The Express. — London, England, 1853-02-12 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT lIOCSE OF LORDS.—FRIDAY, Fn. 11. The Lo CaLcxcattua took di, seat at i o'clock. PETITIONS PRESENTED. PAZLIAMEATAZY D0C1'1116314. Elf th e DOILO Of AYGY Li. si:d Earl El rz wILLI irons several plates, *ea inn' 4 tl.e tree distribution of par:ismen•ary papers. CANADA CLIROT E.A.—By the Earl of HAR LOW Ul , from the dioceses of Terosto and Quebec, pray tag the,' t adships not t r give their comsat to the inirsetion of the arieli• cil the union between the two C3113(11411 pro ',tact', by which the clergy reserves were distributed. THE Hal:Nell EMPIRE. The NI srquis of CLANKICARDE gave notice that on lion lay :.eat he would ask the mode earl at the Lead of the goverurn-nt whtther he had any ohjection to lay on the table tht rorrivonderte between tha government of this country • nd the French government, on the establishment of the Fr iich Empire ; and Ln hat occasion he would take tho uppo.tua.ty ut aquding to a csrtsin extraordinary speech. POOR L.W. Lord BF RN ERS lead on the Labia a bill on the aubj,et tho po r which pro;,, ..1, aln rr.gat other thirge, that every dae• ~,rtion of propos ty sh.aa:dc.oatribata towards the poor rate The br.l ‘...t read a first time. AM I.NDMENT OF THE CRIMINAL LAW. _ Lord ls LEONARDS said that an observation from him was I. ielervid necessary gr. the subject of the bill he in. troducegl I got night for tho consolidation of the criminsl law. in c ,nsequence of Cie announcement made by the gevertang ut in another place of their intention to subetitate les^ sect. gl gay punishment instead of transportation. The subject h • I n..t escaped his avention, for he had maturely °maniere I chi Cher the b:11 could pie properly in its pre- , mit shale ; and if any other punishment were substituted for transportation, the new punishment would stand instead of transportation in his bill. Ile merely wished to explain thin is corner that there might nut t c any apprehension on the suLitt t Lord CAMPBELL hoped before the bill was read a se wed time that the question of secondary punishment would be fully sealed, but he also hoped vial it would nut be thought o , sir able to abolish transportation. From his ex perience a. a judge, he could say that the punishment of traneport.amn bad a most salutary W. :et, and was a great mcerity t public. Ile did net mesa to say that the govereinu g I should force consicrs upon cot mists, but they Aould drsi , c sums penal settlement where the punishment , of transportation could be carried out__ TENANT RIGHT. The Earl AIRLIE said that is consequence of the an. aonne.:nsi-nt which had been made by the government, he did not think it necessary to bring forward the motion of which he ba.l given notice, with reference to the subjtet of taunt right iu Ireland. THE WAR IN AAA. The Earl of ELLENBOO.OUGII said that in conse quence of the proclamation of the 0 ivernor-General of ledia, the intelligence of which had just reached this coun try by tb. overland mail, ho would uompone his question en the su..ject of tho war in Ave until Thursday next. THE IRISH POST-OFFICE. The M irquis of CLANILICARDE moved fora return of MI the appointmentsof presidents of the money order offices fa London, Dahlia and Edinburgh, since the money order system became officially connecud with the Post-otlice, specifying the appointments they had previously held in ' I the Post- 4fice, or any other public department ; also two other returns in regard to the same departments. The feeble marquis, in moving for the shove returns, complained of the appointment of one Joseph Long to the office of pre- 'Went of the money order oiliee in Dublin by the late postmaster•general. Mr. Long had had no previous ac quaintance with the duties of the office, although it was cent which required great experience. He had been an native electioneering agent in the conservative interest, and bad been promoted for his services to his party immediately alter the last election. To say the kart of it, this was most unfair towards the clerks in the office, who, whatever their wishes might be, could not emulate such a method of ob. Veining advancement, because the were strictly forbidden Ile interfere in political matters. No promotions which he (do Marquise( Clanricarde) had made when in office would justify seeks an appointment. The duties of the office were very onerous and responsible, for there appeared to be no UM a sum to be accounted for annually than 1,371,0001., and that amount was divided into no lea than 924,342 Smeary order,. It was the duty of the president narrowly to watch the errors made by the postmasters and clerks, and required the greatest skill in these matters. Although the penes who had been appointed to the office was a very motive memb r of the corporation of Dublin, and a most in fluential el,etioneering agent, it did not follow that he was lost suited fur, or most entitled to, an appointment which the senior clerks in the office, by the rules of the service, bad a right to look for. (Hear, hear.) The noble marquis thou proceeded to defend his appointment of Mr. Frederick Mill, as assistant secretary to his brother, Mr. Rowland BILL The Earl of HARDWICKE agreed with the noble mar quis that there was cessiderable inconvenience sad irregu larity in the aye 1s elfproesotion in the Post-ollos. There were twosysteme—ems In which the officers rose by rota tion, and one by whisk the Postmaster-Generel appointed eonsi 'enable WINS by patronage. The noble marquis had chosen to iciest ell the character of Mr. Long, the pnwideut of the Mewl Order-office. He could only say that tbat gentlemen en a gentleman of the highest cha racter, and perholly able I. conduct the operations of the Many Order-aim Ms bad filled • responsible situation is Dublin, he had recentinendatioas from persons of teak, and he met have conceived it possible that his character mould have beat arraigned. He had made inquiries and Mead that this was weentialy • patronage egos. These we so precedent whatever for making a eellethist from the clerks employed in the money order elms The thine marquis had appointed Mr. Frederick MM, whe had had in experience in the ones practically, to alestrel the presideat of the Mosey Order once. Lord CANNING entirely concurred in the obstrvatioas of the noble marquis, that it was the duty of the Poet meter-General b take care that the seal and ability of any a the servants et th e Pathedies should not be overlooked. That might be mil eta departments, bet in the Post ones It was peouthely neesseary. He thought it an erro neous principle to appoint to the higher sei sm these who bad set been emu emed with the office. La the esaduet of peblle bast..., elms is had come under lie smuts, he be the the sable earl opposite had both uniformly guided, set by nendieretions of premmege, but with • view to the elisithey of the public servile, asid so far es he wm engsdenat of theta, the appointment had been made with groat diserimiaaticia and justice. The papers should be laid ea the table. 'TIM 81E-MILE BRIDGE AFFAIR. The Earl of CARDIGAN said that iniukiag the question et which ha had given notice, respecting the prosecution of owlets soldiers in Ireland, he wlibed to snake • remark or two. Their lordships were aware, that besides being called Upww I. war, soldiers were liable to be Galled apes to quell disturbewes, and in Inland it was a part of their duty at 'vowel elections to escort electors to the poll. It wee a dis agreeable and irksome duty. If la the discharge of this duty they went attacked and they defended themselves owe at AO /ilk Of the low of the lives of those who at. tasked dsom,, Ito mid government was bound to support them. At the MO T on e ssi lection soldiers were employed to escort 1111.111 s agi pa Were attacked by an excited populace, and theyves even to the loss of life of their Weeihmeb rid", ow the highest legal authority, they were joedded i dolgy. Zs understood, however, that they mews lobe prommand by the crown lawyers in Ireland, and not taffy that, but Off were to be employed specially to promeste them. Ho &mild like to ask if the crown lawyers were to be so emp loyed to prosecute these soldiers, and how the soldiers were tobe defenled—whether they were to be deprived of their miserable pay to fee counsel to defend them, or whether they were to furnish them with money tar their deems, which, if they Fomented them, would ,;he thought, be an anomaly t - - - - The Earl of ABERDEEN said nothing could be more oatmeal than the Interest which the noble earl felt fa the site of these addiers. lie was sure the house would re spond to these feelings, and certainly no one could be more sensible than he was of the great patience, forbearance, sad long endorsees of tier Majesty's troops, when employed in that irksome and disagreeable service, assisting in the pre servation of the pace. (Rear, hear.) But the inquiry of the noble earl was somewhat premature. It was only that day that he had received a communication from the Lord- Lieutenant that the matter was under the considera- Sea of the Irish government, and that no step whatever had been decided on. The matter was not quite so simple as the noble earl would lead them to suppose. Their lordships might not perhaps be aware that the late Attorney-0 1 for Ireland brought the case fully before the Court of Queen's Ilench in Dublin, and en deavoured to quash the verdict of the coroner's jury, and that the court, having fully considered the matter, came to the unanimous decision that there was no ground for that LZeding. In doing so he had no doubt they were per right. tusdentood that the verdict and proceedings of the coroner's inquest were regular, and that the court could only interfere in the case of some informality. Now, if it was so clear as the noble earl had repreented it, —and he (Lord Aberdeen) was not disposed to deny that it was, fur, from every account of the transaction he had re ceived, the sweat of the noble earl was correct.—yet why did not the learned gentleman to whom he had referred enter a " none proeequi." That learned gentleman might have stopped the proceedings, and the Attorney-Oeneral might still do so, and he (Lord Aberdeen) eras not prepared to say what course would be taken. With regard to the prosecution being conducted by the law officers of the crown, he neld only say that the Attorney-Oencral had the pewee, at any stage of the proceedings, on the part of the crown, to stop any further progress in them. Even if it was thought proper to proceed with the case at all, the grand jury might ignore the bill. If so, that would be an additional reason fur the Attorney.oeneral's exercisiez his power of stopping all pro ceedings. Bet he was unable to give an answer to tho noble earl with regard to the ceune the Dish government was about to pursue, as be Lad only that day heard from the Lord Lieutenant that the matter was under considera tion, and that no decision bad been arrived at. Under these circumstances he could give no other answer to the qua lies: _ _ The Earl of DERBY said that after the statement of the noble earl, be would not prolong the discussion, but A. would mention (*.though no doubt be would reedy* the same answer as the noble earl had already given) that the noble earl had not replied to the latter part of the question put to him, namely, as t what were the intentions of the government with repaid to the prosecution of the Boman catholic priests, who, it appeared by the evidsses, had interfered on the occuion of that dee tuns. The Earl of ABERDEEN said that the noble earl had anticipated hie answer, which was, that the subject IMIS under the consideration of the Irish government TUE LORD LIEUTENANCY OF IRELAND. The Earl of CARDIGAN gave notice that oa Monday he should put a question to the government on a subject which had been formerly introduced by the noble lord the Secre tary f ,, r Foreign Alfsirs, namely, whether, in accordance with the opinion of that noble lord expressed two years ago, it was the intention of the government to do away with the odic* of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. The house then adjourned at 20 minutes to 7. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—Faum, FEB. 11. The Sraem took the chair at a qaarter before tour o clock. NEW MEMBER. Mr. MoNcaster took the oaths and his Seat for the Leith boroughs. which he had vacated on his appointment to the Mace of Lord Advocate. THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY }MINING, FEBRUARY 12, 1853. PRIVATE BILLS. Mr. BItOTHERTON " brought up" an incalculable number of private bills; end as the forms of the house re quired him in each case to proceed from the bar to the table, he must have gone over some miles of space before he hal completed his arduous task. The hon. gentleman was, in fact, kept walking backwards and forwards at a brisk space for nearly three quarters of an hour. PUBLIC BUSINESS. PETITIONS YRINCK OCCUPATION or BONN. —By Lord R. GROSVENOR, from the inhabitants of London, praying that the house would interfere to procure the withdrawal of the French troops from !tome. Tux Taa Dorins.-117 Mr. B. OSBORNE, from mer chants and retail dealers, praying for the reduction of the duties upon tea. RIDUCTION or POSTAGE TO AI:STRALTA,..By Mr. HEADLAM, from the Newcastle and Gateshead Mer cantile Association, fur. _ _ , COUNTY FINANCIAL I/UAW/IL—By Sir W. MOLES WOUTII, from a place in Suffolk, for tho establiah tarot of. ADNINI lON or LAW IN INDIA. —By Mr. BIIIGHT, from inhabitants of Bombay, complaining that the British courts had not observed the 31ahommedan law respecting the inheritance of property, and praying that the provisions of the Charter Act might be better observed in future; also from a native landowner of Bombay, pray ing for alterations in the laws of India.—Mr. Bright gave notice of his intention to move that these petitions be re ferred to tbs Committee on Indian ABain._ _ _ EQUALISATION OS COUNTY RATES.—By Mr. S. WAD-- DINGTON, from Miiilenhall, for the equalisation of Bounty rates. POOR LAW UNIONS.—By Mr. W. 0. STANLEY, from the Cheater Incorporated Union, for better management of pmir-law unions, and abolishing the law of settlement. Lwrrnft-Casuists.—By Mr. BROTRERTON, from the letter carriers of Manchester and the neighbourhood ; Mr. RICE, from the letter-carriers of Dover ; Lord C. CLINTON, from the letter-carriers of Deal, complaining of the inadequacy of their salaries since the abolition of Christmas bozos, and praying the holm to allow them the same privileges and advantages as those alreauy enjoyed by the letter.carriers of the metropolis. APPOINTYRIIT UT MAOISTRSTRI.—By Mr. E. MIALL, from the town commissioners of Rochdale, signed by their chairman, complaining of the vicar of Rochdale, for the use of undue means in procuring the recent appointment of certain additional magistrate. in the petty sessional division of Middleton, and praying for an inquiry iatothe circum stances attending that appointment. Cars or Goon Rora.—By Mr. ADDERLEY, one from Beaufort, Cape of Good Rope, for completion of competi tion unaltered ; and Raked the Under Secretary for the Colonies whether there Is any intention on the part of her Majeey's government to make a convict settlement In say portion of South Africa? Whether the Constitution Aot, with two election chambers, is about to come into force, or be further delayed on questions relating to the franchise in the separation of cast and west provinces? Whether the movement of temps upon the territory of the Basato is likely to lead to a termination of hostilities, or promises a speedy end permanent establishment of British authority over t he Orange River sovereignty ? THE COAL DUTIES. Bir J. V. SHEl:LEYiavenotice that cn Monday next be should move fu a select committee to inquire into the operation of the laws under which taxes or due' were levied on coals in the City of Lmidon and its neighbourhood, and also to inquire into the mode of their collection and expen diture. (Cheers.) Mr. BLACKETT gave notice of his intention to move on the same night for a variety of returns relating to the same subjects. THE WAR IN BURMAR. Bir H. WILLOUGHBY gave notice that, on the motion teat the house do go into a committee of supply on this dsy week, he should none for documents to explain the policy and object of the Burmese war. COUNTY AND UNIVERSITY ELECTIONS. MU 0. BUTT gave notice that on Wednesday *eat he should ask leave to bring in a bill to limit the time between the proclamation and the election for counties, and between the receipt of the writ and the election in boroughs; and also to limit the time of polling in Universities. (Hear.) . . THE LAW COURTS AT WESTMINSTER. Lord R. GROSVENOR gave notice that on Thursday nest he should present a petition from the Law Society of Great Britain, praying for the removal of the courts of law and equity from Westminster to Lincoln's lon. THE JEWISH DISABILITIES. Lord J. RUSSELL gave notice that he shonld postpone his motion from the 22nd to the 24th instant. REGISTRATION RETURNS. Mr. BRIGHT armed for a list of the returns made to the Registrar General of births, deaths, and marriages, pur suant to an act passed in the last session of parliament to amend the law relating to the certifying and registering pima of religious worship of protestant dissenters, pre ceded by espies of the forms and instructions issued by the Registrar General for the preparation, revision, and com pletion of the same ; and showing, in connexion with each return, the total number of certified plume comprised therein, the period over which it extends, by whom the re turn wee made, and the mode in which it was afterwards tested and verified. Analysis and summary of the said re turns, showing decennially the number of plasm certified in each coact, of England and Wales by sellsbene nomination, and specifying the 1 Mums from which each county analysis we. semplbed, distinguishing permanent plasm of worship Ms lbw of a tompcgary character, and also distinguishing MEW pions Rom those which are still existing : and statement of the told isornime of places of meeting for religious mosiddp amtlind to the Registrar General under the ahommid set sp to the Ist day of Jan , 1&53, distinguishing the total number of places socertiMdin each of the six protean menthe by each re ligious denomination. Agreed to. THE ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE. Mr. J. WILSON moved that the home, at iu rising, do adjourn till Monday next.—Agreed s. INTOLERANCE IN SPAIN. Sir R. INOLIS begged to put to his noble friend the Secretary for Foreign Affairs • question of which he had given him public end private poem. It had reference to a cleave which had been issued by the Spanish government on the 17th of November, by which it was declared that no foreigner, whether domiciled in Spain, or merely travelling =h that country, should profess say other than the e, apostolic, and Roman religios. Now if this de cree had related to Spanish subjects. and to Spanish sub jects only, he might have admitted that it would not have been a fair subject for introduction into this house. Whether the King of Dahomey had an army of men or women ; and whether he could put 6,000 of them to death at once, was a matter which, as Christians, they might deplore, and, as men of humanity, they might well desire should be abolished ; but they would have no right to to war with the King of Dahomey, or any other kindred move reigs, on account of any such enormity. This decree applied as much to any subject of these realms travelling in Spain as to the su bjects of that country; and it was due, not only to our common character as protestant" or Englis hmen, but to the great intercourse of social life throughout Europe, that such an interdiction should not, in the year 1852, be applied to any Englishmen, or to any one professing what he believed to be true. This was not a mere interdiction ;against holding public meetings or Teaching in Spain. There were municipal laws in Eng land which equally prevented any person from preaching or holding public meetings without a license. The decree, which appeared in the Madrid Gazette of the 25th of No vember, bore date on the 17th of that month; and it stated, in the 25th article of the 3rd chapter, that no stranger, whether domiciliated or travelling in Spain, should profess in that country any other religion than that of the catholic apostolic church of Rome. He asked the noble lord at the head of Foreign Affairs whe ther it was consistent with their duty as members of that house, or with his duty, as having control of the later course between his rover, ign and foreign powers, that such • decree should be permitted to pass unnoticed by the go vernment, and unrecalled by the government that issued it ? When he first heard of it, it seemed so utterly incredible that he had menti.ned it to the late secretary for foreign affairs, and that noble lord promised to write to Spain to ascertain if such • decree bad been really issued. He believed the noble lord had received some information now. He begged to ask whether he had or had not received such informa tion ; if he had, whether it was his intention to lay it on the table of the house; and whether or not, in the name of the Queen of this protestant country, he had taken some mea sures to redrew the possible or probable wrongs which such • decree unaltered might produce to her Majesty's protes tant subjects ? lle was not to be told that it was a mere paper decree. (Hear, hear.) It might be convenient to the court of Spain not to put it into force against the subjects of this country ; but so long as it remained unrepealed, the time might not be distant when it might be as convenient to the government of Spain to act upon it, and to seise an En glish subject, as had been done before, for professing his conscientious belief in the protestant religion—not because he was opening a conventicle contrary to the law, or preaching in the street, but because he assembled his own family for protestant worship. (Hear.) - - - - - ---- • - - • • - - . . Mr. M. MILNES satd that, before the noble lord an swered the question, ho wished to ask another incidental to this subj,..ct. It had been stated, not long ago, by the then foreign minister, that after lamb./ negotiations with the Spanish government, permission had at lest been given to open a protestant burial-ground near the city of Madrid. At that time a limitation had been made, which since con tinued—that no religious ceremony should be rrformed over the g I the persons thus interred. This condi don was altogether so derogatory to thrition which a protestant country like England had a • to assert, that he would ask the noble lord, if It stilt moth:toed, if he would have any objection to instruct our 're at Madrid to re-open the question with she mint, so that this most disgraceful might to exit. Lord J. RUSSELL—With respect to the question of my right hon. friend the member for the University of Ozford, I have to state that It is certainly true that, by the 25th article of the decree he has referred to, it Is declared that no stranger or foreigner shall profess in Spain any other than the catholic and apostolic Roman religion. The noble lord who preceded me in the Foreign-sffice asked for en ex- 1 planation of this decree ; and I hold in my hand the an swer which Lord Bowden gave to his despatch. (The noble lord then read Lord Howden's despatch, but in so low a tons of voice that barely its purport could be ga thered. We understood it to be that his lordship bid re, ceived a communication from the Spanish foreign minister, stating that the contents of the said article did not in the slightest degree change the practice hitherto observed, nor would any alteration be introduced thereby with respect to the point to which the said article referred.) If my right hon. friend has any wish that the despatches relating to the said article should be laid before the house, I have no ob jection to comply with it. With regard to the question respecting the burial-ground, there has been some correspondence on that subject. A spot of ground for burial there was offered by the Spanish government. Some conditions were attached to burial there; but no question has been raised with respect to the performance of religious ceremonies at the burial of protestants, unless it were to the erection of a chapel on the ground. Sir it. INGLIS begged to thank the noble lord for the offer he had made, and to express his hope that the papers would be laid on the table of the house as soon as might be. MORTALITY IN EMIGRANT SHIPS. Mr. DILDYARD wished to inquire of the Under-Se cretary of State for the Colonies whether the government had caused inquiry to be made into the mortality which, according to recent accounts from Australia, took place on board four vessels chartered by the Emigration Commis sionen to Convey emigrants between the porta of Liverpool and Melbourne. It appeared by these accounts that, in a passage of 64 days, no less then 104 persons perished ; and • great proportion of the remainder arrived at ldelboarne in a state of great prostration and sickness. Us wished to ask if there had been a strict investigation into this matter, more particularly with regard to the number of emigrants taken en board these vessels, and the means adopted for ventilating the lower decks thereof. Mr. PEEL said the Colonial-ollee bad received no par ticulars with respect to the mortality on board of oae of theme vessels. They knew that 100 deaths had taken place on board, and that on their arrival at Melbourne no less than 300 persons were sick in some way or other. No doubt a great mortality had occurred on board these four vessels. They were of an unusual kind, and carried more thau en ordinary number of passengers, having two decks for passengers. It had never been the practice of the Emi gration Board to pat passengers on board vessels with more than a single deck ; but the state of the shipping market at the limo when these vessels were taken up rendered it una voidable on the part of the board to engage them, no other vessels being tendered at the time. On board the three vessels there had been no less than 179 deaths, but of these no less than 163 were children; and there was board the lour vessels an unusual number of children in proportion to adults. That arose from a relaxation of the regulations of the Emigration Commissioners, made in compliance with the urgent representations of parties connected with the colony and with its pastoral and industrial pursuits. But immediately on the commissioners receiving intelligence of this deplorable lass of life, they issued instructions that no vessels with more than a single deck should be engaged by their agents, and they refused to take families at the ex pense of the colony having more than two children under 7, or three under 10 years of age. Be believed these pre cautions would prevent the recurrence of the disaster. Full particulars of t►e three vessels had been received, and they had been referred to the Emigration Board, withdi reetions to report on their contents. That report would be received in • few days, and there would be no objection to lay all the particulars before the house. METROPOLITAN GRAVEYARDS. Lord D 7 if (iat wished to Dail the attention er the noble Secretary fur the Home Department to the state of the graveyards in the metropolis, which was generally con sidered to be most injurious to the public health, and most d:sgraceful. The feelings of the public were °Hewitt', and their health endangered, by seeing funerals per formed in churchyards in immediate contiguity to the street. There were many instances—one in parti cular he wished to refer to—the church-yard of St. Clement Danes, in the Strand. Yet, complaints had been made of that church-yard ; and he knew instances of persons who had been struck with malt serious diseases in consequence of merely passing along the street. A gentleman with whom ho was acquainted had happened to pass along the street while a funeral was going on ; he was immediately' struck with a most virulent disease, which assumed an ap pelicans, something very like the plague—with swelling under the arms; and he lay for a considerable time in a state of most dangerous illness. These funerals were taking place every day; and he knew that medical men of emi nence considered it dangerous for persons to pass down the street. Many lost their lives every year from merely pass ing while funerals were going on. He was assured by medical men that they had frequently seen putrid flesh and blood thrown up by the grave-diggers when these funerals were going oa. He wished to ask the noble lord whether his attention had been called to this matter, and whether he would not exercise his authority to put an end to so disgraceful a scene. Viscount PALMERSTON—The subject to which my noble friend has alluded was brought under my notice by a deputation from the pariah to which that churchyard be longs, and the result was, a meeting of the vestry was held, an application was made to me, by order in council, to shut up that graveyard ; sad that order in council will as soon as possible be pared. (Hear, hear.) With regard to the question generally. I can only repeat the words of my ' noble friend, and say that the condition of the graveyards in this metropolis is, s generally, a disgrace to a civilised community. Hear, r.) And Ido trust that the different parishes, with whom it rests, in the first place, to take the primary stops with a view to correct so dreadful an evil, will not be deterred by any considerations of local expense from taking thews precautions which are necessary to remove from the metropolis a source of pestilence; fur it cannot be doubted that if the cholera, which is raging in come parts of the Continent, should visit this island, and should prevail In this metropolis, this source of pestilence will be attended with most tliwtrous effects. (Hear, hear.) I assure the house that the attention of the goverment will be most anxiously directed to this subject. The motion for adjournment was then put and agreed to. SIR CHARLES WOOD ON THE STATE OF PRANCE. _ Mr. DISRAELI—I beirtsTgiv; notice that oa Monday next, I shall pat a question to the right hon. rottenest, the President of the Board of Camtrol, if he is then in his Place ; or if, unfortunately, he be not among us, per haps some of his colleagues may give a reply to it. The question will have reference to a passage in a speech repre sented to have been made at Halifax very recently by the right hon. gentleman ; and that there may be no mis take, and that an answer may be given to the question on Monday, I will read the paragraph in question. Address ing his constituents and the people of Halifax a few days back, he bad occasion among other subjects to advert to our foreign relations; and he referred to France in this language Take our nearest neighbours. Such a des potism never prevailed in France, even in the time of Na poleon the First. (Hear.) The press gagged—liberty sap preseed—no man allowed to speak his opinion—the neigh bouring country of Belgium forced to gag her press —no press is Europe free bat ours, which, thank God, he cannot gag. (Applause.) And hence his hatred of oar press that it alone dares to speak the truth." (Loud cheers.) I give notice that, on Monday, I will ask the right hon. gentleman whether he has been correctly reported, as I think it is convenient we should have an an swer on that subject before we come to any votes respecting our armaments. (" Hear, hear," and laughter.) THE ECCLESIASTICAL TITL E S ACT. Mr. SPOONER begged to ask Lord John Russell, whether Mr. Badleir had any authority for saying, on the hustings at Carlow, that " the noble lord bad proffered a political refutation of the course which he had taken with respect to the Eceleeisstical Titles Bill, which that distin guished nobleman had had the manliness to proffer • " and for saying, " that the principle of the Ecclesiastica l Titles Bill had been deliberately and openly abandoned ; " and to ask the noble lord, whether the noble lord still thinks that the aggression of the Pope, which induced his lordship to bring forward the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill, was "insolent and insidious," and fully justified the intaeduction of that measure. Lord J. RUSSELL—When I saw that report in the newspapers, I did not think it necessary to ask Mr. Sad lair for any explanation, thinking that the statement was so obviously incorrect, that it could not have been made by that gentleman. However, Mr. Sedleir has to-day volun tarily informed me that the report, as I had sup. posed, was entirely incorrect ; certain words (he says) were attributed to him by the tory jour nals which he n used. He goes on to state— " What I did say was, in effect, that the composition of the government gave to the Irish people a guarantee that the Ecclesiastical Titles Act would not be relied on to abridge religious liberty in Ireland. I said that tho acceptance of ! o ffi ce by Lord Russell, in conjunction with those who bed opposed the principles of the Ecclesiastical Titles Act. ought to be regarded as a refutation of the false charge that he would use that act so as to injure the catholic. of the United Kingdom." This is the statement which I have re ceived, and it is a statement of which I have no reason to complain. I may say, however, that it never was intended, nor would it have been permitted, while Lord Clarendon was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and with my other col leagues who then held office, that the Ecclesiastical Titles Act should he used to infringe the religious liberties of Roman catholic*. (Hear, hear.) The hon. gentleman goes on to ask whether I still think that the aggression of the Pope was insolent and insidious, and was such as fully to justify the introduction of that measure. I certainly think that the hon. gentleman has taken a very considerable lau titude in making inquiry as to my thoughts. (Laughter.) However, as he is curious on that subject, I have only to say that I still think the same as I thought two years ago. (Loud cheers from Mr. Spooner.) CASS OF 711 - MADIAI. Mr. RINRAIRD asked whethLr any paper+ or extracts of correspondence relating to the case of the Medial would be laid before the house ? Lord J. RUSSELL said he could not give a positive answer until he had made inquiry at the Foreign•oftiec. If melt documents were prepared, he should have no objection to lay them on the table of the boost, THE CAPE._ Ia answer to some queiiiii:Tnalr;osMr. ADDIRLIT, Mr. PEEL stated that the franchise end all the other matters relating to the constitution of the Caps of Good Hope were still under the consideration of the government; but he believed the matter was in such a state of forward ness as would admit of the constitutional ordinances being sent out by the mail next month. No intention existed oil the part ef the government of establishing a convict settle ment in South Africa. It was true that General Cathcart had advanced with about 2,000 troops into a certain inde pendent territory, bat he bad no intentio n of us i ng t h ose troops in a way hostile to the native tribe. THE TURKISH EMBASSY. Lord D. STUART asked whether, in the present state of the affairs of Turkey, it was intended to leave this coun try any longer unrepresented at Constantinople ? Lord J. RUSSELL—I saw Lord Stratford de Redcliffe to-day, having had several previous communications with him ; and it is now arranged that he shall go out almost immediately. TRANSFER OF AIDS BILL. ' This bill was read a second time. THE TEA DUTY. Mr. MACGREGOIt bad placed on the paper the fol lowing notice : " That the duties on sugar having been su`tjected to gradual reductions from rates of 655. per cat. on foreign growth, and 245. per cwt. on colonial growth, so that all sugars will be admitted at a uniform rate of 10s. per cwt. for home consumption in 1865; and at rates on coffee from the several duties of Is. 3d., is., and 91. per pound on fore'gn growth, and from 6d. per pound on colonial growth, to an uniform duty of 3J. per pound on all coffee—it is just and expedient to reduce the duty on tea of 2s. Id. per pound and 6 per cent. to a duty , not exceeding Is. per pound. Anil should it be the opinion of this house that such reduction cannot, consist ently with the state of the revenue, ha immediately effected, then that the duty be reduced to Is. 4d. per pound, and then by 3,1. annually to Is. per pound." He stated that he had made this proposal before the scheme of the late Chancellor of the Exchequer was submitted. We had re duced the duties on every article of consumption except tea ; and on none was it more required than on that article, ' which was not only one of general use, but of necessity, to the middle and labouring classes. Notwithstanding the high duty, its consumption had increased in an extraordi nary degree, owing to the establishment of free trade. The greatest amount imported in one year was about 64 millions of pallid*. As the Chancellor of the Exchequer mast soon bring forward his financial statement, he (Mr. Macgregor) would not press his motion, but would 1 he question in the hands of the right hon. gentleman, confident that ho would feel the importance of dealing with it. The motion was then withdrawn. METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENTS. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved (or leave to introduce a hi:lto authorise advances from the con solidated fund to discharge money borrowed for metropolitan improvements on the security of the crown estates, and to charge the same on the London-bridge approaches fund. Leave was given. UNION OF BENEFICES, &e. ' Mr. FREWEN moved that the house should resolve itself into a committee to consider the acts I and 2 Vie., c. 10G, and 13 and It Vie., c. 93, with a view to bring in a bill to amend the same, so far as relates to the union of bene fices, and for the better securing the residence of the clergy, and also to promo e and allow the building of churches and chapels in certain eases. The house went into committee (Mr. J. Wilson in the chair), and agreed to the necessary resolution. The house resumed, and leave was given to bring in the bill. The house adjourned at a quarter before ail o'clock. THE MARQUIS OF LANSDOWNE AND MIL CHRISTOPHER. The following are copies of a correspondence which has taken Waal between Lord Lansdowne and Mr. Christopher, M.P.: . . " Bowood, Feb. 6. " Sir,—l have read with some astonishment in the rs news- 1 pape of yesterday the report of your speech at Linc o l n on Friday last, in which you are represented to have stated it as a fact, and to have founded an argument on the fact so assumed, that on one of the days preceding the &r -eunion and division in the House of Commons on Mr. Dis• raeli's budget, on Friday, the 17th of December, there was a large meeting of the Whig party held at Lansdowne House for the purpose of considering what was to be done on Lor d Derby's overthrow. " Asthere is no difference in their reports, except that in one the Wednesday preceding is specifically mentioned to have been the day on which this large meeting took place, while it was only inn rr.d to have been the day in the other, ' I presume them to be substantially correct. I beg, therefore, to state for your information, and that of thaw whom you address, that you are completely in error, and that there is not even the shadow of a foundation for the fact alleged. "No such meeting took place, no such meeting was pro pased to be held, and, iu the position in which I then con sidered myself to stand, bud any such meeting been pro to be held, I should have objected to its being held pro posed z e n d y house. " I may further add, that although it would not have been surprising if I had conversed on a matter of public interest with any persons with whom I was acquainted, it so happened that, from being confined to my room, I did not, before I was honoured with her id.ijosty's commands (after Lord Derby had actually resigned) to attend her at Osborne, which I was prevented from obeying by severe in disposition communicate with any leading person, either of that which you describe as the Whig or of the Peelite party, or see Lord Aberdeen,lts I did after that event, by her Majesty's command, at my own house. " I hope, therefore, I may he permitted to inquire upon what authority you conceived yourself justified in making public a statement so entirely founded in error. I have the honour to be, your obedient servant, " LANSDOWNE." Bloxholm, Sleaford, Feb. 9. "My Lord,—Your lordship's letter, dated from Bowood on the sth of this month, owing to its misdirection, reached me last night. I mention this that your lordship may not suppose me deficient in courtesy in not taking the earliest opportunity of answering it. " Your lordship's impression of what I stated at Lincoln on Friday last, in all essential particulars, with a slight variation, is substantially correct. What I stated was this that on the Wednesday of the week during the debate on Mr. Disraeli's budget, an influential meeting (not large, as stated in the report) of the leaders of the whig party took place at your lordship's house; that I was unable to tell what occurred at that meeting, but that on the same day Lord John Russell left town for Woburn Abbey, and met Lord Aberdeen, who at that time was the guest of the Duke of Bedford.' " I am .not able, in answer to your lordship's request, to state the precise authority from which I derived this information, but, as it formed the topic of general con versation a persons of opposite political opinions at the Carlton and Travellers' Clubs, as well as in the precincts of the House of Common', and, if I be not mistaken, was commented on by the public pram, I received it as a fact, and believed it to be such till I got your lordship's letter yesterday. It appears from that letter that I have been under a misapprehension as to what really took piece. I beg to express my regret at having made any statement which &ems to have been founded in error, and which has been the cause of a moment's uneasiness to your lordship.—My, Lord, I have the honour to be your lordship's very obe dient, humble servant, A. CzanTorass.." CLERICAL PROTEST AGAINST THE ROTAL LETTER ON EDUCATION.—The royal letter en education recently issued on behalf of the National Society has brought forth a protest from the evangelical party in the church of Eng• land, and a memorial to the Queen upon the subject has already received a very large number of signatures. The memorialists, after suitable professions of obedience, submit to her Majesty that " they are not fully persuaded in their minds that the affairs of the society for which they are thus required to plead, are conducted according to the true and protestant principles of the established church ; on the con teary, they have reason to believe that a party in the church who incline towards Romish errors, exercise undue intiu 'nee in the councils of the society, and that restrictions arc thus laid upon the clergy, and terms of union pre scribed which interfere with their liberty of judgment and action. And your petitioners are further informed that in the training, or normal colleges of the society, or in some of them (which colleges they regret to find now, for the first time, introduced into the preamble of the royal letter), principles are inculcated and practices observed of a dangerous and Popish tendency ; after which they pray that, seeing there are many ether societies for which the memorialists are called to plead, quite as nearly connected with the church, but without the aid of a royal letter, and that the National Society itself professes to be a voluntary institution, that they (the clergy) may be permitted to un derstand the royal letter as a recommendation, not as a command—that so their consciences may be relieved from the burden of disobedience on the one hand or of insincerity on the other." PUBLIC DINNER TO ARCHIBALD HASTIE, ESQ., M.P. role PAISLEY.—Tbe friends and political supporters of Archibald Mastic, Esq., M.P. for Paisley, entertained that gentleman at a public dinner on Tuesday, in the Aber corn Assembly Rooms. Wm. Phillip., Esq., Provost of Paisley, occupied the chair, supported upon the right by Mr. Hestia M.P. the honourable guest of the evening, the Right Hoe. Lord Panmure, Alexander Murray Dun lop, Eq., M.P. for Greenock; Robert R. Glasgow, Esq., sherifi substitute for the upper ward of th e count y ; James Coats, Esq., of Ferguslie ; and Alex. Gibson, F.sq., justice I of peace clerk for the county ; and on the left by the Right Hon. the Earl of Glasgow, Colonel Mure, of Caldwell, ! M.P. fur Renfrewshire ; Robert Farquharson, Esq., of Alargue ; Henry Erskine, Esq., Bombay Civil Service; John hi• Vicar, Eaq., of Finnart ; Bailie Jack and Bailie Sharp. David Murray, Esq., Wm. Sharp, Esq., Thomas Coats. Eq., of Ferguslie House, and Archibald Hutchin son, Esq., officiated as croupiers. WOODS, FORESTS, AND LAND REVENUES.—From ) the 30th report of the Commissioners of Woods, Forests, and Land - Revenues, just published, it appears that the gross income for the year ending 31st March, 18,32, in re spect of the laid revenue, amounted to 297,4031. 19s. Gd., and the gross expenditure to 87,7151. 15s. 10d. ; the gnu income of the royal forests and wood lands was 61,4371.5 d., and the gross expenditure 4926/. 11.. 7d. ; and the gross income of the royal perks, gardens, &:., was 8,616/.175. 2,1., and the gross expenditure 21,25.11. 193.9 d. The total gross income for the year on the three accounts was, therefore, 367,4891. 17s. 1.1., and the total gross expenditure 150,8981. 10r. 2d.; leaving a balance of 216,5911. Go. 114., as surplus income oycr expenditure. CLERICAL, MEDICAL, and GENERAL LIFE AtlBol . l . .ANgt 50=7, No. 99, oTeid ittiMetT-Mreit,l3k;tiembary. The ANNUAL 13 CHIRAL id mats° of Proprietors will be he'd, at the Mee of the Society, on THURSDAY, the 3rd day of March nest, at One o'clock preeuely, at width meeting five Directors. one Trustee, and one A (on the part of the Proprietors) will be WNW. Any or desirous of proposing a candidate for the office of Director. or Auditor. mat send the name of such candidate to the Secretary, at least fourteen days before the day of meeting. The ballot aril: 0302170(100111 at eleven o'clock and close at two o'clock. An election of an Auditor on the part of the Assured will also take place on Wednesday, the 2a4 day of March, between the hours of clams and two o'clock. AU peraciesi assured far the whole tents of life, cad qualined to rote, ate hereby re:crred to the conditions en thused oa Unit policies 'or information coneernine the candidate to WA=GEORGE H. PINCKAUD, sidelfl Secretary. 10th, 11153. Zht Orprelos. TO CORRESPONDENTS. 4 044 , 414 Mitten of " The Express," eosteating the wee flesetto," is pablielted every Teseday ead Witty eight, iu time kr post. A ' , attenuate %tended for The Expree,"Lealea E*Pateg paper, m.ie be at the °Moe, 10. 80401444-1111/41. by Two °Wool' on the ley of publiowloo. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. tars Dkb--Mornikt. 4k. bk. bak. Eakozacm—Mornuai, 11. ska.„...—..Altkbabeis, 5 3JO. LONDON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12. TILE LORD CLIANCELLOR has promised to explain on Monday the intentions of the Government on the subject of Legal Reform. The topic is a large one, but there will be no better test for trying the sin cerity of the present Cabinet as Law Reformers, than their mode of dealing with the jurisdiction of the Ecclesiastical Courts. One portion of this juris diction—that relating to matters testamentary—is now before the Chancery Commission, to whom three Ecclesiastical Court lawyers were added by Lord ST. LEONARD'S, with a view of inquiring into the general subject of testamentary jurisdiction in the different courts of the country. It was to the Com mission, thus altered in its constitution by the late CLIANCELLOR, that Lord JOAN RUSSELL re ferred on the first day of the session, inti mating that he was disposed to wait a rea sonable Limo for the Commissioners' report, but that, in case of delay, Government would be prepared to come forward with a plan of its own. We own that on this part of the subject we can see no need for further inquiry. The evils of the exist ing system have been over and over again investi gated and exposed, nor is the difficulty of discover ing an adequate remedy so great as to afford any pretext for further delay. Englishmen in general are so little acquainted with the nature of the laws they live under, that it may be as well just briefly to recapitulate some of the more prominent absurdities connected wi,h the present state of testamentary jurisdiction. The evils of the existing system may be classed under two heads. Firstly, The defective state of the law connected with the probate or proof of wills. Se condly, The conflict of jurisdiction between the Courts of Equity, the Courts of Common Law, and the Ecclesiastical Courts in all questions relating to the validity and construction of wills; to the adminis tration of assets, and tho regulation and control of executors' accounts. The law relating to the proof of wills is in a state of hopeless absurdity. In the first place the ne cessity of proof at all only applies to wills disposing of personal property ; a will devising landed estate alone, to whatever amount, need not be proved. It, of course, very rarely happens that a will disposes of landed estate alone, without any personalty. Prac tically, tbereforc, almost all wills are proved ; but this proof applies only to so much of the will as disposes of the personalty ; it confers no title on those to whom the real property is devised. The consequence is that a will may be established to be a good will as far as personal estate is concerned, and yet declared invalid as far as real estate is concerned. In which ease either the legatees unjustly receive their legacies or the devisees of tho real estate are unjustly deprived of their lands. But greater absurdities remain behind. Supposing it established that the will requires proof, the question is, where must it be proved ? As a ge neral rule, it must be taken by the executor to I the Diocesan Court of the district where the testator resided: but mark at what peril. If the testator at his death should happen to per sonal property, or have debts owing )l i : M iles t s o the amount of 51. in any other diocese, the proof of the will goes for nothing ; the cost of probate and stamp, and court and proctor's fees, have to be all incarred again, and the unlucky executor has again to go through the same troublesome and expensive process de noro. Two consequences arise from this absurdity : first, that where the property is small the will is often not proved at all ; secondly, where it is of large amount, probate is taken out not in the Diocesan Court at all, but in the Provincial or Prerogative Courts of Canterbury or York. This remedy is not only expensive, but incomplete; it may of course happen that the deceased died possessed of personalty in each of the two provinces, in which case the exe cutor is not safe unless he takes out probate in both the Prerogative Courts. Such, in extremely faint outline, is a sketch of the first great evil of the present system—the law re lating to the proof of wills. Obviously a grosser or more vexatious abuse can hardly be conceived. All may see its absurdity: none but those wh o h ave looked into the evidence can be aware of the sums it has been the means of wasting, and the vexation, misery, and contention to which it has given rise. Now what is the remedy ? The first step must be to make a clean sweep of all existing regulations; next to establish one uniform system of proving all wills which shall possess universal validity; then to insti tute, either in connexion with the county courts, or otherwise, local officers for taking probate, with a regulated scale of moderate fees, so that any one named as executor, however poor or ignorant, should have no more difficulty of obtaining proof of his will than he now has in procuring a county court summons, and far less, if possible, than he has in getting his name on the register of voters. But the difficulties and expenses of the probate system arc onl , part of the evils of our testamentary jurisdiction. Still greater anomalies arise out of :he conflict of the courts. The state to which things have grown in this department is singularly charac teristic of the longer of our legislature, the patience of our fellow-citizens, and the astuteness of our lawyers. After ■ will has been formally proved, two classes of questions may arise upon it : Ist. Wu it a valid will ?—i. e. was it duly executed and attested, and was the testator at the time he made it so far sane as to have what the lawyers call a devising mind? 2nd. Assuming this to be so, is the language of the will so clear as to leave no possible doubt as to the testator's intentions ; or, if on the other hand, it may bear more than one meaning, which interpre tation is the court to put upon it ? Ordinary minds would, a priori, suppose that any one properly constituted tribunal was fully adequate to entertain and solve both these classes of questions. But the livr of England, " whose wisdom," as some sage of the law has somewhere said, " is greater than any man's wisdom," has, in the exercise of that wisdom, decided the contrary. Do you wish to try the validity of a will of per sonal property ? You must carry you suit into the Ecclesiastical Court,—where you will be denied the assistance of a jury,—deprived of the power of riva twee examinatiuu,—% here examiners appointed by the Court will, at vast expense to you, reduce all the depositions of the witnesses to writ ing,—where a single judge, after the tedi ous interposition of infinite formalities, will have to adjudicate upon this painfully collected mass I of dead testimony, by rules unknown to the common law, and on principles repudiated in Westminster Hall. On the other hand, is the will you wish to establish or overthrow one which disposes of real property? In this case the law indulges you with that mode of trial which to our antiquated English prejudices still appears to afford the best, if not the only, medium for eliminating the truth of facts from masses of conflicting evidence; you may enter your cause at the sittings or the assizes and have your case heard by a jury of your peers. Once more: a difficulty arises on the construction of the language in which the testator has endea voured to express his intentions. lu order to solve this difficulty you must go not to the Ecclesiastical Courts, not to the Courts of Common Law, but—to the High Court of Chancery—and this, not because there is any incapacity in the Courts of Common Law for deciding on questions of construction ; so far is this from being the case, that the Chancery e'udge, when puzzled by a knottier point than usual, often refers it in the form of a case for the opinion of the common law bench, but solely because the Courts of Common Law are un provided with any forms iu which the question may be raised, and have no powers of dealing with trustees whose interests are of course often, in fact almost ittvariabiy, involved .n the decision of causes testamentary. It is not quite over yet : one more anomaly re mains behind. You wish to enforce a due distribu tion of the assets of an intestate; you have occasion to sue an executor for your legacy, or find it desirable to look into his accounts or to investigate some ap parent breach of duty by devisees in trust :—for each and all these purposes you must go into the Court of Chancery or nowhere. It would be a waste of words to attempt further to show the lolly and the absurdity of all this. Any mind of average intelligence comprehends that at a glance, and at once passes on to the question, what remedy can be proposed? The answer is short and simple. Entirely abolish the whole juris diction of the Ecclesiastical Courts in the matter of wills. All will causes where the amount of property was comparatively trifling, might be left to the juris diction of the County Courts—all above the limited amount should be tried in the Superior Courts of Common Law. But in order to make these courts fully adequate to all the purposes of complete testa mentary jurisdiction fur the trial of will causes, both the County Courts and the Superior Courts might be clothed with all the powers now possessed by Courts of Equity. Another incidental argument in favour of this transfer of will causes to the Common Law Courts, arises from tie present division of bu s iness iu West minster-hall. The Chancery Courts are overladen with work; one, at least, of the Common Law tri bunals is enjoying the enforced leisure of halt' work on whole pay. Every ono acquainted with the sub ject will admit the great judicial force of the Court of Common Pleas, and yet, unles we are much misinformed, these powerful sages of the law aro scarcely doing enough to give them a conscientious appetite for the meridian chop and sherry which is understood to form the occasional solace of justice in the more secret penetralia of her temple. This ought not to be : the energies of dusts excellent and learned men ought notto run to waste, nor the country to be paying for a superabundance of judicial force. Both inconveniences might be avoided by transferring to the Court of Common Pleas a plenary jurisdiction both legal and equitable over all wills, whether of reality or of personalty, where the property exceeds a given amount. INSURRECTION AT MILAN. Ore evammtnra TaLzon•ru PARIS, SATUILDAY, 8.30 A. 31. The government has received news, dated 10th, from Milan. Order was entirely re-established there. FRANCE. PARIS, FRIDAY EVENING. Their Majesties went to the Theatre Francais last night to see the first representation of a new comedy by Madame Emile de Girardin, culled " Lady Tar luffe." This was the first visit of the Empress to a theatre since her elevation to the throne, and that circumstance alone would have sufficed to fill tho house to the ceiling. But, independently of the im perial visit, an unusual decree of curiosity existed in the mind of the play-going public to be present at the performance. " Lady Tartuffe" was long an nounced in the bills of the Francais, and has frequently been postponed. From reasons of personal pique and literary jealousy, beside my purpose to enlarge upon, a rumour was current that certain literary coteries had con spired to damn the play. Numbers had secured places last night to see the fun, without knowing that Emperor would be present. It is now given out that he went on purpose to insure a fair hearing for Madame do Giraruin's work, hissing being, of course, out of the question in the Imperial presence. M. Billet's abominable pamphlet, the Lettres Franques, is represented by the CollBiitutionnel as a legi timist manoeuvre. The legitimists, finding all chance of overturning the government by peaceable means hopeless, think to foment a war, and then take ad vantage of it to effect a third restoration. Such is the explanation offered by the Bonapartist writer, Arnett& de Cesenn, who signs the article. It was yesterday stated at the Palais do Justice, that all the persons recently arrested had been interro gated during the day by tho examining magistrate. The principal charge brought against them will be, it is said, the propagation of false news. It is the almost universal opinion that the government has made a sad blunder in instituting this prosecution. Tho prisoners will be defended by resolute advocates, who will contend that the sending of news, admit ting it to be " false," in a private letter to a foreign country, is not an offence known to the law. Recent legislation has withdrawn political libels from the jurisdiction of juries, and referred them to the tri bunal of Correctional Police. But an appeal lies from this court to the Imperial Court of Appeal, and ultimately to the Court of Cassation. Some show of law most be made out to obtain a judgment from those courts, the judges of which are irremoveable. It is believed that the prosecutioll, if based upon the ground stated, must fail, and that government will be much damaged in the process. The Presse states that M. de Chantelauze, at whose residence the police paid a visit to examine his papers, as already stated, is not the son but the nephew of M. de Chantelauze who was one of the ministers of Charles X. The Emanei.eation of Brussels says there are no lees than 700 }ranch exiles in Belgium, of whom ten only tue to be found in the amnesty list of the Mo niteur. The congratulatory addresses on the marriage bay* not in every instance been unanimously voted by the municipal councils. At Nismes four or five members refused to sign it, and in consequence of the discus sion that ensued two legitimists in the council, MM. de Vallongues and de Calvieres resigned their scats. At Orleans the municipality was so divided upon the subject, that it was determined not to vote any ad dress as a corporation. 'the Bonapartist section drew up an address, and took it round for individual sig nature to those members willing to concur in it. The Emperor and Empress wen; yesterday to visit the buildings of the Garde-Mouble, and pro ceeded thence to the Louvre, and visited the Museum of the Kings of France, which is about to be almost immediately opened to the public. The Moniteur contains a decree appointing M. de Royer, Procurtur-general of the Imperial Court of Parts, to the office of Procurour-general to the Court of Cessation. The office has been kept open an unu sually long time, probably in the hope that M. I might be induced to accept it. There is now an end to the oft-repeated reports that he was about to do so. M. Roulland, the Advocate-general of the Court of Caseation, succeeds M. de Royer. We read in the Union: Alarming rumours have been of late in circulation res pecting the health of the Couutess de Chambord. We have not bem able to discover the source of these rumours, but we arc happy to be able to contradict them completely. Letters from Venice of the 3rd inst., which arrived yesterday in Paris, speak of the perfect health of the august Princess, u well as that of the Count de Chambord. It appears from the returns of the Bank of Franco that the metallic reserve has fallen off 41 millions in Paris, and increased nearly one million In the branch-banks. Thediscount-accommodation has fallen off 41 millions in l'aria, and tive millions in the provinces. Advances on French ltente have de clined 211 millions in Paris, and 11 millions in the branch banks. Advances on railway securities have fallen off 3 millions in Paris, and increased somewhat more than half a million in the departments. On the side of the liabilities, the notes in circulation have declined 11 millions in Paris, and 41 millions in the branch banks. The account-current of the Treasury has fallen 22 millions. Those of private individuals have also declined 6: millions in Paris, but increased about of a million in the departments. The wlrle amount of the me- Wile reserve is at present 475: mi ll ions to 670: mil -1 lions of notes in circulation. - - The official report of the state of the bank of Franee to the 10th inst., is given in this morning's Monitcur, from which the following itetna are