperor visited the theatre La Fenice, which was crowded by an audience that received him with acclamations. On the morning of the 29th, at half-past eight o'clock, he attended low mass at St. Mark's, and afterwards held a levee. At ono p.m. he went on board the Russian war steamer Wladimir, amid the thundering of cannon from the strand batteries and ships of war. TURKEY. A letter from Constantinople, of Feb. 13, in the Conatilationnel, says: At last the affair of the holy places is entirely terminated, and that in the most honours ale manner for France and the most advantageous manner for catholic interests in the Le vant; but it has not been done without difficulty, and, not. withstanding the engagements entered into by the Ottoman cabinet, it was yet found necessary to struggle against the resistance of Russia, who, within the last few days, did her utmost to prevent the note of the Porte, bearing the signa ture and approval of the Sultan to the new convention, from being delivered. Our ambassador did not allow himself to he repulsed by this increase of difficulty, and the note in question was delivered to him on Monday lut, the oth inst. It is publicly said that M. de Titoff declared, in the name of his government, that he could not recognise the new ar rangement, since it infringed upon the statue quo the main mum° of which the Emperor Nicholas had demanded; it is even said that M. de Titoff had protested. However this may i bo the a ff air is of a nature to produce some coolness n the relations of the Porte with the cabinet of St. Petersburgh, at least the Turks express that fear, and it was this apprehension which, according to them, occa sioned the delays in arriving at this solution. Affairs with Egypt look all wrong again. Abbas I'acha for mally refuses to adopt the gonziotat, especially so far as relates to the nght of life and death, which he persists in claiming to use as before. It is even affirmed that he has declared himself ready to sustain his refusal by force, and that he was alread7 pre paring to march • body of " 8,000 towards the frontiers of Syria. The Porte does not appear to think much about these menaces ; and for those who know Abbas Pacha such warlike aspirations are but little to be feared. A telegraphic despatch in the Staab; Anzeiger, dated Agrara, March let, states that a great con spiracy had been discovered among the Rajahs of Bosnia, in consequence of which a general disarming had been ordered. Strong detachments of troops had appeared in Bilbacz, Novi, and Czasin, the com munal authorities had been summoned to supply the active portion of the army with provisions. The border roads nearest Austria were strongly guarded by Turkish soldiers. GREECE. The Cuurrier (Pinholes has the following: It is positively stated that the Minister of War has issued the following orders :—" As soon as the gjna , rale shall have been beaten, four pieces of cannon, six companies of the line, four brigades of gendarmery, the cavalry, and the frontier guards, shall take up a position round the palace Four other pieces of cannon shall be kept in readiness to meet any eventuality. One company of the garrison shall do the duty of the barracks. The Minister of War will take the general command of the troops. Any commanding officer residing in Athens, who shall reveal these orders, will be immediately placed en disponibilite." The same journal says: The authorities have just committed an act which has thrown the inhabitants into the greatest consternation. In the night of the 12th the gendarmery, assisted by several police agents, surrounded the houses inhabited by the few Polish refugees who still remain at Athens, and those of MM. Negns and Bouyoucli, Greek cilium, who were on friendly terms with them, All this was done with the greatest noise. At daybreak the law authorities, acoom- ' panied by a number of gendarmes, entered the houses, and after arresting the inmates procee ded to the minutestaearch, and seized every paper they could find. As these Poles had established a riding school, which was frequented by ladies of distinction and young men of the first families, that establishment was also visited, and almost demolished, under pretext of searching for ammunition. The apparent motive for these savage measures we, that a conspinicy had been formed by these Poles against the safety of the state. The real motive, in the opinion of every one, is the desire to flatter certain parties who would wish that those unfortunate exiles should nowhere find an asylum. An order has just been given to General Milbitz and fourteen other l'olish refugees to quit the Greek territory within 24 hours. DELGIUNI. The Belgian government, at the instance of the French ambassador, httsinstituted proceedingsagaink the publisher of IA Nation. The Nation, a few days I ago, reprinted three articles ftom the nnlietin Pranrois, and for these is now placed on its trisl. Besides instituting a legal process against the pub lisher, the Attorney-General caused has private resi dence and offices to be searched, and every morsel of old manuscript was diligently perused for the pur pose of finding actionable matter. SPAIN. MADRID, MAWR 1. The civil Governor of Madrid, Melchior Ordonez, hu ordered the seizure and imprisonment of all those who cannot give a good account of themselles; so that within these few days the public gaols aro Me tall,' crammed with poor wretches, many of whom lava committed no other crime than that of being paw. The Minister Bravo Murillo has just published a ikeree in the Gazette augmenting the duties on iron sod iron-manufactured goods. In the preamble he states that the iron mann - facture has becOme of such mrertanee im that tho government has thought it ex * nt to grant it more protection. Tho decree is as ows: Art. 1. The nomenclature and duties filed in Nos. 16, 17, 60, Gll, 642 ' and 6.58, of the general tariff of importation of October 6, 1819, shall be altered as follows, and be carried into effect after the completion of the intervals established in An. sof the royal decree of the same date. Art. 16. Steel, raw and purified, in bars ancUplates unwrougbt, to pay duty 42 reale the quintal in Spanish bottoms, and 53 male in fo reign. No. 17. Cast steel in hire of all dimensions 64 reals in Spanish bottoms, and 74 in foreign. No. 60. iron wire from 8 millimetres, which is the diameter of the English No. 1, up to No. 13 of the same, It reale in Spanish, and 66 in foreign bottoms. D.tto, fine, from No. 11 to No. 26. 61 reels in Spanish and 80 in foreign bottoms, Ditto called " de cardas," superior to those of the preceding number, 38 reale iu Spanish and 51 in foreign bottoms. No. 641. Iron in rings, plates, and hoops for cooperage and other uses, 42 rests an Spanish bottoms and .13 in foreign. No. 612. Iron in plates, termed " tulles," of • quarter of an inch thick and upwards, for the construction of iron boats or boilers. No. 6u6. 'finplate, double or single, 74 reale in Spanish bottoms I and 86 in foreign. Art. 2. The government will give ac- I l count to the Cortes of this measure. The Duke and Duchess of Montpensier set out this morning for Valencia. It is said that they will after wards proceed to Italy. MALTA, Fan. 27. The Superb left port on Saturday lad for Eng land, to be paid off, and the Phaeton on Sand ty for Curio, to be stationed there, vice the Indefatigable, ordered to the Channel. . _ The officers of the watch of the Trafalgar and Albion, for fouling ash other, have been reprimanded by a court of inquiry, formed by Rear-Admiral Here.,' and Captain Parcel. The English mail, per Medina, reached Alexandria in nine days and a half, the quickest arrival on record by Mar seilles. She brings up the mails of the CMre, disabled at Alexandria, having been on shore. On her passage she encountered very heavy weather, lost an ordinary seaman (Daniel Scum) overboard on Monday last, who sunk imme diately,; life-buoy cut away and lost; let cutter lowered and lost, crew saved with difficulty. Wednesday, 25th, during the gale, Medina's foretop's:let went just above the cap. The damage to the shins of war during the late gale will not cost the government much less than 20,01101. sterling. The gravest of the items of damage are—Albion, rudder condemned; Bellerophon, foremast rotten; Trafalgar, rudder much injured; Medina, foretopmast gone; Medusa, paddle-box washed awry, and other damage not precisely known ; Vengeance lost a gun overboard, and another run through her port. She is a very unhappy ship, in her wardroom at least, four of her lieutenants out of live having left her. A man of the Albion, for his slang joke on the odd-look ing hat of the peeved marshal, during the late court-martial, has been sentenced by Captain Johnson to 211 days' impri sonment, to lose his pay during that time, and to support himself while in gaul. -- - AMERICA. (FROM OUR OWN COIIIIESPONDENT.) (11 Liectrie Tidetripb.) LIVERPOOL, Moxonr, 10 A.M. We have just received four days later advicea from the Unitcd States, by the Royal Mail steam ship Canada, which sailed from New York direct for this port on the 2rith ult., with 33 passengers, and specie to the extent of 681,000 dols. The lion. Mr. Webster bad addressed a public meeting, at Nilo's, New York. with a view to the presidency. Another address on the same subject was to follow. Nothing new in Congress. It is reported that another revolution had broken out in Mexico. The reports are very confused, and not confirmed. Easiness throughout the States was much more brisk than when the Pacific sailed. Stocks were in fair demand at slightly higher quotations. The money market is active, and the commodity easily obtainable. Exports of specie still continued. The market for brendstuffs quiet, and prices with out alteration. Western Canal flour, 1 dole. 87 1 ,e. to 5 dole. per Int ; Gennessee prime wheat, I dol. 22c. to 1 dol. 24e. per 60 lbs.; Indian Corn, round yellow, 68 to 70 cents. per bushel, steady ; India meal, 3 dots. 37 1 ,e. to 3 dots. 30e. per barrel. In cotton there had been a fair amount of business doing, and former otations were fully maintninerl. New Orleans and Mobile, mid. fair to fair, 9c. to 91e. per lb. ; Uplands and Florida, ditto, 91c. to 9;e. per lb. Shipowners were asking increased ries of freight. Flour to Liverpool, Is. 9d. to per barrel ; grain to Liverpool, 51d. to 6d. per bushel. Cotton to Liverpool, id. to 5-16 d. per lb. Provisions mode rate. Sales at fin mer rates. Exchange on London, 110 to 1101. Paris, 3.16. On liamburg, 30 to 361. Bremen, 78 to 781. NEW ORLEANS, F. 23. The Cambria.'s news was received here to-day, and has caused cotton to toll one-eighth per lb. in price. Sales 4,000 bates, at 7ic. pct. lb. PbgTSMOUTft, Menai 7. The Arrogant, 46, screw steam-frigate, Captain Robinson, arrived yesterday afternoon at Spithead from the West Indies. She left Grey Town on the 29nd of January, where were lying the Calypso, 18, and Express, .3; also the United States "learner Smoak, having Commodore Parker on board, with the corvette Albany. Tte Express was about proceeding to the north. Commodore Parker, to show the re-establishment of good feeling, interrupted by the collision between H.M. brig /leprous and United States steamer Polyphemus, but restored by the compliments interchanged between himself and the Arrogant, was to leave Grey Town the day after the de parture of the last named ship, and call at Port Royal and pay a complimentary visit to Vice-Admiral Sir G. Seymour, on board the flag.ship Cumberland. The Arrogant arrived at l'ort Royal on the 30th of January, where were the Cum berland (to sail in a few days for llavannah), the Dewitt- tion, steam-sloop (te follow the flag ship on the arrival of the mail), Inflexible, steam-sloop, Alban, tender, and Der muds, schooner, the latter about sailing on a cruise off C,.bu. The Arrogant left Port Royal on the 3r4 of Feb., and off the cut cod of Jamaica she !pole the Sappho, 19, on the Bth, going to Port Royal. The Alarm, 26, and Per sian, 12, were cruising off the windward station. The Ro 1111210111i, steam-sloop, was conveying troops to Darbadoes. The arrival of the Arrogant informs us of the continuance of cholera in the northern parts of Jamaica, as stated by previous advice'. l'ort Royal was, however, free from its ravages, and, on the whole, the station was healthy. Courts-martial had been held on Dr. Doak and Assistant-Surgeons G. A. Ilallion, both of the Inflexible, on charges of drunkenness, the doctor being placed at the bottom of the list, and the assistant-surgeon dismissed the service. First Lieutenant Kynastan, from the flag-ship, was doing duty as commanding officer of the Devastation; and Mr. Hardinge, mate, front the flag ship, was acting-lieutenant on board the Express. The Arrogant brings home from the squadron Mr. Earl, mid shipman, from the Alarm; Mr. Johnson, from the Bet , muda ; Mr. Rowe, purser ; and Messrs. lbbetson and Mes sum. The Arrogant, besides four or five ships whose names were not reported to her, spoke the following on her passage home :—February 9, in lat. 24.46 N., long. 73.16 W., the American steamer Prometheus ; on the 10th, in lat. 27.18 N., long. 71:34 W., American schooner Wanes ley ; Much 4, in lat. 48.57 N., long. 7.56 W., the French schooner Matilda Granville, and on the sth of March, 20 miles east of the Lizard, the English ship Windsor, 56 days from the Cape of Good Rope, having a mail on board, all well, but which did nut communicate any intelligence from that colony. The Arrogant has been three years in com mission, and has been a very happy and comfortable ship. The Fairy, royal steam-tender, conveyed her Majesty, IL R. 11. Prince Albert, and family, from Clarence-yard, where they arrived at 4.3 minutes utter 12 a.m. from town, to Osborne, yesterday. Iler Majesty, on alighting from the royal tons, was received by the Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Sir T. Briggs, O.C.M.G. ; the Lieut.-Governor, Lieut-General D'Aguilar, C.D.; Admiral Superintendent l'rescott, Captain Superintendent Sir W. E. Parry, Colonel Commandant of Marines Menzies, K.H. ; Captain Lord I Adulphus Fitzelarence, G.C.H. ; John Davie., Esq., and Joseph Tinhorn, Esq., of Clarence-yard, the flag and staff officers of the usert and garrison, and a guard of honour from the royal marines with the band of that corps. The Fairy, end , r salutes and the other customary ceremonies from the ships in commission and the garrison, ran through Spithead in pleasant style, her Majesty arriving at Osborne house at I.lollm. THE MEI)\VAT, WITH sue WEST INDIA AND MEXICAN MAIL., 1 , 4 nut expected to arrive before the 12th inst., in conseipit•nee of her having to wait at St. Thomas for the Mexican steamer, and which will be almog sure to be lute because she left St. Thomas late for the Gulf, having waited at the former port seven days for the Amason. /EPAIIITURE OF VIE NIAGAH C— On Saturday forenoon the British and North American royal mail steam ship Niagara, Capt. Stone, left the Mersey fur Halifax and Boston with 70 passengers and a full cargo of manufactured goods. Tho mails fur the United Statcs and the British provinces were in charge of Lieut. Raymond, It.N., Admi ralty agent. THE KAFFIR WAR. ARRIVAL FROM THE CAPE. In the course of Saturday night the Windsor, East Indiaman, Captain Pryce, one of the Messrs. Greens vessels, arrived in Plymouth Sound, from Madras, for London, last from the Cape of Good Hope, which she left on the AL day of January. She brings 11 days' later dates than that brought by the General Steam Shipping Company's vessel, the Hellespont, Captain Watts, which arrived with the Cape mail on the Ist of February. The news brought by the Windsor is of a favourable character, as will be seen by the latest Government order, given be low. In consequence of the circumstances therein related, and the increase of confidence amongst the colonists, the general tone of feeling at Cape Town, and throughout the colony, had considerably im proved, and the reduction of the rebel forces was confidently spoken of and anticipated. The arrival of the reinforcement of troops had greatly tended greatly to increase the growing confidence of the colonists in the power of the Government, and it was rumoured that Sandilli,tired of the hostile position ho Las hitherto maintained, was about to abandon it. The dispatches, said to be of considerable import ance, brought by the Windsor, were landed at Fal mouth on Friday. She also landed a mail there from the Mauritius and the Cape. The following general order contains the gist of all the informa tion by this arrival relating to the war : King William'm Town, Jan. 2, . - Dispatches hive been this evening received by his Excel lency the Commander-in-Chief, from Major-Ueneral So merset and Lieut.-Wow:I Eyre. Upwards of 6,000 head of cattle hail been captured by Major-General Somerset up to the 23rd ult., and 7,000 were in possession of Colonel Eyre to the 21st ult., exclusive of vast numbers, estimated seven hundred, drowned at the confluence of the Tsomo and Kei. Major (hikers' Somerset and. Lieutenant- Colonel Eyre were in direct communication on the 23d ult., and were about to descend the luaLr ILisliee, to which large herds of cattle hod been driven, while Faku, it was expected, would make a forward movement. The }lngots Lid rallied round the British troops. The continued rains had been much against the troops, who were, however, in high spirits. and health. By his Excellency's command, JOHN OAUVOCIL, lieut. Colonel, Principal Secretary. January 4111. Mournful intelligence has reached town this morn ing of the death of Major-General Wilmot, Royal Artillery, commanding at Fort Peddle. This able and gallant officer was shot on New Year's hay, while leading on his men in an attack upon the enemy in the jungle of the Fish River, where it was said Sandilla had taken shelter. The lamented deceased was amongst the bravest and must active officers in the field. Oa every occasion where hard and gallant service was demanded, he distinguished himself. lle fell as a soldier, and his name will stand conspicuous among the defenders of the country, and be embalmed in the memory of its inhabitants. Respecting the trans-Kei expedition, the Sout4 African Adrertiser of Jan. 7, says : No intelligence respecting the operations of the forces on the Kei has been received since the 16th of last month. The force assembled under Guieral Somerset, across that river, on the 3rd, amounted to 4,000 men, incluilinc the 12th Lancers, Cape Corps, Armstrong's lior-e, filth and 2nd and 3rd regiments. Several &Liebe:outs from this force have had occasional skirmishes with parties of the enemy, and between two and three thousand cattle and goats are said to have been taken, but no large bodies, either of foes or cattle, have yet been discovered. The weatherfrom the first Art= to have been in the 11 ghest de gree uorivourable—rain, fat, and swollen rivers—so tat the Kaffir,. have had ample time to remove their cattle, and themselves, if so inclined, to an almost unapproach able distance. In November and December, 1817, General Somerset traversed the same country, and had to con tend with precisely the same obetaeles and alien ten days' hard work brought about 2,1/00 head of cattle. Besides the inclemency of the weather tho horses and other cattle suffered severely from the badness of the grass. In a letter, dated East Bank of the Kei River, Decemlail 1, 1817, he says, " I returned to the springs yesterday morn. ing, conceiving it useless to attempt any further movements until the waters should subside, bringin; in about 2,00 J head of cattle." and Sir George Berkeley, in a letter dated "Camp on the Camp, December 2, 1847," say*, "Both men and horses have been so much fatigued that they will require some days rest; and an the grass on the opposite side of the liei is very bad, and the pievoitre of the river un certain in cons.-quence of the weather, I have ordered Col. Somer-et to withdraw his camp to this b ink, so as to ensure I supplies, and to afford rest to his hoses." The expedition in December, 18.51, resemb ing that sit 1817, in an many un favourable C114..U111.A.41.Cef, leaves little ground to expect immediate success. It was said, when the forte left King Walliana's TOWit, that they would probably be absent two months. Nearly half of that time had already elapsed. _ _ _ The Cape Tara Mail, of Jan. 6, has the following: Graham's Town, Dec. 30, IBsl.—The usual post from Kathrland arrived at the accustomed time yesterday morn ing, and has again proved deficient as regards public intel ligence of uuy importance. The people at King William's Town, generally, stem to know about as little of the move. talents of the troops beyond the Kei as we do here in Graham's Town. it is resorted that the troops are iu pos session of immense booty, in the shape of captured cattle, and that the governor is about to send, or has already sent forward, additional forces to bring this booty safely to hula Accounts from seine other parts of the colony are wearing a more unfavourable aspect than of late hoe been the In the neighbourhood of Cradock, the enemy is said to be again very active, and cattle and sheep to a considerable extent have been stolen. In the Winterberg, tour sons of Mr. Knott have had severe work with the Kaffir.. They are reported to have beeu surrounded and attacked by some 300 or 400 Kaftirs, who told them they hal come to "roast them," and they hail some difficulty in effecting their escape. Very near Uitenhage, a Dutchman (Stephanus I'otgieter) has been shot by KLars. Within the last few days, it is said, the house of Mr. Whiting, on or near the line of road from Gt 1111110 1 .6 Town to Algoa Bay, was burnt by a party of Kaffira, the family here also hoeing some delft ' culty in escaping from their savage foe.. Cattle have like wise been stolen from this vicinity. All these affairs show that the enemy is still hovering about us, and only watching for suitable opportunities fur mischief. Some information has been received this morning which, if it prove correct, is of considerable importance. It is mid that two men have come in from Col. Percival's camp, who report that the notorious Jan Peckham, with twenty of his followe re ' have been captu:ed in the Fish River Bash. But, lest disappointment should ensue, it may be as well to remember ' that he has already been killed or taken oftener than once during the progress of the war. An account received from another quarter may, we be lieve, be more depended upon than the above. It has been ascertained that there is a considerable party of rebel Hot teutots in the bush somewhere not far from Mr. Goldswaiii's farm, Burt Kraal. A man who has been in communication with them has been seized, and lie has promised to disclose their place of retreat. Under his guidance about 40 of the mounted Bangers, headed by Captain Stubbe, have this morning started from town, and it is confidently expected that betere nightfall they will be able to give a good account of some of these vagabonds. The results, of course, will not be known until the return of the Rangers. We have heard that the village of Somerset was visited last Wednesday by le most severe storm of hail, Which has done great damage to the bosses, fields, and gardens. Graham's Town, Dee. 27, Pi il.—The post from the interior,—that is to say, from Bloem Fontein, Colcsbere. Cutback, and Somerset, arrived at the usual time. We cannot learn that any information of moment was received from that quarter. The inquiries and expectations of the frontier are now •Ilmott solely directed towards the opera ! nous beyond the Kei. Of these operations but very little is yet known w ish certainty. Notwithstanding the man ner in which the account has been published in the Journal, and which would lead most readers to suppose the statements to he official, wo learn from a letter from King William's Town, of the most indisputable authority, that little is known there except through the medium of Kaffir reports. On these reliance cannot always be placed. It appears that, so far as is known, Col. Mackinnon's division has not been very successful, having captured only about 300 head of cattle, hail little or no lighting. and, in fact, scarcely seen an enemy. It is reported in the same letter, as a Will known fact in King William's Town, that Sandilli has sent messengers to the governor to know on what terms peace may he ob tained. The brief reply was, " I do nut know you. • It is to be hoped the governor will listen to nothing short of full and unconditional surrender. The eastern protinee will not be, and the colony at large ought not to be, satisfied if it be lett iu the power of Sandilli, or any other Kaffir chief, to enact over again in a fsW years the terrible twisty which we have witnessed within the last twelve months. Some sensation has been created here by a repent, mid t 4, have taken its rise from some holding official stations. that the idea is entertained by the home government of colonising British Kroh-aria, that is, as soon 11 , 1 the Kitties ore thoroughly expelled from it, by convicts f rom Gnat Britain. Should this plan really lie in contemplation, the evil will he but one remove from having them amongst our own pooulaion. We likewise hear that litters frost Eng land speak with some confidence of the prolsability of the removal of the seat of government from Cape Town to Graham's Town, or at any rate to the frontier districts. Yesterday rei ning, about II o'clock, the two hon. members of a outwit arrived in Graham's Town, having come up from Port Elizabeth iu a government mule waggon, which was placed at their service. During the last few days, eve have again had thunder storms' attended by heavy rains. So much rain has lento within so short a period of time, that it it feared the croln