The Express. — London, England, 1852-02-03 00:00:00

Bite earpreOrl. TO CORRESPONDENTS. &Mewl Ratios of " Firm." eassalawie •be was lone es .10relt-." pableibei ewe, Tuesday W triday sight. is Weis Is pod. Mew Odowiesto laWielod for " The Exprew," Loedoo avocooe mot. mew bo et Ow titUo, le. Beevordiewoot. Two u'olueli oa the iss el pubtlietim. 1110111 WATIR AT LONDON BRIDGE Ti. DAT —Notaiits.l% 0.6 ..Afterams. 12.. Tareamm—aleralag.l2a. as. Jarman. I. 124.. LONDON, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3. PARLIAMENT met to-day. and we mar now cx pe~a~et to know forthwith what it is that Lord JOHN RUSSELL intends to offer us under the name of a New Reform 11111. With prudent vigilance, two metropolitan districts held meetings last night, to open the discussion on this important topic. Mary kbone and St. Pancras have led the way in this good work, and at both gatherings—as will be seen by our reports--Tug liaitarr was referred to SS a requisite feature in any measure claiming to be a real measure of reform. One thing is indispensable in the new Ittilsw. Reform WI : it must be honest. We would not take upon us now to say that. if it do not go this' sr that length, the country will reject it ; but we do matidently prophecy that if it be palpably mere ohmage without improvement it will be received, whet with cold contempt or clamorous derision. And we say this, first and foremost. with retirenc• to the question of secret voting. It is impossible to shut one's eyes to the many symptoms of Lord Jouse• intending to play fast and loose with this question. The official tiraillotrA always sent before fin crowds to raise a dust and divert attention by the orarkiug of their gnna,—in order that no oppor tsnity may be afforded of examining ministerial nseusures too closely, until the time comes to insist upon the people's immediate and final declaration whether they will or not have them. --are swarming end jumping about in the most determined manner. And by their very eagerness to deprecate expressions ofopinion on the subject of the ballot, they call atten tion ti it. They modestly hint that it may be left an open question, and take great credit to Lord JOUR See the liberality of such a determination. Now there are good reasona.-- plenty as black berries "—for refusing to allow ministers to evade the question of secret voting in this fashion. One is as good as a thousand. Twenty years ago when the first reform bill was in agitation—Lord Joins Itessy.t.t. and his colleagues professed to be nodes bled about the ballot. They could not support it; they could not take upon them to condemn it. Sonic of them, they gave the public to understand were friendly, others hostile to it. They begged Ihn to have it left an open question. And the method they adopted to promote the decision of this yen question was to prevent its discussion. At all ?abb.. meetings held to express local opinion with mgard to the reform programme of the whip Nampa, in 1.431, some very moderate reformer was owe to rise to deprecate the introduction of the question of the ballot, "lest reformers should he die ided." We affirm deliberately, and upon per sonal knowledge, that in almost every instance of this kind that came under our own obser vation, the orators who played this part either were at the tine, or were subsequently recognised as put y •genta of the whip, and that most of them have since met with their reward. Well the ballot question was nut premed. In Ilklt the people honoured the bill drawn by ministers gaining the ballot to be deducted as discount fur rompt jelyment. Time was allowed to lord Jolts Braley and his colleagues to make up their minds es the merits of the ballot. Twenty years have they bad to pootkr that knotty problem; twenty years replete with instructive illustrations of the effects of open voting. If their minds arc not now made up se the question, they are minds of that character that never can form a derided opinion. If they are still at sea. they are incompetent to act. Either the ballot is a good thing or a bad; either it ought to make part of the new Reform Bill or it ought not ; the time has come to produce the new Reform Bill, nut to inluire what it ought to contain. New, there arc two things expected from the new Reform Bill: First, that it shall extend the franchise to (lanes who ought to have it, but have it not; second, that it shall do what is possible to make the votes of the constituencies the sincere and accurate ' axprowion of the sense of the constituencies. To the former requisite we attribute great importance. It is of the utmost consequence that all the intelli gence of the nation should be brought to bear on the elections to the legislature; it is of the utmost anise pence that the number of those who, by benefts: without the pale of the constitution, are kept to it. should be reduced to a minimum. To the second we attribute still greater importance. So long on it is left a matter of doubt whether elections areas. We not a sincere expression of public opinion, the legislative assembly composed by them will be ▪ ed with distrust and ill-will ; doubts and de nials will be raised as to whether the laws enacted by it have the popular sanction; elections of ques tamable, dubious fairness are the most effective in struments the seditious can have for keeping alive discontent and turbulence. Now, open voting always affords grounds for call ing in question the fairness of an election. One man apotogises for voting as he did because his lass& lord insisted upon it; another because to have voted otherwise would have injured the prospects of hie mu or brother. Then stories are set afloat of this man having received so many guineas for his vote s mud that man such or such au appointment. With or without reason the beaten party always attribute their defeat to undue influence made to tell :et them. Open voting does much harm by re corruption and intimidation possible; infinitely greater harm, by leading men to suspect that they lave boon brought into play even where they have sot, sad by always exaggerating the extent to while they have been exercised. We will not take upon us to say that secret voting can entirely eliminate these bad influences. We late no such faith in any . mere human institution. But we confidently maintain that it can reduce them tea minimum. Secret voting averts intimidation and corruption by making it impossible for the intimidator to dis cover whether his victim has really done aught to Arend him; by making it impossible for the cor ruptor to know that his bribe has been earned. Very few men will give a man reason to be their enemy unless they know with certainty that ho he. dose something to provoke them ; fewer still well gin money, uncertain that they are to have any euturn—or, to use a vulgar adage, few will " buy • pig in a poke." Secret voting paralyses the notion of those who wouid exercise undue influence. Buret voting, therefore, by withdrawing the pres ages of intimidation and corruption, leaves the voter at liberty to follow the bent of his own inclinations, le act upon his own opinions. Secret voting gives is play to every candidate ; secret voting takes sway every pretext for calling in question tho fair amp of elections. Doubts have been raised as to the possibility of hseping votes secret. We can only say, that having , Maly years ago seen Mr. OaoTE A ballot-box sub =to repeated experimental trials, we feel confi hat votes given by means of it could neither le detected by others, nor revealed by the voters ourselves. We mean that no voter could so mark his card that it would prove to another person he had weed in a certain way. And we have no doubt that other devices equally efficacious for enforcing secret luting may be, and have been, invented. ions persons have taken a world of pains to i mew b which the eff e ct of secret voting ' se may be neutralised. Admitting in E Sat OM_ mem is the right, still the paralyaing es • haimiddisa meal" remain so muck clear gain. B e g Ilene imam assemption• that lies at the bottom o',. a n dole allirositions, and renders them wort'olsoa. 'They meanie that the great bulk of the count an already corrupt, and anxious to be bre am ', i f the majority of a nation are so degraded. we a d m it at once that seeret voting cannot help than. Nothing eon help them. To make and keep • riation free it is not requisite that the majority ahroild be capable of betoininw lo roes or martyrs of virtue; but it is .. they should have the wish irtuous than otherwise. And 'snot be expected from the ma •unity. We believe that the n are influenced by a virtuous 'e to be seduced, shaken, or ftran, that they — are capable ~~ ~~ ttt~ of being kept free ; and artv t .., have thu tendency. If we • t t Is capable of being kept Gee, Ilp • beads about the matter. . '` if,... EutertaMing th v the voting, we of r measure of which it does DerT • ___ sere elan. We believe that a reforni not provide fur the votes of electors secretly will not be an honest one. We believe . the people will care very little for each a bill ; we know that they ought not to care for it. We have, on former occasions, shown that any machinery . for taking the votes at elections, however ingenious, cannot in limited constituencies of itself suffice to ensure absolute secrecy. The voter must be enabled to be one of many. All small constituencies will have to be abolished or augmented. And the new large constituencies must each have a unity in itself aggregates of small constituencies will scarcely serve the purpaeo. There is one other quality that must be present, if the new Reform Bill is to be honest—an improved registry. The want of any official machinery fat placing qualified voters on the roll, the legal doubts that can be raised as to the validity of qualifications by rendering registry difficult and expensive, keep many good votes off the roll and admit many bad ones. This is, perhaps, the best argument in favour of a ratepaying qualification. If every person entered on the rate-book is entitled to vote, the rate-book will be a self-adjusting register, costing nothing. It must be made out in any case; no additional ex pense is incurred by using it as an election roll. The tax-gatherers will take care that no man's name is omitted that ought to be there; the tax-payers, that no man's name is kept there that ought to be omitted. The rate-hook is not liable to suspicions of having been tampered with by officials. The rate-book can be kept accurate without the aid of volunteer associations and paid agents for registering voters. These associations and agents are necessarily of a partisan character ; their aim is to increase the number of one party's votes., and diminish the num ber of their opponents. They are a network spread over the whole country, ready at hand for the use of those agents in the metropolis who undertake to provide seats or do the electioneering work of gentle men desirous to enter parliament tied to a party.. FRANCE THE NEW ELECTORAL LAW. (BY SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH.) (7110 X ors OWN COMMIPONDIINT.) PARIS, TUMMY MORNING. The Electoral Law is promulgated. The suffrage is direct and universal. Scrutiny secret. Algeria and colonies not to have deputies. The electors to meet at the principal place of their Are electors without condition of census, all Frenchmen of 21 years old, in possession of civil sod political rights. The electoral list of the commune includes all electors having resided in it for six months. People sentenced to more than one month of con finement for rebellion not to be registered for five years. Are elcgiblo without condition of domicile all electors twenty-five years old. All salaried public functionaries are incompatible with the mandite of deputy. The interval between the convocation and opening of the Electoral Colleges is to be 20 days at least. Colleges are convoked for 29th February. A deem authorises religious corporations of the Armlet sex. NEW PREFECTS. PARIS, DIONDaIr EVENI,IO. Woad Laborde, ex-representative, is appointed Governor of the Luxembourg Palace. The ifoniteur contains the following changes in the Prefectures: Prefect of the Haute-Garonne, M. Bret, Prefect of the Loire, fa the place of M. Pietri, Prefect of Police ; Prefect of the Loin, M. Poison, '•n-General of the Pre . roused, Socistary-Generai o._ Asters of the Niters ; Prefect of the Seineut Oise, M. de Ik Ma welt, Prefect of the Moselle, in the place of M. Arrighi de Padone, appointed Maitu-des-Requetes of the bet elms in the Council'of State ; Prefect of the Moselle, M. Mallet, bum Prefect ; Prefect of the Haute-Marne, M. de Pievidetud. hewer sob-Prefect of Carpentiss, in the plea of M. Pwi apriated Prefect of the Manche; 11Posillst at dis errs M. I. cart, Sob-prefect of Rennes, in Ise Om dig. Ward, ; Prefect of the Basses-Alpes, M. &mg as Beinville, in the place of M. Dunoyer ; Prefect of ttM Ardelche, M de Saulzaro, Sob-prefect of Fontaine- You the piece of M. Chinese, appointed Secretary gunk of the Ministry of the Interior. no slily matter of importance in tho Muniteur of ffwer Is this nomination of new prefects. First •the list stands the name of M. Bret. This oimammen is a relative of M. do I'ersigny. The department of the Haute-Garonne, to which he is appointed, is a highly important and difficult poet, sequtring activity and intellirnoc, neither of which is possessed by M. Bret, who is of advanced age and mall capacity. M. Ponsard, the new prefect of the Loire, has spirit and capacity, but the department to which he is appointed w too important for a /Mbar. M. de St. Marsault, the new prefect of the Seine-et- Oise, is not a bad appointment, as a person of agree. able manners and a man of the world is required of Versailles rather than a vigorous administrator—: M. Molher, the prefect of the Moselle, was formerly prefect of the Vauclu.se. His son was killed on the side of order in the days of June. Struck by this domestic misfortune, M. Mather re signed an OEM for which he was unnerved by grief. Thu appointment is also reckoned good. The neat department, Haute-Marne, seems by the traditions of the home-nice to be a place of relegation for bad prefects. M. Fart, the new prefect of the Geri, was sub-prefect of Itainces, and is not wanting in either capacity or courage, and has some fortune. M. de Bouville, the prefect of the Buses-Alpes, was the founder of the Pays, and replaces, for reasons un known M. Dinoyer, a more capable man than him self, who is shelved altogether. M. de &mirrors owes his advancement to bo prefect of the Ardeehe to the adulation of power by his father-ia-law. Iha only features worth noticing in the appointments of the rub-prefects are the nomination of a former ca valry or to a post belonging essentialll to civi lian*, which is a piece of notable Bonapartism, and the appointment of M. Juteau, brother of a lady who was assiduous in attending the receptions of the Elysee. The Conseil d'Etat has already entered upon its functions. The section of Public Works hejd a sitting to-day, for the first time, to constitute itself. The lists for the recruitment of the army, and the formation of the contingent of the clamor 1851, will be posted up on the 15th and 22nd of February. The drawings by lot will commence on the Bth of March. 3d. )upin, ex-Procureur of the Court of Caseation and ex-President of the National Assembly, has just inscribed his name on the list of advocates at the Court of Appeal. The ex-Queen Amelie has written a letter to M. Dupin ' counselling calmness to the adherents of the Orleans family in France. M. Leroux has been set at liberty, and has left for Brussels. _ _ The following persons are made chevaliers of the Legion o! Honour :—M. l'astoureau, prefect of the Var; M. de Sainte Croix, prefect of the lkux-Serres; M. Dr. Hes, ex-national guard of the second legion, serertAy wounded in the combat of June, ISIS ; and M. %cram, member of the municipal council of Although the Opristitutiotmei declares that func tionaries are not to be permitted to sit in the Corps I.egialatif, it would appear that this prohibition is not absolute. Fur the rest, M. do Niewerkerke, Di rector of Museums, has written an address to the electors of the Aisne, offering himself as a candidate. The legitimists will only put in their second-rate i men, just to serve as a means of knowing what goes on in the eoulisses. MM. do Kermaree and de Kerdrel are mentioned as coming forward, the latter fur the lle.ct-Vilaine. Se-eral bishops, among whom I may mention the Archbishop of Paris and the Bishops of Orleans and Hennes, have renounced, on the part of the poor clergy, all share assigned by the decree of the 22nd ult in the spoil of the House of Orleans. Yesterday I mentioned a decree in the Monitew, restoring the form given by the Emperor to the decoration of the Legion of Honour. You are aware that, under the restoration and the government of July, the Au of Henry IV. was substituted for that - - - .4 lite - republic, which . acknowledgment by having served as a pedestal to elevation of Louis Napoleon. You will have seen in the Belgian papers a fact of the highest importance, as proving distinctly that ...ted W independence and neutrality of Belgian is sub stantially annulled. The Boolktis Francais, a weekly paper, conducted with groat talent, by Alexandre Thomas, and some other French refugees of the Orleanist party, has been seised, and prate in compliance with the demands of the French government. It grows daily more evident that • quarrel is imminent between France and Belgium, which must end in the absorption of the latter coun try, unless her cause be backed by a coalition power ful enough to scare the wolf from his intended prey. I have just heard from the best authority a strik ing instance of the extent to which prints ettgeth ' I even in the most distinguished circles, beseatessea kered by the system of espionage. Tall OM SWIM that the salon of Madame de Pommereux, daughter , of the Marquis d'Aligre, is one of the most brilliant in Paris. This lady issued a few days ago invitations for a ball. On the next morning a person called at her hotel and demanded to speak with the lady of the house. He was ad mitted, and announced that he came on the part of M. de Manpas, to request the favour of some invita tions to her soiree. Madame de Pommereux, who has no want of esprit, replied with temper that she was not personally acquainted with M. de Manpas, and therefore could not invite him. " Yea mistake, Madame," said the policeman, "it is not for himself that the minister of police demands this favour, but ' I for two of our administration." Madame de Pomme- mu: could not think of subjecting her guests to the contact of the police. The ascot then demanded to see the list of persons invited. This, after some hesitation, was shown to him. Ho then said, after running his eye over it, " I see. Madame, that I may spare . you any further trouble by insist ing upon this point, since I see already in this list the names of three of our colleagues." With a grim smile he returned the list, and bowed his adieu to the lady, who, not a little scandalised to hear that three of the frequenters of her society . had tamed agents of the police, loot no time in giving notice to her friends that she should cease to receive. The prefect of the Haute Vienne, in obedience to the recent circular of M. de Persigny, has set at liberty 43 prisoners, in the arrondissement of Li moges. Forty-two more, who were on board the Dugueselin ' at Brest, have also been liberated. A letter from Clamecy says that great number, have been discharged from the prison there, and that their liberation produced a very good effect; but, unfor tunately, the vacant cells are all filling again, for the military have discovered several secret societies in the neighbourhood, and are making arrests in all directions. The court-martial at Clamecy has just condemned five insurgents who have absconded to transportation by default. The court has also tried and sentenced to transportation two men named se. healer and Guellemot, who are charged with having killed M. Mulon, the barrister, during the insur rection. M. Theodore Bac, who was in the list of the banished, is still at Peri:, having obtained at his own request an indefinite reprieve. MM. Marc Dufraime and Grew) are the only political prisoners of their' category remaining in St. Pelagic. " M. Proudhon," says the t nion, "is to be dis charged from the prison of St. Pelagie in • few days, as his condonation to three years' imprison ment, pronounced at the commencement of 1849, is on the point of expiring. The author of 'La Pro priet c ' eet le Vol,' underwent the first part of his punishment at the Conciergerie. On various occa sions he obtained permission to leave the prison for brief periods, particularly when about to be mar ried. Lately, also, he was allowed to go out to visit his wife when ill." M. Pereira, M. Michot, and another political pri soner, arrived last evening from Orleans, under an escort of gendarmes. M. Pereira is about to par ceed to take up his residence at Barcelona. All his family will accompany him in his exile. Three hundred of the political prisoners have been removed from Fort Lamalgue at Toulon, and placed on board the Genereux hulk. The strictest orders have been given not to allow any one to go on board but those on duty. General Lawasstine and Colonel Vieyra are pro ceeding actively with the reorganisation of the National Guard of Paris. Although there will be no more legions, five bands of music will be formed, so that there may be one for every four or five batta lions. The mounted national guards will have a separate band of music. It is said that the officers of the infantry will retain their present tunic, with the addition of facings, and will also have a separate full-dress uniform, with dress sword and cocked-hat. It is added that the uniform of the mounted guards will be considerably changed, and that that of the officers will be much more rich than hitherto. At the Bourse the Five per Cents. fell 40c., closing at 102.30 ; the Three per Cents. fell 65, and closed at 64.10. Bank of France shares fell 10fr. Lyons railway rose Str.; a few of the other lines fell a little, but the greater part closed without variation. SWITZERLAND. TED OCCUPATION BY FRENCH IRUAR' .ANY. ridA. GE ItM. PRUf papers art complai s a s ta most ruinous taxation um oil the ppr t eessss stamp law. All po litical psriodisala, either at regular or irregular intervals, lithographed or printed, are to pay a half a pfenning for every 100 square _ superficial contents ; advertising sheets, though containing no news, are not excepted. The New Prussian Gazette declare' the tax exor bitant, u it will absorb nearly three fifths of its groin revenue, an amount of taxation imposed on no other enterprise in which largo capital is embarked; ono of the provisions of the law affecting foreign news papers imported into Prunia, imposing a tax of 24 per cent. upon the subscription price of the news paper, exclusive of the postage, at the place of pub lication, or, at the lout, two thalers a-year for each paper. THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY re. ll4kio. I that N .nstl t " him alvk atrtitast 7 )rom ld not ufr orrii: r eant our el the . NW Come to ror is Al! the Been t enoigh. ti ,thie emula- te , secret me colours pl the be repleud by the aga i ns t oh e n u, an whit& • • by the new star a oar* will a•• understand that it is the intention of the govern- published tithe Orm hill that does merit to pay a compliment to the revolution of 1848, whether lithogr etors being given by ordering February 24 to be observed u the na- tax o f h a lf We believe, that tional fete of the republic, which comes in for this i nc h es of anart AND AUSTRIAN TROOPS. Our Paris correspondent, writing last evening, says: " Yost will have perceived by the news from Switzerland, that party-strife is at its height in that country. I informed you some days ago that the instructions sent to the French minister at Berne were such as to menace the in dependence of the federal government. I am now assured from a good source that it has been settled that Switzerland shall be jointly occupied in the spring by French and Austrian tr oo p. It is doubtful whether Prussia will be permitted to take any part in this in invasion, the jealousy enter tained with regard to that power by Austria enabling France to insist with more firmness upon her exclusion from the projected operations. It is possible that Prussia will, under those circum stances, establish an army of observation in the grand duchy of Baden. As it is a tradi tional policy of the foreign-ofiloe in France to entertain the gravest objections to the approach of Prussian troops to the French frontier, it seems ques tionable whether that power will be even allowed to occupy the principality of Neufchatel, which only ceased in 1848 to be an appanage of the house of linhanwsdlorn " SPAIN. MADRID, JANUARY 28. The Marquis of Vilama is appointed Spanish Am bassador to the court of Naples. The collar of the Golden Fleece has been only given to M. Lturitz, Spanish Ambassador to London. The HeraWu of this morning, says : " We believe we can positively announce that the English go vernment has refused to accept the resignation offered by Lord liowden of the post of ambassador at Madrid, which he sent when Lad Palmerston left the ministry." BELGIUM. For the loan advertised on Thursday last, used at 9 million frame, the government has received appli cations to the extent of 17 millions. The number of applicants was 311, of whom 204 were resident at IBruesels. ITALY. • TUSCANY. l'rince Antoine Bonaparte arrived at Leghorn on the 26th ult., on board the Industrie steamer, and proceeded to Florence on the following day. TURKEY. A letter from Constantinople, on the 17th ult., in a German journal. states that Ali Pacha, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, is dangtrowily ill. Ali Pacha has of late several times offered his resignation, but has been refused. 0011 IA. The Chamber of Deputies fur the Duchy of Gotha met on the 28th ult. to discuss the project of a new constitution proposed by the government. It having been found that the executive power was seeking to limit the attributions and competency of the parlia ment, the chamber rejected the scheme, whereupon the minister Beabach declared the assembly dis solved. HANOVEIt. The Hanoverian Chambers were prorogued on the 29th ult. In its sitting of the previous day the second chamber had passed a resolution calling upon government to facilitate the residence in Hanover of the patriots expelled from Schleswig-Holstein. The proposition was at once carried up to the first chamber, which had just adopted it as it was pro rogued. The government has announced that the legislature will not be again convoked before the term fixed by the constitution as the extreme limit of the vacation, has expired. BAVARIA. The Diet is prorogued until the end of March. DENMARK. _ _ Correspondence from Hamburg, dated the .31st of January, states that the new ministry for Den mark has been officially announced. The Prime Minister, the President of the Council of State, the Ministers of the Interior, of War, and Marine, and also some other members of the cabinet, retire from the ministry. Their successors are appointed. TILE PENINSULAR MAIL. Yesterday the Oriental Company's steam-packet Tagus, Captain Russel, arrived at Southampton, and landed her mails under the charge of Lieut. Hay, ILN., Admiralty agent. Her dates are : Gibraltar, '2sth Jan. ; Cadiz, 26th; Lisbon, 29th ; and Vigo, 30th. There was no communication with Oporto on account of the bad weather. The Chamber of Deputies in Portugal was discuss ing the address in reply to the speech from the throne, and had already subjected it to two amend ments. A proposal was also under deliberation for annulling the indemnity granted in the last session under the Influence of the Cobra's to the contractors of tobacco. The opposition to the financial decree of December 3 was gaining strength. Exchange, 531. Discount of Lisbon Bank notes, 21 1 per cent. Our correspondent writes: LISBON, JAN. 29. Senhor Kibler°, President of the Junta of Public Credit, has proposed, in a pamphlet, a project which if carried out, will create a complete revolution in Portuguese finance. He proposes : That 2,400 contos of reis (600,0001.), shall be emitted in various sums down to one milrea ; that they shall bear an interest of five per cent. per annum, payable half-yearly ; that they shall be amortised at par by means of a monthly amount of four per rent. upon their nominal value, without fail; for which purpose the impost created to amortise the bank of Lisbon notes shall be employed, to the amount of 96 oontos annually ; 120 eontos being employed to pay the interest ; both sums in two equal parts half-yearly, until their extinction. And as the 120 contos mill have an amen in proportion to the redemption made ; that excess is to be added to the 96 contos and applied to the amortisation, but that when the whole of the billets shall be redeemed, the two sums of 96 contos and 120 *onto. shall remain and be come a permanent fund. The billets are to be emitted in half of all payments made to the creditors of the state; and admitted in the half of all payments of duties and imposts, except in that for the amortisation of notes. In conjunction with the revenue for the first financial half year of 1852, they are to be employed in extinguishing the deficit referred to in the decree ef Dee. 3, as well as to all payments from and after the Ist January instant. It is further proposed that the government shall supply the junta de credit* publico with the necessary amount to make their payments; and Art. 10, that the Junta shall immediately recommence the payment of their internal dividends in their chronological order, and continue their remittances to the financial agency in London, to enable it in the same chronological order to pay the interest, annui ties, &e. of the external debt which shall become due to the Ist July, 1852. The impost established for the redemption of the notes of the Bank of Lisbon shall be denominated " Impost for the amortisation of the public debt," and the annual revenue of such impost shall be represented by the 2,400 contos now to be created, and especially mortgaged for the payment of the interest and amortisation, until its final extinction; the amortisation of Lisbon bank notes to be at the rate of 36 contos per month (Art. 12), half to be furnished by the Treasury, and half by the Bank of Portugal. As the impost for the amortisation of the public debt will produce 600 comes, and that the sums pledged and applied by this law to the extinction of notes of the Bank of Lis bon and the payment of the interest and redemption of the 2,400 contra in billets, and which must be drawn from the said impost, will amount to 432 cantos, there must be a sur plus, whatever it may be, to be applied to the redemption of the paper-money yet existing, according to its market price, from and after the Ist of July next, until its extinc tion. As the impost represented by theme billets will continue without the least alteration to the end of 1868 (16 years), when their amortisation will have been perfected, and that in March, 1865, the notes of the Bank of Lisboa will be extinct, when an annual sum of 216 contos, until then ap plied to their amortisation, will become disposable, the said 216 contos to be thenceforward applied to the following charges:-100 contos to be placed at the disposition of the Junta, to form the nucleus of a sinking fund for the nehemption of the internal funded debt by means of pur chase in the market, and upon the principle of compound interest, that is to the above permanent 100 cantos, the amount of the interest shall be successively added, which shall become due upon the inscriptions which shall be redeemed, which notwithstanding shall be uncoiled and so entered in the books; sad the re sat of the amortisations of each half.year, published in the facial journal. 100 cookie shall also remain from the said determined time, which, united to the 15 per cent. for the construction of roads, shall form an annual revenue, which shall serve u a pledge upon which to raise capital. to pro ceed upon an extended scale in the construetioa and conser vation of roads (rime de coinnsweicacao) by means which the Cortes shall determine. The remaining 16 contos shall be added to the sum destined to the extinction of the paper money, while any remains. From the period of the acceptance of this project by the Cortes they shall be especially pledged to the payment of these debts, the revenue which is provided for the debts. active, due and not paid to the 30th of June, 1840; and the government is inhibited from giving it any other appli. cation. After the total amount of the above active and passive debts is known, the Cortes shall resolve whether the wive debts are sufficient to complete the payment of the peletws, and shall establish the means must convenient to pieseed their entire payment, without prejudice to the nienler peso of the current public service. All legislation to the contrary revoked, senslally the decree of the 3rd of December, 1851, and those of the 21th of December, 1851, and 6th of January, 1852; and all orders and instructions whatsoever issued Ifor the execution of the lat. I have reason to believe the " project "is the de vice of Scnhor Faustina da Game, an experienced man and able financier ; it is already beginning to excite considerable attention, and from the round it is going, and the advocacy it is receiving, it will not be surprising if in three months it become law. The electoral decree emitted by the administra tion of the Duke of Pulniella in June, 1846, has been sent to the elections of the Chamber of Deputies, for the purpose of serving as the basis of an electoral project of law, which is to be immediately presented to the Chambers. - - - - - The government has conceded to Spanish vessels the privilege of being considered, in the ports of the kingdom and islands, as national vessels. The squadron has completed its supplies of water and provisions, and is awaiting orders to sail, which arc expected each packet. Exchange, 531 ; discount of Lisbon Bank-notes, 21 per cent. A CHARTER ItAn SEEN ()RANTED TO THE WEST or !INLAND LAND INVILATMNNT COMPANY, with powers to purchase estates in Connaught, and to improve and re sell, or to hold and aub-let the land they may obtain. Clotiaes aro to he introduced, binding the company to pay no dividend out of copitai, and a portion of the taints! is to be set apart as an improvement food. One of the auditor* is to be named by the envertitueut. The charter is to be pared on the 2nd of February. 11111ilideMliaa.voc 4 Y_' I. OPENING OF PARLIAMENT BY THE QUEEN IN PERSON. THIS DAY. HER MAJESTY'S SPEECH. The ceremony of opening parliament in person by the Sovereign this day was a pageant of far greater magnificence than any which has occurred during tho present mutiny. This circumstance does not _ _ . arise from any additional display in the pageant it self, but simply from the fact that the New Palace of Westminster is now, for the first time, so far com pleted as to allow her Majesty to alight at the grand staircase, under the Victoria Tower, and enter the House of Lords by the Royal Gallery and Prince's Chamber. Although these magnificent apartments are not yet completed,they have been temporarily fitted up in a very tasteful manner; and, by the erection of rising seats on either side of the gallery, accommoda tion has been made for the reception of nearly 1,200 ladies, through whom the Queen passed in her pro gress to the House of Lords. The now proverbial " Queen's weather" added not a little to the pleasure with which the ceremony was witnessed by the xviembled crowds. A remarkable feature in the architectural arrange ment of the New Palace was disclosed to-day fur the first time. From the Queen's throne, in the House of Lords, to the Speaker's chair, in the House of Commons, when the doors were all open, an uninter rupted vista, exceeding 1,000 feet in length, presented itself. The gallery was opened for the admission of the public at twelve o'clock. The procession left the Palace at about half-peat one, and reached tho Howes of Parliament at about two o'clock. Her Majesty alighted under the Victoria Tower, where the Lord Great Chamberlain and other high officers of state were in attendance to receive the Sovereign. Her Majesty passed up the grand stair case, and on reaching the landing passed to the right into the robing-room, at the south end of which a throne has been erected. The walls of this apart ment have been covered with crimson cloth, with the exception of a large space on the north wall, which is occupied by a very fine fresco painting. The ceremony of robing having been completed, her Majesty passed this chamber through a second door opening into the centre of the royal gallery, down which the Queen and the royal pro cession passed. This superb gallery has been beauti fully fitted up, all those portions of tho walls not yet decorated being covered with crimson cloth. This gallery is intended hereafter to be filled with statues of celebrated historical personages. Already some three or four of the barons of ltunnymede have been completed and placed in the niches intended for them, from which a very lair idea may be gained of what the effect will be when the gallery is com pleted. The scene to-day, when crowded with elegantly-dressed ladies, ranged on either side on scats elevated above each other, was exceedingly grand. From the gallery her Majesty passed into the Prince's Chamber, entering the House of Lords on the right of the throne. IHE SPEECH. Having ascended the throne, Her Majesty, with her usual clear and expressive intonation, read the following gracious Speech : MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, The period has arrived when, according to usage, I can again avail myself of your advice and assist ance in the preparation and adoption of measures which the welfare of the country may require. I continue to maintain the most friendly relations with foreign Powers. The complicated affairs of the Duchies of Hol stein and Schleswig havo continued to engage my attention. I have every reason to expect, that the treaty between Germany and Denmark, which was concluded at Berlin in the year before last, will, in a short time, be fully and completely executed. I regret that the war which unfortunately broke gut on the eastern frontier of the Cape of Good Hope, more than a year ago, still continues. Papers will be laid before you containing full information as to the progress of the war, and the measures which have been taken for bringing it to a termination. While I have observed with sincere satisfaction the tranquillity which has prevailed throughout the greater portion of Ireland, it is with much regret that I have to inform you, that certain parts of the counties of Armagh, Monaghan, and Loath, have been marked by the commis sion of outrages of the most serious description. The powers of the existing taw have been promptly exerted for the detection of the offenders, and for the repression of a system of crime and violence fatal to the best interests of the country. MI , attention will continue to be directed to this important object. GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, I have ordered estimates of the expenses of the current year to be laid before you. I rely with confidence on your loyalty and zeal to make adequate provision for the public service. Where any increase has been made in the esti mates of the present over the past year, such expla nations will be given, as will, I trust, satisfy you that such increase is consistent with a steady ad herence to a pacific policy, and with the dictates of • wise economy. MT LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, The improvement of the administration of Justice in its various departments, has continued to receive my anxious attentino, and in furtherance of that object, I have directed bills to be prepared, founded upon the reports made to mo by the respective com missioners appointed to inquire into the practice and proceedings of the superior Courts of Law and Equity. - . As nothing tends more to the peace, prosperity, and contentment of a country than the speedy and impartial administration of justice. I earnestly re commend these measures to your deliberate atten tion. The Act of ItitS, for suspending the operation of a previous Act, conferring representative institutions on New Zealand will expire early in the next year. I am happy to believe that there is no necessity for its renewal, and that no obstacle any longer exists to the enjoyment of representative institutions by New Zeeland. Tho form of these institutions will, however, require your consideration, and the addi tional information which has been obtained since the passing of the Acts in question, Will, I trust, enable you to arrivo at a decision beneficial to that import ant Colony. It gives me great satisfaction to be able t o state to you that the large reductions of hm o which have taken place of lute years Live not been attended with a proportionate chtnioutioa of the national income. The revenue of the past year has been fully adequate to the demand 4 of the public service, while the reduction of taxation has tended greatly to the relief and comfort of Illy hubjeetu. 1 acknowledge with thankfulness to Almighty GA that tranquillity, good °nit r, and willing obedience to the laws, continue to prevail generally throughout the country. It appears to me that this is a fitting time for calmly considering whether it may nut be adekilile to make such amendments in the Act of the late n igu relating to the representation of the Comtism, iu Parliament, as may be deemed calculated to , ef-ry into more complete effect the principle-8 upon uhieli that law is founded. I have the fullest confidence that in any such ,oa sideration you will firmly adhere to the !edged principles of the Constitution, by which the prerogatives of the crown, the authority of INtb Houses of Parliament, and the rights, and lik,/,,,„ 1 the people, arc equally secured. After the delivery of the foregoing Spemh, the Quern and suite retired in the same order an II le nh. served on entering, the state carriage awaiting Ler Majesty under the Victoria Tower. RIFLE CLUBS AND RIFLE.: Comes. TO TIIY EDITOR OP THE E P EEO!. Sta.—Your consistent advocacy of the e5t...11)44 e ment of rifle clubs throughout the country, as a lava„ of defence at once cheap, efficient, constitutional, cud pstma nent, merits the thanks of all those who are no h n ins, r. of domestic liberty than of national independence. lh, k are, however, many persons who confinied the U5.10;.-!, ment of independent rifle clubs with that of rife coils under the authority of the; goverament, including a re gular staff of officers and a uniform ; and I far the, among these, there are not a few who would enrol them . . soiree, like many of our worst officers, rather fur the un form than the rifle. As such a tout union of twu totally dis tinct things would tend gnatly to prevent the permateut establishment of rifle clubs as a national institution, I trust you will allow me to point out some of the distinctions le tween the two, and the disadvantages of conleundum the to Rifle clubs arc the means of producing the mat e rial Irma which rifle corps can be formed at any . time the y may wanted. They should admit of no dietinctionn of rank, no uniforms, no unnecessary rentrictions of any kind; but, at with cricket club., and every other popular aunt. the only qualifications for membership should he an obligation to conform to the rubes and finaneiai re gulations of the club, and a capability of sequined a certain proficiency in the mine of the rifle. The great , r the liberty and equality in these communities, the greater sell be their duration and popularity. In these clubs et rears. every member must hove or hire his own rifle, as in Switzer. land ' • and, if he competes for prime, he must pay h is sane of the expenses. In former times the English were the beat bowmen in Europe ; and to this superiority they owed their marvellous nue-cream at Agineourt and else where. Why should they not become the boot ride .hots in Europe, sad thus obtain, not unjust conquest and min glory, but security and respect Ride corp., tarnished eiUt arms by the government and trained for regular service, are, no doubt, very desirable u a mean. of defence in time of danger; but, when danger appears no longer imminent, their organisation will be neglected by the government, or the appointments connected with them will be turned into a means of favouritism and jobbing. Such always hes ism I the cue, and always will be. Notwithstanding this, there is no doubt that the permanent entablielmient of such vo lunteer corps would be greatly preferable to any consider able augmentation in the regular army ; and in Mt, of emergency they could be increased immediately by volute teen from the rifle clubs, every man of whom, from his skill in using his weapon, would be equal in efficiiney to six regulars. Unless an invasion took place, no uniform would be necessary, but should an invasion occur an uuderm of some sort would be requisite for all who might volunteer as they might otherwise be treated by the enemy as mere marauders and under that pretence be executed an. mediately, if taken with arms in their hands. A !ileum and a belt is, however, sufficient uniform to prevent the lia bility to such a fate. The beat uniform for a regular ride corps would he one similar to that of the Tyrolese ritienea in the Austrian army,—grey, with a green stripe down the trownere, and green collar and cuffs on the short frock coati Their dress might be improved in other respects be a bark waist-belt, instead of a cross-belt, and a green wide-awake hat, instead of their unshapely and inconvenient head con r ing. This dress is as nearly invisible as can be devised, and is neat, cheap, and serviceable. Your obedient servant, Feb. 2, 1842. AN AMATEUR RIFLEMAN. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. THIS DAY. OLD COURT. REPOLI 1711 NlVCOkrall. Horrid Ann Newneas,ls,si;;;:;;;Onvicted of perjury at the last session of this court, was brought up for jug. ment. It will be remembered that the prisoner charged a yaw:, man named Day, with having decoyed her under very 11- traordinary circumstances into a brothel, where an ammo was made to eommit a felonious assault upon her. Upon her evidence Day was convicted and stutenc.'d to imprisonm, rot; but,upun inquiries that were subsequently made, it turned out that the story told by the prisoner was as entire invention, and Day received n pardon, and the charge of perjury was then preferred against her, upon which she was con victed. The Recorder sentenced her to be imprisoned for four months, observing that a much more severe sentence would have been passed, hut that she had been already a consider able time in prison, and appeared to have suß•red severely from illness while under confinement, and that she was also very young. STEAM BETWEEN LOWEsTOPT AND GOTTENBURti. —A Swedish merchant in Loudon, Herr Kiernan, has pro. posed to the Swedish government to open • weekly com munication between Lowestoft and Gottenburg, touching at sonic Norwegian harbour. The vessels art to be large steamers. It is supposed that this offer will be accepted. ot which ease this route will be kept open about ten mouths out of the twelve. • FRANCE IS RECRUITING 111.1 t NAVY from the fishermen in every port, and it is an excellent way of man ning the navy. The fishing boats ire obliged to c.erry always an extra number of men, for which government allows a certain remuneration, and the immense nuintur sailors they have at their command is astonishing. 11011 far they will bear out the character of sedum 1 will not presume to say, for these men know nothing about going aloft, always being used to their small fishing craft ; but they ate, nevertheless, a fine race of men.—[Letter dated Boulogne. Feb. 1, in the Shipping Gt.:rite] PASSPORTS BETWEEN FILANCE AND TILE CRAY:NU limaNne.—The vice-consul for France in Guernsey, Alder ney, and Bark, has just received an official notification from the French Consul-General in London, that the passport service between France and the Channel Island• has he. a subjected to the following regulations:—Art. 1. No pay. ports will be considered valid and regular, excepting soh es are issued by the French Commits in the Channel or by the lieut.-governors of Jersey and Guernsey. la the latter case these passports must bear the French consu lar visa, which can only assure their authenticity.—Art. All travellers who are not bearers ot passports as *bow. mentioned will be retained on hostel the vessels which mar have brought them, without being allowed to disembark under any pretext. LIVERPOOL STEASI-TUG COMP.tNY.--On Thursday an extraordinary general meeting of the proprietors of the Liverpool Steam-tug Company was held at the Clarendon rooms. The meeting was called in pursuance of 11 requio lion received by the directors, for the purpose of tame: into consideration the following matter. apevitied in the requisition relating to the affairs of the company .—" Whether the increase of the capital of the said companv. made by the direetors,has been made in accordance with the deed of settlement. 2. Whether the director. were Jus tified in recommending, at the last general meeting. the payment of a dividend, there being at the time no net profits of the business made during the year sufficient to pay ouch dividend. 3. Whether the office 1.21 , 110 0 and salaries cannot be considerably reduced. and whether the business of the company cannot he to other ways conducted with greater economy and ethcienev 4. Whether the directors have duly attended the bosiil meetings, and whether there ha. always been a quorum of directors present when the busini .4 of the company haii been transacted ; and to consider the propriety of such of the directors resigning their office who have not duly al tended to the lousiness of the eompany."—Mr. Clio" Cotesworth, chairman of the board "1 (firreton.. Each of the foregoing questions was discussed at conelec able length, and the ilecision upon them was in favour of the course taken by the director,.—The Chairman. in s to , coming remarks, said that although the shares had 'wen Tlii:‘ down to if. per share in the market, they were worth IP: Per share, with a balance of :ow/. to the credit of the colic pony besides. That was allowing 10,41004. for the rleterier , Lion of the boats, and bringing the value d own to tbc amount which they would bear. He thought if this state. ment went from the present meeting it would pr'i'm people merifieing their property us they had d une. th e meeting then broke up.—l.irerpoof Mercury. ORF.AT NORTIIERN RAILWAY.—The lino bettsist Peterborough and Corby is now being brought to a come pletion. etals4SUpslinultrlit os and finoneial n- ility of acquiring a le. The great..r the ties, the greater sail these clubs of coars• ft ride, as in Swite. as must pay has ,•I;ifP the English were tho bis superiority tb Agincourt sad P the best ode shots at conquest and son corps, furnished sith c rsgular a. roim, an, f defence in time of ao hanger inuniurnt, r the government, or will Iso turned int, Such always bus issn ',standing this, tlit ishrisent of such so. table to any considsrt ty ; and in cases of nmediately by %ohm- ' of whom, from his equal in etticirmy to Vs place, no uniform sion occur an unitorm who might voluntter sl be the enemy as 'nee be eaccutid im- ir hands. A blouse rm to prevent the ha- rt fur a regular ntle he Tyrolese nlkmrn reen stripe down the the short truck coat. tr respects by a bark a green wide-awake rivenient head con r- a can be devised, and t, UR RIFLEMAN. LL COURT. a. convicted of perjury rougbt up for juttg. 113er charged a yours; her under very et- el, where an attempt t upon her. Upon her rod to imprisionmt sly made, it turned uut an entire ifiscoti,.n, e charge of penury which she was con- imprisoned for four evere sentence would to already a consider- :ire suffered severely and that she was also ass GOTTENtlrftli. err IS lertl.ll2, ha, pro• open a weekly com- Jottenburg, touching ousels are to be large r will be accepted. an • about tea mouth. t NAVY from the acellent way of mint are obliged to carry ✓ which government t immense number of astonishing. How far ors I will not presume g about going aloft, g craft ; but they are, Ater dated Boulogne. hND THE CIIANS i.L in Guernsey, Aldi r icial notification tram on, that the purport nel Islands has 141 a os I- -Art. 1. No !guise, excipting the Channel Island.. and Guernsey. la or the French t °um. authenticity.—Art :- of passports as he vessels which MAT allowed to dist raharis ,NY.—On ThttesalaY the proprietors .4 VI, rid at the Clarontlan• pursuance of a requise the purpose of tAimot then slnaatital in the I the company .—" l- of the said company. in accordance with the In directors went pro general nutting. the sg at the time no net the year loalficirnt the 06re Cll,lllOl `falfly reduced. and mpany cannot he iii mummy and Often - 1.1 ly attended the board ways been a quorum of m of the company has he propriety of such of -ho have not duly at• ntiany. - -N. Ir. Chts!:%` . directors, pra,141..,• di-canoed at misit , ' them was in favour of the Chtliflllati, in a to. the shares had lath run they were worth I °i . .o the credit of the cora- -I,ooof, for the sleteriore the tra*me down to the le thought if this state. rting it would pn nnt they hail dune. The Mercury. —Tho line between ring brought to a coal- ; ■