23 DECEMBER 1848, Page 5

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FRANCE.—The President of the French Republic has been proclaimed: the Assembly, fearing perturbations on Thursday, the day commonly an- nounced for the ceremony, unexpectedly accomplished it on Wednesday evening. At one o'clock, on the Place de la Concorde and in the Gardens of the Tuileries all was profoundly tranquil, and the environs of the Assembly, as well as the Place and the Gardens were unusually deserted. Half an hour later, troops were seen in considerable bodies converging towards these points. At three o'clock, two battalions of the former and a battalion Of Gerdes Mobile, preceded by a detachment of National Guards, entered the Gardens of the Tuileries, and advanced to the gate of the Place de Is Concorde; a General, accompanied by his Aide-de-camp and escorted by a few Lancers, taking his station close to the Obelisk. In the mean time, the quays adjoining the Palace were lined with Dragoons. The presence of these troops, which nobody could account for, created much uneasiness. All access to the Assembly from every side was stopped; and it was an- nounced, to the amazement of those who visited the spot, that the Assem- bly was in the act of proclaiming and installing the President.

At four o'clock, the reporter of the Electoral Commission of the Assembly IL Waldeck Rousseau, ascended the tribune to make his report. At this moment, M. Odilon Barrot was seated on one of the benches usually occu- pied by Ministers, being the first on the right of the chair; and by his side

6,434,226 suffrages.

1,448,107 . • 370,119 .. 36,900 • • 17,910 . • 4,790 • • 12,600 • •

Among the votes were many containing unconstitutional denominations; and the Committee had besides denounced to the Minister of the Interior forprosecn- rion a few individuals guilty of acts of violence. At Grenoble, in particular, pub- lic tranquillity was slightly disturbed. The Committee had, moreover, examined several protests addressed to it against the election of M. Bonaparte. In one of them, he was declared ineligible because he had forfeited his rights as a French- man by his naturalization in Switzerland. The Committee, however, had by an unanimous decision passed to the order of the day on that difficulty. By the number of the votes and the regularity of the operation, M. Louis Napoleon was the really elect of the nation; and the Assembly had only to order that the exe- cutive power be transferred to his hands.

General Cavaignac rose amidst the deepest marks of attention, and, in a clear firm voice, said-

" I come here to inform you, that I have just received the collective resigna- tion of the Ministry. I have also to state, that I now remit into your hands my office of President of the Council, which you were pleased to confide to me. The Assembly will comprehend ranch better than I can express, the gratitude that I feel for the support and kindness that were testified to me the whole period that I exercised the power committed to my hands." This short address was delivered with remarkable dignity and firmness; and was received with enthusiastic acclamations from all sides-' even the public in the tribunes could not restrain themselves. General Cavaignac retired to a seat among the Moderate Republicans, near to that generally occupied by M. Lamartine.

M. Marrast, the President, put the question of adopting the report. The whole Assembly, with the exception of a few on the extreme Left, rose and affirmed it with acclamation. M. Marrast then said- " In the name of the French People: Whereas Citizen Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, born in Paris, possesses all the qualifications of eligibility required by the 44th article of the Constitution; whereas the ballot gave him the absolute majority of suffrages for the Presidency: by virtue of the powers conferred on the Assembly by the 47th and 48th articles of the Constitution, I proclaim him President of the French Republic from this day, until the second Sunday of May 1852; and I now invite him to ascend the tribune and take the oath required by the Constitution."

M. Louis Napoleon Bonaparte mounted the tribune; and the President of the Assembly read the form of the oath, as follows— "In the presence of God, and before the French People, represented by the Na- tional Assembly, I swear to remain faithful to the Democratic Republic, and to fulfil all the duties which are imposed upon me by the Constitution."

M. Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, raising his hand, said, with a loud voice —" I swear it."

At this moment a salvo of artillery from the Invalides proclaimed the ad- ministration of the oath.

President Marrast—" We call God and men to witness the oath which has been taken. The National Assembly records it, and orders that it shall be transcribed in the proceedings, inserted in the Moniteur, published and promulgated in the form of legislative acts."

The President of the Republic, remaining in the tribune, then delivered the following address-

" The suffrages of the people, and the oath which I have taken, prescribe my future conduct : my duty is traced out, and I shall fulfil it as a man of honour. I shall see enemies of the mantry in all those who shall attempt to change bye illegal means that which the whole of France has established. ("Bravo!' " Tres Men! ") Between you and me, citizen representatives, there cannot be any real difference; our wishes, our desires are the same. I, like you, wish to re- place society on its bases, to confirm its Democratic institutions, and to seek all proper means for alleviating the sufferings of that generous and intelligent people which has given me so shining a testimony of its confidence. " The majority which I have obtained not only fills me with gratitude, but also gives to the new Government the moral force without which there is no au- thority. With peace and order, our country can raise itself again; can heal its wounds, bring back those men who have been led astray, and calm their pas- sions. "Animated by this spirit of conciliation, I shall call around me men honours hle, capable, and devoted to their country; assured that, maugre the diversities of political origin, they will agree in emulating your endeavours for the fulfilment of the constitution, the perfecting of the laws, and the glorYof the Republic.

" The new Administration, in entering upon the conduct of affairs, must thank that which preceded it for the efforts which it made to transmit intact the power of maintaining the public tranquillity. The conduct of the honourable General Cavaignac has been worthy of the loyalty of his character, and of that sense of duty which is the first quality in the chief of a state.

" We have, citizen representatives, a great mission to fulfil—it is to found a Republic in the interest of all, and a government just and firm, which shall be animated by a sincere love of progress, without being either reactionary or Uto- pian. (" Tres Bien!") Let us be men of our country, not men of a party; and, by the help of God, we shall be able at least to do some good, if we are not able to do great things." This discourse was followed by general marks of approbation; the whole Assembly rising with cries of " Vive la'Rdpublique." On descending from the tribune, M. Louis Napoleon Bonaparte passed before the bench on which General *Cavaignac was sitting, and affection-

ately shook hands with him, amid much applause. After a short con-

versation with M. Marrast and other officers of the Assembly, the Pre- sident of the Republic was conducted from the Assembly in the following

order—The Ushers of the Assembly; the Chief Usher; the State Messen- gers; the Qumstors; two Secretaries; two Vice-Presidents: the President of the Republic. The cortdge passed through a double line of National Guards and veterans of the service; the drums beating. The President entered a carriage, and drove off for the Palace of -the Elyste National,

sat Ii. Louis Napoleon Bonaparte. On the left of the Prince sat M. Favre, Mayor of Nantes. The report began with commonplaces on the general necessity of promptitude, which were listened to with impatience: it alluded to the reports which had reached the Government especially justifying baste, and this part was loudly cheered. Nothing could exceed the dignity evinced by the people on the occasion; and Europe would admire that grand and magnificent spectacle, and the calmness and freedom which had presided at the election. No fewer than 7,349,000 citizens had deposited their votes in the electoral urns. The elect belonged to no party. There was no victory, no defeat; no conquerors, no vanquished. After so calm, religions, and patriotic a manifestation, no man could presume to substitute the will of a few for the will of all. After an appeal to concord and the oblivion of all party feuds, the reporter announced that the votes had been divided in the follow- ing proportions over the surface of the country— M. Louis Napoleon had obtained General Cavaignac M. Ledru-Rollin

M. Respell M. Lamartlne

General Changarnier

Votes lost accompanied by several Deputies in other carriages. A detachment of dragoons escorted the party. I tAfter the departure of the President, President Marrast stated that M. Odilou Barra had been charged with the formation of a Ministry, and that the new Ministry would be announced in the Moniteur that evening.

The following is the Ministry that evening gazetted- Odilon Barrot President of the Council and Minister of Justice.

Foreign Affairs.

Interior. Finances. Public Works.

Commerce.

War.

Marine. Drouyn de Lhuvs Lion de Maleville Hippolyte Passy Leon Faucher Bixio General Rulhieres De Tracy By a decree in the same Gazette, all the troops of the garrison of Paris, and of the towns comprised within the first military division, together with the Garde Mobile, are placed under the orders of General Changarnier; who is to keep the command of the National Guard of the Seine, and to assume the title of Commander-in-chief of the National Guards of the Seine and of the troops of the first military division.

Another decree of the President of the Republic, dated the 20th instant, names Marshal Bugeaud Commander-in-chief of the Army of the Alps.

M. Gustave de Beaumont has resigned the office of Ambassador to the Court of St. James's; and M. de Tocqueville has resigned that of represent- ative of France in the conferences at Brussels respecting the affairs of Italy. They have taken that step, it is understood, not with the intention of opposing the new Cabinet, but from delicacy towards the in-coming Go- vernment.

GERALANY.—The Regent's Cabinet is in a state of transformation Schmerling, the Minister of the Interior, proposed to bring forward as a Cabinet question a motion enabling the Ministry to renew negotiations with Austria, in the attempt to effect "a possible union" between the two powers. On the evening of the 14th, the supporters of Schmerling, the Centre, the Left Centre, and a portion of the Right Centre, discussed the proposal in the Clubs; and they pronounced by a large majority against taking any steps with the new Emperor Francis Joseph. In consequence of this resolution, Schmerling, and Wurth the Under-Secretary of State, both of them Austrian Deputies, placed their resignations in the hands of Arch- duke John, on the 16th; and Von Gagern accepted the commission to re- model the Cabinet.

" The canvass for the Imperial crown," says a Frankfort letter, "goes on briskly "After the soiree of the Archduke John, came the soirée of Camphausen, the King of Prussia's Envoy to the Central Authority. Rumours of all kinds are in circulation. It has been reported for some days that Bavaria is strongly opposed to the making the King of Prussia Emperor. Von Klosen, the Bavarian Envoy to the Central Power, wrote a pamphlet some time ago to prove that Austria, with all its provinces—Sclavonian, Magyar, and Italian—ought to be annexed to Ger- many. This diplomatist is now at Olmittz ; where he has been joined (from Ber- lin) by Prince Charles of Bavaria. It is generally known here, that Bavaria is attempting to influence the minor Courts of the Southlof Germany to exert them- selves in favour of an Austrian Prince and against the King of Prussia" On the 18th, Von Gagern addressed the Assembly on the relations of the Central Power to Austria.

The Austrian Ministry declared in its programme of the 27th November, "That all Austrian lands shall continue to form one united polity; that the mu- tual relations of Austria and Germany can only be determined when the com- plexities in the body politic of either country have been definitively arranged." Those Ministerial declarations evidently harmonized with the views of German Austrians in the aggregate. The Imperial Ministry would be guided by these principles. " Taking into consideration the nature of the connexion subsisting between Austria and its Non-German lands, the Imperial Power, so long as it is a provisional one, must confine itself to the general maintenance of the existing federal union between Austria and Germany. . . . Austria, then, according to the resolution of the Central Assembly, by which the nature of the Federative State is defined, must be looked upon as not having entered into the German Federative State An understanding as to the future reciprocal rights and duties of the two coun- tries can only be arrived at by the means of special negotiation. (Great agita- tion on the Left.) The Constitution of the German Federative State, which is a matter, however, of mutual interest to both countries, cannot be made the subject of negotiation with Austria." He prayed that permission be given to the Imperial Ministry to enter into ambassadorial negotiation with the Government of the Aus- trian Empire, in the name of the Central Power; and that the proposals made by the Ministry be referred to a Committee for the speediest possible deliberation. Venedey violently opposed these propositions, and others followed him in a similar strain: but, after calm addresses from Plathner, Vincke, and Count Deym,—the last of whom, as an Austrian, hoped that "Austria was not yet lost to Germany,"—the steps to be adopted were referred to a spe- cial Committee.

SPA-IN.—The Queen of Spain opened the Cortes on the 15th instant, and personally delivered an address. The only passage of interest to us TIM the following—. "Disagreable events, which it was not in the hands of my Government to avoid, have occasioned theinterruption of diplomatic relations with England; but I trust they, will be reestablished as is befitting two friendly nations, as soon as the acts and instructions of my Government are duly appreciated."

INDIA AND CmNA.—The anticipatory accounts of the overland India mail arrived in London on Tuesday, bringing the news from Bombay to

the 18th November. The position of affairs in the Punjanb had changed but little between the 20th October and the 1st November, the dates of the latest news by the last and the present mails. The position of the insur- gents is still somewhat uncertain. Chuttur Singh is still at Vyseerabad,

with a considerable force, though its amount is not exactly known. Shere Singh is stated to have reached the " Salt Range," and to have effected no junction with his father. The Salt Range is a mountain-chain on the West of the Indus, and the South border of Peshawur; it is nearly at the further end of the Punjaub from Moultan, whence Shere Singh lately started; and to reach it, Shere Singh would naturally go through the very country occupied then, as now, by the troops of his father.

The Dewar of Moultan still shows the front of an undaunted and skilful commander; but his forces are said to be much lessened by desertion. His regular force is deemed numerically inferior to the " regulars " under Ge- neral Whish. A portion of the Bombay reinforcement had arrived at Subzulcote, only eighty miles South of General Whish's camp. The position of the North-west has not changed for the worse. The Peshawar troops continue faithful; and Gholab Singh maintains towards us an attitude of apparent friendship. The news from Hongkong is to the 30th September. It is not int_ portant.

INDIAN AucturErAco.—Advices have been received from Sarawak to the end of September, and from Labuan to the 15th October. The arrival of Sir James Brooke at his own territory of Sarawak took place on the 4th September, and on the 21st his flag was hoisted amidst salutes and re- joicings. A sword was presented to him by the European inhabitants.

A few days afterwards, Sir James Brooke embarked for Labuan; which he reached on the 29th September. The fever which prevailed on the island at the last accounts had in a great measure subsided, and prospects were cheering.

THE UNITED STATES.—The Cambria steam-ship arrived at Liverpool on Wednesday night, with New York mails to the 6th instant. Congress met on the 4th, and the President's message was sent in the next' ay. The message is a document of enormous length ; about eleven closely-printed columns of the Times. A full third of it is occupied by discussions of " foreign affairs," " Mexican war," " American acquisitions," " resources of California—rich mineral produce," " Oregon Territory," and such popular topics: two columns suffice for home policy; the remain- ing five columns are devoted to an elaborate history of the rise and fall of the " American system," and the justification of Mr. Polk for those official acts by which he has contended against its reestablishment. That system emulated Great Britain in the cherishing of a national debt, the levying of a protective import tariff, the establishment of a national bank; and in harmonious tendency it encouraged a profuse Federal ex- penditure on public works. After a contest of nearly a quarter of a cen- tury, that system was overthrown; and Mr. Polk's cardinal principle of action in office has been to prevent its revival.

The message states, that " the territory acquired within the last four years contains, according to a report carefully prepared by the Commissioner of the Ge- neral Land Office from the most authentic information in his possession, 1,193,061 square miles, or 763,559,043 acres; while the area of the remaining 29 States, and the territory not yet organized into States East of the Rocky Mountains, con- tain 2,059,513 square miles, or 1,318,126,058 acres. These estimates show that the territories recently acquired, and over which our exclusive jurisdiction and do- minion have been extended, constitute a country more than half as large as all that which was held by the United States before their acquisition!'

The wonderful stories of the mineral wealth of California are officially vouched. The Military Commandant of the district lately visited it, and found 4,000 persons engaged in collecting gold. A quicksilver mine has also been opened, which is believed to be among the most productive in the world. If these steps be taken, the present generation may live to witness the controlling commercial and monetary power of the world transferred from London and other European emporia to the city of New York. The establishment of regular go- vernments in the new territories is urged. Reference is made to the Slave ques- tion; Mr. Polk espousing the cause of the South. " If Congress shall now reverse the decision by which the Missouri compromise was effected, and shall propose to extend the restriction over the whole territory South as well as North of the paral- lel of 36 degrees 30 minutes, it will cease to be a compromise, and must be re- garded as an original question."

The Treasury report is favourable. The total imports were 154,977,876 dol- lars; the exports, 154,032,131 dollars. The Treasury receipts were 35,757,070 dollars; the expenditure, 42,811,970 dollars. It is calculated that the receipts of the year ending in June 1849 will be 57,048.969 dollars, and the expenses 54,195,275 dollars; leaving a balance of nearly 3,000,000 dollars after paying the Mexican contribution.

The tariff has been successful beyond even the hope of its friends. The revenue, for the twenty-two months it has been in operation, was 56,664,563 dol- lars; a larger sum than was ever received in the like time before, though com- merce receives the benefit of greatly reduced duties. The public debt has been reduced to 60,778,450 dollars. " It is our true poli- cy, and m harmony with the genius of our institutions, that we should present to the world the rare spectacle of a great republic, possessing vast resources and wealth, wholly exempt from public indebtedness." The Post-office revenues constantly increase: the mileage of its duty has in- creased 15 per cent, yet its expenses have been reduced more than 15 per cent. If the same favourable advance continue, postages may be reduced to a uniform charge of five cents, and yet pay the charges of the establishment.