The Express.
London, England, 1847-03-29 00:00:00

the landed proprietors can never do alone. We do
sot grudge the million and a half for drain-
age, or aa,y rational sum for improvements, but
we doubt their capabilities and enterprise : and even
in the reclamation of waste lands, we should prefer
seeing such an enterprise taken out of their hands
alto,r,ether, and given to the farmer and to the monied
class, which would embark or speculate in it.
Let us only imagine for a moment what would
have been the result of the law of Elizabeth in Eng-
land, had neither trade nor manufactures arisen,
had no monied class sprung up, and tewn population
been given birth to, all of which gradually
supplied capital, and skill, and enterprise to the laud.
whilst it took away its supernumerary hands. Poor-
law or no poor-law, English parishes could not well
deteriorate, with such a progress going on. Poor-law
or no poor-law, Irish parishes or counties could not
but deteriorate, when neither receiving capital, nor
being relieved of surplus population.
The impulse given to trade during the war went to
the increment of its agricultural produce, and of its
agricultural population, tho profits and proceeds
going into the hands of the least frugal, least indus-
trious, and least provident of all its classes. Capital
did not tome of that prosperity, but revenue,
perishable revenue; whilst the labouring population
which raised it, were neither secured, nor benefited,
nor civilised. All the money of war prices was
thrown away on the Irish landed proprietors ; and as
much more money would be again, and now, thrown
away upon them. It is for these reasons, that we are
of opinion, that ministers in their present measures,—
which, however, we are far from opposing,—do build
too many hopes, and may lay too heavy burdens upon
that class which, though they be the possessors of
the land and of the only apparent property of the
country, are still unequal to either the public task or
the private duties of its regeneration.
• How necessary this is, may be judged from the following extract
from I..kut. klilward's journa4 Just published In the Blue !kook :
.. There is ace Poor-bm Union, Glentics, which is in • most deplorable
state. The chairman is • tinker : there ii no doctor ; sad some idea
lof the slam of gthartian• may be formed by the feet that two of them
get tickets far tbe work, one of whom is still working, sad is a perfect
°Nett of charity..

GEORGE IV. once told Mr. Cola, of Norfolk, that
if he presented to him any more radical petitions, he
would moat surely knight him. The threat produced
its effect, and so seriously alarmed the proud com-
moner, that he kept clear of the right hand and sword
of his Majesty.
The King of the FRENCH is not a man to threaten
without executing. He has seized all the unfortunate
individuals, who have served him as ministers,'
and made dukes, counts, and barons, of every one of
them. They consented, however, upon one condition,
viz.: that their honours should be a secret, that the
breath of the vulgar world should not tarnish them,
and that their dukeshipa and countehips should
merely exist between them and their consciences,
and not expose them to be gibbeted by the Charirari.
The funniest part of it is, that the more distin-
guished and influential the man, the less sonorous and
weighty was his title, for the very good reason, that he
had more power to defend himself, and forced his
master to be contented with inflicting the minimum of
the penalty. So M. TMERB is but a baron, while
M. DE SALVANDY is a duke. It is singular that in
France, where no political secrets are kept, such
facts as these are never divulged but with the most
intense mystery, and merely come out like
heinous or important facts upon death-beds. When
the monarch or the knight of old expired, those
who stripped him of his rich armour or his velvet
robes, frequently found beneath the horse-hair shirt
an embroidered cross, which' signified that the
deceased had taken monastic vows. It was in a
similar way declared that poor M. MARTIN DU NORD
was a count.

Thu law of France allows every person to assume
any title that he pleases ; nor does it give any
privilege to the monarch to confer these titles. So
that any one calling himself a duke is as much a
duke, as if LOUIS PHILIPPE made him one.
And many thus become noble by right of their
own impudence. The origin of Loots PniureE's
title is said to be that the diplomatists suf-
fered, and were slighted for the want of them, so
that the coin was struck at first from foreign
exchange, not domestic currency. And the poor Duke
of ORLEANS, who was much devoted to the renais-
sance, or antique style of art, decreed that dukedoms
would be a happy revival. An amusing account is
given of his efforts to induce Chancellor n0(11:11En to
exchange his Napoleonist title of baron for an
Orleani.t dukedom. Poor M. PASQUIER made the
wriest faces imaginable.
In the present stage of the business, it is pretty
plain that the dukes and counts must show them-
selves and brave ridicule, in erder to keep and trans-
mit their titles. If modesty keep them in abeyance,
not only are the titles lost, but the very power of
creating them is crashed by that French fourth

The debate in the Chamber of Deputies on the ques-
tion of electoral reform was continued on Friday,
most of the leading members of the chamber, except
M. Thiers, taking part in it. M. Guizot and M.
Berryer both made speeches marked by their usual
ability,—the former against, and the latter in favour
of it. A division took place at half-past six on Friday
evening, when the measure was lost in a full house,
the votes against it being 252; for it, 154.
A section of the conservative party have begun to
show a tendency towards acting independently of the
present government. A meeting, consisting of forty-
three deputies of that section, took place at the house
M. do Castellane on Thursday.
The accounts from the provinces of the erneutes pro-
duced by the dearness of grain continue to be received.
Boats and waggons cannot proceed to the markets
without a military escort.
M. de Salvandy, the minister of public instruction,
who was reported by Constitutionnel to have been
created Duke de Chante-Merle, has denied the honour
through the official evening paper.

The Madrid journals and correspondence of the
20th, 21st, and 22nd,were received in Paris on Friday
and Saturday. The address was still under debate in
the chambers, and seemed likely to occupy at least
another week. El Eepectadcr, alluding to the late
visit of Mr. Bulwer to the Queen, says that there is
no reason for surprise at the circumstance—that the
visit was merely official ; while those of the French
ambassador have led to the belief that he was con-
sulted on political matters, and that he probably gave
instructions as to what was to be done. The affair
of General Serrano remained in statu quo. It was
said that the nature of the embarrassments attending
it was difficult to be explained without raising the
veil which conceals certain mysterious relations be-
tween the young general and an august personage.
The Spanish ministry, although it had obtained of
the chambers a vote favourable to its measures, still
hesitated to proceed against the general, protected, as
he evidently was, by the Queen. Nevertheless, after
eight days delay, the ministry had taken courage and
published in the Diario of the 21st a summons to the
general, of whose residence they pretended to be
ignorant. He is thus called on within thirty drps to
present himself for trial. In spite of this citation it
was considered probable that Serrano would overturn
the cabinet. General Manse, who, as Capt.-General
of Madrid, would have to conduct the prosecution, has
preferred to give in his resignation. According to
private advices (says Le Commerce), it is from Paris
that the order has come for this proceeding. It is ,
said that immediately afer the vote of the senate,
which authorised the Spanish government to bring
Serrano before a council of war, the ministry hastened
to seek instructions from Paris by telegraph. The
answer, which was received also by telegraph, en-
couraged the Spanish ministry in its course. General
Serrano will probably become the head of a ministry
of coalition, combining Progressista and Puritans,
among whoa Cortina, Lnicariaga, Pacheco, and
Salamanca, will have places. The Queen supports
this project, notwithstanding the numerous obstacles
which are thrown in her way by the intrigues of the
French
embassy and the influence of the cabinet in
the Chambers. If the project takes effect, the disso-
lution of the Cortes and a new election will become
inevitable. The appointment of the successor of
General Manso had not yet taken place.

HOLLAND. —Tax HAour., MARCH 26.—The
Overland Mail hes brought news from Batavia to the let of
February. News of the death of the Sultan of Ma4ura had
been spread at Sonrabaya. This prince is known to have been
one of the richest of the native chiefs, and a faithful ally of the
Dutch government. By a decree of the government, of the
31st of December, the importation of rice and paddy, from
whatever country, and under any Bag, is wholly free from
ditty dozing the yeer 1e47.

PORTUGAL.

Yesterday the Iberia arrived at Southampton, and
by her we have received news from Portugal to the fol.
low ing dates : Gibraltar, March 18; Cadiz, 19t h ; Lisbon,
22nd; Oporto,rici Vigo, 20th ; and Vigo, 24th. No move-
ment of importance had taken place up to the latest
date. Saldanha was still at Oliveira d'Azcmais;
Casal had joined Vinhaes at Villa Real, and the latter
had subsequently left the division under the care of
the former, and proceeded to meet Suldanha at Oli-
veira. The Junta of Oporto had fitted out an expe-
dition to proceed to the Algarves, for the purpese of
forwarding the national cause there, but the heavy
gales had prevented its departure. The same cause
had prevented the blockading squadron from keeping
the Ben. A decree of the Junta had been passed, call-
ing on merchants having foreign goods in bond at
Oporto to pay duty upon them, and clear within a
fortnight, under penalty of their being removed, and
sufficient quantity seized to pay the debt.

Corn riots had taken place at Corunna, St. Jago,
and Vigo and further shipments of grain had been
stopped 1;y violence, so that a great number of vessels
were at Vigo waiting further instructions, whether to
return in ballast, or make further trial fur obtaining
cargoes. Our correspondent writes as follows :

OPOItTO, Mill,Cll 19.

, - -
" In the month of March, 1834, the gallant and active
Viscount de Sa conducted an expedition into the Algarve,
land Alenilejo, in obedience to the orders of Don Pedro, his
friend and master, and in support of tho liberties and inde-
pendence of his native country." So writes Sir Charles
Napier in the eoPopee rencizi furnished by him of the war of
succession in Portugal; and so likewise, but far the accidents
of wind and weather, should I now have had (with some
slight alteration of phrase) to commence this letter, An ex-
pedition has been planned for the purpose of supporting the
national CUM, in the southern provinces of the kingdom, the
departure of which was delayed solely by the oceans:nee of a
violent gale from the westward, which has continued with
slight intermissions ever since last Monday (March 15, the
day fixed for Viscount de Sa's sailing), and in conse.quence
the bar at the mouth of the Douro hasbeen totally napes.
able. The troops destined to proceed under General 85
da Bandeira consist of the Fusileen of Liberty, the popular
battalion of Coimbra, and some contingents, constituting a
well organised and tried force of about 1,200 men, who will
be conveyed to the Algarve. in two steamers and a schooner,
which has been armed and fitted up for this purpose within
the last ten days. Some English sailors arrised here in the
course of the last week, for the purpose of assisting to navi•
gate there:sada, but before the agents of the Junta could rend
them on board, one Jozejones, an Anglo Portuguese:4.nd an
active Cabralista agent, who is employed in an humble com-
mercial capacity here by one of the foreign powers, eon•
trived, as I am told, to get access to the men, and to dissuade
them from fulfilling their contract, their breach of which will
not, however, retard or disarrange the projected expedition.
Although I have placed the above intelligence in the most
prominent position, as being likely, (rem the interest which
the Viscount do lice's character and conduct excites in the
minds of public men, to attract attention and sympathy, I
by no means consider it the most important item of the in•
formation which I have collected respecting the state of
affairs here since I last wrote. I mentioned in my letter of
March 10 that Col. Wylde was reported to me as being
then present at Saldanha's head-quarters, and entertaining
the sentiments with respect to that officer's utility as a
British agent in Portugal which I expressed in a recent com-
munication, I did not consider it at all probable that his
services wou'd be again called into requisition. The fact
that a foreign officer of rank was with the duke is now esta-
blished, as the following communication which I have fortu-
nately procured, will show, as also is manifested the nature
of the mission with which he is entrusted by his govern-
ment:
Transladon.—The government of her Majesty the Queen, whom
God preserve, being interested in procuring an exact knowledge of
the political state of Portugal, and of the military aerations of the
belligerent parties, has, with the knowledge and approbation of the
queen, our mistress, been pleased to nominate and appoint me to pro-
ceed to this kingdom for the purpose of furnishing such full data and
I may be able to require respecting the state of public
rlitalagtaras
this country, the cumbers and organisation of the force. of
the two parties, and the greater or lesser degrees of prvbabillty of
success that may Iv found to be united in favour of their respective
causes. Amongst the instructions to this effect which I have received
from his excellency the Minister of State, he particularly urges that I
should inform him as frequently as possible of the progress e my [elision,
for which purpose I now address you, in order that you may be
pleased to inform me what are your resources for communication
with the court Madrid, as also those which I ought to take advan-
tage of, tom ei my communications to reach you with that security
which their importance demands. Equally towarda euceasfully com-
pleting the objects of my missies, as
,toc the purpose of taking the
Faiglkh summer for a temporary visit to mo, I desire to repair to
your city, and conacquently I must beg the favour of you to Atom the
anal conduit, in ease this formality should be deemed In-
dniZolagle. The enclosed communication is for the commander of
the naval forces of our nation in the river Douro, to whom I must
beg you to band it. God preserve your worship.—Thc Colonel, First
Commandant on the Body of the Staff, Simn as EMS...TU.—To the
Consul of Spain in Oporto.—Oliveir., d'Ammals, March 14, 1547.
Had the Spanish government simultaneously with our own
taken the step which it above referred to, at the commence-
ment of this struggle, and commissioned Colonel Bacnaga to
have informed himself of the state of parties here, in the
same manner that Colonel Wylde was instructed to proceed,
the result would have been highly creditable to her Most
Catholic Majesty's ministers, and in all probability the blood-
shed, misery, and public, as well as private, ruin and disor-
ganisation which have since ensued, would have been
avoided. The Queen of Portugal, no longer buoyed up by
hopes of support from without, would have yielded to the
exigencies of her position. and have confirmed to the con-
stitutional proceedings which she Nought by the coop d'elat
of October 6 to evade. Whereas Spain has been
at the very root of the prolongation of this cruel
struggle. first by its incentives from Madrid, next by
its lavish expenditure of gold at Charm and Valpusos ;
thirdly, by permitting a marine battalion to march across
its territory from Vigo to Valence in order to take this
place; and, lastly, within the last ten days, by affording
shelter and oneIlion:1 to the division of Casal, whO, M I
intimated in my last, was driven by Baron D'AJrnargem to
take refuge in Galicia, in order to avoid an action wherein
he would in all probability have been +or tad, whereas by
permitting the troops: of the Lisbon government to cross its
territory from Lindoeo to Chaves, Spain has virtually pre-
sented to Saldanha a force of from 1,200 to 1,00 men.
When, therefore, we find the Spanish government
acting in this open and undisguised manner in a
party struggle of a purely national and domestic nature,
and respecting which after four months of decided partisan-
ship its ministers now desire to obtain some information,
surely it is high time for England to enter a protest against
the past, if not even to take some active steps towards
restoring the lost equilibrurn, or rather towards reinstating
the popular troops in the advantages which they have been
compelled by the unfairness of an allied power to forego. As
this, however, is a topic not within the limits of my mission, I
leave it to be dealt with by competent parties, and proceed
to sum up the other incidents which him occurred here
during the last ten dap.

I have mentioned incidentally the fact that Caul, retiring
from Baron D'Almargem, took refuge in Spain, and with the
whole of his force was permitted to traverso a portion of Ga-
licia, re-entering Portugal in the Tras-os-Sfontes, neer
Chaves. The particular of his march and reception by the
vori- us Spanish authorities at the different villages where
his troops halted for refreshments and repose, are contained
in several despatches from the local Portuguese agents of the
Junta, in Use provinces adjoining the Spanish territory; and
the statements which are given by these official persons, the
accuracy of which I see no reason to question, con-
vey the greatest discredit upon the Queen's officer,
who seems to have wreaked his malice upon the
helpless peasantry within the dominions of his mistress, and to
have reserved all his moderation and good behaviour for the
benefit of the neighbouring. Spaniards. Some of the details
furnished by the local magistracy are disgusting from their
very nature ; and altogether as the fact of his transit is alone
of Importance, I shall best consult my own feelings and
those of English readers by omitting them.

Accounts have been received from Vienna stating that the
castle there, in which Casal had placed 300 men, had been
invested by the forces of the Junta, end that the bombard-
ment of the town from the castle and of the castle from the
town had respectively commenced. The statements I have
received from eye-witnesses are most discreditable to the
soldiery in the castle, who fired into the town of Vienna and
upon the inhabitants for some time before the enemy had
brought up their guns : the place was totally deeerted, and,
indeed, it seems that as the spring advances, the populations
of the villages and towns throughout the Minh° will again
turn out, as they did in May last, and swell the rank" of the
Septembriste with multitude of infuriated and eager par-
tisane.
During the last few days the state of the weather bas'
totally precluded the blockading squadron from keeping the
sea. The expedition to the Algarve would, however, not
hesitate to ran out and face the frigate and brig, were the
weather to permit the steamers to quit the river.
Within the last week a decree has been Issued by the Junta
calling upon the merchants and others, who have foreign
esinufact...res ir. losmd in the c.istom-hcare of 07....rtr.
to clear their mediae, and pay the duties on the good.;
within fifteen days, under the penalty of having them turned
l out of the warehouses, and a portion of them sold sufficient
to defray the duty. As the period allotted for obedience to
this decree has not yet expired, it would be premature to
offer any remark upon it, more particularly as I am led to
believe no notice has as yet been taken of the decree by the
English mercentile body here, who rely upon an article in a
, former decree for complete immunity from its operation.
In conformity to my practice I beg to hand a report of the
latest military and other new, which I have just received
from my usual iaformar.t in them matter'.
" OPORTO, Maaca 19, 11 .a.m.—The Spanish colonel, at
Saldanha's head-quarters oa the 18th, has not yet arrived
at Oporto. The consul demanded a passport from the Count
das Aritas, to enable this officer to enter the city, in order to
embark for Galicia, which the count has granted. Baldanha
remains in his position at Olivier d'Axemam and surround-
ing cantonments, without making any movement. It is
l reported that he is still collecting timber to construct a
bridge acres" the Douro. Camel haying traversed Spain, has
effected a junction with Vinhaes at Villa Real, where the
forces now united amount to about 2,000 hammy
and 250 cavalry, with four guns. It Is said that
Saldanha's intention is to establish his head-quarters
on the Douro, and to despatch Vinhaes to the
south. The forte under General Count d'Alinareern
having forted Carl to retreat into Spain has marched to-
wards the Tamen, to observe the enemy, the bridges of
Amaranths and Canaveres being guarded by out troops.
This officer has his head-quarter at Lima, a league distant
from Amaranth,. Gametal Poems has his head-quarters at