ffortign anti eolonial.

FRANcE.—King Louis Philippe opened the session of the Chambers (the fourth since the last general election) on Saturday. The King left the Tuileries at one o'clock, in a carriage, accompanied by his four sons; and a numerous military suite followed in other carriages. The line of passage from the Palace to the Chambers was kept on the one side by the National Guard and on the other by the regular troops. It was observed that among the National Guard the cheering was more unanimous than usual; and when his Majesty entered the Chamber of Deputies, amid the assem- bled Ministers, Peers, and national Representatives, he was received with loud acclamations. The Queen, leading the Count of Paris, and accom- panied by the Princesses of her family, had preceded the King, and the ladies were already seated when he entered. Having taken his seat on the throne, the King delivered the following speech- " Gentlemen, Peers and Deputies—In calling you together around me, I am happy to think that we can congratulate each other on the general state of our country. I am confident that the good understanding of the powers of the state, and the maintenance of our policy of order and conservatism, will insure more and more the regular development of our institutions, and the progress of the national prosperity. " My Government has proceeded with the execution of the great works which you have voted. The measures necessary for fully carrying them out will be pro- posed to you. We shall thus in a few years have given to France, on the one hand, powerful guarantees of security, and on the other, the means of extending its fruitful industry, and of spreading prosperity throughout all parts of our terri- tory and among all classes of the population. At the same time that these im- portant results have been attained, the state of our finances has become from day to day more satisfactory. " The financial laws, and various other laws which have for object to intro- duce important ameliorations into the administration, will be immediately laid before you. "I continue to receive from all foreign powers pacific and amicable assurances. I hope that the policy that has maintained general peace through so many storms will one day do honour to the memory of my reign. [Here the Journal des De- bats records " Prolonged marks of assent, and cries from all parts of ' Vice it Roil' "] " The friendship which unites me with the Queen of Great Britain, and of which she has lately given me so affectionate a proof, and the mutual confidence of our two Governments, have happily insured the good and intimate relations of the two states. The convention concluded between us to put an end to the odious traffic in slaves is at this moment in the course of execution. Thus, by the cor- dial cooperation of the maritime forces of the two states, the slave-trade will be effectually put down, and at the same time our commerce will be again placed under the exclusive surveillance of our flag. [" A very marked movement of satisfaction."] "1 have reason to hope that the joint exertions of France and England will bring about on the banks of the Plata the reestablishment of regular and pacific commercial relations, the only object of our efforts. "Events which 1 deplore, but which have displayed anew the heroism of our soldiers, have troubled our possessions in Africa. I have taken prompt measures to insure that the domination of France shall everywhere maintain the force and ascendancy which belongs to it. With the aid of tune, our energetic perseverance will lay the foundation of the security and prosperity of Algeria. [ Tres Bien! ties been! "] "Gentlemen, you have given me your loyal concurrence in the great and diffi- cult task which the will of the nation has called on me to fulfil Providence has blessed our efforts. It has also granted to me precious consolations in my family. Wherever they have appeared, my sons, I am confident, have worthily sustained the name of France. My grandsons increase in number, and grow under my eyes. My dearest wish and my fondest hope is, that by our devotion to France, by our zeal in serving it well, its affection may be insured to us, and the intimate union of my country and of my family be lastingly confirmed."

The close of the speech was followed by loud acclamations of applause. The Peers and Deputies appointed since the last session took the oaths; the Keeper of the Seals declared the session of the Chambers to be opened; and the King departed as he came, with renewed cries of" Vive le Roil"

On Monday, a ballot was taken for the election of President; and M. Sauzet was reelected by more than the required majority (183): the num- bers for him and the other candidates were as follows—M. Sauzet, 213; M. Dufaure, 147; M. Dupin, 3; M. Gallon Barrot, 1.

On Tuesday, the four Vinisterial candidates for the Vice-Presidency were elected by corresponding majorities,—namely, MM. Bignon, Lepelle- tier d'Aulnay, de Belleyme, and Duprat. The Secretaries of last year were reelected,—MM. de L'Espde, Boissy d'Anglas, Las Cams, and La- crosse. The last, according to a usual concession of one at least out of the four Secretaries, belongs to the Opposition.

ALGERIA.—Advices from Algiers to the 18th December, official and otherwise, represent Abd-el-Kader in hasty retreat, pursued by General Jonssouff. One night the pursuer received intelligence from a prisoner which almost enabled him to surprise the Emir: the fires in his camp were still burning when the French troops entered it. The death of Bou- Man, often reported, is once more said to be certain; and the Arabs are described as abandoning their revolt..

Mohammed-Ben-Abdallah, brother of Bon-Maza, who was condemned to death on the 15th November last, for exciting the Arab tribes to revolt, had obtained from the Royal clemency a commutation of his punish- ment to perpetual imprisonment in France, in the lie Sainte Marguerite.

Roma AND RUSSIA.—The Times relates an interview which took place at the late visit of the Emperor Nicholas to Rome, between that potentate and Pope Gregory-

" The 'aged and infirm Pontiff of Rome saw before him 4 ,tern Herculean Prince, whose absolute power rests upon 500,000 bayonets, anti whose person is throughout his dominions the object of all but divine honours. * * The interview commenced by a royal accolade; and the subjects to which the conver- sation turned partook of a political as much as of a religions character. Cardinal Acton was present as interpreter on the occasion; and, if we may attach credit to the accounts which were freely circulated in Rome, and which are believed to originate with that eminent person, the conduct of the Pope was exceedingly dig- nified, energetic, and worthy of the head of the Latin Church. Without shrinking for an instant from personal communication with a Sovereign who is accustomed to inspire fear rather than to conciliate affection, and who might be regarded in the presence-chamber of the Vatican as an enemy rather than a rival, Gregory XVi at ones threw off the reserve of his mild monastic habits, and challenged the Emperor of Russia to give an account of the Roman Catholic populations which tremble beneath his sceptre. He laid before the Czar full statements of the per- secutions of the Roman Catholic Church in Russia, founded upon testimony more unequivocal than Rome is wont to require for the justification of her martyrs, and drawn up in forcible terms by Cardinal Mezzofante and Father Rillo, of the order of the Jesuits. He declared that he should fail in the solemn duty of his sacred office if he omitted to lay before the Emperor the evidence of facts which had startled all Christendom with horror at the renewal of persecutions worthy of the days of Pagan Emperors. And when the Autocrat alluded to the laws of his empire, as a pretext for the conduct attributed to some of his agents and to certain Prelates of the Russian Church, the Pope is said to have replied with uncommon force and dignity, that the laws of the Russian empire were human laws, which might be changed by the sole will of the Potentate to whom he was speaking ; but that the laws for which his Holiness was bound to contend for the protection of his children in the Russian empire, were immutable and divine. Gregory XVI was right; and on this occasion aeleast the Pope was pleading for the rights of conscience and the religious liberty of man. Whatever else remained of Poland may be well nigh crushed under the fierce policy of her ruler • but the head of her Church is be- yond his control, and the faith of her children appeals not in vain from Nicholas to a higher tribunal.

" We know not how far the assurances of the Emperor inspired confidence and hope to the venerable Pontiff, but these remonstrances were received with every mark of deference; and although the Pope did not think fit to return the Imperial visit, it was repeated before the Emperor left the Eternal City. It is, however, evident that even on this memorable occasion, when we readily believe that the Pope did not neglect his sacred duty, political considerations of slower order were not without their weight on either side. The Emperor is well aware of the ad- vantage to be derived, even to his own policy, from a better understanding be- tween his Government and the Roman Catholic Church in his dominions: the Court of Rome could not forget that the interests of its temporal power in Italy may fnd support in the Cabinet of St. Petersburg. * *

Like all the princes of his race, the Emperor Nicholas is abrupt and violent in his feelings, and consequently he frequently abuses his inordinate power. But we are disposed to believe that he is not a stranger to generous impulacs; and that the touching language of the Pope, appealing directly to those principles of temporal and spiritual power which the Emperor of Russia enthusiastically pro- fesses, was eminently calculated to affect him. Such is certainly the impression his visit has left at Rome. For the first time in his life, he listened with patience to a declaration of right, sanctified in his eyes by that venerable character which even the Eastern Church acknowledges in the successor of St. Peter; and accom- panied by circumstances which may, we trust, mitigate the asperity of his policy, and bring more forcibly to his mind the duties and obligations of a Christian Sovereign."

INDIA.—The Bombay overland mail of the 1st December brings import- ant intelligence from the Punjaub; the advices from Lahore coming down to the 14th November, from Ferozepore to the 18th. The office of Vizier had been conferred upon Lall Singh, the Ranee's paramour; ostensibly by lot; though it was arranged, as a matter of course, that the name of the favoured candidate should be drawn. Meanwhile, there were several sources of disturbance in the country: the troops at Peshawur, the people at Jesrowta, and the Rajah Gholab Singh, were all in a state of contumacy; and the Ranee, still at the fort of Umritsir, was in trouble for money to pay her troops. However, a favourable turn took place. Gholab Singh sent in a propitiatory message; a victory was achieved at Jesrowta; and the Ranee obtained some cash. She visited Govindghur, and demanded a part of the treasures secured there by Runjeet Singh. She was opposed by the officers and men in charge; who said there was an order by Runjeet Singh prohibiting the removal of money from the fort, except in case of necessity, such as " war against a public enemy." Eventually, the Queen obtained ten lacks; which were expended in completing the payment of the troops.

Attention was now concentrated on another subject—the rumoured invasion of the Punjaub by the British; and great preparations were made to resist. The army was newly organized, and placed under three com- manders; deserters from the British camp were taken into the service on good pay; some Zemindars from the South bank of the Sutlej attended the Ranee's durbar, and promised a rising of the people to oppose the British; the Rajah of Pattialah, one of the " protected" states, sent) offers of assist- ance; and some Zemindars on the North bank of the river undertook a foray into the British territory. To these offers the Ranee appears to have replied with advice to keep quiet for the present. At the latest date from Lahore, large bodies of Sikh troops were marching towards the river; but it is asserted that great want of unanimity prevailed among them. In the mean time, the British authorities were acting with diligence and caution: the troops were placed in a condition for immediate service; and the Governor-General hastened his movements: he left Delhi on the 19th. November, was to meet the Commander-in-chief in Umballah on the 26th, and was expected to reach Ferozepore on the 20th December.

The principal news from Scinde was, that Islam Khan, a Boogtie chief, who escaped to the Northward on the discomfiture of Bejar Khan and his associates, had at length consented to surrender himself to Captain Tabor at Sbahpoor.

" We hear," says the Bombay Times, " that a proposition for an exchange of territory with our ally, Meer Ali Moored, is now before Government. The Ameer, it is said, is to get Meerpore and Oobaroh, which are on the East side of the Indus, and border on the Bhawulpore state; and the Bri- tish are to have Kusmore and the Boordec country on the West. We are told that the Muzzarees have been driving away the people from the fron- tier; and, if this be the case, another ' little war' may perhaps be the con- sequence of the exchange."

The Overland Price Current, transmitted by the Bombay Chamber of Commerce, gives an unfavourable report of mercantile affairs- " The business of the past fortnight has been limited, and there is little change to notice in the general aspect of the market for European goods. The accounts from the agricultural districts to the Northward continue very gloomy; and should the present apprehension as to the deficiency of the crops be realized, there can be no doubt that the result will be highly unfavourable as regards the de- mand for British manufactures. Money is just now somewhat scarce at the Pre- sidency; and the Bank of Bombay, on the 28th ultimo, raised its rate of discount upon draughts from 6 to 8 per cent." A collision between two steamers had taken place at sea near Bombay, on the night of the 29th November. The steamers were the Sir James Carnac, on the passage to Tankaria Bonder, and the Parsee, returning from that port laden with opium and treasure, to the amount of 315,000 rupees. The crew and passengers of the Parsee were all saved; but the vessel and cargo went down on the spot. The Carnac returned to Bombay on the 30th.

UNITED STATES.—The mail-steamer Cambria arrived at Liverpool on Sunday, with accounts twelve days later than those brought by the Sea; the steamer having left Boston on the 16th December. Copies of the docu-' ments referred to in the President's message have now come to hand. The most important of them is the official correspondence on the subject of the Oregon territory;' and it, though important, has no novelty to repay the reader for its enormous length.

At the departure of the Cambria, an impression prevailed that the nego- tiation was about to be reopened, Mr. Pakenham suggesting it; but we see nothing to encourage it in the tenour of the correspondence between that gentleman and Mr. Buchanan. Another report was that the scene of ne- gotiation would be shifted to London.

Congress were busily engaged in making the usual arrangements pre- paratory to the commencement of the regular business. As an index to the reports likely to emanate from the respective Committees, the political complexion of the members is mentioned; and it is told that the Committee on Foreign Affairs, chosen by the Senate, presents an Anti-British tinge: Mr. Allen, the new Chairman, is violently Anti-British and warlike. The similar Committee of the House of Representatives comprises " eight Democrats to one Whig." The constitution of the Committee on "Ways and Means" is supposed to insure a report on the Tariff favourable to diminished duties.

A memorial from the American settlers in Oregon had been presented to each House, praying for protection. The memorialists advise the House of Representatives to take "exclusive possession of the country," and send a military force adequate to its retention; but the recommendations to the Senate are of a more cautious character. Dr. Elijah White, the bearer of these memorials, is to ask for a seat in Congress, as the representative of the enterprising settlers.