The Express.
London, England, 1849-12-26 00:00:00

Our correspondents from Vienna and Berlin writs
as follows:

VIENNA, Dec 19

I understand, from good authority, that the coveys-
meet, in order to relieve its financial teeessitirs,bri
determined to raise a forced loan of 30 miltietud
florins in the Lombard-Venetian kingdom. The Aso
obliged to furnish this sum will embrace all who pity
above a certain amount of annual taxes. Three.
fourths of the loan will have to be paid in ep. c'e, the
rest in the notes issued upon the revenue of the Lem-
bard-Venetian kingdom. The bonds are to bear .; pee
cent. interest. Concerning the term and matter of
repayment I have heard no details. Thus. then, f vas
present the government hopes to help its want c.ftba
precious metals, and to remedy the paralysis of the
money market. But those who know the Dalian
are of opinion that they will not hesitate to make
great sacrifices to cut the government off frou de-
riving any benefit from the withdrawal of so much
coin from Italy. The Milanese, in sp'te of much
confiscation and extortion, are still rich. Their
efforts will be directed to make their gold flow bait
to them by operating upon the money market at
Vienna. The bonds of the loan will he got riri of at
any sacrifice : bank notes will be paid for them. and
with these bank notes their metallic money will be
purchased back again. While the Austrian money-
market remains more flooded NW' par r than ever.
It is true that by so doing they will sustain a cons:
derable loss, but not more in the end perhaps than If
they were to keep the bonds of the loan. These who
renounced the habit of smoking to damage the Anv-
trian revenue will not spare themselves to defeat this
operation of the Austrian finance minister.
On Sunday a thaw set in, and since we have been
gradually emerging from the state of block"° both
by land and water. The river hes not over•tepped
its bounds as yet, bat all precautions as agains: at in-
undation were taken, boats being got ready on the
quays, end so forth.
The term for giving up the K•issuth note is pro-
longed to the end of the year, after which time ens-
cesiers of that paper who are detected W. be
severely punished.

Dm 20.
A conflict has taken place at Comoro, tibiae
although perhaps of not much political menninv,tlS-
ciently evinces the humour of the soldiery. Tlo ere
lonel of the Deutchmei.ter regiment announced to
his men that on the entrance of the rew eeF
their pay would be placed on a peace-footing. Taw
news was received with murmurs of great d*
satisfaction, and in particular a corporal, gave vent to
loud complaints on the way in which the acid•ers
were treated by the government, after such laboring
services. The colonel commanded that corporal to be
arrested, and threatened to have him tried by court-
martial for mutiny and shot. But the corporal wee
defended by his comrades. Then a strong a t.ch-
inent of the regiment of Hesse-Homburg was F, t 0
seize the mutineers, but were unable to eel that
object. A conflict succeeded, in which the t—o regi-
ments fired on each other, and several were and
wounded. What the upshot of the affair VW loot
distinctly known.
Manguet, the governor of Styria, has forhWen the
municipalities in his province to receive the Dole
issued by the government upon the future revenue!
of the Lombard:Venetian kingdom in payment
rates. No one seems to know what the gown('
means by such a stupid prohibition.
Rill not
Welden has announced that hank shares
be receiv. d by the government in caution-m*l

depßosit&
adetski was to be at Venice ay, wta
letters received from those aboutta- hidm. I leaordirnng that
the Archduke John will leave Frankfort on tl,c 201
and after passing same days in Vienna will retire to

°rats. - -
I understand that the project of the Italian Neel-
loan hen been dropped fir the present monynt• I
know that the views which I stnted peat-rdiy two;
urged to N. Krause against it. Whether he I.lli.rea
himself to be convinced by those arguments,
or with.
drew the plan on acconut of the news from the Lowe
Danube, I know not.

BERLIN, Pre
The law reducing the postal tariff has rewired tl9
sanction of the King.
In consequence of the sequittsl of WILMAd.
ttd
warrant for the arrest of D'Ester has been recalle,
Baron Ktinneritz, Saxon ambassador at the cows
of Vienna, sorted yesterday for Breslau. 11"".
accompanit dto the train by Count Bernsto Hewl
people talk of an approximntim of Sas)ay
Prussia.

isi.
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rho
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Pro-
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. be

_......----
----TBE lONIAN ISLANDS. 1
1
w roosiTa e a
0 rfs Gaunt? of the 12th.
A
„„egebeg a meow from the lord high oreaseie. I
7,ges to the lowan Assembly, in which several '
..ireselatiog to the modification of the constitution
Wseratioeed not bring in accordance with the
ave a the home government. The chief point
i retroversy Ithaca to the nomination of the
00,tors, which the government wishes to be
gowned to its previous form. while the assembly
bit reposed that it should be effected by the Loed
hiss sommissioner from among the members of tho
...entire assemblies. The government approves of
;pa electo , Aloe modifications
ral,gat's& and secret vo sash as the extensionting.
of
, a better
ism paper contains two supplementary mss-
11s
~, the first revoking the act of the Amembly,
~,
Tie'xk radars the military contribution to one-fitth
log yearly Moose, and fixing the said contribution
• WOOL; the second fixing the minimum of the
IA kith messeissioner's civil list at 13,0001.

termination of the war at present. The legislature
has proposed to the general government to be relieved
from paying in its contingent to the national treasury
for one year, and on the contrary, that it shall receive
from the general government 25,000 dollars per
month until the war is over.
We received by the Crescent City some miscella-
neous news from South America. At Lima, on the
12th of November, British goods bad fallen in the
face of a limited stock. importations of wines and
liquors had been excessive in the month of November,
and the articles did not bring their first cost. There
-were some arrivals of quicksilver, which ranged from
105 to 110 dollars ; 7,000 quintals of India rice had
been imported, and remained without bolters. All
articles of food of domestic production were in demand
for exportation to California. Chili appeared to enjoy
unusual tranquillity, General Belzer having proclaimed
a general amnesty.
M. Arago, the blind traveller, who sailed some
months sr from Havre, with a patty of French.
men for ben Francisco. had left them at Valparaiso,
and declared his intention of remaining to write a
history of Chili.
Tee Valparaiso Mercury gives the fallowing in
relation to the Southern Pacific line of British
steamers :
A committee of merchants, composed of Messrs. D. J,se
Tomas Ramos. D. Carlos L intertt. D. Francisco Salvador
Alvarez, D. is
Sonieo, D Asia' Castillo, D. Jorje
tiobacus, D Fella Volute D. Alfredo Ward. D. Jorjs Feria.
man. D. Josue Wadinaton y D. lose Augustin Viva. have
adopted the following re oolutions' on the 'abject of pro.
roguing the privilege conceded to the P. 8. N. C. :—Art. 1.
ahe privilege should be continued. For five years
least. Art. 3. Said company binding itself to 'Mend the
line to Chace, with a monthly vessel Art. 4 The govern.
meat reserving the right of contracting with other compa-
nies tor the navigation of the straits of Msgollan, and con-
versing' of the mails to tke United &atm, Europe and West
ladies Art. 5. The committee would ro cm:send to the
government to see that the treaty be duly and faithfully
carried hats expend.% by the company. The following sub•
cematittee was appointed to draft and report upon the above :
Meters. D J T. Ramos, 1). J. Wad ugton, D. Geo. Robson,

•
NEW YORK, Dac. 12.
gores is in session, the whigs beiug, u I have
Itodowilieeticipatal, in a practical miurity. Up to
y evening the Hones of Repeeseatatives hart
labels able to choose a speaker, and were of course
ellestorguisition. The free soil whigs. and dems-
no boll the balance of power, and neither of the
h' parties an yet able to effect any dormantim
enn power of the coer.toy is so far for
lee presest. leis is not by any means, he mover, a
lowly inseam; it has many precedents, which I
repeat, were it worth while. At first sight
ewe( the enemies of the " Model Republic " might
area as in a ling. roue condition, because so many
den ban elapsed since congress was first in tension
beton the busmen of the ecuntry.has really begun.
Fit from it. The only really imprietant gover-
motel business (so far as its duration is concerned),
gently, the approprlation and supplies, are never
rested until the lest moment of the session, and this
sometimes in midsummer. Universally no bueineas
el cossequence is transacted until after the holidays,
ell therefore we tray set it down as a "fixed fact," that'
*bag is really lost to the country by a few days
of delay is choosing • speaker. On the contrary, if
demise Taylor's cabinet and friends in congress knew
bs is avail themselves of even the difficulty placed
is his way. they could sully appeal to the people for
so tiptoe on of their indices' eon at the course takes
by a faction of abolitionists and ultra-southern men to
Orels the action of the government. The probibil;ty
iliac the pinion of the southern whigs, who refused
reset with the northern whip, f ave another object
view—namely, to coerce General Taylor into getting
Mel SAN of his present constitutiotal advisers.
Tee of them southern whir were the petrel* ad-
deers in its formation, but they bare become dissatis-
fled with the Soctetary of War, if not two other
modem% of the cabinet, and when they cin precute
ueiv resignatiors or dismissal they will unite with
their northern frier de.
The two steamers, Ohio and Crescent City, ball
mowed at this port, with news from California to the
lets( Nen.mber. My friend and correspondent at
las Francisco came back in the Crescent City. I
salad not bat smile as I saw him first, standing
pithe wheel-home of the steamer, u she ap-
palled the wharf, with a sort oar s
'huhu his weather-beaten c eintenance, a long
Mexican blackest aroued his shoulders, and with his
bath in his pockets, as if they were his first cars.
He brought with him one hundred thousand
Sellars, in rid dust, consigned to various par-
ties in the Culled States, lead at kart Sty
thoesand &liars of his own, accumulated within the
last nine months. The specimens whirl he had wi'h
him of the preelucts of the ruins mines were er ouch
lo make ores eyes water, and would be worth a large
am to any museum. Ile had also specimens of various
pekoe stones, with which California abounds, and
be equally interested us with his adventures. To sum
Iv the whole of his communications, I have only to
my that California is full of gold ; that the products
oil the mines, so fir as they are to be estimated by the
amounts constantly sent to Europe, South America,
sad the Culled States, are largely on the increase, and
that industry is surer now of its reward in California
than it has ever been before. S 3 far as his personal
moron was concerned, he declared he could live as
happily in San Francisco as anywhere else. He is
ab at to return there, and a lady of beauty and good
family c arexions will return with him, there to
share his fortunes.
The people of California have agreed upon the form
of the esestitution with which they desire to enter
the confederacy. It was the work of both Americans
sad Mexicans, and is the most radically republican
of any yet adopted on this continent.
The declaration of rights begins will re-asserting
that all men by nature are free and independent,
posse's inalienable rights, such as those of life and
liberty, the acquisition of property, and the enjoy-
ment of safety and happiness ; that all political
power is inherent in the people ; that the trial by jury
s inviolate ; that the free exercise of religious opinions
shall be for ever allowed, except when they are
sought to *sense acts of licentiousness or practises
inconsistent with the safety of the state. (This
is supposed to be a caution to the Mona as.)
The writ of habeas corpus is established, excessive
bail sad excessive fines are prohibited, the liberty of
speech and of the press is proclaimed, and even libels,
it p..blished from good aid justifiable motives, shall
In excused. Representation is to be apportioned to
population. Foreigners who are or shall hereafter
become bowl fide citizens of California, shall enjoy
the same privileges as Americans born. "Neither
slavery nor involuntary servitude, unless for the
punishment of crime, shall ever be tolerated in the
state."
Every white male citizen of the United States or of
Mexico (the latter, under very trifling restrictions,
tacit g relation to their own desire for citizenship), is
untied to the elective franchise, and the legislature
by a two-third vote may extend this to Indians, or the
deer endants of Indians.
Most of the general articles derlare how the gcv ele-
ment is to be organized, and how it is to be carried on
in its various departments. Among the miscellaneous
matters is one excluding duelliets, whether guilty
in the state or out of the state, or parties carrying
chiller gee, from enjoying any office of honour or pro-
fit, or even the right of suffrage. The credit of the
watt stall not be loaned to any person or peruse,
'Leiner. Parties having claims against it, sr*
allowed to sue it as if it wore a private person. The
separate property of a wife " owned or claimed before
marriage," and that acquired afterwards by " gift,
devise, or decent," shall be ander her own control
absolutely. The legislature is required to exempt to
every head of a family, a " sufficient " amount of
land sad personal effects, from all judgments and exe-
esti n, by !seed proem of law. The public debt is
now allowed to be created bey and 300,000 dols., ex-
cept is ems of war and invasion, unless the means
are at the same time provided for the fltyment of the
principal and the interest. Paper money of all kinds
is ab., lately forbidden.
We consider the constitution a very practical and
relined one, and one which will be beneficial to the
Calicortians. We are great constitution makers, it is
the easiest thing with us to form one, and it is sur •
prisieg to notice the facility with which the Califor-
nians have burst their shell, and come out with fee-

I woo
t,cb-
pnt to
their
aott
is not

D. Alfred Ward.
In connexiou with these sulej. eta it may be as well
to allude to the present condition and prospects of
Panama and its isthmus. Toe throng of travellers is
greater than ever.
An intelligent young man, whom I sent cut to Pa-
nama to close some business of my own in that quar-
ter, has just returned atter an absence of about six
weeks. I avail myself of many of his statements.
The transportation across the isthmus is at present
almost impracticable. The rainy season is not over, l,
and the roads are bad beyond description. The prices
of canoes and mules have nearly doublee, and the
I otter are almost all monopolised by Zeebrieson and
Nelson, who also own all the grazing lands in the
vicinity of Panama. They re ceive two dollars com-
mission on every package that paean through their
hands, beside the full charges of transportation.
Tae steamers of Howland and Aspinwall are so
loaded down with passengers, that they make but
about seven or eight miles per hour, and the voyage
is tedious and disagreeable. The little steame r
Herren having broke n down many times, is again
running up the river, but is so inefficient that another
is to be built by her owners, and seat out there as a
substitute.
A great many improvements are taking place in
Panama, and the intelligent natives b .gin to antici-
pate a great career of prosperity. Many of the old
stone dwellings are undergoing extensive repairs, and
are being modernised so as to be useful and profitable.
The island of Toboga, opposite the town, is assuming I
a very lively appearance, being the stopping place of
the steamers. Small steamers to ply in the bay are
also in a state of forwardness.
The Panama railway will now be commenced with
vigour. Mr. Stevens, the celebrated traveller, one of
the directors of the company, has departed far the
scene of operations, and will be followed on the 13tn
inst. by a full corps of engineers and operatives. A
large quantity of wheelbarrows has already been sent
on to Chagrin. Every thing necessary for the c in-
strustion of the road except the cross ties and sun-
ports of the rails will be made ready in New York.
As fast as the grade is completed the rails will be
laid, and the road need for its own construction. The
Messrs. Howland and Aspinwall havejust boo
4ht
another steamer to pl between this anj Chagres in
connection with the Cherokee. It is supposed that
they intend to extend their operations to the East
Indies. Some persons are so sanguine cf the success
of these new arrangements as to insist that a voyago
will yet be made from Liverpool to Canton, via
Panama, in 45 days.
While I am writing this pert of my letter news of
the most important character has reached us from
Honduras. It is of a very serious nature, and bids
fair to disturb our relations with your country unless
immediate attention is given to it. We have been
conciliated snnewhat by the tone of the lest article
in the Tones, on the Mosquito question, and inferred
from it that even the hot-headed conductors of that
journal had at last learned the necessity of imitating
the moderation and fair dealing ot the Daily News.
But now a "screw is loose," and there is no know-
ing what may happen.
We received yesterday a letter from St. Lean de
Nicaragua, dated the 6:h of November, stating that
Mr. Chatfield, the British agent in that vicinity,
PrOceeded with au armed force, on the 16th of Octo-
ber, to the island of Tigre, in the Bay of Fromm,
and took violent possession of it in the name of
her Majesty—a gracious name which, on this occasion,
has been most unhappily put forward. The Hondu-
ras flag was pulled down by his orders, and the Bei-
Cali flag hoisted in its place. A superintendent was
appointed and a new system of government esta-
i blished., As soon as this was made known to our
minister, Mr. Squiers, he dispatched a messenger to
I Mr. Chatfield, informing him that the island now
Ilbelooged to the Unid States by treaty of cession,
1 and that he expecteted he would immediately eva-
Mate it.
Mr. Chatfield replied, acknowledging the receipt of
des letter, but declared that Honduras had no right
whatever to cede any portion of her territory, as she
had no national existence. Ile also insisted she had
so right to dispose of the island, because he had inti-
mated that he had a lien upon it. It is rumoured
that Mr. Chatfield, on „
her second thought."
suspected the ground bad taken was
net altogether tenable, and then wrote a
eseond despatch, in which he offered to submit the
question to her Majesty's government. Mr. Squiers
again promptly demanded the evocation of the island
In six days. If the matter had rested here, it is
evident it might be settled by negotiation ; but it did
not. The British vice-consul has with equal baldness
seized on all the islands of the gulf, and even San
Salvador and the ports of Truxillo and Moro. Tte
former received a summons requiring due submission
to certain demands within 94 hours, which bring de-
clined, all the coast was taken possession of. In con-
sequence of this, the Guatemalan states have risen in
anndesr inst "ooflel prepar-
ingmen to attack Tigre Island : and another 1,000, under
Barreiras and Cabirias, are on the way to re-
lieve San Salvador. The people are said to
be in the greatest state of excitement, and
all English interests are for the present prostrated in
that quarter. I am unable to learn who was the
commander tha assisted Mr. Chatfield in this (buc-
canering) exct
ursion. Commander Paynter has
been off Realejo in the Gorgon, but did not enter that
port. In that part of the world it is believed that the
English government has desired to possess itself of
the Nicaragua route. Certain it is, that the arrange-
manta with which Manning was entreated in Eng-
land will never be carried out. It now remains to be
seen, whether the Chatfield policy is to be sustained
by Lord Palmerston. It has rowed the hatred of all
central America, it has begun to excite the suspicion
and dislike of the North Americans. It is narrow,
bigoted, and unjust. It interposes obstacles to tl-e
advancement of the commerce of the world,
and actually retards the progress of the human
rece. Look at this whole question in a liberal light
from your own side of the Atlantic. Europe is op-
pressed with a population which it cannot retain,
happily, or restrain without bloody wars. The
sited States has received with open arms all those
unhappy wanderers who have sought to escape poli-
tical aid physical suffering. As this tide of emigra-
tion has overran all the immediate points of destina-
tion, and thrown a vast wave of pauperism on our
lions, Providence acting upon the desires and even
the espidity of men, has offered a new and vast ter-
ritory filled with gold, where the down trodden men
Iwho can work have at last the opportunity of accu-
mulating property, in preference to those more
gifted of die human race whose muscles and sinews
are all lodged in the brain—a singular revereal of the
long-established eider of things. It else PO happens

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them Byirg.
There is one circumstance I must not pass oval,
Large numbers of Chinese labourers are now brought
to San Francisco, on English account, and they are
told for their time to the Americans. It appears
they agree to act u servants of all work, for a consi-
deration given them in their own country, and the
eoneiguors sell their services to the highest bidder.
They are purchased with great eager; eel, for no
Americans will do any menial labour if he can avoid
it, aed their appearance in San Frauds-0 is hailed ,
with joy. These Chinese are to be what the Helots were ;
ie Sparta, and what the lower classes of Irish emigrants
now are in our Atlantic states A promising trade
was opening with the East Indies, and that with the
Sandwich Islands had already commenced.
The Crescent City left at Chngres the British
steamer Avon, the captain of which reported that
there had been some disturbances in Costa Rica, the
character of which he did not know. It is surmised
that they had arisen out of the conduct of the Clover-
aor, Jose M. De Castro, who had placed himself
under !he protection of the English government, and
that this step had given offence to a large number of
the people.
Yucatan advice' to the 18th ult. have reached us
by our Dhagres steamers. They are melancholy
The government forces have recently been
dtfeated by the Indians, and there is no hope of

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 26, 1849.

that the Americans have the chief interest in open-
um a passage for the transit of their careworn tra-
velem, and an enterprising company of New Yorkers
propose to do immediately that which European enter-
prise has dreamed about, but never dared attempt.
The whole world is to be benefited by the project.
At this moment a puerile claim, which even the
Times cannot defend, is set up—the right of protec-
torship to a tribe ot barbarians, for whom the English
government has done nothing, and can 4o nothing,
and this right is set up for the purpose of preventing
the successful accomplishment of a work, which will
not only humanise and benefit those Indians, bat
assist the commercial world. Certainly, this is no
ground for " 0:c1 England," enlightened, Christian,
politic, fair " Old England" to bike!. Nor can she
sanction such violent acts as those committed by M.
Chatfield. If she does, if she is so far lost to her own
true interests, then, indeed, there are breakers
ahead.
It is proper to add that the information I have
communicated, came to this city with the Nicaragua
ter sty only yesterday, and was at r nce forwarded to
Washington. I have no doubt but Mr. killers is the
author ot the letter which gave us the intelligence.
We have news from Hayti by a schooner just ar-
rived from Port an Prince, and another which left
Cape Haytien on the let of December.
The Emperor of the Republic of Hayti, had issued
an edict, to take effect on the sth inst., that no foesiri
merchant should do business unless he paid a license el
1,800 dole. &apish per year, in place of 900 dole., as
heretofore, or any foreign clerk, unless Le paid 1,000
dole. No vessel w. s allowed to take cargo unless she
had discharged her cargo at that port. The export
duty on coffee and logwood was 50 dela, Hayden
money, per 1,000 pounds, instead of 5 dole., as hereto-
fore, and in the same ratio on all mercbandite. He
has fixed a price on all goods imported and exported,
and was raising an as my to march against the Spanish
part of the island. Busine-s was very dull.
The government has lust paid up to the Fre:-.ch a
portion of the interest of the indemnity due.
A meeting was to be held, to take into eonsidera-
tion the better mode of equalising the distribution
of the coffee. Export duties are to be increased on
coffee an•i logwood. American provisions are getting
scarce.
Articles of British manufacture of first necessity,
each as Checks, Osnaburges, Iv., are on the decrease,
and scarce.
The flay ti• n squadron 1. ft frr a cruise, off Jacmel
as supposed, where the Di =laicals had already be-n
cruising.
We have jive received the message of the Governor
of Indiana, delivered to the legislature on the 3rd
inst. I extract one paragraph, which may be inter-
esting to English readers.
The adupti in of low rate of tariff duiau in 1846, at home,
and a corresponiii.g fe.llS4tioll of the stringent restrictions
upon commerce abroad, have not only had the effect to bring
into the tres ury of the United Sta.'s a greater amount of
fcTellltle, but also to ii.crease greatly the profits of the girl.
cultural, manutactur ng, and comae mid classes of the com•
munity. Should this bus..fleent ',stem, by which the mil.
lions engaged in aariculture are enabled to procure a wider
and more fevouranle market ler the surplus products of their
labour be suffer. d to continue, it is c ailideutly believed that
the permanent pr .serity of the toidog millions of our mu-
lti= will be pleas d ape a durable basis.
AMERICUS.

Ine Court.

WINDSOR, Die. 25.
The Queen and Prince Albert walked this morning
in the Slopes end Windsor-park. The Royal Family took
their arcustoined airings.
Her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prime Albert, her
Royal Richness the Pelts:ma Royal, the ladies and gentle-
men of the court, and the domestic household, attended
divine service this morning in the private chapel
The Hon. and Rev. G. Wellealey.olficiated.
Tao royal dinner party, this events& included her Rvyal
Highness the Duchess of Kent. attended by her Royal High-
ness's Ladies In Waiting, the Demmer Lady and Mee. Miss
Lyttaltos, Colonel Ron. C. B. and Mn. Plapps, and Colonel
Hon. Charles and Mrs. Orgy.
Lord Rlohinetone has relieved the Earl of Morl in his
duty as bird in Waiting to the Queen, and Colonel Berkeley
Drummond has relieved Mr. Ormsby Gore in his duty as
Groom to Waiting to her Majesty.