,Foreign anb (Colonial.

PALI/cu.—The debate on the address, in the Chamber of Peers, dosed. on Saturday. On the previous Thursday, the Duc De Broglie had followed up M. Guizot's defence of Ministers with an eloquent speech, which had had a favourable effect both in and out of doors. On Friday, the Cham- ber adopted an amendment proposed by the Due D'Harcourt, in favour of the nationality of Poland. The numbers shown by the ballot, on Satur- day, were—For the address, 114; against it, 39 ; Ministerial majority, 75. The address was presented to the King on Sunday evening; and be re- turned this answer- " Messieurs les Pairs—It is pleasing to me to receive in this address new testi- monials of the sentiments of which the Chamber of Peers has given me so many proofs. This signal approbation of the line of policy which we have followed with so much perseverance and success will facilitate its continuance. In appre dating as you do the favourable disposition which enabled my Government to)•Xe- establish with that of the Queen of Great Britain that happy accord which had already preserved the world from so many dangers, you give new pledges for the stability of general peace, and of the gradual increase of the prosperity winch our country now enjoys. I thank Providence for permitting that my childten should have proved themselves worthy of the sentiments you have expressed to- , wards them. The affection of France for my family and me is the, sweetest.0 compense I' an obtain for my labeurs and our entire devotion.' '

In the Chamber of Deputies, on Friday, M. Sauzet, the President, read the draught of the address. It was an echo of the King's speech; except that it contained a declaration that the good relations with foreign powers, resting on the faithful observance of treaties, " should be the hope and support of a generous nation (Poland) whose rights they have consecrated "; and also that there is a slight infusion of bitter into the mention of the "happy accord" between France and England- " We hope that this mutual spirit of justice and conciliation will soon bring to *favourable issue the negotiations commenced at the repeatedly expressed desire of the Chamber, with a view to insure the repression of the slave-trade, and re- place our navy under the exclusive surveillance of the national flag." The general debate began on Monday, and proceeded for that day without much interest.

On Tuesday, a violent attack from the Ministerial M. De Peyramont drew forth M. Thiers; who made a brilliant speech,—effective, however, less in the matter than in the manner, which the small space that we could devote to it would quite prevent our conveying. In the heads of his dis- course he followed the track marked out by. Count Mold.. He avowed himself an advocate of the English alliance, as necessary to the solution of the Eastern question and advantageous to the retention of French Africa: but he would not fling himself into it without conditions ; especially while, in place of a Whig party behaving frankly towards France, the Tory party rules in England and maintains reserves. The treaty of Morocco, hastily concluded in fear of new complications with England, secured no guarantee that the Emperor would not renew the war. He finished by exclaiming, " You have given us three things—the Pritchard indemnity, the treaty of Morocco, and the right of search." M. Guizot replied with a defence which is described as falling flat on the Chamber; but it reads well, as a calm and substantial vindication of his policy. We must limit our abridgment to one point—the explanation of the arrangement about Mr. Pritchard; which he put more distinctly than we have yet seen it.

The Government never had an idea of possessing itself of Tahiti, andputting France and England in contact on that point. All it sought for was a desirable port in those seas. The Admiral sent on that expedition had considered it his duty to assume the protectorate of Tahiti, of which no mention had been made in his instructions. Two reasons detennined Government not to refuse what the Admiral had done: the first reason was, that the protectorate of the island of Tahiti was of some importance to the French establishment in the Marquesas; and the other, that they did not wish to see the French flag withdrawn imme- diately after its appearance. Although it encountered difficulties, the protecto- rate endured for fourteen months, regularly and peaceably, without anything like sedition; and it was not until the assumption of sovereignty that Mr. Pritchard was able to excite insurrection. The Government, therefore, were not so much to blame when, after having accepted the protectorate, they refused the sove- reignty: the former seemed necessary to protect the interests of France; for which the latter was useless. The sensation created in England at the news of Mr. Pritchard's arrest appeared to proceed from two causes—his quality of agent to the British Government, and his religious character. The Ministry sought to establish that Mr. Pritchard was not an official agent, but simply a foreigner residing. in Tahiti; and as to his religious character, it was proved that the most perfect religious liberty prevailed in Oceania, and that Mr. Pritchard had therefore nothing to complain of on that score. That done, the Ministry remained quiet, and allowed that angry feeling which had been raised in England to subside. Then they thought the time had come to examine the affair to the bottom: they successfully maintained the right of the French authorities at Tahiti to expel any foreigner who should disturb the public order, and the reasons for doing it in the present case. Still they admitted that some part of the treatment of Mr. Pritchard was worthy of regret and blame: it was not necessary, for instance, to keep him in solitary confinement for eight days and to prevent him from seeing his wife and children : and there appeared reasons also why a ppeeccuniary indemnity 'should be granted to Mr. Pritchard. When two French Catholic priests, who infringed an edict of Queen Pomare—and the law of Tahiti depended on her will—by preaching what was not then the esta- blished religion of the island, and they were expelled, Admiral Dupetit- Thouars demanded and received an indemnity of 2,500 piastres for the treatment which they had suffered: he was perfectly right in doing so; but it was a pre- cedent in Mr. Pritchard's case. At the same time, however, that Government agreed to this indemnity, it was expressly stipulated that it was not given on account of his expulsion, but merely in consequence of the harsh treatment to which he had been subjected. It would be weakness in them to deny that they were glad that this indemnity had been the means of removing the clouds which had hung over their relations with England; but they should at the same time have granted the indemnity had no political considerations been connected with the afl.

The general debate closed on Wednesday, with a vehement attack on Ministers by M. Dupin senior.

The discussion of the paragraphs was then begun. On the first M. Carrie moved an amendment, substituting for the phrase " When our ses- sion terminated a few months ago, complications which might have become serious had excited your solicitude "—this, " Our labours ended a few months ago in the midst of complications that clearsighted and firm conduct freight have prevented or terminated in a more satisfactory manner." After a sharp debate, this amendment was negatived, on Thursday by 225 to 197 ; majority for Ministers, 28.

Two official papers have been communicated to the Chambers by Go- vertuhent, respecting the present relations with the Gambier and Wallis IsTands.

The French Catholic missionaries have been for ten years established in the Gambier Islands; and in April 1843, the chiefs made a declaration to the captain of the corvette La Charte, who acted under instructions from Captain Bruat, that they placed themselves ender the protection of French authority. " This act was followed by no military occupation, and by no installation of an administrative agent. The French missionary, the Rev. Father Liausse, was acknowledged the chief of that little community. The instructions addressed by Admiral De Mackau to Governor Bruat, on the 16th July 1844, formalZ desire him to abstain from any measures that may tend to engage the policy o the King's Government be-

yond what is accomplished. Before any decision come to regarding the far- ther acknowledgment of the authority of France in those islands, it seems indis- pensible to await the French reports. The group of the Gambier Islands have a good port, but are thinly peopled. The Methodist missionaries have not sought to penetrate into them, and have left the inhabitants without any opposition to the influence of the French missionaries."

In November 1842, the Ernbuseade corvette, Captain Mallet, was compelled to put in at Wallis's Islands, in order to make some urgent repairs ; which de- tained her forty days in the minc*1 port of those islands. He found thepeo I converted to Catholicism by the Reverend T. Batanlan, Bishop of Enos, and o French missionaries, and anxious to place themselves under French protection. " The people of the archipelap, amounting to about three thousand souls, are re- markable for their exemplary-habits of order and regularity.. On witnessing so satisfactory a state of rising society, Captain Mallet concluded with the King and Chita a cassuention andport-regulatiossi with the view of generally seeming terms as favourable as possible toetrangers visiting those island ,s- and those terms were settled with the cooperation of the captains of the English and American merchantmen that happenedto be there at the time. Nothing exclusively appE cable to French was stipulated in the port-reyulations; and no act oar, thority to be authorized in the name of France was included in the terms

to. Nor was the national flay hoisted on any port of that little sushi Captain Mallet confined himself to letting the chiefs adopt a mixed flag, chosen our missionaries, the colours of which could but preserve the recollection of an cer of the French navy having participated in the manifestation of the chiefs. The instructions addressed to M. Bruat, by Admiral Roussin, on the 20th July 1843, included, among other recommendations, the following—' The declarations trans- milted by M. Mallet imply, on the part of the chiefs, no surrender of sovereignty; nor must they lead us to form any establishment in the archipelago, or even en- gage us to maintain there permanently any ship of the Royal Navy, ie.' In the fresh instructions given to Rear-Admiral Hamelin, on the 16th July 1844, by. Admiral The Mackau, the Minister, referring to those above quoted, orders the protection to be exercised at Wallis's Islands to be still more restricted, and its action to be confined to friendly relations, and to the visits our ships may owl- sionally pay, in order to support the moral influence of our inissionanes, but with- out any effectual interference of any description in the affairs of the country."

The National makes a long report of proceedings of the Committee ap- pointed to collect subscriptions for a sword of honour to be presented to Admiral Dupetit-Thouars.

The amount received is 19,685 francs (7871.) ; the total collected, but not sent in, is estimated at 30,000 francs ; and it is computed that 175,000 persons had subscribed. A deputation waited upon the Admiral, to learn whether he would receive the sword. He declined: he assured the deputation, "that the imperious duty of discipline did not permit him to explain himself on a political manifesta- tion, nor to receive, without the authorization of his superiors, a public testimony. of approbation." The deputation therefore proposed, to declare the subscrip- tion closed; to make public the motives of Admiral Dupetit-Thonars's refusal— motives exclusively referring to discipline; and, finally, to apply the funds to the succour of the wounded seamen, or the wives and children of those who have fallen in the expedition of Tahiti." This suggestion was adopted by the Com- mittee.

At a public meeting of the Academie Franeaise, on Friday, M. Saint-Marc Girardin was admitted as a member. There never was a more brilliant assem- blage for such a purpose. Among the Academicians present were M. Thiers, M. Dupin senior, Count lelole; and among the spectators, the Prince and Princess De Joinville, the Duke and Dutchess D'Aumale' and the Due The Montpensier. M. Saint-Marc Girardin and M. Victor Hugo alluded with strong expressions of re- gret to the absence of M. Villemain. How could I look upon one vacant seat in this assembly," exclaimed M. Victor Hugo, " and not think of the rare and emi- nent man who sat there; of that honest servant of his country and of literature, worn out by his labours, yesterday the object of so much hatred, and today sur- rounded by the respectful and universal sympathy which has but one fault—that of always waiting for the supreme hour of calamity to manifest itself in favour of illustrious men. You know what the person of whom I speak is in the esteem of all—what he is in this Academy. You know him as the great master of modern criticism; an enlightened, gracious, eloquent, and virtuous writer; of a just and wise mind, devoted to true reason; a kind colleague, and a sure and faithful friend. It is impossible, therefore, for me to notice his absence and not to feel a pang of the heart. This absence, however, we are confident, will be of short duration. He will return to us. Let us confide in God, who holds in His hands our minds and our destinies, but who does not create such men for them to leave their work in- complete. Dear and excellent man ! he shared his noble and serious life between affairs of the highest character and the most affecting social relations: he had a. heart as inexhaustible as his mind."

The Paris correspondent of the Times, writing at half-past four o'clock on Tuesday afternoon, describes a curious scene. " There cannot be fewer than a hundred female gamblers at this moment in the precincts of the Bourse, all of them of the class of decent working-people or servants. They are backing the at even. Every five minutes two or three agents, bare-headed, rush out of theBourse and down the steps, to announce to the fair speculators (as I hope they all are) the state of the market; for you are aware that the lady-gamblers have been most ungallantly expelled the House,' and obliged to carry on their operations not in the Alley but on the Place. The matter is ludicrous to read, but it is exceedingly painful to witness; for several of these poor women appear truly wretched."

Srarx.—The Madrid journals, to the 16th instant, contain little news. The bill to alter the Constitution had passed the Senate; and the Gazette of the 15th contained the new law of Ayuntamientos and Provincial Depu- tations. The election of a Deputy in the room of the Marquis of Viluma began on the 15th. The Marquis again stood; but his opponent, Senor Galiano, a Ministerialist, was elected, by 354 to S.

Monocco.—" The news from Morocco, received by way of Gibraltar, says the Madrid Heraldo, " is deplorable. Anarchy reigns in a great part of the empire. The Kabyles have pillaged several towns. The peace concluded with France has contributed to weaken the power of Abd-er-Rah- man ; who is considered in the eyes of the fanatics as incapable of defend- ing in the field of battle the cause of Islamism and the independence of the country. It is probable that Abd-el-Kader, who is as sagacious as he is valiant, is not a stranger to these disturbances."

WEST INDIES.—The mail-steamer Medway, which left St. Thomas's on the 31st December, brings intelligence from Jamaica to the 24th anti from the other colonies of corresponding dates. The Earl of Elgin had closed the session of the Legislature on the previous day. The following is the most interesting passage in his speech-

" The accounts which I receive of the prospects of the crop continue to be ge- nerally of a cheering character. For a series of years the difficulties attendant on a change in our social system have been aggravated by unfavourable seasons. The influx of capital into the colony has been checked, and the inhabitants have failed to reap the full benefit of the improvements lately introduced in the culti- vation and manufacture of our staples. Present appearances warrant the expecta- tion that the labours of the agnculturists are at length about to be rewarded with a more abundant return; and I earnestly hope that while we unite in grati- tude to Providence for the blessings vouchsafed to us, all classes in the commie nity will cordially and harmoniously cooperate in turning them to account."

The Legislature is reproached by the Jamaica Times with having de- ferred. until next session almost all the important measures which it had had under consideration. It had, however, devoted 45,0001. to pay for immi- gration of Hill Coolies specifically, besides 50,0001. generally granted for im- migration. Although in his speech the Governor-General alludes to recent statistical inquiries as proving the rate of mortality to be higher than might have been expected—looking forward to the advance of morals and the better habits of civilization for bringing about improvement—the Jamaica Times speaks of the particular seasons as healthy. The crops were promising, and the planters were unremitting in their exertions to turn the season to account. On the morning of the 23d, " a delightful soaking rain " set in from the South, with every appearance_ of being general.