ffortign ant( eolonfal.

FRaNcE.—The President of the Republic has paid a visit to the fortress of Ham, where he was confined for six years. The visit was one of statee the people of Ham were prepared with a suitable reception; and curiosity had attracted many thousand strangers to the town. A salvo of artillery announced the President's arrival, with several Ministers and a military escort: at the foot of that bridge which he crossed three years ago in the disguise of a labourer, he was met by the Magistrates of the Municipality, with military officers and religious dignitaries; and they delivered ad- dresses referring with warmth to the many acts of charity and benevolence which had "characterized his residence." Acknowledging these manifes- tations "in the most affectionate manner," the President and his cavalcade entered the town, and proceeded to church; where a" To Denm " was per- formed. The civil and military authorities of Ham were formally visited, and the National Guards reviewed; and then, amidst the shouts of the po- pulation, the fortress was entered.

"The President stopped in the middle of the court, near a tree of liberty plant- ed in 1793; opposite which were the windows of the apartment which had served as his prison, and which is now occupied by the famous chief of the Kabyles, Bon Maza. The President of the Republic did the honours of his old habitation to those who accompanied him; describing the circumstances of his existence, his habits, and the details of his escape. He announced to Bon Mass, that he was henceforth free, and that he might reside in Paris; at the same time promis- ing that the allowance granted to him should be increased. The Kabyle chief expressed his gratitude to the President, and assured him that he would never seek to leave France. He expressed his wish, however, to reside at Ham; and he was seen walking in the streets of the town that very evening." The President entered the chamber which was occupied by his faithful friend Dr. Conneau, and pointed out his own bedroom and his library

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Nothing had been changed—even the planks by which he deceived the keepers remained the same. He visited the little garden which be once cultivated with care, the hospital, and the convent; and at each spot told his friends of some freshened reminiscence.

Leaving the fortress, he proceeded to the Abbey, and at a grand bap- quet there again met the officials and the notables of the town and its neighbourhood. When his health was drunk, he said in reply-

" Monsieur le Maim, I am deeply affected at the warm reception which I meet with from your fellow citizens; but, believe me, my visit to Ham is not from pride, but from gratitude. I was anxious to thank the inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood for all the marks of sympathy which they displayed towards me- daring my misfortunes. Now that I am, by the choice of all France, become the legitirnate chief of this great nation, I cannot glory in a captivity which had for its cause an attack against a regular government. When we see what evils fol- low even the most just revolutions, we can scarcely comprehend the andseitY of having wished to take on oneself the terrible responsibility of effecting &change. I do not, therefore, complain of having expiated in this place, by an imprisonment of six years, my rashness against the laws of my country; and it is with haeln; ness that, in the very place of my sufferings, I propose toyon a toast in hououe the men who are determined, in spite of their convictions, to respect the inatituuons of their country." The Assembly have spent several days in preliminary discussion of the new law on the press, before entering on its details. The debate first ac- quired interest in the hands of M. Jules Fevre, who made an animated speech against the bill. He declared that there was but one step from the repress on of thought to the Holy Inquisition. As to Socialism, it would not do when human reason by chance lost itself to cry anathema- but light must be let in—in place of condemning, they must teach. M. Barrault vehemently accused the Right of hating the Republic; and the reproach WO encountered by cries of "Yes, yes!" with equally significant excla- mations. M. Thiers delivered a speech which has been pronounced his masterpiece in point of style and persuasiveness. It was the most direct attack on the principles of the Mountain, and on the Revolution itself, that has been made. M. Thiers contended that there cannot in society be un- bounded liberty of any kind; he justified "the laws of September," both on principle and by reference to the acts of the Provisional Government of the Revolution of 1848. He threw out a significant hint—

"Oar soil is strewed with ruins. Several monarchies have fallen: that of genius has fallen; so has that of the old right; so has that of conventional right —and no good citizen can rejoice at it. But do not forget that the Monarchical form of government is not the only one that has fallen—the Republic also was laid law; there were, in fact, overthrows for all. I do not wish to predict any- thing, but if the excellence of government is to be measured by their duration, The advantage will certainly not be to the Republic."

Irmx.—The "popular movement at Rome in favour of the Pops," which was announced by the French papers quoted in our last week's Postscript, turns out to have been but the formal reestablishment of the Pope's "au- thority" by the French powers. General Ondinot bad, on the 14th, de- creed that a Te Deum shall be chanted, the army assisting; and after the Te Down a review shall be held; a salute of one hundred guns shall be fired in obeisance to the Sovereign Pontiff's flag; the edifices shall be illu- minated at night; and alms shall be given to the poor." And accordingly, these things were all duly performed on the 15th; such was the " popular movement in favour of the Pope."

The Municipality of Rome resigned its functions into General Oudinot's hands on the 14th; and on that day he "decreed a temporary Municipal Committee;' composed of sixteen persons.

Ausrnix.—The accounts from the main seat of war continue to be -scanty, and of the most confusing discrepancy: from the tenour of the Austrian despatches themselves, however, there is reason to believe that the Hungarians are securing further advantages. It would appear that a series of tacticalbattles have been fought by Georgey and Dembinski, which have ended in the disappearance of the Hungarian troops to the North-east; and it seems probable from isolated facts mentioned in the Russian despatches, that the whole united force of the Hungarians is in process of rapid concentration, with the object of cutting the Russian General's base of operations, preventing further supplies and reliefs to him, and bringing the whole national force to bear on his great invading force. From the South there is a repetition in the most positive form that the Hungarians under Perczel have driven the Ban across the Theiss into Sela- vonia, and relieved the beleaguered fortress of Peterwardein. From Tran- sylvania come contradictions of late reports that the Russians had captured Bistritz, after battle—in the shape of bulletins from Bern, of characteristic brevity and modest spirit.

" Bistrilz, 25th June. I advanced, and occupied Bistritz without resistance; lhe enemy retiring. BEM." "June 27th. I attacked the Russians at two points near Rattendorf, defeated them, and forced them back on the frontier. BEM." "July 2d. I attacked the Russians near Gross Jago, and drove them back over Vasarkely and Uj Fain, to the pass of forgo; whence they will scarcely re- turn. BEM."

INDIA AND CurNa.—The mail which arrived from Bombay on Monday has brought scarcely a single item of interesting intelligence. The Queen's troops and the Company's troops at Lahore were feting each other and cul- tivating a good understanding. The Governor-General and Lord Gough were both enjoying "the cool delights of Simlah." Sir Charles Napier, dressed in an outlandish hat, and in trousers not perfectly white, had re- viewed regiments, exciting their enthusiasm with short soldierly counsel to sobriety and discipline; and had gone off to his command "up the coun- try." It was not known whether the Ranee Chunda was to be brought back from Nepanl. There were rumours that the governing officers of the annexed territory of Sattarah had already been appointed, and would soon be gazetted.

From Hongkong there are no advices of any important past event. In the absence of news, the following speculation of a local writer is of some interest: it is given in connexion with the excited state of the Canton popu- lace in relation to the admission of foreigners-

" There is a spirit of discontent, a love of change, a feeling of old partialities, Springing up in the Chinese empire, which will surprise us some fine morning in intelligence of the overthrow of the Tartar dynasty. China is on the verge of a political revolution; a disruption of its vast and distant provinces will be inevit- able. Throughout the extent of the Chinese empire, there is manifest a disposi- tion and alacrity in forming clubs and associations; a combination of force and union of sentiment which will not be long without taking a more clear and de- cisive course of conduct. The province of Canton is ripe for rebellion ready to throw off the yoke; and the people would cheerfully avail themselves of any pre- text to civil strife."

UNITED STATES AND Cxxxox.—The Hibernia left New York on the 11th instant, and Halifax on the 14th; and arrived at Liverpool on Tues- day. The celebration of the 4th of July, the national anniversary, was distinguished by an European feature: meetings were held at many of the cities and great towns to express sympathy with the Italian and Hun- garian causes. At New York there was a vast procession of foreigners, mostly French and Germans. At Philadelphia, Judge Kelley presided; many leading citizens spoke, and one of the resolutions was an invitation of the Washington Government to "recognize the freedom of Hungary and of Rome." Sympathizing resolutions "fairly engrossed and signed by the presiding officers of the meetings Who adopted them," are now on their way to Rome and Hungary in great numbers.

The cholera maintains its fatal influence in the North-western States, but decreases in the East. In Cincinnati, the deaths were 1,101 for the week ending the 7th July. President Taylor has " earnestly recommended that the first Friday in August be observed throughout the United States ailS day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer."

From Canada there are telegraphic accounts to the 10th instant. The public mind is becoming more and more familiarized with the idea of an- nexation to the States. :The Montreal Herald sets forth, " how an- nexation would conciliate the views of Canadian Free-traders with those of Canadian Protectionists." The stars and stripes were suspended at se- veral places in Montreal on the 4th of July; and a local writer observes thereupon—" No doubt all these demonstrations partook more or less of the character of jokes; but it is not long since such jokes would have led to something serious, and they may be still the precursors of something serious enough. At any rate, they show what people are thinking about." It is stated that the Government was anxious, and thought the occasion a fit one for holding its troops under arms throughout the day, to be ready to act with promptitude.

WEST INDIES.—The Thames steam-ship brought a West India mail to Southampton on Saturday night. The news of interest is from Demerara and Jamaica, under the dates June 19th and 22d; and from Grenada, Bar- dos, and St. Lucia, under the dates June 22d, 27th, and 28th.

In the Demerara Court of Policy, Governor Barkly had carried the se- cond reading of a bill to extend the franchise of the colony. He stated that he had been desirous of referring to those by whom the Financial Mem- bers were elected, and he had learned that the limited constituency of the crony had suffered considerable diminution from the the non-assessment of an income-tax last year. The present measure was framed in some de- gree upon the model of the English Reform Bill; but the elective qualifi- cation was taken from local laws—the rural qualification, from the Jury- list Ordinance of 1846, the town qualification from the law of municipal elections. The seJond reading was supported by the five official members, including the Governor; opposed by the five non-official members; and carried by the casting-vote of the Governor.

In Jamaica, several meetings had been held, and others were about to be held, with a view to move the home Government to persist in its attempts to suppress the slave-trade by force, and to desist from any measure it may have in contemplation for placing our trade with the Brazils on a more com- fortable and rational footing. The Morning Journal observes, that one of these meetings, held at St. Ann's, "is particularly deserving of notice, on account of the declaration that the inhabitants of this island are prepared for competition in the markets of the world with slave sugar, if those trea- ties are faithfully observed." The meeting agreed to the following resolu- tion— " That the climate and soil of this island are as favourable for the production of sugar and coffee as that of any other country; and that its inhabitants are quite prepared for competition in the markets of the world with the natives of Cuba and the Brazils, provided that the stipulations of the treaties made between those countries and Great Britain were as faithfully observed by them as they have always been by the subjects of her Britannic Majesty." The Assembly was to meet on the 26th. A very stormy session was antici- pated, particularly in relation to the Retrenchment Bill, on which it was deemed certain that the Legislature would be dissolved arid new elections take place. The sugar crops looked exceedingly fine, particularly on the North side of the island. In the interior parishes they had at parts somewhat suffered from long droughts, but lately very salutary rains had fallen. The news from England, announcing a slight rise in sugar, had operated in favour of advanced rates, and given an impetus to business. But with respect to coffee, the planters had declined even picking the berry, as the market prices were totally unremunerative. At Grenada, the Assembly had imposed a tax of 10 per cent on all in- comes paid out of the Treasury. The quarantine was reduced from twenty to ten days. In St. Lucia, the Legislative Council met:on the 25th June, to dis- cuss the financial affairs of the colony, with a view to the alleviation of existing difficulties, and devising ways and means for the service of 1850. A Committee had been appointed to investigate the affairs of the Treasury and its resources. Governor Darling was said to be determined to reduce the expenditure, and some sweeping measures were anticipated. There was a deficiency of nearly 200001. caused by the riots of March last, for which Earl Grey had declined any loan or assistance. It was probable that the 2s. tax on cultivated land would be raised to 4s. per acre, and that a duty on the exports of sugar and rum would be imposed. The Barbados House of Assembly was sitting. Upon a motion for retrenchment in the salaries of the officers, an amendment was moved and carried, continuing the present salaries until such time as a comprehensive plan for retrench- ment can be adopted.

A serious affair occurred at Bermuda, on board the Medway convict- ship, on the 21st of June. James Cronin, a convict, was about to undergo a whipping, to which he had been sentenced for mutiny; and the four or five hundred convicts on board the ship were ordered on the spar-deck (forward) to witness the punishment. Twenty guards were drawn up near the prisoner with loaded muskets. A brother of the prisoner, who had been excused from attending but who insisted on being pre- sent, rushed forward just as the whipping commenced, and, waving his hat, called out to his fellow convicts in some brief Irit..11 phrases. More than two hundred answered with a wild cheer and a rush to the barrier; "upon which they clus- tered like bees," threatening a descent on the quarter-deck, and shrieking with excitement. The overseer ordered them to "fall back," and threatened to fire: but the men disregarded him; and as their excitement would evidently end in their descent en masse and the overwhelming of the armed party, the latter were ordered to fire. The first volley was disregarded, the convicts believing it was but blank cartridge: the rear rank then fired a volley, which killed two on the spot and wounded twelve others, some of them mortally. The mutineers in- stantly fled to hiding-places on the spar-deck ; and the sentence was carried out." Inquests were held; and the Juries found verdicts of "Justifiable homi- cide." Cronin the ringleader was wounded in two places, and two other convicts were maimed for life.