forrign nub Colonial.
FEANCE.—The great business in France last Sunday and Monday was the voting for the Empire. For an account of all that has occurred the Honiteur is the sole authority. It reports, that in the Department of the Seine there were for the Empire 210,658, against it 54,753 ; and that as. far as the votes were ascertained in the army, the Empire had been ac- cepted by 166,335 to 5779 ; in the navy by 22,630 to 1011. The returns are by no means complete as yet ; nor can the number who abstained be accurately stated, even according to the official calculation. It is said that the rural population voted "en masse "; and that the abstentions have been less than in December 1851. On the other hand, reports are plenti- ful enough, stating that thousands in Paris, alone, are set down as having voted, who are known to have abstained. Persons who watched the polling-places say that they were by no means well attended ; and others who know what Paris looks like when a contested election is really going on say that the difference was perceptible. he Legislative Corps met on Thursday, and the Minister of State, M. Fould, read a message from the President, in which he says the Govern- ment will only change in form; and that, devoted to the great interests which are brought forth by intellect and carried out by peace, it will, as in the past, maintain itself within the limits of moderation. This mes- sage was received with unanimous acclamations of "Vive rEmpereur !"
Ordtrs have been sent to the port of L'Orient from Paris, that the screw line-of-battle ships Annibal and Wagram shall be completed in the course of next year, and that a screw frigate of the first class shall be
ITALY.—The Sardinian Parliament met on the 19tb, and held a format sitting. Massimo d'Azeglio was present, sitting in the Centre. Count
Cavour had been very unwell, but was now recovered. There were not enough Deputies present to make a House on the 20th; but in the Com- mittees it was resolved that a deputation of the House should attend the funeral of the Abbe Gioberti.
The remains of the Abbe arrived at Turin on the memorable 18th November, and were placed in the Church of San Pietro in Vincoli. In Tuscany, the Grand Duke has reestablished the guillotine for crimes against religion, overt offences against the Government, murder, and robbery with violence. Execution of the law is to be speedy. False tes- timony "in favour of the accused," seven years' hard labour. The Police- are armed with new authority, giving them a discretionary power to punish,. even when offences are not proved, and power to search on suspicion.
The Milan Gazette of the 16th announces that two persons Morosini, of Venice, and Morelli, had been sentenced by the court-martial of Bo- logna to two years' imprisonment, for having posted up in the streets in- cendiary writings, on the anniversary of the execution by the Austrians of the priest Ergo Bassi, one of the leaders of the National party in 1849.
Russis.—The funeral of the Duke of Leuchtenberg was celebrated at St. Petersburg on the 4th, at the church of St. John of Jerusalem. The Emperor, his sons, and all the Foreign Ministers, attended.
UNITED STATE13.—By the Washington, which left New York on the 6th instant, arrived off Cowes on Sunday, and landed her mails, on her way to Bremen, we have full confirmation of the election of Franklin Pierce. According to tables of the votes, Pierce has been not only elected, but elected by the largest majority ever accorded to any candidate. In two States only, Massachusetts and Vermont, did General Scott obtain a ma- jority. The figures of the totals are of great interest. The total majority for Pierce was, in votes, 196,200, in electors 278. Scott's majority waa in votes 17,300, in electors 18. [It may be convenient to remind the reader, that the people of the United States do not vote directly for the President, but that they elect electors—always of known sentiments. The original gross poll, however, is an index of popular feeling, and is always looked to, as well as the wring of the electors. The figures above given are not the gross either of the popular votes or of the electors' votes, but only the neat majorities.]
Mr. Webster's friends in Massachusetts met on the 3d instant to "or- ganize" a new party. They agreed to the following resolutions- " That, as friends of Daniel Webster, and faithful disciples of the political doctrines which it was the aim of his life and public labours to establish, we hereby constitute ourselves an American Union party. That the fundament- al principles of our party are fidelity to the Union and the Constitution, and the election to office of men of known political integrity, capacity, and sound principles. That it is our duty as a Union party to sustain any national Administration, of whatever name, which is practically conducted according to the maxims of policy laid down by Washington and Webster."
It is now said that the next Cuban expedition will depart from St. Domingo. Under cover of supporting the St. Domingo people against Soulouque, Emperor of Hayti, who threatens invasion, a body of well- armed American "emigrants" are to land in St. Domingo ; and, having acquired a footing in the country, obtain possession of the govern- ment, after the manner of the appropriation of Texas. For this purpose, expeditions are said to be fitting out, particularly in Georgia, under an act of incorporation from that State. As a pendant to this wonderful ru- mour, we hear that Spain, on the slightest appearance of a movement against St. Domingo, will take possession of that part of the island, upon the plea that she has never formally given up her right to it. This would be done in order to prevent the Yankees from concentrating a Cuban ex- peditionary force at St. Domingo.
Commodore M'Auley, commander of the United States fleet in the Pacific, has formally notified to the officers of all American vessels, that he must abstain from protecting them should they attempt to take guano without the proper sanction from the Peruvian authorities.
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