foreign out Colonial.

errmaini.—Rumour has had full swing all the week in relation to the peace proposals, reaching a rather unlooked-for climax on Thursday, when intelligence was received that Russia had-accepted the propositions of Austria on behalf of the Allies. The rumours that preceded this an- nouncement were disjointed and conflicting. According to these state- ments, Count Esterhazy's propositions were at first coolly received ; but subsequent to the day on which he tendered them to Count Nesselrode, Baron Seebaeh arrived at St. Petersburg, and had long consultations with the Emperor' Count Nesselrode, and the Privy Councillor Sonia- vine. Following close upon him came M. de Fonton, the well-known Russian diplomatist. He brought with him, it is said, the strongest ex- hortations from Prince Paskiewiteh, whom he had seen on his nick bed at Warsaw, urging the Emperor "to give way and restore peace to Eu- rope," and conjuring him to listen to the voice of a faithful servant on his deathbed." M. de Fonton, it is also said, informed the Russian Government that Baron Seebach "was not only the faithful organ of the German Courts, but also of public opinion generally throughout Ger- many, which was aroused by the appeal addressed to it by the Emperor of the French."

Then we were informed that Russia partially accepted the propositions. She rejected the proposed " rectification of her frontier with Turkey " ; she rejected the fifth clause by which the belligerent powers reserved the right to produce " special conditions "; she accepted the rest of the ultimatum ; " in exchange for the strong places and territories occupied by the Allies, Russia proposed to restore to the Porte Kars and the territory she has won from Turkey in Asia in the last campaign." These offers are said to have been met • by Austria With the declaration , that she could not permit any modification of her proposals. Count Buol informed Prince Gortschakoff, that in conse- quence of the non-acceptance of the propositions "pure et simple," the whole of the Austrian Legation would quit St. Petersburg on the 18th instant; and the journals further stated that Prince Gortschakoff,had prepared to leave 'Vienna on the same day that Count Esterhazy quitted St. Petersburg. Another rumour, originating in Berlin, stated that when Count Buol made Prince Gortschakoff aware of a probable speedy rupture of diplomatic relations between the Courts of Russia and of Austria he notified to the Cabinets of Paris and London that Austria would not Lke the field this year.

Thus the matter remained, so far as the public were informed, up to Thursday morning. But in the forenoon and in the course of the day telegraphic messages rapidly followed each other. The Times published this statement from Vienna-

" Russia has unconditionally accepted the propositions of the Allies.

This is authentic." . ;10- A little later, the Morning Post stated that the Government had re• eeived the following despatch from Sir Hamilton Seymour- " The Russian Government geepts the Austrian proposals as a basis for

negotiation." qctny.,

The French Government-pooWd the following placard at mid-day in the Paris Bourse- .?iVienneE, Jan. 16, 11 15 p. m.

" The Minister of France to the Minister of Foreign 4fitirs.

" Count Esterhazy writes today from St. Petersburg, that M. de Nessel- rode has just notified to him the unconditional acceptance (I' aceepta.ron pure et simple) of the propositions contained in the ultimatum, which pro- positions are to serve as preliminaries of peace."

A despatch from Berlin, dated Thursday night, says—" Yesterday at two o'clock, Count Nessehrode and Count Valentine Esterhazy signed, at St. Petersburg, a protocol containing the conditions proposed by the _allies as the formulation of the preliminaries of peace."

The Horning Post of yesterday throws some light upon the relations of the belligerents, and the course of future

" It is of much importance that it should be rightly, understood. that the roceeding which has had so happy an issue in determining Russia to make large and important concessions is an Austrian proceeding : and that the five proposals, as accepted by Russia, do not contain on the face of them all that the Western Powers consider necessary for their safe entrance upon negotiation. When the Cabinet of Vienna applied to England and France to know the terms upon which they would consent to make peace with Russia, a direct and distinct reply was given. Upon that reply Austria founded the proposals which Russia has accepted ; but she has not repre- sented to the Czar the whole and exact tenour of our demands, and it would not be fair in us, nor indeed just, either to ourselves or to Russia, to enter upon discussion before the preliminaries have been arranged so clearly and unmistakeably that Russia, on the one hand, may not have it in her power to 'pretend that we have entrapped her into negotiations without making her fully aware of their import—nor we on the other, i

, be open to i

the manceuvres of the adroit diplomacy which has already, in former in- stances, so cleverly amused our Ministers. To take an example. In the Austrian proposals, the name of the Aland Islands is never mentioned ; but nevertheless, we believe it will be found that Lord Clarendon had emphatically etated to the Cabinet of Vienna that we must insist upon Russia's binding herself not • to rebuild Bomarsund. This resolve, justifiable on the grounds of military success, and re- quisite as a matter of high import to the wellbeing of Europe, becomes imperative, when it is remembered that we have only recently concluded an alliance with Sweden, and that it is our bounden duty not thleave our ally at the mercy of Russia, nor to permit the regrection of a huge anti menacing fortress within one hundred miles of Stockholm. Under these Circumstances, then, it will be the duty of the belligerents, before negotiations can been- tered upon, to signify theirintentiOns to Russia,, and to require her accept- ance of proposals totally free froM..the possibility of. misinterpretation. These proposals, we trust, will have the support of Austria and the German Powers, and will, we are confident, meet with acceptance at St..Petersburg, if Russia be now really alive to her own interests and anxious for the wel- fare of Europe. If they are accepted, then negotiation will follow, but not at Vinina, nor Paris nor London, All preliminaries being once satisfac- torily adjusted, some more fit place will be appointed for the conduct of con- ferences."

ilrussis.—According to a telegraphic message frem "official men attribute the acceptance of the Austrian proposals to the urgency of Prussia's representations and remonstrances." However that may be, the .King of Prussia, it seems, did really " take action " on one pond. He has addressed a letter to General von Wrangel, through the Minister of War, blaming him strongly for having attended a Te-Deum celebrated at the hotel of the Russian Legation at Berlin in celebration of the taking of Kars. The act is declared to ho highly " inconvenient," and incompatible with the General's military position.

. Iran Tr.—One of those dramatic displays, not infrequent'during the reign of the Emperor Napoleon, took place in the Place du Carrousel on Tuesday. The troops who have returned from the Crimea to Paris— Imperial Guards, Chasseurs d Pied, Zouaves, and four regiments of the Line—were drawn up in front of the Tuileries, under the command of General Regnault St. Jean d'Angely ; in all, 14,000 men. At one o'clock, the Emperor on horseback, accompanied by the Mike of Cambridge, General La Mannora, and a host of French Generals' appeared on the scene ; and at the same time the Empress, with Prince Jerome, entered a balcony of the Tuileries overlooking the Place da'Carrousel. The troops having been formally inspected, the Duke of Cambridge, dismounting,distributed to the officers a silver medal in the name of the Queen. The medal bore the effigy of her Majesty, and was inscribed with the words " Crimea : Victoria Regina A l'Armee Franeaise." The soldiers, to whom the same medal had been distributed in the morning, placed them on their breasts, after the Duke had addressed them in the following

apc:ech— .

Her Majesty the Queen of England has deigned to authorize me to pre- sent to the generals, the officers, and soldiers of the French army, our brave and worthy comrades - these medals, as emblems of the esteem and cordial friendship which exist between the two nations, and of the admiration felt by her Majesty and the English people at the glorious deeds of arms of the Army of the East. It was m the great combats of the Alma, of Inkerman, and of Sebastopol, that the alliance of both nations was consecrated by both armies, May God grant that great alliance may ever Continue, to the ad- vantage of England and of France. As for myself, my dear comrades, the honour afforded me is the more grateful as I have served along with you, and as I have beheld with my own eyes your bravery and your great mili- tary qualities, as well as the devotedness with which you have endured so many fatigues and so many dangers. I sincerely thank the Emperor for his goodness in having so graciously conferred on me the honour of being per- mitted to distribute these medals in his presence."

After this ceremony, the troops defiled, crying, "Vive l'Empereur ! Vire l'Imperatrice ! Vive in Reine Victoria! Vive le Due de Cam- bridge !" while the bands played alternately English and French national airs.

The Minister of Finance has presented.a financial report to the Em- peror. He has ascertained, that instead of an estimated deficit on the amounts for 1854 of 100,000,000 francs, the deficit will not exceed 70,000,000 francs. For the budget of 1855, a supplementary credit'of 120,000,000 francs was required ; but of this 52,000,000 francs were in- vested in public works, and 32,000,000 were paid in export bonuses. The new duties have yielded 33,000,000 francs ; while the old have yielded 917,000,000 francs, or nearly a million more than they ever Yielded tinder the reign of Louis Philippe. At the same time, the total of the direct taxes has increased. The actual deficit on 1855 is now es- timated at about 60,000,000 francs. With regard to the loans—the first, for 260,000,000 francs has been completely paid up ; 476,000,000 francs have been paid on the loan of 500,000,000 francs ; and 394,000,000 francs on the last loan of 780,000,000 francs. For the extraordinary wants of the year 1866, the Treasury has disposable the sum of 535,000,000 francs. M. Magne sums up as follows- " The simple' sketch of the principal financial events of the past year shows us a commercial activity without a parallel ; unheard-of progress in consumption ; two enormous loans paid up with the greatest regularity, and in a great measure before the payments were due; besides the loans, more than 135,000,000 francs, a sum which had never before been known to have been employed in the purchase of renter, for the departments ; the direct contributions paid by anticipation, and almost without expense; a well- balanced budget ; the floating debt reduced ; and all this despite the war, despite the crisis in the high price of food, despite the very considerable outlay, which accidental circumstances imposed upon us. 'What greater proof could be given of the vitality and richness of the country, and of all that France is capable of under a popular Government, with such resources wisely employed ? Extravagance alone might be feared. Your Majesty will know to obviate that danger by your high prudence, by firmly opposing the inconsiderate temptations of speculation, and by adjourning, in the in- terest of the enterprises already commenced, all those which do not bear the evident mark of urgency."

The Honiteur has published the revenue returns for 1856. In indirect taxes there is, as compared with 1864, a net increase of 103,619,000 francs, and as compared with 1853 an increase of 101,076,000 francs. The Council of War has held daily sittings, under the presidency of the Emperor, but the strictest secrecy is maintained respecting the de- liberations. The Debars of Tuesday says that one of the principal questions under discussion is the unity of the command of the Allied armies. The Paris correspondent of the Indjpendatiee Belge believes that the campaign will be continued in the Crimea, and that the expedition to the Baltic, to be almost exclusively English, will be without an army for disembarkation. The same writer mentions a report that the new French loan " will be subscribed, if not entirely in England, at least with a solidarity of the resources of the two nations, and guaranteed by the two Governments."

!i filfif R.—Since the armies landed in the Crimea no week has

passed that has furnished so little intelligence respecting the war. The correspondents describe the minute changes of the weather, and complain of the dullness of the camp. General Codrington simply forwards two enclosures, one from Omar Pasha, the other from Dr. Hall. Omar Pasha thanks Queen Victeria, through the Mitish Commander-in-chief,. for the honour her Majesty proposed to bestow on the Ottoman army by distributing among them the Crimean medals given to our soldiers. Dr. Hall reports most satisfactorily on the health of the army. " There is an absence," he says, " of serious disease ; and although the admissions under the heads ' chest affections' and 'frostbite' are numer- ous, it is satisfactory to know that the former are, for the most part, merely simple catarrhs, and the latter slight vesication of the fingers, toes, and tips of the ears. The few serious cases there are were all occa- sioned by exposure when drunk." The number admitted into the hospital in the week ending December 24, was 1423, the number of deaths 40 ; in the week ending December 31, the number admitted was 1274; the number of deaths 36. Dr. Hall remarks that the men of the Land Transport form an exception to the troops : although as well fed and well clothed, they do not enjoy the same amount of health_ Thus, "under the head Of fever, one-third of the admissions and two-thirds of the deaths, were in the Land Transport Corps—that is, 65 out of 182 admissions, and 11 deaths out of 15, leaving only four for the whole army." The explana- tion is, that one-half the force is composed of natives of Asia Minor, who bear the winter ill.

urkr4.—A telegraphic despatch from Trieste, dated January 15, states that, "according to intelligence of the 7th from Constantinople, the Russian advanced posts were within three hours' march of Erse- mum."

The telegraphic reports that Omar Pasha's army had retreated to Re- dout-aaleh have not yet been confirmed. Indeed, direct intelligence from Redout-Kaleh, dated the 20th December states that the bulk of the army had gone into winter-quarters in a strong position at Cholomir about four miles behind Ziewie. Omar Pasha remained at Redout-Kaleh, exerting himself to keep the army supplied during the winter. Serious complaints continue to be made against the Austrian soldiery in the Principalities, and lists of the crimes they have committed with impunity have been published. They preaeut a shameful catalogue of brutality, very discreditable to the discipline of the Austrian troops and the good faith of the Government. Soldiers make nothing of cutting down landlords in payment for their scores, or slashing a tivil• officer in- tent on, arresting them. In one place, they seized the archives for fuel and bedding ; in another, they made a razzia among the fares-stock; in a third, a challenge from a Wallachian sentry is answered by a shot; in a fourth, warehouses are broken open and plundered ; in a fifth, forests are cut down ; in a sixth, street robberies are committed ; and so on.

St a g.—The bill authorizing the Piedmontese Government to con- tract a loan of thirty millions of francs has been adopted by the Cham- ber of Deputies, by 109 to 28 votes. The Archbishop of Venice has followed the example of his contem- porary at Milan, and has established a regular ecclesiastical censorship. It is stated that the Austrian prelates,• who are extremely cautious in i their conduct, are much vexed at the imprudence of their Italian col- leagues. A collision between the secular and the spiritual powers is anticipated ; and it is thought that the Concordat will be neutralized by this display of over-zeal.

pal IL—During the sitting of the Cortes on the 7th January, a body of th.e National Guard on duty at the Palace of the Cortes suddenly be- came mutinous. A sergeant, assuming command, ordered the men to load, and prevent the Deputies from leaving the Palace. The men obeyed. When the news reached the Cortes, General Infanta the Presi- dent went down and remonstrated with the madmen; but he was re- ceived with insults. The men uttered seditious cries, slightly wounded an officer, and threatened to shoot a civil functionary. Marshal San Miguel next tried his influence with them, but he also failed. At length Espartero was sent for. He promised to quell the mutiny or lose his life. The simple measure of bringing up the main guard and forming a strong body of cavalry and artillery in front of the Palace effectually quelled the disturbance ; many of the mutineers fled, others were arrested. It is stated that the outbreak was fomented by civilians, who supplied the soldiers with drink and ammunition.

llita ill t f5.—The Asia arrived at Liverpool on Monday, with advises from New York to the 3d instant, and, at last, the President's message to Congress.

This document was somewhat unusually published. The House of Representatives had not yet elected a Speaker. But the President had judged that further delay in presenting information on the state of the Union would be inconsistent with his duty ; and therefore, on the 31st

December, he laid his message before the Senate. It was also offered to the House of Representatives; but they, after a tumultuous discussion, refused to allow it to be read ; and they seemed to resent its presentation to the Senate before the House of Representatives was constituted.

The President's message is of the usual enormous length : as usual also, it is divided into sections, opening with one on "Central America," and concluding with two dissertations on constitutional points relating to State rights and Slavery. The 'United States are at peace with all foreign powers, but grave questions are pending with some. Of these, "the most important is that which has arisen out of the negotiations with Great Britain on the sub- ject of Central America." By the convention of April 10, 1850, (com- monly called the Clayton-Bulwer treaty,) England and the United States undertook not to "occupy, or fortify, or colonize, or assume or exercise any dominion over, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Mosquito coast, or any part of Central America." It was specially stated, that the mutual cove- nants of non-occupation were not intended to apply to the Belize : thus confirming the natural construction and well-understood import of the treaty as to all the rest of Central America. Yet England has still con- tinued to exercise large authority on the Mosquito coast; she has re- garded Belize as her absolute dominion, has extended its limits, and has formally colonized the Bay Islands belonging to Honduras. These matters have been made the subject of negotiation, and the two Govern- ments " differ widely and irreconcilably as to the construction of the con- vention." Great Britain leaves all her previous pretensions unchanged; and the President regards it as " impossible to acquiesce in such a con- struction of the respective relations of the two Governments to Central America." To a renewed call to abide by the treaty, Great Britain replied that it was prospective only, and did not require her to abandon any possessions held by her at the date of its conclusion. The United States "steadily deny °" that Great Britain had any possessions there at the date of the treaty. The British Government sees no reason why the obstacles cannot be overcome in a conciliatory spirit; the American President says, " it his appeared to me proper not to consider an ami- cable solution of the controversy as hopeless ' ; but " the difficulty can- not remain long undetermined, without involving in serious danger the friendly relations which it is the interest as well as the duty of both countries to cherish and preserve."

The recruitment question comes next. It is treated at some`length, to show that there had, been a deliberate design to raise recruits within the territory of the United States, in defiance of the laws of the Union. Representations were made to the British Government, "in order to ' .secure not only a cessation of the wrong but a reparation." The subject is still under discussion. The President recommends that the boundary- line that divides the territory of Washington from the British posses- sions should be surveyed, as in that quarter "there has been imminent .danger of a collision between the subjects of Great Britain and the citi- zens of the United States."

- With regard to other foreign questions, that of the Sound-dues occu- pies the prominent place. The position taken up by the President has been already explained in Mr. Marcy's despatch : he is determined to -maintain the freedom of the seas; and while lie will not entertain any proposition for the capitalization of the Sound-dues in the interest of the -balance-of power in Europe, he is quite willing to share liberally with other powers in compensating Denmark for any advantages which com- merce might derive from improved navigation at her expense.

Questions between France, Greece, Mexico, and the -United States, -have been satisfactorily settled. Spain has paid the sum claimed as an indemnity for the seizure of the Black Warrior ; and the President looks . forward to a speedy settlement of the claim advanced for the arrest and search of the steamer El Dorado.

The internal affairs of the Union follow the sections on foreign rela- tions. At the beginning of the present fiscal year—July 1, 1855—there was a balance of 18,931,976 dollars in the treasury. The estimated re- -eeipts for the year amount to 67,918,734 dollars ; thus affording as avail- able resources for the year, 86,856,710 dollars. The sum-total of esti- mated expenditure is 71,226,846 dollars, leaving an estimated balanob of 15,623,863 dollars. The public debt amounts to less than 40,000,000 dollars. The President recommends an early.revision and reduction of the tariff of duties on imports ; as the accumulation of a surphis re- - venue in the hands of the Executive is unconstitutional, and the necessi- ties of revenue can alone justify such imposts. Some partial reforms in the army are recommended. As regards the navy, the construction of the six steam-frigates proceeds in a most satiefaetory manner, and they will be ready for service early in the spring. The President recom- mends "the policy of a gradual and systematic increase of the navy," and proposes that moneys should be voted for the construction of six steam-sloops of war. As regards the Kansas territory, the President cherishes a hope that resistance to the Federal law will not force inter- vention on the part of the Federal Executive.

The remainder, above a third of the message, is occupied with the two 'dissertations above mentioned, one entitled " Constitutional Theory of Government," the other " Constitutional Relations of Slavery." Both are intended to make good the policy that led to the Nebraska Bill—that the-States have the right to choose their own "domestic institutions," subject to the constitution of the United States. The sections are di- rected against the Anti-Slavery and Free-Soil parties; to whom sharp rebukes are administered.

After the message had been read in the Senate, Mr. Clayton, Mr. Cass, 'Mr. Weller, Mr. Seward, and Mr. Toombs, expressed entire concurrence in the-views of the President on the Central American question.

The American papers publish the correspondence between Lord Cla- rendon and Mr. Buchanan, letters -written in the middle of 1854 and again in the autumn of 1855, setting forth the case on both sides in re- ference to the Central American question. This correspondence is effect- ually summed -up in the President's message, and the arguments have already been explained in our pages.

The Pacific arrived at Liverpool on Thursday, with further advises from New York to the 6th instant, and the additional information that the House of Representatives continued without a Speaker after more undccisive ballots, and still declined to receive the. President's message.

The President- as sent to the Senate the ratification of a treaty with Nicaragua, concluded before Walker had seized Granada. It stipulates for the recognition of Nicaragua to the extent of all her claimed territory, including Mosquito, and regardless of the British protectorate. It also stipulates for the protection and fostering of American citizens' capital and enterprise in Nicaragua, covering, of course, any railroad or canal which may be projected. It was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

51111ha.—The overland mail reached London on Sunday, with advises from Calcutta to -the 9th and Bombay to the 17th December. They pos. sees considerable interest.

Although the Sontal insurrection had not been entirely suppressed, yet General Lloyd had succeeded in routing large bodies, burning their villages, and capturing two of their principal leaders, Seedoo and Kano°. The next subject for consideration was the amount and kind of punish- ment to be inflicted on the rebels. One proposition is to force them to make roads through their country.

As regards Herat, the report at Bombay was, that Dost Mahomed, alarmed at the success .of a rival in that quarter, having the support of Persia, had patched up his quarrel with his brother at Candahar ; that both chiefs -had called out their retainers ; that these, should they be joined by those of the ruler of Balkh, would amount to some 70,000 men with 80 guns; and that the combined forces would make a demon- stration on the frontier. There are some troubles brewing in Oudeypoor, the principal state of the Rajpoot confederacy. It is stated, that some time since ti.diapute letween the Rana or chief and his nobles was re- ferred to the British Government for arbitration • that they gave a fair award; that it is observed by the Rana, but that it is not observed by the nobles. The latter are to be compelled to respect the award. An- ether version is that the British Government have forced the chief to sign a treaty that virtually involves a loss of independence, and that the troops held in readiness are intended to enforce the treaty. But this ver- sion meets with little credit.

Some remarkable measures of social economy are in progress. Mr. Colvin, the Lieutenant-Governor of the North West provinces, has noti- fied, that wherever village schools have been established, all persons who cannot read and write will be held ineligible for official appointments. A bill has been brought into the Legislature for the purpose of making the marriages.of Hindoo widows legal. At present Ilindoo widows— and some are of tender age--cannot marry again. When their husbands, whom they may never have seen, die, the widows are stripped of their ornaments ; their heads are closely shaved ; and for the rest of their lives they are the -drudges of the household. If they remarry, their children are illegitimate, because the British recognize the Hindoo law of inhe- ritance. The proposal to make such marriages legal has called forth considerable-opposition from the Brahmins of Calcutta. A large meeting was held on the 25th December, utterly opposed to the measure, and money was subscribed to promote "the opposition. The Hindoos of Bom- bay, on the contrary, •are in favour of the bill. The last mail brought the intelligence that a Parsee—Dossabhoy Fram'ee—had delivered a lecture in the Town-hall of Bombay, on Thanksgiving-day, on the blessings of British compared with Russian rule. The topic was treated as fully as the limits of the lecture would permit, and the contrast drawn pretty .decisively in favour of England. The lecturer dosed with a prayer, the first ever -uttered by a Parsee in the vernacular language instead of that employed in the " Zendavesta." After thanking God for the benign rule of the British Government, he prayed-that victory might be with those who went to shed their blood in the right cause ; and that they, the Parsecs, might ever be grateful for the blessings of the-rule -under which.they live.

Lord Dalhousie arrived at Calcutta on the 29th. November, after a ten-months absence. He appeared to be in excellent health and spirits.

NI 01 fat ant .—Files -of Auokland papers have reached us to the 15th September. The new Governor, Colonel Thomas Gore Browne, arrived off Auck- land early-on the 1st September; and landed the same day. On the 6th he took the oaths of office; and so many of the inhabitants had gathered to witness the ceremony, that it was gone through in the grounds in front of -the Legislative Council, instead of the Council-room. After this the Governor held his first levee; which was numerously attended. ‘On the same day, he sent his kust message to the House of Represent- atives, enclosing a copy of a correspondence betweenfhimself and Lord John .Russell, Secretary for the Colonies when Colonel Browne was ap- pointed Governor. In a letter dated 24th April 1855, Colonel Browne required instructions from the 'Colonial Secretary on four points.' 1. He wished to 'know whether, asGovernor, he might give a provi- sional assent to a proposed alteration in tie Constitution Act mak- ing the Legislative Council "-elective." 2. What were the views of the Government on the measure empowering Superintendents to dis- solve Provincial Councils, and on the appointment of a Lieutenant-Go- vernor for Auckland. 3. Instructions on the subject of the debt of the New Zealand -Company. 4. Whether it is intended that " an Executive -Council, partly -nominated, Should continue in existence after the esta- blishment of responsible -government." To these Lord John replied, on the lat May, to this effect : 'that if the Legislative Council would apply for power to make the change' by an address to the Crown or the Go- vernor, 'her Majesty's Government -would- bring a bill into Parliament constituting an elective Council, or one enabling the Colonial Legislature to alter the Constitution Aet in this respect ; that Lord John saw no reason- for intrusting 'the Superintendents withpower to dissolve Pre- vinciarCouncils ; that the General Assembly might change the seat of Government if they thought proper.; that the Crown would appoint a Lieutenant-Governor if the colony vrould paylim; that with _regard to the debt of the New Zealand Company, Government was anxious to act with justice to all parties; and that as soon as responsible government was established, the name of the Senior Militar5 Officer should be omitted from the Executive Council.

The Legislative Council and the House of Representatives passed an address to the Governor, predicting difficulties, but promising hearty co- operation in their removal. The Assembly was to be prorogued on the 15th ; on which occasion the Governor would deliver his first address.