fortign ant Colonial.

Irsarr.—The Patrie and,the Pays—M. Granier de Cassagnac writing in the latter—have been asserting that England has provoked insur- rections in Sicily for the purpose of ultimately acquiring that island. Simultaneously, Le Nord published an article in which it improved upon the malignity of the Paris journals, and imputed to English gold and English agents the Carlist escapade ! The language of M. Grainier de Cassagnac was very bitter, and openly charged England with the offence of making the peace of Villafranca sterile. The two French journals were rebuked by their Government in a note " communiqué " on Monday. It was worded as follows— "On the occasion of the attempts at insurrection which have taken place in Spain and Sicily, two journals, the Pays and the Patrie, contain re- grettable imputations against a neighbouring power. These journals should the less have accepted these imputations because, as they themselves ad- mit, they are devoid of all authenticity." The Patrie humbly inserted this communique at the head of its co- lumns in the form of a warning, and abstains from all comment, but the Pays subjoined the following paragraph, which is in substance a repetition of the charge .— " We most fully adhere to the idea which dictated this communique, and we shall always be happy to believe that the country alluded to remains everywhere faithful to principles of order worthy of such a government. RevOlutionary ideas have but too powerful an empire, and too many ad- herents, and it is to be wished that all the great nations should combine to oppose them."

M. Grainier de Cassagnac charged England by insinuation with being the enemy of Italy. The Italians are republishing our blue-book to show that, but for the strenuous exertions of our Government, they would not have been allowed to decide upon their own affairs.

Tie paragraph "communique," it has been pointed out, contains two curious expressions. The first is the reference to England as a " neigh- bouring power," which is a very chilling definition of a " friendly ally." The second is "devoid of all authenticity," a phrase not equivalent in French to "devoid of all foundation." "Devoid of all authenticity " means that the statement given in the congenial columns of the Patric and Pays was merely informal, but it does not say it was untrue; it would imply that the charge was real, though the proofs to establish it are incomplete. In fact, the phrase resembles the Scotch verdict, " Not _proven." There is reason to believe that these phrases were intention- ally employed, and that they did not come from the Home Office, but 'from the secret recesses of the Tuileries. It is a curious fact "that one or. two of the persons implicated in the Carlist affair are nearly related to the Montijo family. What is near and dear to Madrid cannot be indifferent to Paris. A message was sent off on Monday or Sunday last to Madrid, requesting Queen Isabella to spare the lives of the favoured parties. Queen Isabella is said to have replied, that those who, made this request appeared to forget that she was ji Constitutional Sovereign ; that she could not take upon herself to re- mit, any more than to inflict punishment, without the advice of het res- ponsible Ministers ; and, moreover, that the parties arrested could not be considered as criminals until they had been tried and condemned by the proper tribunals."

It it said that a new . pamphlet is about to appear from the pen of an anonymous writer, to be called La Coalition ; not a coalition of kings against France, which the author regards as dead and buried, but the coalition of peoples, who, according to the expression of the Emperor, turn their eyes when suffering towards France. It is said that the au- thor of La Coalition makes light of the treaties of 1815, which have a few more rents to undergo in order to become worthless rags, and be hopes . that in future treaties the territorial position which is suited to France, and which she merits, will be assigned to her. The author, in fact, points to the enlargement of the future frontiers of France.

The Vienna correspondent of the Times writes as follows, touching the question of Savoy and Switzerland :- " Several of the Berne correspondents of. the German and Austrian papers affirm that England, Prussia, Austria, and Russia, have agreed to address a collective note to France, ' which they, in the most positive language, will uphold the claims of Switzerland to the Northern part of Savoy,' but the news is incorrect. More than one attempt has been made by England to establish a certain unity of action between herself, Russia, Austria, and Prussia, but the two first-mentioned Powers refuse to pledge themselves to auy particular line of conduct. Russia is probably bound to France by secret ties, and Austria is offended with England because she has displayed so much sympathy for the Italians. It is said that there is an excel- lent understanding between the British and Prussian Governments, but there • is little intercourse between the Russian and Austrian Cabinets. About a week ago, Prince Gortachakoff replied to the appeal made by the Swiss Go- vernment to Russia, as a.party to the treaties of 1814 and 1815; but the an- swer was not very inspiriting, as it contained no positive promise that the claims of Switzerland to Chablais, Faucigny, and Carnage, should be up- held. Up to the 2d instant, no official reply had been given by Austria to the Swiss Government, but it is believed that the Imperial Government in- tends to let Switzerland have the benefit of its good offices."

The Paris correspondent of the Morning Post says :—

• "I think we shall find the five great Powers of Europe agreeing to meet in Conference to take into consideration the integrity of Switzerland as affected bythe annexation of Savoy and Nice, and the views of France regarding the neutral States. England, Prussia, Russia, and Austria seem to desire such a solution of difficulties, and I believe France will meet the views of ' those Powers." An eminent shipwright of Bordeaux has presented to the Emperor 1 the model of a gunbmt constructed on a system to be propelled without steam. The Emperor has approved the model, and has ordered the in- ventor to build a gunboat according to his plan.

The Minister of War is occupied with the improvement of the cavalry. It was perceived in Italy that the cavalry was not as efficacious during that campaign as on former occasions. This arose from the fact of the infantry soldiers being armed with rifles, by which they were enabled to reach the cavalry at a long distance, and thus destroy the efficacy of their charge. Manoeuvres are to be tried at the camp of Chalona and at Luneville, which it is hoped will restore to the cavalry their ancient prestige.

The following extract from a speech by M. Rouher, the Minister of Agriculture and Commerce, at the cattle show of Poissy last week, de- monstrates the great advantages French farmers will derive from the late Treaty of Commerce concluded between England and France :- " To increase the quantity of cultivated land and its productive power is to resolve one of the terms of the problem—will the increase of consumption sustain and remunerate these efforts'? Were the French markets alone open to us, the progressive power of these markets would be a cause of se- curity, but the new commercial relations established with Great Britain— the modification of the Customs' tariff, which has been the consequence extend our horizon and facilitate the development of our strength. Eng- land offers us an ever-assured market for our col-n; our wines, and for every species of food. We exported to Great Britain in the year 1858 native pro- duce to the amount of 150,000,000f. If the Almighty protects our crops, if a more liberal code of laws should aid our commerce, our exports will receive a most active impulse." The Avenir Commercial demands that the Treaty of Commerce with England shall be modified with respect to the mode in which the duty on French wines imported into England is computed. The treaty says that French wines containing not more than 18 degrees of alcohol shall pay a duty equivalent to 63f. 30c., for a cask containing 228 litres, and all wines containing more than 18 degrees of alcohol shall pay for the same measure, 94f. 95c. The consequence of this arrangement, accord- ing to the Avenir Commercial, will be, that Bordeaux wines will pay half less duty on arriving in England than Burgundy wines, and that Bur- gundy will be sacrificed. Again, the strong, coarse wines of the Herault, which are shipped in such large quantities from Cette, will pay in Eng- land 50 per cent more duty than the most expensive Bordeaux wines. The Prefect of the Herault, and the Chamber of Commerce of Mont- pellier, supported by the Wine Commissioners, have, it is said, opened the eyes of the Emperor to this anomaly, and demonstrated to the con- tracting Powers the impossibility of equitably taxing wines on their arrival in England according to the quantity of alcohol they contain.

S 11•—The Parliament at Turin has been engaged in the tedious process of " verifying the powers " of the members ; in other words, ascertaining the validity of elections. Out of 338, only five were an- nulled, and only one of these had the savour of corruption about it. Some constitutional questions arose touching the construction of the law for- bidding placemen to sit in the Parliament. Two Professors, members of the Board of Health, Signor Bo and Signor de Maria, were elected. As Professors they were eligible, as placemen they were ineligible, but it was contended that the qualification destroyed the disqualification, and it was added that both gentlemen would be valuable members on account of their special knowledge. They were declared competent to sit. General Garibaldi had attempted to put a question to Count Cavour, respecting the annexation of Nice, but he had been declared out of order, because the

Chamber was not constituted. • An affecting incident occurred during the earlier sitting. General Quaglia, who took the chair as doyen, was seized with an apoplectic fit, while engaged in his duties as President. He was carried home, and carefully tended, but he died.

Signor Lanza has been elected President of the Chamber by a ma- jority of 129 to 90 votes. He is an old Parliamentarian. The Pays says that there is no doubt whatever of the approbation of the Sardinian Parliament of the cession of Savoy and Nice, and that in order the " better to ensure the success of the proposal Count Cavour has resolved to make it a cabinet question." The latter assertion shows what a bitter pill Sardinia is to be mas'e to swallow.

Count Cavour has done diplomatic battle with the Swiss confederation endeavouring to prove, and proving to his own satisfaction that the Swiss have little to do with the neutrality of Savoy, since it was rendered neutral in the interest of Sardinia, not of Switzerland. The Swiss Mi- nister at Turin rejoins by repeating his protest against the occupation of Northern Savoy by France. Count Cavour, on the 31st of March, thus explains the position of things.

" Turin, March 30.

" Monsieur l'EnvoyZ—I have received the note which you addressed me on the 28th, protesting in the name and by the order of your Goveroment against all civil or military taking possession by France of the provinces of Savoy to which the treaties of 1815 have extended the Swiss neutrality un- til an understanding has been come to on that subject between the Powers that guarantee that neutrality and Switzerland itself.

" The sentiments which the Government of the King professes for the Helvetic confederation, and the explanations which it has already hastened to give it, ought to be convincing that it appreciates in the most friendly manner the anxieties of the Federal Council, and that it will be happy to testify to it, as far as may depend on itself, the regard inspired in it by its connexion with a country which has constantly given it proofs of good neighbourhood.

" The very terms of the treaty, concluded on the 24th of this month at Turin, and to which the note you have transmitted me refers, exc.ude the idea that Sardinia has wished to alter the position in which the provinces in question have been placed by the treaty of Vienna. For the rest, the eventuality which the Federal Council appears to dread, and in view of which it has charged you to address to us new protestations, will not be realized.

"The neutralized territory of Savoy will not be occupied by the French trootesps. before the populations have freely pronounced on their future des- tin" In her desire of bringing about an arrangement satisfactory to all par- ties, France has herself invited the assembling of a conference to consult on the means of giving to Switzerland such guarantees as, in the opinion of the powers, may be necessary. "Let the Federal Council be so good, on its part, as to hasten the convo- cation of that conference,. and we have the firm hope that before long an understanding will be arrived at which will dissipate all anxieties. (Signed) "C. ass CAVOUlt."

Three divisions of the French army of occupation are to remain in Lombardy, under General d'Autemarre. The remainder will garrison Savoy and Nice. A French journal has reported that Count Cavour has yielded to France, and given leave for the entrance of Neapolitan troops into Um- bria and the Marches. The statement, says a Turin letter, is a complete fabrication. Having been questioned on this very project, the Count replied that the King of Naples and the Pope were the best judges of

their own conduct, as the King Vidor Emmanuel was of his ; and that the Sardinian Government, neither approving the project nor announcing its own determined opposition, would consider itself perfectly free to act as its own security might require. Next week the King of Sardinia will make azroyal progress into Cen- tral Italy, arriving at Florence, it is said, on the 20th.

Reports of insurrections in Sicily have floated about during the week. There has been fighting in Palermo and perhaps at Messina. The Turin papers assert that the insurrection was spreading and that there were 10,000 well-armed insurgents out in the island. On the other hand, the Neapolitan Government declares that "order reigns in Palermo and Sicily," but admits that there had been conflicts. It is suspicious that d continuous stream of reinforcements should flow into this scene of order.

The Times has published a list of forty two men imprisoned in the gaol of Santa Maria Apparente, one for ten, some for four, others for a lesser number of years, not one of whom has ever been tried. This in- famous conduct has been persisted in by the Government in spite of French and English intercession, and remonstrances without end. The tyranny at Naples is more grinding than ever.

A letter from Naples states that the combat at Palermo was very bloody, most of the insurgents having perished at the barricades. Several monks of the convent occupied and heroically, defended by the patriots, were seized and imprisoned. Reinforcements have been sent into Sicily. The commercial steamboats have been put into requisition, and the army in Sicily will be augmented to 30,000 men. Prince Castelcicala has returned to his post as governor of the island. Prince Filangieri has arrived in order to confer with the King. On the evening of the 6th an immense crowd, estimated to number 80,000, blocked up the Rue Toledo, at Naples, and raised numerous shouts of " Viva la Constitu- zione " before the residence of the Papal nuncio. The streets were quickly cleared by the patrols.

General Lamoriciere has been gazetted as Commander-in-chief of the Papal army. He is said to be satisfied with the material he has to work upon, and promises to make them into Papal Zouaves.

General Lamoriciere has issued an order of the day, in which he declares that he has not hesitated to resume his sword when required by the Pope. He continues thus :—"Catholic Christianity is the life of civilization. Europe is threatened by revolution, as it formerly was by Islamism. The cause of the Pope is that of civilization and liberty." The General concludes by exhorting the soldiers to have confidence in success of the cause which is intrusted to them.

The Espero of Turin says that Russia intends giving up its establish- ment at Villafranca, and has applied to the Sardinian Government for some place near the Gulf of La Spezia instead.

A decree of the King of Sardinia enacts that the flags destined for fortresses and for regiments of infantry and cavalry, shall bear in the

centre of white part the shield of Savoy, with the white cross on a red field, surrounded with blue, the whole surmounted with a royal crown embroidered in silk.

gin. —The Carlist insurrection has been of short duration. After the troops refused to fight for the Count of Monteinolin, Ortega fled ; but not far. He was captured at Calends, and in his company were " three personages of the highest rank," supposed to be, two of them, Monte- molin and his brother. This is doubted. Cabrera, it is now said, did not land in Spain at all. Notorious Carlists were seized in many places. The only demonstration took place at Bilboa, but it was utterly con- enrptible.

ungarti.—The 1st of April has gone by, and the Austrian Govern- ment has not deemed it expedient to fulfil its promise, and put in force the Patent Law of September affecting the Protestants. Baron Gabriel Pronay, the leader of the Lutherans, has published a summary in the daily papers, according to which, from 559 Lutheran communities, 226, comprising 306,786 members, have, up to the 31st of March, accepted the Imperial patent, whilst 333, comprising 543,712 members, have pro- tested against and rejected the ministerial decree. With the Calvinists, comprising more than two-thirds of the whole Protestant population of Hungary, the opposition to the illegal decree is still stronger. Out of 1500 parishes, including a population of 1,800,000 souls, not one has accepted the new organization. On the other hand, M. Martin Szenti- vinyl, the inspector of the Liptau district, has been sentenced to six months' imprisonment, and the sentence of eight months imprisonment in irons on M. Zsedenyi, who was the first that protested at Kaesmark against the patent of the 1st of September, has been confirmed by the Supreme Court of Justice. The chairman of the Kaesmark meeting, the Right Reverend L. Tapperczer, superintendent of the Eperies district, was deprived of his office on the 4th instant, as was likewise the Right Reverend Joseph Komfiromy, superintendent of the Lutheran district of Pal& Two significant events have occurred at Pesth. One was the funeral of the student, Gdza Forinyfih, killed by the police in the disturbance of the 15th of March. An eye-witness thus describes the scene:— "The funeral procession was opened by 300 students, colleagues of the deceased, all in the national costume ; the officiating priest, with a numerous suite, followed ; then came the coffin, borne on the shoulders by the Counts Gezi, Szapany, Gyula, Kardlyi, and Messrs. Blaskovie and Ken- deffy, and surrounded by sixty torchbearers, among whom I recognized the Counts Batthyfiny, Rarely', Regleires, and Testetios. Close behind the coffin walked the brother of the deceased, a captain of engineers in the Austrian army, accompanied by an imposing number of ladies and gentlemen clad in the national mourning costume; the empty hearse and some hundreds of carriages closed the procession. Ar- rived at the cemetery, a circle of ladies clad in mourning surrounded the open grave, and Countess Ellen Batthyhny put a laurel wreath, ornamented with the national colours, on the coffin. After the prayers were told, and the first clods were thrown into the grave, a young lady of sixteen stood up on a tombstone, and intonated with a clear voice, Voresmarty's celebrated national anthem,

• Oh, Magyar l by thy native land, With faithful heart abide : '

in which she was immediately joined by a chorus of thousands of voices, and when the song had ceased, Mr. Vezerle, a student and relative of the deceased, spoke a few words in his praise, which were followed by a thundering Long live Hungary !' Then the whole mass of people—esti- mated at no less than from fifty to sixty thousand—who had taken part in the ceremony, dissolved calmly, without the least disturbance. The police

did not interfere during all these proceedings, yet in the night from the 4th to 5th, Mr. Vezerle was arrested on the 'large of having incited the people against the authorities."

The second event was an entertainment in aid of the distresses of the Croats, now suffering from famine. The first ladies and gentlemen in the land, sang, played, and took part in tableaux vivant'. The Countess Bertha Nako was the heroine of the evening, for she played the national airs of Hungary, accompanied by a gipsy orchestra. As much as 201. were given for a stall or a box.

As an illustration of the unanimity of national feeling in Hungary, a correspondent mentions the will of Baron Josika.

"The late Chancellor of Transylvania, the Ultra Conservative Magnate, the friend of Prince Metternich, the statesman whom Count Rechberg gladly would have welcomed as colleague to the ministry, if he would but have ac- cepted office, has clearly expressed in his will that he had disposed of his property according to the ancient laws of his country, as he does not ac- knowledge for Hungary the validity of the Austrian code." Count Stephen Szechenyi, one of the most distinguished members of the Hungarian Government in 1848, committed suicide in the lunatic asylum at Dobling during the night of Saturday, the 7th instant. Few men have done more for his country than Szechenyi, and none deserves more ample honours from the Hungarian nation.

2.u5tria.—Count Rechberg is ill from overwork and anxiety. The Austrian Government has failed in getting any satisfactory contracts for a loan. The Emperor Francis Joseph is said to have set his face against conciliatory measures either in Venetia or Hungary. A correspondent of the Times at Trieste, furnishes some interesting particulars bearing upon the late gigantic frauds in the Austrian commis- sariat department revealed to the world by the suicide of General Eynatten :—

The deficit amounts to the astounding sum of no less than 17,000,000 florins, or 1,700,0001. sterling, of which 3,000,000 florins, or 300,0001., are laid to the charge of some of the leading capitalists of this city. One was imprisoned, two have fled, and others are undergoing forced examinations of books, papers, documents, &c. The strangest part of the tale is, however, that which is certainly the least known. It is said, and from the sources from whence I hear it I believe it is true, that at the celebrated meeting of the rival Emperors which led to the armistice, and subsequently to the pre- liminaries of the treaty of peace at Villafranca, when Napoleon and Francis Joseph were left quasi alone for nearly three quarters of an hour, the former, addressing the latter, said, 'Your Majesty would do well to listen to friendly and well-meant counsels. You are surrounded by traitors. Your Majesty believes that your fortress of Mantua is provisioned for six months ; I tell you,' emphatically raising his finger, it has not food for as many days. Test my information, and act accordingly.' And so it proved, and afforded another lesson also of the infinite superiority of the French over the Austrian system of espionnage. " To give some idea of the bare-faced effrontery of the fraud, and the number of accomplices necessary, one instance will suffice, though, if need- ful, I could adduce many others. Mantua is a walled city, and th'e bul- locks which were driven in at one gate passed through the town out at the opposite, and then, making the half circuit of the walls, reentered at the first gate, and every bullock made this parade five times ! The richest part of the -tale in connexion with Mantua is yet to come. A firm in Trieste made a contract with the Austrian Government for the hides of the bullocks supplied for the use of the troops. Now, although each bullock did duty living for five, still he could only be killed once, and supply one hide. The contractors, therefore, called upon and actually received from the Govern- ment the forfeit, as stipulated by contract, of one florin upon every hide abort delivered ; thus profiting to the extent of 30,000 forms for the non- delivery of the skins of animals which had never been killed! Solferino and Magenta might each have told another tale, had not the hunger caused by Austrian fraud weakened, if not paralyzed, Austrian valour. Enough of this for the present."

it Alter 41 itir5.—Advices from New York to the 31st of March have been received.

The President has sent the following message and protest to the House of Representatives. As it deals very fully with a great constitutional question, suggestive of vast issues, and illustrating the working of the American constitution, and as it tells its own story, we quote it entire.

" To the House of Representatives-

" After a delay which has afforded me ample time for reflection, and after much and careful deliberation, I find myself constrained by an imperious sense of duty, as a coordinate branch of the Federal Government, to protest against the first two clauses of the first resolution adopted by the House of Representatives on the 5th instant, and published in the Congressional Globe on the succeeding day. These clauses are in the following words :—

" Resolved,—That a committee of five members be appointed by the Speaker for the purpose, first, of investigating whether the President of the United States or any officer of the Government has, by money, patronage, or other improper means, sought to influence the passage of any law appertain- ing to the rights of any State or territory ; and second, also to inquire into and investigate whether any officer or officers of the Government have, by combination or otherwise, prevented or defeated, or attempted to prevent or defeat, the execution of any law or laws now upon the statute-book, and whether the President has failed or refused to compel the execution of any law theregf.'

"I conlne myself exclusively to these two branches of the resolution, be- cause the portions of it which follow relate to alleged abuses in the Poet- office, Navy-yards, public buildings, and other public works of the United States. In such cases, inquiries are highly proper in themselves, and belong equally to the Senate and House, as incident to their legislative duties, and being necessary to enable them to discover and provide appropriate legislative remedies for any abuse which may be ascertained. Although the terms of the latter portion of the resolution are extremely vague and general, yet my sole purpose in adverting to them at present is to make the broad line of dis- tinction between the accusatory and the remedial clauses of this resolution. The House of Representatives possesses no power under the Constitution over the first or acquieitory portion of the resolution, except as an impeach- ing body, while over the last, in common with the Senate, their authority as a legislative body is fully and cheerfully admitted. " It is solely in reference to the first or impeaching power that I presume to make a few observations. Except in this single case, the Constitution has invested the House of Representatives with no power, no jurisdiction, no supremacy whatever over the President. In all other respects, he is quite as independent of them as they are of him. As a coordinate branch of the Government, he is their equal. Indeed, he is the only direct representative on earth of the people of all and each of the sovereign States. To them, and them alone, is he responsible, while acting within the sphere of his constitutional duty, and not in any manner to the House of Representa- tives. " The people have thoughtproper to invest him with the most honour- able, responsible, and dignified office in the world, and the individual, how- ever unworthy, now holding this exalted position will take care, so far as in him lies, that their rights and prerogatives shall never be violated in his person, but shall pass to his successors unimpaired by the adoption of a dan- gerous precedent. He will defend them to the last extremity against any unconstitutional attempt, come from what quarter it may, to abridge the constitutional rights of the Executive, and render him subservient to any human power except themselves. " The people have not confined the President to exercise the Executive duties. They have also conferred upon him a large measure of legislative discretion. No bill can become a law without his approval, as representing the. people of the United States, unless it shall pass after his veto by a ma- jority of two-thirds of both Houses. In his legislative capacity he might, in common with the Senate and the House, institute inquiry to ascertain any facts which ought to influence his judgment in approving or vetoing any bill. This participating in the performance of legislative duties between co-

ordinate branches of the Government ought to inspire the conduct of all of them in their relation toward each other with mutual forbearance and res- pect; at least, each has a right to demand justice of the other. The cause of complaint is that the ooustitutional rights and immunities of the Execu- tive have been violated in the person of the President. The trial of an im- peachment of the President before the Senate, on charges preferred and pro- secuted against him, by the House of Representatives, would be an impo- sing spectacle for the world. In the result, not only his removal from the Presidential office would be involved, but, what is of infinitely greater im- portance to himself, his character both in the eyes of the present and of fu- ture generations might possibly be tarnished. The disgrace cast upon him would in some degree be reflected upon the character of the American peo- ple who elected him. Hence, theprecautions adopted by the Constitution to secure a fair trial. On such a trial, it declares that the Chief Justice shall preside. This was doubtless because the framers of the Constitution be- lieved it to be possible that the Vice-President might be biassed by the fact that, in case of the removal of the President from office, the same shall de- volve on the Vice-President. The preliminary proceedings in the House in case of charges which may involve impeachment have been well and wisely settled by long practice upon principles of equal justice both to the accused and to the people. " The precedent established in the case of Judge Peck, of Missouri, in 1831, after a careful review of all the former precedents, will, I venture to predict, stand the test of time. In that case Luke Edward Lawless, the accuser, presented a petition to the House, in which he set forth minutely and specifically his causes of complaint. He prayed that the conduct and proceedings in this behalf of the said Judge Peok may be inquired into by your honourable body, and such decision made thereon as to your wisdom and juitice shall seem proper. "This petition was referred to the Judiciary Committee. Such has ever been deemed the appropriate committee to make a similar investigation. It is a standing committee, supposed to be appointed without reference to any

special case, and at all times it is presumed to be composed of the most emi- nent lawyers in the House from different portions of the country, whose ac-

quaintance with judicial proceedings and whose habits of investigation qua- lify them peculiarly for the task. No tribunal, from their position and cha- racter, could in the nature of things be more impartial. In the case of Judge Peck the witnesses were selected by the committee itself, with a view to ascertain the truth of the charge. They were cross-examined by him, and everything was conducted in such a manner as to afford him do reason- able cause of complaint. "In view of this precedent, and, what is of far greater importance, in view of the constitution and principles of eternal justice, in what manner has the President of the United States been treated by the House of Repre- sentatives? Mr. John Covode, a representative from Pennsylvania, is the accuser of the President. Instead of following the wise precedents of former times, and especially that in the case of Judge Peek, and referring the accu- sation to the Committee on Judiciary, the House have made my accuser one of my judges. " To make the accuser the judge is a violation of the principles of uni- versal justice, and is condemned by the practice of all civilized nations.

Every freeman must revolt at such a spectacle. I am to appear before Mr. Covode, either personally or by a substitute, to cross-examine the witnesses which he may produce before himself to sustain his own accusations against me, and perhaps even this poor boon maybe denied to the President. And what is the nature of the investigation which his resolution proposes to in- stitute ? It is as vague and general as the English language affords words in which to make it. The committee is to inquire, not into any specific charge or charges, but whether the President has, by ' money, patronage, or other improper means, sought to influence,' not the action of any indi- vidual member or members of Congress, but ' the action of the entire body of Congress itself,' or any committee thereof. The President might have had some glimmering of the nature of the offences to be investigated had his accuser pointed to the act or acts of Congress which he sought to pass or to defeat by the employment of money, patronage, or other improper means.' But the accusation is bounded by no such limits ; it extends to the whole circle of legislation, to interference for or against the passage of any law appertaining to the rights of any State or territory.' And what law does not appertain to the rights of some State or territory ? And what law or laws has the President failed to execute ? These might easily have been pointed out, had any such existed. " Had Mr. Lawless asked an inquiry to be made by the House whether Judge Peck, in general terms, had not violated his duties, without

specification of any particular act, I do not believe there would have been a single vote in that body in favour of the Inquiry. Since the time of the Star Chamber and of general warrants, there has been no such proceeding in England. The House of Representatives, the high impeaching power of the country, without consenting to hear a word of explanation, have endorsed this accusation against the President, and made it their own act. They even refuse to permit a member to inquire of the President's accuser what were the special charges against him. Thus, in this preliminary accusation of high crimes and misdemeanours' against a a coordinate branch of the Government under the impeaching power, the House refused to hear a single suggestion even in regard to the correct mode of proceeding; but, without a moment's delay, passed accusatory resolutions under the pressure of the previous question. In the institution of a prosecution for any offence against the moat humble citizen—and I claim for myself no greater rights than he enjoys—the Constitution of the United States and of the several States requires that he shall be informed, in the very beginning, of the nature and cause of the accusation against him, in order to enable him to prepare for his defence. There are other principles which I might enumerate, not less sacred, presenting an impenetrable shield to protect every citizen falsely charged with a criminal offence. These have been violated in the prosecution instituted by the House of Representatives against the Executive branch of the Government. Shall the President alone be deprived of the protection of these great principles which prevail in every land where a ray of liberty penetrates the gloom of despotism ? Shall the Executive alone be deprived of the rights which all his fellow- citizens enjoy? The whole proceeding against him justifies the fears of those wise and great men who, before the Constitution was adopted by the States, apprehended that the tendency of the Government was to the aggrandizement.of the Legislative at the expense of the Executive and Judicial Departments.

"I again declare emphatically that I make this protest for no reason per-

sonal to myself, and I do it with perfect respect for the House of Repre- sentatives, in which I had the honour of serving for five successive terms. I have lived long in this goodly land, and have enjoyed all the offices and honours which my country could bestow. Amid all the political storms through which I have passed, the present is the first attempt which has ever been made, to my knowledge, to assail my personal or political in- tegrity; and this has been done as the time is approaching when I shall voluntarily retire from the service of my country. I feel proudly conscious that there IS no public aot of my life which will not bear the strictest sons- tiny. I defy all investigation. Nothing but the basest perjury can sully my good name. I do not fear even this, because I cherish an humble confi- dence that the gracious Being who has hitherto defended and protected me against the shafts of falsehood and malice will not desert me now when I have become old and gray-headed.' I can declare before God and my country that no human being, with an exception scarcely worthy of notice, has at any period of my life dared to approach me with a corrupt or dishon- ourable proposition ; and, until recent developments, it bad never entered into my imagination that any person, even in the storm of exasperated po- litical excitement, would charge me, in the most remote degree, with having made such a proposition to any human being. I may now, however, ex- claim, in the language of complaint employed by my first and greatest predecessor, that I have been abused iu such exaggerated and indecent terms as could scarcely be applied to a Nero, to a notorious defaulter, or even to a common pickpocket.'

" I do, therefore, for the reasons stated, and in the name of the people of

the several States, solemnly protest against these proceedings of the House of Representatives ; because they are in violation of the rights of a co- ordinate Executive branch of the Government, and subversive of its consti- tutional independence ; because they are calculated to foster a band of in- terested parasites and informers, ever ready for their own advantage to swear before ex-parte committees to pretended private conversations between the President and themselves, incapable, from their nature, of being dis- proved, thus furnishing material for harassing Min, degrading him in the eyes of the country, and eventually, should he be a weak or timid man, rendering him subservient to improper influences in order to avoid such per- secutions and annoyances • because they tend to destroy that harmonious action for the common good which ought to be maintained, and whioh I sincerely desire to cherish between the coordinate branches of the Govern- ment ; and finally, because, if unresisted, they would establish a prece- dent dangerous and embarrassing to all my successors, to whatever political party they might be attached. Jamas BUCHANAN.

" Washington March 28."

After an exciting debate, it was referred to the Committee on the Ju- diciary, with power to report at any time.

The Government has declined to accept the proposal of the British Cabinet for a settlement of the San Juan question. Mr. Cobb has with- drawn his name from the list of candidates for the presidential chair. Delegates have been elected in Arizona, to organize a provisional govern- ment.

Advices from Mexico state that the reported flight of Miramon is un- founded.

CII1Eit Li . —Tenders have been received and accepted for the erection of a building, in which is to be held a grand provincial exhibition at the period of the visit of the Prince of Wales to Canada. It is intended to be a permanent structure of glass and iron, and is to be erected under the auspices of the Board of Arts and Agriculture, and to be devoted here- after to the furtherance and encouragement of the special objects it has in charge. The Government intend making a grant of 20,000 dollars in aid of the present exhibition, which is intended should be on such a scale as to impress favourably our intended visitors, and enable them to take away with them some correct notions as to our resources, and the ad- vances we have made in those arts and sciences which have been the foundation of the unequalled greatness of our nursing mother. Prepara- tions are afoot in various other parts of the province for the great event of the year, the Prince's visit and the inauguration of the Victoria Bridge. The influx of visitors expected here at the time will "be a cau- tion," as our neighbours across the borders have it and they, being "sight loving folk," are sure to be "than" in numbers to see a real live Prince. Such an occasion may not again occur for a generation.—

Canadian Hews.

lubia.—The Calcutta Mail with advices to the 10th of March has arrived. The Times correspondent furnishes the following. statement. - " A. very grave series of circumstances has occurred in Krualinaghur. As you, perhaps, are aware, the mode of growing indigo in this country is to make advances to the ryots on condition of receiving a certain number of bundles of the plant in return. The ryots like the advances very much, but they do not like growing the indigo, which occupies the best rice land, and does not pay so well. They always try to evade their contracts, and in Bengal a civil suit for redress is an absurdity. It takes usually twelve months to get the suit on the file, though it may be decided pretty quickly, —say, in five months, when once on. Accordingly, the planter, done oat of his money, and out of his indigo, is too often apt to resort to compulsion. Government have repeatedly tried to check this practice, and, in some iria- tricts, as Tirhoot, it has been wholly abandoned. In some it exists still, and whereifer it exists the cultivation is unpopular. A few months ago an over zealous magistrate issued an order to the heads of police, which I subjoin;

'" To the Darogah of Thannah Kalarooah.

" Be it known,

" A letter of the magistrate of Banmet, dated August 17, 1859, has arrived, en- closing extract of a letter, No. 4516, from the secretary to the Government of Ben- gal, dated July 21,1859, and addressed to the Nuddea Commissioner, which, in re- ferring to certain indigo matters, states that the ryots are to keep possession of their own lands, sowing thereon such crops as they may desire; that the police should take care that neither indigo planters nor other persons should interfere with the ryots; that indigo planters shall not be able, under pretence of the ryots having agreed to sow indigo, to cause indigo to be sown by the use of violence on the lands of those ryots ; and that if the ryots have indeed agreed to do so, the in- digo planters are at liberty to sue them for the same in the Civil Court, the Fouldaree Court having no concern in the matter, for the ryots can bring forward numerous objections to their cultivating the indigo, and in respect of their denial of the above agreement.

as otatmd above. general Perwanah is addressed to you that you may act in future ' The 20th of August 1859.' (True translation.)

" ni The people accepted this order as an order not to grow indigo, and half the factories of Krishnaghur were stopped. Encouraged by this success, the

people rose. Bands, armed with clubs, traversed the country, and threatened death to all who cultivated indigo, and promised to attack the factories. Once up, their demands increased, and they are now refusing to pay rent, to Natives as well as Europeans. The chief attack, however, is directed against the latter, whom the people promise to drive out of the eonntry, and as the spirit has spread into Moorshedabad, and is spreading into Jessore, the danger to order is considerable. I state only the ascer- tained facts, but the belief in the district is that the movement is the forerunner of an agrarian insurrection, of which it may be long before we see the end."

A telegram, dated March 16th, from Calcutta, says that "outrages by the ryots of Lower Bengal have taken place. The Lieutenant-Governor has issued a notification, which, it is hoped, will be effective." At a great durbar in Lahore, Lord Canning received the Rajah of Bupporthulla and the Sirdars of the Punjaub. The occasion was re- markable from the fact of the same magisterial powers being conceded to a limited number of the latter as some of the Oude talookdars possess. In addressing them, the Governor-General said :- " Sirdars—I have seen with pleasure the signs of prosperity with which the Punjaub abounds; cultivation extended ; commerce increasing ; life and property secure ; the people orderly and contented. I know that you are not insensible of the value of these benefits to your country, and I am about to call upon you to take part in confirming and extending them. It is not in limes of war and trouble only that the government of the Queen claims your services; and some among you will shortly be invited to assume the duties which belong to the hereditary chiefs and landholders of a loyal people in times of peace. For this purpose, certain powers in magisterial and revenue matters will be conferred upon a limited number of you. The Lieutenant- Governor will determine to whom they can be most usefully intrusted, and will explain to you their scope and purpose. In the exercise of them, your best iruidance will be the wise and friendly advice which on this and on all occasions you will never fail to receive from Sir Robert Montgomery. But remember, that those who receive these powers will receive them to be used, not carelessly or for private purposes of their own, but earnestly for the public good, and especially for the expediting of justice and the maintenance of order among those around them."

Mr. Wilson had received a deputation from the Trades Association to express satisfaction with his financial speech. The clerks of the Go- vernment offices had addressed a petition to him for a reduction of the rates of Income-tax he has proposed, on the ground that they would press heavily upon their salaries, in consequence of the high cost of living in Calcutta, and the provision they have to make for their families. They declare that they do not object to being taxed, but that, "under exist- ing circumstances, the rate of taxation proposed is higher than they and others unconnected with the Government, but similarly circumstanced, can possibly bear." Troops continued to be despatched almost daily to China from the va- rious ports of India. Sir Hope Grant and his staff left Calcutta in the Feroze on the 26th of February. The rendezvous of the expedition was Singapore. The indignation of the whole Anglo-Indian, public- had been excited by the frightful mortality which had occurred on board the va- rious vessels which had arrived at Madras and Bombay with the wives and children of soldiers.

" C —Intelligence from Hongkong to the 28th Febrint4r reports nothing of importance. The preparations for the northern expedition are going on steadily, and the Chinese Emperor is also making the best use of his time in defensive preparations in and around Pekin. Her Majesty's ship Actaeon and the steamer Sampson. with two gun-boats, left Shanghai on the 16th of February, under sealed orders, which has given rise to various speculations as to the special service on which they are bound. The current report is that they have gone to intercept a fleet of junks which lately sailed for the north, principally grain laden, but also carrying munitions of war for Tien-tsin. General Montauban and suite arrived et Hongkong by the mail steamer. Sir Hope Grant had sailed from Calcutta for China.

Sign—From Japan, accounts were unsatisfactory. A native in- terpreter employed by the British Minister has been murdered, and the Government are pursuing a course of action likely to lead to complica- tions. The Japanese Ambassadors were to leave for San Francisco on the 10th instant, in the United States' steamer Powhattan and a steamer belonging to the Japanese Government, but temporarily commanded by Lieutenant Brook, of the American Navy.