Star.
London, England, 1820-01-21 00:00:00

sion had entirely changed its character. At first the
order of the day was _called for, .on the ground that
the petitions trenched on the Royal prerogative. Now
it is alleged, that they prejudge the question of any
change in the law of elections. He discussed both
,these grounds, and contended, that if it were per-
mitted to recommend legislative measures by peti-,
tion, it could not be irregular to pray that particular
measures might not be passed at all. Petitions which
prayed for the maintenance of the Charter, were con-
formable to the sentiments of the Chamber. If, in-
deed, they had been contrary to the Charter, or had
impeded the legal course of Government, he would
have been one of the first to vote for the order of the
day. He then argued at great length in favour of the
right of petitioning, and endeavoured to refute the rea-
sonings built on the small number of petitioners ; and
asserted that the number would have been much
greater, unless the most strenuous exertions had been
used to prevent the citizens from adding their signa-
tures. In support of his assertion, he read a Circu-
lar of the Prefect of the Moselle, which ordered the
Mayors to ascertain who were the carriers and fac-
tious subscribers of these Petitions. (During the
speech of this Member a disturbance arose.in the gal-
lery, which was quieted by a threat of sending away
all strangers).

M. PARQUIER, Minister for Foreign Affairs, was
sorry to occupy a second time the attention of the
Chamber, but he felt compelled to say a few words
in answer to, the preceding speaker. He insisted that
the Chamber was bound to direct its attention to the
different character of the petitions presented to it;
and as a proof that unworthy means had been used
to procure signatures, he referred to a pamphlet which
had been circulated in the Department of La Sarthe,
in which the writer announced, in the most alarming
terms, that in four years the Charter would be abro-
gated, the purchasers of national estates dispossessed,
and the feudal government restored, and that blood
would be shed in torrents. This Department had, in
consequence, produced the greatest number of peti-
tioners—a circumstance which alone was calculated
to excite the vigilance of the Chamber in respect to
these petitions generally.
N. BENJAMIN CONSTANT remarked, that the pam-
phlet just quoted was written before the Speech from
the Throne, and therefore kad no intention to attack
his Majesty, but merely the conduct of Ministers.—
He was of opinion, that the dismissals from office,
and violent persecutions which had taken place in La
Sarthe, were of themselves Sufficient to produce the
utmost alarm. The most respectable citizens had
been given up to the cognizance of foreign tribunals,
and all this oppression had occurred under the Pre-
fecture of the brother of the Minister who had just
spoken. Was it astonishing that a Departments, still
under the government of those who have so long op-
pressed it, should be uneasy at any alteration of the
Charter, and be anxious, to preserve that law to
which it looks for liberty and justice As to the par-
ticular point under discussion, he could not agree
with a Member (M. Laine), equally distinguished for
talent, and for that frankness alwaysinseparable from
real talent, and who bad openly avowed that the
Chamber, in pronouncing on the Petitions, would
prejudge the main question of the Law of Election.
The debate was then closed, after a few observa-
tions from M. M ESTA DI ER, the Reporter.
The motion of the Reporter was then put to the
vote, and the Order of the Day was carried by 117
to 112—Majority five for Ministers.
The Chamber adjourned at nearly seven o'clock,
without fixing any day for the next meeting.

We extract the following observations on the im.
pertance of the anticipated acquisition of Cuba by
Great Britain, from a Boston Paper of the 6th of
December, received this morning :
The situation of the relations of the United
States with Spain, England, and South America, is
much more interesting and curious than may at first
sight appear : it demands the most dispassionate
consideration ; and the more serious it will appear
to the best interest and security of the United States.
It is not the Coffee, nor the Sugar, nor the Tobacco,
nor any of its rich products, that renders Cuba de-
sirable to Great Britain : she is not indifferent to
those commodities ; but they make nothing in the
calculation of her policy there. There she would ac-
complish two great purposes—she would hold the
-balance, and controul of the two Americas—she
Would check the growth of freedom in the South, and
repress and retard the progress of liberty and pros
perity in the North. The Gulf of Florida, and the
Mississippi, are under the guns of the Havannah—her
fleet might there rendezvous and equip—and when
her policy is sustained by a release from financial re-
straint—the whole of the regions on the Mississippi,
and its tributary waters, would be placed at her di-
rection —not a ccek-boat (as was said before the late
war) would she permit to pass out of the Mississippi—
; twenty sail of the lineoccupying those avenues, the
industry of the Western World would be puzzled !"

Lord KENYON has added two troops of Yeomanry
Cavalry to the Flintshire Regiment, which were raised
and fully equipped in a few days.

The Duke of Sussex is not at Sidmouth, as has
been stated, but at Mr.Comfs, in Norfolk.

Earl IirrzwILLIANI and Lord MILTON are returned
to Milton, Northamptonshire, born his Lordship's
seat, Wentworth house, Vo:kthi:e.