The Express. — London, England, 1851-10-18 00:00:00

Vitt erortoo. TO CORRESPONDENTS. A 5ee...4 1.11.1.14 .f Ezprorr," restallat •ho same evelleg's Casette,' kr er.rry Teard ul Fr.day .:;lit, to tame for port• aolremerferatr istros lid ter " The Itspreeo," Landes [verse rpm th. • Mire, ir, Volertie.dreet. Tire o't:ecie es the day of prbar•uoo• 111011 WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE lhi--)Gmr.g, 63. SI u. Artereem :5.:4.. re.roaaw—Morniog , Mterse•i, SY. 49a. LONDON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER IS. Feria the promised Reform Bill of Lord Jells Ressta.t., we cannot profess to expect any important change in the present constitution of the Rouse of Commons. The antecedents of the noble lord in the character of a parEamentary reformer are not such as to inspire full confidence. The people are comparatively apathetic with respect to the subject itself; no imme diate ministerial necessity therefore will incite him to action—nnd as very little party advantage can he hoped for from any efiatege which he can expect to effect--the reform measure, we suspect, will remain a promise, like many others, forgotten and unful filled. In IMO the whigs found themselves by accident suddenly possessed of power. The Catholic Eman cipation Act had violently divided the once united and powerful tory party—and one large section were PO deeply incensed, more especially at the con duct of Sir it.attar PEEL, that they were ready to join in any scheme or vote which might have the cffi ct of (Irking him from poser. To this end they supported the Whigs; and on Sir IlssitY Ps RNF.LLs famous motion put the ministry into a minority, and eventually the whir into office. These last, however, were too shrewd not to perceive that their hold of office WAS in the highest degree precarious— the moat sanguine amongst them not hoping to re tain place for six weeks, if the old order of things in the Rouse of Commons was to remain unchanged. Th e eier amt a mong the tories, they knew, would soon be made up under the effective influence of the cold regions of opposition. The trial of a few months' exelusion from the sweets and comforts of place, would, they felt certain, make friends of the angry disputants—and that the consequence would for them. the whi,p, be an immediate and inglorious defeat. When they were called to office, they had really no plan as a tarty for the reform of the House of Commons. Mr. Bithcrai sat, indeed, hail a plan in pito, hot Mr. limier:ma acted without the el.-operation of the Whig party. and his plan never revered the it approval. they took bim and it, in deed, after same useless endeavours to avoid this ne cessity, and made them their own, when they found thut without them to retain power was impossible. This necessity produced the celebrated Reform Bill, which lord )offs Itcsset.i. was selected to propose, though not a member of the cabinet, because he was a Resst.l.l,, had the Duke of Illtnionn for the head of his house, and had during the whole of his pirliamentary rimer, made reform his subject. But the Reform Bill was not Lord Join propmal—Lord I►eltll.ol, Lord l)t'se ss- NON, and Sir J eyes tin 'man, all co-operated with him in the formation of the scheme --the chief mem bers Icing Sir J ( h i.AtLeM, then deemed almost a radical, and Lord tram %NI. The whole scheme, as then propounded, was wholly at variance with the theories and previous propioalie of Lord JOHN Res- NELL. shay minute reform suggestiou.s had long cued the standing jests of ardent and real re formers. Sehedule .1, the ten-pound clause, and the nectreasilitmi members, were all proposals of the other In. rubels of this celebrated committee. Vote by ballot was proposed by Sir JAMES GRA HAM, and only rejected in consequence of a asinpromise. The. bill, when remitted back to the ministry, effertil a choice of various alternatie es —a high franchise 1:e?., and the ballot, or 101., without the ballot. The lust was the plan adopted. From a consideration of thew facts we are not in clined to have any great faith in Lord Jona Res tev.i.rs reforming tendencies. lle and his party were driven by political exigencies at a parti cular period to profess themselves reforniers, and lie was impelled forward by more liberal asso ciates. measure eventually was carried by the nation. The Whig ministry trembled at the storm they had raised, and would gladly have retired, if the people would have allowed of their defection. But seeing that if they retired, a far more searching change would be the consequence, they re mained. mid the. Reform Bill lee tote the law of the land. By that hill they fan cied they had for ever excluded the tories front power. 'their only fear then was lest the more tho roughgoing party of reformers should force on the reform movement and utterly overturn the aristo cratic influence in the llouse of Commons. Under the influence of this fear they acted till, in 1831, they found themselves almost ruined, their popu larly gone, and Sir Iteentarr PEEL puma-shell of a minority itt the blouse of Commons which every day threatened to become a ninjoriiy. 'they then changed their policy , : lihe'rulity lawsuit. again tic order of the day, the Lichfield-house compact was entered into, and the policy of bombarding the House of Lords with good measures wait proposed and supposed to be adopted. This game was continued for some years. and by the aid of Mr. (fetes N ELI, the Melbourne minis try maintained a precarious existence. The fatal hour at length arrived. Sir Reimer PEEL, having rallied the country party , fought under the standard of Protection. Lord Jolts Ittssial., true to his eompreatioing policy, proposed his fixed duty of eight shillings, and thereby diagusted the anti corn law party. and in no way conciliated his oppo nents. Sir Iteintacr Peet. became premier. Sir ItnuEteT PEE 1. defeated the whip, and again became Prime Minister. In a few years after came the Irish famine, and the excitement in England against the corn law monopoly. Sir ROBERT PEEL, in spite of his having won his way to power by means of the protectionist cry, de-serted his old views and old friends, again listened to the voice of reason, changed his policy and his language, and again shivered his party into atoms. 'the whigs, as in 1830, took advantage of this quarrel—they put Sir R. Peet. into a minority, after he had carried the measure abolishing the corn law monopoly, just in the way in which in 1830 they had d e feated him after the passing of the Emancipation .tct. In 1830 they professed a violent love for economy, when in opposition, but forgot all their good resolves on that head when they came into office. So, after the pass ing of the net repealing the corn-law monopoly, they professed an extraordinary desire fur liberality in Irelend, and opposed Sir Itonear Peet., when he proposed to renew their own act, called the Irish Arms .tct. 'they put him into a minority —turned hint out of office, took his place, and passed the very measure he had proposed. Since that hour their ministerial existence has been one of sufferance. They have maintained their ?coition, because their enemies have been divided. }or good purposes they are, we fear, impotent—they are power ful only when they call in aid sonic narrow principle which meets with the approbation of their foes, and gives bitter offence to their friends. The moment quiet comes—the instant they attempt to adopt an inde pendent line of conduct, they are powerless. Any continued tenure of office under such circum stance* seems almost impossible—and if symp 7 tom of discontent appear in the purple--should • time of pressure come—then, indeed, we should believe some reform would be proposed which would win popularity, and gain for the ministry power, by rendering office dangerous fur their opponents. At present, however, we are all too comfortable : there is too little discontent among any class, except some of the farmers, for fear to enter into the minds of the present holders of office. Let a storm blow, how ever, and the policy of our rulers will be immediately changed. For this we ought to be prepared—our principles ought to be fixed—what we should demand ought to b e p re d e t e rmined, and, if we be wise. our plans of reform ought to be carefully prepared. When the ministry, pressed by adverse etreumstances, propound their scleme, we should be ready to point out their short-comings, and to substitute those changes which we believe requisite. We ought to be guarded against surprise, by having thoroughly determined What we ought to demand—what the good govern ment of the nation requires. THERE WWI no department of the Great Exhibi tion which was better managed than its police. its re gulating of crowds, and direction of living currents, its can with any sort of authority call upon the majority to go further than modifying the law. It does not, therefore, appeer at all improbable that some trans action Aril' be concluded between the President and the Assembly, before the meeting of the latter, and that the present ministers will withdraw their rosig , nations. The Unirers has abandoned the President, appa rently in the dread that the change of policy at home `may lead to the withdrawal of the French troops from tome, And in general turn to the disadvantage of the Jesuits. Yesterday the apartments of M. Langlois, the ex , director of the lottery, were searched by the police, and the tickets found in his keeping were taken pos -1 session of, and sealed up. _ division of days between the commonalty and the plutocracy. We have not heard any class complain that another class was allowed unfair advantage. A more difficult species of discernment and of pohae remained, however, after the public was dismissed it content—this was to dismiss with similar feelings of satisfaction the exhibitoras who formed a little public of themselves. Each living member of the long cata logue must have gave to considerable pains, to large expenses and anxieties, not merely to excel, but to keep their ground before domestic I competitors, and not to be driven out of the field by foreign rivals. Foreigners themselves were subjected to similar necessities and burdens. And in the estima tion of all, the Grande E.rp.sition was far more in debted to them, than they to it. Amidst such an hest, inspired by such sentiments, the managers of the Exhibition undertook to distri bete prizes. Altogether this was the most mi -1 fortunate part of the scheme. Intended as an I inducement to exhibitors to come forward, sit is plain there was no need of such a spur. Whilst to make anything like a generally fair award or distribution of premiums, ought to have I been seen from the first to be both invidious and im- I possible. Having once got into the difficulty, indeed, we admit that the Exhibition authorities made the best and most decent efforts to get out of it. They eliminated competition as the principle of award, and adopted in its place the categories of CONSTANTINE for offices of state, which were, we believe, the illustrious, the respectable, and the honourable, — the illustrious being the lowest in the scale. To range such a multitude dually and fairly in these categories was evidently impossible, except one pre siding judge or body could weigh all merits. But no one man or body of men could do this. The judi ciary. power was broken into juries, and even in the circumscribed sphere of each there were difficult ties and obstructions in the way of fairness. So that with every effort, the final distribution of prizes has partaken very much of the character of a scramble, in which the luckiest rather than the cleverest fellow runs off with the coin. The chief consolation is, that there was another jury employed in the inspection of the different articles, very different from the jury nominated by the commission. The jury we mean was that por tion of the public interested and skilled in the par ticular article or production, a jury that will soon and surely give its award in orders and in con sumption, which are the true prizes of industry, utterly beyond the postar of any jury of ex perts to award. Were we not certain that the pub lic were fully able to correct whatever errors jurors may have made, we should give a more attentive ear and greater space to the protests and complaints from exhibitors which pour in upon us. (Inc thing is satisfactory, if not to individuals, at least to those who look to general and national re sults, which is, that foreigners seem to have no reason to complain. Much more accustomed than Englishmen to have medals awarded and crosses bestowed upon them, the greater part of exhibitors from the other side of the Channel would depart in discontent if they bad nothing to show fur tin ir trouble and their efforts. Nor do we think English producers need grumble at a little unfairness to them, should this have been the case, the rivalry in courtesy and good feeling being not the least honourable, nor, in a national point of view, the least profitable. There are others, besides the exhibitors, whO have some reason to complain that the Exhibition has not answered all their expectations. We understand, for example. that those who planned and erected, and gave their time and anxiety to the erection of the Crystal Palace, have found by no means ample or fitting reniutierationi. We have heard, though we can scarcely credit it, that Mr. PAxTON, for example, whose fertile brain floated the Palace into existence, and made the Exhibition of l 1831 what it would never have been without him—; we understand that instead of having made his for tune, he is literally out of pocket by the concern. This is very imprudent on his part, and somewhat dis graceful on oar. If the speculation were a losing one, or that it barely made both ends meet, there would remain nothing to be said. Hut prosperous as it boas been, with a half million surplus, which no one knows how well to dispose of, a fair and moderate portion ought to be bestowed upon those of the origi nators who are in want of it. This ought really at once to be taken into consideration. A similar generous spirit ought to regulate the demands upon exhibitors for the fixtures and stands which were put up for them. An exhibitor with a bronze medal, and a long bill to par, is very like Sir JosErit Paxrox out of pocket, sitting like another MARIES on the ruins of the Crystal Palace. A picture indeed of two such rueful figures, even if they were but in the jocose pages of i'atich, would remain as no honourable memorial of the Great Exhibition. A mammoth speculation of its kind ought not to die, without at least a few deco rous legacies to the servants who had presided over its birth, and who, as we believe, in Sir J. Psxrox's case, very sincerely laments their premature demise. The D46ats contains the following further details of the affair of Sancerre, under date of the 13th: The inhabitants of Sancerre had a fresh alarm yesterday. Further arrests having been ordered by the authorities, the tocsin was suddenly sounded to rouse several communes to insurrection. Such of the peaceable inhabitants as would not march (and the number, thank Heaven, was very great) were compelled by threats of death to follow the members of the secret societies marching to the open attack of estab lished order, and loudly proclaiming their projects of social subversion. Gen. d'Alphonse took energetic arrangements to put an end to this new insurrection. The band, which had re-assembled beyond Sancergues, were attacked with the greatest vigour by a detachment of artillery and several bri gades of gendarmery, who lied been assembled to assist in the repression. One gunner was slightly wounded and one of the insurgents was killed. The unfortunate men who had been compelled to follow the insurgents, and the dupes to whom the attempts of the previous day had promised an easy vic tory, regained their communes. The agitators took refuge in the woods, where they were closely pursued. All the prisoners who were taken were found to have poignant* and medals, as a distinguishing mark of their being mem bers of secret societies. The plan of the insurgents was no longer to march on Sancerre. The experience of the pre vious day taught them what kind of reception they would meet with un that point. They, therefore, to march on Nerondes. 137 gaining possession of the railway, the insurrection could, they thought, be extended more boldly in the Nievre ; and, by the help of such devas tations as were familiar to them, since 1848, they hoped to stop the progress of the troops, which the Government had directed on the Cher and the Niilvre. The unexpected arrival of a battalion of infantry at Nevers produced in that town and in the neighbourhood, the most salutary impression. - - - - - -• • The Constitution/act also furnishes further de tails : Emissaries were sent into all the communes to stimu late the zeal of those who hung hack, and compel others by force to join the movement. When the doors were nut opened to them at their first signal, they were broken open in spite of the cries of the women and children ; the pea sants were compelled to arm themselves and follow the rioters. By these acts of violence and threats of death against those who continued obstinate, the band was at length raised to about 300, the majority of them having muskets. This body concentrated itself at ' Beffes when a deliberation was held as to the line of march they should take. Opinions were divided ; some proposed to march on Sancerre, and others on La Charite. Certain of the hand proposed to attack the chateau of M. Cervois, • rich proprietor in the neighbourhood, hut, as it was sug gested by others that the house contained a number of ser vants, and that the master, being a man of great resolution and energy, a den.' rate re+ istance might be expected, the idea was abandoned. They then decided to proceed to the house of M. Bonnet, the mayor of Bala, and force him to join the move. meat. The mayor was absent, and his wife was compelled to give up all the arms which were in the house. While this was going on M. Bonnet returned. Ile was immedi ately surrounded by the band, and called on to join them. Ile refused. Ile was then assailed with insults and threats; and laid hold of by the collar and dragged about in the mast violent manner. Those outrages did not however intimidate him. Ile bared his breast, and said, " You may kill me, but I will never gu with you." Several guns were immediately levelled at him, but one of the ringleaders turned them aside, and the crowd feel ing that they could not overcome the resolution of M. Bonnet, marched off towards Privy. They hail not, however, proceeded far before they changed their' minds, from being informed that Pr4cy was well defended, and marched towards Sancerre. On arriving at Argen 'line a feeling of hesitation began to pervade the ranks of the rioters. Those who had been comp ulled, their will, to join the band, showed an evident disinclination to come in contact with the armed force, and it wan only by renewed threats that they were kept together. Partial de sertions, however, took place, whenever an opportunity oc curred, and the ranks by degrees began to thin, and towards the evening a general dispersion took place on learning that a body of troops were advancing towards them. The metallic reserve of the Bank of France has de clined both in l'aris and in the branch banks, of a million in the former, and 5! millions in the latter. The discount accommodation has fallen off mil lions in Paris, and increased about 2 millions in the departments, the amount of the former being 32,827,021 francs, and of the latter 9'0,605,331 francs. On the side of the liabilities, the notes in cir culation have increased 11 millions in Paris, and delined of a million in the provinces. The account current of the treasury has declined 91 mil lions, the present amount being 73,778,846 fr. Private accounts current have increased . ' of a million in Paris, and !, a million in the departments, the amount of the former being 119,962,290 fr., and of the latter, 30,149,353rr. The whole amount of the me tallic reserve is at present 6191 millions, to ..5141. millions of notes in circulation. At the Bourse, hardly any change . took place to day. The Fives closed at 90tr. 45c., with a fall of dc. The Threes fell 5c., and closed at 35fr. tiOc. FRANCE. rAms,FILIDAT EVENING, You will observe in many of the accounts given of the sitting of the Committee of Permanence, that M. (le Nlortemart, a legitimist, hitherto friendly to the Elysee, pressed the Minister of the Interior to state if he thought it possible for him and his colleagues to return to office. Upon this M. Leon Faucher replied I that, up to the moment when the President proposed the abrogation of the law of May, the cabinet had not ceased to be on the best terms of understanding with Louis Napoleon. The same minister is repre sented as still expressing in his private conversa tions a very sanguine hope that the President, to use M. Faucher's own phrase, " relkehint et frrhira." Much as this may be doubted after the official language of the Constilutionnel yesterday, it seems pretty certain that the new programme to bo proclaimed in the message will encounter such obsta cles in the parliament as must be instantly fatal to any ministry framed and influenced by constitutional principles. There is not the smallest chance of the parliamentary majority voting the abrogation pure and simple of the law of May. Any cabinet framed with the intention of proposing such a bill would hardly be allowed to sit on the benches of the ministers. For if they belonged to the conservative party they would find no support is the Left against the storm of opposition with which they would be assailed; and if they belonged to the minority it would be an open contradiction of the fundamental principle of constitutional government. Such a position seems difficult in the extreme to realise when we consider the prudent temper of Louis Napoleon, and the nature of the times, which hardly admit the daring of a Cromwell in dealing with parliaments. We may therefore justly question the verisimilitude of Grimier de Cassagnac's surmise that a hundred cabinets might be got to propose such a programme. In fact it begins to be extremely doubtful whether any men less rashly devoted to the Bonapartist cause than those who landed with Louis Napoleon at Bon ' logne, would venture to undertake office pledged to such a task. Already the -lasembVe points to the 6sth article of the constitution, as affording a legal margin quite broad enough for impeaching the President himself, not to talk of the mi nister, is such a case. That article says that Every measure, by which the President dissolves the Assembly, p roro g ues it, or sets an ob ' stack to the exercise of its mandate, is a crime of high treason. By the act alone the President is stripped of his functions—the citizens are obliged to refuse him obedience; the executive power passes of full right. to the Assembly." Such an article seems to impose upon the President still more than upon a constitutional sovereign the necessity of proceeding hand in hand with his parliament. For the rest, it will be remembered that there is now a law forging inlieTnithy of the Conseil d'Etat for the more exact definition of the responsibility of the Pre sident and his ministers and public functionaries in generaL 'fhe Assembly will probably proceed, on its re-opening, to bring this bill on the order of the day. In the meantime, if the firmness with which the majority would resist the total abrogation of the law of May admits of little doubt, it is no less certain that it would consent to extensive modifications. These achieved, the cOnservatives might con scientiously- defy the threats of socialist insurgents, and leave public opinion to deal with the minority that refuse revision. It is difficult to see how Louis Napoleon, who even now repudiates and is repudiated by the parties of the So& and National THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 18, 1851 GERMANY. VIENNA, ocr. 12. The mystery which enveloped the ministerial crisis of the past week is gradually disappearing, dis closing at the same time the nature of the differences between the ministry and the Reichsrath. The ex istence of both has become a certainty. It is true that Dr. Bach, the Minister of the Interior, placed his resignation in the hands of the Emperor; it is true that the portfolio of finance, held by Baron Krauss, was very near being transferred to Baron Bruck, the late minister of trade, its present holder vanishing into private life; it is true that Counts Hartig and Montecucoli were applied to by the Em peror to assume office ; it is true that they declined, and finally, it is true that Schwarzenberg and Dr. Bach disapprove of the results of the labours of Baron Kiibeck and the lteichsrath (the drawing up of a constitution), and that their dissatisfaction was 1 openly and irrcconcileably manifested at the late con ferenCe between the cabinet and the Reichsrath. I stated in a previous letter, that Baron Ktibeek, a follower of Metternich, was known to be favourable to the gradual re-introduction of the salient points of the federative policy of his former chief. Ills labours, on the political organisation which is to be given to the empire, accordingly took that direction, though I ant not able to state exactly the details of the alterations which he pro posed. A reference to the articles of the Lloyd dur ing the past week will suffice to show, that the editor of that journal, evidently inspired by the advocates of federalisation, assumed that to be fact which was only proposal, viz., the abandonment of the centralisation policy in reference to Hungary, and the return to that of federalisation. The old conservative party were too sanguine. The ministry scouted the plans, and have succeeded in persuading the Emperor to adhere to the present organisation. To obtain this success, however, Prince Sehwarzen berg, who foresaw that if Kiibeek's plans were adopted his resignation and retirement must follow, threw himself into the arms of Dr. Bach, his factotum in internal matters, and demanded his advice. Bach, equally unwilling to quit office, advised steadfast opposition to Kitbeck, and continued adherence to the standard of centralisation. In the course of their conferences. Bach struck very heavy blows at the Minister of Finance and his recent policy, demand ing from Schwarzenberg that Krauss should be dismissed, and a new Minister of Finance ap pointed. The premier hesitated not a moment, but instantly telegraphed to Baron Bruck, then en rook for 'Trieste, an invitation to assume once more an official responsibility. Bruck replied, by the 1 same medium, that lie could not do so, without being previously made acquainted with the nature of the new political organisation preparing for the empire. This was a demand which Schwurzenberg weld not grant, seeing that, even at the time when ministers were responsible agents, the inferior among them were kept in ignorance of the plans of the court. The negotiations with Bruck failed, and as' it resulted front a second conference with Kiibeek, that he and his colleagues were not opposed, but, on the contrary, favourable to the financial policy of Krause, Schwarzenberg agreed with Bach, that the latter should resign his portfolio, a step which they rightly considered would prove successful. Dr. B had an audience with the emperor, in which lie en larged upon the impossibility of his remaining in office, with a policy the exact contrary of that which he had introduced, and requested permission to place his portfolio at the imperial feet, taking advantage of the opportunity at the same time to give his colleague in the finances a hearty kick. Prince Schwarzenberg seems subsequently to have played a "waiting" game, biding his time to see the result. The emperor hereupon wrote both to Count Ilartigand Count Montecueoli, begging them to assist him in the government. Butte these noblemen, rigid con servatives, replied to the imperial missive, deploring their inability under the present circumstances to take upon themselves any governmental functions whatever. I'rince Schwarzenberg had rightly cal culated the chances. The emperor next turns to his premier, and between them it is agreed that Dr., Bach shall remain in o ffi ce, and that Baron Kilbeek's ' plans shall be dropped. Dr. Bach is informed of the emperor's wishes, and behold the public ars already informed of the appointment of a new coin nussion to deliberate on the future political organisa tion of the empire. Its members are Dr. Bach, Baron Krause, Chevalier Baumgartner (Minister of Trade), and of Barons Krieg, Salvotti,and Purkhardt (members of the Reichsrath). The president of the Heichsrath, Baron Kiibeek, is not on the commission. The new organisations, which were expected to have been published before the emperor'a departure for Galicia, are thus again indefinitely postponed. BRAZILS. His Majesty the Emperor Pedro 11. closed the third session of the eighth parliament of the General Legislative Assembly of Brazil on the 13th day of September, 11431, in the following speech: August and most worthy gentlemen, representatives of the nation,—ln closing the present legislative session, I thank you for your co-operation with my government, for the zeal you bare shown, and fur the patriotism with. which you have provided remedies for the public wants, That zeal and patriotism promise the continuance of a task the accomplishment of which is not the work of a few ses sions, but which will assuredly be completed with time and pare verance. The empire enjoys perfect tranquillity, and trust that, by the help of divine Providence, it will not he disturbed. My government continues, and will continue, to employ . energetic means towards effecting a total extinction of the slave trade. By virtue of an express authorisation from the government of the republic of ruguay, and because the presence of General Oribe at the head of an army in the Oriental ter ritory, besides endangering its independence, is incompati ble with the security of our frontiers of the l'rovince de S. Pedro do Rio Grande do Sul, as also with the tranquillity of that portion of the Empire, I ordered our army to com mence active operations to expel him from that territory. I hope that the execution of this reso lution will effectually contribute to the solution of those questions which have been agitated in Rio da Plata, and to the termination of the prolonged crisis in which it has been plunged, a crisis which, prevent ing a regular organisation, has perpetuated cmses which have incommoded us for some tame, and which threaten still more serious inconvenience for the future. August nation, and most worthy gentlemen, representatives of the in taking leave of you, I icy on your proceeding through• out the year with fresh vigour, with the difficult though glorious task to which I called your attention at the open ing of the session, a task so consonant with your sentiments, so peculiarly your own, and so worthy of you. Let all the good which our institutions contain be practically felt, so as to endear us to them more and more, and to secure the happiness and the future greatness of our country. The session is closed. LATEST FOREIGN EXCHANGES. For Afteust. *IOW. Unrest' 53 55 00 40 ••• PARIS, Oct. O. Poe Wm!. Voids. TS Si SS 5$ I 141 110 3 per Cesta. 1 35 es 3 per (*lds $ per Cents. New Loan. ... i 1 per Cents. ta pet Cents Exchange on Laudon z at sled, SS 274 ; too days, 23 10. Illsittus, S. 1940 3, 1811 Do. 1351 lit 11 . ..... ... 34 ... Tresaury 00041 Pot 3 p.M i .... 79 23 ... I Rank Snares Pails, Ocr. 17.—Versailles (right bank), 260; ditto (left Wail, 70730• Paris and Orleans, 864; Pans and Rouen, 557 30; Ikeda an d Mane, 211 25 ; Marseilles and Mignon, 210; and Bale, 143; Centre, 420; Boulokme and Arekos, tri s trartherc. 433 ; Paris and etsustiourg, 349 73 ; Tours sad Maass, 733 73. I- $3 (By Elevric Telegrapll ) VIENNA, OCT. 17.—Five per Cents., Nletalliques, 92.4; Exchange on London, 12.05 ; on Paris, 144. H.►xet:ao, Ocr. 17.—Three per Cents. Interior, 321 ; Russian Four-and-a-Half per Cents., 961. Ex change on London, 3 months, 13.51; at sight, 13.7. BULLIN, Oa. 17. Voluntary Loan, 1021; National Debt, e3l ; Russian Four-and-a-Half per Cents., 100 Z. LETTERS FOR NORwAY.—GENERAL POST-OFFICE; OCrosTS, MR.—lnformation having been received from the Norwegian Post-office that the steam packets between Norway and Denmark will cease running at the close of this month, the mails from the United Kingdom fur Nor way will be transmitted, on and after the 24th instant, by war of Sweden. The rate of postage to be taken on letters to Norway will he one shilling and Sixpence the half ounce, and soon, according to the scale is operation in the United Kingdom for charging inland letters. This rate comprises both the British and foreign postage on the letters to the place of their destination, and it may be either paid in ad valice, or the letters may be forwarded unpaid, at the option of the sender, except, however, as regards registered letters, the postage upon which, as well as the registration fee, must be paid in advance SPAIN. We have received the Madrid journals of the 12th. The Nacion states that MM. de Miraflores, Arteta, and Gonzales Romero will leave the cabinet, and be replaced by MM. Florento, Benavides, and Gonzales Bravo. The same journal informs us that the Queen has addressed an autograph letter to the inhabitants of Cuba,expressice of the pleasure that their loyal con duct has given to her. The government, it is added, has ordered that 6,000 percussion muskets, and 1,000 men, shall be sent to Cuba. The Herald() states that the first conference of M. Oliveira and the President of the Council of Ministers, on the subject of the set tlement of the public debt, is considered satisfactory by M. Oliveira. An act of great audacity was lately perpetrated near Avila, a town about 30 leagues from Madrid, on the road to Seville. At about nine in the morn ing, on a Sunday, six men, well armed and mounted, took possession of a small inn by the roadside, and, after having made their arrangements, stopped and robbed every person that passed. By five in the even ing they had about 100 horses or mules shut up within a narrow space, and 40 persons tied hand and foot. They did not maltreat any one, and even gave their prisoners some food. 'Near the close of the day a post-chaise passed, containing two men, ladies, and a child. They rifled these travellers com pletely, taking away even ladies mantles and bon nets. At last, when night had set in, the robbers took their departure, carrying with them nine mules ' loaded with booty, and nearly 10,000 fr. From some words which fell from one of them, it is con e jectured that they were expecting the arrival of a rich family from Madrid, whom they intended to held to ransom. Fortunately the expected party took somo . other road. ITALY. TUSCANY. The Corriere Mercantile of the 13th quotes a letter from Florence, containing the following extraordinary statement:—" A series of measures," according to the letter, "are under contemplation, calculated to incor porate Tuscany, de facto, in the Austrian empire. The War-office is to be supp ressed, and General Ferrari, of the Austrian staff, is to be appointed to organise the Tuscan troops, which, it is said, he will effect by marching themloff to Verona. The portfolio of I Foreign Affairs is also to be suppressed, and the in terests of Tuscany are henceforth to be placed under the safeguard of the Austrian embassies at foreign courts. A large number of Tuscan officers and at ; pomatists are to be pensioned off." Lieut.-Gen. Durando, the new commandant-gene ral of the troops in the Island of Sardinia, arrived at Cagliari on the 3rd. MALTA, Ocr. 12. The pirate, Negro, for whom the Frolic has been ai long in search, has been killed under the following cir etunstances The French steamer Favourite perceiving him and crew in a large boat, drove them ashore on a small island near Samos. The boats of the French steamer blockaded the island until the steamer went to Samos for the Turkish troops. They then proceeded to the island, and Negro, having offered a desperate resistance, was shot imme diately. COLONIAL CEYLON. The dates from Ceylon ore to Sept. 15. The event of the month has been the opening of the Legislative Council, on which occasion Sir George Anderson developed his plan of law reform and his intended policy in regard to some other subjects. The fol lowing arc extracts Before stating the measures of legislation which I have to propose, I will briefly acquaint you with our financial eon ' dition for the past six mouths. RETRY F. Actual revenue of the lit half year of 1850 £209,3G3 0 0 Estimated ditto, 1851 Actual ditto, 1851 EXPENDITVILE. Actual expenditure of the lit half-year of 1850 £190,118 0 0 Estimated ditto, 1 861 Actual ditto, IS-k The excess of revenue of the lit half-year of 1341 over the expenditure for the same period is L14,971 2 31 The actual revenue of the first half year of 18.11 has ex ceeded the estimated revenue for the same period by 8,8381., and the actual revenue for the corresponding period of ISA, 4'6,7241. The actual expenditure of the first half year of 18,51 is less than the estimated expenditure for tho same period by 10,5831., but has exceeded the expenditure for the corresponding period of WO by 1,9031. The statements showing these results, I have directed to be placed upon your table. _ Our estimates for the ensuing year I shall shortly lay before you. I will now notice the measures connected with the judi cial administration, which I intend to submit fur your con- sidemtion. In January last the Chamber of Commerce, in an address presented to me, made certain complaints as to the ill work ing of the present laws in some respects. I stated that I would consider the matters of which they compla:neil ; and I referred certain passages of their address to the judges of the Supreme Court, requesting the judges to state if any amendment in the law, as desired by the chamber, was called for, and, if so, what course they would recommend should be pursued. lu reply, the judges suggested several alterations in the laws, and among others they considered that all matters connected with shipping and all other maritime matters, and all questions regarding bills of exchange, should be decided by the law of England. An ordinance has been drafted, and will be presented to you to carry out this purpose. The judges have also recommended a most important measure of reform with the object of assimilating the laws of the Kandyan provinces to those of the maritime pro vinces, and of rendering them as uniform as possible. An ordinance to carry out these views will be submitted to you, and will, I trust, remove much of the perplexity nod doubt which are involved in the administration of law in the Kandyan provinces, especially as respects litigated questions arising with and among Europeans. I propose to extend the jurisdiction of what are here called Courts of Requests, but what are really small cause courts This measure will extend throughout the island. My object is to attain the great end of giving litigants cheap, simple, yet efficient means of obtaining justice ; and which will be administered by the same persons who now exercise the judicial functions. It is intended to give these courts jurisdiction to enter tain and decide small land suits. I believe this alteration will be one of very great benefit to the community, as affording to them a readier, mire speedy and less expen sive mode than at present exists, for settling disputes con nected with the title to, and possession of, lands—disputes which have in many cases led to acts of the greatest vio lence, which would probably nut have occurred if the law furnished a cheap and speedy method for the adjustment of such questions. These contemplated additions to the jurisdiction of the Courts of Requests are based, I am happy to suy, on the re commendation of the judges of the Supremetldourt, who have also suggested another very important *alteration in thewilmiuistration of the law, which I shall submit to you, namely, that of requiring . the Supreme Court to hold a monthly criminal sessions, instead of one every six months, for the district of Colombo, which is the most populous and commercial in the island. I expect very great advantage to result from this measure, not only in respect of the ge neral administration, but of the shipping, when seamen are detained here as prisoners for trial, and also as calculated to relieve the gaol in Colombo front the great number of persons waiting fur trial with which it is often crowded under the present system. Another important change which I shall submit to . you on the recommendation of the judo is, that of having all civil appeals from the district courts heard in Colombo, where, 1. have no doubt, they are likely to be better con , sidereal and decided than un circuit. On the same recommendation 1 shall submit to you mea sures for abolishing the system of assessors; and here I should state that on the suggestion of the late commissioner for the colony, that most able jurist Mr. Cameron, I in quired of all the judicial authorities, if we should revert to the system of permanent and paid assessors formerly in existence. Without exception these authorities deprecated it; and I find the general opinion to be that assessors are in general of no benefit to the judicial administration, but a burthen to the people, amounting even to a grievance. It is, however, carefully provided that when ton -ties require assessors, and the judge assents, or himself desires and orders theiratteudance, they shall in those cases be saso- ciated with him. , Another reform of vast concern to the inhabitants of the colony which I shall lay before you is that of an alteration iu the stamp laws, so us to lessen the cost of these imposts generally, and to render the law with regard to them more generally intelligible to the people. We are indebted to the Chainber of Commerce among others fur the suggestions which have led to the consideration of this reform. I found the house assessment tax to weigh heavily upon the poorer inhabitants. Alter slue inquiry I have had al terations made in the existing ordinance with a view to ' remedy the evil. 'these alterations will he laid befure you, and I am very certain that you equally with myself will rejoice to aid in this relief to the pourer classes. It has been in my consideration, and the subject has been enjoined upon my attention in the instructions of the Se cretary of State, to confer on certain towns of the island the benefits of municipal institutions ; and with this view un ordinance is in preparation to carry out the measure—on this principle—that where the inhabitants of a town are de sirous of constituting themselves into a municipal body and show that they are able to maintain it—then under certain requirements provided by the law, the privileges of such an institution shall be granted to them. An ordinance tar establishing a snore perfect law of bank ruptcy is under consideration. It is a subject requiring great circumspection; and it is desirable to ascertain how tar what has been lately done in England in this matter has worked well, before deciding on the course to be adopted here. 1 may nut be able, therefore, during this session, to lay before you the draft of au ordinance on this subject, though I much desire to do so. A new customs law has been drafted—it has been ear nestly considered by the Chamber of Commerce and by the authorities of the customs department. I shall hope to be able to submit it to you for deliberation in a complete form ; but before finally making it an enactment, it may be well to await the changes that may be directed in our establish ment from the Imperial Government consequent on the transfer of this department to our colonial control. In respect of roads, I may observe, generally, that those already existing are considered to Le in a favourable state, and other roads arc in progress. I have pawed several months at Kandy, where I am re joiced to say the greatest tranquillity prevails, as it does in other parts of the island. I have at Kandy had constant interviews with the chiefs, and have given audience to the priests ; and where they brought to my notice any trouble or grievance which they conceived themselves to labour , under, I told them, and to their satisfaction, that I would endeavour to remedy the evils, if found to be such, of which they complained, if I could do so with justice to all. and consistently with the principles which guide the British government. The coffee planters, we regret to learn, arc searing from a paucity of labour. This is a serious inconvenience just as the crop season is commencing. The cocoa-nut planters of Jaffna have applied to government fur a grant of public money to complete that portion of a main road which passes through their estates. Their claims arc enforced by the statement that in ten years they have purchased from government nearly 10,000 acres of land, upwards of 7,000 of which have been cultivated, the total expenditure being 110,0001. Cocoa-nut planting is going on steadily at Batti calua, N(gombo, and elsculicre ; and a gentleman is making another experiment in sugar-growing. 5360 90 13 TEIREATENED COTTON-SPINNERS' STRIKE.—We regret to learn that there are some indications of an exten sive strike among the operative cotton-spinners in Glasgow and neighbourhood. The men, it appears, have been urging an advance, or restoration, of 10 per cent. upon their wages, which the masters have declared their inability or disinclination to comply with. The operatives have accord ingly resolved upon what is termed a " sectional strike," and two mills—one in the town and the other in the country —were last week selected by ballot, and the workpeople withdrawn. These mills belong respectively to Messrs. hPNaught and Co., Anderson, and Messrs. William Ste. renews and Son, Crossley, near Johnstone. Subsequently upon this partial strike a meeting of the millowncrs was held, when it was resolved that unless these two works were opened upon the old terms, all the mills in the dis trict should suspend operations on Monday, at least so far as mule-spinning is concerned. A notification to this effect was made to the men accordingly. A meeting of operative delegates was consequently held in Paisley on Saturday night last, when it was resolved to continue the strike in reference to the two mills already noticed ; and the men of other mills who had received notice to quit on Saturday last, were ordered to:present themselves on Monday morn ing on the old terms. Should they be rejected or refused admittance, the operatives were then to ask a meeting with the employers on Tuesday, with the view, if possible, of coming to some satisfactory arrangement. —Glasgow Con stitutional. WILTS, SOMERSET, .'NI) WEYMOUTII RAILWAY.— A meeting was held yesterday at Yeovil, when a committee was appointed to communicate with the directors of the Great Western Railway respecting the completion of tho I line. TE#e Court. WINDSOR, Oct. 1 The Queen and Prince Albert went out on horse. back into the Park yesterday afternoon, accom;:anied by Prince Frederick of the Netherlands and Loud Simour, and attended by the lion. Miss Seymour, the Earl of-Mor ley, Colonel Buckley, and Colonel F. 11. Seymour ,• and Count Van der Duvu, attending on the Prince Frederick of the Netherlands: The royal dinner party yesterday included the Duchess of Kent, Princo Frederick of the 'Netherlands, the I.sily in Waiting to the Duchess of Kent, the Barmess de Spetb, the Count de Buol Schaueustein, the Baron Dentinek, Field Marshal Count Nugent, ViNcount and Viscount..., Palmerston, Lord Seymour, Colonel Count A. Nterent.and Count an der Duyn. The band of the Royal Horse Guards attended during dinner and played the following pieces : Mario, Al'egro, Scplett ind Act, Mono d'Roban Wattc, " Itt tr-drop" Proptkete " The Qucetitt private band afterwards attelia,d in: the Castle and performed the following pieces Overture, , Ade lust4en Welber T.lll Mad. ■~f "... Beethovn, Otto Concerto, violin, M. Sdaton scene de DAIWA IA Haysdere" This morning her Majesty and Prince Albert walked the Home-park and the Slopes. The Prince of Wales and Prince Alfred, tato' 1,1 by Rev. Mr. Birch, drove out in an open carriag.•. The remainder of the royal children took At usual exercise. Prince Albert went out shooting this forenoon, men ponied by Lord Seymour, and attended by the Kai Morley, Colonel F. H. Seymour, and the Ma.de•r of Household. Prince krederick of the Netherlands and Bentinr took their departure from thu Castle this morning. Vi count and Viscouuteas Palmerston also lett fur Loudon. The Rev. Dr. Symonds had an interview with John Russell, yesterday, at his official tesidenee, in lk , wn ink-street. Mr. French, M.P., had an interview with the Chancelln of the Exchequer yesterday. The Earl of Arundel an Surrey had also an interview with the Right Wm. Baron' at his official residerce in Downing-street. Mr. Nortuan Macdonald had au interview with 7 .: Grey yesterday at the Colonial-office. Mr. Forster, M.: . had also an interview with the noble Earl yesterday. • The Finance Continitn..e. of the Royal Commis,ion for Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations in IN;I held a meeting yesterday at the Board of Trade. The (tight lion. Fox blank left town yesterday al:I:moon for Scotland. Mr. Frewen, M.P., had an interview yesterday with Chancellor of the Exchequer. Despatches were sent off last evening front the Coleni office thr the Governor of Canada ' and awe for the Governors of the other North American Colunies. Among the passengers who left Southampton for Lisbon yeecrtlay itt th.. l'eninsular Mail itar:itot M.tntro, was the Countt.s. Tho:uar ; the Count WWI at rtuuthatuittou and took blare of the Count4.l on board. THE HONOUR OF• KNIGHTHOOD would, we under stand, hare been conferred on Mr. Dilke, of the EaLcut:, Committee of the Great Exhibition, if the ateeph.nee of i had been agreeable to that gentleman's feelings. (From last takrbt'. , MANCTIESTER, Oct. 10.—The Queen wns this Illy pletiDed to confer the honour of Knighthood upon .h.:11 Potter, Esq., of Buile-hill, it the county of Laltea......r, Mayor of Manchester. CoNIMIssION SIGNED BY THE LORD LIEFTENANT or LINCULNSIIIILE.— Colonel Thomas Chaplin, to he deputy-lieutenant. CoMMlssloN SIGNED ItY VIE LORD LIEUTEN.tNT or MlDDLES£l.—Lieutenant James Prince, to Iw captain in the Royal Eaat Middlesex Regiment of Militia. POSTPONEMENT OF THE PAYMENT OF HOP DUTY On Friday (yesterday) C. 11. Freeman, Esq., waited upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer, iu Downing-street, and presented to him the memorial agreed upon by the com mittee appointed last week at liurstgrecu, of which the following is a copy : To the night honourable the Lord Chancellor of Iler Majesty's Exchequer. The humble memorial of the hop-plautcrs of the county of Sussex and Weald of Kent, convened at a public meeting held at the George Inn, Ilurstgreen, in the said county of Sussex, on the 'Ali day of October, Sheweth,—That your memorialists hare for a series of years been subjected to very heavy duty on hops when the prices realised by the sale have been insufficient to pay the duty after discharging the expenses of culture, and conse quently your memori dists have paid the duty out of the capital embarked iu the cultivation, and by forced sales out in many instances by borrowing fur the purin.c, whereby severe many have been entailed. That the duty has thus been paid by the grower, and not by the consumer; and the duty is an impost charged on land and agriculture which other property is nut subject to. That the protium of the crop of 1841/ wad not Ulla Cilia to enable your maniurialists to pay the accumulated arrears of previous years and the duty then accruing. That, in addition, a blight of great severity has affected the crop of the present reason iu this district, and your me morialists are necessarily unable, from the very blighted crop, to raise the means of paying . the next instalment of the heavy duty of 18;i0 now becoming duty. Your memorialists therefore pray th,t the remaining instalment of the duty of the crop of 1840, which I,evomes payable in November next, may be postponed fur ut leait twelve months. Signed on behalf and by order of the meeting, A. ANDERSON, Chairman. The prayer of the petition was forcibly and feelingly urged by Mr. Freweit upon the attention of the Chancellor, and the state of the position of those hop growers who have been unsuccessful in the growth this year of a crop pour payed with a degree of fidelity that could not fail of con vincing the mind of the minister as to the absolute neces sity which existed for some large and important concession being made to the agriculturists. Mr. N. P. KELL, secretary to the Hop Planters' Associa tion, also strenuously supported the prayer of the memorial. The Chancellor of the limiliequer stated that every year since he had been in of live the i ustponentent of the hop duty had been solicited by the growers. He could not, therefore hold out any hopes that the present application would be conceded; but he would give it his serious consideration, and send a reply to the memorialists.—Narriy Standard. IRELAND. DVALIN, 0c1..17 A deputation from the Packet Station Committee, with the Lord Mayor of Dublin at their head, nevem palled by several directors of the Midland Great Western Railway, paid a visit yesterday to Galway, for the purpose of examining the bar precious to publishing their report. On the anival of the party at Galway, a number of carriages, which had been provided by the Ilarbour Commissioners, were in attendance. The company rode down in them to the docks, and got on board several row- , )oats pro vided for the occasion, in which they vs ere rowed over to Mutton Island. Here, Mr. }lemons, the engineer, produced his maps for the inspection of the Lord Mayor and the deputation—pointed out to them the soundings and anchorage of the harbour, and showed its capacity and excellence. On their return to land, the railway directors had to deprive their guests and themselves of the gratification of Idining with the harbour commissioners and gentry, a drjeuner having been prepared in the waiting room of the railway, to which they retired. In the mean time the dinner prepared by the gentry of Galway took place at Nolan's hotel, where the company were in the course of the evening joined by the visitors from Dublin. The deputation returned to Dublin last night. At a special meeting of the town and harbour commissioners of Galway, it was stated that the captain of a vessel then in harbour had offered to invest 600/. to forward any plan for making Galway a packet station ; and the Hon. C. R. Burke, of Jamaica, a Galway man, had ordered his name to be put down for 100/. The Free»aan's journal says : A London correspondent, on the accuracy of whose in tot motion we can rely, writes to inform us that the govern ment has decided on not pressing for the repayment of the relief advanced in certain of the Irish unions. Our in formant does not point out the unions that are to be ex empted from the operation of the scaled orders." We presume, however, that they are the more distressed of the southern and western unions. REPRESENTATION OF SOUTH NORTHUMBERLAND. It is generally expected that W. B. Beaumont, E-q., Bywell, will come forward on the liberal interest for this division of Northumberland.—Nesecasda Chronicle. BLANDPORD POST-OFFICE ROBBERY.—Our post office was broken into, late on Saturday night, or early on Sunday morning last, by some person or persons who as yet remain undiscovered. The depredators first entered the garden of Captain Wasse, and then crossed Messrs. May, Abbott, and Williams's gardens, regaled themselves on a few bunches of fine grapes, and then proceeded to the back entrance of the postmaster's (Mr. Shipp) house, and sue. I oceded in effecting ingress, by the common method of re moving a pane of glass from a back window, without dis ! turbing the family. The tills of the post-office and shop, and a uesk were all broken open, but fortunately there no money in them, save a few shillings-worth of copper in that of the post-office. Money appears to have been the only object of the burglars, as the valuable goods in the shop were not in any way disturbed. A candle had been lighted, but carefully extinguished before the burglars left ; 201. reward is offered for the apprehension of one or more of t l the robbers.—Poole Herald. 1 6 '~ i