The Statesman.
London, England, 1824-02-04 00:00:00

WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 4, 1524.

STOCK EXCHANGE, 12 o'Ccoca.—Consols opened this morn.
at 001, to 01.—There was a great bustle at the opening of the
Market, all being anxious to know the first price. The King's
Speech had no effect at first on the market ; but, soon after,
Consols decllned to 9011. At present they are 9011 for the
Account, and NS to 1 for Money, with a heavy market, and
little doing.
FonEinN FliNDS.—There is very little business doing in this
market this morniug. Spanish opened at 244 to 11, at which
price they remain.
New Spanish. 17.—01 d, Mt—Columbian. 014 to 03.—Aus•
trim, 51.—Chili, 78 to 79.—Russia, 90j.—Mexican, 52.

We have received this morning, by express from Paris, the
Etoile of yesterday's date. The only article it contains worth
extracting is the following :
. .

TRIESTE, January V.—They write from Constantinople that
Lord Strangford has notified to the Turkish Government, the
intention of England to have satisfaction of the Dey of Tunis.
The Sultan immediately offered his mediation, but the Britan-
nic Ambassador answered that he bad no orders to accept it.
It is certain that the Sultan sent immediately, to the Dey of
Tunis, his orders to satisfy the English Government:
_

The following were the prices of the Funds at Paris on
Monday :—Rentes, 96 65 for Money, and 96 SO for time.—
Spanish Bonds were 23.
From the Etoilc of Monday's date :

PAIZIS, February I.—Letters from Lisbon announce, that the
Portuguese Government is preparing an expedition of 10,000
men for Brazil.

The Gardes de Corps will remain at Madrid till the Ist of
March. Among the seven Spanish officers who have arrived
at A gen as prisoners of war, is Colonel Evariste San Miguel.
The Italian who attempted to assassinate the Greek priest
has, after a long trial, been found guilty of the attempt, and
sentenced to perpetual labour, and to be branded.

A Royal Speech to Parliament, on the opening and
closing of its Session, is a practice of some antiquity;
and if such Speeches seldom contain all the information
to be wished, they have sometimes the negative merit of
being harmless. As the Royal Speech, however, is held
by many to be a document of some authority, it has always
been very properly considered, .as the production of the
Minister, and for which be alone is answerable. With-
out this constitutional distinction between the Sovereign
and the servant, we might be led to commit an unseemly
breach of decorum, by questioning either the Royal since-
rity or wisdom, in any of our animadversions on the
merits or demerits of such speech. Keeping this
maxim in oar eye, we proceed to observe on the Speech of
yesterday, that if there is not much in it to censure, there
is still less to applaud. Like many of its predecessors, it
is not remarkable for much information before un-
known, or for disclosing any grand or original views on
the state of the world. Laying aside the self-commenda-
tion which Ministers always think the profound
wisdom of their measures will justify, the other
topics in the Speech, may be easily dispatched. The as-
surances from foreign Powers of their friendly dispositions.
is in time of peace, always a standing dish in the compo-
sition of Royal Speeches; and, no doubt, such dispositions
will continue to be professed, as long as it is the interest of
these Powers to talk in this strain ; and not one moment
longer.
.With regard to the transeendant merits of 1 o