The Express.
London, England, 1847-12-27 00:00:00

THE EXPRIt3B, MONDAY YENING, DECEMBER 2/7, 1847.

bat of paying their purge to its Awes, provided—
by landlords who wished to relieve their over-peopled
estates. Emigration on a large axle—colonisation
in any circumstances—is a political, not a mere pri-
vate enterprise, and as such, falls legitimately under
the management of government. But in a season
like the present, when despairing multitudes, eager
to run to the most unknown regions to escape
from impending starvation, were beset on one
hand by the " touters" of vessels to which
no merchant would entrust his goods, and on
the other by landlords willing to compound for the
support sf a lumber of paupers by paying their
passage to any distant shore whence their dying
groans could not reach their cars, the precautions
taken by government to restrain such abuses were
lamentably inadequate. " Several additional emi-
gration agents," says the reviewer, " were ap-
pointed to Liverpool, and to different Irish ports i"
and the annual vote in aid of colonial funds
for the relief of destitute emigrants " was increased
from 1,0001. to 10,0001." " Sereral additional agents!"
" 10,0001.1." This was all that government could
afford to do for the protection of more than 200,000
individuals, frantic with terror, and beset by the un-
scrupulous solicitation and intimidation of crimps
for ill-provided emigration vessels and unscrupulous
landlords eagerly bent upon " ahovehing out their
paupers."

Tams is an old French edict against the walling
and fortifying of small towna, because, saith the
decree, it brings the enemy about them, whom they
are finally unable to keep out. There are a great
many prejudices and opinions amongst us, strong and
durable enough, the best way to destroy which would
be to endeavour to fortify them by reasoning, or to
draw a circumvallation of argument around them. It
is dangerous to draw the attention of the reasoner,
the great foe of old and Whak opinions, to such
points. "It brings the enemy about them."
A chapter on the rights of primogeniture in Mr.
M'CuLLocw's recent work, on " Succession to pro-
perty," strikes us very much in this light. It is an
attempt to defend by supererogatory reasoning, what
is petty enure in traditional habits, and is in reality
weakening, and calling in question that,wbich for the
moment no one attacks. .

Mr. M'Cum.oca's arguments for accumulating pro-
perty on the head of the eldest son, are not singular
in common converse, but appear to ns, we confess,
provokingly absurd in print. " All experience tells
us," says the Professor, that security agaimt want
is the most powerful obstacle to enterprise and indus-
try." Therefore the true way to render a population
industrious is to begin by disinheriting ninety-nine
hundredths of it, and rendering it utterly destitute.
If they have a fair hope of subsistence, they are in
imminent danger of becoming paupers ; whereas, if
they start as paupers, they have an irresistible incen-
tive to become rich. _

Surely, it is a great pity that a maxim so profound,
so benevolent, lied so wise, should be confined t, the
mere enactment of a law of primogeniture. Why let
any one of the population be poisoned by wealth, or
have his faculties benumbed by competence ? What
an injustice it is to let any man be so injured by suc-
cession to property, which is so manifestly baneful!
The only just conclusion from such premises, would
be the adoption of the St. Simonian law, by which the
state alone inherited, and children were considered
those of the community, not of any particular parent.
Mr. M'Cuu.oca, inwever, would object to this.
lie sees peculiar uses in a few rich individuals, who,
however unindustrioas and torpid in their faculties,
are still serviceable, as decoys and gilded signs to
tempt the poorer portion of the population to labour
and strive after wealth. The rich are also useful, it
appears, in diffusing a taste for elegancies and refine-
ments. " A man of from 3,0001. to 10,0001. can
hardly fail to supply subsistence to a great many
most ingenious persons." Now, we beg to differ with
Mr. M'CULLOCH, and to be of the opinion, that a
great number of moderate fortunes are quite as con-
ducive, both to civilisation, refinement, and the exist-
' ence of ingenious arts, as a small number of very large
fortunes. In Etgland,large fortunes are spent in horses,
either of the turf or the hunt. They Rive subsistence
to that ingenious class, of which Mr. CROCKFORD was
the representative, and beget whole armies of usurers
and sharpers for one lover of refinement, or artistic
exellence. The French are a country of moderate
fortunes, and very few colossal ones, because they
have no rights of primogeniture. Are the French less
civilised, lees productive of elegancies, less given to re-1
finement, or less abounding in ingenious persons ?
But, says Mr. M'Cimuuclr, "the manner of living
which the rich render fashionable prevents the growth
of the sordid sod miserly habits that are subversive
of every generous impulse." Now, this opinion of
the professor, coupled with the opinions before
quoted, plainly establishes the doctrine that there are
only two classes and kinds of people worth cherish-
ing—viz., the very poor and the very rich. The
former are to be left quite destitute, in order
that they may be furiously industrious and frugal, at
their very wits' end to provide food, and at last to get
wealthy. On the other hand, the rich are to be very
rich, in order that they may be quite above such
sordid 'habits as those of frugality or prudence.
The latter class are to be few, in order
merely to serve as examples and beacons to
their inferiors. And when they die, they are to
take care that only one of their offspring succeed to the
privileged position and ideas, the remainder being con-
signed to the destitute extreme, in order to sharpen
their wits and establish that desirable division of
mankind into nineteen poor devils for every one fat
nabob.

Not only is the population to be parcelled out into
these two classes, but a quite different kind of mo-
rality is provided for both. What is virtue in the
i one s vice in the other. The habits worthy of all
praise in one class are sordid in another, whilst the
decree " that man should earn his bread by the sweat
of his brow " is to be completely set aside by philo-
sophers
who consider themselves wiser than the
utterer of that edict, in order that the very rich may
diffuse a taste for elegance and employ ingenious
persons.
That a political economist of our day should thus
ignore the existence of a middle-class is certainly very
strange. That he should deny all moral value to
small fortunes, and find no social or political
virtue to which they specially contribute, is
stranger still; and that he should be so utterly blind
to the current of human events and to the common
results of everyday experience and philosophy as to
run counter to all, and to set up the creed of the four-
teenth century as the rule of the nineteenth, ie
strangest of all.
Notwithstanding this criticism, we wish by no
means to come forward with a proposal to divide land
I perforce among children, as is tho case in France.
There are various inconveniences, incident to gavel-
kind as well as to the feudal predilection for the
eldest brother. We only wish to protest, in any re-
consideration of the state of the law, against the line
of argument with which Mr. M'CuLtoctt would bol-
ster up the droit d'ainesse.

CONFESSIONS of convicts, when not corroborated by 11
other witnesses, are not much to be relied upon. The
majority of criminals belong to the uneducated or im-
perfectly educated classes, who are particularly subject
to irregular and exceptional motives. PATRICK REID,
the murderer of the WRAITHS and their servant, ap-
pears to be exactly the man capable of thinking that
a good-natured lie tending to save the life of an asso-
ciate ;would be on the whole a praiseworthy action,
and a kind of set-off to three murders. What is known
of his alleged confession, too, is as yet so vague and
uncertain, that it would be premature to build positive
conclusions upon it. Looking, however, to the evideace
adduced at the late trial, and at the previous trial of
REID, in July last, it must be admitted that
the statement attributed to him harmonises so well
with what was told by many of the witnesses as to
establish a strong presumption that NVCABR'S oom-
plicity did not go farther than concealment of a mur-
der which he only discovered after it had been per-
petrated.
The confession attributed to REID would appear to
exculpate M'Csae. even from such. connivance. It
states that M'CABE knocked at the outer door while
REID was busy with his victims; that REID opened
the door and told him, as if he had been one of the
family, that they wanted nothing ; and that MARE
at once went away. The statements of Weser, and
his subsequent conduct, are not inconsistent with this
story. He stated in court, when examined as a wit-
ness on the former trial, that when REID opened the
door he recognised him, and that blood and some-
thing else which he saw through the partial opening
of the door excited his suspicion as to the real
nature of Run's business dare. M'CABE's evidence

and REID'S oonfession are cooaistent. Let as now
look to *Cam's subsequent conduct. He was
sitting is • publinhouse a few hours dterveards,
when some person came in with the news of the
murder. He at ones exclaimed that he knew of it,
and described the three corpses. When taken into
custody he struck the table with his hand, and ex-
claimed, " I see where I have missed it ; I ought to
have told of that strange man, but now he is gone
and I am here." The incautious admission of
his knowledge, and a somewhat exaggerated ac-
count of its extent, is in perfect keeping with
the incontinent habits of speech of his coun-
trymen, supposing him to be innocent of any-
thing but a desire to screen the murderer: but is
inconsistent with the watch a guilty partner in a pre-
meditated murder would keep on his words. A number
of witnesses spoke to both M'Cnee and REID being
near WRAITH'S house at the time of the murder, but
not one spoke to their having been ever seen in
company with orepeaking to each other previous to
its commission, and only one to their having been
seen together about the time of or a little after the
murder. That ono is the little girl, HALLAS; and
after reading her distinct and positive evidence, it is
scarcely possible to acquit M'Cnee of a more intimate
knowledge of what had been done than ho has yet
admitted, er than REID is said to have attributed to
him. Still, even with this testimony, nothing more
can be considered as clearly substantiated against him
than that having discovered the crime, he was in-
duced by the perpetrator not to inform or give
evidence agalhst him. In corroboration of this
view, we may advert to the miserable failure
of the attempt to prove that a piece of an
old garter found in M'Cnßes house had be-
longed to the murdered girl, and the equally
strained testimony by which it was sought to show
that there had been a blood-spot on his coat, and that
his stockings had been recently washed. The case
standing thus, we can scarcely conceive it possible
that the last sentence of the law will be allowed to
be executed on M'Cnee, even though further investi-
oration should fail to establish more convincingly his
innocence.
Some sharp remarks have been made on the con-
duct of REID'S counsel at the trial with reference to
these matters. It is asserted that Mr. SEYMOUR had
been previously informed of REID's confession, excul-
pating M'CABE from any participation in the crime. If
this statement be strictly true, the line of argument
taken up by that gentleman in his defence of
REID was utterly unwarrantable and inexcusable. He
will in this case, have sought to shift the charge of
murder to WCABE from his client, with the perfect
knowledge that his client had spontaneously, deli-
berately, and unequivocally declared his own guilt and
M'enne's innocence. Such an attempt to sacrifice an
innocent man in order to procure the escape of a mur-
derer would be even more culpable than the notorious
effort to transfer the imputation of Lord WILLIAM
RUSSELL'S murder from Couevoisiee to the innocent
maid servant, till now the most revolting piece of Old
Bailey effrontery on record. The counsel for COUR^
voisme might lay the flattering unction to his
soul that nobody was likely to believe his
insinuation against the maid servant. But
the counsel for REID saw WARE placed in circum-
stances of suspicion likely enough to predispose the
jury to believe in his guilt.
We speak hypothetically, for, in the present hear-
say state of public knowledge respecting the confes-
sion attributed to Rain, and Mr. SEYMOUR'S know-
ledge of it, we are reluctant to believe that a member
of a learned and respectable professien can have so
far forgotten what be owes to himself and others. But
even though it should ultimately appear that REID'S
confession is lees distinct in its exculpation of M'CABE
than has been reported, or that Mr. SEVmoun was
ignorant of it, still we must say that, in attempting
to persuade the jury that M'Cnee was the murderer,
he exceeded his limited service, and gravely compro-
mised the rights of that individual.
The duty of a counsel in a criminal case, we take
it, is to say for his client what his client would say for
himself if he had the ability. The counsel has to
learn from his client what he wishes to say in his own
behalf; to compare it with the testimony of the wit-
nesses adduced against him, and those who can be
brought forward to substantiate his statements; and
then, bringing into play his own knowledge of the
law, and experience of what intelligent men will or
will not believe, so to shape his story to the court
and jury as to give his client the best chance of es-
caping. A practising lawyer advertises himself as
ready to undertake any case ; he is not entitled to
refuse one because he believes or knows the party to
be guilty; it is part of the risk of his profession to
be called on to whitewash bad causes. Such is the
position in which the mode of conducting the busi-
ness of courts of law in our country places barris-
ters. As laymen we plead guilty to a (perhaps
puerile and fantastical) doubt as to how far gentlemen
familiar with such practices can altogether escape a
certain taint or bias. That, however, is not the pre-
sent consideration ; we give the members of the bar
the full benefit of their delicate position. Bat in behalf
of society we maintain that there are certain
limits which, with all their anxiety to discharge their
duty to their clients, and all their natural ambition to
obtain the reputation of skilful and successful advo-
cates, they are not entitled to transgress. And with-
out entering exhaustively into the inquiry, we hold
that while they are entitled to do all they can to serve
their own black sheep, they are not entitled to en-
danger the sheep of others, whether white or black. It
is time that the ribald license of the Old B ailey bar were
effectually checked. Some of the " bright peculiar
stars " of that sphere take upon them to worry and
harass honest but not educated or quick-witted
men, confused with their unwonted position,
by irrelevant and vexatious questions, and
when they have confused them to indulge
in all sorts of imputations at their expense. The
same worthies scruple not by impertinent and offen-
aive allusions to subject modest and v;rtuous women
to the most cutting pain for the offence of appearing in-
voluntarily as witnesses against their scoundrel clients.
On offences like these, grave though they be, it is now
unnecessary to enlarge. Public indignation has been
excited by them, and their repetition for the future, if
not checked by the presiding judge, whose proper
office it is, will be put down effectually by some other
means. But the injustice of sacrificing another accused
party in order to screen the counsel's more immediate
clientia an offence less obvious to many, though perhaps
still more criminal. Mr. SEYMOUR S business on the
trial for the Mirfield murders was to do his beet for
his client REID ;he had no right to throw out impu-
tations or insinuations against ItPCntie. That person,
even assuming him to be guilty, was entitled to be
judged on the strength of the evidence, and of what
the counsel for the prosecution and defence, under the
correction of the judge, might say of it. Mr. SEY-
MOUR had no right to say a word about him, or the
court to hear it. Had Mr. SEYMOUR been in the
witness-box, his hearsay evidence would not have
been listened to; had he come forward, without being
retained for the prosecution, to speak as a counsel
against the accused, he would not have been listened
to. What right does his being retained for the defence
of one of the accused give him to volunteer an appear-
ance as prosecutor of the other ?
In the most lenient view of the case, Mr. SEYMOUR
has been guilty of a grave abuse of hie privilege as a
barrister. If the more aggravated view shall be ulti-
mately substantiated it will not be easy to find lan-
guage too strong for the condemnation of his offence.

I IIEnE is no royal road to agricultural improve-
ment. It is the result of capital, labour, and skill
applied to the soil patiently for many years in succes-
sion. It is far more easy to give an impulse to the
trade than to the husbandry of a country, for the
cultivators of land, living in a state of comparative
isolation, do not advance their art under the stimulus
of competition with the same readiness persons
employed in other industrious avocations exhibit.
Indeed, in the present day, when agriculture has be-
come a popular topic, nothing is more common than
to hear it pronounced ex cathedra that " farmers
require more education," that they " should study the
sciences " which may be made directly applicable to
farming, and mach more of the same sort. Now, we
by no means deny that more intelligence and general
knowledge than are possessed by the great body
of farmers might be usefully brought to the
business of farming, nor do we undervalue the use of
science to the agriculturist, but there are other and
more prosaic obstacles to agricultural improvement in
this country. The nature of such obstacles is indi-
cated by the demand for a legal "tenant-right," so
generally made by English farmers. It may shortly
be designated as insecurity of tenure. The yearly
tenants, who occupy three-fourths of the broad lands
of " merry" England, are uncertain of reaping where

they have sown. They may be, and often are, turned
out of their farms at six months' notice, though
they have capital sunk in the farm which re-
presents a beneficial interest beyond the rent
of several years' purchase. No man can farm
for a sinigle year ; he must necessarily, if he
means to hr. by his business, make outlays not to be
recovered for one, two, three, or more years onward ;
and this is constantly the case with every moderately
good farmer of the present day. It is plain then that
wfien a farmer is turned out of his farm without
having a few years' previous intimation he leaves be-
hind him a considerable portion of his own capital,
which is so much gain to the landlord.
Now, doubtless, the great majority of English land-
lords would scorn to take advantage of their tenants
in this way, but they have the absolute power to do
so, and such things occur so often as to prove
to the great body of English farmers that
their actual condition is one of much peril.
Hence the demand for tenant-right leases being
generally and resolutely refused by most land-
owners, and they will probably persist in such
refusal until we have a period of low prices. In
the meantime, it is well that the public should under-
stand the questions at issue between landowners and
tenant-farmers in the discussion on " tenant-right?'
At a recent meeting of the East Kent Farmers' Club,
Mr. LATTIMORE, from Hertfordshire, stated several
CAM in which tenants had been most unfairly robbed
of their property by sudden notices to quit. It has
often been said that private agreements between land-
lords and tenants constitute the proper mode of arrang-
ing the tenant-right question; but one case mentioned
by Mr. LATTIMORE shows the difficulties by which
such agreements are beset. A farmer had farmed
highly under an agreement that if ho received
notice to quit his farm he should be paid for all im-
provements of which he had not received the full
benefit, the amount to be settled by arbitration in the
usual manner. The tenant, an able man, took a part
in politics actively, in aid of the free-trade move-
ment ; the landlord disliked this, and notice to gait was
given in consequence. Of course the tenant required
to be paid for his improvements according to the
terms of his agreement; he nominated au arbitrator,
and called upon the landlord to name one also. This
the landlord absolutely refused to do, or to make any
payment whatever. Nothing remained to the tenant
but to enforce his claim by an action at law, which
he commenced three years ago, and he has been
met with every sort of technical difficulty which
the ingenuity of the landlord's special pleader could
suggest, so that, up to this moment, he had been
unable to force him to a trial upon the merits. The
tenant, however, is a mon of spirit and property,
who, though baffled for a time by legal quibbles, will
probably, in the end, drag the recusant landlord be-
fore a jury. Bat had the tenant been a more humble
one he would long since have abandoned his agree-
ment and his capital in despair. In this ease, the
farm was re-let, at an advanced rent, to a farmer of
very slender capital, who has for three years in suc-
cession grown large crops without any manure. He
has, in fact, been taking out the capital left by his
predecessor. He also stated -
A recent instance in Hens, where an excellent tenant,
after 15 years' occupation, received notice on the 25th of Aug.
last to quit his holding (upwards of 400 acres of land) on the
29th of Sept. following, and the unfortunate tenant was com-
pelled to sell off his stock and; produce at 35 days' notice, at a
ruinous sacrifice, without being able to obtain by law one
shilling for ill the draining and improvements effected
thereon. This occurred in consequence of the death of the
farmer proprietor, who had only a life iatereat in the estate.
This gen•leman died in the early part of 1817. The estate
then came into the possession of a Gentleman in Lincoln, who
had thus availed tams& of the pre,ent state of the law to
appropriate the improvements effected upon the estate with-
out any compensation whatever.

In the last case the tenant had a notice to quit at
Ladyday, 1847, a few weeks after the present owner
had come into possession, and he was told that it
was merely formal, and that he was not to be dis-
possessed. He, therefore, made no preparation for
leaving. In August he was told that if he intended
to go on he must pay an addition of 20 per cent. on
his rent, and adopt a system of farming different
from that he had hitherto pursued with advantage to
himself and improvement to the farm, and which,
moreover, was less suited to the peculiarities of soil
and situation. The landlord in this case is Col.
SIBTFIORP, M.P. for Lincoln, a high professing
"farmers' friend." On this case, Mr. LarrimonE
said, and the public will agree with him,
. .
" • ' ' •

•
He thought they would admit that an absolute necessity
existed for some legislative enactment to give the requisite
security to the industrial floating capital of the tenant
farmers of the country. As to the manner of carrying it
out, he thought the simpler mode to give cheap and speedy
justice would be to avoid litigation altogether. Let ► fair
arbitration take place, and in the event of ►ny difficulty
arising, the barrister presiding over the local courts for the
recovery of email debts in each county, should be empowered
to give a final award.

At a meeting of farmers and landowners held a
few weeks since at Bridgwater, for the purpose of dis-
cussing the tenant-right question, one of the speakers,
Mr. FRANCIS, gave a very similar illustration of the
necessity for some legal protection to the tenant
farmers. He said :
The observations made by the viee•ehairman had reminded
him of a friend of his, who some years ego took an estate for
twenty-one years, and laid out three or four thousand pounds
upon d; but he died before he had been four years in occu-
pation, and his family were obliged to give it up. And
another case was also brought to his mind. Some two years
ago, a farmer residing in this neighbourhood, and who
rented from year to year, made considerable outlay, on the
faith of hi. landlord being an honourable man. That person
bad never advocated leases nor tenant right, but said that if
a farmer had a good landlord that was all he could want.
He (Mr. Francis) cautioned him against proceeding too far
with his improvements without security that he would he
repaid the capital expended ; but he still. went on, and it
was only a week age that be had informed him (Mr. Fran-
cis) that a surveyor had been over his land, and his rent
had been increased ten shillings an acre, the only alterna-
tive given him being to quit the estate if he refused to pay
the advance.

And Mr. FRANCIS added, that one of the conse-
quences of the insecurity in which English farmers
exist is, that men of scientific knowledge and great
capital were kept out of agricultural pursuits, to the
loss of the public and the landowners themselves.
Surely, with these things standing on record, it is too
much to assert that no protection for the tenants' ca-
pital is required beyond that which may be conceded
by landlords of their own free will. In considering
this question, it mast be remembered that the laws
which regulate the relations of landlord and tenant
have been made by landlords alone, and that dewing
the last fifteen years, the character of agriculture—of
British agriculture—has undergone a great change.
The capital of tenant-farmers invested in the soil is
larger than at any former period, and represents bene-
ficial interest, which ought to be protected by law.

I The temporary alarm produced in Paris by the re-
ports of the King's indisposition had in some measure
subsided towards the end of the week. On Friday
the Bourse was firm, and prices in general rose. With
respect to the rumours which affected the Bourse and
created general uneasiness, we have merely to repeat
and confirm what we have already stated. His ma-
jesty Louis Philippe enjoys his usual good health.
On Friday there was a meeting of the deputies
who support the cabinet, at the Hotel des Affaires
Etrangeres, and in the evening M. Guizot gave a
grand dinner, followed by a reception which was un-
usual brilliant and most numerousded.
Nearly ly 400 deputies bad arrived in Paris on Satur-
day. To day (Monday) the sitting preparatory to
the ceremony of Tuesday was to be held at the
Palais Bourbon. To-morrow (Tuesday) the Kis% is
to proceed in state, at one o'clock, to open the sesinen
of the chambers, and to deliver the speech.
MM. Colloredo-Wallsee and De Radowitz, the
Austrian and Prussian ambassadors to the conferences
which are or were to be held on Swiss affairs at
Neufchatel, arrived on Friday in Paris. The reform
banquet at Rouen took place on Saturday; it was
attended by nearly 2,000 persons. Reform banquets
have been held on a grand scale at Vienne and Gre-
noble. The electors of the second arrondissement of
Paris are preparing a reform banquet for next month,
to be held, it is said, at the Chateau Rouge.
Lord Brougham left Paris yesterday, for his
chateau at Cannes.

A private correspondent of the Coneerrateur an-
nounces the departure of the Duke d'Aurnale from
Algiers for Oran. " This unexpected departure,"
adds the correspondent of the Conserrateur, "has
given rime to many conjectures. It was said at Algiers
that Abd-el-Kader bad definitively refused to submit
to the conditions which the Emperor Milky Abclerrah-
man desired to impose on him. Abd-el-Kader appears
resolved to attempt anew the chances of a struggle
against the Moors. One of his soldiers had been to
the camp of General Lsmoriciike, and had there
given the assurance that the ex-Emir was decided to
commence the attack during the night, and to fall

unexpectedly on each of the separate camps, in such
a manner as to overthrow them one after the other,
being too weak to keep the field against all his ene-
mies united. Our readers will understand that in
each a conjuncture the presence of the governor-
general may have a decisive influence on the events.
On the other hand it was said, it is true, that Lieute-
nant-General Lamoriciere was shortly to leave for
Paris to take part in the 'about.; of the amnion; and
that the Duke d'Aumale bad to proceed to Oran, in
order to come to an understanding with General
Cavaignae, who will be charged ad interim with the
government of the province. This reason is no doubt
excellent, but we do rot the less believe that it is not
it which hes moat contributed to hasten the departure
of the prince."
There was no Bourse in Paris on Saturday.

We have numerous letters and journals from vari-
ous parts of Italy. The Turiu journal of the 20th
publishes the proclamation of the death of the ex-
Empress Maria Louisa, and the declaration of the suc-
cession of the Infante Charles Louis of Bourbon, late
Duke of Luce*, to the principalities of Parma, Pia-
cenza, and Guastalla. We have already explained
that this event will, under the terms of the Treaty of
Vienna of 1815, confirmed by a later one of 1844, in-
volve the separation of Pontremoli and its terri-
tory from the arch-duchy of Tuscany and its annexa-
tion to Parma. The recent agitation and preparations
for armed resistance when such a transfer was feared
as a consequence of the cession of Lucca to Tuscany
will not be forgotten, and accordingly serious fears
are entertained for the tranquillity of this border dis-
trict of the states.
Letters from Milan of the 18th say that serious dis-
turbances had broken out at Reggio (in the Mo-
denese) and Modena, in consequence of the refusal of
the sovereigns of that duchy to pin the customs
league. It was reported that a collision between the
people and the troops had taken place, and that
several were killed and wounded.
The first serious discussion which took place in
the new Roman council of state, and the re-
sult of which we have already reported, has developed
A difference of opinion between the majority of
that body and those who are supposed to express the
sentiments of the Pope. The question was the pub-
licity of the debates. Count Luigi Mastai, a nephew
of the Pope, spoke against it, declaring that it would
constitute a serious encroachment on the prerogatives
of the sovereign. The president reminded the council
that his holiness had already expressed himself unfa-
vourably in regard to the publicity of the debates.
After speeches is favour of publicity, by Councillors
Lauri and M. Minghetti, the question, being put to
the vote, was earned in favour of publicity by a
majority of 20 to 4.
Letters from Genoa of the 16th say that a general
amnesty will certainly be proclaimed on New Year's-
(lay. It is stated also, but with doubt, that the Jesuits
will be expelled from Piedmont, and a charter granted.
A story was current that Charles Albert said to Lord
Minto, "If I were a free agent I should long since
have been a constitutional king."
' The Roman journals again announce the approach-
ing evacuation of Ferrara. Cardinal Ciacchi, who
was staying at Pesaro, was, they affirm, ordered to
return to his poet at Ferrara to assist at the evacua-
tion. The legate of Bologna was ordered to send to
Ferrara a detachment of Swiss troops to take the
posts to be evacuated by the Austrians.
Letters from Naples of tho 16th announce the con-
tinued prevalence of popular demonstrations in that
city and in Sicily, indicating the same fermentation as
we have so often lately reported. On the evening of
the I4th, at Naples, ady of several hundred citizens
paraded the town, shouting aloud the usual popular
cries in favour of the Pope, the Italian league, reform,
&a. They proceeded by the main street, the Via Toledo,
to the hotel of the Nuncio, where they repeated these
cries. They next returned to the palace, near which
they were encountered by the police and the military,
and a collision ensued, in which several were wounded.
A gendarme., wounded by a sword-cane, soon after-
wards died. One police-soldier was killed in the
square, and two others dangerously wounded. The
assembly was not dispersed until eight o'clock.
At Messina, Marshal Landi, whose previous acts had
rendered him so obnoxious, finding it impossible to re-
main with safety in his usual residence, withdrew
into the fortress, where, with the garrison, he shut
himself up. All communication between the fortress
and the town had ceased.

The Duke of Serra Capriole arrived on the 16th at
Naples.
Letters from Parma of the 18th report that a nu-
merous assemblage of the people took place on that
day in front of the Hotel of the Regency, and that
loud acclamations were heard in favour of reform.
A committee of the inhabitants waited on the
Council of Regency with an address, signed by
several hundred citizens, demanding, on the part of
the inhabitants, the institution of a national guard,
administrative and military reform, and a constitu-
tion. The regency answered that, in the absence of
the sovereign of the state, they bad no powers to
act, and that they could only maintain order and
canoe the laws to be respected until the arrival of
the Duke.

The S;tnaphorat of Marseilles, on the authority of a
letter from Leghorn, says : " The Hereditary Prince
of Sardinia is appointed generalissimo of the army,
president of the council of 'ministers, and governor of
Turin, in the room of the Count de la Tour."

The Madrid mails to the 19th arrived in Paris
on Sunday. That of the 20th was duo on Satur-
day, but had not arrived when our correspon-
dent closed his despatches. There was a meeting
of the deputies on ,the 17th, on the subject of the
charges to be preferred against M. Salamanca. On
the question as to whether the subject should be
brought before the Chamber, and an inquiry be de-
manded, it was carried in the affirmative by a majority
of 105 to 44. Some of the friends of M. Salamanca
are said to have voted for the inquiry, at his imme-
diate request. The responsible editor of the Clamor
Publico, who was under prosecution for a libel, has
solicited and obtained from the government the
abandonment of the prosecution. The Heraldo
congratulates the government on its generosity.
A Madrid letter of the 18th says :
Although the mist positive assurances had been given
that Gaueral Espartero would be here by the end of the
month, a most gracious invitation having been sent to him
by Queen Isabella, an opinion is now expressed that the
General, on his arriving in Paris, and reading an account of
the debate in the Spanish Chamber of Deputies on the 16th,
will retract his intention. He cannot, it is said, take his
seat in the senate without repelling the charge brought
against hint by M. Mon, and he would be unwilling to make
ha re-appearance in hie own country the signal for recrimi-
nation. Under the circumstances the spirit of M. Men is
much censured here, for it is thought that he might have
done justice to. and even eulogised the Queen-Mother, with-
out indulging in a charge of ingratitude and calumny against
Espartero. Some persons even go so far so to suppose that
the remarks of M. Mon were made for the very purpose of
inducing Espartero to abandon his intention of returning to
Madrid. The friends of General Herren say that he regrets
as much as anybody the warmth of M. Mon on the occasion
in question, and that, so far as he is concerned, General Es-
partero may reckon on a kind reception.

The Infanta Dona Luisa, Duchess of Sega, daughter
of Don Francisco de Paula, the uncle of Queen
Isabella, was safely delivered of a son at Madrid, on
the 17th. It is announced that the King, who is the
uncle of the young prince, will be his godfather, and
the Queen his godmother.
It is stated in a Madrid letter of the 18th that large
remittances of specie had been recently received by the
Band of St. Ferdinand.

A full amount of the debate in the Cortes, on the
16th, on the subject of payments from the Harannah
treasury--a question upon which it was thought pro-
per to make a personal debate on Espartero—will be
found in another column, as will also the letter of
our Madrid correspondent.

The advices from Switzerland contain little matter
'of prominent interest. The cantonal government of
the states of the Souderbund were in process of form-
ation, and in every case the liberal party were in a
majority. At Lucerne, Dr. Steiger had been chosen
vice-avoyer in the grand council. A committee'
of eleven was elected to form a project for the
revision of the cantonal constitution. Friburg has
named two new deputies to the Diet, Dr. Bossard,
a well known junsconsult, and Mr. Page. These
delegates are instructed to concur in a vote for the re-
vision of the Pact, and to apply for a redaction of the
war contribation which has been decreed against the
canton.

In the new grand council of the Valais, the liberal
party is also in a large majority.
Since writing the above we have received the Swiss
journals of the 22nd. Lucerne has named Dr. Steiger
and the avocet Pl. Meyer delegates to the Bid.

FRANCE.—PaiIO.DEc.23.--Ponnity.
A large body of Poles *mumbled on Frida, at the art
beet, to present to Prince Curtoeyski the medal ritma
Polish Historical Committee has had struck is
the eminent merits of the prince, and in commemknassZ
ssZo
the important services he has rendered to his Onlltry7o
prince, surrounded by his family, received the deD,e
from the Literary Society, from the Historical C4211„_
of Paris, and from that of London, which readily es,"""
in this national manifestation. The remnants (lir,
army of Poland, as well as of the Polish Diet, nisi
present, represented the struggles of Poland, his .„1.7
sags, and her rights. A group of young Poles,
up et the Hotel Lambert, and the pupils of the
Cheillot, were also present. M. T. blorressi,
President of the Historical Committee, formerly tr,
ter of Foreign Affair., having presented the
Ranykowski, formerly a member of the nitiossi^
meat, read the address of the Literary Society of p
Colonel Se. toss that of the London committee. Ths "11
fled bat aflectiog reply of the prince produced sushis,,k
as to cause many of the persons present to shed tsam—ir
medal, wide was engraved by M. Bane, bears ea sill
verse the profile of Prince Curt .ryski, with Ms ir:
" Virtuti in-oolumi; Boeietas Historica," &e, m
reverse—"g,
serse—" Adamo Principi Csartoryseio, mad pis. gm
Mumma' Polonaruat fervido tutori, Mitaarattei Hakii
tails Vilnenaia, 1803; coroitori Gyinassii C
1805 vindici reruns patrianim, 1815; Doti Prolk.:M.
auntie, 1830. Nunc cuspid exultantis civi forti ismawe,
fortune composite, ob flduciam mums inside."
TAHITIANS IN Paßfu.—Admiral Brut hail
some young Tshitions to Paris, e dest of sh
twice
16, is a nephew of Queen Posture,thel and is amid Twit
They are all dressed like pupils of the schools, bat TIM'
allowed to wear a bat, probahly se a mark of moped 1,5:
royal blood. The boys are directed by an officer dam:
who acts as their interpreter. At present they magoiLu
melees in sight-seeing, but will soon begin their studio."'
have visited several theatres sod bonbon !Mom gat
contents of which they are particularly &fish
government has taken upon itself the charge ands
their education.

FRENCH COLONIAL SUOAR.—The Chamber oleo,
melee of Nantes, with reference to the sum •
reesmmends that the duty on the sugars of 13,teatt
other French pessessions beyond the Capes shall beea*
to 20L per 100 kilogrammes, and those of the Freaky&
rican Colonies to 25f. On the native sugars it
as
duetion to 301. per 100 kilos; on foreign sugars,6,
within the Came, a reduction to 30f. ; and on foray
from places beyond the Capita to 25f. It further reeseaai
the suppression of types and classifications of sAbit
French or foreign, with the maintenance of As
to the entry of refined sugars ; and it advises the Mar*
by one half of the duties on coffee and cocoa.
PRUSSIA.—ACTTON TO RECOVER A LATE BM
REIGN STSTE or GEGRANY.—An important ease 11,4
nutted on the 17th mat. to the Civil Tribunal of Mesta a
Prussia, being.nothing less than an action to recoveraMa,
pality which, forty years ago, was one of the avert* eft
of Germany. Prince Frederick IV., of Salm-KENTLE,
mended that Prince Alfred Constantine, of
should bo obliged to giro up all his possessions, cca=•bet
the two provinces of Ahold and Bochaus, to which aft
seeded in August last. Prince Frederick based his claw
on the fart that Prince Alfred is the issue of a rani'
which his father, Prince Alfred Florentine, contra*
1810 with Mlle. Rossi, of Ajaccio, niece of Napolree, ra
marriage being a mixallianee, and in consequence paw
he contended that all the territory forming the peal
pality of Salm-Selm ought, by virtue of the laws of a
old German empire, to pass to him, as the only legiti
heir. To this the Prince of Salm Salm replied that, at ty
period at which his father mended Mlle. Rossi, he was
member of the confederation of the Rhine; that, eau
quently, he was married according to the French civil sat
which establishes equality of rights fur all, without dais
lion of birth and rank ; ant that, therefore, the lam of is
old German empire were not applicable to the owe. Tle
Prince of Salm-Salm further contended that, even if
marriage of his father should be considered morganatic, a
principality could not be inherited by Prince Froderieale
opponent, for that he himself had married a lady wheisra
noble, Mlle. Provos, of Bordeaux, daughter of a
French eitizea ; and that, consequently, according to
laws which he had himself invoked, be could have no .
to possess the principality of Salm-Salm, nor even tb
Salm-Kyrburg, of which he calls Manta the proprietor.
tribunal held the first answer presented on behalf of
Prince of Salm-Salm to be sufficient, and accordingly •
missed the application of the Prince of Salm K 1 entre,
demning him to pay the coats. The Prince of
Salm-K -
immediately appealed against this decision to the High
of Appeal of Munster.
HAMBURG, Dec. 21.—The state of trade ie
settled. The accounts of failures in England, Frau
Belgium, and Holland, create mistrust among us. he
New York, too, our reports are most unsatiafict.ry &mai
has there risen to 15 per cent. ; it is true no fresh tides
have taken place, but the general state of trade k bre
means cheering. 'The weather here is very cold,* gnat
of the Elbe is already frozen over, and the Kolbnia
firm, that the market people bring all their govds on Mae
The London mail, brought by the John Bud ma brach
by land from Cuxhaven. The Queen of Scotland leis
morning at hall-put ten, but was obliged to -
now, together:with the Rob Roy, at archer in
Several other steamers and vessels bare beer
turn, in consequence of the very high wind.
BAVARIA —MuNica DEc. 18.—I

of the internal affairs of Bavaria, .
correspondence of the above date, says :—"'
is impending which forebodes great changes in the stet
h well known that Prince Wellentein will be sent r
19th to Wartburg, for the purpose of requesting tl/
Prins to assume the regency in the absence of
who is to undertake a prolonged journey to Italy.
RUSSIA.—VALOIS OF IMPORT AND EXPO!
IN 1846.—1 n 1846 there were exported over the
Asiatic boundaries :

For abroad ..........» ».»»»....». 9a,650,964k.
To Poland ..... 2,339,911
To FLalaed

imported from abroad
^-• •

vessel W.
answe;ed

Morning at hal:-past ten, but was obliged to Ireton, tali
now, together:with the Rob Roy, at anchor in the Itedeel
Several other steamers and vessels hare been obliged tee
turn, in consequence of the very high wind.
BAVARIA.—MUNICH, l)En. 18.—On the Win
of the internal affairs of Bavaria, the Deutsche Zeitrafsi
correspondence of the above date, says :—" A state dig
is impending which forebodes great changes is then*.
is well known that Prince Wallerstein will be seat als
19th to Wartburg, for the purpose of requesting the fee'
Prince to mourns the regency in the absence of the Li
who is to undertake a prolonged journey to Italy.
RUSSIA.—VALOIS OF IMPORT AND EXPORT 'NH
IN 1846.—1 n 1846 there were exported over the Buys
Asiatic boundaries :
For abroad
To Poland 3,333.H6
To Finland
103.714.111"
Imported from abroad ........... KWH^
From Poland
From Finland 55 55.
86,903,713,11.
Gold and slicer coin, and In bars, imported
from abroad.
From Poland
11,217,716
_
rApirteatoimenniimcinhun ..----...... 12,971,117
Tu Poland 08,14
13,061,971
Sum total of import and export trade is
therefore ... .. _ . ... .. _.. . 213,989,907
In 1843 the sum total. of import and export
trade was
The surplus of 1846 of import and export
trade is 564.411
The exportation of the principal articles of manna
compared with the two preceding years, gives the felon
results:
1844 1843 1546
Hemp 2,970,633 2,841,710 2,695,631 pi
' Flax
Tallow
Potash
Wool
Brushes 70,450 81,638 WAN
Iron
83,342 81,963 126,611 .
=dad banyan! 1,330,645 1,594,149 935,526 WON
limber
Raw hides. 1,018,038 1,313,027 1,119,1 n •
Rinds Lather 794,789 921,093 1,101,192 •
Own 16,340,023 16,527 731 28,939,916 •
CHlNA.—Captain Sir Edward Belcher Oh I
his narrative of the voyage of H.M.S. Semarang, sa
of his visit to the Ty-pin-san group of islands in the als„
sea. This group was never before visited by Emmons •
consists of flee members, namely, Ty-pin.san, koomall
T-drah. boo, Y-kinsiih, and 00-ga-mee. The folleedg•
the remarks which he makes on the inhabitants: *ls ft
scribing the principal features which seem to mph fads
rector of the people of this hitherto unknown, of nal.
visited g.oup, termed Meia-co-ehimalis by the authsdllt!
will be immediately apparent how rely near they 61011
mate, in general, to the inhabitants of LooChoe.o'Thy
tailed by MacLeod and Basil Hall in the vomele:
Majesty's ships Aloeste and Lyra. Like those oN
offensive islanders, their physical appearance muchness.
that of the Koreans and Japanese; their dress she
of a similar loose robe, of varied pattern, kayieg 101/or,
sleeves, and which is secured about the waiat by• Wm.
Like them, also, they strain back their long black
is secured in an elegant top-knot, through which tior
their ornamental hair-pins, or kamesashes sad masa*
former bearing an ornamental head, evidently cepialBBll.
small hexepetaloid flower, a species of Xyria, no*ieed
island ; the latter is a slender instrument with a 180,116,
extremity, serving various purposes, for sulfa still
cleaner, to even that of chopstick. These ossameseseL
gold or silver, according to the rank of the wen9a
the females only the latter is worn, alai instal d
row spatulate form, it resembles a long mustardipsq_.
a slightly curved point. On state occasions the graelle,
red, yellow, or blue cape of office ; and in paranoia!
customs of the Chinese their women are strictly eseleisk,i
It would be an easy task to designate this people Infi
tea-drinking old women, imbecile and apattedei Te^,,
energy and enterprise, living in contentment on a FINE
islands the value and facilities of which they are Mg:
tinily ignorant of, and of whose position and res6ollllM
are unable to take advantage. But on contssid4lB!
with the insidious, fawning, and deceitful Ciis stit
the nesse and vindictive bloodthirsty Malaya, l i. 4,
but fancy their character amiable and their OM'
lone to be envied. Their food is extremely simPiell'W
chiefly of the batata, rite, and other vegetable'. l'"^og
the produce of the deep, including mollusceas
as the cuttle-fiah (Sspio), the large clam ( 7 rider.*
' and others. In their adaptation of the shells, whisk
' in this region, for various household and other
play considerable ingenuity ; two instances in etig,::
cited my attention, and are worthy of notice. Mg
in the use of a valve of the large clam shell just 11110'.
for the purpose of swinging the gates to their ya,
they place it under the heel of the main post, in tbe
of which it revolve, upon its point with ease, and 618;
end being confined to the standard by a nest IN
grommet of rattan, served fer the hinge; it Wei
smoothly. The second instance was the „ ,
a teakettle out of the well-known trumpet ealla
variegatus), the operculum forming the lid, "1,1711
the spout, and a wooden hook, let in upon the piw_, ..a
the lewia for lifting stones, forms the handle. Iv' '.ll
vessel was adopted several times for our conves
answered its purpose admirably. They appear le