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London, England, 1825-01-03 00:00:00

was absolute, but his acts were iespericl. He wore an
iron crown, but it was encircled with rays of glory. It is
true this glory was delusive ; but still it was always
dazzling, always impressive. Liberty was subdued utterly
but she was subdued by the Imperial Eagle, not by a
cloud of owls and bats such as she has now to conflict with.
As Emperor, BONAPARTS oppressed the French nation,
but be never disgraced it.
The present Ministers plass their chief reliance on the
miseries which France suffered under her late Revolution.
They persuade themselves that she will not readily risk
the return of those scenes of horror which even the imagi-
nation is frighted to recaL They take advantage of the
common feelings and the common fears of humanity. They
represent every expression in favour of liberty as coming
from persona who would willingly sea France revisited by
republican rulers. The artifice of all this is threadbare,
and may be easily seen through; but still it is not with-
out its crest. The ignorant are kept tranquil by their in-
difference—the reflective, by their fear of change—the well-
disposed, by their love of order—the wealthy, by their
dread of insecurity ;—add to these the numbers interested
in the continuance of the powers that be, and there is,
apparently, wherewithal to keep the most oppressive and
most absolute Government from any fatal disturbance,
more especially when backed, as the Government of France
is, by an immense standing army—by an enslaved press—
by a military police, organized to perfection, and always
on the alert. But with all these instruments of arbitrary
power in her hands, and France has them all, the danger
to her Government, under the present system, is not the
less real. It is said that the French are a light and
thoughtless people, and in the main they arc so. Keep a
Frenchman always amused ; give bhu his fiddle and his
fire-works, his soup and his chanson, and he will let the
world, and those who rule it, take their own course. But
even this carelessness of disposition is not to be trusted ; it
is accompanied with great shrewdness of observation as to
what is going on ; and it can, perhaps, be said in no me-
tropolis in Europe, so truly as in Paris, que let vices et les
Twins des hommes en place n'echapprat point au public; the
French populace, moreover, bare a combination of cha-
racter which may well keep their rulers in jeopardy. The
late Revolution developed that character fully, and such
Ministers as Vittzts and Corium's would do wisely to
study it. Such a people may shout their names aloud and
with enthusiasm to day, and to-morrow shout with still
louder exultation—" Les Traitres n'existent plus."
The progress of events will afford us ample opportunity
to extend our remarks. The connexion of French politics
with those of the leading States of Europe, will, from
time to time, bring the position of each under review at
the opening of the Chambers, and in the approaching
-.ion of Parliament.

Last night we received the Paris Papers of Friday, but
the hour at which they arrived was so very late, that we
cannot make long extracts from them.
The Chambers have not yet entered upon public busi-
ness. On Wednesday, a deputation, headed by M. Rsvisz,
the President, announced to the KING that the Chamber
of Deputies was constituted. The opposition party among
the Peers have succeeded, it was said, in sending the Minis-
terial draught of the Address back to the Special Com-
mittee to be amended.
It appears from the Indieateur de Bordeaux, that a new
Treaty was signed on the loth ult. between the Spanish
and French Governments. The terms have been kept
quite secret. The Clergy are stated to be full of suspicion
and anxiety; they openly express their apprehensions that
his Catholic M&3EIT Irwin at last be induced to listen to
advice not accordant with what they deem to be his true
interests, and that he may be persuaded to depart from the
system he has followed since his restoration.
The lifcniteLr of Friday contains nothing official.
Aunsay.z9,.

We have just received, by way of Bucharest and Widdin, letters
from Constantinople of 27th, 28th, and 29th November.
The Brand Seignor has ordered the formation of a new army, of
reserve, composed entirely of Asiatic troops. Orders have already
been sent to the Pachas in Asia to send their troops without delay.
This army is to be encamped about Constantinople. The Grand
Vizier intended to take the command of the Ottoman armies in
person, but the Divan has decided that his pounce is necessary at
Constantinople, to preserve tranquillity.
The extraordinary Meetings of the Divan have debated chiefly
the affairs of Greece. Some Members having advised conciliatory
I measures, the majority, with true Ottoman pride, declared that new
efforts must be made during the winter to prepare a great naval
force by the spring. Nothing has been decided on account of the
penury of the treasury. When the last courier left Constantinople,
people spoke, though very cautiously, of a rigorous measure which
was going to be executed, namely, the deposition of several of the
richest Pachas.
The Etoile, dated Saturday, among various articles from
Turkey, in Asia, has one from Damascus. stating that the de-
struction of Schtru, in Yends, b an earthquake, is positively
confirmed. It happened the 20th June, 1824 ; and it is said only
fifty inhabitants escaped. At Aleppo there has been smart and
frequent shocks.
[From the Journal des Debate.)
ADIZ,Dee. 14.
The French division which is to occupy this place, has taken
possession of La Carraca, which will be fortified immediately.
Several other fortifications are also about to be erected in the Isle of
Leon and Cadiz. and all the public revenues of the two cities, will
be administered by the French authorities.
The vessels of the French Royal Marine give great protection
to our commerce. The Amaznne frigate returned yesterday from
the Lararet of l'ort Mahon, from whence she conveyed two fn.
Ka; cs, and two mercantile brigs, which were i er:orraing quarao.

tine.
Our trade is in a state of complete stagnatien. Many shop-
keepers are gone to begin business in other parts of the Peninsula,
and not a few merchants Rare followed their exarut:le, so that the
yoEulation of Cadia is diminished one fourth.
FRENCH FLINDS.—P•RIE, DEC.H.—FIy,* per Cents. opened
at 101 f. 75c., closed at 101 f. 90c. ; Bank Stock, 19411. ; Neapo-
litan, 5 per Cent. 871; Pentes d'Espagne, 131.; Royal Spanish
Loan, (11123) 57f. Exchange on London. ova :u: nth, 25f. three
months, 21f. Illic.—Cours At.thentique, Dec. 31.

A paragraph in the Etuile of Thursday states, that—
" The French frigate Themis, going from Toulon to
Brest, was forced, by contrary winds, into Carthagena,
where some wine was purchased for the crew, but the
Custom-house Officers seized it. FERDINAND being in-
formed of it, ordered that French vessels should be ex-
empted."—lf this paragraph be correct, and we have no
reason whatever to dispute or doubt its validity, Spain is de-
graded to a condition, very little, indeed, better than that of
a dependency of France. The ordinary laws of customs,
which are enforced against all other nations, are suspended
in favour of the French; but how can it be otherwise
when Ft RDI NAND VII. is encouraged by the armed inter-
ference of the French Government to enter upon a course
of outrageous tyranny, which renders it necessary for him
to rely upon the French Government for support and pro-
tection? It is certainly a matter of no great concern to
any body what commercial privileges the French, or any
other people, enjoy in Spain, while it remains under the ab-
solute sway of its present Sovereign.

The last intelligence from Constantinople, in the French
and German papers, leaves no doubt as to the disastrous
issue of the naval campaign between the Turks and the
Creels.. The shattered condition of the remaining vessels
of the CAPSTAN Pacita's fleet, and the wretched appear-
ance of their crews, eloquently describe the sufferings they
have undergone. The SULTAN, however, has judged it
prudent in the COW of the CAPSTAN PAcHA to depart from