i farrign nub Colonial.

Fin:gm—There have been sundry balls, banquets, &c., in celebration of the Imperial instalment of the President. M. Bonaparte accepted an

invitation to a grand ball given by the Prefect of the Seine in the Hotel de Ville on Saturday, but was not present : his absence has been excused on the ground of "slight indisposition." The Marquis of Normanby and all the Diplomatic Corps were there.

Again, on Sunday, he was to have been present at a dinner given by the Prefect of the Seine, to the Ministers, the Marshals of France, the Judges, and the heads of departments; but again he was absent, from "slight indisposition."

Then he himself was to have entertained the beads of departments and the veteran Generals of the Imperial armies, in the Salon of the Marshals in the Tuileries, on Monday ; but with reference to this affair it is a per- fect mystery whether he was present or not. Some of the semi-official journals describe his presence, and his demeanour, circumstantially;

state who sat on his right and left ; and add, that " the Mayor of Epinal gave utterance to the joy which filled every heart" : but other semi-offi- cial accounts say that no speeches were made ; and private accounts aver positively that M. Bonaparte was not present at all, and that the lying tales of the journals only describe what was intended to happen. He went in state to a private performance at the Opera on Tuesday evening. The additional correspondent of the Time says, " A more sig- nal display of magnificent dulness was never witnessed.' The piece was Meyerbeer' s Prophete.

"A little before eight o'clock, the carriage of the President, preceded, sur- rounded, and followed by a detachment of cuirassiers, made its appearance ;

while scattered cries on either side of Vive Napol6on ! ' gradually swelled into a semblance of unanimity as the vehicle approached the theatre. The il- lustrious visitor, on descending, was received by M. Roqueplan, the manager; who had awaited his arrival at the steps of the portico.

" The box occupied by Louis Napoleon, to the right of the entrance to the amphitheatre, almost in the middle of the salle, was made out of three or

four of the ordinary boxes, which had been displaced for the purpose. It was disposed in the form of a gorgeous dais, with velvet hangings and gold ornaments, and projected over a portion of the amphitheatre. The dais was

surmounted by the huge effigy of an eagle with spread wings, in gold,—an

object which I have learnt, was recently, discovered, among other valuable relics of the Empire, in the possession of M. Vallette, an amateur of curiosi-

ties and articles of vertd and antiquity Around the amphitheatre, immense tricoloured banners were attached to the columns, with the inscrip- tion Honneur et Petrie.' Upon the numerous banners hung in the salle and the foyer more than 120 eaglets were painted. The audience looked like the audience of a garrison-town on some special occasion, and on an enor- mous scale. I never before saw such a display of military uniforms within the walls of a place of public amusement. There were comparatively few ladies, and many of these were attired in the fashion of the Empire. One of the most conspicuous for the beauty of her costume was the Prineess Ma- thilde, cousin of Louis Napoleon ; who occupied the box usually allotted to

the President, and looked as if she had stepped out of the frame of one of the Napoleon dynasty of painters. In the premieres loges de baleen were the Ambassadors of England and Turkey, the Ministers of. Russia, Naples, Den-

mark, Spain, Prussia, America, &c. ; in the amphitheatre stalls, the Gene- rals and Colonels of the Army ; in the orchestra stalls, the Mayors and Dele-

gates; while the wives of the Ambassadors and other ladies of distinction occupied conspicuous places, and rivalled each other in the splendour and variety of their toilets,—most of which, however, were more or less, eape- cially in what concerned the coiffure, style de l'Empire. With such an entourage it was natural that Louis Napoleon should be well received. It was a theatrical close borough, where all the voices were at the command of the proprietor. The coup d'eeil, however, although the mile was lighted

'au Jour' with numberless lustres and candelabra, was as oppressive as it was gorgeous. The eye found no rest, and the glitter of light was in- tolerable.

" The execution of the opera of the Prophete, the instrumental partexcepted, was by no means above par. Perhaps, indeed, the chef d'oeuvre of Meyerbeer

never went off more flatly. There was not a single token of enthusiasm from

first to last, except perhaps for the pea from Vert-pert, introduced by the new and successful dancer Mademoiselle Priora, in the skating-scene. The only real Oct. however, was produced after the third act, when, the curtain falling, R. Girard waved his bow, and the band struck up alternately two airs from the once popular opera of Gretry,- La Caravane du Caire, which were always

performed when the great Napoleon went to the Opera—' La Victoire est a nous' (a chorus), and the triumphal march. These antique tunes roused the Generals and veterans from their apathy, elevated the spirits of the soldiers, and awoke the Mayors, not distinguished for their musical taste and appre- ciation. The strains of Father Gretry, the patriarch of French opera, com- pletely bore the bell away from the varied and colossal harmonies of Meyer- beer. The sensation was profound, and its expression in keeping."

A clearance is to be made of " Liberia, Egalite, et Fraternite," through- out France : the Honiteur has had an imperial decree to the same effect as the provincial one lately issued by the Prefect of the department of the Allier—that these words are to be erased from all the public edifices. At the same time, the ancient and historical names of public buildings, places, and streets, " changed during the Revolutionary period," are to be restored. " Theatre Francais " to become " Theatre Royal," and the like.

A decree has announced that the gold, silver, and copper coin, shall bear in front the effigy of the President, with the words " Louis Napoleon Bonaparte." On the reverse are to be engraved the words "Republique Francais° " and round the edge "Dieu protege la France."

The Opinion Ptddigue appeared this week with an article on the late decrees of the Emperor of Austria, from which it is supposed that the censorship had struck out the main portion; there was a gap of a column of blank space in the midst of the article.

Baron Pasquier, Inspector and member of the Council of Health of the Army, died in Paris on Saturday, after a short illness. General Rapatel, late Colonel of the Second Legion of the National Guard of Paris, died on Saturday.

A good reason now appears why the votes of Algeria were held back : they were unfavourable. Out of 68,000 more than 50,000 abstained; 5735 voted for Louis Napoleon, and 6627 against him.

From day to day we are told, "the Constitution is to be published in the Moniteur of tomorrow" • but at the end of the week the Constitution is still not forthcoming. Among the reports explaining the delay, is one, that not half a dozen men of weight can be found who will disgrace themselves with office under-it.

The department of Public'Works continues very active. The Lyons and Avignon Railway was conceded to the Company of Ironmasters at

the end of last week, on terms more advantageous to the _state than could be got before ; and the Lyons and Paris Railway was conceded to a great company, including many English capitalists and contractors, at the be-

ginning of this week, on. equally advantageous terms. The Minister of the Interior has reported in favour of greatly extending the electric tele- graph, and has obtained a credit of 4,832,000 francs to carry out his re- commendations.

GERMANY.—The Weiner Zeitung of the 1st January contained a new- year's gift from the Emperor to his lieges, in the shape of three decrees,

formally annulling the constitution of the 4th March 1849, and promul- gating certain fundamental principles of the future organic institutions of the Austrian empire. The first decree declares, that after thorough examination, the patent of - March 1849 has been found "neither to agree in its fundamental prin-

ciples with the situation of the Austrian Imperial state," "nor to be ca- pable of execution in the totality of its provisions" : it is therefore de- clared "null and void." But the "equality of all subjects before the law," and "the abolition of peasant service and bondage," are "expressly confirmed."

The second decree declares, that "a number of specific political rights were attributed by the patent of March 1849 to the inhabitants of the Archduchy of Austria, above and below the Ems, of Salzburg, Styria, II- lyria, Carinthia, Carniolia, Tyrol, Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, Galicia, Bukovinix, Dalmatia, &c. These rights are "annulled"

The nature of the "fundamental principles of future organic institu- tions," laid down in the third decree, may be learned from the following

summary of its drift, by the Vienna correspondent of the Morning Chronicle- " The Crown lands are parcelled out into districts and circles as before, governed by officials, who are appointed by Ministers, and subordinate to

the Studtholders. The communes in town and country are still allowed, in name, to choose their own mayors ; but the elections must be confirmed by Government, which reserves to itself the power of approving them. The communes thus formed have only to take cognizance of their own local matters. The great nobles and landed proprietors, and the country gentry, will be admitted to the consultations of the Stadtholders and presidents of

circles ; the sphere and object of their cooperations to be clearly defined afterwards. Every vestige of the Parliamentary system has been care- fully kept out of sight in this new scheme for governing the Imperial terri- tories ; not even the provincial Landstande being reinstated. The publicity of governmental or communal proceedings is no longer tolerated.

" i The department of Justice is to be kept distinct from that of the adminis- tration. Open courts and trial by jury are abolished." The Prussian Parliament reassembled on the 5th instant.

ITALY.—The Austrian " Imperial and Royal Military Commando of the port and town of Leghorn ' published on the 20th December its sen- tence on the young Stratfords, sons of the late Lord Aldborough, and their fellow prisoners, accused of seditious conspiracy "to overthrow the legitimate monarchic government of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, and to erect in its stead a revolutionary government of a democratic re- publican form." Henry Stratford, aged twenty-three years, native of Paris, and thirty-eight other prisoners, were sentenced to death by hang- ing, for conspiracy and concealment of arms ; Edward Stratford, aged nineteen years, native of Belgium, was sentenced to death by shooting, for the same crimes; Charles Stratford, aged twenty-one years, native of Belgium was sentenced to detention in irons in a fortress during one year, for printing revolutionary papers ; five other prisoners were sentenced to terms of imprisonment But Field-Marshal Radetsky, "from clemency, and in deference to the laws actually existing in the Grand Duchy of

•

Tuscany," has mitigated the sentences of death to periods of imprisonment for twelve years and less. Henry Stratford is to be imprisoned for ten years ; Edward Stratford for six years. Charles Stratford and another are set at liberty, " the time spent in prison during the trial being suffi- cient punishment" for them. The alleged fact that the Stratfords are British subjects is ignored by the judgments of the Austrian Commando.

Imam( laisiene.—A supplement to the Corfu Gazette of the 22d December notifies the decree of Queen Victoria that the Ionian Parlia- ment be dissolved.

The same gazette contains a proclamation by the Lord High Com. missioner, Sir Henry Ward, explaining that the object of the dissolution of Parliament is a modification of the existing Ionian constitution ; and setting forth the conditions on which that modification is vouchsafed, with details of the concessions.

The document premises, that the reforms introduced two years ago in the constitution of 1817 have utterly failed in producing the goodeffecta antici- pated ; and that, with the best intentions on the part of the Government, and the most sincere cooperation of a majority of members in the late As- sembly, little or nothing has been done for the benefit of the people. It then goes on to say, that as it is still her Majesty's desire to see a well-regu- lated system of constitutional liberty established in the islands, the Lord High Commissioner is authorized to propose certain modifications to the next Parliament, with a view to remove whatever stands in the way of the fair operatiou of the late constitutional changes, " provided always the re- sult of the next elections be an Assembly disposed to accept her Majesty's liberal concessions in a proper spirit." The modifications proposed are-1. The substitution of an annual for a biennial session, in order to put an end to the dissensions between the Senate and the Assembly concerning the con- stitutional right of the Senate to make regulations having force of law during the recess with the consent of the Lord High Commissioner. 2. The modification of those articles which regulate the present organization of the Senate, in order to increase the responsibility of its members, and to regulate its duties. 3. The addition of a fifth judge to the Supreme Council of Justice, in order to enable that body to decide all cases by an absolute majority, instead of by the casting-vote of the Prest- dent of the Senate and the Lord High Commissioner. 4. The per- misaion to introduce a bill for the letter regulation of the powers of the local government. 5. The substitution of powers defined by an act of Parliament for those now exercised under the name of the high police, in vir- tue of article 4 section 2 chapter 7 of the Constitution ; which the Lord High Commissioner will recommend her Majesty to abrogate, provided the Icarian Parliament be disposed to join with him in the adoption of measures " which the experience of the last two years has proved to be indispensable." The Lord High Commissioner observes—" These are the great and pacific changes which a powerful sovereign offers a people under her protection, at a tinge when popular rights, rapidly and violently obtained in 1848, are as rapidly disappearing all over Europe. The fate of these islands is now in the hands of the Ionian people. By a wise exercise of the power with which it is in. vested by the constitution, it may combine peace in the interior with security from foreign aggression, encouragement to commerce, improvement in agri- culture, a better system of general education, the use of its native language in all public affairs, wise economy in the administration of the commonwealth, and the most perfect liberty of discussion, with the adoption of every measure which may practically tend to improve its social condition.'.' He expresses a hope that such real and palpable benefits will not again fall a sacrifice to anar- chical factions. Although he has very extensive powers for the purpose of up- holding the rights of her Britannic Majesty, and punishing those who may pre- sume to infringe them, he cannot do the good he wishes without the coopera- tion of a Parliament emanating from the free choice of the Ionian people. He trusts the next Parliament will cordially cooperate with the Senate for the good of the country • but should that not be the case, or should new insur- rections break out, the responsibility of the consequence will lie with the people, not with him.

CAFE OF Goon 1101%—The mail steam-ship Harbinger brings news from cape Town to the 2d-of December.

The expedition - of Major-General Somerset against Macomo into the Waterkloof, a mountainous range et the Northern extremity of the county of Albany, was stated in the last advices to have been a series of discomfitures of the enemy : on three days—almost successive once—we "defeated him" and "dispersed him " ; and at last it was stated that he bad withdrawn from the fastness he had seized in the midst of our colony. But after the enemy had been "destroyed," it was found advisable " te expel a number of the enemy who were supposed to be lurking about." The attempt encountered a resistance as desperate as it must have been unexpected ; and has cost us the most serious and regretted loss we have sustained in the course of the war. Lieutenant-Colonel Fordyce, of the I Seventy-fourth Regiment, Lieutenant Carey, and Lieutenant Gordon, of the same regiment, and Captain Devenish, of the Levies, lost their lives on the field, or received wounds of which they soon died ; and the privates of the European regiments suffered a serious loss in killed and wounded. " Two six-pounders had been &ought from Beaufort, making up six in all; and, everything being arranged, the force was divided into three co- lumns, under Colonels Fordyce and alichel and the General Poor Fordyce reached his ground first ; and with his characteristic bravery, determined on t attacking a number of the enemy who appeared on the heights above the Waterkloof. He had advanced nearly to the edge of the rocks and bush, and was about taking up a position, when a shot struck him in the breast, and he fell mortally wounded." He did not survive his wound more than ten ' minutes. His last words were, " What will become of my poor regiment ?" " The regiment having only partially received his orders, was for a me- , meut in confusion, and the enemy sprang up and hurrahed exultingly ' but, immediately sheltering themselvea behind the rocks, poured , upon the unfortunate troops a deadly fire, killing and disabling not less than fourteen officers and men. Lieutenant Carey was also mortally wounded ; and Gordon, as brave an officer and as honest and warm- , hearted a man as any in the service, was shot through both thighs, the bone of the right being shattered by the ball. A sergeant was dragged into the bush, but his comrades had the melancholy consolation to find. that he did not fall alive into the power of his enemies. All this lasted but a short time, and but little firing comparatively took place. The General (Somerset] with the advance of his column reached the heights as the conflict was going on, and the report of this heavy misfortune cast a gloom over the whole. Nevertheless, instant dispositions were made of all the various forces to extricate the regiment from its perilous position. The guns were brought round to command the fastnesses of the enemy, and a mule-waggon sent down for the wounded, who would" otherwise require so many men as bearers that the remainder of the regiment would be unable to cover their retreat." The enemy were shelled wherever they appeared, and at last they disappeared. "After this, the weather having become very severe, General Somerset withdrew his troops to the camp at the Blinkwater." The whole colony deplored the death of Colonel Fordyce; the pains-

taking veracity of whose reports had inspired a peculiar confidence in all his military narratives. Addresses of condolence had been presented to the officer next in command.

While the public opinion was still dwelling on this untoward incident, and on the proof which it afforded that Macomo's forces had been neither "destroyed " nor " driven out " of the Waterkloof, people were astonished by the announcement in the Government journal, the Monitor, that the perfidy of Kreili, the paramount chief of all the Gaika race, had been proved to the Government, and that it was resolved to punish Kreili by a great expedition across the Kei. A force of 1000 cavalry and 2000 in- fantry was already, on the 2d December, assembled at the Hmwani Mis- sion station, under the command of Major-General Somerset. Rations for one month would be conveyed after the expedition; and the Monitor, with unconscious irony, congratulates its readers, that "there can be no drawback to the complete success of the expedition in %relies open flat country, except the possible disappointment that the nimble foe has again retreated with the cattle to the mountains beyond."

The political news is of much interest. The Constitution, sent out by Earl Grey at the end of September, arrived in the colony on the 31st Oc- tober. It was received with a singular unanimity of gratitude by all parties, except the Government-party. The South African, the Observer, and the Cape Town Mail, representing the various shades of political oppo- sition to the Government, all expressed a favourable opinion, and ac- Imowledged it to be more liberal than was expected. But the Monitor at first stood aloof ; and afterwards, by articles specifically objecting to the franchise as practically a " universal suffrage," and chalking out an in- definite course of critical emendation for the Legislative Council, showed that by the Government party the constitution of Earl Grey is deemed an instrument that must be either barked, or "improved off the face of the earth."

It will be recollected that Sir Harry Smith thought the necessity of speed so urgent, and the possibility of- improving the draft constitution by any further bandying of it backward and forward between Africa and Europe so little, that he besought Lord Grey to send it out in a final shape at once; and Lord Grey, at last yielding, informed the House of Lords that the constitution would now go back to the Cape only to be "for- mally and technically" passed by the Legislative Council; when it would be made law by the Queen's prompt confirmation. The document, as we have already stated, arrived at Cape Town on the 31st of October : instead of being at once laid before the Council, (which had been filled up according to Lord Grey's previously received behests,) it was sent to Sir Harry Smith, on the field of war, for his instructions ; in three weeks it came back, and was read a first time : this, however, was not a formal " first time," but only " for information," and it was resolved that the formal " first reading " should take place eight days later. That first reading took place on the 28th November. A motion was made by a non-official member of the Council, that the second reading should be had that day three months. This was not, as English readers might suppose, a motion openly to throw the bill out and get rid of it, but was a motion for ostensible progress. On the suggestion of the Attorney-General, it was resolved to take the second reading on the 28th of the present month The popular estimate of this manoeuvre, and of the Council of four official members and six nominee non-official members, who executed or sanctioned it, was declared by a great public meeting in Cape Town, held a few hours before the departure of the mail by the Harbinger, on the 2d December. Sir Antilles Stockenstrom and Mr. Fairbairn had but a few days arrived from England, and the people welcomed with delight their appearance on the platform in support of the resolutions. Mr. J. J. L Smuts presided ; and Mr. Brand, Mr. de Wet, Sir Andries Stocken- strom, Mr. Wicht, Mr. Reitz, and Mr. Fairbairn, were speakers. The following petition to the Queen was adopted by acclamation.

" That your Majesty's faithful and loyal subjects gratefully acknowledge the boon which your Majesty has been graciously pleased to confer in the liberal form of government embodied in the letters-patent and two draft ordinances, constituting a Parliament for this colony, published in the Cape

of Good Hope Government Gazette of the 27th day of November 1851. '

" That your petitioners willingly defer, for the consideration of the future Parliament, such matters of detail as are not absolutely required to bring the said ordinances into immediate operation, together with such other points in the subordinate arrangements, contained in the said drafts, as are not in accordance with the petitions on this subject, presented to your Majesty last year; and sincerely accept the scheme now proposed to the public, as well adapted to meet the wants and wishes of the colonists.

" And as the present Legislative Council of this settlement, to which these most important ordinances have been submitted for consideration, in no sense represents or enjoys the confidence of the inhabitants, your peti- tioners humbly but most earnestly pray that your Majesty may be graciously pleased to withhold your consent from any alterations introduced by that body, which shall be found inconsistent with the principles and provisions of the said drafts; and that the whole, as nearly as possible as it now stands, may receive your Majesty's sanction, and be put in force without further re- ference or delay, so as to restore peace, harmony, and confidence, through- out this portion of your Majesty's dominions, and to promote its future welfare and happiness."

The subjoined abstract of the constitutional ordinances comprises all the more important provisions of the new Cape Constitution.

" The Parliament.—The Parliament of the Cape of Good Hope shall consist of the Governor, the Legislative Council. and a House of Assembly. "The Legislative Councit.—The Legislative Council shall consist of the Chief Jus- tice, as President, and fifteen elective members, eight of whom shall be chosen in the Western districts, and seven in the Eastern. Of the first Council. the eight members (four from the Western and four from the Eastern districts) who were elected by the fewest votes shall retire at the expiration of fivz years, and the remaining seven at the expiration of ten years ; and the members afterwards elected shall hold their seats for ten years, unless the Council shalt be sooner dissolved by the Governor. A member of the Legislative Council must be thirty years of age, and must own landed property, unmortgaged, wo,th 10001.; or she landed property of that amount, which, though mortgaged, will, wi his moveable property, constitute him the owner of not less than 20001., over and above his just de As. Leery candidate for the Legislative Council must be nominated by a requisition signed by twenty-five electors, and must have acce. ted the nomination before he can be voted for. The list of candidates thus legally nominated shall be published in the Government Gazette at least four- teen days before the day of election. No elector can sign such a requisition for more than one candidate.

"The Assembly.—The House of Assembly shall consist of forty-six members, to be elected for the term of five years. Seven members, exclusive of the member pre- siding, shall form a quorum. Every person qualified to vote shall be qualified to be elected a member of the Legislative Assembly. The electoral divisions shall be the Cape Division (exclusive of Cape Town), Malmesbury, Stellenbosch, the Pearl, Clanwilliam, Swellendam, Caledon, George, Ifitenhage, Port Elizabeth, Albany (exclusive of Graham's Town), Fort Beaufort, Victoria, Albert, Somerset, Graaf- Relied, Cradock, Cidesberg, Beaufort, and Worcester, Cape Town (to be divided into two electoral divisions, one of them including Point Green). and Graham's I Town. Two members shall be elected for each division. The House of Assembly shall elect one of its members as Speaker.

" The Franchise.—Every male person who shall have occupied, for his own use and benefit, within any electoral division, for the space of twelve months next before the day of registration, any tenement of the value of 25/., shall be entitled to be re- gistered as a voter for members of both Houses. But no servant. or other person, shall be deemed to have so occupied any premises of which, in law, the possession would be deemed to be in some other person. Joint occupiers of tenements of sulli- cieut value to qualify them seeerally shall be entitled to vote. No pers, a shall be an elector unless he is of the full age of twenty-one years, and either a naturel-born British subject, or a British subject who was before the 18th of January 1800 a sub- ject of the Batavian Government in this colony, or else, if of alien birth, naturalized by some act of the Imperial or Colonial Legislature. No person shall be entitled to vote who shall hold any office of profit under her Majesty within the colony. Un- certificated insolvents, insane persons, and convicted felons (not being pardoned), are also excluded from the franchise.

"The Elections.—The members of the Legislative Council shell be elected before those of the House of Assembly. Polling-places (at least one in every field-cor- netcy) and returning-officers shall be appointed by the Governor. In the election of the members of the Legislative Council each voter shall be entitled to give as many votes as there are members to be elected from his section of the colony, (Western or Eastern,) and he may give one vote to each candidate, or may distribute the votes among the candidates in such proportion as he shrill think lit, or may give them all to one candidate. The voter shall write against the name of each candidate in the printed list whom he may desire to have chosen the number of votes which he shall give to such candidate, and subscribe such list with his name at length, and every

suchstignature shall cotes shall be mmed up by the committee of nominated the candidates in each pro

vinee, and the names of the members elected shall be announced by proclamation in the Government Gazette. The day of election of members of the Legislative As- sembly shall then be pronounced by proclamation, and the election shall take place after an interval of not less than thirty-one days from the date of such proclamation. The members shall be duly nominated by two resident electors, at a public court, held in each electoral division; and if the number of persons proposed shall not ex- ceed the number to be elected, such persons shall be deemed to be elected ; other- wise a show of hands shall be taken; and if any candidate shall demand a poll, the returning-officer shall fix and announce the day or days on which the poll will be taken at the several polling-places, which shall be after an intervalbofncoht candidate forthree days from the day of nomination. Security must be given by each

for the payment of an equal share of the expense of the poll, not, however, exceeding the suns of 501. The returning-officer of the division shall cast up the votes given for the several can iidates, and shall at another public court declare the state of the poll, and proclaim the member or members returned.

"Sessions of the Parliament.—The Governor shall summon the two Houses to meet at such time and place within the colony as he shall think fit within twelve months next after the promulgation of this ordinance. A session of the Parliament shall be held once at least in every year. The Governor may prorogue the two Houses whenever he shall see fit to do so ; and he may dissolve one or both Houses at his pleasure. In case of the occurrence of a vacancy in either House, from death or any other cause, the Governor shall, by proclamation, order a new election to be held ; the member so elected shall hold lee seat fur the'unexpred term for which the member occasioning such vacancy was elected. " Government (fficers.—The Colonial Secretary, the Attorney-General, the Trea- surer, and the Auditor, shall have the right of sitting and speaking, but not of voting, in either House.

" Legislation.—All bills granting supplies or imposing taxes shall originate in the House of Assembly. No bill appropriating any sum of money from the public re- venue shall be enacted, unless the Governor shall have recommended the House of Assembly to make provision for the specified public service for which such money is to be appropriated. The Governor may assent to any bill, or may refuse his assent to it, or may reserve it for the signification of the Royal pleasure upon it ;.or he may return it with amendments to either House at his pleasure. But a bill assented toby the Governor may be disallowed within two years by order of her Istejtetyin Council. All debates shall be conducted in English, and all records of proceedings of the Par- liament be kept in the same language. " Travelling Expenses, &c.—Every member of either House who resides at a greater distance than ten miles from the place at which Parliament meets shall receive II. per day for every day spent in travelling to and from, or in attending at, any session of Parliament.

" Fixed Appropriations.—Until the Parliament shall otherwise direct, there shall be reserved out of the revenue of the colony the sum of — for defra)ing the ex- . penees of the several services enumerated in the subjoined schedules, et, B. C, and D Schedule A.—Governor. Chief Justice, two Puisne Judges; salaries of the At- torney and Solicitor General, Crown Solicitor, and contingent and miscellaneous expenses of the administration of justice throughout the colony ; Colonial Secretary . and his department; Colonial Treasurer and his department; Auditor-General. and his department; salary of Clerk and miscellaneous expenses of the Executive Council. Schedule B.—Pensioas. Schedule C.—Public Worship. Schedule D.— Border Department."

THE Gums& Cossr.—Accounts have been received from our slave , squadron of an attack on the Negro King of Lagos, whose possessions skirt the Bight of Benin, in which we have suffered considerable injury, without apparently gaining any equal advantage. " The King of Lagos, Coreioco by name, had forbidden the men-of-war boats from coming up the river to Lagos; but previously Mr. Beecroft, the Consul at Fernando Po, with the commanders of the Harlequin and Water- witch, and Lieutenant Patey, the commander of the Bloodhound steam- tender, had been received by the King with every demonstration of respect. They, however, failed in their object to engage the King to promise on the part of himself and subjects not to favour the slave-trade. Mr. Beecroft de- termined on seeking another interview with the King ; and in order to show his sable majesty the hopelessness of any successful persistence in carrying on the inhuman traffic, arranged that the armed boats of the squadron should accompany him up the river under a flag of truce." Accordingly, the slave squadron fitted out twenty-three boats with an armed force of 260 officers and men, and sent them in towards the river, accompanied by the Niger screw-sloop (14) and the Bloodhound steam- tender.

"As the force crossed the bar, and about four miles distant from the point, a heavy fire of musketry was directed towards it. No notice, however, was taken of this ineffectual show of opposition to the progress of the boats, and the flags of truce were kept flying. When within about a mile and a half of the town the Bloodhound grounded; and,- as she could not be got off, the boats formed line and proceeded up the river, and kept on, with the flag of truce flying, until they received a heavy fire from some guns and musketry on shore. The fire was harmless, on account oP the distance ; but now the boats opened their fire with shrapnel shells and round shot, the Niger at the same time throwing a shell or two on the point near the mouth of the river. After exchanging a continuous fire for nearly an hour with a beach lined for more than a mile with bodies of men, the boats dashed at the shore, and effected a landing simultaneously at one spot ; and then, leaving a sufficient guard at the boats, about 160 officers and men fought their way into the town. They were met, however, with most determined resistance on the part of the natives; who disputed every inch of the narrow streets intersect- ing each other, and when beat out of one street ran round by the back-ways and showed front again at the end of the other streets. After some gallant fighting in this way against an increasing enemy, who amounted to at lead 6000, and having two officers killed and six men wounded, Captain Forbes fired the houses in the neighbourhood, and retreated in goo i order."

The Bloodhound was got afloat the same night, and the boats returned to the squadron.

The officers killed were Mr. Dyer and Mr. Hall, mates of the Niger. In addition to the deaths and serious wounds, there were many hurts from spent balls.

The accounts wind up with this statement as to " further operations"--

" The Niger took the wounded to Sierra Leone, and proceeded in search of the Commodore ; and it was understood that Commodore Bruce had proceeded to Lagos to organize such a force as would compel the King of Lagos to sub- mission; the Harlequin, in the mean time, by her presence off the coast, pre- venting the King of Lagos from forming any new expedition against the mis- sionary establishment at Badagry."

UstrrEn STATES.—The Niagara steam-ship arrived at Liverpool on Monday, with news from Boston to the 24th of December. The political accounts of the Bonapartist coup d'etat at Paris had just arrived at Boston : they of course created a great sensation, but there had not been time to see much of the effect.

The London papers of Tuesday contained a supplemental electric de- spatch' said to have been received by the Niagara on private account at Halifax, when she called in there on the 26th December. The despatch was in these startling words- " Washington, December 24th, Nine a.m. "The Capitol is in flames. The fire was discovered about daylight this morning. Already the valuable library of Congress is destroyed. Weather cold and frosty, water scarce, and impossible to use engines."