The Express. — London, England, 1847-10-13 00:00:00

the assistance of a jury. Many cases have recently occurred showing the necessity of a reform in thu matter, to two of which only we. c atiall allude, with the hope that the LORD Amman; will at length be stirred to devise a remedy for so flagrant a defect in the administration of justice. About two months ago a large steam-boat stopped at the pier of Xi!mum, a beautiful village on the Holy Loch, a few miles from the Clyde. She had not been at the pier above two minutes when her boiler burst. Many passengers were severely scalded, and jumped overboard into the sea. Amongst others were a lady and her child, who were brought ashore dreadfully injured, and conveyed to a neigh bouring inn. During the afternoon the child died. The hapless mother lingered for about a week in great agony, and, after having given birth to a still born infant, died of lockjaw. If we are correctly inkrmed, on the very afternoon that thes.xplosion occurred, the steam-boat that had caused ?the mis chief was towed away. her boiler taken out, and repaired, or patched up, and, days be fore the last fatal result of the calamity, was plying on her usual station. There was no investigation, except such as the owners of the steam-boat chose to make for their own pur poses ; and if the Procurator Fiscal inquired into the circumstances attending the deaths, he had no ocular demonstration of the extent of the fissure in the boiler, and no means of judging by whose fault (whether that of the boiler-maker, the captain, or the stoker) the accident occurred. Nothing was ever known of it except from the meagre informs. tioi, conveyed in a paragraph of a few lines in the Glasgow newspapers, which merely mentioned the deaths. No information was elicited to serve for the guidance of future engineers or stokers, and no satisfaction was afforded to the public by the know ledge of the fact, that some party or parties had been held responsible for the past evil, or had been taught more caution for the future. In England the case would have been very different—so different that we need not dwell upon the points, but leave our English and Scottish readers to reflect upon and digest them. 'fhe second case is even more striking. A week or two ago the police of Glasgow received informa tion that a shoemaker of the name of Fay had kept his wife locked up in a privy for several months. On breaking open the place they discovered a miserable object, covered with filth and rags and vermin—half dead with disease and famine—her body covered with bruises—and her mind destroyed by ill-treat ment. The unhappy idiot was conveyed to the Town's Hospital, and the brutal husband was given into custody, along with some other persons, male and female, who were cognisant of his crime, and aided him in its commission. On Thursday list the womau died. We barrow the conclusion of the tragedy—more horrible than that of the Praslin family—from the North British Mail of Saturday : It was arranged that the interment should take place yesterday, at three o'clock ; and, a little before that hour, the husband of the deceased and a few friends arrived at the hospital, in two mourning coaches, to attend the remains to the gore-yard. About the same time, however, orders were received from the procurator. fiscal to delay the interment until the body of Mb de ceased underwent a medical examination. Drs. Easton and Macgregor were appointed to discharge this duty ; bed owitts; to the secrecy in wAicA all such inquiries are con. ducted in Scotland, it is impossible to ascertain the particu lars of this inrestiyaton. or of the precious ones which were instio•ited on tA is painful case. Great surprise leas mani fested at the liberation of l'uy on a paltry bail-bond of lot. ; - and the decease of the unfortunate woman has increased teal f.:l lag to • eery uneasy extent. Unless some circum stances transpired in the course of the examinations which give the case an entirely different complexion from that which it has assumed in the eyes of the public, the ac ceptance of bail fur any amount, and especially for the small sum of 151., is certainly a very extraordinary proceeding." Such " extraordinary proceedings" as these are of constant occurrence in Scotland ; but this case is so atrocious, if the original statement of it be true, that ! we believe the Procurator Fiscal will be compelled to depart from the usual secrecy and privacy which characterise the proceedings of all the gentlemen who exercise his functions. Not only the public of Scot land. who may be considered more immediately inte- rested, but the public of the entire kingdom, have a right to know upon what principles the administrators of the law have acted in this case. A case more hideous it is impossible for imagination to conceive; and the' public justice requires, not only that it should receive the fullest investigation, but that the whole of the proceedings should be given to the world. If it be right that the man FAY should be allowed to go at large upon so paltry a bail, the man FAY has been grievously injured by the published statements which have been made in reference to the case. Some:time ago, when Mr. MacNstu. was Lord Advocate, the constant exposures of the evils malting from the want of a coroner, made by the principal Scottish journals, induced his lordship to issue instructions to all the Procurators Fiscal to exercise more vigilance. Bat no case equal in atrocity to this occurred during his lordship's administration. We hope that Mr. ItcrotanseaD will look to it, and that the Scottish public will, in some way or other, mark their sense of the defectiveness of the Scottish law as regards sudden and auspicious deaths, and insist upon a remedy. Tits efficient organisation of the medical profes sion ought to form no secondary object with the governments of civilised communities. We attribute no small amount of the enormous sanitary evils, under which this country labours, to the want of anything like organic union amongst the members of the medical profession, and to the inefficiency of existing medical corporations. It was on this account that we drew attention to the question of medical reform, and advo cated Mr. NVAHLETN Registration Bill as likely to produce good results. But whilst in this country we were contending for first principles, and seeking for a small amount of beneficial change, the Chamber of Deputies in France was ocuupied with dis cussing a much more complete and substan tial measure than any that has been proposed in Great Britain. This has arisen from the fact that, in that country, hospitals and corporations have not been left to their own mismanagement and cor ruption. Long ago did France cast away the re proach of making her charitable institutions spheres for increasing the wealth and the patronage of a few ignorant and selfish surgeons and physicians. It is on this account that Paris has for many years been justly regarded_ as the first medical school in the world. Her LAMM'S DUCtiYTKENS, LANNFAA, and Lou is have never been the nominees of an irre sponsible few, but have obtained their commanding positions through industry and merit alone. In France there are not seventeen corporations to con sult at each step of medical reform, each with its own paltry end and selfish purpose to serve in opposing the public good. For some time past, the attention of the Minister of Instruction in France has been directed to improve ments needed in the present state of medical law, and, on his representation to the King, a com mission, consisting of the most eminent medical men in France, was appointed for the purpose of delibe rating upon the alterations required. The object of this commission was to decide " upon interests affect ing the public health, the right of all classes to an equal partition of medical assistance, the most efficient guarantees of medical knowledge, the conditions of the studies, and the sacrifices imposed upon a whole class of the youth of France ; the ad vantages which may accrue to families and towns; I the rights attached to professorships ; but, above all, the progress and development of science, for this interest must predominate above all others:'' Such was the object set before the commission of medical men in France, the report of a committee appointed by which was the subject of discussion in the Chamber of Deputies during its last session. Some may inquire here whether such a commission of medical men might not have been appointed in England? But from whence, we ask, would the materials for such a commission have been found' Unfortunately, the most distinguished medical men in England are all more or less con nected with some of her corporations, and it is the class interests and class prejudices of these bodies that have kept England behind every otter country of Europe in her nu dies! organisation. At this moment, instead of assisting Mr. WAKLEY to render his bill for the next session more efficient and valuable, the three corporations of London, the Colleges of l'hysi clans and Surgeons an theApothecaries' Society. are using every effort to frustrate its becoming law. That their efforts will be successful we doubt, especially since the publication of the evidence taken before the select committee of the House of Commor : s appointed to imjuire into the registration of legall qualified practitioners in medicine and surgery. We cannot here enter into the details of the report • lionarLs cn M ci ("rpm/el:Lion, by Id Nia Lcc. of the committee appointed by the French medical congress, but we are anxious to draw attention to two principal topics which formed subjects of discus sion in the Chamber of Deputies. It has long been the custom in France to appoint persons to many of the professorships and hospitals by a public examina tion, called the contours. This the committee recom mends to be generally adopted as the only plan which can secure the public against recourse to im proper . practices for securing elections. During the discussion in the chambers the roncours had some violent opponents, but the practice has gained so strong a hold upon the - French mind that it will never be allowed to drop. Whatever may be the objections urged against the contours it is un doubtedly a better system than that pursued in the public appointments of this country, in which personal interest is everything, and merit a matter of little or no importance at all. We would here call the attention of the governors of our hospitals to the system of nepotism that is so generally pursued in these institutions, not only to the degradation of the medical profession, but to the manifest injury of the sick within their walls. Surely the sufferings of diseased and dying humanity ought not to be made the price of the bargain struck between the officers of our medical charities and their obsequious flatterers ? A second point recommended by the committee is the suppression of a body of medical men in France called " njfleiers de caste," who resemble in character, station, and knowledge, the old apothecaries of Eng land previous to the passing of the Apothecaries' Act. They perform, generally, only the humbler duties of .the medical man, but are frequently called upon to undertake the management of dangerous and import ant cases. The result has been, that from their want of education much mischief has ensued. The French government, therefore, finding these men in the way of a 1 1 better educated class, have determined on suppressing' them altogether. In this one point we may, perhaps, be thought to have had the advantage of France ; we ' have never authorised a body of men to practise with so low a quality of education as the afficiers de smite. It should not, however, be forgotten that at this moment, with all our medical laws, we have no' ' power in this country to stop from practising medi cine, the vulgarest quack that ever opened his' brazen throat to deceive and gull the public. In recommending the suppression of the offleiees de sante, the French government has recognised the great principle that the state ought to know nothing of the grades of medical men.. It is for this principle that we have all along . contended. It is the duty of the state to protect its subjects from becoming the dupes and victims of imposture and ignorant pre tence. It is the right of every legally qualified me dical man to practise what part of his profession he pleases, and in any psrt ofher Majesty's dominions. In order to secure the first, the state can establish an uniform test of ability in all bodies giving diplomas, licenses, or degrees, and institute a legal registration of those who thus afford satisfactory evidence of their ability to practice. The second object may be at tained by repealing ali restrictive powers possessed by any of the existing medical corporations. It was because we thought that the Medical Registration Bill of tho last session would secure these objects that we supported it ; and we shall shortly refer to the evidence given against that bill, for what we think is most conclusive evidence in favour of the principles on which it is based. The following appeared in a late edition of last evening's Express. The Paris journals and our correspondence of Mon day have coma to hand. . . The announcement of the immediate negotiation of ' the new loan of fourteen millions sterling, which we gave yesterday, has hod a favourable effect on the money market in Paris, apparently for no other reason than this, that it removes the state of uncer tainty which has hung over affairs ever since the bill of last session was passed. The manner in which the new stock is to be issued, and the conditions under which the loan is offered, are given as follows : The tenders are to be handed in, sealed, on Wednesday, November 10, 1817,at twelve o'clock precisely, at the Hotel of the Minister of Finance. The minister will first place on the table a sealed paper signifying the minimum of price at which he eau consent to the sale and adjudication of the rente that is to represent the capital of 2.50 millions. This paper is not to be opened except in caw no tender shall have reached the minimum fixed by the minister. Once that • tender is handed in, it cannot be withdrawn. Each tender is to be accompanied by a receipt from the Caisees des Depota et Consignations, for a guarantee of at least 10 millions of francs, previously paid in. That sum may consist of inscrip tions of Three per Cent. relate at 731 ; or of Four, Four and-a.11a14 or l ire per Cent rente ' at par; or of Treasury Bonds, or of Canal Shares, guarautsed by the government. Such deposits shall be paid back, within a space of twenty four hours, to the persons sending in successful tenders. As soon as all the tenders shall have been put in, the minister shall prteeed to open them in order, and the loan shall be adjudged to the party offering the highest price, not below the minister's minimum. Should two or more parties offer the same highest price, and should they not unite together, the bidding shall be continued at the s ime sitting, either publicly or with sealed tenders, if demanded by one of the parties. The payment of the 210 millions shall be effected in 25 months, from November 22, 1047, in the followingpre, portions: First instalment of 12,500,0001. shall be de livered on the said November 22nd, 1017 ; a second one of 12,500,0001. on December 22, 1847 ; a third of 5,090,000 f. on January 7, 1848; and all the rest, each amounting to 10,000,0001., on the 7th of each month, down to November 7, 1849. on which day the last instalment shall be paid. The payments, however, shall be effected on the Bth, instead of the 7th of the month, in May 184 S, and January and October, 1849. The Minister of Finance shall alone be the judge of the validity of the tenders. Within ten days after the adjudication, the party obtaining the loan is to increase the deposit to 2j millions. Should this not be done, the former deposit of 10 millions shall become forfeited to the treasury as an indemnity. The deposit of 2,1 millions of francs shall not be obiigatorT if the party, within a delay of ten days, shall pay by antic ipation the two first instal. meats. For those sums a discount of o per cent. per annum shall be allowed for the time that is to run from the day of payment to the period when each term becomes due. In case the payment of an instalment is retarded, the debtor shall be liable to pay 4 per cent. per annum interest to the trea sury, dating from the fifth day after the instalment has become due. _ . . - _ _ . It is understood that the house of Rothschild will take the contract for the loan probably at 77, and that several of the receivers-general will accept shares in it. The Nationo/ has the following on this subject, which indeed occupies a considerable space in all the Paris journals of Monday: The Moniteur leaves as no more doubt on the subject of the loan. A royal ordinance informs us that on the 10th of November there will be emitted a sum of 3 per cent. rental, sufficient to produce a capital of 250,000,0001. These rennet will be inscribed to bear interest from the 22ad December, 1847; the payments will be effected from 22nd November, 1647. to 7th November, 1349. What we feared is then aces.. I • plished ! The Minister of Finance himself desired to d this emission ; but • great financial influence, in a hussy ts realise large profits, has triumphed. That was necemsrfly , the case, for nothing can resist the aristocracy of money, especially when the fault has been committed of increasing its power tenfold by daily concessions, by railways, by loans. &e. At present, in order to realise enormous gain, It obliges the ministry to emit a loan at the most inopportune moment. To-morrow, to prevent a national war, which would trouble its sweet repose, or diequiet it as to the pre servation of its accumulated riches, it will refuse its co-ope ration, at the decisive moment, and when time will be want ing to create other resources. What a shame for a govern ment thus to seek support from • pawer so fatal, without elevation, without dignity, without patriotism, always ready to squeeze out the wealth of a country, which it abandons when it becomes exhausted. When shall we set at the head of affairs men who ere rosily desirous of the future welfare of France, and of its interests In the meanwhile the fol lowing is what falls to the lot of the taxpayers, in the lout to which we refer : it :is contracted at a moment in which a financial crisis which cannot last renders the emission of it moot onerous, and on such tern s that it is evident that it takes place without tirgency, and in a manner to procure enormous profits to the person who obtains the adjudication. In fact, the Three per Cents, being to-day For the interest of 22nd June 75t. 25c. And the average of the 25 payments being 12 months, or at 4 per cent 3f. From which must be deducted halfa year's nide, for the interest. which will run from 22nd Deceneler, 1411 1 .50 1 50 Tqtal it may be supposed ;UT the adjudication will take place at the price of from 77f. to nr. 40c. Now, the person taking the adjudication with the skill generally possessed by those who carry on this sort of operation, will have no need to wait two years for an advance iu the public funds to realise his profits ; he will discount it in advance by selling his loan very dear in detail to a pablic both numerous and desirous to speculate on an important eum of renteu by disbursing little money at the commencement. So that by dividing in two the difference of tut, which exists between the price of the 3 per cents. of today, and that which it had attained 15 months ago, speculation will give to the person obtaining the adjudication as immediate profit of more than K000,000r., and, besides, an equal part of the profits, but only in the future. l'oor France !! The reform agitation goes on augmenting. Ban quets have been given and numerously attended in fifteen chief places, among which are Paris, Or leans, and Strasbourg. Similar meetings are en nuanced to take place at nineteen other towns, in cluding Amiens, Lille, Rouer, Bordeaux, liesam;on, THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 13, 1847. Tours, and Blois. The numbers who attend these mestings t great as they are, are much less remarkable than their intelligence, property, and professional and commercial eminence. The moderation and tran quil energy which they display, and the invariable respect for order and the laws which they exhibit, are not less conspicuous. In short, the matter has be come formidable to the government. The Duke de Guise, the infant son of the Duke d'Aumale, died on Sunday morning, at the palace of St. Cloud. Prince Jerome Bonaparte, ex-King of Westphalia, and hie son, the Prince Napoleon Bonaparte, were re ceived in private audience by Louis Philippe at St. Cloud on Sunday. M. Mon, former minister of finance at Madrid, has arrived in Paris. The Madrid maila of the sth and 6th, so anxiously looked for, have arrived, and a more melancholy pic ture of the machinery by which a great people is governed, than that which their contents present, it would be difficult to imagine. Thejournals and letters disclose a most revolting mass of intrigue, false ' hood, treachery, and heartlessness. The journals of Madrid which favour the French party, and speak the sentiments of the moderados, are of course tri umphant, and have sufficient effrontery to ascribe the recent coup tie salon to the most wise national policy. This, however, is the less wonderful as the ministerial press of Paris, led by the Journal des Mina: , is not ashamed to advance like statements. From the mass of correspondence which has reached us, including some private letters from partisans of the moderados, it appears pretty clear that the events of the night of the 3rd and 4th ult. originated in a struggle between the influences of two court favourites, General Serrano and Colonel Gandera. The latter was, it seems, lately adopted and put forward by M. Salamanca, with the view of undermining the in fluence of General Serrano in the palace. This in trigue becoming known to General Narvaez, he warned Serrano of his danger, and at the same time tendered his services. This took place on the after- 1 noon of the 3rd, and on that evening Narvaez was president of the council. It has been said that the formation of a new in nis try was entrusted to Narvacz unconditionally ; and so far as relates to any formal conditions stipulated by the Queen this is true. But Narvaez had a previous interview with Serrano, by whom in fact he obtained hie elevation to power. The continuance of ltos de Olano, the instrument of Serrano, in the cabinet, was a first condition, and it is needless to say that the maintenance of the influence of Serrano himself was a condition inherent in the very nature of the entire intrigue. The position given to Narvaez by the course of events is not the least curious incident in this most curious drama. He left Paris charged with the instructions of St. Cloud and the Rue des Courccllcs, and boasting, in the all-sufficiency of his power, to fulfil them. He took no trouble to conceal his determination to expel Serrano from the palace and the capital. If the Queen should refuse this he declared openly that he would present her with the act of abdication for her signature. Arrived at Madrid he found himself opposed to an influence against which his boasted power instantly and ridiculously failed. He was told that his mission was finished, and that he might return to the place from which he came. The scene, however, soon changed. The incidents of the comedy proceeded. The plot was gradually deve loped, and the sworn enemies of the first act became the friends and reciprocal benefactors of the last. Narvaez was raised to power by the individual he came to crush. He holds office at the good will and pleasure of him, to expel whom from the palace and the capital he left his embassy at Paris a few weeks before. _ _ _ _ But Serrano, does he rely on the fidelity of his new ally ? Possibly. But, meanwhile, he is too prudent not to provide against the contingency of another crisis. His friend ltos de Olano is still in the cabinet, and the same pen which countersigned the dismissal of poor M. Goyena, is always ready to do the ssme office for the ex-ambassador, the Duke of Valencia, when so required by the " master of the situation." . It will be seen, by reference to our correspondent's letter, that the first act of the new minister was to nullify all MM. Salamanca and Escosura have been lately doing in the way of administrative reform. Some advices say that a special courier had been despatched to Queen Christina, to assure her majesty that Spain is no longer closed against her or the Nlerstpensiers; but this latter intelligence does not appear so certain. It is asserted by some of the I'aris journals that General Serrano has been appointed captain-general of Madrid. We find nothing, however, in our letters from Spain to countenance this. On the contrary, that office is reported to be given to M. Roncali, Count D'Alcay. The Cortes is convoked for the lath Nov. It appears evident from the Madrid journals that the intrigue which terminated in the fall of the cabinet was kept a profound secret, and that on the morning of the 4th all parties were equally surprised by the announcement in the Gazelle. The Herald°, which is the organ of the new Minister of the In terior, says that the change was an unhoped-for event, which would be received by the nation with as much astonishment as pleasure. The Eeo del Comereia calls the measure a public scandal, and one which would cause universal astonishment. The semi-official organ of the ca-minister says: "The Goyena cabinet has fallen. At eight o'clock last evening no one suspected a crisis. At eight o'clock this morning we read in the Ga:ette the ordinances." The Correo says: "M. Goyena has fallen, and General Narvaez has taken his place. In what manner? We know not. For what reason? We cannot say. At what time? Last night. Behold all the information we have ob tained." The Eco del Comercio affirms that when she signed the decrees the Queen wept bitterly, and evinced the most decided repugnance to the act which she did under moral compulsion ; and that she was only induced to do so by a representation which was made to her that a progresista conspiracy had been detected, the object of which was to overturn the throne. The Espagnol says that previously to sign• ing the decrees the Queen had a long interview with Generals Serrano, Narvaez, and Roe de Olano. The first person who visited Narvaez after his ap pointment was the Duke de Glucksberg. The sovereign of the grand duchy of Tuscany rivals even Pope Pins himself as a political and con stitutional reformer. We have before us the project of the reforms in the organisation of the internal government of that principality which are under stood to be about to be effected, and, if the perform ance come up to the progmmme,Tnec my may proudly stand forth beside Rome as a model for the general regeneration of Italy. This programme proposes the following organic measures 1. The institution of the national guard, to consist of two corps, the one to be formed after the manner of the German landwehr, and to bo ready for service in case of war ; the other to be limited in its service to the locality where its members reside, and to be devoted M guard the interior and perform the service of the towns. 2. The increase of the army and the organisation of military supplies. 3. The establishment of municipalities by popular election. 4. The establishment of provincial councils, also by popular cle:tion. 5. The institution of a central re presentative assembly, under such forms ani con ditions as circumstances may suggest. Such are the general features of this magnificent system of state reform. The possibility that the attempt to establish such a system of government may excite the hostility of a powerful neighbour has not been overlooked ; and it is understood that the Grand Duke and his minister are in perfect accordance as to the measures to be taken in such a contingency, and which are full of energy and dignity. It is further stated that the Tuscan government has warmly espoused the pro ject of an Italian customs union, and has given Tecific instructions to M. Martini, the minister of Tuscany at Turin, to u• ge such a measure on the Sardinian government by every means of persuasion within his power. No advice, of more recent date than those we have already given havebeen received, but the Yam Mate of Marseilles gives a letter from Naples, of the 30th ult., in which several circumstances are mentioned, which, so far as they can be relied on, illustrate the situation and policy of the . government. M. Pietra Catella, the chief of the ministry, having advised a plan of reform, which was first favourably received, but afterwards rejected, had resigned. This fact is thus explained. 'the royal troops having suffered ,oine reverses, the king, with the view to arrest the progress of the insurrection, affected to give ear to the proposals of the minister; and this circumstance being purposely allowed to become known, the in surgents, as was expected, suspended their move meats. Meanwhile, the royal troops gathering strength and being reinforced, fell upon them and re covered the advantage they had lost. The King immediately thereupon retracted his concessions, and M. Pietra Catells resigned. It is said that the King of Naples had left his capital for Calabria, and that Colonel Durand°, who took part in the war in Spain, has placed himself at the head of the insurgents. 1 1 The Swiss journals continue to report the progress of the preliminaries of internal conflict The Journal de ['Ain of the Bth has the following : According to a letter which we have received from Geneva it is more then probable that hostilities will soon break out in Switzerland. Already a crowd of strangers of doubtful mien have arrived at G , where they seem to be watch ing for the moment of taking part in some action. The I Grand Council of Geneva is to meet to-day is extraordinary 1 1 session. The Council of State will present a bill for extra ordinary powers, " in order to be able to act with energy I and promptitude at a moment when the canton may be called upon to place at the disposal of the federation a por tion of its federal contingent and the first contingent of land wehr." The Council of Sate also demands the power of forming volunteer corps, and new measures of discipline for the severe punishment of men who are absent when called upon to do service in the contingent. !cis proposed to punish each absentee with a fine of from 3fr. to 10fr. per day for each day's absence, and imprisonment of from four months to two years. According to the calculations of the ?adds, the Sunderbund has only 31,823 men and 119 guns to oppose to 9 4 3,993 men and 278 guns. MADRID, Orr. 5. A decree in this day's Gazette convokes the cortee for the 15th of November. Cordova is appointed minister of marine ad interim. The press furnishes scarcely any new fact throwing light on the strange freak which has cut the thread of the Guyena. Salamanca ministry. It is certain that at ten o'clock on Sunday night Escoeura knew nothing of what had hap pened. And before three in the morning the whole thing was over. The decries appointing the new ministers are dated the 4th, and appeared in the Gazette at eight in the morning. The ministry seemed quite flourishing and healthy when people went to bed on Sunday night, and when they got up on Monday morning the Gazette told them it was dead and buried. But of what disease did it die ? the good people ask. Shrugs are the reply ; giving to understand that foul play was us&. The most generally accredited version of the affair is this. You easy remember that about a week ago I mentioned that Nervaez had offered to resign his post as ambassador at l'aris, but he was prevailed on by his friends to withdraw this proposal. Under pretence of conferring upon this sub ject, the Duke of Valencia had frequent interviews with certain of the ministers. The result to which these led was the interview with Serrano on Sunday afternoon. Themain manager of the intrigue was B. as de Olano. Ooe of the inferior agents was Zaragoza, and another is strongly sus petted to have been Buschenthal. Salamanaa'a close friend ship with the two last persons suggests considerable doubt las to the cleanness of his hands in this mutter. At any rate, if Salamanca has not been an accomplice, he hes behaved like one. He bolts off to Amnjuez just at the critical moment, and stays there till the plot is all ripe. The council of ministers is assembled at midnight. Goyena remarked the absence of Roe de Olano. At half past two that worthy colleague made his appearance, leading in Narvaca. Addressing the president of the council, he said, " I am commanded by her Majesty to inform your excellency that you are exonerated from your post as presi dent, and that the Duke of Valencia is appointed to take that place. Here are the royal decrees." Old Goyena was really fine, I hear. As it is always usual to give a minister the option of sending in his resiguatioa before kicking hint I out by the uuceremonions form of exoneration, he refused to admit the latter form of decree, whereupon Narrater pro mised him that if he resigned others should be substituted. The president handled in worthy terms of indignation the shameless traitor who dared to beard in the severest style the colleagues he had so foully duped, while Salamanca brooked his treachery in the tamest manner. It is encouraging to remark that no portion of that mis chievous caprice that trifles so insolently with the destinies of Spain, is at all traceable in the Queen's character. Her demeanour throughout this business has been that of one, who is playing a part highly repugnant to her natural feel ings, in compliance with thy dictates of a will, which she has allowed to master her own, but whose tyranny is b gin ning to be sensible. When Armada and Orlando were pre sent at the palace yesterdsy evening to be sworn in, the Queen made her appearance for a moment, went through the usual formality, and then briskly turned her back and walked out again without taking the least notice of the new servants of the crown. In fact, it is clear that the new ministry is not to the Queen's ta , te, however well it may suit Serrano's. It is equally certain that the favourite by his vacillation, selfishness, and treachery, has done much to lower himself in the eyes of one whose esteem is the foundation of his influence. Be this as it may, one fact is beyond all doubt. The influence of Serrano is many degrees beyond the point of its culmination. The decline of such fortunes is not however gradual. They shoot from their spheres g Ily in some disastrous and fatal manner. The very peril of such a portion would stir a certain emotion of interest even in enemies, were not the man so false beyond all belief. We shall see how his new ally will serve him. I believe that there is no court in the world where the precept of squeezing all you can out of a person, and then, when he can serve sour turn no longer, getting rid of him, is acted upon with less scruple than in Spain. No one would be in the least surprised, on getting up to-morrow morning, to learn that the ministry maker had been sent towards the frontier during the night, or to some other las agreeable destination. Ocr. G.—A decree is published in the Gazette re pealing Senor Escosura's administrative reform, on the ground of its being an usurpation upon the atte‘utions of the Cortes. _ _ It is certain that Serrano's star is on the decline. On Sunday evening, one of the late ministers, coming to the palace to procure the royal signature to some decrees, found the Queen with her eyes swollen and red, es if she had been weeping. On Monday evening she kept Arrazila and Orlando waiting for three hours. The former was so affected by the cold and contemptuous treatment he received, that yesterday evening there was some rumour of a ministerial crisis, occasioned by his wish to resign. Arrasola's soft manners have won him the nickname of the lapa (downy mould) of ministers. But whatever antipathy the Queen may feel against some of the present cabinet, there is no reason to think that she entertains the least per sonal objection to Narvaez. lier clouded humour is by some attributed to the privations imposed upon her by the jealousy of Serrano. Whether the dismissal of De la Vega from the poet of private secretary is to be numbered among these is not easy to say. The place is finally to be abolished ; but at present De la Vega is suceseded by Gal lego, the cavalier servenle of the favourite's mother. De la Vega was the man of all others likely to mak , . himself in ' dispensable in such a confidential post. Chatty, pleasant, of an endless fertility of fancy, a traveller, accomplished in a thousand little ways, with much dramatic facility, both as • writer and actor, he was cut out to furnish a superior modern substitute for the aneient court buffoon. It is not easy to conceive that one so fond of amusement as the Queen would willingly have parted with such a bijou—such an anti dote to the heaviness of Serrano. Be that as it may, the Queen's displeasure is a point of some importance at the present moment. I hear that in an interview which Narvaez hadthis morn ing with a person who has many friends among the English here, he expressed himself as highly desirous of cultivating good relations with Mr. Bulwer and with the English go vernment. He disavowed, in very energetic terms, the ser vile French policy imputed to him by the progresista papers, and declared himself desirous of acting in all cases upon national and independent grounds. Much reliance, per haps, is not to be placed upon the words of Nerve , z, but ' there is great reason to think that he is by no means insen sible to the advantages derivable from • closer alliance with England. Meantime, I am sorry to say that the appointments put forth in the papers are of the very worst kind, invoking the moot sinister remembrances. General Breton, of ill-omened renown, is said to bo named captatn-general of Cata lonia, and Roneali of Madrid. General Breton's deeds in Catalonia are known to almost everybody, as well es the bloodthirsty bandos that he published, declaring that he would not only shoot smugglers, but any that he found harbouring smuggled goods, men, women, or children. Roacali is chiefly famous for the part that he played in the Alicante butchery. It is greatly to be regretted that a man of judgment and conciliatory disposition, withal en able officer, like Conchs, should be replaced by a brutal pacha like Breton. Concha has just issued a bandn, couched in the very best spirit, which was already beginning to produce excellent results. The system upon which he proceeds is not with menaces, as his predecessor Pavia, hot proposing rewards to tkosf pueblos and their inhabitants who distin guish themselves against the rebels, and exemptions from conscription. lam sorry I have not time to translate this document. He has published a second hands, declaring the blockade of the Catalonian Pyrenees. The latest success has been of some importance, the defeat of the cabecilla Tuertn de Rater." and his band. Tucrto fled to France, car rying oft with him 500 doubloons, the fruit of hit tax gather ing for Kiog Charles 'e Escoturet governors-general have given in their resigna tion. The telegraph was working all Monday and Tuesday. The pretended regard which the present ministry profess for the Cones and their privileges is really too grest a farce. The present Cortes is likely to be complai• , ant enough to Nar voez and his creatures; but if their complaisance should emit to a stop some fine day, we shall soon see the amount of re gard which the Duke of Va'eneia:entertains for parliamentary fiwros, which most people suspect is not greater than that of Cromwell for the dignity of the Rump. NAPLES, Seer. 25. While we are in our present state of suspense, un certain as yet what change the succeeding day may bring as, I take the opportunity to glance at previous occurrences, which will throw some light upon our crisis and its prospects. Those who think that Italy has, since Napoleon's time, made no progress in con solidating public institutions and studying the art of government, are very much mistaken. It lies in the apparent interest of certain parties, no doubt, to spread such reports; but a simple statement of facts will suffice to rebut such cahimnies. and to tear the veil which their authors would fain shelter themselves under. . Nothing can be more erroneous than the notion that the kingdom of Naples has not gained anything by the various popular demonstrations that have been made during the present century. On the contrary, everything that we enjoy has been carried by the people at the point of the bayonet, and they have on all such opportunities been disarmed by concessions. That the promised concessions were afterwards only partially fulfilled, has ever been the excuse and the, impelling motive for the liberal party to put its faith only in the arms of the people. To begin as early as the commencement of the revo lationary war, the fearfully demoralised state of the ca pital and the court, which even carried away with its vile torrent the energetic mind of a Nelson, and inflicted a severe blow on the ambition of that hero, who would not, while he strove to support it with British guns, be abrogated by native insolence. The arbitrary act by which he deprived the patriots of their leader is well known. The execution of Caraecioli threw the kingdom under French influence. When the French, in the moment of triumph, forgot that they were as much guests as conquerors at Naples, the demonstra tion made by Cardinal Ruffo, supported as it was by popular feeling in the continental part of the kingdom, awakened them to the necessity of organising the country. Naples (the country al di qua del Faro) then received the territorial divi sions which have since subsisted ; and the sketch of a constitution was framed which it has since been the aim of the intelligent Neapolitans to realise and com plete. Upon the framework then projected, the , organic statute of 1816 is constructed, by which the kingdom is divided into 7 provinces, with 17 inten dancies, and il3 chief towns (eapiluoghi). The inten dants, corresponding to the prefects of departments in France, are, like the prefects, named by the minister, and, in the absence of a body to whom to appeal, like the Chamber of Deputies, this arrangement gave unlimited power to the government. In this country such temptations are irresistible, and they led the way to a fearful mass of abuses, of the extent and perilous nature of which you may judge from one example. The fertile plain or basin, enclosed by the mountains of Apulia, possesses a rich soil, which, owing to the moisture derived from the neighbouring heights, and the vicinity of the sea, is covered with a per petual humidity. The old Neapolitan sovereigns of the Spanish race had introduced into the kingdom an imitation of the right of pasturage, assumed in Spain on the southern fall of the Sierra Nevada, as a monopoly of the crown. The attempt to en force this abominable claim, had proved fatal to many dynasties, and at the epoch of the French occu pation it was thought to be set at rest for ever. Nevertheless, under the sanction of the impu nity which they enjoyed, the ministers actually re established the forced tribute raised from obliging cattle to be driven from all the other provinces to Apulia, there to graze for a stipulated period at a charge fixed by the crown. The monopoly was managed by a board known under the long branded designation of the " Tavo!iere di Puglia." You may conceive the eff•ects of such a measure. The farmer s main object in keeping cattle, the manuring of his own lands, was quite defeated by it. Of course the agriculture of the country was threatened with utter ruin ,while the inhabitants were demoralised by attempts to bribe the officers of the crown to allow them to escape from the destructive operation of these and other equally unjustifiable exactions. It was this state of things internally, and not a mere fanciful ebullition of revolutionary theories, which led to the rising of 1820, that attracted so much notice in Europe. The world knew little except that the people had taken up arms against a court and ministry whose corrup tion was notorious. The details of the case had not been published, and would not have been understood. When the excited populace, therefore, laid down their arms, and abandoned the small corps that had occupied the mountain passes to their fate, all were astonished at the easy victory obtained by the Austrian troops. Nobody inquired the terms on which that victory was obtained, and which con sisted in concessions to the popular demands of an almost sweeping nature. In the first place the " Tavoliere di Puglia" was abolished. The nation was rescued from its ignomi nious and pauperising yoke. Then it was agreed that every province should have a" Consiglio d'lnten denza," to direct its own special affairs, and report annually in detail, upon all its interests, to a central " consult& " in the capital. There were to be two such " consultas," one for Naples and one for Sicily. A central general consults of notables, 16 for Naples and 8 for Sicily, were to iict as a parliament, and the enactment of new laws as well as all financial arrangements was to be controlled by this body. The King had the selection of the mem bers of this important body, but was bound to take them from the various classes of the people. It was with the promise of this constitution that the late King deceived his son, the present monarch, who had joined in the revolution ; or at least he fur nished him with a pretext for deserting his friends— an act that the Neapolitans have neither forgotten nor forgiven. It required but one insertion in the constitution, by which the members of the consults were to be elective instead of nominees of the crown, to have secured liberty twenty-seven years ago to Italy. This clause would of course have been stipu lated if the malcontents had remained in arms. It was lost under the dictation of the Austrian minister. Still the mass of the people gained immensely. Agriculture began immediately to flourish. Oil, silk, and other articles, which the former insecure state had discouraged, were taken up again, and fur nished materials for exportation and trade. The provincial councils could not reject the influence of a number of intelligent and patriotic men who joined them, and the reports annually made to the capital furnished a useful mass of intelligence, of which, under the present king, some good use was occasionally made. A reckless party in the capital still played a desperate game, and, de pending on the support of" an army of police myr midons, together with that of the Swiss mercenaries, persecuted all who acknowledged anything resem bling liberal opinions, and, what is worse, fomented the most disgraceful ignorance throughout the country. Lulled by the pacific appearance of the people, who in the lowest ranks felt but little the tyranny thus exercised, the party of the priests and the ministerial harpies made common cause, in the hope of ultimately regaining the position they had last, and of once more obtaining the power to effect " coupe " of a kind similar to the noted sulphur con tract, with their former impunity. But events grow too fast now-a-days. One short sighted notion of these rulers was, that if they could get up manufactures at home they would create a better fund for taxation than is offered by the inter change of trade. The valuable produce of the exube rant soil of the Two Sicilies has been kept upon the grower's hands by the high duties and other restric tions which this policy dictated, and it is the pressure now felt by a growing population that has stimu lated the present rising. The educated classes of course look beyond this, and tremble at the prospect of raising up a population of uneducated millions, who are at the same time exposed to constant excitement by the proceedings of ministers and courtiers of the character of those with which Naples is blessed. But if no exasperating opposition is now offered, you will see that the people will demand nothing more than that an elective representative body replace the present consuita, that the obnoxious ministers be removed, and that the national guard be established, as some guarantee against future infrac tions of the constitution. These demands are nei ther calculated to alarm more settled countries, nor do they justify the insinuations which have been liberally scattered abroad—that the Italians, and, above all, the Neapolitans, do not know what they want. FRANCE.—PARIa,OCT.II.—MURDER OF MAD.SNIE DALKe.—NEw ARILEST , .—A shsrt time ago a woman named Delannoy was condemned to death for the murder of a lad named Deke; and Dubos, the porter of the house in whitl the murder took place, was condemned to the hulks as an accomplice. The deceased was supposed to have had by her, at the time of her death, alum of money exceeding 30,000 franc", but only a small portion of this could be traced to the possession of the prisoners. Within the last few days, how ' ever, information was received that a young man, a tailor, a relation of Dubos, and who before the murder was in a state of destitution, had removed to Bure, rear Poissy, where he was living in comparative affluence. In conse quence of this information a search was made, and a large sum in bank -notes, for which he could not account, was found in his regression end that of his father sad mother. He and his parents and three other persons have been taken into custody. HAtlttt, Of - r. 11.—The Florida dock in the port of Havre is completed, and will in a few days be ready to receive transatlantic steamers. The steamer N ew York, to o the authorities of which a pilot has been sent to inform them of the fact, will in a short time be enabled to enter the place henceforward assigned to it. ITALY.—Itome, SEPT. 28.—A monument is to be erected in honour of Pius IX., to consecrate the Femme. bronco of the creation of the civic guard. The civic qui t e will have it erected, at their own expense, on Ideate Pincie. On the foot of the monument are to be represented the four cardinal virtues, and the statue of Clemency is to crown it. Two bas-reliefs on the pedestal will transmit to posterity the remembrance of the creation of the civic guard. Th e et peuses are to be defrayed by subscription. The ample, is t o he employed in the purchase of cannons for the civic guard. The idea was suggested by Prince Piombino and Cicero aochio. The plan is by the architect Chevalier Carnebali.— COrrespondant de Nuremberg, Oct. 7. HOLLAND.—THE HAGUE, Ocr. 10.—The Jour. real de la liar, of this day, contains the following ankl e —"At au epoch in which a fatal financial mins is mani fested in all the markets of Europe—a crisis which must necessarily act upon the Dutch funds ; a n d w h en new failures are announced every day on the London Exchange,it is worth referring to the situation of the Amsterdam bourse, on which, up to the present day, no failure ( so •. o speak) oteasnlybe able n d t e. o c se la d by . public A fe co few days m pelt t o inthe thousand sh ares the government Wee not of the bank of the Netherlands, which it possessed, at th e high rate, too, of 161 per cent., but it received °f ere o f sub scriptions to a far greater amount than that '.f the shar es to be disposed of, so that it was under the necessity of portion ing out the number of shares in correspondence with the amount of subscriptione. Such i s t h e pre sent favourable position of the Bank of th e N et h erlands with "s dcettoius credit eing utWoeh* capitalise amo ngst us who ar e o their money on a severe bottom, even at low rate, of interest. In fact, the bank shares referred to as purchased at 161 per cent., do not give a higher interest than 4 per cent. The cause of such a situation admits of an easy explanation. We have known how to preserve ourselves from the fever of railway shares, so much so that among the shareholders of our Rhenish railway there are only a very few proportionably of our men- Gillett. The development of our corn trade during the last few years is well known, but the prudence of our merchants hos sheltered them against the storm. They have preserved all their resources and husbanded all their strength in order to enable them to continue their bwiness and to take advan tage of the freedom of our commercial system, although none of our cities has had its congress of economist,. They h.ve had the wisdom and the good sense to prefer Clete to appear ances. With us "II faut des actions et non psi dee paroles." GERMANY.—PItUSSIA.BERLIN.—Th e King of Prussia, on his return from his teur in the Rhenish pro. vines, had an interview with the King of Hanover in the capital of that duchy. The meeting is said to have been occasional by ea,ifical motives, which are likely to be o f great importance to Hanover. by the low of 1810 it was fixed, there should be a regency in case of the minority of the King, or if his mental state be such as to render him unfit to conduct the government. Now, although the Crown Prince has since then given proofs of his capability to conduct the government, inasmuch as during the protracted absence of the King, in 1813, it was confided to his hands : there an, nevelt . teleta, other things, which render it desirable that the l'rince should have able coadjutors. Among these may be mentioned the very iudifferent health of the Crum l'rince. For this and other reason., whether foe the sake of his son, or in the event that his grandson (who is now oely two years of age), should succeed to the throne, King Ernest Augustus has determined to fit the agency by will, and this regency, it is affirmed, he intenes to confide to hie etegfee, Prince Frederick of Prussia. This Prince made his accept ance of the regency, to depend upon the King of Prussia, who declared himsell decidedly weakest it, since in s ',ch an ar rangement, especial regard ought to be made to Vie agnate,. The law of the land determines that the King shall nominate one of his agnates who is competent to the task, but if there should be none, he is then at liberty to select a regent Iron among the eovereion princes of Germany, who shall have attained the age of 25. The refusal of the King of Prussia induced the King of Hanover to endeavour to meet the diffi culty. An invitation was sent to the Duke of Cambridge, who visited his royal brother in Augun: the Duke f u lly entering into the views of the King, declined for himself on account of his advanced age, and for his son on account of his comparative ienorunce of German relations, the proposed regency, and declared his approval of the plan that it should be given to Prince Frederick of l'ru•sia. This is the state of affairs, as reported by all parties, and there is King of Prussia is said to have resolved to renew his visit to every semblance that the report es perfectly correct. The Italy and the south of Germany, at the commencement of the year, and meanwhile to place the government in the hands of the Prince of l'rumia. FRAN FOIRT, Ocr. ft.—HORSE-FLESH BANnurr. —About 160 persons sat down yesterday to ■ horse-flesh dinner, in the Adler Hotel, at Bornheim The dinner was ordered by the Frankfort "Society for the Protection of Animals" (Zone Schutze der Thiere)„ We arc enabled to state that horseflesh affords a very palatable dish. The dinner wu enlivened by many toasta and songs.—Fron4forter Jour nal, Oct. 9. DARNISTAI)T.—NIrRnme OF THE Cot NTESS OP Gortnurz —The Count de Oosrlits, who was accused by the Gtrinan Spectator and the Mannheim Ecening Gazette, with the commission of a terrible crime, has written a letter to the Frankfort Journal and several other papers, saying that in order to reply to this horrible imputation, he has accused these two journals ofealamny before the tribunal at Darm.t eat. BAYAItIA.—MUNICII, OCT. S.—DINNEIIin Heal HANNEMANN, THE PIII:I4StAN DEPrTv.—Ou the 4th, about roensb,rs of the two chambers of this kingdom, and. numerous other persons, gave a grand dinner to Herr Haase mann, member of the Prussian diet for Aix-la-Chapelle. In proposing the health of that gentleman, Baron Vun Classes, the originator of the banquet, observed that there was anise when scarcely a Germany could be said to exist, but only a Pruseia, a Bavaria, a Wirtemberg, and no forth, a time is which the common bonds of Getman unity were broken and only an intellectual one existed. Bet Schiller formed a nar rower bond than the old German empire. Those times, however (continued the speaker), are over, and since the deliverance of Germany from her oppressors the idea of a universal German fatherland has been propagated more and more widely, even with the approbation of the various go vet nmenta. Arid what is the foundation of that patriotism.' Simply that we should be proud of being Germans ; and our pride should net only be based upon our power with sespect to foreign nations, but also upon our inter nal institutions. (Vehement applause.) Let but pub licity and oral examination be introduced into all our courts of justice, and freedom of the press into all Germany, and our national pride and sue patriotism will be incensed. (Renewed cheers.) The Zollverein has powerfully assisted in evoking the aspiration for • uniform system of legislation. But it cannot be denied that, in some respects, there has hitherto existed a epecies of chasm between north and south Germany ; there. bureaucracy and absolute power (union scltrankte Gewalt), here constitutional institutions. It was solely on that account that Baden so long deferred joining the • Zollrerein. With great joy did all the constitutional states of Germany receive the intelligence that Prussia also had obtained a censtitution. The patent, however, had not answered the expectations raised, but the men who were as sembled by virtue of it surpassed them. The diet, itself, from the very first moment of its existence, showed full strength and maturity. It was • Minerva, sprung fully equipped from the head of Jupiter. (Cheers.) The baron concluded by stating that to him, as a member of the first Bavarian diet of 1819, was entrusted the honourable task of proposing the health of the distinguished member of the youngest German legintive assembly, Herr Hansemann. The toast was enthusiastically received. TAHITI.—The latest intelligence from this island is to the 13th of June, six weeks later than the dates pre viously received. After having been present at the installa tion of the new governor, H. Lavaud, 41. 'Bust, the en governor, had left for France on the 31st of May. The new governor nought by every means in his power to conciliate Queen Pomare, by giving her presents and receiving her daily at the government house. The greatest tranquillity reigned in the island. The strictest economy seems to be the order of the day ; and all the buildings ordered to be made by his predecessors have been stopped by Governor Lavaud. AMERICA.—THE CHINESE JUNK.—The Chinese junk, the Key-Ying, which arrived at New York on the Bth of July. excited there the greatest curiosity. Her light and graceful build, her sails of matting suspended to her bamboo yards, her smooth and rapid movement—thanks to which, if we may believe the Chinese crew, they have never suffered front bad weather—in short, the singularity of the furniture, which includes some dogs with tongues as bleak as ink, brought by the captain, all combined to attract a crowd of apeetstors, The prettiest women of New York loved to boast of having visited the Chinese junk. Unfortunately the enterprise does not appear to have had the same suttees in a pecuniary respect. The Chinese sailors, to the numbs of twenty-six, not having been paid their wages, hare arrested the vessel, and Mr. Lord, their advocate, has pleaded for them before the civil court of the district. The crew claim, in the first place, their arrears of wages from the month of September, 1846; and in the second, to be seat back to Canton at the expense of the captain. Accord ing to the sailors' accounts, they were only engaged for eight months, and were not to go beyond Ba tavia and Singapore. The advocate of So-Yr-Sang - Hi , the Chinese captain, replied that the sailors who had worked the ship could not pretend that they had been made to cross the Indian Sea and the Atlantic, without their knowledge. With regard to the question of wages, the captain had pro. mined to pay them on their return to Canton with the pro duce of the Americas goods which he was to take on his return. He added that he did not think the sailors had any right to complain; the large recompenses they had reeeirtn fully compensated for what was owed them. The court de cided in favour of the crew, maintained the seizure, ordered the sale of the vessel, and condemned the captain to pay etch man one to two hundred dollars, according to rank. THE RIVER PLATE.—Sir,—In your leading article of yesterday, on the affairs of the River Plate, 1 think you forget one or two points, which are all important is the consideration of the question. First, that whether right or wrong, we did tell Rums that be should not in vade the republic of the Uruguay, and that he treated us with contempt and did invade it. That in 1845 we, with France, interfered to put an end to the war, Sad to save Monte Video from being taken I.y a Buenos Arran army that was commanded by Oribe, a general of ROW, then a ci-d<rant president of the Uruguay, and were met by Roma with contempt and defiance ; that up to this bout we have obtained no concession from him, and yet wit withdrew the blockade from Buenos Ayres without ob taming one demand for the coercion of which it was Pat on, I could add, that we have made the Monte Videom believe that we were pledged to save them from the arbi trary foreign interference of Rossi and are now deserting