The Portland daily press., 1869-02-13
e U ROE e



LONDON, Feb. 12-At banquet given to the
Ministry at Fishmongers' Hall last evening,
Mr.. Gladstone remarked that the last House
OF Commons had been condemned by the gov
eminent of to-day, and that the government
had been brought to the bar of public opinion
on distinct issue, and the policy of the peo-
pie was now most clearly defined.
DUBLIN, Feb. 1.-THE Mayor of Dublin will
take advantage of the first public levee to pre-
sent Queen Victoria with the monster petition
for amnesty of the Fenian prisoners, which
has been SO extensively signed by the corpo-
rate authorities of cities and towns throughout
Ireland. stTet sll ~ I'll
LIVERPOOL, Feb. 12.-Bsrque Neptune,
Capt. Lewis, from New York Dec. 18th for this
port, is reported abandoned off Scilly.
A meeting of the Chamber of Commerce of
Liverpool was held to-day to hear an address
from Mr.. Graves, Conservative member of
Parliament from this city. Mr. Graves ex-
pressed the belief that the treaty negotiated
with the American Minister in regard to the
settlement of the Alabama claims was sure to
be ratified by the United States Senate. He
said that the American class were made with
dignity and maintained with forbearance that
were appreciated by England. She had in
consequence met the advance of the United
States more than half way, and receded from
principles which had been regarded as funda-
mental to the British Constitution. The re-
suit of such conduct, said Mr.. Graves, forbids
that party politics shall in any degree inter-
fere with the honorable arrangements which
have been made between the two countries.
PERSIA. % p 81 aqhil5 ja
LONDON, Feb. 12.-Advices received to-day
state that the Persian army, with Schaht at its
head, had gone to Bagdad. In the mean time
the Turkish troops are pushing forward to the
Persian frontier. iin : 5aemgf s51a
MADRID, Feb. 12.-Tba Constitutional Cortes
formally opened its sessions here Yesterday
WI h The ri fV wa Dro al
decorated in honor of the event. Crowds of
people were in the streets, flags were flying,
and the day was regarded as a holiday. The
President of the Ministry, Marshal Serano, de-
livered a congratulatOry address on the assem-
bling of the Deputies. ia, sis.s7si iisoI
He said that the nations OF Europe in attain
ing higher degree of civilization threw off
the traditional bonds which fettered thespubl;c
mind Spain delayed for long time following
the example of her neighbors. She now calls
on her representatives to construct a new edi-
fee; the revolution has achieved a bloodless
victory, the strength of the nation has not
been impaired, but the extravaganza of former
administrations has disorganiZed and embar-
raised its finances; the government relies up
on the Oortes to remedy this by economical
reforms and changes in the administration by
wise legislation in regard to the public debt
and the payment of the interest thereon, and
by economizing the expenses of the army and
navy. The fundamental principles of radical
liberalism which had been adopted in relation
to religion, the press and education by the pro-
visional government must now be consolidated
by the action OF our deputies. Our revolution
here is not responsible for the rising in Cuba;
that is due to the errors of past governments.
He expressed hope that the insurrection there
would be speedily extinguished and that tran
guilty, based on reform, would be durable; he
predicted that slavery would be abolished
without precipitation and without compromis-
ing the prosperity of the Antilles.
In conclusion, he congratulated the country
on the good relations with foreign nations now
more intimate than ever before.
At the opening of the Cortes the Marquis of
Santa Cruz presided and salute of twenty
guns was fired. During Marsha! Serrano's
speech there were vvas for provisional Gov
eminent, for Gen. Prim, for a republic and for
monarchy. The confusion was great, hut
was finally queled by Serrano crying "Viva
for the sovereignty of the Cortes". A grand re-
view of the troops was had subsequently, and
the members of the Cortes attended te
deatm in the basiica of our Lady of Atocha.