The Express. — London, England, 1851-09-02 00:00:00

THE ART-JOURNAL 1t LC TI:.ITGD CATALOGIVE tirrou OF THE GREAT EXHIBITION OF 11131. Inttne and valuable WAnem• war ready tar delivery at Oar price of One Okilll.l, elegantly bawd. II .o 101 of MAIM.% and contorts engrarinre of nearly . 1.000 Works a* Art tad Art 'Recurs:lure tur tber with a Table of Ccatente, a 11Wer7 of Use Extubitles ldlasirated be large Exterior sad Interior Eaano, sad by soma armed Cramer' ss tbe tenthly object* of the Es Daly bleisilin Ws Tame Is Webs* ;r it /sabot are. Frr , tra. ewe lass dwelt et Ns largely _lawman( Is sales. The Volans v/ basupplkd by mg looksmor Is hors es washy. ft/item I Claw num,. 13, Paserwalemeene. consequently ill defensible lines, that at the present moment seems more vulnerable than that to wseh 4 concurrence of unlooked for circumstances Unn 41414 60 ' have drawn attention. It cannot be denied that the LadUeda of sttas a class, have undergone setae d g e last five years. Wo have twevor basil the 'poky* , of their faults, which to have .oftea seemed ;sea- . pubic of correction by any discipline less severe than that which they have been compelled to bear. But justice is as much due to the faulty as to the faultless ; and consideration is certainly as much the right of those who have suffered deeply as of those who have never known misfortune. lire fully recognise the claim to consideration which the owners of land in Ireland have upon parliament. We deny that claim • wholly when it assumes the form of injustice to the farmer on the one hand or to the labourer on the i other. The possessors of real property have no equitable claim to exercise arbitrary power over their tenantry, or to enhance the price of the labourer's food We shall always resist, as we have ever done, any legislative steps which tend to the re construction of either food monopoly or territorial serf hood. We know of no reason why the necessary deal ings between man and man regarding land should not i be governed by the same principles, and by the same practice, as dealings with respect to money, or ships, or cattle. And as for laws to secure a false price for corn, we need hardly repeat the oft-told reasons why we regard all such interference with the natural I fluctuations of market value as rank robbery and wrong. But if at a time when an artificial system subsisted, parliament interposed between the tithe owner and tithepayer, and, in a spirit of equitable arbitration, impaled upon the latter terms of com mutation of his liability which confessedly were based upon the artificial system alluded to, we see no valid reason why, in rigid fulfilment of its own intent, parliament should not now amend the literal terms of the compromise, so as in substance to carry out its original meaning. By the sliding scale, one of two things was sought to be attained: namely, an equable price for wheat, higher than its intrinsic worth in the free market of the world ; or such an occasional price in years of statutable scarcity, as to compensate for the more moderate profit of intervenin g years. Experience abun dandy proved that the former aimwas altogether illu sory. Steadiness of price was found to be wholly unattainable by law ; but " compensating profits," as they were termed, were doubtless made during par ticUlar seasons; and it was upon a septennial average designed to include the latter that the Irish tithe commutation and tithe rent-charge acts were founded. By the first the variable payment was con verted (as it was subsequently in England) into an average of preceding years ; by the other, the pri mary liability was, in consideration of a certain abatement, transferred from the occupier to the owner of land. This last named arrangement was considered at the time a most beneficial one for the church. The state of political feeling was such that the exaction of the commuted tithe from the farming class had become well nigh impossib'e, and the clergy gladly accepted the proffered compromise, by which, on the relinquishment of 25 per cent. of a pre carious and ill-paid income, they became possessors of a rent-charge on the fee-simple of the whole kingdom. The rate of the rent-charge of course continued to be regulated by the scale of averages; and this, from 1838 to 11416, was materially affected by the existing corn-law. While the cost of living remained what it was in 1838, the income of the clergy was neither more nor less than it was intended to be by parliament in pass ing the act introduced in that year by Lord CAR LISLE, the secretary for Ireland, and which was long after associated with the recollection of his popular and humane administration of affairs in that country. But when by the fiscal reforms of Sir Roamer PLEL's government the cost of living was substan tially lowered, and when by the abrogation of mono poly the price of corn in ordinary years was in effect made the standard price at all times, it is clear that so much was indirectly added to the value of ' the tithe rent-charge, and that after seven years shall have expired front the date of the free admission of foreign wheat into these king ' doms, the revenues of the established church will by the operation of the system of averages participate in the general change. Meanwhile, however, the clergy have an advantage it was never intended they should possess. The • average fur 1851, for example, includes the extraor dinary prices of 1817 ; so will that of 1852; and so will that of 1833. Is this just ce fair? Zhe Orortssfs. TO CORRESPONDENTS. frond La km et The Wren." •••01aag I km, mai ewore. A Gums," ribilebed erg Torday sad Map sight, in tire kir prL .rpt, toton.led for The Exprri," Lorre Emits paper, Bawd be at the tidies, le, BeareziasUest, by Two o'clock ow the dr porwados. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE . Ten D4T—Morsise, G. 24a. Atterstwq To.souow—lfonaleg, ;h. 17w /Ammo. 7e. 47 0. LO.VDON, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 IT appears to us that one great object, if not the chief one, of electoral reform, should be to do away with a principle which ought never to have been allowed to creep into our system of government, but which of late years has become of such general use, that nothing important is carried without it. Me allude to the principle of intimidation. Whenever a great question is now put forward in England.a question of progress—and, thank heaven, no other can be brought forward with a chance of success—this question is not carried by fair voting and divisiun of party against party, class against class, interest against interest; for if such questions were to be decided by the numbers of those possessed of poli tical power, Elie ral propositions would have no chance. The popular interest is not represented in proportion to that which keeps it down. But what is wanting in constitutional forceissupplied by the forceof intimate. in. The minority bluster. They declare that they are the people; and the plea is so true, that the classes which, if adhering to their selfish interests, could fling back every popular advance, then give way, not to argument, but to prudence; not to love for the gond folk more humbly placed than they, but to dread. In fact, our legislative history has become a Perils of moral mks, of violence legalised by sue cow, and of treasons that are prosperous, and thus acquire another name. It is time to put an end to this, the most danger ous of political shams. It is plain that the popular voice and feeling carry all questions by a mode not only not recognised in the constitution, but totally alien to it. The constitution knows but a par liamentary vote ; all great questions must now puss previously by a popular one. Why then do those classes, to whom the constitution has nominally given power, prefer keeping that power in order to humble it before popular intimidation, instead of throwing the constitution open, and establishing an electoral law, by which all classes would he fairly represented according to their numbers, intelligence, and property. Were this done, the parliamentary vote would he identical with the popular one. There would be no violence, no intimidation, no forcing of the constitution. At present the tory majority of the two houses of parliament feel that by coding a principle against their conviction, and notwithstand ing their power, they sutler merely a temporary defeat, and they are flr ever looking toreverse such great popu lar decrees, as those establishing free-trade, instead of sitting down contented beneath them. Then again the liberals, who have carried their point by stirring the popular mind, but too justly regard agi tation us a normal portion of the system, and orga nise it as something permanently required. But it is idle to point out the too manifest danger of thus falsirying a constitutional government, and rendering permanent an oligarchy tempered by their dread of the people. Why do the oligarchs hold to it:? Some of them hold to it, not that they can pre vent the advance and the success of gnat popular questions, but that they can monopolise official power and political pre-eminence thereby. Others again, prefer the system, in the hope that it may one day be brought back to the good old tory one, when aristocratic majorities defied int imidat hal, and sabred crowds with yeo manry. Others, notwithstanding their acknow ledged powerlessness to obstruct great questions, find consolation and recompense in the undeniable power to crush and thwart all minor ones that savour of change or of improvement. And hence it is that England, at the present day, stands the most advanced of all countries in great things, but just as many centuries behind them in small ones. The only hope of n•moving this mass of danger, and injustice, and absurdity, lies in electoral re form, and in the introduction of a fair, broad, and popular system of representation. For our part, we do not anticipate from such a measure any addi tion to the power which the people already possess to enforce a great measure, or dictate a necessary law. A new reform hill would merely legalise and regulate this power. It would not increase popular influence on questions naturally fraught with agita thus. But it would increase their influence on minor points, and on those upon which interest, not passion, can be exerted. To financial discussion, for example. the people now remain strangers. They take no interest in it, although on none are their fate and condition so deeply involved. It is not, however, so much the consequences that we should look to in the event of such a change,--and we could continue the enumeration of most benefi cial ones—it is the extricating the country and the constitution from the dangerous slough in which it is half sunk—a good and great measure thought of long, yet not dared to be proposed in the face of such a power as the tory Lords and Commons present- Too good and too wise to be alrandoned, however, the measure and the hope of carrying it is kept alive by active and patriotic may wino are obliged to conspire for so simple a purples, to agitate, to convulse the country, to intimidate the dominant classes into submission. Every one knows of these periodical insurrections, but all are too apt to forget the absurdity of the practice and the danger of the example. Tuts is the day on which the SULTAN promised to liberate KO.A:TII, I'ERCZEL, HATIIYANT, and the illustrious prisoners of Kulahia. Since the fact was first announced, as it was by us some weeks hick, a regular fire of menace has been kept up by all the organs, or would-be organs of the great military governments. They would break with the Porte, the ambassadors should be withdrawn, reta liation taken by re-exciting the Bosnian insurree tim and the whole East was to be convulsed be cause KOSSUTH was allowed to receive visits at Bays water instead of planting cabbages and defending himself against assassins at Kutahya. The question is, in truth, one of mere sentiment and humanity ; for no one hopes or thinks to work harm to the empires of Austria and Russia, or to disturb their peace by liberat ing . KOSACTII. Admiration for the past, not intrigue for the future, is the sole motive with our Hungarian sympathisers. But the solemn poli ticians of St. Petersburg and Vienna cannot under stand that the most practical of earthly races, tho Anglo-Saxon, should simultaneously, in England and in America, have been taken with such enthusi astic sympathy fur the Hungarian cause, and for its chiefs, unless some deep policy lay at the bottom of it. We need not say to English readers that , neither Britons nor Americans have the least admixture of policy in their love of Hungary and Iliossern. It is from sentiment, the untningled homage paid to brave men struggling in a righteous cause. And if Lord PALMERSTON has exerted him self, through our ambassador at Turkey, first to save the lives, and then to procure the liberties, of the Hungarians, it has been more in obedience to the demands of English feeling, we are certain, than from any desire to spite, alarm, or injure Austria. Tin: same dissatisfaction regarding the septennial The future fate of Hungary and its definitive con averages on which the tithe rent-charge is calculated, flexion with Austria, are things, we believe, very which we recently noticed as prevalent in the Id ._ much in Austria ' s own power. After the complete cultural districts of England, is widely felt in re- conquest it has effected, great wisdom, moderation, land also. The system there is indeed somewhat and liberality on her part might, we have no doubt, different. The grievance is less complained of as a secure Ilungary to the Harsaeacs and to the Aus popular one, for the landlord is under the act of 1838 trian power too firmly for K 0981.711 and all his in made primarily liable; and be must " re-coupo " the fittence to shake. But there is no wisdom, modem amount out of inereaatsl rent as he can. The oven- tion. or liberality in the conduct of Austria. pier has in some measure lost the distinct sense of Not only is barefaced tyranny the adopted prin. pecuniary- contribution to the support of the church; ciple of government, but it is the avowed one. and hence the cessation of popular controversy on Until now the Austrian ministers were supposed to the subject of late years. be responsible to the nation, or to some imaginary But on the other hand, it cannot be denied that an States. Hopes of a constitutional system, at least ecclesiastical establishment which rests upon sock- for the future, were not at an end. The fiction of mi cumscribed a basisof practical suitability to the wants nistcrial responsibility did not the least detract from of the country, can far less safely afford to have its the absolute power of the government. But the money claims upon the industry of the community at young Emperor would not tolerate the decorous large called into question. In England a large and fiction. And he has published a solemn decree, de powerful clement of zeal for the maintenance of a Oaring that his ministers are only responsible to him church which, in the . eyes of the great majority, i s self. Every one well knew such to bo the fact. the church of the nation, tends to restrain the spirit Why then declare it? In order to promulgate of financial reform in rectorial and vicarial matters. As divine right in theory as well as practice, and to a frugal farmer, many a man grumbles at a corn-law seek to establish as a philosophic truth, what was scale of averages being retained after a corn-law already established in the only way it could be has itself ceased to exist, who would nevertheless established, by force. energetically deny that he grudged the parson an Such d o ctrinaires of despotism, such puerile poll extra five-pound note in the course of the year. ticians, monarchs whose sovereignty is bounded by the Wherever a really working clergy are found, not horizon of their staff, and statesmen who have taken a above "being about their Masters business," and personal piquet° constitutions—such men as these can identified in sympathy and feeling with the great not found an empire, re-attach defective provinces, or hulk of their docks, we are likely to hear compa- give that confidence and freedom, without which in ratively little of agitation for the adoption of the I dustry cannot breathe, nor prosperity be developed. , triennial system. And though the number of loca- The hope of consolidating such an empire as that of licks may be great in which no countervailing I Germany. by denying in royal and imperial influence of this kind is felt, and whence edicts, the grusadreela or national rights, voteA by the reiteration of discontent will doubtless eon- national assemblies, and promulgating instead the tinue until some adaptati o n to the existing state I law of ministers,being only responsible to sovereigns, of things is obtained—still, as we have said, many and sovereigns to GOD; this is the current mistake will compromise the economic grievance with theiof seeking to pacify the nineteenth century by re religious generosity, and will thus resolve upon re- ducing it to the ignorantism and servility of the mauling mute. I fifteenth. Nut so in Ireland. The establishment in that i The hig children, who assert that political wisdom country has enjoyed, it is true, a longer respite since / is the gift of Heaven, and who prove themselves pos the enactment of the statute we have above referred, sessed of it by governing in this way, may . well to, than at any period during the last hundred - dread KOSSETIL as they must dread' every ride years. But its essential insecurity becomes obvious ' T pendent man that wields a sword or a pen. Well whenever its ppoosiution is casually glanced at: and may they tremble at every shadow. And yet there is no sat point of its over-extended and they are wrong to dread individuals, and THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EITNING, SEPTEMBER 2, 1851. ~ eople mean to move Heaven and earth to fetter down one political Prometheue.likeXossur.n. .For their exstam of Iteverstuent aeon convert% a whole Into a tacit bind of conspirators , biding their 'me tube insurgents, and only biding that opportu nity from the certainty, that a fatuitous govern ment oannot fell to afford it. • Hoirever, we may foresee all this in the inevitable. course of things, we have no wish to interfere, to foment conspiracies, or keep alive a war of jealousy with a great 'European power, whatever the 614 oats m isgovernment. Suoh abuses always cure themselves without foreign intervention; and if we should hail with pure welcome and delight the coming of KOSSUTH to our shores it is with no desire to prompt or aid him to a renewal of that contest, which for the present epoch has been decided in the field. FRANCE. PARIS, MONDAY ETTNING.. One of Dr. Veron's elaborate articles appears in the Constitutionnel. He complains of the apparent indifference of public men in the presence of the dangers which menace the country. Comparing the demagogic manifestoes of this year 1851 with the threats of spoliation and massacre which were daily published in '92, he finds an exact parallel between the two years. From this he concludes, that, unless I some vigorous measures be taken to divert the ten dency of events, 1852 will be the precise counterpart of '93, and that a new reign of terror must then com ' mence. The only hope for society, as the doctor has so often taken occasion to say before, rests upon Louis Napoleon and the prolongation of his powers. He holds up to censure a cynical mot, which he attri butes to M. Thiers—" Soap the plank well ; we ' must keep the President slipping upon it till 1852 ; but soap it well." danger of this counsel he says is, that society may glide away after the President down the plank so well soaped. He claims for Louis Napoleon Bonaparte the merit of having introduced an innovation in politics, namely, honesty. Ho advises the President, as a crowning act of honesty, to complete his mission by proposing the repeal of the law of the 31st of May. That law, far from being a rampart, he describes as a breach, through which the furious populace will break in. Write, he says, at the head of your poll cal code, "every citizen of twenty-one years of age is an elector," and 1852 will no longer be a ren dezvous for a general riot. You will have, at the worst, to deal with a few bandits revolting against the law, without concert and without pretext. The law of the 31st of May is so universally felt to be a stumbling-block, that, after all efforts to ob tain the revision of the constitution shall have been exhausted, it can scarcely be doubted that the As sembly will seriously consider the revision of that law, which lies within the scope of their own powers. The misfortune is that anything short of a total repeal would leave the major part of the opponents of that law as dissatisfied as they now arc. Even total repeal would not advance the revision one jot in the Assembly. It would gain at most the votes of M. I.amartine and some half-dozen followers. Towards a modification of the law many of the ma jority who admit that its effect has been to disfran chise more electors than they had intended, are well disposed. But the maintenance of what is called the principle of the law has become a point of honour with those who have so often vaunted it as the salvation or the state. It is reported that M. Dufaure, who, less timid than Dr. NA:Ton, considers it the only real difficulty of 1852, is preparing a bill for attacking the law indi rectly, and so humouring the susceptible pride of the sticklers for the principle. His plan is to introduce a new chapter into the civil code, which would then define the political, as it now does the civil domicile. If such a new chapter were liberally framed it might open the polling booths to very large numbers who are now excluded by the artificial difficulties thrown in the way of proving their domicile by the law of May 31. Thirty-five councils-general have now pronounced . for revision, but inasmuch as 32 out of the number have asked for legal revision according to the 1 1 Ith , article of the constitution, the effect of the movement is rather to give additional force than otherwise to , the minority of the Assembly, who they know to possess the power and the determined will to pre . vent the revision from being legally voted. The , three other councils have voted for revision in a purely Bonapartist sense, and have studiously avoided the use of the word legal. These councils are, those of the Island of Corsica, of Seine and Marne, of which the minister, M. I.con Faucher, is i a member, and of the Ilautes-Pyrenees, of which the minister M. Fould, is a member. Sonic idea may be formed from this of the extent of the cheek experienced by the government, who expected an enthusiastic Bonapartist demonstration. The fol lowing form of resolution, composed by the Minister of Finance, M. Achille Fould, and voted by the council of the Hautes-PyrenC:es, may be taken as the model of what the ministers desired to have, but have obtained in only three places out of thirty-five : The council-general, deeply regretting that the proposi tion for revision woo not adopted by the National Assem bly, urgently repeat the wish previously expressed; sup ported more and more by the numerous manifestations which have been produced in the country in favour of the total revision of the constitution, and especially of Art. 4.5, the council-general appeals to the patriotism and to the energy of the 'National Assembly. The country, if con sulted by it, would not be found wanting. The concluding sentence is suggestive of a dilemma from which it is difficult to escape. If the councils-general represent the opinion of the country, that of the Hautcs-Pyrenees, being in a minority of 3 out of 3,1, is evidently mistaken in its estimate of what that opinion is; but, if they do not represent the opinion of the country, then the whole movement is of little importance. Whether the ministers, as a body, are prepared to recommend the Amembly to substitute for legality that " energy " of arbilek 11L Fould speaks in his individual capacity se • councillor-general, is a very anxious question. In the council-general of the Euro on the 30th of August, a vote for the total revision of the constitu tion being proposed by 21 councillors, amongst whom were 111%1. de Broglie,Vatimeanii, Suchet d'Al bufem, and Lefebvre Durufle, considerable sense tion was caused by a vehement protest against the proposal by M. Dupont (do l'Eure). The vene rable president of the provisional government de clared that the vote was at once dangerous and ille gal; that it was an infringement of the legislative power, in open violation of the 111th article of the constitution ; that it was the setting up of a rival power to the legislature, and an attempt to provoke the country to fresh revolutions. The condemned prisoners at Lyons have all decided to appeal to the Court of Cassation. Supposing them to fail there, it seems to be, after all, a doubtful question whether the government can legally send those under sentence of transportation to the Marquesas Islands. If the prisoners can be sent there, it is only by virtue of the law of the 16th of June, 1830. But that law contains a clause, carried after a warm debate by the small majority of 329 against 31.3, stating that " the present law is only " applicable to crimes committed subsequently to its promulgation." Now Gent and his comrades were arrested in October, 18,50, but the facts consti tuting the conspiracy of which they have been found guilty extend over a period beginning with the month of May. It is called in the indictment the conspiracy of May. The legal rule, that penal clauses arc to be construed strictly Prevails—in theory . at least—as much in France as in England. Applying that rule, the law in question, in a case whcrepartof the crime has been committed before the law was passed, and part . afterwards, there is ground to contend that these prisoners are not liable to be sent to Marquesas. Should they obtain the benefit of this construction, the legal meaning of the word transportation in their sentence would be imprison ment in France. The three advocates, among those who threw up their briefs at the Lyons trial, who belong to the Lyons bar, have been summoned to appear before the disciplinary council of the order, on the 3rd at Sept., to account for their conduct. It would appear from the following account of m. ceedings at the Patois de Justice yesterday, that there is but a small prospect of the grand industrial &tes which were announced for September coming off: Messrs. Place, liorspai, and Ituggieri, projectors of the "Fats a r Industrie I.7narerselle" by national subscriptions, contracted some time ago with two persons, named Martin ville and Maubert, to employ agents to collect subscriptions for them ; but not finding the success equal to their antici pations, they suddenly put an end to the engagement. Ac- MX. de Martinville yesterday brought an action arrs. Place, Hoyeau, and Ragman, to demand 'MI; should be restored to his post, and that they should pay hiss 3,000 fr. as damages. His advocate represented that his client had employed 129 agents, sad had collected 16,000 fr. is four dap; and he stated that more would have been received if M. Place had not himself got in the princi pal eatecriptions. Messrs. Place and Co., in reply, showed that Martinville had undertaken to get subscriptions of 80,000 fr. a day, but, alter four days, had only collected 12,000 fr. (not 16,000 fr., as stated). They had reserved to themselves the power of putting an end to his engagement within three days, if his success should not realise their eapecta lion; and if they wero to continue with him they would have to pay 132 agents 3fr. a day, 14 inspectors rifr. a day, and 40fr. to himself and another person. The tribunal ' Blared that the agreement between the parties was at an end, but that Mears. Place and Co. should pay the plaintiff 200 fr. for his services, and 37fr. for money advanced. In the course of the pleadings it was stated that the govern n est will not authorise the frees until 600,000 fr. shall be deposited at the Bank of France. M. Leon Faucher has returned this morning from a 36 hours run into Burgundy, where ho has visited Sens, Auxerre, and Vezelay, and minutely inspected the new church built by M. Violet Le Due, at the latter place. SPAIN. MADRID, Avo. 27. The journals that have been seized (Clamor, He raldo, and Eirwa) declare that they will hereafter abstain from all political comments. News from Lisbon of the 23rd announce the for mation of a railway from Lisbon to Badajoz. ITALY. NAPLES, Aro. 24. The trials of May 15th having been suspended for the moment, the Special Criminal Court was occu pied up to yesterday with other political offenders of a more humble condition. This processo is called " the .sth of September," and the history of these trials runs as follows : After the parliament was closed by the Primo Minister Ilozelli, the tool of the King, a crowd of police spies and paid lazzaroni, beaded by a priest, collected round the royal palace and shouted " Long live the King! Death to the Nation." The priest carried a white banner. This crowd, paid by the reaction, was met by another group, headed by an old police agent, Ciotfi, who had been condemned in olden times as a thief, and was now in pay of the court. " Down with the constitution," shouted these men, " Long live the King!" The two groups had scarcely met when a crowd of people collected, shouting " Long lino the King and the constitution." A battle ensued, and the reactionary mob retired to the royal palace. As the movement failed, the government at once threw the whole blame on the police authorities, and some lost their places accordingly and were disgraced. The autho rities then began to imprison those who had resisted the reactionary mob ; and eventually more than forty persons were imprisoned. Of course the real instigators of the fight were not called upon. The priest who headed the lazzaroni with the white flag is in high favour to this day. The constitutional party is now accused—(the old story)—of endeavour ing to destroy the actual government, and oppose the royal authority-. The crown lawyer asks from the judges various periods at the galleys for these pri soners. The accused appear to have anticipated their fate, and told the judges so in satirical language. PIEDMONT. It is stated in the Paris 21/essayerof yesterday that, in consequence of the excitement which prevails in Piedmont, the Austrian government has detennined to form an army of observation upon the Piedmon few frontier, and that orders hare already been given for the cantonment of the troops. TURIN, Ain 29. The Croce di Savoia speaks of a ministerial COM bination, according to which Chevalier Azeglio would be sent as ambassador to Paris, Count Revel would be minister for foreigft affairs, Chevalier Cibrario minister of public instruction, and Count Cavour, remaining minister of finance, would be also presi dent of the council; this news requires confirmation. Lieutenant-General Giovanni Durand() is to re place Count Marmots in the command of the island of Sardinia. _ . It has been notified to the Italian refugees that in future they can only be perntitml to reside in Piedmont, by conforming to certain regu lations. Every refugee must apply for a ticket which will specify that the bearer is a po litical emigrant, and will state the place of his abode. The aid granted by the government to the refugees will not be paid except to the holders of tickets which must be risjd every month. GERMANY. AUSTRIA. The Emperor of Austria left Vienna for Ischl on the 28th of August. The Emperor will proceed from that place after his interview with the King of Prussia, to Verona, where he will meet the King of Wiirtemberg. CALIFORNIA. By a private despatch from New York, dated the 20th ult., brought by the Europa, we have received the following additional news from California : The steam-ship Brother Jonathan arrived off Sandy Hook at nine o'clock last evening, and reached her wharf at midnight. She left Chagres on the 9th, and Kingston, Jamaica, on the 12th. We understand she was detained on her return trip by a fire which broke out near the boilers on the evening of the 17th inst. The vessel was dearly crowded with passengers, and for a time the excitement amongst them was intense. However, in less than an hour the flames were extinguished, and quiet was restored. The boilers sustained so much injury by the fire that but slow progress was made thereafter. The passengers award great credit to the captain and his officers for their promptness and decision during the consternation. The steam-ship Falcon was at Chagres waiting the mails for New Orleans. The steam-ship Union, from San Francisco for Panama, with 300 passengers and 200,000 dollars in gold dust, wu totally wrecked, the fourth day out, on St. Quinlan's Reef. The passengers and gold (with the exception of 6,000 dol lars) were saved. Tho loss of the ship was the result of carelessness, the man at the wheel being too intoxicated to see where the ship was going. She struck at 3 a.m., and the passengers were compelled to wait till daylight, the ship every moment growing weaker and weaker, before they could escape, which they finally did in small boats. The Northerner hove in sight and carried the unfortunate passengers to Panama. All the freight of the Union was lost. The steam-ship Ohio reached Chagree on the 9th ult., with a broken shaft, and one engine so much disabled that she will have to go to Navy Bay, and await orders from the owners. Her shaft was broken off at Kingston on the sth ult. She reported having experienced very heavy weather. The Panama Star states, that the steam-ship Northerner arrived at Panama at ten p.m., on the sth ultimo, with 1,900,000 dollars in gold dust, from San Francisco. The dust from the wreck of the steam-ship Union, together with her own and what was in the hands of passen gers, would make considerably over 2,000,000 on board altogether. The steam-ship Commodore Stockton returned to Panama port, having sprung a leak when about 250 miles on her way to San Francisco. She had eighty passengers, who after wards demanded the return of their passage money ; as the demand was not complied with, they forced the crew to cease work, and took forcible possession of the vessel. The matter had been laid before the American Consul at Pa nama, and his protection sought by the commander of the Conukodere Stockton. The Kingston, Jamaica, papers received contain no general news of interest. Cholera still lingered in the island. The small pox had broken out in several parts, and the extreme heat of the lest fortnight, succeeded by heavy showers of rain, had led to the prevalence of an epidemic resembling influenza, attended with fever; and, in conse quence, the thirteenth anniversary of the freedom of the slaves, on the let of August, was celebrated with much less spirit than usual. ACCOUNTS OF Tll2 CITY OF LONDON.—In a re cently issued parliamentary paper the annuid accounts of the Chamberlain of the City c•f London, were given. The duties in the year ending the sth of January last, amounted to 139,302/. Os. Bd., of which 120,36.51. ss. was obtained by a duty of 85. per ton on coal' brought into the port of London. The balance in hand at the end of the year was 119,0971. 19s. 2d., the payments only amounting to 20,204/. Is. 6d., which was carried to tie general surpluses, and the balance after payments being 94,0001., was directed to bo applied to the further discharge of their debt. The lighting, watching, and cleansing of Blackfriars bridge came to 6661. 3s. 10d. The police of the City brought 36,7301. 3s. 2d. in the year, and at the commencement there was a balance in band of 11,3341. ss. 3d., and at the end of the year tho balance in hand was 8,3471. 10s. Id. Ou account of sewers the proceeds with the balance on No. I showed an income 0162,316/. 15s. 5d., and on the account N 0.2, 20,4521.125. 5,1. The expenses on account of the New Cool Market were in the year, 3,3121. is. 55. CANADA. TORONTO, Av0..16.‘ The attention of parliament and the pee plc of this province has been taken up during the last week with a momentous question for the interests of this and the sister provinces—viz., the construction of a railroad from Halifax to Hamilton. The resolutions which I forwarded you some time ago upon this subject have been adopted on a vote of 45 to 23. It is proposed to accept the proposition contained in the despatch of Earl Grey for the construction of the road as far as Quebec; and emleavonr to get the imperial guarantee for the construction of the road thence to Hamilton, but if not to obtain money for this portion of the road on the security of the pro ' vince on the best terms possible. But I think one thing is clear, that unless the road is extended to Hamilton it can never pay ; and the imperial government guaranteeing one part for its own safety should guarantee the other. This is the opinion of some of the best informed men in the province; and I agree with the opinion of the minority of the House of Assembly that the road should only be attempted on this condition. The distance from Hamilton to Quebec is 636 miles, and it is estimated that the cost of construction will be from 3,000/. to 7,000/. currency per mile. The distance from Quebec to Hamilton is between five and six hundred miles. This latter road we must have; and it is calculated that if we can get the hn perial guarantee, the interest for the whole distance from Halifax to Hamilton will not come to so much as the part from Quebec to Hamilton. A bill on the subject of the seigniorial tenure in Lower Canada has been reported by a committee that was appointed on this subject. I understand that Mr. Lafontaine, the head of the administration, will not assume this bill as a government measure, while a majority of the French members will insist upon his doing so, and that the consequence will be Mr. Lafontaine's resignation. A serious accident has taken place on Lake On tario. A number of ladies and gentlemen went out yachting, and were capsized. The consequence was the loss of sixteen lives. It is said to be the intention of the Governor- General to prorogue parliament at the end of next week. LAMBDA. This is a fuller account of the accident at Kings ton, taken from the Kingston (C.ll - ) Argus : it is our duty to record one of the most ilistres.ing, one of the most appalling occurrences, which has ever taken place within the annuls of Kingston. Nineteen of our friends and fellow•citizens have found a watery grave in the St. Lawrence It seems that a party of 31 (1.; of which were ladies), pro ceeded yesterday morning on a pie-nic party, in a new sail. ing boat or yacht just built by Mr. Jenkins. Everything went well until they got within a mile or two of French Creek (being then about three-quarters of a mile from the shore), the wind light, and consequently carrying full sail. Whether, in the enjoyment of the moment, they were not upon the look out, but a sudden Haw of wind struck the little vessel, and brought her nearly on her beam ends. The little deck being crowded, the unfortunate passengers naturally were all propelled toward the lower side, which completed in a moment what the wind had done, and down she went. Our informant, who was one of those saved, informs us that the females, rushing down to the lower side of the vessel, actually, fur the most part, plunged into the water and disappeared. Several incidents have been de scribed to us, which assist us in drawing a picture in our mind of the horrid scene. Mr. Philips our informant, on seeing that the vessel was sinking struck out for the shore; but being impeded by his clothing, which became saturates! with water, and perceiving that the mast of the vessel still remained alcove water, returned to it, and with the greatest exertion ultimately regained the wreck. On approaching it he saw a number of the passengers Imaging on ; and he mentions that just as he made way to get hold of the boon', young Grist was hanging on to a portion of it ; he scented to be exhausted, and either fainted or fell from exhaustion, and disappeared in the dark waves. Mr. George Hunter, we arc informed, actu ally rescued Mrs. Hunter, and got her into the skiff which was attached to the yacht; but alas! his exertions were fruitless it being chained to the other, it was dragged down along w ith and carried her with it. We saw her in the morning depart; her smile was bright and happy, sur rounded by so many to whom she was dear. We saw her body brought back in the evening; the bright locks moist, and the damp chills of death had spread their palls over it. But we cannot say anything more regarding it. Our city is filled with wailing—mothers for their children, wives far their ItuFbansh, fathers for their daughters, and husbands for their wives. The following are the names of the persons who were drowned at Kingston, on the 11th inst., by the ups fling of a boat: Mrs. Yankton, Miss Youldon, Master You Mon, Mrs. B. B. Jenkins, Miss Rukins, Mrs. Capt. Gaskin, Mary Ann I'roby, Miss Mason, H. A. Mills, Miss MISIII. Haight, Miss A. Haight, Mrs. G. Hunter, Miss A. Hunter, Mr. Thorne,• Thomas Grist, Miss Walker, Miss Stacy. The steamer Prince of Wales has left to search for the bodies. DECIMAL COINAGE INTRODUCED CANADA. (Extract of a letter from Toronto, dated the 11th of August 11451.) " A bill introduced by Mr. Ilincks, Inspector general, copy of which I enclose, provides, as you will per ceive, that the public accounts be kept hereafter in United States federal currency, that certain coins shall be a legal tender at certain rates, and that Spanish, United States, Mexican, &c. silver dollars shall henceforth pass at Halifax currency, instead of ss. Id., their present nominal value. A bill of this kind, but not going so far, pawed the legislature last session, bat the British government an nulled it. Sec. 6, of this bill provides that it shall not be- come law until sanction in London.•• The decimal c•er reaey is the easier of the two—comparing that of Britain and that of the Union. It is moreover the currency of the lid joining country, whither various circumstances have concur red to stud our Upper and Lows r Canada trade. The debate comes on to-morrow about letting the colonial government expend some millions to establish a railway from the Lower Canada lower line to Quebec and Montreal. The difficulty is this: in a line from Halifax, private individuals won't subscribe. If companies are created they will he like the Welland Canal Company, a number of stockholders sub scribing much and paying next to nothing, and, with their creatures, squandering all they can get hold of. If the government here no the work, it will be an unchecked job, or it will he an exception to such jobs. Cunning fellows will get hold of the dollars, sham contracts and bad works will be attested by engineers in the secret, and when the interest comes to be paid whence will it come ? It is most desirable to accomplish such a railway, but before the money is raised see that it is provided that it is wisely ex pended. 0 An Act to provide for the introduction of the decimal system into the currency of this province, and otherwise to amend the laws relative to the currency. Whereas it is desirable to adopt a currency for this province, which may hereafter be advantageously made common to ell provinces of British North America, as being simple and convenient in itself, and well calculated to faci litate their commercial intercourse with other parts of this continent be it therefore enacted, &c. . . . " That so far and so MIMI as may be found conveniently practicable, the public accounts of this province, and the accounts of all public departments and offices, shall be kept in dollars and decimal parts of a dollar, the hundredth part to be called a cent, and the thousandth part a mill ; and the dollar or unit of account shall be equivalent to five shillings of the present currency, and the decimal parts thereof to proportionate sums of the said currency ; and all sums of money and accounts may be legally mentioned, de scribed, and stated, either in dollars and decimal parts of a dollar, or in the present currency. "2. And be it enacted, that such coins, representing dollars or multiples or divisions of dollars, as her Majesty shall see fit to direct to be struck for the purpose, shall, by such names and at such rates as her Majesty shall assign to them respectively, pass current and be a legal tender in this province, the standard of fineness of the said coin', when of silver or gold, being the same respectively as that now adopted for coins of the United Kingdom, and the intrinsic value of the said coins when of gold bearing the same pro portion to that of the British sovereign as the sums for which they arc respectively to pass current shall bear to 11. 4s. 4d. of the present currency or to 4 dollars 86 . 1 cents, and the in trinsic value of such coins, when of silver or copper, bearing the same proportion to their nominal or current value which the intrinsic value of Britishsilver or copper coins re spectively bears to their nominal or current value; provided always, that such gold coins shall be legal tender to any amount by tale so long as they shall not want more than two grains of the standard weight to be assigned to them respectively by her Majesty, subject to the same deduc tion for want of weight as is now provided with regard to British gold coins, and shall also be a legal tender to any amount by weight iu sums not leas than 200 dollars or fifty pounds of the present currency, at the same rate and on the same conditions as are now provided with regard to British gold coins ; and provided also that such silver coins shall not be a legal tender to the amount of more than ten dollars or two pounds ten shillings of the present cur rency, in any one payment, nor such copper coins to the amount of more than twenty cents, or one shilling currency, in any one payment. " 3. And be it enacted, that it shall be lawful for the governor of this province, out of any unappropriated moneys forming part of the consolidated revenue fund thereof, to defray the cost of obtaining and importing such quantity of the said coins respectively, as the said governor, in council, shall from time to time think it for the interest of the province to obtain and import. " 4. And be it enacted, That all the provisions of the twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth sections of the act passed in the session held in the fourth and fifth years of 'her Majesty's reign, and intituled, ' An Act to regulate the Currency of this Province,' shall apply to the coins hereinbefore mentioned as fully and effectually as to the coins made jar declared current by the said act, and shall be construed and have effect as if the coins which will be current under this act hail been made or declared current by the said act. " 5. And be it enacted, that the several coins lawfully current and a legal tender in this province immediately before the time when this act shall come into torce, sha ll after such time continue to be current and to be a legal tender at the same rates, in the present currency, and for equivalent sums in dollars and decimal parts id a dollar on the same conditions and to the same amounts in any one payment; and the pro tisionS of the act last above cited may be extended by proclamation of the governor, to other gold and silver coins of the same nations weighta and denominations, but of later date, in like manner and ...--- , ou like conditions as before the coining into force of this act; excepting always, that the silver duilars and half dol lars mentioned in the seventh section of the act last above cited, or any silver dollars and half dollars to which the provisions of the said sectiou may by any act or proclama tion have been or be extended, shall nor, after the coming into force of this act, pass respectively for five shillings and one penny of the present currency, and for two shillings and sixpence halfpenny of the said currency, but each such dollar shall pass and be a legal tender fur one dollar or five shillings of the said currency, and each such half dollar for fifty cents, or two shillings and sixpence of the said curs reney, and no more. "ti. And be it enacted that the foregoing provisions of this act shall come into force and effect upon, from, and after the day to be appointed for that purpose in any proclama tion of the governor of this province, announcing that her Majesty in Council has been pleased to approve and confirm this act, and not before." GOLD DI AUSTRALIA. The following is from the .Sydney .114niny herald of Meaty, Ma)• 20, and quoted by that palce from the Bathurst frre Press, of Saturday, the lith : - - --- " The discovery of the fact by Mr. Hargraves that the country, from the Mountain Ranges to an indefinite extent in the interior, La one immense gold field, has produced a tremendous excitement in the town of Bathurst and the sur• rounding districts. For several days after our last publics. Lion the business of the town was utterly paralysed. A com plete mental mailliesa appears to have seir.al alinoat every member of the community, and, as a natural coriacquence, there has been a universal rush to the diggings. Any at tempt to describe the numberless scenes—grave, gay, and ludicrous—which have arisen out of this state of things, would require the graphic pun of a Dickens, and would ex ceed any limit which could be assigned to it in a newspaper. Groups of people were to be seen early on Monday morning at every corner of the streets, assembled in solemn conclave, debating both possibilities and impossibilities, and eager to pounce upon any human being who was likely to give any in formation about the diggings. People of alt trades, callings, and pursuiti,were quickly trausfornual into miners, and many a hand which hail been trained to kid glows, or ac customed to wield nothing heavier than the grey gooaequill, became nervous to clutch the pick and crowbar or • rock the cradle' at our infant mines. The blacksmiths of tho town could not turn off the pick:, fast enough. and the manu ' facture of cradles was the second briskest business of tho place. A few left town on Monday, equipped for the dig ging% ; but on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday the roads to Summer-hill Creek became literally alive with new mado miners from every quarter, some maned with picks, others shouldering crowbars or shovels, and not a few strung rouud with wash-hand basins, tin pots and cullenders, gar den and agricultural implements of every variety either hung from the saddle-law or dangled about the persons of the pilgrims to Ophir. Now and then a respectable trades• man, who had just left his bench or counter, would heave in sight, with a huge something in front of his horse which he called a cradle, and witlt which he was about to rock him self into fortune. Scores have moduli from their homes, provided with a blanket, "a damper, - and a pick, or grubbing-hoe, full of hope that a day or two's labour would fill their packets with the precious metal; and wo have heard of a great number who have started without any provision but ri blanket and some rude implement to dig with. Such is the intensity of the excitement that people appear almost regardless of their present comfort, and think of nothing but gold. Of course all this must end in disap pointment. The wet weather of the last two nithts, with the damp ground for a lied, and the teeming clouds for a canopy, will do much towards damping the enthusiasm of numbers. We Imre the authority of an experiema d mall in stating that from the imperfect and unsuitable implements used by all who have left for the diggings, coupled with their miserable provision in other respects, success is impossible; that the labour necessary to success is extremely severe, and lie ventures, as his opinion, that not more than 3 per cent. will become permanent miners. Ono of the cousequences lies been a rapid rise its the price of provisions. Flour, which ranged from 2fis. to `2Bs. per Mils, has been sou fur dn . ; tea, sugar, and almost every other eatable com modity have advanced in equal proportion. A large amount of the wheat in the district is ill the hands of a b w specu lators, who will maintain their hold in the hope of a gold harvest. But for the very extensive supplies now on their way from Sydney Hour would soon be at a famine price, and should a rush take place from below, its may he reasonably expected, it is to be hoped that there are capitalists enough to adventure in one of the safeat speculations of the times— the purchase of flour for the supply of the district. " What assisted very materially to fan the excitement into a (lame was the arrival of a son of Mr. Neale, the brewer, with a piece of pure metal, weighing II ounces, which was purchased by Mr. Austin for 30/.,who started to Sydney by the following day's mail with the gold and the news. Since that an old man arrived in town with several pieces in mass, weighing in all front two to three pounds. Ile also starte d for Sydney with his prize. Mr. Kennedy, the manager of the Bathurst Branch of the t'uion Bank of Australia, visited the diggings on Saturday last in company with Messrs. Hawkins and Green, and each of these gentle men picked up a small piece of the pure total; and a few handfuls of the loose earth from the lost of the creek, which were brought home by Mr. Kennedy from motives of curi osity, have been since assayed by Mr. Korn', front Sydney, and a piece of gold extracted therefrom of the size of • small pea. Besides these we have not heard of any par ticular instances of success. "On Wednesday morning last, Mr. Hargraves, wan panied by Mr. Stutchbury, the government geologist, went to the digging•, and with his own hands washed a pan of earth in his presence, from which 21 grains of fine gold were produced. lie afterwards washed several baskets of earth, and produced gold therefrom. Mr. Stutchbury here upon expressed his satisfaction, and immediately furnished him with credentials, which have since been forwarded to goventment, The fact of the existence of gold is therefor° clearly estaldished ; and whatever credit or emolument may arise therefrom, Mr. Hargraves is certainly the individual to whom it properly belongs. Should government deem it necessary, as it most probably will, to appoint an in spector, superintendent, or commissioner, over the gold regions, in addition to the fact of Mr. Hargraves being the discoverer, his practical acquaintance with 1111 . ' g points him out as the most suitable and worthy person for the ap pointment. " We have very much more to my, but have not space to say it in. " A Mr. Rudder, an experienced California gold digger, is now at work in the diggings. There arc also several ma gistran's plying their pick and cradles most laboriously, but we have not heard with what enemas. In fact there appears every probability of a complete social revolution in the course of time. Those who arc not already departed are making preparations. Servants of every description are leaving their various employments, and the employers are, ' rer ricressitatent, preparing to fellow. But, notwithstand ing all this, we feel that a reaction will speedily take place. The approach of winter and wet weather will do something towards cooling the ardour of the excited multitude." [Bathurst [Bathurst is about 150 miles from Sydney.] TILE UNITED STATEN' MAIL STEAMSHIP BALTIC. —The Liverpool and United States' mail steamship Baltic, Comstock commander, arrived at New York on the morn ing of the 16th ult., after the swiftest passage ever made across the Atlantic. She took her departure from off the Prince's-pier, Liverpool, on the 6th ult., at 3.3. i p.m., and arrived at her berth in New York on the 16th, at 6.30 a.m., thus completing the run in p rec i se ly 9 d a y s 19 hours, and 40 minutes ; being about five hours shorter than the Pa cific's celebrated passage in April last. During the voyage the Baltic was delayed some time in consequence of a por tion of her paddle-tthata having been carried away by the sea, and by a heavy fog on the Banks. On the last day of the passage Captain Comstock's health was proposed, and received with great enthusiasm, at the dinner table, and ' brief speeches in commendation of his consummate seaman ship and untiring energy were made by Archbishop Pur cell, Rev. 11. P. Peet, Capt. J. C. Delano, H. Greeley, and others. Captain Comstoek handsomely acknowledged the compliment, remarking, that a sailor needs no other reward but the consciousness that he has done his duty. The fol lowing is an abstract of her log from Liverpool to New York : Date. Lat. Long. Dia, at non. Wednesday, August 6 ... 0 0 0 0 0 Thumns7 7 ... 65 24 BIS 245 Friday 8 ... 64 55 17 16 SIO Saturday 9 ... 53 45 28 10 315 Sundae lo ... 52 07 34 10 326 Monda —ll ~. 50 .7 42 315 Tug `da y —l9 ... 48 03 49 34 00 325 Wednesday —l3 ... 45 33 55 22 324 Thursday 14 41 09 G 3 22 312 Friday —l5 . 40 38 G 9 10 330 naturday —l6 (Battery at 620 a.m.) AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED on the South-Western Railway, near the Waterloo terminus, on Saturday after noon, which, although it was not attended with serious consequences, caused very great alarm. At a few minutes past five o'clock p.m. an express train from Richmond and Windsor arrived at Vauxhall, and as it was cl o se upon tho heels of a train which had, left Windsor twenty minutes earlier, proceeded at a very slow pace on the outer line of the four sets of rails to the platform for taking the tickets, and stopped there immediately behind the other train for that purpose. While the company's officers were taking the tickets an engine and tender, ,laden with coke, advanced to the terminus on the inner rails of the up line, and when abreast of the two trains on the other side of the platform the speed was slackened, and at the tame moment another train came up the line, and ran into the engine as it stood on the line as stated. The train was luckily not coming at full speed, or the consequences would doubtless have been very serious, but, as it eg., the coke was thrown from the tender in all directions lafy the violence of the shock, and several of the passengers drceived severe blows by coming in contact with the backs of the carriages and each other. The driver of the engine with the train attached disclaimed any blame oedhis part, so that it would appear the blame attached. to the driver of the engine in advance daylight an accident of the kind sli although, ;oat is broad occur at all La very disgraceful to all parties.