The Express.
London, England, 1865-08-01 00:00:00

OPENING OF THE PORTUGUESE CORTES.

SPEECH OF THE KING.
LISBON, JULY 30.'

The King opened the Cortes in person to-day
with a brief speech from the throne. His Majesty
stated that the mediation of Portugal between Eng-
land and Brazil had produced a happy result. The
financial condition of the country was satisfactory.
Laws would be presented by the ministry relative
to the Douro wine-trade and the importation of
cereals. The King also announced that a strict law
would shortly be brought forward for the final
abolition of slavery in the Portuguese possessions.
The journals of this city announce that the
Queen's confinement will take place in August.
• This telegram reached Loudon on the morning of the
let August. _ _

AUSTRIA AND HUNGARY.
VIENNA, JULY 31.

Count Belcredi, Minister of State, has addressed
a circular to the governors of all the non-Hungarian
provinces, urging upon them the strict fulfilment of
their duty, and a judicious attitude towards self-
governing corporations, and recommending the
despatch of public business as far as possible by
direct real procedure rather than by written com-
munications. The circular especially recommends
also the free expression of public opinion by the
press, as being a precious and valuable benefit.

THE PARIS BOURSE.
PARIS, JULY 31, 3.30 r.r.

The Bourse opened flat, but subsequently im-
proved. Renton closed at 67.60, or Sc. higher than
ou Saturday.

INDIA.

BOMBAY, JULY 23.
Shipments of cotton since the 16th, 22,600 bales.
Exchange on Loudon, 2.0 i. Freight, 255.
CALCUTTA, JULY 22.
Manchester goods dull. Exchange on Loudon, 2s.
The latent London date is the 30th June.

PUBLIC EDUCATION IN MEXICO.

(RCCTIJeI3 IIPBISP.)

MEXICO, Jura 2&

The following letter has just been addressed by
the Emperor Maximilian to the Minister for Educa-
tion and Public Worship :
Dear Minister Siliceo,—Public education in the empire
stands in input need of complete orgaoisatioa. When 1
placed you at the head of that department I was well con-
vinced of your aptitude and your zeal, but before you com-
mence your labours 1 wish to point out the principles upon
which you must bus your propositions.
It is my firm will to place public education in the
Mexican empire, profiting therein by the experience gained
by the most advanced peoples, upon a footing which will
place us is the rack of the foremost nations.
As principal guide of your proposition., you should bear
in mind that education must be accessible to all, must be
public, and (at least in gofer as regards primary instruction)
gratuitous and obligatory. Secondary instruction must be
so organised se to offer on the one hand to the middle class
of citizens fitting general education ; on the other, to serve
as a Decosary beam for superior and special studies. The
study of laasical and living languages, as well as of the
natural sciences, must be considered as one of its most
essential branches. Languages, which are the basis of all
humanising education, constitute at the stuns time an in.
tellectual exercise impossible to overrate. The study of
living languages is farther, new-allays, absolutely
iodispensable to a people which desires to take part in the
events of the world, and to keep up active relations with
other peoples, especially if we take into account the excep-
tional geographical position of the country. Lastly, the
culture of the nstural sciences is the characteristic sign of
en epoch which applies itself to reality, for it teethes us
to see the things which surround us in their veritable
aspect, sod to employ all the powers of the uoiverse in the
service of the human will. Further, I wish that attention
should be carefully directed to physical education and the
harne.ny of its development.
With regard to superior and professional studies, I con-
eider that special schools are necessary to their advan-
tageous development. That which in the middle ages was
called a university has come to be now a term devoid of
semis. In establishing thew) special schools you should
take care that in the diversity of profeamooal studies all the
branches of theoretical and practical science* and of the arts
are represented.
It is important that your attention should be directed to
the study of a science very little known in our country,
e., of philoeoptiy, because it exercises the intellect,
teaches man to know himself, and to recognise a consequence
emanatiog from the study of himself in the moral order of
society.
I wish also to point out to you my ideas upon the subject
of religious instruction. Religion is a matter of every
man's conscience, and the less the state interferes in reli-
gious questions the more does it remain faithful to its toil-
Moo. We have given liberty to the church and to con-
sciences. I wish to secure to the former the full wed its
legislative rights, snd at the same time entire freedom in
the education and formation of its priests according to its
own rules and without any interference of the state; but
duties, of which religious instruction forms pert, are alto
incumbent upon the church, in which the clergy of the
country have hitherto uutortusately scarcely participated
at all. You will consequently be guided in your plans and
your proposals by the principle that religious instruction in
primary and secondary schools must be given by the curate
of the respective parish according to the text-books
accepted by the government.
Ruminations in ail educational establishments must be
regulated upon the new plan, carried out with strict sr.
artitude, and always absolutely public ; but if, upon the oils
hand, we wish henoefoith to require solid and true educe•
tion from eye studious youth, this impose* upon us, on the
other band, the duty of furnishing them with good proles-
Dore and good means of instruction. You will consequently
be especially mindful of the necessity of forming diets.
miished professors for the establishment of normal schools,
to which you will all the greatest intellects in the country
and from abroad. As the second necessity 1 desire you to
procure for the schools good books of instrtution, which
I commend specially to your ears.
Recommending the greatest promptness in your proposi.
aces, I remain your very well affected,
(Signed) MISIMILLAN.