The Express.
London, England, 1852-12-09 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENINg, DECEMBER 9, 1

beat opium' cad political parnes4o resistance ; and
they judiciously test it ere it burst on the
nation by a check preliminary. By electing the
modejate MARTINEZ DE LA Rosa to the Presidency,
of the popular Chamber, the united Moderedos and
Progressistsa, taught Queen Ciousrtsa and her
tools that it was not from the Cortes, u it then
stood, they were to expect complicity and co-opera-
tion in their scandalous designs. But not even that
temperate resistance and timely warning have ar-
rested the royal conspiracy against the national
liberties; and the recusant Cortes have been die-
solved, to enable the conspirators to procure one that
will join them in strangling parliamentary rule in
Spain. Significantly enough, the Paris Muniteur
exclaims—" Thou can't not say I did it;"—
an
assurance that no one will give a mo-
ment's credence to. The example set in
France, Spain is going to fallow. To give full ,
expression to the greatness of the Spanish mind ; to
place Spain in her proper position in European
society, and to infuse into the government of
Dona ISABELLA the strength necessary to develop
the material wealth of her kingdom, the Spanish
constitution has, it seems, to be purged of all its
liberal vices and impurities, and to be converted into
a sort of screen to hide and protect the acts of the
Spanish Government from the imputation of having
no more legality than the arbitrary will of the Sove-
reign, the Court, and the Cabinet of Madrid.

FRANCE.

PARIS, Turnnar Earmino.
A letter from St. Petersburg, ia the hamburg
News, says:
immediately after the departure of oar minister, M. de
Kisseleff, to the court of Frince, a report was current that,
notwithstanding the restrictions talked of In the Austrian,
Prussian, and English journals, the three northern powers
will Terooll.l. Napoleon 111. as Emperor of the French.
M. de Kiueletf is said to have received on this subject pull•
live instructions of a nature to put an end to the coolness
which is said to have hitherto existed between St. Peters-
burg and Pa-is. The Emperor Nicholas, it is said, regards
with confidence the empire which his arisen in Fearer,
provided that empire dues not seek to return on the put.
The marriage of the daughter of the Prince de Wass with
Louis Napoleon will be approved of in a high quarter here,
so soon as it shall have received the assent of Austria; and
it appears that it will end in smoothing down the future
path of the Napoleon dynasty.
'fho Patna confirms the

it of tho

refusal of the government to authorise another
compagnic anonyme du ereldit neobilier.
The Indepesultince Beige has again been seized to-
day.
The appointment of the new commission to decide
what books, pamphlets, and engravings may be law-
fully sold by hawkers, gives satisfaction in this re-
spect, that it relieves that body and their employers
from the capricious and arbitrary jurisdiction of the
prefects. A book will now no longer be lawful in
the Loire and unlawful in the Loire InPricure. The
publication of the names of this commission, contain-
ing as it does persons of respectability and literary
distinction, is looked upon as a species of guarantee
for justice which a dark and secret tribunal would
not have afforded. It is not to be expected that
political writings will be allowed to circulate ; but
this commission will not make themselves ridiculous
by following Roman and Spanish examples of the
prohibition of modern classics because inferences
unfavourable to existing institutions may be drawn
from them.

Even on the new French them!y for modern society,
there is, however, this material difference between
what has been accomplished in France, and what is
about to be perpetrated in Spain ; that in
France the change is connected with a new order of
things, with a new dynasty, with a new spirit,
with a new organisation, with new men and new
does, with people who can only hope to achieve
primal success and permanence by fresh novelties;
WiIINIOS in Spain the change will constitute a return
be old habits, old practices, old despotism, and old
byanny. Now it was to escape thence, that the
'Spanish people overthrew the Salique law and
placed ISABELLA, a little irregularly, on the throne
of FERDINAND VII. In France there is consequently
the hope which novelty always inspires; but in
Spain there will be despair which retrogression is
sure at last to provoke.
In France, too, there was an excuse, which was
at least presentable to Europe : there was [a void to
be filled up, a government to be established in an
intelligible form of some sort or other ; a state to be
sioaeolidated. But in Spain there is no such popular
apellqgy for what is contemplated; the central power
is wet too weak, but too strong; the Monarchy is
wot in danger, but dangerous; the legislature had
het proved restive and impracticable, but submissive
and servile ; the constitutional system had not abused
libertyand degenerated into licence, but had accommo-
dated itself only too much to the wants and wisher of
the court; the country is not torn and tormented by
factions and parties, or disorganised by demagogism
and anti-social theories, but only too obedient and
loyal ; and the Government, instead of meeting with
nothing but hostility in the Chambers, found sup-
port for any enormity it offered for their acceptance.
There is also another noticeable distinction. In
Franco the Chief of the State appealed to the people
to support him in overthrowing the constitution to
which he had sworn, and they did so. But in Spain
the impending destruction of the constitution is os-
tensibly a Court intrigue, to be carried through by the
venality of the Chambers. The proposed change in
Spain will, therefore, hardly respond to the French
theory; it will be deficient in the circumstances, the
means, and the objects of the new empire. Never-
theless it has, no doubt, been encouraged and greatly
inspired by "the masters of the situation" in
France; and though it may have aims and ends purely
Spanish, it is also part of that great conepiraoy
against parliamentary government the head-quarters
el which are—alas!—in Paris, and the affiliated
branches in Vienna and St. Petersburg. The present
seating of the Spanish Cortes has therefore European
interest and signification.
Whether for good or for evil, France is always pro-
gaw&st. The only exception to this general law
id-French national existence was under the poor,
despised, flouted, and rejected republic, which was
strictly neutral as to forms of government in other
esuntries. But most of all France is propagandist in
Bpain. With equal perseverance she forces her
sweetmeats and her constitutions on that country.
When the ultra-Royalists gained an unwilling supre-
mely in Lome XVI H.'s counsels, they restored absolut-
ism% Spain. When Loins PHILIPPE resolved on
slaking the Charter of 1830 • mockery in France
he encouraged the QUEEN REGENT to baffle the
constitution in Spain. When Esrmtruto showed
Europe what honesty and rational freedom could
achieve for his country, the King of the FRENCH, to
whom the spectacle suggested a similar career at
home, overthrew ESPARTERO. When NARVAEZ be-
came utterly unmanageable by Queen CHRISTINA, it
was in Paris that the combination which deprived
him of power was devised. And now that even the
sham of a rliamentary system is to be dissipated,
it is Louts NAPOLEON'S example which inspires the
Court of Madrid with courage to do it.
Spain under despotism is a great convenience to
France ; it saves France a world of trouble to the
south, and strengthens France in the Mediterranean.
Hence it is that the policy of France, no matter what
its own dynasty, is always to concentrate all power
in Spain in the Crown, or rather the Court ; for in
Spain it is the Court, not the Crown, that governs.
With Spain under despotism friendly to France, and
supported in its turn by. France, the military power
of France in Europe is greatly. increased. For
France can then move on without providing
for its rear. It was thus that NAPOLEON I.
was so long free from all Spanish anxieties; and the
policy of NAPOLEON 111., in Spain and out, is based
on the example of has great predecessor. To
strengthen the Spanish Court by repressing the free-
dom of the Spanish people, is at once an internal and
an external question for France under Louts NAPO-
LEON. And if,—as many of the wisest in Europe
imagine,—he has ulterior schemes of war and con-
quest, he has begun betimes to provide for them in
Spain. The Spanish Court during the last century
and a half, has generally been just as accessible to
the influence of French policy as it seems to be now :
—no matter who is monarch or minister, it seeks andi
wants only the means of enjoyment, of pt.:none
indulgences, and of animal gratification. It is now,
es always, teased and annoyed by Intelligence, Pro
trees, and Improvement. These three give trouble,
and require a world of thought; and the Spanish
Mart has neither the intellect nor the virtue
--Wore the resolution nor the industry to week
eat a nation's happiness. It lives luxuriously
en a nation's unhappy loyalty. And to those*
general characteriAtics, the present Spanish Coat
has worm peculiarities of its own. It is afflicted
with • QUEEN MOTHER, who, wanting the
austere pride which so often keeps Spaniards out of
wrong, has an Italian rapacity—boundless and insa-
tiable. To such a court, constitutional government
and an honest parliamentary system must be hateful.
And to get rid of that check on its fatal habits, it
11 readily falls into the policy of France.
In Spain, England for centuries had a policy; a
policy which in the last generation restored indepen-
dence to Europe, and which even in our own gave a
constitution to Spain. Under Lord MALMESBURT
England, however, has, and can have, no policy of
its own in that country. For he and hie party can
hare no faith in constitutional systems; and they
who favoured despotism under DON CARLOS, can-
not avert it under DONNA ISABELL

M. Audry de Puyraveau, tho senior member of
the late Legislative Assembly, has just died at
Maisons-Leflitte.

Several more legitimist resignations arc announced.
Among them I notice thaw of Viscount de Itaynaud,
councillor general in the Hermit ; MM. de Gury and
Pierre do Pons, mayors in the Allier ; the Marquis de
Stilly, mayor and municipal councillor of tho com-
mune bearing his name in the Seine and Oise ; MM. de
Foudras, de Vongy, de Chenelette, and do l'ommerol,
mayors in the Loire; M. Hay, municipal councillor
in the Loire Inferieure; Baron de Lamote Ilarace,
municipal councillor of Caen; MM. de Troguindy mid
de Mimic, municipal councillors of Lannion ; and the
Marquis do Saint Pierre, municipal councillor of
Pleignen.
The Municipal Commission has just held another
sitting. On the proposition of the Prefect of the
Seine, it was decided that the city of Paris should
contribute one half of the expense for improving the
quay of the Louvre. The works are estimated to
cast 1641,000 f., and a credit of 80,000 f. was voted
accordingly. A credit of 283,000 f. was afterwards
voted for half the expense of the mounted municipal
guard, the other half being borne by the state. Tide
force has now been completed ta 2,100 men, as fixed
in 1549, a less number being found insufficient for
the important duties confided to that force without
inflicting too much fatigue, both on men and horses.
Several other sums were afterwards voted, among
which was 21,000 f. for the improvement of part of
the outer boulevards; 36,8:10f. for the erection of a
steam engine at the Central Pharmacy to perform
the work now done by a man and horse, in the pre-
paration of medicines, &c. ; 7:1,500f. for prolonging
and improving the Rue du Cardinal Lemoinc, and
other credits for planting trees in different places on
the quays, Sze.
The staff of the National Guard is shortly to leave
the Paluis Royal, which is to be otherwise appro-
priated. The prefect of the Seine has been charged
to find new offices for that body.

Letters from Berlin state that the French ambas li
-
sador there has applied to the Prussian government
for a copy of the statutes of the Order of Merit for
artists and literary men. It is concluded from this
that Napoleon 111. is abaut to create an order of the
same kind.
Experiments are at present making by the 2nd
regiment of artillery, at Valence, of the system of
campaigning artillery invented by the Emperor, and
which bears his name. This system consists in hav-
ing such artillery consist exclusively of l*Tounders,
instead of 8 and of 12, and of howitzers, as at pre-
sent, and the difficulty consists in obtaining the same
effects with the 12-pounders as are produced by
howitzers.

The Minister of Marine has ordered the °renegue
steam-frigate, of 430 hone-power, lying in the reed-
ited of Toulon, to be got ready, to take Abd-el-Kader
and his family and suite, in all about 30 persons,
from Moraines to Asia. The °renegue will land
the Emir at Mondania, a little port to the south of
the Sea of Marmora, being about 23 miles distant
from Bromic
PARIS, WEDNESDAY EVENING.
Aecording to information which I have received
of the secret proceedings of the senate, some of the
changes in the constitution will be of an unexpected
character. It has been supposed that the only im-
portant alterations would be such as follow nearly as
a matter of course from the transformation of the
head of the state from a temporary into a permanent
power. In his message to the senate, Louis Napoleon
said the modifications that might be found to be indis-
pensable would in no respect touch the fundamental
basis of the constitution. Although the term " funda-
mental basis" is vague enough to admit of much
latitude of interpretation, it is clear from the context
that the impression intended to be conveyed was,
that no modifications would be made other than such
formal ones as were consequential upon the establish-
ment of hereditary government. But the message de-
livered a tow days later to the Corps Legislatif, was
still more explicit. The President then said, " The
government, as you are aware, will be changed only
in form." Before the empire was proclaimed, un-
contradicted rumours circulating in the lobby of the
Chamber, induced the members to believe that before
next session the stringent rules which shackle their
debates would be relaxed, and that they would in
future be enabled to understand and seriously discuss
the budget. Nowever, the Corps Legislatif have
found the required number of millions of /rites, they
have dined with ministers in the Casino Paganini,
and been sent off to their homes till St. Valentine's day,
and I am now assured that the Senate is about to
strip them of the only privilege which afforded
a chance of exercising any influence over the
public mind, and to make the voting of the
budget in the chamber a more ridiculous farce
than before. If my information be correct, it will be
made illegal to publish any speech made in the Corps
Legislatif. The official pares verbal will contain
nothing but the short heads of the business got
through. Further, I am told, that the budget, instead
of being voted as now by chapters, will be brought
forward by ministries. Each minister will send down
the entire budget of his department upon which a
single vote, aye or no, will be taken, and the only
mode of objecting to any item will be to throw out
the whole budget. You may remember that in the
summer the complaint was that it was unfair to place
members in the position of being compelled to pass ob-
jectionable articles, or to mantas the government by
rejecting a whole chapter. Many members said that
they voted the budget for that once from a feeling
that the newly established power required to
be strengthened in every possible way, but they pro-
tested against the system of voting by chapters,
and declared that it was practically impossible for
them to know what they were about, unless they
had the power ofeonsidering each article separately.
The speeches delivered by a few courageous members
on that occasion made a great impression out of the
house as well as in. They were circulated not only
in the newspapers but in the form of pamphlets,
which the speakers were authorised to print. For a
few days the Corps Legislatif really assumed an in-
fluential position in the country, and when in the
last hours of the session they were called upon
to vote a man of new taxes in utter
ignorance of the real state of the public finances
their attitude was so firm, that it was not thought
• ire to proceed with the measure. Now, however,
all will be darkness and mystery. The new taxes
will and must he brought forward again, and they
must be passed, but the public u ill know nothing of
the " reasons why," beyond what the .lioniteur may
choose to tell them.

HOUSE AND WINDOW DUTIES.—fIy a parliamen•
tar, return yesterday printed, obtained by the government,
a comparison ia made between the house and window du-
ties in reference to the double amount to he assessed. In
England and Wales, its the year ended the .sth of April
last, 431,447 houses were aseessed to t- o inhabited bowie
duty, and 30,472 in Scntland, making 461,919. The
amount of the duty was 707,01111.—in England and Wales,
643,3691., and in &Killen& 43,6291. The amount of the
window duty in the year ended the sth of April, 1851. was
1,930,7921 —ia England and Wales, 1,899,7131., and in Scot-
land, 141,0791., showing that the amount given up was
1,243,7711.—in England and Wales, 1,140,3241., and in
Scotland, 97,4601. It is calculated that the house duty on
private houses-15,834,126 at Is. dl. in the pound, would
produce 1,189,041, ■nd on "bops at Is. in the pound,
531,9121., making 1,723,9801. Thu wind 111 duty, repeal d
in 1831, was 1,930,0001. Estimated produce of thu dutr
n.iw proposed on houses relieved bora the window du: y in
1811, 1,569,9901. Diminished ehsrgo on such bona', as
compared with 1851, 380,0001. Window duty repealed in
18-51, 1,950,0001. Estimated produce of the duty now pro-
posed on all houses at 101. and upwards, 1,723,0001. Di-
minutinn of dirge on all homes compared with 1831,
227,0001.

The Queen of Sp in has ordered the publication in
the Madrid Gazette of the projects int the Constitu-
tion, tho organisation of the Senate, the elections of
the deputies, &c.