The Portland daily press., 1869-06-03

yeats, and that payments fof the service be
regulated BY the amount Of mails carried. he
advocated ocean penny postage, and hoped me-
EQUATIONS would be entered into With the
United States for the establishment Of that
The Marquis Of Harrington, Postmaster Ger
eral, defended the late mail contracts made by
the government Although he sympathized
with the sentiments of Mr.. Seeley, he vas OPP
posed to his proposals, which, if carried into
effect, would lead to uncertainty in The service
and to dsinclination on the part of steamship
I companies to compete with each other. He
thought the present contracts would be the
best which could be made with fixed subsi-
oy, but was altogether doubtful of the success
of any negotiations for the establishment OF
penny postage across the Atlantic. 81 81
At the conclusion of the Postmaster Gene
ral's reply the subject was dropped. 7ee
Mr.. Moore moved that special committee
be appointed to inquire into the tire .tment Of
untriet Irish political prisoners
Mr. Fortescue, CLiet Secretary for ireland.
believed that the complaints made of the ili
treatment Of these prisoners were exaggerated,
put pc thought political prisoners awaiting
trial should be held under the supervision of
she government officers and not kept in conn
ty jails. $ 81.
After remarks by Messrs Gray and Mcguire
condemning the present system of holding un-
trled prisoners in confinement, the House de-
cided on the motion and refused to appoint tne
committee by vote of 20 against 81
The Times reviewing the correspondence be-
tween the English and American governments
on the Alabama claims, says: Although we
were well aware OF the fondness and desire for
two successive British governments, we knew
not the lengths to which coneiliatiol was act
ualy carried, and how completely it was their
own propositions, their own acts which the
Americans repudiated through their Senate.
Wnen we compare the exacting and critical
spirit OF America with the conceding temper of
England, and come to consider that all that
was yielded was insufficient to prevent the re-
lection OF the reaty, we despair of the success
OF any negotiation in which England main
tains due regard for her own rights aud honor.
4a. SPAIN. s. s94si
MADRID, June The Constituent Ooftes
last night finally adopted the new constitution
by vote of yeas 214, nays 55.
After the vote was declared Senior Figueros,
amid much enthusiasm, announced that the
Republicans though opposed to those clauses
OF the constitution which provided for the es-
ta6iishment Of monarchy, would support and
follow them. m
The motion made by the Republicans that
the standing army in Spain be reduced from
5000 to 25,000 was lost by 173 against So. n
Admiral T0pete informed the Cortes that6O0
political prisoners from Cuba were now at Fer
nando 70, but they would soon be transported
to the Canaries.
1t is officially announced that the Queens
birthday, the 10Th of October, is to be cele-
brated at Madrid.
George O'Donnel, while speaking in the
Cortes against the proposed reduction of the
army, was seized with apoplexy and died in
the Chamber.
The Cortes is engaged in signing the consti-
tuition, which will be promulgated en- the 9th
inst.
EtM FRANCE. s
PARIS, june 2.-General Dix the retiring
American Minister, at the banquet last night
made q speech of considerable length, which
was well received. He regretted that he was
compelled to separate from his countrymen in
Paris. he referred to the many erroneous i'm
pressons with respect to the United States
He said that the true mission of that country
was to subdue the wilderness and convert it to
abodes of civilization. He traced the success
sion OF events leading the colonies from the
valleys of the Atlantic first to the basin of the
Mississippi and thence to Colorado and Cali
fornia. Still another century would be requr-
ed to complete the work. The policy OF Amer
ica was net war but improvement; not devas-
tation but fraternity; not aggression, for the
accession of territory was certain. by friendly
arraDgeme mt, not by Injustice or violence s.