13 SEPTEMBER 1851, Page 6

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FRANCE.--;Little more has transpired concerning the Paris plot-which -was-published by the officials last week. The-first arrests were several hundreds ; but some scores have already been liberated ; and among the liberated are the conductors of the Proscrit, who were so promptly seized among the very first. It is said, indeed, that few 'persons of any-nota- bility are among those-still detained. The plothastherefore no. ostensible links with the leaders of any party, either in Paris or abroad. As we have already said in effect, everything has yet to be learned about the whole affair.

The mystery, and the sensation excited by the arrests, were greatly in- creased on Tuesday, by the appearance of .an. ordinance in the Iffoniteur practically subjecting the great mass af.foreignere in Paris to police mu- veillenee.

"We, the Prefect of the Police," proclaimed M.- Cartier, "taking into con. -federation Art. 5 of the decree of 12 Messidor, year VIII," and other laws; and "considering also that.a certain number of foreigners, abusing the hos- pitality vouchsafeclto them in:France, engagein culpable manceuvres against the internal anclexternal safety of the state, 8cc.," do order as follows : "That every foreigner arriving within the-department of -the Seine for the purpose of residing there, or exercising any profession or calling, -shall be bound-to present himself, within. three days . after his arrival, at theTrefeeture ef Police, to obtain a permission.to 'remain" ; and that "foreigners at present residing in Paris shall appear" -within a delay of -a week at the Prefecture of the Police -there beregularize their position : but foreigners "-travelling for their pleasure or business without any intention to reside" shell not be subject to these regulations, promichd witha.pasaport from their Gevere- ment, regularly vise.

The practical comment of the foreigners on this edict is &own lay the following paragraph from the Messager--

"A,great number of foreigaere, who had residedin Paris .for the last two or three years, have leftprecapitately, from a-fear of being interfered with, in conaequenc.e of the plot got up by the foreign Democratic Committeee. The Government has transmitted very precise .ordees to the different mi- thoritiesin the.departmenta for those fugitive's to be placed under a special surveillance:"

Later advices state that the original order of M. Carlier will be ex- te,ndediwits operation throughout all the departments of France.

The Commits-General have -now all declared themselves on the ques- tion of _Revision. Forty-eight have simply expressed a wish that the Constitution be revised, conformably to Article 111—which-requires the impossibility of e. majority of four-fifths of the Assembly in favour of the -revision. Seventeen-wished for the pure and simple revision. Six-have demanded the revision as promptly as possible. Threelave refused to express any opinion. Six demanded the abolition cif Article 46—making the existing President ineligible. One demanded that the 'Constitution be revised so as to strengthen Reimbliertninstitutions ; and one demanded the same thing, that France might return to traditional and hereditary Monarchy. In a number of dastances the decision was that of a bare majority over a large minority ; and in inany instances the mass of the Council "abstained from the griestion," es beyond the legal competency of their body. A.point worth noting is, that the Councils-General are not political bodies ; they are equivalent to our bench of Magistrates at Quarter-Sessions, sitting for -purposes of county finance : the members have sat en the same bencia through inunerous.shiftings of the political

stage. The Bulletin de Paris says—"All the accounts from the deparbnents state that the harvest hascexceeded the most sanguine expectations."

Gensissnr.—The conferences at Ischl seem to have terminated sooner than was expected. The 12th instant had hei fixed for the return of the King of Prussia to,Berlin, but letters thence of the 9th state that the Ministers and Generals were appointed to receive him at the station there at eight o'clock that evening. General Von Wrangel and other distinguished officers were to "accompany him to Potsdam " ; "from whence they will be despatched on a. mission to the Emperor of Austria."

The meeting between the,King of Prussia and his nephew, the young Emperor of Austria, was cordial, and without ceremony. Twice they conferred tfite-e-tkte. Prince Schwarzenberg and M. Von Mtuiteuffel had repeated. interviews ; occasionally inviting M. Von Meyendorf and General Von Rochow to their council. The Emperor invited several Prussian officers and other distinguished individuals to Verona, to witness the grand reviews. Much is spoken about At meeting in the beginning of October of the Emperors of Russia and Austria and the King of Prussia, first at a castle ell the Russian and Polish frontier, and subsequently in Silesia.

In somewhat puzzling contrast with the new Police policy just launched by Id. earlier at Paris, it is announced from Berlin that "the police inspection of foreigners at the different railway stations, which has been rigidly observed since 1848, is henceforth to be discontinued ; and that travellers will only be required to ahow their passports upon arriving at their several hotels.'

The documents of the 20th Aimed, abolishing Ministerial responsibility, have now the advantage of an interpretive gloss from Prince Schwarzen- berg himself. The Paris Journal dee Debate-states that a circular, dated the 26th August, was addressed by the Prince to all the diplomatic agents of the empire abroad, explaining the meaning of the effect of the Imperial ordinances, and making known the intentions of the Emperor, "particu- larly in what relates to the Charter of March 4,1849." The Debatvgives the following abstract of the circular- " The Prince de Sehwarzenberg begins by giviug a rapid sketch of the critical situation of the empire at the commencement of 1649. At that period, -revolution was everywhere. After haring suddenly broken out at Vienna, it had spread into the kingdom of Hungary and the provinces of Lombardy ; and that situation, so perilous per se, was aggravated by the com- plications of the other states of Germany. 31, owever, the Imperial armies had obtained great advantagesand Made rapid progress. It was thought, aboveall, argent to find a mode of reedifying the unity and indivisibility of the empire and the authority of the throne ; it was thought thatu unitary constitution eould be that mode mid for that purpose his Imperial Majesty resolved to give his letters-patent of March 4. But the matter was urgent, and time was wanting to 'study the fundamental principles on which that constitution oug-ht to rest, and to assemble and select them. These principles were bor- rowed from the charters and constitutions promulgated in other states of Europe; and the act of March-4 was in fad enly a document drawn up ac- lording to foreign models. Such a work could not have much411.100elia, and it had none. Its vices and insufficiency were soon discovered everywhere. According as order became restored in the. monarchy, it was more evident that the execution of the Charter was impossible; that its execution could not be attempted with impunity and that, if the attempt were made, it might expose. the monarchy to the greatest dangers. That was the convic- tion. of the Emperor; who judged the moment come to remove public uncertainty, by putting an end to the fiction which the act of March 4 -kept up, by suppressing the collection of temporary measures con- nected with that act, and by assigning to the Throne, to which it exclu- sively belongs, the decision of the question. The Emperor, who gave spon- taneously the letters-patent of March 4, had never hound himself to them, either by an oath or by -any concession or abandonment of his Imperial authority. His Majesty was not bound to maintain the letter of this con- stitution; which ought to be ranked amongst those measures which the so- vereign, the exercise of his power, adopts, modifies, or abrogates, accord- ing to his conviction, and for which is responsible to God alone. His Majesty being decided to frankly put an end to such a state of things, full of trouble and anxiety, had provided for doing so by his ordinances of August 20. The circular next explains what. is the signification of the Ministerial reaponsibility, how it ought to be regarded. in the Government of his Majesty, and why the constitutional institutions of the empire shall be regulated ac- cording to the decision of the Emperor himself. Prince de Schwarzenberg concludes by the very formal and very explicit declaration, that the Emperor does not intend any reaction. His Imperial Majesty desires to establish in the empire only a regime strictly and perfectly legal ; and not to reestablish privileges, exemptions, or exceptional positions, which have disappeared in these later years; nor to give any attaint to the material eights recognized since 1848, in what concerns property and persons."

CAPE 01' GOOD Hop.—The Hellespont has arrived with the Cape mail, bringins-ne'we from the seat of the' eaffre war to the end of July.

A "great operation" has been. effected bySir Harry Smith ; but the result is, that instead of Iffie war being "brought to a close" es was hoped, it rages further, and with deeper suffering to the colony. The great movement, announced in the last mail as in contemplation, proved to he a combination of all Sir Harry Smith's military forces on the Amato's Mountains, which lie to the North of King William's Town in British Caffraria, and to the East of the Northern extremities of the Colonial counties Albany and Victoria. 'Four -columns, of troops, under Major-General Somerset,:eolortelMaektunon, 'Lieutenant-Colonel, Cooper, and Captain Tylden, in the whisle-nmnbering about 6000 regular soldiers, were marched-simultatteonslyto 'the commanding passes of the Amatolas, OD the North, East, and grouth. On the West it seemotehave been-con- sidered that our own Celoniel frontier would be a sufficientguard against tbe escape of the Caffies. The combinations were extremely well exe- cited ; mid at the same hour on the 26th of July all the four bodies penetrated thelastnesses of the Amatolas, and.converged on the strong- holds of the Caffre chiefs. On three sides they met with but-little oppo- sition ; but on the side towards our own colony;Major-General Somerset was sharply though ineffectually opposed. The converging bodies made -good their purpose ; bore down every sign of hostile resistance, drove the Caffres from their hitherto unpenetrated retreats, and captured a spoil of 'fifty horses and two thousand cattle. The behaviour of all pardons of the force was excellent. The new regiment the Seventy-fourth, in `W. jor-General Somerset's division, once manosuvered with admirable coolness and gallantry -ander the fire of a body of Hottentot marksmen, who read not irnmediritely be displaced from their shelter.

But the concentration dour troops for these operations left unprotetied districts till then adequately guarded. The withdrawal of eaptainTy/den from the Whittlesea district was the signal for instant activity by the Tambookie Caffres, whom he had till then repressed. They rushed arm various places in the vicinity of Whittlesea, and swept off " nearly two thousand head of cattle, being almost as many as were captured at the same time by our troops' in the Annatolas." Captain Tylden had to hasten batik with his troops, " to prevent another inroad which the Tamboohies were preparing to make."

And this was only a part of the new mischief. At the conduction of his "combined movement," Sir Harry Smith published an official notifi- cation of its results, and warned the frontier inhabitants, that whenever the Caffres were beaten in masses they became very formidable in scat- tered bands called "wolves." The colonists should now prepare for this contingency : "-every able-bodied inhabitant should arm in the defenoe of his family and himself ; by which means the country would be filled with men whose activity would soon enable them to extirpate or apprehend these dangerous 'wolves.'" While he was writing this warning, it was already too late to give it. It would seem as if the special resistance given in the Amatolas to Major-General So- merset on the Colonial side was but part of a subtle general scheme. It is most probable that while he was apparently opposed by a select body in his front, he was eluded by the main body on either flank. Our troops were hardly out of the Amatolas, when it was found that the whole country between that Eastern range and the Sunday's River on the West was overrun by the Caffie and Hottentot hordes. The Sunday's River is the boundary of our interior county of 17itenkage ; and it is at least five times farther within our Colonial frontier than the Amatola Mountains are beyond it. Major-General Somerset had gone on another subsidiary patrol into the mountains ; but he was instantly recalled by Sir Harry Smith to "protect the colony." He had to remove his head- quarters from Fort Hare, where be has held a forward and commanding position since the beginning of the war, to Fort Beaufort ; and to set on foot a harassing scheme of patrols over the wide country in his rear, through which the marauders were scouring. He was unable to prevent the whole district between the Kat River and the Baviaans from being "completely devastated." About 20,000 merino sheep, 3000 cattle, and 300 horses, had been swept away. "Several of the farmers had been killed in de- fending their homesteads ; many, despairing of relief, were withdrawiag still further into the old settlements of the colony ; not a few of the more enterprising and impatient were preparing to trek,' and pass over the Northern boundary beyond the limits of the British dominion. Just at this juncture a large portion of the Hottentot levies, whose berm of service had expired, refused to renew their volunteer service; and departed, at the Government expense, unto their homes in the Western districts. The Governor-General could ill spare them, but he dismissed them with encomiums on their brave and faithful services. Orders had been issued for a new levy. The last advices, in face of these principal disasters, have a very am- biguous aspect. They state that the Gaikas were "retiring "—with their booty perhaps ; and that messengers had come in from Kreli with offers of submission. Krei had declared himself sensible of having committed a great error and ready to make every reparation, and be responsible for any mischief done in his country. Messengers had also arrived from Sandilli, who were " supposed " to bring offers of peace ; as Sandilli was greatly dejected. On the other hand, it is narrated that in one of the combats with Seyolo's men, our Fingoes called out, had he not had enough; and he answered, "I have lost'iny country and my cattle, and want not peace ; if peace be to be made, let the Governor come and make it for himself?'

While affairs are thus stationary, or retrograde, on the coast frontier, the mischief in the Orange River Sovereignty, which threatened to arise out of Major Warden's proceedings, seems to have actually befallen us. Major Warden espoused the wise of Maroko, &lief of the Barolonge, against Moltizani, chief of the Lighoya Basutos ; and being joined by a Griqua force ;under Adam Kok, marched at the head of 200 Europpan troops and levies, and 900 Barolongs and Griquas, against Moltizani. The latter is supposed to have been supported by Moshesh, the paramount chief of the Basutos ; and the consequence was, that Major Warden was totally overwhelmed by thousands, and fought his way back to the Wes- leyan station of Plattenberg with great difficulty. His Europeans alone saved him. He was assembling a fresh force to renew his operations ; and a war in the interior with Moshesh and the wholeof his great tribe was likely to be added to our present war with the Gaika Caffres on the coast.

At Cape Town, much excitement and speculation had been caused by

political despatches received from England the first instance by Loh" Grey's instructions for erecting a 'Council of Six ; and in the neit.place by the more soothing tone of the correspondence between Lord John Rus- sell and the Colonial delegates in London. The Cape Town Mail ex- presses with seeming fairness the public feeling on both these events. The publication of the "Additional Royal Instructions"—by-which the five heads of the chief official departments in Cape Town were, in effect, con- stituted the Legislative Council of the colony, with full power of making laws for all purposes, except for the establishment of an elective Assembly— at drat seemed likely to produce great agitation. "This document, which seemed to subject the colonists to a complete and unlimited despotism, was published in the Government Gazette without a word of explanation to inform, them that the measure was designed to bemerely temporary, and was adopted only for certain narrowly limited purposes. Its 'appearance, consegamIlYi caused much' excitement and alarm. The Cape Town 'Municipal Board imam- diately met and adopted a petition to her Majesty, praying that 'a measured° utterly opposed to thetrjust hopes and wishes maynot be carried into Obit,' and that the representative'form of government, so. often entreated from tier Majesty, may be granted witheut delay. Aprotest against the measure was at the same time drawn up, and is now receiving the signatures of the inha- bitant.= of Cape Town and the country distriots. From venous oircurnstances_ however, an impression soon became prevalent that the intentions of her Majesty's Government were more favourable to the colony than had at first been supposed ; and the excitement had already begun to sub- side when the Hellespont arrived, bringing the intelligence of the debates in Parliament on Cape affairs, and of the correspondence between the Prime Minister and the Colonial delegates. This intelligence beingmuch more satisfactory than the colonists, after the publication of the 'Instructions,' had been led to expect,public confidence immediately revived, and sanguine expectations now prevail of an early establishment of a liberal form of re- presentative government in the colony,—a government which, it is thought by most of the inhabitants, will be the best safeguard against the recurrence of such evils as those with which the colony is now afflicted."

THE AUSTRALIAN Csuronists..—More recent advices from the newly- discovered gold region have been sent home to the Government by the Governor. "So anxious," it is said, "were the local authorities for the early receipt of these advices in England, that a portion of the crew of a Government steamer was placed on board of the vessel conveying the de- spatches from Sydney to Pernambuco." The intelligence published con- sists of scraps from many sources in the Bathurst Free Press and the Syd- ney Empire. A letter from Ophir, dated the 23d May, says that the writer's party of four persons had in three days got six ounces of gold; others around them had done much better, and a great many more had done worse. Many persons with scarcely any equipment at all were doing better than others who had come fully and expensively prepared. As an instance, the writer speaks of one little man, or, as he terms him, a "shrimp of a fellow," who, with a forked stick and an old frying-pan, raked up five pounds' worth of gold in half a day. A Sydney merchant writes from O'Connell Plains, May 26—

" I can sell bacon at the diggings at 3s. per lb. Old Bill — came in after two days' digging, and sold his gold for 18/. to Dunsford, the watch- maker in Bathurst I can sell flour at Is. per lb."

A friend of Dr. Mackellar had received a letter from "John Hutchin- son," dated "Bathurst, May 27," with a quarter of an ounce of gold as a sample. The writer said- " You as.y you hope I will not leave the 'Dr.' without a notice of some kind. It is not my intention to leave him at all, provided he pays me well ; although the gold is a great inducement. I feel quite confident that I could make at least 10/. or 151. a week ; but if I was certain of making a thousand a week, I would not leave the Dr. in a dishonourable way. Should I leave hini, I will give him a month's notice at least. There is abundance of gold in this creek—they are now at work ; it has been found twelve miles apart in it, and not only in the creek, but on the sides of the hills. There is about flfteen hundred men at work; all are getting some many are doing very well indeed. A party of four men obtained 2801. worth at one haul, another company of four got upwards of one pound of gold on Saturday last. I suppose it is worth 50/. A great many are earning 201. to 40/. a week. It is very hard work, arid they have to put up with great inconveniences. You would enjoy a trip to the diggings if you have any taste for scenery and ro- mance, &c.; and I have no doubt but that you would more than clear your expenses up if you are willing to use the pick and tin dish. Dr. Machattie has been up. Ile borrowed a tin dish for one hour' and got 13s. worth. I worked four hours and got 30s. worth, with nothing but a pick and tin dish. It took me six hours to walk my horse in from the diggings, and in that short time I met 244 people on the road to Ophir."

The accounts from Sydney are thus summed up-

" A thousand pounds' worth of gold had arrived in Sydney from the gold mines within the last two or three days. The miners at present at work at the diggings are 1500 in number. Many are getting from 201. to 40/. worth a week. In digging for the gold, rubies have been discovered in the Man- ning River."

But in addition there is the following paragraph in the Maitland Mer- cl 6, —

Gold has been discovered in the tract of country situate between Sum-

merhill on the South and Dubbo on the North, and known as the Wellington district. The more authentic accounts warrant us in believing that one large piece of nine mimes and two or three small pieces of several ounces weight, and some pounds of' grain and dust, have already been found by the parties engaged in digging there."

17Nrrrn STA:rms.—The news wholly concerns the Cuban excitement. At the first receipt of the story of the Havannah massacre the whole Union was in a ferment ; mass meetings had been held in massacre, every great town through the States. At first also the language was wildly passionate : resolutions had been passed at all the meetings in the South, and at some of those in the Atlantic towns up as far as New York, call- ing on the Government to espouse openly the cause of the "Patriots," in retribution for the blood of American citizens already shed. From this excitement, however, the cities of New England had kept remarkably aloof; and in Boston it is stated that no meeting of any sort has yet been held. The Abolitionists of New England have had a sharper vision of the political drift of the whole affair in favour of the Slaveholding South, than any other politicians. Their example is said to be now operating on other Northern States ; and the last telegraphic despatches to Halifax, dated the 28th August, say—" The Cuban excitement is on the wane here, although the Patriots are doing their utmost to keep it alive. The mass of people are disposed to await further advices before they com- mit themselves any further." The Southern manifestations were so violent and lawless that they will at once supply matter for grave additional complications between the American and Span- ish Governments. At New Orleans, on the 21st August, as soon as the executions at Havannah were known, the mob assembled and at- tacked the office of a Spanish newspaper, and made it a complete wreck. In the night they broke into the numerous cigar-shops kept by Spaniards, and destroyed all the property in them. On the 22d, they held a mass meeting, at which speeches were listened to, and then they rushed to the Spanish Consul's house, and shortly laid it in ruins. The Consul himself escaped with difficulty to the authorities, and claiming their protection, was placed by them in the prison for safety ! During that day, the bodies of two of the " liavannah victims," Colonel Glendinning and Colonel Crittenden, were received at New Orleans : they were exhibited to the mob ; and soon afterwards the Spanish Consul was demanded of the authorities, with threats to take him by force if he were not yielded up ; for it was said that he had received letters from the men slain at Havannah to their relatives in New Orleans, which he refused to forward. The military were called out by the authorities ; and for some time it was uncertain whether they would overawe the "Patriot" mob. Such were the facts related day by day to the North, through the telegraphic wires from the South. But on the 24th August it was stated, that exaggerated reports" had been reflected by the telegraphic messages; that no "further dis- order" was anticipated—"a strong police force is now patrolling the streets." And at the latest date this message was sent to New York—, "Hew Orleans, 2511; August.—Quiet has been completely restored to the city, and there is no apprehension of the renewal of the violence of the 22d instant: The Spanish Consul, who was so badly treated, has, in consequence, resigned his office. He has left the Spanish residents and their intersta under the protection of the British and French Consuls." There is no doubt that steamers left New Orleans on the 22d and 23d, freighted with men and arms for Lopez—" starting in defiance of the feeble opposition of the Government-officers." Other steamers, similarly equipped, have also left other ports for Cuba. But it is stated that the United States frigate Saranak has been joined on the Cuba station by other vessels of war of the Federal Government, commissioned .to,

crush the American movements effectively; and there are reports that France has instructed a small fleet to render the Cuban Government effi- cient service.

Cum—From Cuba itself there is still no later news Than was given last week. But an authoritative statement has appeared in. London, from. the Spanish Embassy, which professes to give a truer picture of what has occurred than can be seen in the accounts hitherto received through Ame- rica. The Spanish Minister, Senhor Xavier A. Isturiz, hae sent to the Times a compilation of "facts taken from the official documents," in order to give a true idea of the events which have occurred, "to the editor of a journal which has such powerful means of forming and cor- recting the opinion of one of the greatest nations of the world." The bare facts of the landing and the combats are not put in a view materially varying from that in which we ourselves saw them through the maze of conflicting statements in the American accounts. The pointo of difference put forward are, that the Spanish force which first attacked Lopez on the 12th August was inferior to his-force in numbers ; and that when strong reinforcements were received by General Enna, Lopez had "contrived" to leave his first post, the village of Las POSSE, but had not with him more than 200 men out of the 500 who landed with him. " All the others had been killed in the affray at Las Poses, or had been dis- persed and shot by the troops, and by the country-people, who had spon- taneously set on the pursuit" The main object of the statement by the Spanish Minister, however, is a correction of the statements respecting the execution of the "fifty ad.- venturers" at the Havannah ; and .a justification of the solemn act, stripped of those accessory cruelties described in the American accounts,.

and last week discredited by ourselves. . "All the disgusting details: erroneously published in the English newspa- pers are calumnious fabrications of the American press." "It may be mat- ter of opinion," says Senhor Isturiz, "whether the application of the law is. convenient or not; but certainly no act of accessory cruelty can be imputed. in this case to the Spanish authorities in Cuba. They have fulfilled it with

the dignity and decorum that becomes honourable and gallant men." . He states also, in reference to the doubt whether the prisoners had, been tried, that "having been found guilty by their own evidence and.

declarations," they were shot, &c. -

In arguing the general question the Minister of Spain observes, that we should not forget for one instant "the peculiar nature, and the prece- dents of this question." "By the law of nations, these invaders were considered pirates. The American Government, through the channels of General Taylor and Mr. Fillmore, had most publicly declared them outlaws • the Spanish Governor had on his side announced more than a year ago his firm determination to apply the law to the utmost extent, after having tried without success a useless system of clemency, for whioh he was accused, both in England and America, of weakness and want of energy." "These -sloths were they ignorant of the law'? Were they not aware long ago of what sort of punishment awaited them? Did they not act with perfect knowledge and most deliberately ? Or does the cruelty consist in there being five hundred invaders, instead of twenty or thirty pirates ? This would be just a reason why it became more indispensable and necessary to act with all severity; be- cause the greater the number the greater was the danger, the more atro- cious and deliberate the crime the more imprudent and pernicious the im- punity of the pirates. Lenity and generosity would have been in such a case a proof of weakness and impotence, which would have brought swarms of fresh adventurers to plunder and destroy 'the island of Cuba." "'The English annals themselves—do they not furnish us with many examples of more numerous and harsher punishments ? What has England recently done with the pirates of the Chinese seas ? Can the-number of the adven- turers that were shot in Havannah be compared with that of those so justly exterminated by the naval forces of Great Britain ? And yet those Chinese pirates went not in search of England within. her own possessions ; they ,did not go deliberately to spill the blood of her soldiers and her subjects, nor to rob them of their property." "Guided by these principles, Spam is deter- mined to follow the same course. At peace with the Governteent of the United States, and respecting as she does all the rights of American subjects, she will treat and punish as pirates those adventurers who may invade her territory, without inquiring whence they come or to what country they

belong.