25 FEBRUARY 1860, Page 7

forttgit nu olnutal.

Sraam—The agitation of the Ultramontane party, and the !--mea- sures taken by the Government to suppress it, are the characteristics of the news from France. This agitation has been laid hold of as a pre- text for political action by men of all parties. A despatch from M. Thouvenel to the Duke of Gramont, dated Febru- ary 12, has been published. It was written subsequently to the answer to the encyclical letter. In this despatch M. Thouvenel maintains that the rising in the Romagna was the natural consequence of the with- drawal of the Austrian garrisons ; that it was inevitable, and did not re- quire any particular excitement ; and that the people rather found them- selves placed in a state of independence than did anything to become so. The Court of Rome rejected the counsels of the Emperor, and missed the opportunity, afforded by the peace of Villafranca, of again attaching the Legations to the Holy See by granting a lay administration. The Pope is reminded of the support and influence accorded to the clergy in France_ and the devotion shown to himself for the last ten years. He is told. that any occupation of the Legations is inadmissible ; but if the Holy See will quit the religions region, and return to temporal interests, a favourable change may be brought about in its cause.

M. Rouland, Minister of Public Instruction, has addressed a circular to the bishops and clergy, reminding them that if they owe fidelity to Rome they owe allegiance to the Emperor; telling them that the Emperor will not allow the liberty accorded them to become an cape. client of agitation ; reproving those who have used the pulpit to assail the Government of the Emperor, and assuring them that the laws will be enforced.

M. Billanit, Minister of the Interior, tells the Prefects how to enforce the laws. He denounces those who vent calumnies from the pulpit, those who promote manceuvres strive to lead the public astray, send. forth little pamphlets in a popular form by the hundred, accusing the Government of persecuting the Pope and despoiling the Church. He points out to the Prefects that the law inflicts fine and imprisonment on persons who distribute any unauthorized publication, and he orders the law to be enforced. Those who asperse the Government of the Emperor and the Emperor himself from the pulpit are to be brought before the Council of State, under an old law of the era of the Consulship. The Prefects are to proceed "with moderation," but they are enjoined to do what is needful to put down clerical agitation. No one in France is above or beyond the laws of the country, and the laws shall be en.- forced.

The suppression of the Bretagne was caused by the publication of an address from three deputies of the legislative body to the Emperor, im- pugning his Roman policy. The three deputies, it is said, talk of resigning and. of bringing an action against M. Billault and the Moniteur for questioning the sincerity of their allegiance. M. Rouher has published a report in the Moniteur, a report on the tariff as regards raw material— The Minister expresses his opinion that the epoch for the exemption of wools and cottons may be fixed for the 15th of April. The Minister further believes that the tariff for primary materials could be expressed as follows : All wools and cottons in wools, imported from countries out of Europe, are exempt, If coming from other parts, and in French vessels, to be subject to a duty of 3f. per 100 kilogrammes. If imported in foreign vessels, to pay a duty of 51. per 100 kilogrammes. The premiums paid on exportation will be suppressed :-1. For threads of cotton and wool within two months. 2. For tissues of wool and cotton within three months. The report of the Minister also proposes modifications of the tariff for dyes and chemical products. M. Ferdinand de Lesseps and the Duke of Alboufera have been re- ceived in a private audience by the Emperor, who, it is said, gave them the positive assurance that M. Thouvenel has already received instruc- tions to seize the first opportunity of entering into negotiations with the English Cabinet, with the object of removing the last obstacles which oppose the realization of the Suez Canal project.

The Count de Chambor has written a letter from V

d.enice to a most eminent advocate of the Papacy in France. These are specimens of his views-

" A dark policy believed the moral sense to be weakened, and opinion sufficiently kept down, to venture, under a vain appearance of zeal and affected meekness, to justify, encourage, and promote, after having formally promised to prevent, an odious act of spoliation, the inevitable consequences of which would be to establish everywhere force in the place of right. . . . . Who but must feel that to annul a right so sacred is to annul every other right ? To despoil the Sovereign in the person of the successor of St. Peter is to menace all sovereigns ; and to overthrow his throne, which has stood & thousand years, is to sap the foundations of every throne. . . . . Thus, in this common danger, to the voice of the episcopacy, which has raised the cry of alarm, are joined other voices no less courageous, no less zealous, in support of the cause of right and of liberty, confounded, anti attacked at the-

same time as they are in their august representative the Pontiff-King How mitcn to be regretted is it that, under the pressure which now keeps. down in the depths of the heart the most noble sentiments, the absence of a wise liberty, abandoning to the mercy of arbitrary will all rights and all grinciples, leaves without defence, without protection,, without guarantee, ' the dearest interest of France, of religion, and of society.!" M. Emile 011ivier had a final hearing before the Court of Correctional . Appeals on the 17th. In answer to the interrogatories of the President as to the corpus delicti, M. °Bleier said that being engaged as COUnri to defend M. Vaeherot, he had scarcely spoken for the space of a minutia before he was interrnpted by the presiding judge. What he said textu- ally was this :—" The first condition, the first law for an advocate or- guing a case of this kind, should be extreme moderation. You have heard a warm speech for the prosecution in which M. Vacherot is repre- sented as a communist, and in which an appeal has been made to pas- sions that is bad, and I regret it. I would remind you that we are organs of cool reason." He denied having said, "the reguiaitoire appeals to the most violent passions," or "the most irritating passions." He would " explain " but not retract." After the the tribunal had retired to deliberate and returned to court, M. 011ivier said—" I admit having said that the speech, and not the public minister, had appealed to pas- sions. I did not attack the person of the magistrate. But if the man is beyond my right of attack, his speech is not so." The judges listened to the short speech following the above remark with great interest M. Plocque, on the part of M. 011ivier, cited various precedents to show that a prisoner's counsel had never been expected to treat the public minister in the same humble and deferential manner as the judge; and strength- ened his case with extracts from speeches of M. Delangle, M. Mocquard, M. Dapin, containing far more violent attacks upon the public minister than anything M. 011ivier had said. M Chaix d'Est Ange made "a dead set" against M. 011ivier, and contended that the public minister was never impassioned, and that it was an offence in an advocate to say that he was. The court confirmed the suspension of M. 011ivier. The dis- gust of the bar is described as being intense.

t 11'—The country is full of activity, and what look like prepara- tions for war. The Austrian posts on the Venetian frontier have been drawn more together. The people in the Marches are very disaffected. Naples and Austria are openly aiding the Pope in the recruitment of his army; and the Neapolitan army seems to be equipping itself for work. The entry of King Victor Emmanuel into Milan on the 15th, can only be compared to the famous entry after Magenta in June, 1859. The town was full of guests from all parts of Italy; flags bedecked the streets ; the National Guard was out; the people were there in thousands ; and all was spontaneous. There were no policemen or gendarmes. The Sardinian and French troops, of course, were prominent; but the scene had no other aspect of officiality. The King was accompanied by the Prince of Carignan and Count Cavonr. He was met by the Marquis d'Azeglio, the municipal authorities, and Marshal Valliant The cheer- ing would have been enjoyed by a Briton, it was so hearty and pro- longed. In the evening, the King was present at La Scala, when the audience exhausted itself in loyal and patriotic cries. Governor Farini has visited Ravenna and Ferrara ; in both places he was greeted with popular rejoicings. Baron Ricasoli has forbidden the

distribution of Guerazzi's democratic protestation, the views contained in which are refuted in an article in the Government journal, La Nazione. The Espero states that Signors Bassi and Andreozzi, who were im- prisoned for taking part in a conspiracy in favour of the Grand Duke, had been pardoned and set free, and that Signor Andreozzi was going to

set out for Turin on his way to Switzerland.

M. Thouveners despatch of the 12th was presented on the 19th, by the Duke of Gramont to Cardinal Antonolli. The Secretary Of the Roman

States has in his reply confined himself to stating that immediately upon receiving the orders of the Sovereign Pontiff he will place the Nuncio at Paris in a position to communicate the intentions of the Papal Govern- ment. The most influential members of the Holy College affirm that the Pope holds in readiness a motu proprio already signed realizing the promises of Gaeta, but that before promulgating it Pius IX. demands that the patrimony of St. Peter shall be guaranteed to him.

f ineark.—Bishop Monrad has arrived at Copenhagenr and has agreed to form a Cabinet. He differs widely from the preceding Minister. ePIIII111111.—The Austrian Government has granted certain privileges to the Jews. They may possess real property, but not exercise the rights of patronage, jurisdiction, or school representation. In Galicia, Bokowina, and Cracow, the rights enjoyed by Christians connected with the possession of real property are granted to those Jews who have been educated at the colleges, or at commercial, nautical, or mining academies, or who are officers in the army.

At the sitting of the Federal Diet on the 18th the committee on the affairs of Holstein proposed-

" That the King of Denmark be requested to fulfil the promises of 1851 and 1852, and to grant an assembly of delegates. That the royal rights in reference to general and special affairs be maintained, but that no general laws be promulgated without the consent of the Diet of Holstein."

The vote of the Federal Diet on these proposals will take place on the 8th of March.

The Xing of Hanover has consented to submit the question of the Stade dues to general conferences. The English and other Governments interested in the question have requested Hanover to state the amount she claims for the redemption of the dues, in order to serve as a basis for the conferences as Denmark did for the Sound dues.

A telegram from Vienna, received last night, gives the substance of Count Rechberg's reply to the English proposals. "After compliments" the summary proceeds :—

" Passing to the examination of the four points proposed by England, Count Rechberg points out, under the question of non-intervention, two es- sential things—lat, the principle of the right of intervention, and 2d, the opportunity for its application. Without prejudging the principle in any way, the Austrian Cabinet recognizes that, in the present circumstances, there is no opportunity either for Austria or France to interfere in Central Italy. The second .point, as Count Rechberg observes, now applies to France alone, Austria having withdrawn her troops from all parts of Italy not under her domination. Referring to the third point, which regards the interior organization of Venetia, Count Rechberg declares that although this question must remain quite extraneous to the negotiations between the Powers, the Emperor of Austria loyally maintains all the promises of Villa- franca as regards Venetia. If these promises have not yet been realized, the fault can only be attributed to the intrigues and continual provocations of the Italian revolutionary party, which no longer conceals its intention of turning these concessions against Austria herself, in order to deprive her of Venetia. As regards the fourth point, Count Rechberg considers it useless at the present moment to engage in a discussion of the principle of the pro- posed combination for the settlement of the affairs of Italy. "Austria confines herself to the expression of her own conviction, that the reestablishment of the former dynasties and the realization of the pro- ject of an Italian confederacy would much better guarantee the future pros- perity of the Peninsula. She will leave it to time and the course of events to confirm the justice of her judgment." Spak.—There is nothing new from the head-quarters of the Spanish army. O'Donnell is still encamped at Tetuan. Some negotiations for peace have been entered upon, and General Ustaritz has really set out, from Madrid, carrying it is said carte-blanche to O'Donnell. The re- ported demands of the Spanish Cabinet are some what exorbitant It is said they require- " 1. That a port on the Atlantic coast shall be conceded to Spain for ever ; 2. That forty square leagues of conquered territory shall also be given up to her for the establishment of such military posts as she shall think fit; 3. That an indemnity of 500,000,000 reals (125,000,000fr.) shall be paid in the space of six years; and, 4. That the Spaniards shall occupy. retuan, and the banks of the river from that town to the sea, until the indemnity be paid."

Melilla has been attacked by the Moors. The Spaniards only beat them off with great loss to themselves.

The Correepondeneia Au tografa states in a correspondence from Tetuan, dated the 16th instant, that Marshal O'Donnell has transmitted to the Moors the following bases for the conclusion of peace, viz :—The possession of all the territory conquered, including Tetuan. An in- demnity of 200,000,000 rads. An engagement to respect the Catholic religion and grant commercial stipulations favourable to Spain. A truce, terminating on the 23d, is granted for a reply, but it is doubted that the Moors will accept these terms.

rrsta,—Sir Henry Rawlinson, British Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of Persia arrived at Teheran on the 21st of December. He was met by Mohammed Khan Mirza Hassi Khan' Chief Secretary of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mahmoud Khan, Minister of Police, and Sartip Khadi Khan, former Mechmander to the Honourable Mr. Murray. According to custom, tea, coffee, dried fruits, and pipes awaited the British Ambassador on the route to his residence.

nil 8.—Advices from Calcutta to the 9th of January were received on Saturday afternoon. There is little news of general interest in the newspapers. Lord Canning had gone to Lahore to receive all the Sikh chiefs. Thence he would pass on to Peshawur. Mr. Wilson was at Lahore investigating the Punjaub system of taxation. It is said he thinks of reviving a licence tax on the English principle which is said to be 3000 years old in India. Sir Bartle Frere had arrived at Calcutta, and Mr. Ricketts had resigned.

From Bombay the news is to the 17th of January. It contains state- ments of the force to be sent to China; but there Is some reason to be- lieve that a force smaller than that at first contemplated will sail east- ward. The list comprises the numbers of fourteen regiments of foot, and a general reference to Native Infantry Volunteers, with a propor- tion of Native and European artillery and engineers. At a late sitting of the Legislative Council at Madras, Sir C. Jackson moved the first reading of a bill "to provide for the dissolution of cer- tain marriages entered into by Christian converts before their conver- sion." Sir Charles explained that, by the Hindoo and Mahomedan laws, conversion dissolved the marriage-tie, and that by our law if a married convert remarried he was guilty. of bigamy; so that the convert was "thus compelled to remain a married man without a wife." The bill provides that if the heathen wife or husband refuse to live with the Christian wife or husband for two years after being questioned by the Zillah judge, that the parties shall be divorced; if there are children then the period before a dissolution can take place is fixed at four yearn. The expense of the proceedings is to fall on the convert. Mr. Sconce having seconded the motion, the bill was read a first time.

anif tit tait5.—Advices from New York to the 11th have come to hand. The Washington correspondent of the New York Herald says- " Minister Faulkner has, in accordance with the views announced in President Buchanan's first annual Message, been instructed to propose to the French Government the removal of its discriminating duties both on ton- nage and on articles the growth, produce, or manufacture of the one coun- try. when arriving in vessels belonging to the other, which restrietions seriously affect American commerce. The object is to obtain such principles of reciprocity as this Government has secured with other nations, France being the only exception."

[Mr. Faulkner has arrived in Paris. He was present at the festival given there by the American Consul in honour of Washington's birth- day.] In -the House of Representatives at Washington on the 10th a resolu- tion was offered which calls on the President to furnish copies of all communications which have been received from the British Govern- ment and their officers on the subject of the African slave trade since Fe- bruary 1858, and copies of all the correspondence between the British and United States Governments on the subject of the slave-trade. On the motion of Mr. Morris, the Committee on Commerce was di- rected to inquire into the expediency of prohibiting by law all American vessels engaging in the Coolie-trade and for transporting apprentices to the West Indies or other parts of the world.

sling Sight —The Nova Scotian Cabinet had resigned on the 22d instant. A new Ministry had been formed under Mr. Wm. Young. The following will probably be the new Government :—Honourable Win. Young, Leader of the Government (without office). Honourable Joseph Howe, Provincial Secretary. Honourable Adams Archibald, Attorney- General. Other offices yet unknown. The House was adjourned for a month.