The Express.
London, England, 1855-01-15 00:00:00

Oortchakoff suddenly declared that he had orders to
accept the four points (which had so recently been
declared incompatible with the dignity of Russia) and
that he was prepared to negotiate. On the 7th the
different clauses of the interpretation put upon these
four points by the Western Powers were slowly
and distinctly read to Prince Clortchakoff,
and at the end of each article he said, "I accept that
in the name of the Emperor of Russia," But when
the reading was concluded, he mid in a general way
that he was not prepared to admit any excessive
encroachment upon the independence of Russia.
(The French expression was, Qu'il no fallait paa
trop mettre lo main our tit:dependance de la liusste.")
At the same time he said he was fully empowered to
treat for pesos, and desired that the negotiations
should begin immediately. The Austrian Mi-
nister, M. Buol, then spoke. He congratulated
the conference upon the unanimity of feeling
which prevailed, and supported Prince Gortchskoff's
demand that negotiations should be opened at once.
M. de Bourqueney then said, in the name of himself
and Lord Westmoreland, that this was impossible, as
they had not sufficient powers, and, moreover,
nothing definitive could be done without the pre-
sence of a Turkish plenipotentiary. The meeting
then broke up, M. Buol requesting the French and
English ambassadors to obtain full powers as
soon as passible. This narration is consistent
with the remarkable telegraphic despatch which
stated that Count Buol had " invited" the represen-
tatives of France and Eng'and to treat for peace.
There was an initiative taken by Austria, which was
not acceded to. After the above conference M. Bun',
gave a large evening party, at which Prince Gortcha-
koff was present. The Austrian minister appeared
quite joyous, and spoke confidently of peace being in
hand. M. de Bourqueney's conversation to the friends
who pressed around him was in quite another tone.
lie said he must wait for instructions, and before

instructions arrived Sebastopol would. probably be
taken.

SPAIN.

' A lithographed correspondence gives the following
short analysis of the sitting of the Cortes of the 9th.:
M. Pacheco having incidentally proposed a declaration
by the house that the question of the royal sanction should
not be open to debate,tbe Minister for Foreign Affairs begged
the deputise not to lose time is vain discussion', seeing the
critical circumstances in which the costar, was placed. M.
Pacheco would ask the miui ter whether be would say that
as • Bpaniard end a loan of honour, it was his duty to with-
draw his amendment on the ground that it was unnecessary
foe the exercise of the legislative power. The minister
having replied affirmatively, the amendment was with-
drawn. M. Moyano then rose and said it was desirable
that the house should know what were the grave sod criti-
cal circumstance to which the Minister for Foreign Affairs
had referred. M. Lusurisga answered :—" I described the
situation as grave, in consequence of news both foreign and
domestic which has reached me, but which I cannot com-
municate to the house. (Immense sensation.) But the
government hopes to triumph over all obstacles, seconded
by the patriotism of the house and the country and the rec-
titude of its own intentions."
The precise object of M. Pacheco's motion is not
very clear in the above report. The Diario Espanol
of the 9th, gives the following as the text of it :
Considering, first, that the royal power of Dena I •abella
IL is recognised and proclaimed by the Constituent
Cortes; second, that the prerogative of assenting to onli-
dinary lees is • necessary condition of royal power;
thirdly, that the suspension of the legislative power at the
present time would be prejudicial and fatal to the welfare
of the state ; I ask the Cortes to be pleued to declare that
there is no ground to deliberate upon the report in ques-
tion. Signed, PACIIICO.
The Diario says there was another motion by M.
Ordax y ATMs', also demanding that the question
should not be discussed, but for reasons totally dif-
ferent from than advanced by M. Pacheco.

PIEDMONT.
DEBATES ON THE SUPPRESSION OF CON-
VENTS BILL.
TURIN, JAN. 10.
The debate on the Convents Suppression bill conti-
nues with great animation. M. Gustave de Cavour
I delivered a carefully composed speech against the
measure, ably appealing to those members of the
Left who incline to accept the argument always put
forth by the church of Rome when she cannot
be predominant, that all she asks is liberty.
In support of the ,view that the bill was
hostile to general principles of freedom, he
quoted an expression that lately fell from a mem-'
ber of the extreme left, M. Moja—" that he was
leaving every man free to do what he pleesed, even
to make himself a monk if be liked it." M. Moja,
however, explained that when he had advocated
liberty for everybody, it was upon the assumption
that nobedy should be privileged. Now the Catholic
Church in Piedmont was armed with a great number
of privileges which it was the object of this bill to de-
stroy, and it was upon this ground that it had his
support. The groat speech of the day, in favour of
the measure, was made by M. Brofferio, leader of the
Extreme Left. M. Brofferio accepted the bill as an
instalment, but would say at the same time that
ministers had shown themselves very feeble. They
made exceptions to the general abolition. In these
exceptions all the monks might find a niche to shel-
ter themselves against the operation of the reform.
Preachers were excepted, and the ccnscquence was that
every monk would preach. Educational establishments
were excepted, and they might expect to see every fra-
ternity of monks opening schools. This would be a
great calamity, because all convents acknowledged
allegiance to Rome rather than to the country. In
conclusion he said : " The Minister tell,' us there are'
in Sardinia 400 religions houses. He wishes to sup.
preen, we will say 200. I will vote for this sup-
pression. If but 50, I will vote for suppressing the
fifty. If but ten I will say ten. If he will only
get rid of a single monk, I will say, away goes the
monk. (Loud laughter.) I will content myself with
that—but I will wait, having faith in the future, and
being persuaded that it will bring us better times
and better men."
TURIN, JAN. 11. I
After poet-hour yesterday 11I.Viz y(a member of the
Right) replied to M. Brofferio. As a judge, he I
naturally touched upon the legal part of the ques-
tion. Admitting, for the sake of argument only, that
the state might rightfully resume what the state had
given, he contended that private legacies to reli-
gious houses were sacred, and that if the state
seised upon them, they ought at least to
be given back to the heirs of the donors.
M. Asproni (a priest) supported the measure. He
protested against the bishops' petition, which in his
opinion was violent and indecent. The goods of the
church, he contended, were the property of the poor, I
and he is reported to have added, that the nation was
therefore justified in taking them, because just now
it was in a state of extreme penury. The only fault
he found with the law was that it did not go far
oasough.
To-day, at the opening of business, Count Caveat
,mounted the retreat of M. Dabormida. This enr
nemsesment occasioned a great sensation. Some
pimple said the minister had resigned on account of
the Ratazzi bill, but the better opinion was that he
was not satisfied with the terms of the new alliance
with the Western Powers. It was reported that he
required, as a condition for the alliance, the aboli-
tion of the sequestration on the property of the Lombard
emigrants. M. Valerie (Left) said the statement just
made by the minister would deeply interest the
cesantry, and he trusted government would fix a day
to give explanations as to the reason for M. Dabor-
Batas retirement. Count de Caveat replied that
government would very shortly have to submit to
the house a proposition which would call forth the
explanations demanded. The debate on the Con-
vents Bill was then resumed. After two unimport-
ant speeches in favour of the measure, M. Della Mar-
gherits, an influential member of thelExtreme Right,
spoke against it with extreme vehemence. The de-
bate was going on when the post left.

HAMBURG, JA.x.lO.
The British merchant steamer, Lady Seale, ar-
rived here yesterday afternoon from Hull with a
signal of distress flying ; and on her coming into the
harbour, it was ascertained that he s was on fire.
Assistance was promptly afforded, &Ltd four or five
of our floating fire-engines played unceasingly on the
unfortunate ship for a long time, but without bang
able to extinguish the flames. There being, therefore,
nothing left to de than scuttle her, she was at a late
hour taken out into the stream and sunk in deep
water. She had a valuable cargo of British manu-
factures and cotton twist on board, which, though
saved from destruction by fire, will be almost as,
cosepletely ,oiled by the water.,