The Express.
London, England, 1847-12-18 00:00:00

vie

The overland nulls for Gibraltar, Male, Greene, the Wean Island%
Emit, Aden, Ceylon, Indio, I long. Kong, and Mat, vie Southanaptee,
wW be mode up on the morning of the 20th December.
The overland cloned rie Marreilles, to Se Mediterranean
emit, Aden, Ceylon, India, Item Kong, arc., will be made up on the
evening of the 24th December.
The mein for Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Madeira, Cade, and Gibraltar
will be made up on the mender of the 27th Deaner.
The mails for Ncw South Wake*, Van Diemetes Land, and New
Zealand will be made up on the evening of the 31st December.
The mule for British North America, Bernard; and the Unite
items, will be made up on the evening at the list December.
The West India Mails, excluding Seemed; Nassau, Demo,
Gondar., Now Orleans, Vera Crue, Tampico, and Porto Woo, and
including those for Medeira,Carthagena, Santa MArths,
Magee, Panama, West Coast of Scutt America, and St. Juan-de.
Nicaragua will be made up on the morning of the 2nd January.
• Tht malls for the Brazils, the River Plate, Monte Video, Yemeni.
eve. Babe, Madeira, end Buenos Ayres, will be made up on tie
taming of the 4th January.

TO
• • Advert%emote •171te$ NDIM•do.
*be .4 U. ak... Sanuio4o~o.7 T:e7rlreit. ei7;l7 j=“7:"

HIGH WATER, AT LONDON ISIDOE.
Tay. D.v-11.•fra, SI Ws- 104 t P22t
TaMosalm—hkeViall22 mi. pad II I 1,111 NOW" Owls. pant O.

LONDON, SATURDAY, DEC. 18.
WS regret much not being able to join in the
general admiration, expressed by our contemporaries
of the press, and the public, in favour of the Irish bill.
Yet there is nothing we are mere anxious to avoid
than the being singular. Our desire would be to join
some current of opinion, to fall into some rational
and general vein of sentiment; and we would cer-
tainly go out of our way, in the road of political
discussion, for company's sake.
But, with all humility and hesitation, we must be
permitted to differ from most of the opinions upon
this Irish Bill. We understand the pressure upon the
ministry, the necessity of its meeting the dread coali-
tion of a peasantry, resolved to enforce its own views
and supposed rights by murder. We see the necessity
of its avoiding all those old and decried clauses of
peat coercion laws, of curfew edicts, arms branding,
and the power of summary justice entrusted to a
landlord magistracy. We admit the urgency of
strengthening the law, and even intimidating the
Irish peasant. But we object decidedly to the out-
rageous clause against " accessories after the fact."
We object to the threat, for it is but a threat, to
punish those who at least do not feign zeal in pur-
uing a criminal. And, moreover, we object to much
the entire spirit of the bill.
When the first sketch of the law was made known
in parliament, we stated our belief that it would be
incomplete unless it ware accompanied by the French
or passport system. For when a district is visited by,
the declaratory decree of the LORD-LIEUTENANT, it Le
evident that the professional assassin will take up his
musket and go elsewhere. To catch him, the circle
the proclaimed district must be enlarged. And
Lord FITZWILLIAII felt this so fully, that on
Thursday night be proposed the establishment
of the French system in Ireland, the gendarmerie
to be completed by, the passport office. Lord FITZ-
WILLIAM accompanied this notable recommendation
by stigmatising every " constitutional " objection
that might be urged against it as " twaddle. We
are sorry to find such a line of
.argument pursued by
Earl Ftvzwittissi. The opinion is but too general,
too current, that the circumstance of a person, how-
ever liberal in general polities, happening to be an
Irish landlord, incapacitates him from legislating
rationally upon Irish politics. Moat certainly Lord
FITZWILLTAM's definition of constitutionalism as
" twaddle" goes far to prove the truth of an assertion,
which, for oar part, we are still unwilling to
believe.

The House of Lords altogether, and the great ma-
jority of the speakers in the House of Commons, seem
to have been carried away by a very natural abhor-
rence and indignation at the crime of murder, into a
species of legislation which savours more of vindic-
tiveness than of sage prevention. The effort of angry
legislators in both houses was to strike, not so much
at the criminal, as at the general mass of the
population, supposed to be his abettors.
Now, we beg to say, that you cannot penally coerce
or punish, at least with any good effect., a whole popu-
lation. Society is full of thousands of bad men, com-
mitting bad acts, which neither law nor penalty can
attain. The world around us is fall of such male-
factors. There are not only murderers amongst the
Irish peasantry, but the whole population is said to
sympathise with them. Youmay punish the murderer.
But we defy any law to punish that ay mpathy, or eradi-
cate it by penahty. Of the same class of indefinite and
powerless craving after punishment, is the desire to
dreg forward the catholic priests as accessories to
murder, when they indulge in the too common
diatribes and denunciations against landlords. We
do not defend these priests. Our remarks on Mr.
M,lleasorr sufficiently show our opinion on this sub-
ject. But at the same time, let a law be passed
against priests who shall denounce from the afar
and not a denunciation, that the law can lay hold of,
will be repeated. But will the priest want the means of
exasperating his flock against the landlord, who
makes himself odious to both? The law may mean
well, but any such law is powerless.
We cannot but think those orators to have been
gaits in the wrong, who recommended flinging reme-
dial measures to the wind, and who were all for not
only scotching the murderer, but punishing the entire
Irish popalation for his crime. Let the most stringent
law that can be devised be passed against the mur-
derer. But stringent laws are useless against a whole
population. The duty of the legislature is not to
leave the ignorant peasant in that situation in which
his life is worth so little that he can sacrifice it on the
first impulse of vengeance.
These are no ordinary times in Ireland. A revolu-
tion is in progress. Famine commenced it—the poor
law, decreed by the legislature, has continued it. The
poor Irish, never certain of sustenance, or of land,
which is synonymous, have for years been accustomed
to struggle for that bit of land by violence. They
have now en hundred times snore cause for this strug-
gle and this violence, for never was their existence so
threatened, their usual mode of subsistence so plainly
denied, without any other being fully and clearly pm-
vided. Let the government demand, and the legisla-
ture vote, all the police laws which it considers requisite
for such an emergency Lbuklet not this suffice. The
Irish are helpless children in this extremity, desperate
children, rash and wicked ones in too many instance..
But for the Irish peasant to help himself, when a

landlord tarns him and his family into the ros--tr"..,
derision to ask. And if in such extremity he ttunste
crime, yon may punish him for his guilt, bst
cannot wonder at it.
We cannot think, therefore, that parliament its
done all its duty by Ireland in this short session, am
that it has done very wisely the little that it
has done. It has legislated in half panic, hat
passion, dominated by one frightful ides.
throughout the whole course of this lewd
Irish crisis, the British parliament has alternated be.
tween two systems and two ideas, both extreme. Oss
day it was all charity, all overflowing of heart, sa
readiness to relieve and to feed. The moment this
hot fit had passed the cold fit came on, and then the
cry was, " Not a shilling ; let them go to gaol?,
alms bill one year, a police hill the next. Such is tbe
wisdom of England to Ireland.
Now, for our part, we should desire a maims h.
tween these extremes. We shall bail the thy
when parliament shall get out of this task*
ague which the name of Ireland excites; whit
British legislators shall come to direct the 'Eike
of Ireland in some other vein than the venting
of vulgar prejudices, and the exchange of Billings,
gate terms with gentlemen from Conciliatira.
hall. Hon. members cannot contribute to the pad
fication or improvement of Ireland by bitter jokes
Homeric apostrophes. Such conduct more resembles
the conduct of the Irish themselves in a provincial rem
than the gravity of a Saxon Witan.
If we have read the Irish bill with dissatisractiet,
we have perused the debate, which ushered it met*
shame and with disgust. Nor can we see in either
of them any traces of the wisdom, the calmness,
the gentlemanly conduct and humane feeling, whick
characterise Englishmen in legislating upon any sub.
ject save this apparently accursed one of Ireland.

THE debate on the Jewish question fell, es me
natural, principally into the hands of those mere,
hers who take a special interest in rehgieee
matters. It is true that the real point at issue ie
properly secular and political. Sectarians of large se
small sects may disease the possible bearing of the
proposed measure on their respective interests sad
tenets ; but it is for statesmen to consider whether
any argument of justice or expediency authorises the
exclusion of any class of natural subjects resident in
these islands from equal political privileges with their
neighbours. None but @violists and denlaimere
seriously assert that all inhabitants of all countries
can be admitted to a share in government. We fall
into no such follies in those parts of our possessions
which are occupied by a superior and infelior rare,
Power is for the powerful, for those who know how
to keep it and to use it. The English rale the Miriam
of Bengal because they are stronger, braver, wiser.
From no theory of tests or of civil and religious fees.
dom or exclusion, but from the nature of things, the
dominant race is dominant. The United Kingdom
itself is in an entirely different condition. AU races
which are found wituia its borders are recognised by
the constitution as equal—English, Welsh, Scotch,
Irish, are all competent by law to enjoy any office' or
rank, up to the crown itself. Even Jews are ad-
mitted to be politically qualified for the appointments
which have hitherto been withheld from them; for
by a profession of Christianity a Jew of the purest
blood could always pass within the pale of the eon-
irtitution. There is no pretence for calling them an
inferior race, even if English polity recognised the
existence of such cases in the imperial islands. A
statesman is fully entitled to say that the anomaly of
excluding one small body of Englishmen from parlia-
ment ought not to exist, whatever may be the reli-
gious grounds assigned, or even proved, for the
exclusion. . . . .

Lord JOHN RUSSELL was quite right in throwing
the onus of justifying the exclusion on his opponents.
He showed very clearly that the supposed requisition
of a profession of Christianity as a condition for the
enjoyment of full political rights was, if not a fiction,
at least as innovation, which could not be said to has
existed till the passing of the Catholic Relief Bill.
Religions tests were always intended for the prota°
tion of some definite and substantial rule of ca.
formity. As Lord JOHN Russell. showed, they was
all instituted for political purposes, and removed
when those purposes became obsolete or inexpediad.
First it was determined that power .should be plate
exclusively in the hands of churchmen ; the
that only Roman catholic' should be excluded;
and from the time of the Relief Bill only
clan it be suggested that Christianity was the
object of protection. Vet it is difficult to ne
how the Jews can affect the interests of Christianity,
except by their possible dealings with the church,
which has already much bitterer enemies than the
Jews within the walls of parliament. In point d
het, no one supposes that Jewish members will do
any practical injury to religion. It is the nomad
recognition of a non-Christian element in the gores.
went of the country to which Lord Joas Rummell
opponents object. It is admitted that Hula sad
GIBBON were as hostile to Christianity as the mat
polemical Jew; but it was truly remarked that thee
peculiar opinions were not openly recognised by pee
lament. When Mr. BANKES, however, primal
to maintain that no unbeliever except Lad
BOLINGBROKE ever exercised influence in pa-
Bement, and that even he could not have es
joyed it if hie opinions had been known, we ea
only admire his good faith and simple confide= la
parliamentary formulas. The zealous pietists air
then contended for power—the WALeoLes and the
CHESTERFIELDS—wouId have been surprised to her
that orthodoxy was essential in the days of Growl
IL to the enjoyment of power asd reputation. It
must be admitted that the admission of the Jcweis
vulvas a principle, and that it involves little else.
We think that the election of Baron RoTHSCHILDINI
morejudiciously applied by Lord J.Russ ELL than Wit
Fox, who otherwise made an able speech in fawned
going into committee. The decision of so important&
onestitaency is a prosf, as Lord Jonre said, that the*
is no popular prejudice to contend with. It is &hes
proof that the disqualification of the Jews is arse
heal grievance, not only to themselves, bat, a Mt
Fox justly observed, to those who may wish to ke
represented by them. We cannot, however, an*
much weight to Mr. Fox's anticipations that a wile
lion of the present measure and of Baron Rows.
CHILD would lead to a series of conflicts between he
house and the electors of the City, such as than
which were caused by the refusal to allow Wilma
to take his seat for Middlesex. It is for the City cl
London to express its opinion; but not to supplant
parliament. It has elected a member who cannot
take his seat till the law is changed. If the law
should, unfortunately, not be changed, • Pereeeereno
In the choice would merely be an act of self-disfran-
chisement. The electors of Middlesex thought that
their legal rights were violated. The citizens ci
London admit that the law, as it stands, is agsiaß
them.
I The division of religions parties in the house on the
subject is nearly what might be expected. Tat
strong protestants are opposed to the admission aka
Jews, the Anglo,catholics are favourable to it. Lad
JOHN RUSSELL'S recent declaration of hostility to the
high-church party. does net secure him the suppnt
d
their opponents in a measure when his views as s
lesbian= may be supposed to influence him mete
then the devotion which ho appears to feel for r
teetantinn. The arguments of the representatra
of the popular and numerous low-church Peg
were not very formidable, except as they prang'
from the most powerful party in the church. Sia•
Isrows, though a man of ability, is always the Si
audacious atterar of platitudes and paradoza,
tided they are protestant and popular. in
actually assigned as a reason for exclohli
the Jews, that they are the latest inani
of all the inhabitantsof the country—not, howerer,o,
would suggest, later-tharßhe French protestant' ea
their descendants, or even than the Scotch, if- 'V.I.
_ .
culotte from the time
see what bearing th
Sir R. INGLIS IS all

religious exclusion,
be rather anomalous.

maintain tho supremacy
the church and protestant
give a monopoly of pow.
men, of dissenters, and _
abhors. If the church

in SL Stephen's, hp sp._
much u possible limited
that we think the -'

Jews will net make

able. To sum up the
is a few words, it was
we may believe the 6
milted to memory by aL
Far the ablest speech

Or even Win use 04.1.0.31
ne of the union. It isdiScatt*
the remark has upon the coedit
always consistent in the prestos •
1, but oonsietency in a negatioslol
us. Sir ROBFRT once attempted
remacy of the church, then thet•
otestant dissenters. He would".
f power to a sacred league &lee
and of thepapiete whom he so eget
church cannot enjoy its pritM
Ne would have the compeekt
e limited in limber. pesos""
additional intrusion of two cc ths•
re the church at all more anomie,
the merits of Sir R. INGLls'shtt
was one of those orations w •
he Standard, are uniformly wav
r by all the protestanta of the empil•
speech on the same aide of the (11111.

use was delivered by Lord Aenteg ; but as far as it
contained any argument, it ought to have led to an
opposite conclusion. He eulogised the Jews in terms
Toothy of Mr. Disaasu ; he repudiated the some-
what antiquated objection to their sitting in parlia-
ment because they were accomplices in the crucifixion;
and he confined himself principally to the necessity of
acknowledging Christianity in name. In onepart of his
speech he almost repeated the statement of Lord J.
Russet'. First, we made a stand, he said, for the
church, then for a protestant parliament, now for a
Cluistian parliament—we may soon have to defend a
white parliament We should like to know whether
there is now auy test of colour—any pledge on the
faith of a white man. The virtuous electors of Sud-
bury did rot look at Mr. DYCE SOMBRE'S pedigree ;
and would have elected a Boejesman, or a liottentot,
if he had given them equally solid reasons for
doing so.
Mr. GLADSTONE'S was the only speech, except Lord
JOHN RUSSELL'S, which was likely to influence votes.
it displayed the usual defects of his character in its
maned and minute arguments and apologetic
tone. But it must be remembered that he
was voting against the wish of his constituents,
and speaking against principles which he might be
supposed to hold. The strength of his reasoning
consisted not in broad and simple views of justice
and expediency, but in skilful fencing with the reli-
gious scruples which stand in the way of a recogni-
tion of the Jewish claims. It was more to his purpose
to show that a person of strong and exclusive religious
opinions might consistently dispense with political
exclusion, than to repeat the more ordinary argu-
ments which hsve been used on the same side. We
have no doubt that he would have adopted the in-
ference which was tauntingly thrown out on the
same side, that Mahometans or Pagans would
in a similar case be entitled to the same con-
sideration. When such religionists form a part
of the native inhabitants of Great Britain
and Ireland, and are likely to find constituents, we
agree that they ought not to be excluded. The error
of Dr. VAN OVENS, in saying that a majority of the
nation is not Christian, consists in confounding our
eastern dependants with ourselves. No one calls India
a Christian country. The British Empire is Christian,
in as far as the English are the dominant portion of
the population ; and these islands are Christian
because the immense majority of the inhabitants
adhere to that faith. It pleases Dr. VAN Ovarrs
indeed, to say that England is not Christian be-
cause it contains some Jews; an assertion which
excites the indignation of Sir ROBERT INGLIS,
who thinks that so small a body cannot affect
the national character. But, says Mr. GLADSTONE,
if it is an offence to say that 30,000 or 40,000 Jews
unchristianise a nation, why should three or four
unchrietianise a parliament; especially as Jews al-
ready have a share in electing our Christian parlia-
ment? It is fortunate that, out of their four mem-
bers, the universities have one who is chosen for
some intellectual qualities, independent of the pos.
minion of " Protestant principles."
The fate of the proposed bill in the House of
Commons is decided. We also think that the
turn which the debate has taken is favourable to its
success in the House of Lords. Lord J. RUSSELL
has not only expressed a sincere sympathy for the reli-
gious feelings of the country, a hile he attempts to
abolish political disabilities, but he has lately
conciliated the ultra-Protestant party in the
church by the hostility which he has expressed
to the minority which is so obnoxious to it.
Both Lord ASHLEY and Mr. GLADSTONE contributed
to relieve the subject from prejudice, and to lay
before the country the true issue—whether a nominal
recognition of Christianity unknown to the constitu-
tion in former times, and operating in a manner
which was never contemplated when the Abjuration
Act was introduced, is worth preserving at the ex-
pense of injustice and anomaly. Lord JOHN RUSSELL
well observes that parliament is under no compulsion.
It may if it chooses safely persecute the Jews. They
cannot raise mobs or rebel, they will not even call in
their mortgages. They have no claim but that
which ought to be all-sufficient, the claim of expedi-
ency and of political right.

A summary of the following appeared in a part of
- our last evening's issue.
The reform banquets continue to occupy a large
space in the French journals, and the subject excites
their serious attention. In those of Thursday we find
voluminous reports of that of Nieubourg, which we
noticed yesterday as having been held on the 12th.
At this meeting speeches were delivered by M.
Dupont (de I'Eure), who presided, M. Paguerre, and
M. Gamier Pages.
The reform banquet of the fourteenth arrondisse-
ment, held at St. Denis on Tuesday, which we noticed
in our correspondence of yesterday, was one of the
most imposing of these popular demonstrations. It
was attended by 1,100 guests, and conducted under
the presidency of M. F. de Lasterie, deputy of St.
Denis, supported by MM. Odilon Barrot, Marie, La-
fayette, L'Herbette, Gamier Pages, Vavio, Betbruont,
and a host of leading members of the opposition.
The toast to the King was omitted, being replaced
by that to "the Sovereignty of the Nation. M.
Marie introduced the great tout of the day, " Elec-
toral and parliamentary reform," by a speech cha-
racterised by more even than his usual ability.
The anniversary of the arrival of the remains of
the Emperor Napoleon at the Invalides, was cele-
brated by a religious solemnity in the chapel of the
hospital on Wednesday. Prince Jerome, ex-king of
Webtphalia, with his eon and daughter, were present
on the occasi n. The chapel was filled with officers
and soldiers of the empire, and functionaries of the
imperial court. The ladies present, who were nume-
rous, appeared in mourning. The King and Royal
family will remain at St. Cloud until the 23rd, after
which they will as usual at this season inhabit the
Tuileries.
The Pattie affirms that the decision of the Diet
which settled the difference with the principality of
Neufchatel by a pecuniary indemnity, was made at
the saggestion of Sir Stratford Canning. The answer
of the Swiss Diet to the note of M. Bois-le-Comte,
was officially received at the Hotel des Affaires
Etraugeree, on Tuesday.

We have letters from various parts of Italy ; from
Turin to the 11th, Leghorn to the 10th, and Rome
and Naples to the Bth. The letter of our own our. e-
spondent from Rome will be found below. The Sar-
dinian government is proceeding steadily with the
stem of reform, which the King has pledged him-
self to, and which it is now understood will be ex-
tended to the island of Sardinia. It is expected that
a general amnesty for political offences will be pro-
claimed on the first day of the new year.
A popular demonstration took place in Leghorn
on the Bth, on the arrival of the intelligence of
the success of the Diet against the Sonderbund,
similar to that which occurred at Rome and
which we have already reported. The affair was con-
ducted with the most perfect order, and no interrup-
tion of the tranquillity of the town took place.
The arrangement we have already reported as
having been agreed on between Tuscany and Modena,
under the arbitration of the Pope and the King of
Sardinia, has been carried into effect without any
resistance or further effervescence on the part of the
population of Lunigiana, which now constitutes,
part of Modena.
A popular movement was reported to have taken'
place at Trapani, in Sicily, similar to that which
• lately occurred at Palermo, but without any serious
consequences.
The Nourelliate of Marseilles says :
A new act of firmness and high independence of Pius IX.
proves to the last evidence that this great pontiff, if he has
always united his right to a sage moderation, has not the less
pursued with firmness the reparation of the insult offered at
Ferrara. The momentary withdrawal of Cardinal Ciacchl,
the energetic legate of that province, being of a nature to
leave room for interpretations capable of compromising the
dignity of the Roman government, this prelate has just re-
mired orders to return immediately to Ferrara. His absence
would in fact appear a compensation or a satisfaction given to
Austria in exchange for the evacuation of the troops. Car-
dinal Ciacchi has been ordered to remain at his post until
the evacuation has bees concluded.
A letter from Genoa, dated the 10th, says:
We have had td day a glorious festival to celebrate the
victory gained by the Genoese over the Austrians in 1746.
Accustomed as I am to popular demonstrations, I never yet
saw anything to stupor the meeting which I have just wit-
nessed. At an early hour this morning the almost entire
population of the city went in proccesion to the church
d'Oreguia, when 'solemn Te Delos was sung, the multi-
tude remaining uncovered outside. It was an affecting thing
to see there, on the battle-field won by their ancestors, so
many thousands raising
_ their heads and hearts in thanks-
and praying Divine Providence to defend their
country from foreign domination. When divine movie.,
was concluded the multitude again formed, and proceeded
in excellent order through the principal streets of the city.
Frothing could exceed the perfect order and obedience to

their chide observed by all classes. No military, no polio,
mete present, A number of well-dressed ladies formed pan
of the procession, and marched, preceded by the public, in a
style to please the strictest diaciplinarian. The clergy elan
took a prominent part in the proceedings of the day. It is
now night, the city is illuminated, and the nelighboaring
costa presents to the ye a long line of light, The streets
resound with the patriotic songs, "Sorgete Itshaul," and
" il barber° trate." On every side is heard the cry of
" Viva l'indeptnes Italians!_'

The Madrid math) of the 11th have arrived. The
journals and correspondence are almost exclusively
occupied with the debates in the chambers. There is
no news of general interest.

The correspondence from Berne to the 12th has
been received. The Diet had resolved on the further
reduction of the army raised for the purposes of the
late war. The elections of the members of the new
grand councils of the cantons of Friburg and Lucerne
had been completed. 'the great majority of these
were understood to be on the liberal side. There is,
however, an intermixture of conservatives. These
bodies were to meet on the 16th, to appoint the can-
tonal governments and the delegates to the Diet.
The Bak Gazette of the 14th states that the police
at Domodossola, searching the baggage of M. Sieg-
wart Muller, found a box containing 50,000 francs,
which they seized, although M. Muller declared it
was Austrian money. M. S. Muller left for Novara,
which the governor of the province assigned as his
residence.

ROME, Dsc. 8.
The British admiral, Sir W. Parker, landed this
morning from the Gladiator steam-frigate at Civita
Vecchia, and will join Lord Minto this evening in
Rome. He left our fleet riding at anchor in the
downs off Leghorn, and I find that Florence is en-
livened by the presence of blue jackets in good
force. What part oar admiral intends taking at the
helm of St. Peter's barque here is a puzzle.
The sudden death, of one of the two members for
Bologna has interrupted the sittings of parliament
in the Vatican for the last few days. Silvani was one
of the ablest thinkers and speakers in that assembly,
and the funeral honours paid him were on a scale of
national magnificence.
The question of English resident artists being com-
pelled to serve in the civic ranks has been tacitly
compounded, by their each contributing the complete
equipment of a native subAitute, with helmet and
regimentals, man for man. Count Rossi's right hand
man, Abbe de Bounecheee, who got him out of all his
difficulties in the Jesuit negotiation, has been just
made Bishop of Carcassonne, on the demand of Louis
Philippe. The Carlist faction is furious at this ap-
pointment, and have taken to maligning the new dig-
nitary in their newspapers; but every one who knows
the abbe knows him to besincere in any view be takes,
uncompromising and fearless, and born a gentleman.
By the way there is &controversy going on quietly here
as to the duty of the French ambassador to repair
the grand travertine staircase of Trinita de Monte,
which is nearly ruined by progressive dilapidation,
and its splendid balustrades all broken and tottering.
This once magnificent structure was the work of Car-
dinal Polignac, when French ambassador, under the
reign of Pope Benedict XIV., which fact is in large let-
ters emblazoned on the great marble basement. Now,
the board of works here fancy that they ought not in
etiquette presume to cobble up this broken down me-
morial of former Galilean generosity; while, on the
other hand, Rossi pretends not to be cognisant of its
tumble-down condition, and the result is, that several
elderly gentlemen break their necks of a dark winter
evening coming home from Piazza d'Spagna. As to
Cardinal Massimo (the president of the " streets and
aqueducts"), he is but too glad to have an excuse for
doing nothing : to do nothing as long as they can help
it is the motto of the family, whose descent I alluded
to in a former letter. " Otenctanito reatituit rem" is
inscribed on their escutcheon. His brother, Prince
Massimo, who is postmaster-general, has not improved
since I gave him a hint last year, though he made a
greit fuss here in tracing out the writer, instead of
pondering on what was written. The six first miles
from the Florentine frontier to Aquapendente are a
disgrace to any civilised country, and the 'illations
engineering thereof has not been meddled with since
Gregory the Thirteenth, some hundreds of years ago.
This caretaker of the Pope's highway reminds one of
the French satire on a similar functionary who ruled
les ponts et chaisesees in the reign of Louis XV.
ii ern charge sans boute—
thl wit a quell, an;
Morns pour Knorr is route
Que postr—fatra tun cheortsn!
The Rev. Mr. Newman leaves Rome to-morrow for
England. He is bearer of the greatest papal docu-
ment which has reached your island since that read
by Cardinal Pole in the Howie of Lords under Queen
Mary, by which the Pope reconciled England to his
see, took off the ban, and authorised the secabirisation
of the church lauds. This boll, of which Mr. New-
man is in charge, sweeps away for ever the power of
" Vicars Apo/A.11k," and substitutes twelve bishoprics
with an archbishop in merry England. I presume
it will be allowed to pass freely at the Custom-house
under Peel's new tariff.

FRANCE.—PARIS, DEC. 16.—Tile CASE OF
COUNT MORTIZIA—The result of the demand of interdiction
made by Countess Mortitr has been • decision of the court
ordering proofs to be given, with all speeil, of the sets corn-
mitted by Count Mortier when in a state of hallucination on
divers occasions, already publicly stated. And for that pur-
pose the court further ordered H. Cazenave, judge, to pro-
' ceed to the examination at Paris ; and gave full commission
to the judicial authorities of Berne, Lucerne, Turin. Ostend,
and Bruges, to interrogate such witnesses as it may be neces-
sary to call before them ,• ordered that the investigation be
commensed within the fortnight after the judgment was de-
livered ; that the Doctors Fabret, Leuret, and Foville to
visit Count Mortier ; and that within a fortnight at farthest
from the day on which said judgment was given, that they
shall give in a first report on the question of Mortier's being
able with safety to be removed to an establishment not con-
secrated to madmen and fools ; and that they shall also give
in a report on the question as to whether Monier ought to be
considered as affected with mental alienation.
HOLLAND. AMSTERDAM, Dec. 16.--Doting
the three last days cabinet councils of long duration have
been held at the Hague, under the presidency of the Ring.
The Prince of Orange and Prince Frederick were present
each time. Rumours of all kinds are current respecting the
object of such continuous sittings.
The electric telegraph is now in operation between
Rotterdam and the Hague, thus completing the arrange-
ments for a direct telegraphic communication between the
first place and Amsterdam.
PRUSSIA.—BERLIN.—MEETING OP THE HOLDERS
OF SPANISH BONDS.—Ths Cologne Casette of the 16th gives
a brief account of a meeting lately held in the Prussian
capital, with the view of furthering the interests of the un-
fortunate holders of Spanish bonds. Herr Jacobson, the
well-known banker, presided, and stated in the course of his
addre.ts that his recent intercourse with distinguished Spa-
nish diplomatists and with the ministers of his own country
had convinced him that the present was the moat favourable '
time for urging the claims of the holders of Spanish bonds.
A long debate ensued as to whether the Prussian holders of
• those bonds should co-operate with the committees already
formed in other countries or should act for themselves
It was finally decided that a Prussian committee should
be formed, and that it should act independently of
any other similar body, SOON steps having been taken else-
where, which the meeting (it was said) could not approve
of. It is stated in another German journal that the Prussian
• holders of Spanish bonds hope to gain more by the suoviter
Ins mod° than by the
_Petite+. in re. It was also resolved to
raise a voluntary subscription for the defraying of the

Pietism
BAVARIA.—DEATH OP PRINCE PAUL OF WER-
TIMBERII.—Letters from Bamberg announce the death of
the above prince aft r a painful Mama.
HESSE CASSEL, DEc. 12.—The new Elector,
having received the commission deputed by the States to
offer the condolence of that assembly, has returned an answer
to the Diet, in which it is stated that the government of
Cassel will shortly present to that body a Krim of proposals
tending to the introduction of certain changes in the consti-
tution ; these changes are, it is added, to be as much for the
service of the country as for that of the electoral house, and
will guarantee the existence of the constitution in a durable
manner.

COLONIAL.
BRITISH NORTH AMERICA.
Our dates by the Acadia are : Halifax, Dec. 3 ;
Montreal, Nov. 27 ; Toronto, Nov. 17 ; St. John's
(New Brunswick), Nov 30; St. John's (Newfound-
land), Nov. 27.
CANADA.—The provincial parliament was, by a
notice in the Gazette of Nov. 20, prorogued to the 4th of
January. The rumour that a dissolution was near at hand
continued to gain more believers. The papers are full of
paragraphs relative to electioneering prospects in various
localities. The Pilot, which is (or was) the organ of the
Baldwin-Lafontaine party in Montreal, expresses dissatisfac-
tion at the prospect of a dissolution ; mil Lithe Minerva, the
chief organ of the same party among the French journals of
Lower Canada, and the Globe, their representative at To-
ronto, follow the lead. These papers deny the act
of dissolution, and seek to represent it as forced
upon the provincial cabinet by Lord Elgin, with
a view to get rid of them by Owing them in minority. This
rather far-fetched supposition enables the Montreal Gazette
to taunt their party, plausibly enougt, with fear of the con.
sequences (for them) of an appeal to the people. Mr. Duggan
applied to the lice. Mr. Sherwood for information as to the

alleged pressure by the Governor-General on the cabinet, '
and elicited from that gentleman a flat contradiction of the
story.
The weather at Montreal continued remarkably mild and
open—more like April than November, according to the
Mostreal Casette. The snow had disapPeared from the en-
virons, and there was no sign of ice on the river. The gelds
Mal afforded pasture, and the neck of winter fodder would
in consequence be much economised. In the upper province
the weather wee more severe, 'leo in the district of Quebec.
Near Berthier the sleighing was active.
The numtwr of sick in the emigrant hospital at Point fit.
Charles was 626 on the 14th of November; 621 on the 15th;
691 on the 16th ; 598 on the 17th ; 695 on the 18th ; 660 on
the 19th; and 666 on the 20th. The deaths during the
week were : 6 on the 14th ; 6 on the 16th ; 12 on the 16th ;
9 on the 17th ; 11 on the 18th ; 8 on the 19th; and 6 on the
20th. Captain Bell, of the Lord Ashburton emigrant \TINA,
died of typhus at Quebec on the 17th.

• •
PRINCE EDWARD'S ISLAND.—" Sir Edward
Vert Huntley," says the Halifax Sun, " late governor of
Prime Edward's Island, arrived in this city, en route for
England, on Wednesday evening. His excellency was in-
vited to a public breakfast, by a large party of his friends
and supporters, the morning he left the island. We notice
that he made some further liberal appointments previous to
his surrender of office. We think it will be a long time ere
he is again sent to govern a colony of British freemen. He
111.1 at Gambia before be was sent to Prince Edward's
Island."