cretary of State for the department of the Interior. The Marquis de Clermont *Tonnerre, Peer of France, Minister Secretary of State for the department of the Marine. The Sieur de Villele, Member of the Chamber of Deputies, Minister Secretary of State for the department of Finance. Our Minister Secretary of State for the department of our household is charged with the execution of the present ordinance. Given at Paris, from the castle of the Thuilleries, December 14, in the year of grace 1821, and the 27th of our reign. Louis."

This, we are told, is the first Ministry, since the restoration of Louis, in the selection of which the public has had any share; the others having been the offspring of foreign influence, private attachment, or a miserable temporising court policy. The first act of the new ministry was to withdraw the obnoxious law regarding the censorship of the press; but this seems only to have been done for the purpose of introducing another equally at variance with the constitutional charter. This new project, which was submitted to the Chamber on the 2d instant, contains the following provisions :

Art. 1. No journals, except those which at present exist, can henceforth appear without the authority of Government.Art. 2. The offences of the journals against individuals will be prosecuted in the ordinary manner.-Art. 3. In case the spirit or general tendency of any journal or periodical writing shall be of a nature to injure the public peace, or the respect due to the religion of the state, or to the other religions recognized in France, or the authority of the King, or the stability of constitutional institutions, the royal courts, within the range of whose jurisdiction these journals are pub lished, shall have the power, in a solemn audience, to suspend the said journals, or even to suppress them.-Art. 4. If, in the interval of the Session of the Chambers, grave circumstances should momentarily render insufficient the measures of guarantee and repression at present established, the censorship shall be immediately restored to activity, in virtue of a royal ordinance, countersigned by three Ministers. Art. 5. Enacts, that the provisions of the former law, not repealed, shall remain in force.

During the reading of the bill, the Liberals on the left side expressed strong disapprobation; the Ultras on the right only called out" order.”

The only other news of importance from France relates to some acts of insubordination among the military. The ΓΟΙ., Σ.

Paris papers of the 28th December, mention a conspiracy against the government, which has been detected at-Saumur, a town in the department of the Maine and Loire. Previously to the discovery being made, a dreadful conflagration took place on the 18th, the causes of which were not well ascertained. Five persons lost their lives, and much damage was otherwise sustained. It was on the 23d that intelligence of this plot, which, according to the Moniteur, had been some weeks in preparation, was communicated to General Jamin, commandant at Angers, who immediately proceeded towards Saumur with two companies of the 44th regiment. The intention of the conspirators was to obtain possession of the castle of Saumur; but in this they were baffled by the arrest of eight of the principals, who were sub-officers of the school of Saumur. An adjutant, sub-officer of the 44th, and a serjeant-major of the same regiment, were also arrested, who are to be tried before the military tribunals. Another individual (M. Delon) accused of being one of the principal agents, fled on the arrival of the troops. No intimation is given as to the ulterior designs of these conspirators. One of the papers states that this disturbance originated entirely among the pupils of a military school, and that it was suppressed, almost as soon as it broke out, by the pupils of the same school.

The Moniteur of the 5th instant gives an account of another conspiracy which had been discovered on the 29th ult., in the garrison of Belfort, which was to have taken effect on the 2d instant, when the tri-coloured flag was to be mounted. Some of the conspirators were arrested; but four of them escaped, in consequence of the treachery of the officer to whose custody they were confided, and who fled along with them.

SPAIN. The accounts from this country still represent it in a very distracted state. There appears to be in the different provinces, organized insurrections against the authority of the Cortes or the King; while these two authorities seem equally at variance with each other. From Madrid, notwithstanding, we are told, that the King's entrance to the capital, on the 4th December, was accompanied by the loud acclamations of the populace. The Ministry, in the mean time, appear equally obnoxious to the Cortes and the people; and conscious of their unpopularity, it is stated in a letter of the 6th December, that they had that morning waited on his Majesty, and tendered their resignations. The King refused to accept them, saying "I will never con

Q

Morea, amounting, it is said, to two millions of sequins. Two Albanian Chiefs were the bearers of the gift, and of a letter of congratulation to the Senate. We are assured that the letter was signed "Constantine." This proceeding on the part of Ali proves that he considers the cause of Greece as victorious. Odysseus (Ulysses) carries on active war against the Turks in Epirus. He has captured several transports destined for the Morea. Ships that arrived this day from Corfu have spread a report that the fortresses of Modon, Coron, and Napoli de Romania, had capitulated. The inhabitants of the Ionian Islands resist the order for disarming them. There have been some skirmishes with the English, and the peasants have occupied the mountains.".

ASIA.

EAST INDIES.-Calcutta.-Letters from Calcutta mention a splendid entertainment given by Mirza Mendee Alee Khan, the favourite servant of the late King of Oude, to the Europeans and native inhabitants of Futteh-Gurh. There is something novel in a native of India entertaining Europeans, particularly after the custom of his guests, which on this occasion appears to have been studied by the elegant host with great minuteness. The dinner board was covered with the choicest viands, and supplied with the best and rarest winse; after which dancing commenced, and was followed by a brilliant display of fire-works; at the conclusion of these, each European lady was presented by the landlord with a string of pearls and some shawls, and then handed to supper. Although the scene must have been in some degree new to Mirza Mendee, he never appeared at a loss either in address or reply; in short, he seems possessed of those highly-polished manners that even few European noblemen can boast of. The greatest mirth and hilarity prevailed. It is pleasant to see this association between the natives and Europeans resident in India, and we would hope it indicates a disposition on their part to lay aside some of their ridiculous prejudices and customs-a circumstance that may, perhaps, ultimately prove of great advantage to the commercial interest of this country, and ought therefore to be encouraged.

Extract of a Letter from an Officer, dated Camp Sumbhulpoor, July 24th, 1821. Immediately after I was appointed to the regiment, we were ordered to take the field along with four other regiments, (making together about 5000 men,) against a tribe of outrageous mountaineers, called Kooles, who had made war

against their peaceable neighbours, burnt their villages, murdered all their inhabi tants, and plundered the whole of the country. These depredators inhabit a mountainous part of the country, running through the centre of India, from east to west. We had to march upwards of six hundred miles before we got to the point where the attack was to be made; and this was during the worst season of the year that men could be exposed in tents.

-The thermometer stood every day in our tent at 110 and 112, and on some days as high as 122; and, when exposed to the sun at noon, it generally stood between 150 and 160. We were absent from our cantonment four months, during which time we were obliged to suffer many deprivations, besides the heat of the weather, such as extreme bad mountainous roads, bad water, and for days together none at all. The mode of fighting we were obliged to adopt, to subdue the enemy, was also very harrassing to our men. For three or four days after our arrival in their country, they gave us battle on the plains; but finding themselves so dreadfully cut up, and being able to make no impression upon us, they betook themselves to the recesses of their highest mountains, where we were obliged to follow them, hunt them down, and kill them like so many tigers, as they never would allow themselves to be taken prisoners, while they could keep hold of their bow-and-arrow and battle-axe. last, after some thousands of them being killed, they accepted our terms of peace, which they had refused several times since the commencement of the campaign. From what I have here stated, you will easily perceive the very harrassing nature of the expedition to every one concerned. Out of four medical men that commenced the campaign, only one survived the excessive fatigue that they were obliged to undergo; so that the whole of the medical charge devolved upon him. His exertions (having at one time upwards of 400 sick in the camp) called forth public thanks of his Excellency the Commander in Chief.

AMERICA.

At

UNITED STATES. On the 5th December, the Session of the Congress was opened at Washington, with a message from President Monroe, which contains a general view of the external and internal relations of the Union, and which is described as satisfactory. With respect to foreign powers, it is, as usual, moderate and pacific in its tone, It is mentioned that the United States have never been

able to conclude a treaty of navigation and commerce either with France or Britain; but that each power pursues its own mode of policy without offence to the other. Some differences have arisen with France, regarding a right claimed by that power to treat with Louisiana, as the most favoured nation, which have not yet been settled, and all negotiations are stated to be suspended for the present. The American navy has been augmented, and the revenue having reached its extreme point of depression, is now stated to be increasing. With regard to South America, it is mentioned that, in the last year, the Independent troops have had such marked and decisive success, as to render it manifest that Spain cannot reduce these colonies by force, and it is intimated, therefore, to be her clear policy to terminate the destructive contest by recognising their independence. It will be one of the objects of the American Government, it is added, to promote this desirable result, by friendly counsel with the Spanish Government. In reference to the measures that have been adopted by the American Government, to effect the abolition of the slave trade, the message states, that "under the flags of the United States, and the sanction of their papers, the trade may be considered to be entirely suppressed; and if any of our citizens are engaged in it, under the flags and papers of other powers, it is only from a respect to the rights of these powers that these offenders are not seized and brought home, to receive the punishment which the laws inflict. If every other power should adopt the same policy, and pursue the same vigorous means for carrying it unto effect, the trade could no longer exist." Most of the other topics alluded to are merely of domestic interest.

CARACCAS. The following intelligence is contained in the Caraccas Gazette of the 25th October last :

"Cumana has surrendered to the Patriot forces under General Bermudez. Two days after its capitulation the squadron from Puerto Cabello arrived at the harbour, and being informed of what had occurred, as well as the generosity of the conqueror, desired leave to anchor in the port under a suspension of hostilities. Permission was granted, and the commander of the fleet, with his officers, were permitted to enter the city, where they participated in the joy of the triumph. General Bermudez is said to have covered himself with glory on the occasion, both as to his valour and the generalship he displayed. The congress of the republic of Columbia have elected Simon Bolivar President, and General Santander Vice

president.

The same Gazette contains

a law of the general congress of the' republic of Columbia, relative to the liberty of the press; the preamble to which states, that the liberty of the press ought to be as free as the faculty of speech itself."

PERU. On the 25th June, the Chilian squadron, under Lord Cochrane, accompanied by fire-ships and several transports, made an attack on the port of Callao, which surrendered after about three hours' resistance. Three Spanish frigates, one of 42 guns, and the other of 36, two armed brigs, and several merchantmen, fell into his Lordship's possession, with property to a large amount.

MEXICO. Advices have been received from Mexico to the 13th of October, and from Vera Cruz to the 29th. Their contents are extremely important, since they leave no doubt that the independence of Mexico is fully established, and in the form prescribed by the treaty of Cordova. The liberating army of the Three Guarantees, under the command of Senor Don Augustin de Iturbide, made its entry into the capital of New Spain on the 27th of September. On the same day, under the Presidency of Iturbide, with the title of Generalissimo by sea and land of Mexico, a Regency, composed of five members, was appointed. A Supreme Junta was also created, at which the Bishop of Puebla was declared President. The establishment of the Government was followed by the nomination of the different Ministers and authorities; the oath they were required to take simply pledged them to adhere to the stipulations of the treaty of Cordova. The only spot that still adhered to the mother country was the Castle of St Juan de Ulloa, which commands the city of Vera Cruz, and which was held by a garrison of 300 men only, who were expected to surrender, when called upon to do so, by the Government established at Mexico. General O'Donoju, who has made so conpicuous a figure in the transactions which have preceded the settlement of affairs in New Spain, died in the city of Mexico on the 8th October. The difficulty, therefore, of obtaining a clue to his late conduct in deserting the cause of Spain, and joining the Independents, is much increased. It appears that he was present at, and shared the public entry of Iturbide into Mexico, on the 27th September, and was treated with nearly the same marks of distinction. Various reports of the causes of his death were in circula

tion at Havannah, some directly ascribing it to poison, and others to indisposition brought on by chagrin.