The Express.
London, England, 1848-03-08 00:00:00

ple and the indigent sick, for orphans and for the un-
occupied poor. Each inmate has an opportunity of
following his or her own trade. The atelier is sup-
ported by the profit of the work carried on in it
and by voluntary contributions. Large quantities of
clothing have been already distributed amongst the
poor of sixty rural communes in the two Flanders.
The subscription for the needy classes in those pro-
vinces still continues, and the army has already given
very liberal sums. The Liege bank has declared a
dividend of 38 francs per share, besides adding
20 per cent. of the profits to the reserve fund.
The Mrssager da Panel, an orangeiet journal, has
become a republican one, and seems to think that
that form of government is not impossible in Belgium.
The same journal strongly urges the government to
show its attachment to reform by more energetical
measures than those it has already announced, and
to dismiss those functionaries who are connected with
the retrograde party.
Many of your readers will doubtless recollect the
name of M. de Potter, who played a very conspicuous
part in the events which preceded and followed the
Belgian revolution. That gentleman has just issued
a species of manifesto, expressing his opinions re-
specting the duty of Belgium under existing circum-
stances. After proving that this country already
possesses all those great guarantees of liberty which
France has just obtained, and stating that he was a
Belgian republican in 1830, he contends that even if
it were fouud necessary to upset the monarchical
system freely chosen at the above period, the time for
taking such a step had not yet arrived.
The Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Cobourg have left
Brussels for their states. It is asserted that before
proceeding to Cobourg they will have an interview
with the Duchess of Orleans, at Ems.

MADRID, FEB. 2s.
The debate in congress on Saturday was one of the
stormiest and not the least important of the session. The
Paris news of the 22nd and 23rd, telegraphed to Bayonne,
and sent on by expresses, stole in among a crowded
attendance of members and strangers, drawn to the house by
the expectation of a hot debate upon the mayor's water-pipe
edict. It was very soon clear that a hot debate there would
be, although not upon a municipal question of whitioever
magnitude. Symptoms of snappish irritation between the
oppoall,g ranks, about points of indifference in the desultory
busuaess that opined the sitting, 'hewed that explorive mat-
ter; beneath the surface sought vent; and vent it found ere
long, in a subject of all others the most apt to add fuel to the
inflamed mood which prevailed on both sides of the house.
The question of nothing less than tho legality of Espartero's
regency came to be raised thus : the committee of petitions
reported on a petition presented by Don Jose Bartoli y
' Ortega, commander of infantry, that the military officers
comprised in the amnesty should be restored to their
rank in the army. Figueras, minister of war, mentioned
' what the government had done to relieve the amnestied
officers, and said that it was not the fault of ministers that all
hag nut been replaced, it having been impossible as yet to
examine all their in, mortals and antecedents, and many had
been found disqualified by misdemeanours not political. In
alluding to the promotions granted in the le months of
Espartero's regency, the minister characterised them as null
and void, for having been conceded in glens po inAadil, an
expression which impugned the legitimacy of the acts of the
regency. This was the signal for onslaught. Lucerne,
having been minister under Espartero, put a bminal question
to the government—Did the ministers consider or not legal
the acts of the government to which he had belonged ? Ile
would take no shuffling answer; he wanted a plain yes
orno. . . . . .

Sartoriva made a speech in answer, which, front the trick
he has caught of aping the pedagogue tone of poor M.
Guizot, produced the extremert impatience in the opposition,
which burst into violent demonstrations of scorn and wrath,
uhen, at the end of his speech, the borne minister avowed
that he did not scruple to declare that the government held
all the acts of that period to be illegal. The greater part of
the minority immediately demanded turn to speak, all at
once. The president wielded his bell like a town crier his
voice was drowned in the uproar. The tumult subsiding, he
began setting down the names of those who wanted to
speak : and I believe that if he had gone through
with it, his list would have contained the whole
house. Sartorius then said, " All the majority demand
turn to speak." The opposition answered with one voice,
" and all the minority." A scene of great confusion en-
, sued ; the benches of the right shouting that the declaration
of war was accepted. Lujan, speaking on the progresista
side, resented the manner in which he was called to order
by the President. Ho then proceeded to state the facts.
Toe insurrection of '43 was concluded. The Queen was de-
clared arrived at majority ; and, in the plenitude of her
prerogative confirmed, by decree of Nov. 27, the promo
Lions granted by the regent. The only posterior act which
could affect the question was a royal order suspending and
regulating, but by no means annulling, that decree.
To this Sartorius replied that the cabinet of '43, which suc-
' ceeded the conquered government of the regency, annulled
its acts. Pidal spoke next. He was pleased to find that the
progresistas had thrown oft the mask and by the mouth of
Senor Grease declared open war against the cabinet. He
' had always predicted this ; and as it set parties in their true
plate, he was glad it had come to pass. But how was is that
this war had suddenly been declared to-day for the first time?
The government had committed no new offence. All was
qniet : no question had been started which could move the
opposition to assume such a decided attitude of hostility all
at once. He therefore presumed that the springs of the
change were not altogether unconnected with important
events which had taken place in another country. As to the
legality of the regent's government, there was no getting out of
the position fixed by Sartorius. Senor Lujan asserts boldly the
affirmative. Espartero's government may be legitimate in
his eyes ; but let him look right and left on the benches
about him, he would see men there who had fought against
that government, and invalidated its acts. Martinez de la
Rsa played, rather unhappily, with some conceits about
Achilles, the wooden horse, and winds from beyond the I
Pyrenees, adding no argument worth notice. Narvaea ex-
plained how it was that it had been found impossible to
carry into effect the royal decree which revalidated the pro-
motions. Many of the officers promoted by the decree
of the regiment had passed to the division commanded
by Asydroz. Many of the captaina.general had not
been aide to form the lists required by Espartero,
with a view to these promotions, in consequence of the re.
gent's decree not having reached them till long after it was
issued, Zurbano was one of these. While Minister of War
he (Names) bad desired to Garry through this basinces, and
had asked for the papers; but the difficulties were such that
he was obliged to give up the task. The lists of the captains-
general were the only data to proceed upon ; and the officers
whose names were gown in these had the greater portion of
them taken part in the insurrection. This was a sample of
the confusion which occurred : There were two Counts of
Reus—Prim and Zurbano ; which was to have the title? At
the end of his speech
.Narvus noticed the allusions made to
the events of France in these words:
The government declares that whatever line the minority
think to adopt, in consequence of these events, the ministry
will not depart one jot from the system of impartiality, tole-
ration, and conciliation which it proposed to follow from the
beginning. But, if the peace which the country now enjoys
should be unfortunately disturbed—if the attempt should be
made to intimidate the government by demonstrations of
forge—if an appeal were made to seditious tumults and bar-
ricades—if, finally, abdication should be sought to be forced I
upon the Queen, or any other sort of violence imposed—the
government would repel force by force ; and, in proportion as
it is now tolerant and conciliatory, would then become severe
and energetic, till revolutionary attempts were stifled.
The Siglo says :—" It appears that the Spanish liberals are
preparing a grand banquet to solemnise the reforms that
have been effected in the Italian states. With this object,
they will ask leave of the political authorities, which it. is to
be hoped will set no obstacle to the fulfilment of this patriotic
desire, seeing that no law exists to prohibit pacific swam-
bliss." The Siglo is by many suspected of playing a
false game under liberal colours to hurt its assumed party as
much as possible. Thus it mooted, at its first appearance,
the question of the notional militia, which was the main
source of division among the progres:stas. Therefore, an
announcement of the kind mentioned, coming from such a
quarter, is to be regarded with distrust.
A meeting was held last night by the progresistas to deter-
mine what line they should now take.
Last eight a cabinet council was held to deliberate on the
course to be pursued.
The wife of ()lungs died on Saturday, and was interred
yesterday.