The Express.
London, England, 1849-12-31 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, .DECEMBER' 31, 1849.

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the colonies. Their aggregate populatiesi ecetnely a-
ccede one person to every square mil? ; th.atali:r an
almost unlimited field to the enterprising yof
the industrious poor and the small • w .
find difficulty in nicking theirAaLttour dense
peopled country and crowded • They
already inhabited by well nigLn;;;;Fllions of the
blood-relations of residents in Great Britain. They
import *nasally to the vales of 110,000,0001- of Mr
manufactures and produce, paying for them in do
produce of their own industry. We are united to this
by the most intimate ties of family affection,
inn & is'
mai dependence on each other for profitableffage.
And the yearly increasing desire on the past el peat
numbers of our citir.ens to better their elemaans by
emigration, promises that these bonds of interest and
affeetion will for a long time to come beyearly ex-
tended and strengthened
Leaving out of view the governmental relations be-
tween Great Britain and the colonies, the condition
and prospec of these settlements during the year
now verging to its close, if not uninterruptedly
favourable, are fax from depreteing. To form a cor-
rect estimate of their condition we must look back a
little. Many individuals, and even whole communi-
ties in them, have of late years been visited
by trying reverses of fortune. New South
IWales and Van Diemen's Land ha -e had to undergo
loontethir g closely bordering upon general bankruptcy.
IThe West Indies have been tried by a great falling
eE, both in the quantity and value of their produce.
Even with regard to the latter, however, if the annual
average value of their imports of British manufactures
and produce, which for the five years ending 1831, was
3,182,6811., was only 2,644,0281. for the five years
lending 1846, it must be kept in mind that the
eve-
-1 rages of the intervriods
12,9 38,2821. for the ening
q uinq
five years s
endsending 1836, were
and
13,383,1511. for the five years ending 18
resul4l.
of The
difierence appears rather to be te t a
periodical oscillation than of a permanent decline.ln the
Australian eolonies, on the other hand, the annual aver-
t five years ending 1831
i was only 363,4561.
during the five years ending 1836 t rose to 655,56114
during the five years ending 1841, to 1,470,0851.; and
only ~eclined to 1,159,4961., in the five years ending
1846. The temporary difficulties of the West Indian
colonies have been superinduced by two social and
economical revolutions of nolessmagnitale than &tran-
sition from domestic slavery to universal freedom, and
from protection to fie e-trade. Tae progress of events
throughout the world rendered these transitions in-
evitable : the full extent of the difficulties and embar-
rassments they brought with them have been
experienced and cannot recur again. The embarrass-
ments of the Australian colonies were of a still more
kcal and transitory. character. The commercial an-
nals of the remaining colonial grcups indicate a
steady increase of wealth. The average value of
exports of British manufactures and produce to the
North American *minis. was 1,723,3151. for the
five years ending 1831; it was 2,803,9221. for the
five years ending 1816. The average value of ex-
ports to the Africen colonies wee 471,3481. for the
five years e-.ding 1831; it was 977,5771. for the five
years ending 1846. The average value f exports to
the East Indian colonies was 3,554,6071. for the five
years ending 1836 ('he first for which we have sepa-
rate accounts of them) ; it was 6,770,4361. for the five
Jeans ending 1846. And be it remembered that even
in the colonies, which have been most severely tried,
no classes or individuals have ever experienced such
privations as are but too extensively felt in the mother
country. In all the colonies all are assured at all times
of ample food, clothing, and the sheeer of a roof.
The year 1849 has wrought no marked change in
the noimal condition of the colonies indicated by
these figures. What change there has bee is for the
better. The Australian colonies, emanipated from
the fetters of a restrictive policy which impeded the
development of their resources, have been making
more vigorous suides in advance. Tree North Ame-
rican colonies have ben making arrangements fir
the further emancipation of their trade, which cannot
but accele rate the uniform progress they have of late
years been making. The West Indian colonies have
set themselves in earnest, by the adoption of new in-
dustri .1 processes and general retrenchment in public
and private expenditure, to se:ommoclate themselves
to the new state of thinge. Throughout the colonies
there is a marked advance in habits of self-reliance
and prudent forecast, which augurs well for the
future.
But over all this Ws promise the perverse system
of mismanagement persisted in by the colonial de-
partment of our government casts a "ark shade. The
continual interference of Downing-street in the local
government of the colonies has been fraught with he
worst consequences in every colonial greu
p. If the
riots in Canada had not their sou-ce in this meddling
it @auctioned the cowardly policy of the overnor's
skulking from Montreal, and changing the seat of
government to the great expense and annoyance of
the colony. The Colonial-office has obstinately re-
pieced audobstructed every attempt on the part of the
legislatures of Jamaica, Trinidad, and Guiana to re-
duce their local expenditure and adapt it to their
reduced mans. The Colonial-office has succeeded in
this by denying Trinidad an ekctive responsible sys-
tem of gove snment ; by foisting upon Guiana a sham
reform which has narrowed the ecerituency ; and by
perpetua ing in Jamaica a nominee council, with
power to neutralise every effort of the representatives
of the people. Under the centralised system of
Downing-street government the public chest of St.
Lucia has been phi:imed by official defaults-re.
The Cape has been driven to the verge
of a rebellion by the haugh'y and supercilious
refusal of the Colonial office to listen to the repre-
sentations of the colonists on the subject of convict
transports. ion. Van Diemen's Land is driven to the
verge cf bankruptcy by an inconsiderate shovelling
of convicts into the colony. New Zealand has heel
tantalised by having a constitution sent out one month,
and revoked the next. In Ceylon, a governor, who
placed the whole island under martial law in spi-e of
the remonstrances of the Crown Council, on acchuat ovef
a contemptible riot ; and who, by roan and oppressi
legislation, did his best to provoke a rebellion, has been
praised and ,upported. The Mauritius has been fretted
and vexed by a system of financial ire lie Even
the infant settlement of Lahuan is beginning to com-
plain of the costly and complicated machine, y of its
government—to smart under its absentee goverr or,
and still more severely under its incompetent resident
• - ----

lieutenant-governor.
Over the whole wile expanse e our colonial do-
minions we see the proeperity shich nature and in-
dustry are 'trivia; to confer upon them neutralised
by administrative vexations. The colonists naturally
a-tribute the blame of whit they puffer from the
Hone Government to the Parham .nt, which has the
power to check it, and the constituencies which elect
that Parliament. The consequence is that their affec-
tions are bring alienated from the mother country,
and a feeling of hostility towards it is making raptd
progress in many quarters.
It is obvious that, throughmit the greater part of
the American continents, the Antilles, Australia,
Southern Africa, and the islands of the Pacific, the
English is destined to be the priponderatou r ing
fore-
and
dominant race. The mismanagement of
father. raised up a rival govitrninent to the British in
North America, which is extending; its territories and
population with unexampled rapidity. and is deeply
imbued with an eager desire to rqoal and surpass toe
parent state in wealth, power, and influence. Our
impolitic colonial government is rapidly tending to
call into existence similar rival governments in South
Africa and Australia. Thitre is not a moment to he
lost in adopting measures to avert this impending

calamity.
To avert the threatened dismem`3erment of the Bri-
tish empire, the colonial coni.exion must be made
closer and more permanent, by relaxing the bends of
dominion, and • reng.hening doe- of affection. The
government and legislature of the mother country must
cease to me:4le with the local affairs of the colonies.
he colonies mast be empowered t manage for them-
selves ell their local affairs, to frame and alter their
local constitutions as they please. No longer harassed
by the interference of itt °rent red typists in Down-
ing-street, no longer galled by their inatttntion and
supercilious persistence in oppression and mismanage-
ment, the natural affection of the colonists for the old
country will have fair play. Great Britain will find
-n her colonies hardy and loyal oommuniies following
her banner in the hour of dsnger from affection' in-
stead of oppressed and angry men etruggling to throw
off her yoke even in time of peace. And the over-
loather ed taxpayers of the mn.her country will be
rel;eved fro .1 a lrge amonut of tax on attributed
to the wants ota the colonies, but in remality pocketed
by the poor relations and dependents of oar dominant
oligarchy.
-------

ygs Vicar of Cirencester has succumbed t wlether
litAileencerld Mgt etristueeeof the Deily • News or to
%he: nionV seal
Bishop, we do.not pretend to
nd Ogres of les °induct We
'shoald a pprehe that he bad muchlmore fear of that
OsMi.thatroOldirilteoesan..,But,however that may bee
the
reterendgentleman Ms given way r"-and that
tact is enough for us at present.
On Tuesday last,bring Christmas day, Mr. THORN-
TON, the scripture reader, presented himself a second
time at the railings ob the Cirencester Chtweh am- I
minion table. The elem. was within the rails in full
canonicals. The clerk was is his peeper place: the
sexton looking on. A large number of loungers were
in the church anticipsting the probability of a
scene. But none took place. On this cceasioo, Mr.
TBOHNTON was permitted to kneel at the altar rails,
and the vicar with his own hands administered to
him the sacred elements which only a fortnight be-
fore he, without resson,'had refused to him, as if be
were " an open and notorionsevil liver."
No reasons were atsigned for admitting Mr.
TnonseTox to the sacrament, from which only a few
days before he had been igeominiously excluded.
Whether they were needed or not it is not
necessary for us to inquire. That is a matter between
Mr. Powitu and MI Bishop, or between Mr. PoweLL
and his own conscience. Having now taken the
right course, we have only to congratulate the rev.
gentleman on his change of opinion. We may regret
indeed that he created this brawl and gave occasion
for the animadversions of his parishioners and of
others ; but we trust that the result may be beneficial
bath to the reverend gentleman himself and to his
parish, teaching the former moderation, and showing
the latter the importance of toleration.
Whilst on the subject of toleration, we may take
the opportunity of re-publishirg • " fatherly admoni-
tion" to the shape of a prastntment to the Bishop of
Manchester, which has recently been laid before his
lordship by the Rev. J. IRVINE, vicar of Leigh. We
do not know that anlthing we can say can possibly
add to the force of this most extraordinary document.
It speaks for itself; and we could have no better
illustration of the way in which we should be
governed were these high church parsons permitted
to ran riot. Here is the presentment., made, as Mr.
Invite says, " as a fatherly admonition to bring back
these wanderers to the fold " :
To the Wight It-verend Father in Ood James Prince,
Lord Bishop of Manchester.
I, James Irvine, Vicar of Leign, in th 3 county of Lances-
ter, in lane lordship's diocese, present unto you that they
may he admonished, and, if need be, otherwise dealt with, as
the laws of the church direct, for the health of their soult,
1. James Kesnley, of Penington, , far neglecting
to send his sou Peter and his daughter Mary Ann to ba ex
grained and instructed in the catechism, as the in. canon di-
rects, during the last nine years, and especially' for contuma-
ciously refusing to do so jut Sunday (S. pt. 9) after hashig
been duly warned to do so on the preceding Than lay, Sept.
6 ; also for not communicating at Easter last, nor any prece-
ding Easter during the last nine years, at his parish church,
as din end by the rubric at the end of " The order for ad.
ministration of the Lord's supper, or holy communion," pa-
ragraph 8.
2 Ellen, the wife of the aforesaid James Beasley, for not
communicating at Easter last, in her pariah church.
3. Peter, the son of James Heasley, aforesaid, for not
communicating at Enter lost, in his parish church, nor for
four years preceding.
4. Mary Ano, daughter of the aforesaid James Rearelty,
for not communicating at Easter last, in her parish church.
This is my One presentment, the allegations of which I
am prepsre to prove by sufficient evidence, and which 1
humbly request 1 may be permitted to do, with all canoe.
tient speed. Dated at Leigh, this tenth city of September,
in the Tear of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and
forty-nine. Witness my hand,
J. IRVINE.

FRANCE.

PARIS, FRID.VT. 5.30 P.M.
The debate of yesterday on the garde inebile proves
once more the utter want of consistency in the Legis-
lative Assembly, and the utter inability of the ministry
which Louis Napoleon directs. At starting, the go-
verument and the comm'esion had agreed to form a
corps of chusseurs de Purls ; accordingly, the cham-
ber voted that the corps should be formed. M. Clary's
amendment, by proroguing the per;od of the dissolu-
tion o' the mobile guard irom the 31st of December to
the 30th of January, rendered the task of forming this
new corps easier, by allowing more time. So f.r all
was welt; but the difficulty which immediately arose
was whether or not the officers of the garde mobile,
c anmiesioned or non-commiesioned, should preserve
their reek in the new corps. The committee urged
that it was fair for the whole army to share in this new
corps, and that all the offic :Ts cf I he present garde mobile
should be reduced to the rank of sub-lieuterant, the
vacancies of the higher class being filled up from the
army. This plan involved manliest injustice to the
officers of the gal de mobile, by reducing them to •
lower rank than that which they possess; it bad also
a sec o.d dieadeantage of being unjust to the army,
obliged, as it wou'd be, to receive into its ranks a
number of the reduced officers not included in the
new corps. M. d'Hautpoul protested against this
plan with all his might. He wished every officer to
re,essre his rank, without promotion, till atter a fixed
time of service. The cross fire which took place be-
tween the ministry and the committee caused such
confusion that no one knew where it would end. The
assembly voted blindly, and in the midst of the
greatest turmoil, the project of the committee. It
was all over with the ministry at one mo-
meat. The whole of the clauses of the committee's
project had been voted, when Oeceral d'H-.utpoul
ascended the tribune, and informed the chamber that
the government could not accept as a whole the mea-
sure that had just passed. This rather extraordinary
pretension increased the confusion, but the chamber,
obedient to the ministerial voce, rescinded all that it
had dote, and after voting all the clauses of the com-
mittee's motion, undid its own work by voting against
the motion as a whole. Whatever may be thought of
this, it at least indicates one thing, teat the Assembly,
or its majori•y, have not courage to put down the
President, who in this bad decidedly the better of them.
Such • parliamentary reyinte is like the tub of the
Danuides, in whie: idea., will, and devotion, are all
thrown, without filling the racism's. A void
always remains, whatever have been the efforts made
to fill it, • void which has already swallowed up how
many governments?
I told you a few days since that M. de Is Hitte had
proposed to the committee on the Le Plata question a
policy ot peace, which could be inaugurated by the
ratification of the Lepredour treaty. It must not be
inferred from this that the whole ministry are agreed
on the subject ; for if the on dits that I hear are to b
relied on, great difference of opinion exists on the
subject amongst that body. It is even specified that
three out of seven of the cabinet are in favour of
peace, incline to spend no money and pocket the
dignity of France.
The deoate on the cubsldy to Montevideo was
opened by a speech from aM. Lalabure, against the
further thtervention of France. M. Lalabure con-
sented to vote the subsidy this time, because the word of
France was pledged, but he should do so on condition
that the treaty of Admiral Lepredour should be
ratified.
Admiral Leine, who was at one time in command
at Buenos Ayres, said that the situation of the French
at Bu nos Ayres was intolerable. He contended that
M. Lepredour's treaty would not he observed by
Roses any more than the Whet. The swore of France
must be drawn spinet au enemy who had too long
been Ift to brave its power. The dignity of France
made it a deity to act vigorously in the matter.
The example of England had been quoted by the
previous speaker as one to be followed, but he could
tell them that England bad only treated because it
saw that an interview would be particularly useful to
France only, and then it was that she retired. If
Montevideo tell, Oribe would en.er as a tyrant and
oppressor, and French trade in tee country would
be at an end. Roses wanted iot only the destruc-
tion of Montevideo in favour of Bet acs Ayres, but he
wanted to humiliate the French. Delay was dan-
gerous, end he recommended immediate action.
M. Jules de Lasteyrie followed, and opposed the
idea of an armed intervention.
The Courrier Francais says : " Wears usenet d that
Admiral Dubournieu, appointed to the command of
the French force at fas. Plata, in place of Admiral Le-1
predkur, his also been named envoy extraordinary of
France to the Argentiee Republic. Ho is to unite in \.
his own hands t:.e direction of the military forces, and
the widest diplomatic powers."
It appears from the returns of th-: Bank of France,
which I seed you, that the increase of the metallic
res. ree this week is not lees Oen 6 millions, being 51
Inilliaus in Paris lied 21 in •he pr..cineat. The die-
eotuki tiecomarAstion ahl" a no iota easel of somewhat
more thou one million in Paris, and a dimimatlon of
nearly the same extent in the provinces, tte amount'
of the Lamer being 42,449,6016, and tivAt of the intr.

73 306,1406 The protested bills in Paris have
iloso *iebed about 60,060 f., and in the departments
t 40,000 f., the amount of the former being
,537 f., and of the letter 1,830,665 f. On the side
elf the liabilities, the notes in circulation have increased
shout 51 millions. The credit account of the treasury
has declined about 4 millions, the presentamount being
75,496,714 fr. Private accounts-current in Parts
have iucressed 4 millions, and in the provinces
100,000 fr., the amount of the - %ruler - being
111.782,437fr.‘ and of the latter
, 27,1t31957rr.. !Eh*
' whole amount of the metallic reserve is now 4311
millions to 4381 millions of notes in circulation.
SILTUBD&T, HALT-PAST 5 P.M.
The La Plata question has hitherto produced at the
tribune many more supporters of a policy of inter-
vention than of one of peace. The Prase and the
AMU are, in the pre-', the only advocates of peace.
La the chamber, even the speakers that are in favour
of peace, find more to say in favour of Monte
than Buenos Ayres. M. de Lasteyrie was left speak-
ing at poet hour yesterday. He had followed Admi-
eel Leine at the tribune. That gallant officer thought
that there was but one thing to be done, and that is
to kick the Argentines out of the Oriental republt lic.
This would have been an easy matter in 1846. is
lees so now; but still, with energy and speed, it could
be done.
M. de Lasteyrie may be classed among those whose
opinion has just been characterise d. He opposed the
report of the committee which demanded an int* r-
ecntion, yet he s'erred almost a middle course be-
tween Roses and Monte Video, inclining towards the,
Ilatter. He criticised every project that was brought 1
forward. An expedition of 2,000 men was certainly I
too small. One of 6,000 men was too large, because it
would coat twenty millions. From this M. de Les-11
teyrie left the Assembly to conclude what was his
opinion, for he carefully withheld it.
M. Colas followed M. de Lastevrie, and insisted that
if the treaty of Admiral IA predour were ratified, the
navigation of the Rio de la Pieta would be monopolised
by England. The abandonment of Monte Video would
cost dearer to France than the price of an expedition I
M. Colas further appealed to those ideas of pride ad
national grandeur which are sure of an echo in French
breasts, and concluded that it was impose
itile foe
France to abendon the external policy which had bees
so long pursued and which had such an influence on
the internal policy of the country.
The &bite having been adjourned was resumed by 1
M. Lagrange, who apposed all idea of inte:ventton.
M. Lagrange it is almost unnecessary to say is a
Mont egnard, he differs from the opinions of his col-
leagues. Oa the present question it is curious
to see one of the party who generally talks
loudly about the glory of France, advoce mg the
least costly as well as least glorious course. Tne po-
sition of Rosa", said M. Lagrange, was a most deli-
cate one, for he would be exposed to deposition if he
did not show himself energetic, and even violent.
'f he wrong, of Rases (he continued) were very much
exaggerated,end Oribe lied alway sheen most respectful
to the French, in spite of the war that was waged
against him. M. Lagrange concluded by saying that
in his opinion it was impossible for France, which
had one arm already engaged in Africa, to engage the
other in America.
M. de L irochejacquelin spoke after M. Lagrange,
and in the opposite sense. He was still speaking
when post hour came.
Notwithstanding the advice of Admiral L titre and
the supporters of armed intervention—notwi. hefted-
ing the efforts of M. Thiess to have the proposed ex-
pedition against Roses voted, the feeling at the
chamber to-day leads me to suppose that the Assembly
will adopt the course of ratifying M. Lepredour's
treaty, or, at any rate, that it will not vote for a direct
intervention against Roses. M. de Montebello is to
move that the republic of Monte Video be authorised
to recruit six thouasnd volunteers amongst the garde
mobile and the old garde republicaine. It is said
that M. Thiers will speak, and endeavour to get the
debate yeenponed till Monday.
The new word invented by M. Thiers, whose
against the President he does not attempt to
en-
conceal, for the intentions that are alleged to be those
of Louis Napoleon for his personal aggrandisement,
is Soetionquerte, (a touching allusion to his Imperial
Majesty of Haiti).
NI. Quatremere de Quincy, member of th • Aca-
demie ries Iliscriptions et Belles Lettrev, perpetual
honorary secretary of the Academie des Beaux Arts,
and senior member of the Institute of France, his
just died in his 95th year.
The proceeds of the octroi of Paris for 1849 will
exceed 32.500,000 e; the day before yesterday it only
wanted 100,000 f. to reach that sum. The entrecce
duties received by the octroi on account of the trea-
sury amount for the year to 12,091,912 f. In 1848,
the sum was 0n1ye,974,324f. Since 1806, when the
entrance duties were established, the amount has only
three times exceeded 12 millions. In 1815 it
reached 12,396,000 f., sr d in 1846, 12,010,000 f.
BnUltilE. --_

tor Amount.