The Express.
London, England, 1863-12-31 00:00:00

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

GERMANY AND DENMARK.

It was from to-morrow, the lit of January, 1864,
that the constitution of the 18th of November was
to be put into execution in Schleswig ; and if
Denmark concedes nothing, it is clear that to-
morrow must mark a new step in advance on the
part of the German powers. In Germany there
seem to be none out of government circles who
are favourable to a recognition of the treaty of
London. The sovereigns of the small states who
fancy themselves threatened by a treaty in which
five European powers decided the fate of one small
state, without waiting either for their consent or
that of the Federal Diet which represents the corps
of German prinoes, pronounced from the very first
for Frederick of Augustenburg. According to the
Debate, the Prince of Prussia has warmly espoused
the pretender's cause, and put himself in open oppo-
sition to Count Bismark.

CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE DUKE
OF AUGUSTENBURG AND THE EM-
PEROR NAPOLEON.

The Cologne Gazette of yesterday publishes a oor-
rospondence between the Pretender of Holstein
and the Emperor Napoleon. In a letter of consi-
derable length the duke announces to his Imperial
Majesty that he has assumed the government of
the Duchies. He expounds his views of their
rights and of his own, and claims, in the name of
equity and of the principle of the nationalities, the
support of the French sovereign. The letter con-
cludes with an allusion to the similarity of their
past destinies, and to the kindly reception the
duke has met with at the imperial court. The
Emperor's reply is as follows :

My Gonebt—l have read with great interest the letter
which you have not to me, and I buten to reply to it. I
know nothing more honourable than to be the representa-
tive of a cause which supports itself on the independence
and the nationality of a people ; and on this account you
may rely on my sympathy, for I shall be always consistent
in my conduct. If I have fought for Italian independence,
if I have raised my voice for Polish nationality, I cannot
have other sentiments in Germany, nor obey other prim-
ciplea. But the great powers are united by the Convention
of London, and their assembling can alone resolve without
difficulties the question which interests you. I regret,
then, very sincerely on this account, as on so many others,
that England has refused to assist at the congress which I
proposed.
It is unfortunate that the Diet was not consulted on the
rights of a duchy forming pert of the German Confdera•
tion ; also Denmark may be in the wrong as regards Ger-
many; but on one side I deplore that the Confederation
believed itself obliged to intervene in Holstein before the
question of succession was decided, for intervention, which
can bring on very grave complications, does not decide this
question, and if Denmark were oppressed by powerful
neighbours, public opinion in France would incline towards
her.

I therefore sincerely wish that your rights may be ex-
amined by the Germanic Diet, that their decision may be
submitted to the signataries of the convention of London,
sod that thus she national sentiment which is manifested
so energetically in Germany may receive by a common ac.
cord a legitimate satisfaction.
I embrace with pleasure this occorion to offer you the
lIMIOIIIIIIOII of my esteem and constant favour. On this, my
amain, I pray God that He may have you in Hie sacred
keeping. Nnrocion.
Compiegne, Dec. 10, 1863.

RUSSIA.

SPEECHES OF PRINCE GORTCHAKOFF
AND COUNT ORLOFF.

We have received to-day St. Petersburg journals
containing very long reports of the speeches at the
banquets which we stated yesterday had been given
to Prince Gortchakoff at the rooms of the English
Club in the Russian capitaL
Prince Gortchakoff spoke amid the greatest en-
thusiasm. The following is a passage from his
address :
All Russia, enraptured, raised its voice in support of our
replies, of which the object was to confound and repel pre-
Mations attempts on the dignity of our country. It has
lavished encouragements so flattering to the writer of those
replies, that we could not help saying to ourselves :—" If
this feeble manifestation of the will of the Czar has pro-
duced such an impression, what will Russia Dot do if God
sends her new trials, and the Emperor makes a solemn appeal
to the nation?' (Great applause.)

Among the other speeches was one by Count
Orloff, who said :
After the comclusion of the treaty of Paris, which pat an
end to • war not leas glorious than unfortunate for us,
Europe generally was penetrated with the idea that
Russia would become powerless ; that she had loot for long
years her influence ; and that her only resource was to re-
main a wounded spectator, powerless in the political
slain of Europe. Arid here we must recall the signifi-
cant words of the prince whom we have the honour to en-
tertain here to-day, "Russia does not sulk—she collect.
her strength." Without losing time in useless complaints.
we occupied ourselves ardently with our internal affairs.
Examine all that has been done in this time—all the use-
ful materials which have been prepared for the future.
• • • I was abroad when the late despatches of Prince
Gurtcbskoff were expected with feverish impatience. The
prince did not lose for an instant his rem and coolness at
the time when he wrote those despatches, the holy sager of
which, excited by foreign intermeddling, led the Them to
say that no minister in Europe cut his pea so finely as
Prince Gortchakoff.

At this part of the count': speech Prince God;
chakoff appears to have suddenly risen. He said :

Prince orloff has made it a peat merit in me to have
kept the smile upon my lips and remained calm and gay in
• difficult moment. But, gentlemen, my calm is easily ex-
plained. I had before me Russia, such as she really
is, calm, majestic, and powerful, and not es bar
enemies would ha►e her to be, feeble, divided, un-
dermined by revolution, and powerless. Europe sees
as through • deceptive cloud, and does not perceive what
we really are. We breathed upon this cloud which obscured
our greatness, and it vanished, and Europe has suddenly
seen us in the true light of the day ; she is convinced of
the holy and indissoluble union which exists between the
sovereign and the nation, she has recognised that our power
has not diminished. May this union, which constitutes our
strength, remain for ever!

ITALY.
GARIBALDI'S RESIGNATION.

We fiud in the Italia of Turin of Tuesday last
the following letter from Garibaldi to the Presi-
dent of the Chamber of Deputies :

Capreas, Dee. 21, 1863.

Mona and Very Honourable President of the Chamber
Deputiee,Titrin,—For reasons which you will learn by the
%mimed letter addressed to my constitueuts at Naples, I
hate believed it right to resign my post of deputy is this
parliament. In the couviction that the Mambas will accept
my resignation without delay, I have the honour to de fare
myself, with respect, Nona. and Very Honourable Presi-
dent, yours, G. 0•11BALDI
.. _ •

The letter addresced to the electors of Naples,
referred to &bore, is as follows :

Capron, Doc. 21.

To my Constituent., at Naples,—When I saw 229
deputies of the Italian parliament confirm by their vote the
ells of Italian soil, I had the presentiment that I should
not long remain in the assembly of those men who blindly
tors sounder the limbs of the country which they were
called to reconstitute. However, the counsels of friends,
the hope of reparatory events, and an unshaken sentiment
of devotion towards my constituents kept me It the post.
But now, when I see succeeding to the eels of Nice
the shame of Sicily, which I should be proud to call
my seeped country by adoption, I feel myself, electors,
ea:spelled to restore to you • oommissian which
enchains my meatiest* and makes me indirectly the accom-
plice of the (suite of others. It is not only the affection
which 1 owe to Sicily, the oourageoca initiator of so many
revolutions, but the thought that they have wounded is her
the right sad the honour in compromising the safety of all