22 JANUARY 1853, Page 5

fortigu nuui Colonial.

Fasime.—Louis Napoleon has at length found a bride ; not a princess, to be sure, but a beauty and a countess. He is going, we are told, to marry for love. Our readers may have observed, that in the account of the state ball, last week, the Countess of Teba was mentioned as a Spanish beauty who was much noted. She is the daughter of a Spanish grandee, the late Duke of Penamando ; who married, when plain Seiler de Montijos, a Miss Kirkpatrick from Scotland. But the elder brothers of Sefior de Montijos died, and he acceded to the dukedom of Penamando. The young lady who has captivated the Emperor is described as a beauty with light hair, dark Spanish eyes, and fair complexion. She is about twenty-five years of age, and is one of the most charming young ladies in Paris. Her elder sister is the present Duchess of Alba and Berwick ; the wife of the descendant of James the Second's famous bastard son.

It appears that Louis Napoleon had been unusually attentive to the young and fascinating Countess ; but he did not "propose." The Duchess her mother then gave out that herself and the Countess of Teba were about to leave Paris. On Sunday last, Louis Napoleon declared himself, and was accepted. On Monday, he startled his Ministers by informing them that he proposed to marry Mademoiselle de Montijos. Consternation is said to have prevailed in the Council. M. de Persigny and Marshal St. Arnaud remonstrated ; while M. Fould professed to approve. The other Ministers were dumb with astonishment But the Emperor cut disputa- tion short, by telling them he had made up his mind ; and it only re- mained to carry out what he had resolved. The Corps Diplomatique ap- proved when informed ; but the salons have not received the intelligence with any good-will. On Thursday, the Moniteur stated that "the Bu- reau of the Senate, the Bureau of the Legislative Corps, and the members of the State Council would meet on Saturday at noon, in the Tuileries, to receive a communication from the Emperor respecting his marriage." It is stated that Napoleon the son of Jerome will marry the grand- daughter of Marshal Berthier.

The Emperor has determined to have stag-hunts twice a week in the forest of St. Germaine; one of which will be public, and the other con- fined to the gentlemen of the household.

Public attention has all the week been directed to the state of the Paris Bourse. We mentioned the slight recovery towards the close of last week. On Monday there were considerable fluctuations; the Three per Cents rose 10 centimes and the Four-and-a-half per Cents fell 10 cent- imes, the former closing at 80f. 40c. and the latter at 105f. 45e. Efforts were made to sustain prices; but on Tuesday the want of confidence so far increased, that the Three per Cents fell 65 centimes and the Four- and-a-half per Cents 40 centimes ; the official prices being 79f. 75e. and 105f. 10c. respectively. The rumours of the speculations in which Min- isters of the Emperor had engaged were confirmed by the posting of " Maret de Bassano," [Grand Chamberlain to the Emperor,] as a de- faulter; and we have heard that out of fourteen heavy failures more than two were Imperial officials. The Duke de Bassano was the manager of an Algerian Mining Company, which was never likely to be remunera- tive to the shareholders. On Wednesday, a " run " was made on the Bourse. Every holder of stock seemed anxious to realize ; and although it had been announced that there would be no Imperial interference with investments, the announcement met with little credit. In two hours the funds fell more than 2 per cent. The Three per Cents sank to 77f. 90c., the Four-and-a-half per Cents to 103f. 50e. Of course all kinds of stocks went'doivn in proportion. On Thursday, however, there was a rally for the close ; and the Three per Cents were quoted at 79f., the Four-and-a- half per Cents at 104f. 60c. The City article of the Times dated Thurs- day says- " The telegraphic quotations from the Paris Bourse today have shown heavy fluctuation; which have been followed by sudden and excessive changes on this side. It appears that the Paris market opened without much alteration, but that after the course adopted by the Bank of England had become known a further heavy decline took place, especially in railway shares ; the confusion being greater than at any former period. The market here for French descriptions was affected in a proportionate degree, and the shares of all the leading lines closed at prices lower than any previously touched during the day." The Moniteur of Sunday contained an elaborate attack on the English newspapers, specifying three by name, and pretending to quote from them passages, decrying in inflated language the Emperor, the courtiers, and the people. "Even in England, journals which were at first among the most hostile to the new order of things in France have not resisted the evidence of facts; and though not always moderate and true, yet their language is generally more measured and more becoming. But such is not the case with all the English journals ; some of them—among which are the Morning Chronicle, the Times, and, above all, the Homan, Advertiser—are remarkable, and they seem to redouble hatred, and push beyond all bounds the impudence of calumny and the grossness of outrage. It is in vain that the Emperor has declared, on occasions the most solemn, his sincere desire to maintain, and even to consolidate the peace of the world ; in vain has he declared that France, having no reason to envy other nations on the score of military glory, now aspired only to the pacific conquests of civilization, and found in

the colonizing of Algeria, in the completion of its communications, in the melioration of the laborious classes, in the progress of industry and the arts, all necessary material for its fruitful activity. These declarations, so formally made, supported by the fact of the reduction of the army, have only obtained on the part of hostile journals an insolent contradiction. According to them, France and her chief only breathe war, and only wait for the opportunity to rush headlong against Europe ; a new coalition is necessary to resist that insatiable ambition; and, as if they feared that France was not in reality such as they represent it, they do not cease to irritate her pride and insult her affections. In their eyes, the French people, by acclaiming Louis Napo- leon as Emperor, has shown itself the most contemptible and the vilest of all people—the statesmen the generals, the army itself, who cooperated in the saving act of the 2d December, are but miserable ;laves or greedy instru- ments of tyranny.' . . . . The Times of the 2d of January, after drawing a picture of the pretended usurpations by which Louis Napoleon was suc- cessively elevated to the Empire, adds—‘ A Senate more cowardly than that of Tiberius has given to the Emperor the most exorbitant power, and de- stroyed by a single blow all the guarantees which remained to the nation. Favourites gorged with honours, functionaries without a conscience, un- heard-of exactions and crimes—such is the Government. But chastisement is preparing ; already Europe is on the alert, and the year will not pass over without something terrible breaking forth.'"

"What opinion do these journals give to the world of the liberty of the press of which they proclaim themselves the defenders ? How is it that iu a country where that liberty exists for ages there are still writers who only make use of it to stir up hatred and propagate falsehood ? Assuredly, the French Government is far above those wretched insults. There is sufficient in the spectacle of public prosperity, in the sentiment of the confidence and the affection of the people, to inspire it with disdain for such outrages. The Government, besides, knows the sentiments of the statesmen of England ; it knows that the mass of the nation is animated with the most sympathetio feelings towards France. The relations now so multiplied, and so close be- tween both people, have taught them reciprocal esteem. Everything dis- poses them to give each other the hand, to aid each other in the accomplish- ment of their providential task."

The Times has effectively replied to the Imperial accuser. "As the 2d of January fell upon a Sunday, when the English daily journals do not appear, the date assigned to this passage is of course erroneous or fictitious. But we can go further. We affirm that no such passage, or any- thing like it, has proceeded from our pen or appeared in these columns : so that, for the purpose of fastening a charge upon certain English journals, the French Government has actually given the greatest possible circulation to expressions which it considers insulting to its own head and injurious to the peace of Europe, although the inculpated passage is not even genuine, and is, in great part, a clumsy and audacious fraud on the credulity of the French public. We must be allowed to remark, that it is no mean testimony to the forbearance and the accuracy of the Times in dealing with the im- portant events of contemporary history, that the French Government, when it descends into the lists against this journal, has not attempted to contradict an assertion, to refute an argument, or even to contest the propriety of an expression we have actually employed. It summons us to the bar of public opinion' to answer for a spurious quotation, alleged to be con- tained in a number of this paper which was never published, and it leaves untouched and unc,onfuted every sentence in which we have really ex-

pressed our distrust of its assurances or our opinion of its policy Since the definitive adoption of the Imperial form of government, we are satisfied that the French nation should remain in the enjoyment of the institutions which it has accepted; we regard those institutions as a matter of exclusively internal interest to France ; and we direct our attention to those subjects only in which her condition and her policy may affect her re- lations with other countries. Thus it is that we have very recently had oc- casion to relate, in the simple form of history, the incidents which attended the reception of the credentials of the Northern Powers by the Imperial Court, though every effort had been made in France to stifle and to hide the particulars of a transaction which has left a sting behind it. Again, we di- rected public attention to the naval preparations at Cherbourg under pretence of a great Transatlantic packet-station ; and only yesterday we animadverted on the menacing condition of the French money-market. These are our offences; and no doubt they weigh more heavily against us in the resent- ment of the French Government than if we had amused ourselves by idly stringing together all the vituperative epithets in the language. If we find ourselves at variance with the French Government, it is not on a matter of intemperate words, which we should be the first to regret, but of facts and things, which we are bound to discuss and to examine. It is because we disclose what they are anxious to hide —because we rouse what they are trying to lull—because we present to the world that truth which they are seeking to intimidate or todisguise- because, in short, they dread that living light which freedom of thought and of speech, aided by the machinery of the press, darts through the world. The Moniteur has placed its charge against us on too narrow an issue, even if the few inflated phrases it has attributed to us were our own. The policy of the Government it represents is to carry even beyond the frontiers of France that crusade against all liberty of opinion in which it has been but too successful at home. The constant duty and desire of the press of Eng- land is to maintain and exercise that liberty, as long as the freedom and in- dependence of Britain are unsubdued, though every weaker light should be extinguished. No doubt, Belgium has been overawed ; no doubt, Switzer- land has been threatened : but the language used by Englishmen in the course of these extraordinary events has found approval in every reflecting mind in other countries. The apprehensions it *sometimes our duty to ex- press are the same which are secretly entertained by every statesman in _Europe ; the opinion we have been led to form of the present Government of France is common to not a few of those who express it with less openness and fearlessness than ourselves. Nay, the convictions of this journal, how- ever deep and honest they may be, would weigh comparatively little in pub- lic affairs if they did not express and represent the great bulk of enlightened judo-ment and dispassionate opinion in this nation and in the world. That is the power which Louis Napoleon arraigns in the Moniteur, that is the power which will never want a voice as long as England is herself."

We all remember how Greasier de Cassagnac wrote the articles menacing Belgium with either a war of tariffs or of cannon, unless the press were restricted ; and how, although those articles were denied, the high tariff was imposed, followed by the law against the press in Belgium, and then the return to the old tariff. The same writer has written as follows re- specting the Colonies and the projected Transatlantic steam company.

The present peace of Europe is producing a new movement analogous to that of the eleventh century, when gentlemen of high birth and great courage went to make a conquest of principalities in Italy, Sicily, Syria, and Greece. The present generation will behold others founded, if not more il- lustrious, at least more durable' in countries which wait for 11111,1a in order to enrich him. The Government of the Emperor, being aware of this new want of men's minds, is studying, preparing, or attempting one of these great projects, which give a new direction to ideas and a new opening to interests. . . . . In fine, the Government examines at the present moment variou

propositions made to it for the establishment of three great lines of Traissab- lenge navigation—one to Brazil, another to the Antilles and the Gulf: of Mexico, and the third to New York. Whaterer raay be the plan adopted by the Government, there can be no doubt that this magnificent enterprise will receive a prompt sanction. Thus everything concurs to call the attention of France to America, to solicit for it the aid of her merchants, capitalists, and populations, so intelligent and so active. It is thus that France will send forth, not a band of mere adventurers, but men of labour and of prudent speculation. For agriculture, manufactures, and business, it will be a new field to cultivate, and for politics it will be a powerful recipient of all the evil arising from the sentiments and false ideas of the revolutionary pesti- lenee."

As a sign of naval activity in France, we note that there are now building in the dockyards of Toulon, Brest, Lorient, Rochefort, and Cherbourg, twenty ships of the line, eighteen frigates, and fifteen smaller craft ; all to be fitted with screw-propellers.

France has not escaped without her share of floods resulting from the continued rains. Vendome has been flooded by the rise of the Loire ; not only in the low quarters but even on the Place &Armes. The Seille and Moselle have overflowed their banks.

A letter from Bethel, in the Ardennes, of the 15th instant, states that the waters of the Aisne had risen on the preceding night to a height not reached -daring the great floods of 1824 and 1850. The river had risen three feet within two hours. It was impossible for foot-passengers to walk through the streets, and hot-see were able to swim in them. A postscript, written in the afternoon of the same day adds that the waters, which had fallen slightly in the morning, bed again resumed the menacing appearance of the previous night. The river had united with the canal in many places and the plains of Blair and of Rome had been converted into one vaselake. The inhabitants had been compelled to take refuge in the upper floors of their dwellings. Rennes has been partially flooded. Around Quimper the crops of rye and oats have been destroyed or washed away. Accounts from St. Calais, in the Sarthe, of the 15th, state that the river Anille had again overflowed its banks. The entire valley on either side of the river was instantly filled with water ; which, not finding a passage through the town, filled the houses up to the first floor. Further accounts state that the Seethe bad again risen to within twenty centimetres of the great flood of 1846. At Beaumont both streets and fields were covered with water.

A letter from Saline in the Jun, of the 16th instant, states that snow had fallen on the high grounds in the department for the second time during the present winter. The first snow lasted but a few days. The temperature had become somewhat colder in the valley of Salina ; to the great satisfaction of the farmers, who were apprehensive that their winter crops were too much advanced for the season.

Srenv.—Chafing at his exile, and indignant at being sent to study the "military archives" at Vienna, Marshal Narvaez, as is known, stopped at Bayonne. From this frontier town he has addressed a letter of remonstrance to Queen Isabella ; dwelling on the "outrage" inflicted on a Captain-General; asking her Majesty whether she has forgotten so "many services" she herself termed "eminent" ; and lest she should, recapitulating in general terms the story of her elevation to the throne. He assigns as the motive of the conduct of the Government towards him- self on this occasion, the desire to prevent him from taking an active part in the electoral meetings. He demands reparation for the offence offered to his dignity and his person by the order of the 9th December, driving him from Spain. The Queen has replied, through her Minister, that her "royal mind was pained by tho reading of a document in -which there is not only want of respect to her royal person," but contraventions of the law on the press, as the letter was "clandestinely distributed" as a fly-sheet. Narvaez is further informed that he has incurred the " highest displeasure" of the Queen; who again orders him to go to Vienna and study the military archives. There has been a slight change in the Ministry. Aristizabel retires ; Llorente takes the Finance, and Benavides the Home department. The electoral committees continue their active preparations for the impending contest.

It is stated that Lord Hoyden had thought fit to send in a "strong note" to the Spanish Government respecting the projected reform of the constitution, especially with reference to the omission of the clause re- quiring the previous consent of the Cortes to the introduction of foreign troops.

-MONTENEGRO. —The war with this little state continues to excite great interest ; but we can get scarcely any information. Since the aban- donment of Zabljak and the advance of Omer Paeha, there does not ap- pear to have been any fighting. Prince Danilo is said to have had an interview with the Waist-ode at Granova, to concert offensive operations against the Turks, who bad brought up an army of twenty-five thousand men. The Waiwode has lately been decorated by Russia. George Pe- trovich, cousin of Prince Danilo, has gone to St. Petersburg. English and French diplomatic agents have repaired to the scene of hostilities ; and the Austrian army in Dalmatia has been reinforced. The latest news from Tiieste is that 12,000 Turks and 8000 Arnauts, ilnder the banner of the Prophet, would advance on Montenegro from the Herzegovine, while another force attacked from Scutari. The Montenegrins are said to have determined on the most unflinching defence.

UNITED STATES.—The Canada which left New York on the 4th and Boston on the 5th instant, reached Liverpool on Sunday last ; and the Atlantic, with papers to the 8th from New York, arrived on Thursday.

The Senate at Washington have suspended the debate on the tripartite treaty fo,r the defence of Cuba, proposed to the United States by France and England, but rejected. The President subsequently furnished the Senate with the correspond- ence relating to this treaty. Lord Malmesbury proposed it on the 8th April 1852, in a letter to Mr. Crampton. Referring to the lawless at- tacks made on Cuba from the United States, Lord Malmesbury says that they had engaged the serious attention of her Majesty's Government, "the more especially as they are most anxious that the friendly relations exist- ing between the Governments of Great Britain and the United States should not be endangered, as they might be, by a repetition of such at- tacks." He then states that France and England concur entirely with the views of the United States, and "would never see with indifference the island of Cuba in the possession of any power whatever but Spain" : and he proposes in order that the matter should be placed on such a footing as to preclude all hazard of a collision between the three powers, in the event of the aggressions on Cuba being repeated, that they should collectively renounce all intention to obtain possession.ot Cuba, and to discountenance all attempts to do so. -

On the let December 1852, Mr. Everett, the successor of Mr. Webster in the Department of State, transmitted to the respective Ministers of France and England the views of the President; who respectfully de- clined to enter into the proposed tripartite arrangement. A long and comprehensive statement of the President's reasons for declining is given.

It is, in the first place, in his judgment, clear, as far as the respect due from the Executive to a coordinate branch of the Government will permit hire to anticipate its decision, that no such convention would be viewed with favour by the Senate. Its certain rejection by that body would leave the question of Cuba a more unsettled- question than it is now. This ob- jection would not require the President to withhold his concurrence from the convention if no other objection existed, and if a strong sense of the utility of the measure rendered- it his duty, as far as the Executive action is concerned, to give his consent to the arrangement. Such, however is not the ease. The convention would be of no value unless it were lasting. Accordingly, its terms express a perpetuity of purpose and obligation. Now, it may well be doubted whether the constitution of the United States would allow the treaty-making power to impose a permanent dis- ability on the American Government for all coming time, and prevent it, under any future change of circumstances, from doing what has

been so often done in times in He refers to the purchase of Louis- iana in 1803, and Florida n 1819. Another reason is the aversion to European alliances prevalent in America. He states the views of the President with respect to Cuba. "The island of Cuba lies at our doors ; it commands the approach of the Gulf of Mexico, which washes the shores of five of our States; it bars the entrance to that great river which drains half the North American continent, and with its tributaries forms the largest system of internal water communication in the world ; it keeps watch at the door- way of our intercourse with California by the Isthmus route. If an island like Cuba, belonging to the Spanish Crown, guarded the entrance to the Thames or the Seine, and the United States should propose a convention like this to France and England, those Powers would assuredly feel that the disability assumed by ourselves was far less serious than that which we asked them to assume. The opinions of American statesmen' at different times and under varying circumstanees, have differed as to the desirableness of the acquisition of Cuba by the United States. Territorially and commer- cially, it would, in our hands, be an extremely valuable possession; under certain contingencies, it might be almost essential to our safety still, for domestic reasons, on which in a communication of this kind it might not be proper to dwell, the President thinks that the incorporation of the island into the Union at the present time, although effected with the cement of Spain, would be a hazardous measure ; and he would consider its, ac- quisition by force, except in a just war with Spain, should an event so greatly to be deprecated take place, as a disgrace to the civili- zation of the age." "That a convention," he continues, "such as is proposed, would be a transitory arrangement, sure to be swept' away

by the irresistible tide of aff i

airs n a new country, is, to the appre- hension of the President, too obvious to require a laboured argu- ment. The project rests upon principles applicable, if at all, to Europe, where international relations are in their basis of great antiquity, slowly modified, for the most part, in the progress of time and events, and not ap- plicable to America, which, but lately a waste, is filling up with intense ra- pidity, and adjusting on natural principles those territorial relations which on the first discovery of the continent were in a good degree fortuitous." He illustrates his position by a rapid sketch of the comparative history of Europe and America since 1752; showing the enormous progressive territorial development of the United States, at the expense of France and Spain; un- til the only possessions left to Spain are Cuba and Porto Rico. "Re- spectful sympathy with the fortunes of an ancient ally and gallant peo- ple, with whom the United States have ever maintained the most friendly relations, would, if no other reason existed, make it our duty to leave her in the undisturbed possession of this little remnant of her mighty Trans- atlantic empire. The President desires to do so. No word or deed of his will ever question her title or shake her possession: but can it be; expected to last very long ? Can it resist this mighty current in the fortunes of the world ? Is it desirable that it should do so ? Can it be for the interest of Spain to cling to a possession that can only be maintained by a garrison of 25,000 or 30,000 troops, a powerful naval force, and an annual expenditure for both arms of the service of at least 12,000,000 dollars ? Cuba at this moment costs more to Spain than the entire naval and military establish- ments of the United States cost the Federal Government." There is no hope of a complete cessation of the slave-trade while Cuba remains a Spanish colony. 'In the judgment of the President, it would be as easy to throw a dam from Cape Florida to Cuba, in the hope of stopping the flow of the Gulf stream, as to attempt by a compact like this to fix the fortunes of Cuba now and for hereafter." Instead of putting a stop to lawless expeditions, Mr. Everett believes it would give a new smd powerful, impulse to them, and would strike a death-blow at the conservative policy of the United. States in- relation to Cuba.

In the Senate, on the 4th, Mr. Cass introduced:the following resolution ; which was ordered to be printed-

" Be it resolved, that the United States do hereby declare, that the Ame- rican continents, by the free and independent condition which they have assumed and maintained, are henceforth not to be -considered as subjects for future colonization by any European power; and, while existing rights should be respected, and will be, by the -United States, they owe it to their own safety and interests to announce, as they now do, that no future European colony or dominion shall, with their consent, be planted or esta- blished on any part of the American continent; and should the attempt be made; they thus deliberately declare that it will be viewed as an act origin- ating in motives regardless of their interests and their safety, and which will leave them free to adopt each measures as an independent nation may justly adopt in defence of its rights and its power. "And be it further resolted, that while the United States disclaim any designs upon the island of Cuba, inconsistent with the laws of nations and with their duties to Spain, they consider it due to the vast importance of the subject to make known in this solemn manner, that they should view all efforts on the krart of any other:power to procure possession, whether peaceably or forcibly, of that island—which, as a naval or military position, must, under circumstances easily to be foreseen, become dangerous to their Southern coast, to the Gulf of Mexico, and to the month of the Mississippi—as un- friendly acts directed against them, and to be resisted by all the means in their power." Last July, certain islands of the coast of Belize were erected into the British "colony of the Bay of Islands." This has given offence to General Cass, and he called for information. It appears that none has been received by the United States Government. General Cass seemed to think that the establishment of the colony was in contravention of the Clayton and Bulwer treaty, vrhich provided that neither Great' Britain nor the United States should occupy, fortify, or colonize any kart of. Central America.

By an understanding, British Honduras was excluded ; and General Cass now says that had he known it he. would not have voted for the treetT General Franklin Pierce, the Preaident-eleet, has lost his only son, in a railway aceidenton the line betweeriBeston and Concord. The details °fills deplorable occurrence are taken from a New York paper- " The train consisted only of one seventy-two passenger-car, a baggage- ear, and the engine. It left Boston at a quarter-past twelve o'clock on the 6th instant, for Concord, N; H., and reached Andover soon after one. The catastrophe happened about two miles beyond. the dipet ; and was occasioned by the breaking of the flange of one of the rear wheels, and also the axle- tree. The train was running at the time at a high rate of speed, say forty miles an hour. The passenger-car at once became detached, and after pro- ceeding some ten rods, ran off the track, and then went over the embank- ment. The precipice was some twelve or fifteen ,feet in depth, and at the bottom was a pile of stones.. The car turned completely over; and the pas- sengers, some stxty in number, were thrown into a state of the greatest con- fusion. When the car fell, the stove, containing burning coal, was thrown upon several of the passengers, burning them and destroying their clothes. The wife and daughter of Charles Marsh, apothecary of Roxbury, had their clothes destroyed ; themselves slightly burned. General Pierce occupied a forward seat. His wife sat beside him, and his son sat in front, on the side- seat behind the door. As the car approached the precipice, he put his arm round his wife, and bent forward to catch his son. At this moment the car went over, and glided down the bank on its side. It is,believed that a rock penetrated the window behind 'young Pierce, and caused a terrible fracture of his skull, which produced almost instantaneous death. Nothing could be mere heartrending than the spectacle presented by the mangled features of the child. He lay upon the floor of the car, with his skull fractured in the most frightful manner. The cap which he wore had fallen off, and was filled with his blood and brains. This was the horrid sight which met the eyes of Mrs. Pierce when she returned to consciousness. She sprang towards the body of-her-boy, but was restrained by the General and his friends, who endeavoured to soothe her. She sustained no visible injury ; but the shock occasioned by the destruction of her son-, added to her previous debility, had e serious though not dangerous effect upon her. The unfortunate lad was named after his grandfather, Governor Benjamin Pierce. Throughout the 'whole of this horrid scene General Pierce preserved the most admirable pre- sence of mind."

Mr. King, late President of the Senate, is not dead, as was reported ; but he continues very unwell. Ile has resigned his post as Senator, to go to Havannah for the benefit of his health.

Differences having arisen between the United States Government and the Government of Nicaragua, respecting the Minister of the latter at Washington, the President had requested the Government to recall him and to appoint a new Minister. This,: at the latest date, had been declined.

Advices from Havannah to the 30th December had reached the New York Herald. They report the capture of four slavers by the British corvette Vestal. According to the reports in that journal and the New Fork Daily Times, these vessels had been provided with all the necessary slave-equipments,—decks, shackles, arms, ammunition, &c. They were captured on their way out. The 'Venus was the first seized ; and from her master the captain of the Vestal learned that another slaver was lying off Cardenas waiting for equipments. There, in fact, the Ves- tal found the second and third of her prizes, the Carlota and Cuatros Hernianos. These were brought into Haveneah on the 23d December. The fourth, the Anugante Emilio, sailed from that port next day ; the Vestal followed, and captured her. Evidence, which it is thought in- volves the Spanish Government in these transactions, has been found on board. Two of the vessels-had different sets of papers ; one of the cap- tains had a passport from the Spanish authorities. The Arrogante Emilio left the port, in- violation of the port-rules ; and the captain of the port will have to explain why he allowed this proceeding. General Cafiedo is greatly annoyed at the conduct of the British. The adjudication on the prizes properly came before a Spanish Court ; and the greatest efforts, it is said, would be made to obtain a decision in favour of the slavers.

NEW Bemrstemx..—A public meeting was held at St. John's on the 23d November, to take into consideration the negotiations now pending between the English and American Governments, and to protest against any settlement of the question until New Brunswick shall have been fairly consulted in the matter. There were present probably 150 persons. The prevailing sentiment among the speakers was, that equal privileges in the fisheries should not be granted without receiving a full equiva- lent,—such as the registry of province vessels in American ports, the privileges of the coasting-trade, as well as an interchange of commodities of certain descriptions. A resolution. was passed for the appointment of a committee to prepare an address, praying that the Queen will refuse to entertain any proposition from the United. States Government for any nmelification or alteration of the treaty of 1818, unless such a proposition embraces the full and entire question of reciprocal intercourse in corn- merce and navigation, upon terms that will be just and reasonable ; and that, before any treaty affecting the fisheries is agreed upon, her Majesty will afford her subjects in the provinces an opportunity of becoming ac- quainted with the terms proposed in said treaty, and of laying their case at the foot of the Throne.

WEST INDIES.—The newspapers brought by the Parana inform us that the Jamaica Legislature had adjourned from the 17th December to the 25th January. Several short continuance bills had been passed.

A party of 113 emigrants left Trinidad on the 2d December, for the purpose of founding a colony in Venezuela, on the banks of the Orinoco. Captain Matson of the Highflyer was buried at Port of Spain on the 15th December. The Governor, Lord Harris, and the Vice-Admiral, Sir George Seymour, attended the funeral

St. Vincent's is described as being in an unparalleled state of confusion. No Tax Act had been passed in 1862, and the treasury was empty. The Police Act would terminate before another could come into operation. '" There is," says the Weekly Mirror, "so-to speak, no Parliament in ex- istence; for there being only eleven available members, it is almost im- possible that they tan all be collected' so as to continue the business." The newly-appointed Lieutenant-Governor-was hourly expected (on the fah December); and no house had been provided for him.

In British Guiana, a large meeting was held at Georgetown on the 22d December; and resolutions were passed strongly condemning the "con- tinued and increasing irregularity in the performance] by the Royal Mail Steam-packet Company of the postal service between the colony and Great Britain." They state that repeated attempts have been made to

obtain remedial measures, without success; that the cause of the irregu- larstaea.hes ltt the absence of Tmnsatlaritic or Intereolonial steamers of sufficient power ; and they pray that the penalties for the repeated breaches of contract may be enforced by the Admiralty. A committee was appointed to draw up a memorial to the Lords of the Admiralty.

BUENOS ATRES.—The new Government of Buenos Ayres has SEC- ceeded in detaching the Corrientes from Urquiza, and has sent an expe- dition against him in his own territory. As far as we can gather front the accounts, the Buenos Ayrean General Homes had succeeded in ob- taining a footing in Entrcrios, and opening up communications with the Corrientinos ; while the other General, Madriaga, had been repulsed. The Ministers from England, France, and the United States, had gone to Santa F6.

Itrm4.—The latest dates-from Bombay arc to the 17th December, and from Rangoon to the 26th November. General Godwin, in person, com- manding a force of 1200 men and two guns, took Pegu on the 21st No- vember. The town was strongly fortified, and the garrison is variously estimated at from 3000 to 5000 men. In order to storm the enemy's position at its weakest point, the British forces advanced along the edge of the wet ditch defending the front of Pegu; and as our troops ad- yaneed through the tall grass, the Burmese marched along the ramparts in a parallel direction, keeping up a constant fire. This operation lasted for two hours ; and the British lost six meu killed and thirty-two wounded,.. At length the shallow part of the moat was reached ; the troops dashed, through the mud and water, the Burmese fled, and Pegu was taken. The flying enemy were not pursued. It will be recollected that early in the campaign Major Cotton, with 300 men, captured Pegu without a single casualty. Subsequently the town was abandoned ; the Burmese again took possession, and made the most of the interval by strengthening the forti- fications.

The main British army still remained inactive at Prelim under Sir John Cheape. It is remarked in the correspondence from Rangoon, that the Burmese have been very diligent, and mestly successful, in picking out commanding points along the Irrawaddy between Rangoon and Prome, for the erection of batteries, to obtain a full range of the channel in order to interrupt the course of the steamers. They have repeatedly fired upon the smaller steamers. A little below Promo, there is a height called Akektoung : Captain Gardner was sent with some native infantry in the Enterprise to this point, with orders to visit it every day : ho landed for the first time on the 18th November, and safely marched over one of the elevations; next day he landed again, and marched up to the other, on the summit of which are two pagodas ; as he approached a fire was opened, by signal, from a party in ambush. Captain Gardner and his havildar were killed; and the rest of the party fled to the steamer, leaving behind the body of their commander.

The C'aletata Englishman states that the annexation of Pegu and Promw has been determined on, but that General Godwin has been strictly for-. bidden to operate beyond the line of the tract of country to be annexed. If this is true, there will be no advance on Ava, and we shall have sim- ply seized a portion of the Burmese territory. The Aeng Pass is not ilk- eluded within the proposed limits; and the Burmese were erecting stock- ades on their own side of the Pass.

AUSTEALIA.—The last overland mail brought letters and journals from Sydney to the 9th and from Adelaide to the 18th November.

It appears that the Legislative Council of New South Wales adjo

on the 2d October till the 23d November. As Sir John PakingtonJs placed the gold-revenue at their disposal, fresh estimateisof inuome- and expenditure had to be framed; and a select committee wee appointed, with power to sit during the recess and report at the opening of next ses- sion. Beyond this, the only important legislative news is that the Go- vernment had obtained permission to bring in the two companies of sol- diers, which the Governor, unconstitutionally, as it was alleged, applied for in 1851, when no Council was sitting. There was a bill before the Legislature for imposing an export-duty on gold.

The most striking news is from the Diggings at Mount Alexander. There, on the 23d October, the diggers held a "monster meeting," and, agreed to a memorial to the Lieutenant-Governor of Victoria praying for an efficient police to protect the lives and property of the diggers.. At a place called Moonlight Flat, Forest Creek, the centre of the mining district of Mount Alexander, a temporary stage was erected, and around it nearly four thousand diggers assembled. Mr. Wells moved the adoption of the memorial to the Lieutenant-Governor, which was second- ed by Mr. Perkins Wood.

Mr. Wood expressed his firm conviction, that as Government would con- tinue to do nothing, something must be done by the diggers themselves. He might be thought too sanguine, but it struck him, looking at that vast col- lection of stalwart frames and intelligent faces, that the anniversary of their meeting would hereafter be regarded as a red-letter day in the Colonial ca- lendar—a bright page in the history of young Australia—a day that they- would hail with pride, and their descendants regard with grateful reverence. He had heard within the last few moments that his Excellency the Governor was likely to pass that way during the meeting. What a singular coinci- dence! (A laugh.) He hoped, if such were the case, that his Excellency would be respectfully invited to remain and witness their proceedings. [Voices—" We'll put him in the chair."] No, don't do that ; he has.to arbitrate between many interests, but should not be identified with any particular one. (Cheers.) Treat him with the respect due to .his station, and give him credit for acting up to the information ho receives from his subordinates. He was satisfied that many of their complaints never reached the Governor's ear. Permanent prosperity was incompatible with robberies and outrages such as they suffer from. If the Governor complied with their request, he would have no need of troops from England. He could command "the services of a grateful people, and. rest assured that fifty thousand diggers would, when necessary, become Ms body guard—his special constables." (Cheers.)

Mr. Taylor recommended respectful language, and strong measures.

He wished for a clause intimating the intention of the diggers to withhold the licence-fees until the 15th of next month ; and if their just demands were not then in course of being complied with, to refuse payment of the fees altogether. If they stopped the supplies, a police would soon be esta- blished. It was indeed said that police were coming out from. Ireland; but in the mean time was the present state of things to continue ? Were men to be beaten and robbed when they had money, and shot by the bushran when-they had no money ? Let the diggers show his Excelleney that they meant what they said, and were resolved to have protection. Look at the frightful atrocity committed recently at Friar's Creek, where four monsters in human form violated a helpless female. Was it for permitting such things

that the Governor should be lauded or his memory respected? (Cheers.) If he was powerless to prevent such things, why should he waste so much of their money with the mockery of protection ? There was a scheme in preparation by which probably security could be attained; but that would now perhaps be set aside to wait for the arrival of the Irish police, and in the mean time robbery and violence would run rampant through the land. Mr. Bryce Ross asked how many would refuse to pay the licence-fee ? was the answer. Voices cried out that they must stick to each other, and open lists for mutual protection. At this moment a Captain Harrison rose, unfurling a flag, which a digger planted in a tree- " That flag," said Captain Harrison, "is the destiny of Victoria. Every man must see that Victoria will soon have a flag of her own, and the sooner she unfurls her flag the sooner she will go ahead as she ought." (Cheers.) The cuckoo sang God save the Queen merely because she was Queen ; but our Queen deserved and enjoyed the love and respect of her subjects of every rank at home, although her beneficence could not be felt in this colony. They were under a complete autocracy-they were the very serfs of Downing Street despotism. The disarming of the people was talked of in the Council. (" Let them try /hat on.") Captain Harrison gave some useful advice respecting the firing of arms at nightfall in the diggings. It should be a rule on the diggings that no man should discharge his fire-arms after nightfall, unless his tent or person were assailed ; and then the report would be an understood signal for his neigh- bours to rush to his assistance. They should even be careful of their lead ; it might be wanted, and there was no use in wasting it; at present, the practice of firing at night was so common, that if a man discharged a gun in self-defence it would attract no attention or help, although plenty of friends might be within hearing of the report. The memorial was adopted without Mr. Taylor's additional clause ; and they also agreed to a petition against the proposed gold-export-duty. Both documents were moderate in expression, and well written.

The University of Sydney was opened "with some ostentation of cere- monial," says the Sydney Empire, on the Ilth October. The matricu- lated students were twenty-three in number. The yield of gold in all the settlements was as great as ever ; and some new fields had just been discovered. There was still a want of labour for agriculture, and a rather too plentiful supply of unfit men.