The Express.
London, England, 1848-03-20 00:00:00

HOLLAND.

In the midst of the rejoicings callrd forth by the
liberal and patriotic conduct of the King, his Majesty
and the entire royal family are plunged into grief by
intelligence of a distressing nature. The Dutch envoy
at Madrid has informed the King that the court of
Portugal had put on mourning for eight days, on the
occasion of the death of 11.11. H. Prince Alexander of
the Netherlands. This was the first intimation the
royal family received of their loss. It is presumed
that contrary winds or some other circumstances have
prevented the arrival of direct intelligence from
Madeira, where the prince was staying for the bene-
fit of his health.
The sections of the second chamber of the States
General of Holland have set forth fifteen points
which, in thEir opinion, ought to serve as bases of a
comprehensive revision of the fundamental law.
Amongst the chief points ere the following: the esta-
blishmeut of electoral college., to be chosen in a
direct manner by persons entitled to a vote : the de-
priving the provincial states of the attributes of
electoral colleges for the election of members of the
second chamber of the States General; modification
of the composition and organisation of the first
chamber of the States General, as the condition of
its existence ; the empowering members of the second
chamber to propose amendments to the bills pre-
sented on the part of the King to the States General,
and the extending that power further than is set
forth in the twenty-seven projects of law lately pre-
sented to the sections ; the right on the part of either
of the two chambers to present a separate address to
the King ; the inserting in the fundamental law that
the King is inviolable, that the ministers are respon-
sible, and that that responsibility be set forth in a
more complete manner than it is by the 76th and
76th articles of the fundamental law ; the regulating
by law the colonial administration of the country,
and particularly the financial department; the voting
for the future for one year the budgets of receipts
and expenditure, and of the puhlicity of the debates in
the first chamber, in the provincial stab s, and the
communal councils. Five distinguished liberals
have been authoiistul to draw up the plan of a
new constitution.

PARIS, klairca 17.
[From en einaminnal Correepondent]
The manifestation made yesterday by the national
guard was a great mistake. The people, as you
know, blocked up the quays and said, when the na-
tional guard attempted to go forward, " You shall
not pass." The let and 10th legions, a very small
number, alone reached the Hotel de Ville. General
Courtais, who remonstrated with the national guards,
was called " Poltron, hiche" (poltroon, coward),
and his sword was taken from him, but immediately
after restored. This morning, at ten o'clock, at the
Avenue Marigny, Champs Elysees, and Place de la
Revolution (lately Place de la Concorde), the work-
ing classes assembled, and went in the greatest order
to the Hotel de Ville, where they now (3, P.m.) still
are. The greatest calm exists. Their intention
is to give their support to the Provisional
Government, and to Ledru Rollin, to demand
the maintenance of the decree of the incorporation of
the grenadiers and voltigeurs amongst the ehasseurs of
the national guard. But it is said that they want to
ask a postponement of the election for the constituent
assembly, which is to be regretted.
The workmen marched is corps of trades, their flag
in front, and ten in rank.
Last night, at 2 o'clock, a regiment of chewers
(cavalry) and two regiments of the line were sent edit
of Paris. They had bat lately arrived, and the
people threatened to disarm them. La 4 bight, also,
a company of the national guard mobile established
themselves by force in the Home Ministry, that of
Ledra-Rollin, without having the watch-word of the
national guard. 'those on guard refused to receive
them, but were obliged to yield. At length it was
arranged that there should be sentries and posts
of both.
It is greatly to be regretted that the national guard
made its demonstration, fur Ledru Rollin was fast
getting discredit in public opinion, and might have
been brought to resign; but now it is impossible.
The people are zealous for him.
A club in the Ruble has proclaimed the Prince de
Joinville. But you will see by the papers how fiercely
the republicans demand of those persons whether
they are for ary prince. And there is danger in not
answering. Emile de Girardin, who wrote an. article
for the regency, has been thus interpellated ; and he
has thought fit to army his words, to disavow any
wish for prince or regency, and to declare for the
republic.
The workmen seem well disciplined, and obedient
to those who act as officers. Great anxiety prevails.

BRUSSELS, Itlancn 18.
An important discussion arose, yesterday, in the
Chamber of Representatives, on the occasion of the
presentation of a petition from Ghent, in favour of
parliamentary and financial reform, and the declaring
of public functionaries ineligible to the chamber.
The petitioners point out the strict necessity of ece-
nomy, in order to afford relief to the poor in
Flanders—urge the appointment of consuls or charges
d'offaires, in the place of ambassadors ; demand the
suppression of the royal navy, on the ground that
Belgium has no colonies; and recommend, as soon
as possible, the reduction of the war budget, and of
the number of employes.
M. I)ELrossE said, he doubted whether the present
chambers of Belgium were likely to satisfy the coun-
try. By lowering the qualifications of electors—in
other words, by extending the franchise—the Cham-
bers had to a certain extent signed their abdication.
So soon as the new electoral lists were
drawn up, the government no doubt would dissolve
the chambers and convoke the electoral colleges.
Meantime the chamber ought to discuss the questions
of electoral reforms, and the abolition of the stamp
duty on newspapers. The duty of the government
was to call, as soon as possible, to the exercise of
their rights those electors who were created by the
recent law.

M. DE SORNECO also expressed the opinion that
the chambers ought to be shortly dissolved, and that
the government ought to bring forward a bill for
parliamentary reform. Constituted as they were, the
chambers (he contended) were hardly competent to
vote the budget for 1849.
The Muizszza of the Iziwzaioa, iu reply. admitted

the necessity of consulting the country respecting the
formation of the new chambers, and asserted that
during the elections the government would remain
perfectly neutral. He announced a bill declaring cer-
tain classes of functionaries ineligible for the Cham-
bers. It would not be advisable to distal re the present
Imislature until all necessary measures had been
taken, and amongst those measures was the one re-
specting the new loan now under the consideration of
the sections. The government, in proposing electoral
reform, had gone to the extreme limits of the constitn-
tion, but not beyond them. To go beyond the consti-
tution would be—not reform, but revolution. The
minister then stated that he considered the stamp
duty upon newspapers as a drag upon the liberty of
the press ; bat, he would ask, did the state of the
revenue allow, at present, of the abolition of that duty P
The government was, at all events, resolved to effect
a considerable reduction of the duty.
M. MERCIER, formerly minister of finance, ex-
preseed his regret that ministers, in presenting the
bill for a new loan, had not appended to it an expose
of the motives which urged them to bring it forward.
Some information on the subject was indispensable,
and the chamber, moreover, should be made ac-
quainted with the way in which ministers con-
templated expending the twelve millions of francs
already voted.
The 111INISTER of FINANCE contended that the es-
pose required was clearly enough set forth in the pre-
amble of the bill in the following words " Being de-
sirous of providing fur the urgent wants of the state,
and of enabling it to fulfil punctually all its engage-
ments, &c." Those words were significant enough. The
Minister then stated that before the 24th of February
last, Belgian treasury bonds were easily placed out ;
in fact, duriag the first twenty days of that month,
they had been issued to the amount of two millions
of francs. Those bonds now could rot be disposed of.
The amount of the new loan would be probably forty
millions.
M. BE SORNECO insisted upon the minister giving a
precise account of the manner in which lie intended
to make use of the loan in question. He repeated
that the present chamber was only competent, in a
rigid point of view, to vote urgent sums, and the
urgency of a loan could not be ascertained, if uo
expose of its object was given.
M. MALON, one of the lite ministry, also spoke on
the same side.
The MINISTER of FCBLIC WORKS observed, that
every one knew that Belgium had a large floating
Idebt ; that it was necessary to reduce it, and that
it was just now impossible to renew the treasury
bonds. Such facts were sufficiently striking without
a regular expose.
Several other speakers, members of the present or
the late government, kept up the discussion, but the
rainisli y remained unshaken in their views, and the
petition of the people of Ghent was ordered by the
chamber to be referred to the Minister of the In-
terior.
The members of the great liberal association of
Belgium, L'Alliance, will meet to-morrow, in order to
discuss the following questions : 1. Dissolution of the
chambers after they have voted parliamentary reform
and the abolition of the stamp duty on newspapers.
2. Abolition of all duties on alimentary substances.
3. Protection of national independence, without any
ideas of hostility towards France, and the greatest
possible reduction of the army budget. 4. Reduction
of the expenditure for salaries, ambassadors, the mili-
tary, marine, &e., in order by that economy to assist
the lower branches of trade and industry.
Two individuals were arrested yesterday for utter-
ing seditious cries.
The new forced loan of 40 millions will be levied
solely on landed proprietor'', on the payers of the
personal tax, on mortgage, and on the salaries of
state employgs. An interest of .5 per cent. per an-
num is guaranteed.
It is stated in good quarters that two inferior
Belgian embassies will be suppressed, and that the
salary of the envoy at Constantinople will be lowered.
The civic authorities of Brussels have incited all
employers seeking. workmen, and all workmen in
search of occupation, to send in their names, ad-
dresses, and professions.
The following scraps are from the Brussels Herald:
RUMOURED " INEABION" OP RELOIUM.—The indr'peM-
dance of this morning states that a band of 1.800 men, led
by a man named Ernest Gregoire, has assembled on the
French frontiers, and openly expressed the intention of
entering Belgium in order to proclaim a republican govern-
ment. Gregoire has taken upon himself the title of "Com-
mandant de la Compagnie Beige." Two individuals sup-
posed to belong to the band attempted, a few days ago, to
seduce some of the garrison at Menu. They were, how-
ever, discovered and arrested. The government has made
extensive preparations on the frontiers to repel the " in-
vaders" if they should attempt to realise their plans.
Suleyman Paella, the Turkish ambassador at Paris, has
arrived with his suite in thiscit), etirowe for Constantinople.
In consequence of the dearness of gold and silver the mint
of this city has ceased operations, except fur private indivi-
duals desirous of converting their plate into specie.
small