The Express.
London, England, 1847-02-01 00:00:00

'as a standard for the profitable cultivation of the soil ; to
manufacturers, and consequently to the partners of each
clue we have named, to the labourers, the possession of
such a rule is invaluable. It is the application of this
rule alone that makes it no hopeless task to grapple
with the position of Ireland.
In Ireland, the law which we now know to be
paramount throughout the branches of production
generally, has to be specially tested in agricul-
ture. Mr. Reasseres process has to be re-
versed, and Ireland, that has been ruined under
high `corn prices, has to be saved and regene-
rated by rendering bread corn as cheap as possible.
The working of the problem is simply this. Even the
superabundant labour employed in that country upon
the land would not have been so wretchedly requited
as it has been, if the products raised by it were more
. valuable than potatoes. First in the list of necessaries,
however, stands food, and as long as food could be got
in no other way, the Irish were obliged to grow it.
They could not choose their crop. The present year has
not only brought them foreign food, but has acquainted
them with a kind of grain, the importance of which has
long been overlooked in these islands—we mean
maize, or Indian corn. Had it, however, been per-
II reedy familiar to oar predecessors, the very quality,
which, under the new rule, especially recommends it,
would have made them reject 3t It is perhaps the
cheapest and most regular crop that is grown.
In all hot climates there are vast strips of alluvial
land, skirting rivers and lakes, which are sukiect to
inundation in the rainy seasons. Great portions of
these lands, manured by the floods and softened to
receive the seed, are now unused, and form pestilential
tracts from want of to absorb the nutri-
tious matter in the am Now, that maize can be
imported into these kingdoms, the cultivation of the
plant will doubtless extend in every direction. We
shall receive it from the east and from the west. The
Cape and our West India islands ought to be the
foremast amongst our purveyors.
The information, that we have gleaned respecting
this valuable plant, we shall succinctly state. Beside
the advantage of being a spring crop, and requiring no
attention after sowing or dibbling, the plant does not,
like wheat, grow too rank upon an over-rich soil, or,
after being laid, rot upon the ground. The maize
plant enlarges in proportion to the richness of its
nourishment, until, from a graceful stem of four feet
high, with broad pendant leaves and feathery flowers,
it becomes, even in Europe, • tree shrouding from
sight the miserable cottage of the Walachian peasant.
It therefore needs no careful apportionment of manure
nor any of the care that wheat demands. The stem of
the plant is, moreover, succulent and replete with sac-
charme matter. The soft inner core is nearly as sweet
as the sugar-cane when growing, and is eaten with
avidity by cattle. Cows thrive on the stalks even
after they aro dried, and give abundance of milk
when fed upon maize straw. These valuable quali-
ties in the straw enable the grower on a
large scale to part with the grain at a low price.
We do not apprehend that the use of maize will, even-
tually, much interfere directly with the consumption
of wheat. But we trust that, uin the countries
where it abounds, maize will appear indirectly upon
our tables in the shape of meat, eggs, and poultry,
reared upon that grain. In America, and in Southern
Europe, horses are fed on maize, and get into excel-
lent condition. Even supposing maize limited to
these uses, it most prove a highly valuable acquisition
to the farmer, whom it enables to devote a large
portion of hie land to flax and other green crops.
The soil and climate of Ireland are both more
adapted to green crops than to the growth of g.rain.
The rains of autumn constantly thwart the industry
of the husbandman, whereas 'these very rains are
favourable to the growth of the after-grass and, with
• good system of irrigation, grass, as in Lombardy,
might be made to grow there nearly all the year
round. Salted meat and butter are the natural ex-
port articles of Ireland, and are in great and con-
stantly increasing demand in tropical lands. That
the exchange for these against maize and eager would
be highly profitable to the Irish farmer cannot be
doubted, while the manure from his stock would
furnish the material for desirable garden crops or for
grain on the dry elevated portions of the soil. From
the gardens of Ireland, cheap supplies of fine vege-
tables might be furnished to our manufacturing
I districts.

To place the Irish cultivator in a position to avail
himself of this choice of crops is unquestionably the
aim of government. Drainage and improvements
can only be effected by organic changes that will
throw the soil into larger apportionments than
hitherto, and the poor agriculturist will be raised
from a cottier to the position of a small English
farmer. The difficulties in effecting such a change
are unspeakable. We are not, however, about to try
a blind experiment. The rule which prescribes this
coarse is now an acknowledged one ; and success will
be proportionate to the spirit and confidence with
which the task is undertaken.

The Journal des Dibats of Saturday records our
' occupation of Labuan with the remark, how natu-
rally the event would furnish a theme of vituperation
against the insatiable-ambition of England, for ever
adding to her territories and colonies. It compares
the French occupation of Tahiti to ours of Labuan,
,asif we bad displaced French missionaries, and per-
secnted therm, establishing a tyranny over a half-
Frenchified population. The Dibats answers itself
when it gives our reason for occupying Labuan as
" Its being an intermediary position hetween Singapore
and Hong Kong, and its containing opal, ea well as bordering
a shore stored with mines of the same material, so indis-
pensable now to the navigation of throe sou."
When the French can produce reasons so natural
for the occupation of an island, we shall not accuse
them of idle ambition.

The position of M. Guizot before the French public
is not enviable. Charged with a flagrant breach of
faith in his relations with a friendly and an allied
country, he is but feebly and diffidently defended by
the advocates of the ministry in the press, and even
among such journals one or two exercise enough of
independence to repudiate him. La Patric, a semi-
official organ, admits that there exists in the public
correspondence that which, if unexplained, mast involve
grave censure. We have already given examples of
the way in which this matter is dealt with by most
of the leading journals which are independent of
government influence. Le National, of Saturday,
deals with the Minister of Foreign Affairs as
follows :

There m but one justification of M. Guisot possible, which
is to declare that Lord Normanby has not spoken the truth ;
that his dispatches represented their interview in a false
light; that the minister, in fine, denied what was imputed
to hint. We should have comprehended this defence, we
should have admitted it, and should only have waited the
reply of the ambassador; but if the latter has not violated
the truth, what excuse is possible ? The question involves
the principal point of the negotiation, the simultaneity of
the marriages. It was, therefore, most important for Lord
Normanby to know what had bun resolved upon respecting
it, and it was also incumbent on M. Guisot either to show
• great firmness, or, at least, great circumspection, in
his answer. Well, then, what passed on the occa-
sion ? We must produce this incredible conversation.
M. Onizot—" The Queen is to announce at the same time
that she consents to the marriage of her sister with the Duke
of Montpensier." Lord Normanby—" At the same time P •
M. Guizot—" Oh no ! This letter marriage will not take
place at the same time." Is this formal and elem. ? Will it
be believed the' the ambassador should allow an expression
so important to his policy to escape him) He took good
care not to do W. He noted it, and wrote it to Lord Pal-
merston, and came to read his despatch to M. Ouizot ; the
latter acknowledges its exactitude, atsd confirms therefore
again the promise be had given. Twenty days after this
Lord Normanhy reminded the minister of this promise.
The latter began by denying it. The ambassador
insisted, detailed the circumstances, repeated the words
interchanged, read the letter and the note of the
assent given by M. Ouisot ; to persist in the denial
was no longer possible. " Oh, yes," said the minister,
" I did in fact say something of that kind, that the Queen
would be married first, and in effect things will pass in that
way." This was, indeed, falling too low, and exposing him-
self to be harshly rs4buked by the ambassador, who did not
fail to avail himself of the occasion thus offered. " I have
cited," said he, " your own words, I have given them their
natural sense, and I could not imagine that you meant
int rely to tell me that the Oaten would walk foremost in the
ceremony." Such are the facia, and they are so overwhelm.
ing, that unless their exactitude is disputed, it is impussi'de
to attempt the slightest justification. Now the Debate does
not disei.te Lord Normanby's statement. It admits it,
and only userts that at the last interview between the ambas-
sador and the minister, nothing had yet been decided as to the
epoch of the marriage. What! The Duke of Muntpensier had
started for Madrid, aiid yet it had not been decided whether
the marriages wuukl take phicer at the same time ! The
Spanish government was resolved from the beainuiog not to
celelir.de wes ivarr.nge without the other. This has been
sled attain and again, and yet the French cabinet remained
uncertair.! Why, then, did the Duke of Moutpentier
depart? But suppose all M. Gutted now affirms is
true, he is not the less inexcusable fur basing Kiser, his
word to an atnahosallor that the two marriages
ebbuld not be simultaneous, and much more in.
excusable for denying his word after having given
it. But what is most unbecoming of a minister, or even a

nun of honour is the ridiculous pleasantry which he offered
usn explanation of his ptomise., What credit or conside-
ration ean one enjoy who is exposed to the posefbility of the
representatives of a foreign power mitring him to his face,
"'fou bats lei to me, and you have then thought to justify
the lie by the most despicable subterfuges of language ?"
And yet it re expected that Punee should allow rainier.,ors of
this kind. Flaarsat aa the shame is, is is expected that our
patriotism should defend it, and not throw it with contempt
open him who has committed the fault. Whet! shall our
country become the accomplice of persons without
courage, without good Guth, who disavow their
own words, and who, being convicted, take refuge in base
subterfuge. A fine patriotism that which would lead us
to acknowledge such ministers as the interpreters of our''
thoughts, our morals, and our language ! A fine way to I I
render France respected and honoured by the world ! After
all this, M. Ouizot may remain minister, may even still be
called the minister of tke reign—we grant it. Our opinion I I
upon the men and the mustang of the day will be only the
more strongly confirmed,—but if there is anything unworthy
of the name that we all bear, it is that a unanimous cry should
not be raised by the press to reprove and condemn proceed-
ings
which must assuredly excite throughout all Europe one
coneentient feeling of contempt !"
The popular commotion throughout the depart-
ments, by which the circulation of grain is obstructed,
still czntanue to prevail. The waggons are seized and
the contents offered for sale at such prices as the popu-
lace choose to name, and even this price is often not
received by the proprietors. The gendarmerie have
interfered in many cases without effect. The depart-
ments of Findstere, Cotes du Nord, Morbihan, Vendee,
and in general the centre and wed of France, are the
chief theatres of these disturbances. It would be
tedious to enumerate particular cases, the circum-
stances being nearly the same in all.
In addition to the law just passed to encourage the
importation of grain, a royal ordonnance has been
published upon the report of the Minister of Agricul-
ture and Commerce, submitting. to the highest rate
of duties the exportation of maize and buck-wheat,
and the flour produced from them respectively. The
amount of theme duties will operate as a prohibition ;
that of maize is 134 f. p. hectolitre, and that of the
flour produced from it 334 f., and the duty on the
exportation of buck-wheat will be 11L 20c., and that
on its flour 28f. In ordinary years the exportation
of these cereals is insignificant, but the recent
demand for Indian corn and its flour in the southern
markets for exportation to Ireland has been so consi-
derable that government has been induced to check it
by the present measures. The entire amount of maize
annually produced in France does not exceed eight
million hectolitres, and that of buckwheat nine mil-
lions. These provisions have been usually imported
into France from the Levant, tha mean annual amount
of importation being 20,000 hectolitres.
Oa the 24th inst., 39 ships laden with grain arrived
at Marseilles, chiefly from the ports of the Black Sea
and the Dardanelles, bringing 132,621 hectolitres,
equivalent to 46,411 quarters of grain, besides 3,540
barrels of flour.

In the week ending 24th January, the total amouat
of grain imported at Marseilles was 628,036 hectolitres,
equivalent to 219,800 quarters.
A meeting of the proprietors of the Bank of France
was held on Thursday, at which a report was read
upon the business of the establishment fee 1846. It
that notwithstanding the specie obtained from
n gland the stock at present in the bank cellars is
only 84 millions. Some further measures for the
augmentation of its reserve of specie are in contem-
plation, and a meeting for the discussion of that ques-
tion will be held on Thursday next.
The Paris journals contradict each other respect*
the name to be given to the new planet. It was, we
believe, originally proposed by M. Leverrier to call it
Neptune, but subsequently M. Argo proposed for it
the name Levemer. Objections to this principle of
nomenclature subsequently proceeded from several of
the great observatories of Europe, and it was lately
announced in several of the Paris journals that it had
been agreed to among the principal observatories that
it should be called Neptune, and designated by the
sign of a trident. This, however, is now contradicted,
sinr:l3etTeclviwthhailcuh 8rij:3'61%7 L 6
suppression has
produced on public opinion throughout Europe, has
influenced the policy of French diplomacy in the
stirs of Switzerland. It is stated by the Consti-
estionisel that it had been previously agreed that the
ratenneing note sent to the Swim Vorort by the three
powers would be, at least, tacitly supported by the
',presentative of France. Foreseeing the approach-
ing rupture with England when the scheme of the
Madrid marriages should be developed, it was
hoped to take refuge in another entente me-
diate, the price of which was to be the sacri-
fice of the liberal cause in Switzerland. But
the northern courts preferred to avail themselves
of the marriage, and its coneequesess to extinguish
Polish natiosielly. From that lament the French
government, coerced by public aphis% wee tweed to
renounce farther co-operation with the anthem
powers. But not daring to act agaimit them, nor yet
with them, it has assumed that
.ambiguotte position
which is only a transparent diegmes hr its impotence.
It has not officially declared its adherence to the dip-
lomatic note of the three powers to the Vorort, but
it had communicated to the representatives of these

powers that it shared their views with regard to the
confederation. It now appears, however, that another
change has taken place ; and if we are to trust a cor-
respondent of the Constitutionnel, the representative
of France has assured the president of the federal
directory that the French cabinet entertains towards
the federal government the most favourable senti-
ments. This move towards liberalism is ascribed to
the strong diaapprobation manifested by England
respecting the proceeding of the three courts, and to
the attitude assumed by the English Chargé d'Affaires
at Berne.

AA to our government strly:r7/..is Constitutiotinal), it heal-
tatos between two con • courses. It seems to address
fruitless prayers for alliances which it swishes to form, but
which are refused to it. Its equivocations in conduct rival
its equivocation. in words, by which it seeks in vain to
escape, by a juggle, difficulties which it can not overcome.

The Madrid mails, bringing letters and journals to
the 23rd, arrived in Paris late on Friday afternoon,
but their contents are deprived of all interest by
the communication received by government on
Thursday evening, by telegraph, to the effect that the
Duke of.Botomager, having failed to form a cabinet,
had resigned his commission into the hands of the
Queen, who had entrusted M. Castro y Orme° with
the formation of a cabinet. This deputy, having been
elected President of the Chamber,would not himself
resign that post for the head of the cabinet, and waa un-
derstood to have selected the Marquis de Miraflores
as president of the counciL A cabinet was designed
to be formed of equal numbers of members taken from
the friends of M. Pacheco and M. Bravo Murillo, but
the great difficulty, after all, would rest with M. Mon.
The abilities shown by this statesman in the depart-
ment of Finances are such as to render his retention
of that portfolio of vital importance. It was said,
however, that the difficulties thrown in the way by
him prooeeded from his ambition to become the head
of the cabinet.

It is said that the cabinet would beAli composed:
Foreign Affairs, M. de Cara Ingo; Interior, M.
Arteta ; Justice, M. Bravo Murillo ; Marine, M.
Sotelo ; the Finance will be held ad interim by M.
Sierra y Mon, in the hope that M. Mon will accept
it. M. Seizes Lozano has been elected vice-president
of the Chamber of Deputies.

FRANCE.--THE MISnING NOTE ON THE MAR-
RIAGE QUZBTION.--A correspondent says, I 'Mum you as •
fact that the celebrated missing note, of the 27th Feb., was
only shown by M. de St. Antall.. to Lord Aberdeen. It was
not sent to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, ac-
cording to the usual custom, and no copy of it was per
mitted to be taken. I believe that the contents of it were
communicated by Lord Aberdeen to Sir Robert Peel, but it
is certain that no other member of the cabinet was apprised
of it, and our minister at Madrid was kept in ignorance of it.
It is hardly credible that our foreign secretary should have
carried we Antis and compliance to such an extent, or that
Sir R. Peel should. in the midst of his great embarrassments,
have s3ught to escape from temporary trouble by such ne-
glect of duty. Yet so it certainly was. You can now have
no difficulty In understanding why no record of so important
note should have been found in the Foreign-office by Lord
Palmerston. The note or memorandum above alluded to
was read by M. do St. Aulair; to Lord Aberdeen, in March,
1846. Lord Palmerston masr heard of it till after both
marriages were settled. Ir. May, 1846, Queen Christina
wrote to the Duke of Cohourg, at Lisbon, making an over-
ture to hint for the marriage of the Queen of Spain with
the Print* Royal. This was communicated immediately by
Lord Aberdeen to Guisot, who tither wan very angry or
affected great indignation. But you may depend on the
feet that the French ambamador, IBreseon, at Madrid, did
actually threaten the march of a French army into Spain,
with Don Carlos at its head. his impossible to say whether
Onizot gate countenance to this vt,lent menace or whether
the ambassador's language was dictated only by the king,
LIBERATION OF MADAME LAP', ‘. ROE.—The French
correspondent of the Anise announces that this criminal,
concerning wham so intense and factitious an interest ham
been kept up, in uncut to be liberated. " The fact of her
enlargement," he sap, " appears Pertain, and the anticipa-