The Express.
London, England, 1857-01-05 00:00:00

STATE OF SPAIN.

A correspondent of the independence Bolge,
writing from Madrid on tho lit instant, says :—" The
situation of Catalonia becomes worse and worse, and
the friends of the government do not conceal their
fears of the gravest conflicts. The government
shows itself very reserved, even with its confidante;
it is stated on the very best authority, that the
ministry has received to-day a despatch from
General Zapatero, Captain-Gencval of Barce-
lona, stating that 30,000 workmen were per-
ambulating the streets demanding bread. An
insurrection had not commenced, but there were
all the symptoms of one. The General adds that
he could not dream for an instant of suppressing it
by force. Grave abuses are committed at different
points of the Peninsula by the mayors. Several in-
habitants belonging to the liberal party have been
arrested and kept in prison for several days, with-
out knowing the reasons of the detention. The
priests still abound in Spain, and the government
acted wisely in 1853 in prohibiting further ordi-
nations. In each of the miserable hamlets of
Manche there are ten, fifteen, and sometimes twenty
priests. I know one village, containing scarcely
1,800 inhabitants, in which there are not less than
fifty-four priests—a most ignorant clans, who spend
their days in smoking cigarettes. The press in
Spain is now entirely handed over to the arbitrary
power of the civil governor, and to the censors
named by the Minister of the Interior.",

PRUSSIAN CIRCULAR TO THE EUROPEAN

The Inctependante Beige, of yesterday, publishes
the following circular despatch, addressed by the
cabinet of Berlin to its agents at the principal Euro-
pean courts ; bearing date of the 28th ultimo :

- Monsieur Is Comte (Boon)—By a despatch of the Bth of
this month (December), I had the honour to hakes your
Excelkocy of the attitudkwhich the King our wad miter,
has determined to take with respect to the Neufchatel affair.
The military prepirationa of which I they made matton
have been since ccetinmd, and It would have teen In perfect
accordance with the amalgamate of the Pre mien army to
proceed, severed day. ago, to the mobilisation of those por-
tions of the army intended for this purpose. Oar sonnet
Sovereign, in pasting so calmly sod firmly the line he has
traced out, withal. always in his high wisdom to avoid precipi-
tatiag mimes, the immediate come ueneee of which would
be to change entirely the phase in which this affair is still,
but which It will quit the moment the order to move shall be
given. Up to this point the King contents himself with the
preliminary and unocaditional liberation of the Neufchatel
prisoners, malting from the abolition of all pomading.
directed against them. Alter this liberation his Majesty is
reedy to enter into negotiations la to the future of the State
of Nenkhatel, nor will the unexampled moderatioe of which
the King has given proof hitherto in the entire of this ques-
tion, be belled when the great Powers of Europe shall deem
it their duty to make him propositions, worthy, at the same
time, of those who of r and of him who moms them.
On the other bend, the mobiliestion moo ordered, the
situation can no bow he the some. Whoever is acquainted
with our military smageneets knows that this order, called
for by the most ardent with es of the army, most be followed
by speedy action, and that neither the dignity nor Interest
of the King would permit him then to pame half way. It
is cher that in such cm the Aroma liberation of the pri-
einem would no longer bean object proportionate to the sa-
crifices imposed on the country, and that Soon that point the
results attained by the Prussian arms might siker even the
position of the Principality of NenkhateL The King does
not at a cowed from himself the gravity of this man-
✓acy. Bat If ft perent itself he will not recoil Wore it;
sad area while pursuing his object with the energy and per
of a good conscience, he will sorer himself always
to▪ be guided by the desire of seeing mewed to fiwitseriand,
after the end of the mem ocailictorpleoe mom hoeourable
end indepeadart omega the astm of Europe, which will
lord the farther gwastees for eider and mom.
The ocasidentione, Manama le Comte (Baron), joined
to a desire of siceffing the great Powers of Europe that have
solannly recognised the ratite of the King as Prince of
Neakhatel, a now prod of his extreme moderation as well
as the poribility of getting them to met their diplocoatio
ingeence is • meaner Mager, more eonceatrated, and more
efficacious, on Serftnerlaed, for the purpose of attaining the
precept accomplithment of the only =edition on which the
King arias previous to entering into negotiation., have de-
cided his Niamey, despite the limy inconveniences attend-
ant on delay, to defer the mobilisation of the army to the
15th of January, 1867.
It follow., sea matter of come, that this term will be
shortened if the Swim authorities, nadir the influence of
that spirit of defiance which characterless several of their
recast ineseures, should hand over the Neufchatel primers
to the Federal salima.

By order of the King, I invite you, Monsieur la Comte
(Baron), to brim the aborementioned remolutica to the
knowledge tithe cabinet of Paris (londanVinna, St. Pilaw
burg). It will be appreciated, we cannot doubt, with the
just and deer imputiality we have • right to expect
on the part of • governmint redly friendly to
Preadm, which, is this gotaion, pommel both right
and modentioin and will have waited more than eight
years doing the overthrow of its legitimate authority in
Neufchatel—for more than Mir years arm the solemn re-
cognition at it rights by the protocol of London—and for
more than lbw mouths Aloe the events of September tut—
, before bavi•g recourse to proper enema to recover its rights,
with respect to which his Majesty has declared himself reedy
to negotiate whin a single pralleduary condition exacted by
his dignity shell have been NOW. To wait longer would
be incompatible with that dignity. The sovereigns of Europe
moot but feel this. They will sot with, as his Msjesty has
amid to his people, to woke of his lam Wining a tampon
against hawed.

Receive, Momleer le Comte (Bane), the renewed
meareace of my high comitteretion. _ _

arernyrrni.
To Count Hatekid, at Puts; Count Betradoirg;
et Lcadoa; Count Arnbn, at Vienna; Baron
Weetber, at Bt. Petersburg.

The Continental journals also publish notes ex-
changed between the Austrian and Prussian courts
relative to the question of Neufchatel. In a note,
dated Dec. 18, Count Buol writes:
The Powers, ht their character of gasrantere of the nen-
taslity amazed to Switzerland in the general interest,
and as oveignatarke of the protocol of London,
desiring the maintenance of the European pesos, end
it their duty to remind Switzerland of the modilicas of its
inviolability, and to impose on her the flekillment of these, if
nsceseary. The opportunity of deliberating in common en
the means of &charging this mission not having been
retired them since the deplorable event' of bat September,
the Imperial Cabinet is anxious to easemble fur this object
the Pkalpotentiarke of the Powers that aligned the protocol
of London, and cherishes the hope that his Majesty the King
of Prussia will sot regard Memel, as driven to the necessity
of asserting hie incontestable right otherwise than by relying
ca the authority of a declaim of the European Powers.

In reply Baron Manteuffel, writing on the 28th
ult., attributes the fable notions entertained by
Switzerland, to the inactivity which the Powers that
signed the protocol of London have maintained
during more than four years. The Prussian Minis-
ter refers to the despatch printed above, as eentain-
ing the but decisions of the King, and adds: •

The cabin of Vistas win thence derive the conviction
that, not to acelmle the diplomat action more or lees united
and collective at the cabinets at Europe, the King has
put of, deepke the imemeismas inesparable from
this dais', the day at the mobilisation of the
army, sad, by le defog, the term she up to which, upon
the Mention of the Noradchatslpistmes, his Megasty will
be ready to take part in say negotiations that my be held
with tie object at pacified'', and see traditions mutually
putting a definite close to the difficulties in-
=ainitie present natation of Neukhatel.
Ee as good as to bring the present despatch to the know-
bags Of M. le Count de Boot, and to ewer to his Excel-
limy our sincere conviction that a cabinet so friendly to
Prussia ea is that of his Imperial ffitelesty Francis Joseph,
will not occasion it new difficulties, nor even counsel new
delays in the socomplishroent of a task, the prompt moms
of which must be called for by all partisans of right and
ceder.

PRUSSIA AND SWITZERLAND.

A despatch from Beme, dated yesterday, says:
We are expecting the ultimatum of France sad
England.
" The new levy amounts to 14,000 men.
"A service of vigorous surveil:ante his befit
organised on the frontier.
" People arc looking for a proclamation by the
Federal Council.

"(Denial Dufour has organised a numerous staff,
On his application, the Federal Council has given
orders to place on a war footing eighteen additional
battalions of infantry, as well as nine companies a(
carbineers, cavalry, and artillery.
. The trial of the Neufchatel prisoners is fixed for
the 19th inst."

The correspondent of La Presse, at Berne, vriting
on Dee. 31, speaking of the proceedings of the Fe-
deral Assembly on the previous day, says:
I have to deerribe to yon the imposing spectacle
which wee presented by the ceremony of administering dm
oaths to General Dufour. It yea in the presence of the two
Chambers sitting as a Federal Assembly, in the Hotel as
Ville of Berne, at 61n the evening, that this solemn rite was
performed.
Having joined his colleagues in full uniform, on which
shone the grand cross of the Legion of Honour, the gems}
was invited by the president, H. Eicher, to rise, sad then
the President addressed to him the following speech is
German : _ _

" General,—The Federal Assembly by a vote all but Oil&
moss, has decreed you the command in chief doer bran
army. OUT appeal to you is made under very Iledo9l eh.
cumstances. We are all convinced of the greatness of lin
trek that bee devolved upon you; but we have all of at the
*meiotic& also Met should war break out you will perform
*tante with a cautioningr of the good cause you era CON
upon to defend, Switserisnd is at all times reedy to gimlet
consenttowhatememaybring aboutataeoumble &lancer( tko

present dispute witholl Wiry to that honour which eves
people that does not wish to commit self-destrectka to boot
to maintain intact ea its most precious pommies.
Switzerland is bound to remain attached to the prim*
which has for so long been acknowledged, that one of its
members cannot et the inane time belong to a foreign ineenn
You will perform your teak, General, encouraged end on.
tamed by the sbength of the public opinion of Europe mi
of the whole civilised world—that public opinion which is
itself lea great power, and which in its incorruptible Mg.
mint proclaims itself more and more, and everywhere, ie
behalf of our country. You will perform your task, elliitabei
by the glorious union that prevails amongst our people sad
throughout our army. It is nine years ago that you wars
placed at the bead of the Federal army. What a difference
between that period end this to-day! An imperative
duty then commanded you to draw the sword &plug
our own confederate*. But now the flags of all
the cantons of our country, united like federal
brethren, and ready for all and any sacrifice are seen owe
more ranged under the national flag, adorned with the white
cross, that flag which the Federal Assembly confides at this
solemn moment to your care. Lally, you will perform you
leek under the powerful protection of the God of our fathers
whose guardian gram hes protected our country for ogee,
Addressing Him, who is elm the puissant protector of the
weak, I invite you to take the oath of generel-in-chief, which
the Chancellor al the Coehderation will now read to yaw.

General Dukes then prosonsced, In. eker end -rah
voice, the words which camper the orb of rend in chief.
words that are at roe err* enwpdo and tonadin
and it was rabbi a storm et 'proving shouts from a/1 parts
of the meshy sad from the rakers, and whilst en we
deeply wrowel—Gre then was not . dry eye amEmpt the
audience, as they thought d the peat minks which WI
been thus confided to always caw who has already glees se
many proofs of hie dertedeses mad we. midst die
litterbugs of priors vows, that the Problem& moored
the prorogation af the Aamally ries stir.
In the rams of the mar evesing, the bend et the pm&
son motioned in the city of Berne gsve a brilliant serenede
the Commander-M-Chid, who ardroowledged the ovation he
three terms :

It is a noble teak which ham been confided to me, and I
wMdo everythiag in nay power to show myself wrathy of the
confidence which Switserland, our common country, lee
placed In me. lam happy to be spin able, at the end rimy
caner, to testify my devotednem to the common ems, by
rendering an the service in my power to the edits. It le
not alone the military straw* and riches of a country which
make it respected, bet the enthusiasm and union of the
people. I am proud, for my country's rice, of the masa&
nifty of which it has given proof st the present conjunctere.
I have confidence in the goodness of our muse, end I hays,
above all, the firm conviction that the God of our Paths*
will not abandon us. Kay God protect Switzerland I"
At the close of the speech of the General, the bend played
the "Ruin de mein Vineland," and the General and all the
company amembledjoined in the national air.
But I must now pass to the aewe of this day
. . . . . . _

The Federal government baa addremcd Weenier* to the
cantons, that they shall organise into companies, battalions.
and brigades, all the men between twenty and forty yeses of
age who do not belong to the first and second contingent of
the Mending army and its reserve, and likewise enroll mime.
tsars of every age, and especially each as belong to rile
dabs, and to the superior schools or colleges. They we also
to form companies of wortmeny and find them tools, Ike
!elfin fortifications. _ _ _ _ _

The Tederel governannt hes sin ordered the strain with
mason of the Menem plying at the Rhine and in the Inks
of Carbons, end the putting of the harbours on the Swine
elk of tint lake into a state of &ince.

The Orend Duke d Deans is having the town of Con.
stance fortified; but the Swiss are also going to throw up
redoubts along the Ma belonging to Switzerland, facing
that town, and within cannon-shot of it. Constance may
perhaps pay dear for any injury inflicted on Basle at
Schaffhausen.

The offer. of money made to Switzerland from Frew%
Germany, Hamad, England, and America already amount US
several hundred milli®. of francs. The gifts are also very
cemaiderable. A Swim living at Paris offers a hundred
thousand trams to defray hi part the einem. of the war.
It Jules Kathey, a merelent at Havre, formerly • member
of the Swiss Nat West Council, has sent two thousand ham%
and placed his own ninon beak* at the orders al thereafter/
authorities.

The French residanta in Switzerland see opening subecrips
dons t• behalf of the Sallies of those who are doing military
duty in the field.
Switzerland at this reossent presents a spectacle somewhat
analogous to that which France presented in 1792, when this
drat coalition, having Prussia at Its head, invaded Chaser
mos, took Verdun, and bombarded Lille.
The mbaltens calkers of the first foreign regiment, in gar•
risen at Algiers, have addressed, in the name of all the Swim
sadism, a petition to the French government for leave to
return to their cennhy and join in the defame of Ito
territory,

P.B. M. Farrar, a member of the Federal government.
►eturned this rooming from °muany. On the other hand
M. Barman will leave Berne this evening on hie return
Paris.

The Suisse of Berne states that the prisoners at
Neufchatel have engaged as their counsel MM.Chaix
d'Fat-An of Pans ; Lardy, Michaud, and Wavre.
of Neufchatge, el ; Kock, of Lausanne ; and Mikville.
of Yverdon. M. Martin, of Vevey, will act as
public prosecutor.
The Minister of the Interior at Berlin has pub.
lished a rescript, intimating to the correspondents of
foreign journals that they are to refrain from giving
any account of the strategical movements of the
Prussian army.
A letter from iltotgardt, dated the 2nd inst., 8131 t
The permanent committee of the two chambers of
Wurtemberg, in supporting the petition of a certain
number of the deputies against the passage of Prior
elan troops through the country, has demanded ex-
planations from the ministry on the present state of
the negotiations with Prussia on the subject."

We read in a letter from Milan lady, whose
name I abstain from mentioning, derided to appear at court,
and commenced the necesaary preparations of toilet, kits
Some young people having heard of this, called upon her,
and with an air of deep regret said they had come to bid he
farewell. The lady, very much astonished, said she had as
intention of quitting Milan. The young people replied that
they had heard that ' Madame proposed going to court, and
as they regarded this sea long &trance, they felt compelled
to take leave of her.• "

A letter from Paris states positively that the
French govt has decided to abandon Tahiti. The
colony, it Is said, costs a great deal, sod produces nothing•