Turning to France, we find the number of refusals "to
take the oath" increasing. The courts of law maintain their independent bearing. Prosecutions against two provincial journals, for pub- lishing false news, instituted by the Prefects of the departments in which they appear, have been dismissed by the local tribunals as frivolous. The President continues as isolated from the mass of that portion of French society which has enjoyed a liberal education and experience in public business as he was on the 2d of December. The Peninsula has almost ceased to be regarded as a living part of the European system. Its existence is scarcely felt externally, save at intervals, when it affords the other powers something to quer' about. Rumours of an intended coup d'etat for the sub- version of the forms of constitutional government in Spain have
Itoled to the preparation of Liberal manifesto, to which the names been appended. This has given unhinge to the Court It is cha- of seventy of the most tistingidshed Progreesista 'callers have zacteristic of the political condition of Spain, that a great majority
of who have signed the manifesto, and the only ones to whom portance appears to be attached, are military men. In ortugal, a discussion about salt-duties has resulted in a con- cession to to the commerce of the United States by which that of Great Britain will be indirectly benefited. As the same concession has for years been fruitlessly solicited by the trade of this country, the incident supplies another illustration of the efficacy of our ex- pensive diplomatic establishment.
