The Express.
London, England, 1855-02-01 00:00:00

. 'EXPIMS, • rallitiVitrtTET4lNG, FEBRIJAtt 1 1, ii4l6.

SPAIN.

In the Spanish Castes, es the Roth, IL Ideate
was elected president by 134 votes to 90, ekes to M.
Clangs. Both the candidates were M.
Infante, on taking the chair, rein for the
honour done him. The debits on the bassi of the
constitution we. then resumed, but it preiested no-
thing of interest. The Madrid journal) outline to
speak of ministerial modifications as probable.
We give a farther report of the speech of M. Mados
in the Cortes, on the 24th. to which letter from
Madrid ascribe an excellent effect. It will be allowed
on all hands that the new minister enters on his
office with courage, and his proclamation of a free-
trade policy is highly 'statutory.
M. Diane said—Geotlemes, I aged net teU you how snob

pain it has cost me to leave the presidential Chair, to which
I had boon raised by the confidence sad sympathies of my
colleagues. It was there that I hoped to remain; because
there, rather than on this ministerial bench, I felt sure of
being enabled to render services to my country. Bat,
gentlemen, the question was presented to me as one of
patriotic feeling, and, if I mut say it, ono of courage.
On Sunday, at six in the evening, I was summoned
by the Duke of Victory, who offered me the portfolio of
Finance. My first impulse was to decline; bat when the
civil governor of Madrid and the captain-general of New
Castile informed me that a Carliet conspiracy had just been
discovered, my resolution was overcome. I accepted most
readily, being resolved to do what I have done all my life—
contend against absolutism, sad give my blood Sec the cause
of freedom. (These last words, uttered with great energy,
(cue rise to prolonged cheering.) Oentlemen, my convic-
tion Is that, with resolution and probity, this country can
be g d. But, gentlemen, there is another condi-
tion also necessary—it is, that every one here pos-
sess patriotism ; and hence the reason why I make
an energetic appeal to all my colleagues, from the
Marquis of Albaida oven to the partisans of defunct admi-
nistrations." Here M. Mados entered into the examination
of the financial situation. Immediately on commencing the
duties of his offloe, he found in the treasury only a trifle
more than 400,000 reels (4,0001.) (Profound sensation.)
Since the revolution all the public revenues had gone down ;
the indirect taxes had yielded neat to nothing; the salt-tax
and other branches of income had returned to the state only
insignificant sums. The minister then read a list of several
provinces, in which, during the entire month of November,
the salt-tax, for instance, produced no more than 400 and
some odd reale, altbovgh it ought to have produced more
than 30,00,). M. Mados then proceeded :—" I wish to
make you acquainted with the entire situation. . . . It
is right fur you to know that the floating debt, now already
surpassing 500 millions of reale, will in a month's time be
increased to nearly 700 millions. The moment is not
yet come to make you acquainted with my financial
plans. Very shortly I shall state my intentions to you
at full length, even with respect to the Customs
tariff. (Here M. Madox alludes to the well-known
protectionist tendencies of the Catalonians.) As deputy I
am a Catalonian, but as minister I am a Spaniard. We
shall examine this tariff question, and be sure that, when
taking into account the state of my country, I shall go as
far as any man, be that man who he may, in the path that
leads to freedom of trade. (Approbation.) Bat, gentlemen,
there is • question more important than that of the import
duties—it is the one touching the estates in *eel tical
mortusain. On that topic my opinion is unalterably taken.
. .

I am for the u d, the immediate sale of those es.
Rates. (An immense burst of cheering here arose from all
parts of the chamber and from the public galleries.)
M. Made,' having intimated that he reserved further ex.
planation, for .notner occuion, then sat down.
Ile subsequently received the thanks of the house for his
statement.

Several of the Madrid journals of the 24th ult.
speak of a Carlist loan of from 40 to 50 millions of
francs, said to be contracted with the banking house
of Hope, of Amsterdam. A part of it, the rumour
goes, is to be paid at ooce, and the remainder when
the Carl sts have gained possession of some important
fortress in Spain.

and the whole of Brunswick emeerning the salt
---i

On'the whole it cannot be said that the Zollvereinl
is making progress, or that its finances are in a flour-
ishing condition. The net receipts of 1854 show a
deficit of more than two millions of dollars as com-
pared with 1863, and eight millions of dollars against
1845, the moat favourable year they have had.
The sums divided amongst the Zollverein States
in the years 1843 to 1847, both inclusive, amounted
to MOM than 28 silver grosehens (about 2s. 9d.) per
head on the population. Since the year 1848, when
the division only reached 23 4-10 silver groschens
per head, it has never recovered its former height,
and in 1853 was only 22 8-10 silver groschens, so
that the result of last year will not produce much
more than 20 silver groschens, showing a falling off
of about 30 per cenr. as compared with the most
flourishing years of the union.
This state of things is not very encouraging for
Hanover, and the worst of it is that we cannot release
ourselves till the expiration of the twelve years
stipulated in the treaty, the first of which has just
elapsed.