The Express.
London, England, 1852-12-20 00:00:00

THE SPANISH MINISTRY.

PARIS, SUNDAY EVENISO.
Letters from Madrid, of the 11th instant inform us
that the Ministry of limo Murillo exists no longer.
General &mull, called on by the Queen, has formed
a Cabinet as follows :
Roncali, Premier and Minister fur Foreign Affairs.
General Lars, War.
General Minim', Marine.
Fahey, Justice.
Avitizabal. Finance.
Llorente, Interior.

[IT ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.]
THE HAGUE.
The First Chamber of the States has nnauimonely
adopted the law upon the conversion of the Rent's.

FRANCE.

PARIS, SVPIDAT EVINIIIO.

The Monileur contains the following note :
A report is daily circulated at the Boone that the Four-
and-a-half per Cents. are about to be converted into Three
per Cents. by imperial decree. This report is doubly erro-
neous. It is forgotten, out the one hand, that such a mea-
sure could not be taken except with the concurreno• of the
Corps Legislatif, and oa the other, that the operation, in
any OM, could only be optional with the fundholders.
This note, though couched in the form of a denial
of a false report, is generally understood as an an-
nouncement that the conversion uill very soon be
effected. It is true that an impression has long
prevailed at the Bourse that the measure
was impending, but, so far as I am aware, it has
never been supposed either that it would be accom-
plished without regarding the forms of law, or that
faith would be broken with the holders of the Four-I
and-a• Half per Cents. According to the scheme of
conversion contemplated, they would be offered an
amount of Three per Cent. which would produce an
interest equivalent to the dividends of their Four-'
and-Half per Cent. stock. It would be manifestly
for their interest to accept such an car, because the
Four-and-a-Halt per Ceuta. being. above par, with
the prospect of a further conversion at no distant
time hanging over it, has a natural downward ten-
dency. By exchanging for Three per Cents., which
are so much below par, the holders, while receiving
the same interest, would in addition have all
the chances of a rise in their favour. It is true that
this operation would add enormously to the amount
of the public debt. But there exists here a financial
school which contends that, inasmuch as practically
the principal of the public debt never is paid off, the
nominal amount of it is a matter of no importance
whatever. They argue that both the fundholder and
the state would benefit by such a conversion as that
proposod—the fundholder, because (say they) if the
Four-and a-Hall per Cents. were got rid of, the Three
per Cents. would speedily rise to par; and the state,
because when the Three per Cents. shall arrive at
par, they may be converted into Two-and-a-Half per
Cents.

_
The Emperor has been so tormented with the
numerous petitions presented to him personally by
his constituent millions that he has been compiled
to resort to a measure of pelf-defence. HO has
appointed a committee of petitions. The decree
creating this new body recites that, " Although the
organisation of the public powers offers to all citizens
the means of asserting their rights and obtaining
justice, it is important in certain exceptional cases
that they should be able conformably to the regula-
tions of the decree of 1806, to address their demands
directly to us." It is then decreed that a committee
of petitions shall be formed in the Council of State,
presided by a councillor, and composed of two master/
of requests and six auditors. All petitions addressed
to the Emperor are to be transmitted for examina-
tion to this committee, and every week the president
will go to the Tuileries to present a report showing
the proceedings of the committee, and pointing out
such matters as it may think fit to occupy his Ma-
jesty's intention. The committee is to be renewed
every three months.
Troplong has received his reward for his report
on the senatsu cows:bon establishing the empire.
A decree appears this morning appointing him first
president of the Court of in the
room of Count Portalis, retired. The latter
venerable judge is hard upon 75 years of and
knowing that on his next birthday he would bar, e dis-
missed under the provisions of the decree on super-
annuation, he prefer/ voluntary raw' nation. M.
Chegaray, the advocate-general in this supremo
court, has been appointed to succeed M. Miller, the
judge recently deceased, and M. Yahoo is named
'advocate-general.
A committee has been appointed to consider how
far the buildings of the Sorbonne may be made
available for the use of the Academy of Theology,
Letters, and Sciences.
1 Telegraphic despatches from Compiegne state, in
the well known protectoral style, that it is impossible
foe language to describe the admirable reception of ,

the Emperor. His passage from the railway station
to the palace was a triumphal march. It has been
remarked that one of the preliminaries to this tri-
umphal reception was the dismissal of the sub-
Fetlock M. Forget, which occurred yesterday morn-
ing only.
There will be a grand stag but in the forest of
Compiegne to-morrow, and a ball at the Palace on
Tuesday. The Emperor proposes returing to Paris
on the 24th.:
PARIS, SATURDAY STIDITRO.
The Emperor left for Compiegne at a quarter put
ono to-day. lie proceeded from the Tuileries to the
Northern Railway station in an open caleche,
escorted by a detachment of carabincers. The square
in front of the elation was decorated for the occasion
with Venetian poles, streamers, and tricoloured
handerolles. The arms of Compiegne, surrounded
with flags, were placed over the entrance. His
Majesty was received by M. Berger, the prefect of
the Seine, Baron James do Rothschild, the Marquis
Dalon, M. Emile Pereira, and other directors of the
railway. Ho was accompanied by General Rogue,
the commandant of his military household ; his aides-
de-camp, General Lourmel and Colonel Fleury,
and several other officers. Marshal St. Arnaud was
prevented from accompanying the Emperor by in-
disposition. lie intends to go to Compiegne in the
course of next week. The imperial train was fol-
lowed by another special train, which kit at 3 o'clock,
with same of the ministers and several invited
guest..
- • - -

This being the first excursion made by the Emperor
since his accession, great preparations have been
made for his reception at Compiegne. The national
guards of the town and neighbourhood are called
out, and, together with all the old soldiers that can
bo collected, the trades, corporations, schools, and de-
putations of young girls, will have received his Ma•
testy at the Compiegne station. A country paper
naively says, that, "as usual," the market women
will present the Emperor with a bouquet. Lord and
Lady Cowley, and the Neapolitan, Sardinian, Spa-
nish, and Belgian ministers are invited. Before leav-
ing the Tuileries the Emperor presided at a council
of ministers.

Contrary to expectation the Senatue Consultum
modifying the constitution has not made its appear-
ance. The Monileur oontains nothing of interest.
. _

A deputation from Brest waited upon the Em-
peror at the Tuileries yesterday, to present an address
of congratulation. The Emperor promised to pay a
visit to Lower Brittany next year.
The visit of the Emperor of Austria to Berlin
excites much curiosity, and not a little uneasiness
among the courtiers of the Tuileries. It appears by
a telegraphic despatch dated Berlin, December 17,
that the Emperor arrived there yesterday. The King
of Prussia went to Interbogh to meet hint. It is felt
to be more than probable that the two sovereigns
will frame in concert a form of recognition of the
French Empire which will be far from pleasing to
tho court of Paris. It appears to be certain that the
breaking off of the marriage between Napoleon 111.
and the Princess Carole Wasa is attributable in
great measure to Austrian influence. The visit of
the Emperor Francis Joseph to Dresden, on his way
to Berlin, is said to have been made with the object
of concludieg arrangements for his marriage
with the Princess Sydonia, the sister of Prince Albert
of Saxony, now the betrothed of the Princess Carols
Wasa. I believe this double alliance to bo certain.
Louis Napoleon must be completely exonerated from
a charge which has been brought against him in cer-
tain quarters, of having broken his promise on ac-
count of his own improved fortunes. It is the lady,
who, acting of course under advice, has exercised her
sex's privilege, and changed her mind. Whether,
according to the practice of less exalted personages
in such cases, she will send back the numerous pre-
sents which were sent her, I am not in a position to
state. Before tho Emperor of Austria left Vienna,
he received the Count and Countess of Chambord at
dinner. Tho countess sat next to the Emperor, and
the count was placed by the side of the dowager
Empress. After dinner, in the evening, the Emperor
paid a visit to the Count de Chambord, at the Modena
Palace, a residence which is always placed at the
count's disposition when ho visits Vienna. Under all
the above circumstances, the establishment of an
"entente cordialo " between Austria and the pre-
sent government of France, which not long ago
was thought to have been upon the cards, seems to
be a very remote contingency. However, the Grand
Duchess Stephanie de Baden, an enterprising female
diplomatist, is at this moment, by a doubtless calcu-
lated accident, at Coblentz, and it is thought likely
she will go to Berlin, to try the effect of her influ-
ence with the Emperor of Austria in support of her
nephew, Napoleon 111.
We read in a letter from Vienna of the 12th in
the New Gazetic of Prussia :
It I known that the French envoy, M. de la Cour, in-
formed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the end of last
month, of the proclamation of the empire, and of the adop-
tion of the title of Napoleon 111. by the new emperor.
Count Duel declared that he would only reply to the official
notification. This notification was contained in • despatch,
dated Paris, the Ist, and it was presented on the sth by the
French envoy ; it contains a detailed account of the motives
which base led Louis Napoleon to take the imperial crown,
and gives the amurance that the new French government
will not violate the territorial arrangements of the treaties
of 1815. This despatch was presented on the same day to
his Majesty. The daT after, the 6th, a note was sent to our
represent-dive at Fans, conceived nearly in the same spirit
as those exchanged at an earlier stage of the affair; that is
to say, in a spirit which cannot completely sotisfy the Em-
peror of the French. It is concluded from that, that diplo-
matic negotiations are about to be entered into on the sub-
jest, and that they will not be confined to Vienna and
Paris.

The ostracism! Narvaez has arrived at Bayonne,
when he gives out that he intends to stay some time.
It is evident, therefore, that he does not wish it to
be considered that his mission to Vienna is very
pressing. According to the last accounts from Spain,
it is probable that he will shortly be inn position to
return thither. Bravo Murillo has raised a storm
which will overwhelm him. Apropos of Spain, the
Gazette de France—that refuge for all the old women
of legitimacy—gravely asserts to-day. that the pro-
jected reform of the constitution is intended to dis-
concert a plot for deposing Queen Isabella and
making the Duke de Moutpensier regent—a plot
concocted by the Orleans family and aided by
England!
The latest legitimist resignations are those of the
Marquis de Barthelat, mayor of ChAtel-de-Neuvre
(Allier) ; M. Du Chisel de Charbonniere, municipal
councillor of Barberier (Allier); M. de Grozelier, a
cantonal delegate of public instruction is the Audi);
M. de Jarret de Cheesy, mayor of Grez-en-Bonere
(Mayenne); M. Maynard du Verney, cantonal dele-
gate in the Indre ; M. le Forestier, municipal coun-
cillor of St. Brienc ; M. Lad. Prudhomme, judge of
the Tribunal of Commerce of St. Brienc ; M. de Cas-
tellan, mayor of St. Donau (Calvados) ; and MM.
Castel and Poullain do St. Pere, municipal coun-
cillors in the same department.
The Maine, a journal of the Barth., has received
a warning for having thrown ridicule upon the cere-
mony of proclaiming the empire in the department.
The Indepenclance Beige was seized today.
Abd-el-fader arrived at Marseilles at ten o'clock
in the evening of Tuesday, and he proceeded to the
Hotel des Empereurs. The pilgrims of Mecca, who
were waiting in the city, went the next day and paid,
their respects to the Emir, who, besides being a
military chief, is a holy peonage in the estimation
of the Arabs. lie received them in his apartment
by groups. He appeared fatigued, and did not leave
the hotel all day.
The Moniecur de la Fahrigue states that within
the last fortnight the workmen of Lyons in shawis
and waistcoats have, on sec-mint of the activity which
prevails, had a small advance of wages. Extensive
orders, it adds, have been given for carriage trim-
mings, the colour of which is what is called " The
President's green." To execute these orders, many
of the frames arc kept in operation night and day,
and it is believed that they will be occupied for three
months.:
At the Bourse, to-day, business was dono in the
Three per Cents. at 821. 36c.' and closed for the ac-
count at 82f. SOc.; Four per Cents., 98f. 60e.; Four-
and-a-Half per Cents. 1061. 46c.; for account,
108 f. 63e. Bank shares, 2,905 f. In railway shares,
Orleans, new, 1,035; Versailles (left bank), 350 f.
Paris and touen, 990 f.; Struburg and Bale,
34371. ; Northern, 8951. 75c.; Paris and Was-
barg, 8221. 50e. ; Paris and Lyons, 960 f. ; Lyons and
Mediterranean, 736 f.; Western, 796 f.; Caen and
Cherbourg, 630 f. • D.jon and Besancon, 5771. 50c. ;
Bourdeanx and Cette, 8 1 21. 50e. ; Dieppe end Fecamp,
3451.; Bordeaux and Teste, 28411.; Monteresu and
Troyes, 3261. ; St. Dicier and Gray, 660 f. ; Paris and
Soma, 1701.; Western of Switzerland, 2721. 60C• ;;
Grand Coombe, 1,6804

BELGIUM.
• mew law as the peas was posed by the Bel-
gian Beasts on Thursday by 30 against 9 votes.
The anniversary of the birthday of the Hinz of
the Belgians was celebrated at Brussels on W*Nta-
day evening and Thursday morning with gust au
thusium. On Wednesday night there was a mei
performance at the Theatre Royal, at which all, tbe
high civil and military functionaries were present,
and also the young Pnoces, with the grand ()Moen
of the royal household. After the first act of the
opera the curtain drew up for a cantata in honour of
the King. The Duke de Brabant and the Count de
Flandre rose at the cry of " Vive le Rol !" which
proceeded from every part of the theatre, and bowed
to the audience. The cry was then repeated with
great enthusiasm. On Thum* the bells of all the
churches rang merry Dents, and most of the houses
were decorated with fags. At noon aTe Demos was
sung at the church of St. Michel et Oudule ' • the
King, the princes, the Princess Charlotte, with the
corps cliplomatique, the great officers of the house-
hold, and the high civil and military functionaries,
were present. On the occasion of this anniversary,
the King issued decrees appointing his son, the
Duke de Brabant, Captain of Infantry of the Ist class,
and his second son, the Count de Flandre, Captain-
Commandant of Cavalry. The King of the Belgians
entered his 63rd year on Thursday.