The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-04-09 00:00:00

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

FRANCE.

PARIS, TUESDAY EVENING

The Neufchatel Conference did not sit to-day as
expected. Notice was sent out on Sunday to the
Plenipotentiaries for a meeting on Tuesday, but a
counter order was subsequently giVen, doubtless
because the expected instructions were not received
from Berne or Berlin, or perhaps from both places.
The difficulty, it appears, turns on the question of
Inoney—the amount, not the principle of indem-
bity, which is said to be admitted.
The two principal grievances alleged by the
Austrian against the Sardiuian Government are,
it appears, the provocations offered by the political
refugees in Piedmont, and the fortifying of Ales-
tandria, and until these cease it is oretended that
ti ere will be no reconciliation. The Austrian
Consuls in Piedmont have, however, received
orders from Vienna to remain at their posts, and
to bontinte its hitherto in the performance of their
duties. The circular in which these instructions
are contained is couched in reassuring terms.
A letter from Vienna of, the Oth mentions that
a telegraphic despatch had been received froth
the Danubian provinces, to the effect that the
Ottoman Government had 'consented to the evacua-
tion of the Principalities., and that the departure
°f the Turkish troops was Expected to commence
on the 'loth ins't, The utmost tranquillity pre-
bailed in the provinces.
Advice from Toulon state. that the arrival of
the Grand Duke Constantine was fixed for the
ad April. Preparations were going on very actively
in the port and arsenal for the reception of the
prince, which is intended to be very brilliant. A
squadron of war steamers will set out to meet the
Russian squadron which accompanies the Grand
Duke.

The following is the judgment given by the
Council of State in the case of Mgr. de Dreuxbrese,
Bishop of Moulins :
" Napoleon, by the Grace of God and the national
will, Emperor of the French, to all whom these
presents may concern, greeting:—
" On the report of the sections of imits, justice,
and foreign affairs :
" Considering the appeal for abuse of power
presented to us in our Council of State of the 3rd
Of March, 1857, by our minister of worship, against
several administrative acts of the Bishop of
Moulins, particularly against:—
"1. The fact of having exacted from several
cures of his diocese a written and signed renunci
ation of taking advantage of their immoveability,
and of having recourse to the civil authority, in
ease the bishop should think proper to revoke or
change them for serious and canonical reaaons.
"2. Against the synodal statute pronouncing
xcommunieation ipso facto, and without previous
Intimation, against all those who apply to , the
secular power, to claim its support in anything
which concerns the jurisdiction, the statutes, pas
'coral letters, and other ecclesiastical prescriptions
er regulattims in matters of benefioes, titles,
doctrin;s, or discipline.
4, " ti. Against the constitution of the chapter of
440 cathedral church of Moulins, made without
the intervention of the civil authority, and in con-
travention of the special ordinance of October 29,
1823 ;
" Considering the enquiry instituted by the
Prefect of the Allier on the 28th of February, and
the Ist, 2nd, and 6th of March, 1857 ;
Considering chapter 111. of the statutes of the
'second synod of the diocese of Moulins : De ja-
Viciis; De non appellando ad stecularem potestatent—
the said statutes printed at Moulins by Desrosiers
end Sons, printers to the bishopric, in the year
1855 ;

" Considering the capitulary constitutions of the
cathedral church of Moulins, printed in the above
statutes;
4` Considering the Ordo divini ()filch, published
" Printed in 1858, by the same printers, contain-
"g the present composition of the said Chapter
, "Considering the letter of the 3rd March last,
'3Y which our Minister of Public Instruction gave
Notice to the Bishop of Moulins of the above
znentioned appeal ;
" Considering the letter sent by the Bishop in
l'ePly to our Minister, dated the Bth of the same
41011th;

" Considering the declaration of the 19th of
March, 1682, and the decree of the 25th of February,
1810 ;

" Considering Art. 10 of the Convention of the
26th Messidor, An 9 ;

" Considering the law of 18th Germinal, An 10,
and particularly Arts. 1,6, 10, 30, 31 and 35 of the
said law ;
‘` Considering the decree of the 28th February,
1810 :

" On the first count :—Considering that in exact-
ing from several cures, before their installation, a
Written and signed renunciation of applying to the
civil authority, in case he (the Bishop) should think
Proper to dismiss them for grave and canonical
causes, the Bishop of Moulins has committed an
'excess of power, a contravention of the laws of the
State, and an attack on the liberties, franchises,
• and customs of the Gallican Church.
"On the second couut t —Considering that the
appeal to the civil authority is established for
ecclesiastics, as for all other citizens, in the interest
of justice, of protection, and of public order, and
Which should be exercised freely and with all
security of conscience; that consequently the
interdiction of appeal to the secular power for facts
Which come within its competency, under pain of
ccommunication ipso facto and without previous
intimation, also constitutes an excess of power, a
contravention of the laws of the empire, and an
attack on the liberties, franchises, and customs of
the Galilean Church.

" On the third count:—Considering that in modi-
fying, without the authorisation of the Government,
the constitution of the Chapter of the Cathedral
of Moulins, such as it bad been established
by the statutes approved of by the Royal ordinance
of the 20th of October, 1823, the Bishop of
Moulins has exceeded his powers and acted in con-
trsvontion of article 35 of the law of 18 Germinal,
An 10

" Having heard our Council of State, we have
decreed and do hereby decree as follows :—Art 1.
There is abuse—l. In the renunciations exacted
by the Bishop of Moulins from several cures of
his diocese ; 2 In the interdiction from any appeal
to the secular power, under pain of excommunica-
tion ipso facto, and without previous intimation,
Pronounced against all those who should invoke
the protection of the civil authority for facts which
come within its competency ; 3. In the constitu-
tion of the Chapter of the Cathedral Church of
I\l°lll4ls, made in contravention of article 35 of
the law of 18 Germinal, An 10, and of the Royal
Ordinance of 29th October, 1823, which acts being
declared abuse of power, are and remain sup-
Pressed.
" Art. 2, Our Minister of Public Worship is
charged with the execution of the present decree,
Which shall be inserted in the Bulletin des Lois.
" Given at the Palace of the Tuilleries, this 6th
day of April, 1857, " NAPOLEON.
(Countersigned), " EOULAND.
" Minister of Public Worship."

The following is a list of the condemnations for
In abusive exercise of power pronounced on
Bishops since the conclusion of the Concordat at
the beginning of the century :-1, on the Bishop of
Bayonne, in 1809, for having in a pastoral letter
.criticised the Imperial Government ; 2, on the
bishop of Poictiers, in 1820, for having published
a brief without the authorization of the Govern-
ment ; 3, on the Cardinal Archbishop of Toulouse,
In 1824, for expressions contrary to the laws of
the kingdom ; 4, on the Bishop of Moulins, in
18,35, for the publication of a pamphlet against the
administration imposed on religious seminaries by
;he decree of 1813 ; 5, on the Archbishop of Paris
Mgr. de Quelen), in 1837, for protesting against
he sale of the grounds of the archbishopric; 6, on
he Bishop of Clermont, in 1838, for refusing burial
0 Count de Montlosier ; 7, on the Bishop of
Ch alons, for publishing a letter against the Uni-
versity ; and 8, on the Cardinal Archbishop of
LYons, in 1845, for a condemnation of the "Manuel