Madrid papers and letters, to the 29th December, state that
the Re- gency was labouring to suppress the fueros of the Basque Provinces, having already suppressed those of Navarre. A letter from Valladolid. of the 27th states, that on Christmas-day the officers of the srovinciaI battalion of Laredo dined together to commemorate the anniversary of the siege of Bilboa. After dinner, several seditious toasts were given,.
and cries of "Viva la Republica I " uttered by the guests, which were so loud as to be heard in the street. They drank "To the Revolution
of the 1st of December," and " To that which would occur on the 1st of January." The banquet being over, the officers marched through the town, preceded by the band playing Riego's Hymn, and halted at. the coffeehouse of the Four Seasons ; where they again cried "Viva la Republica! "—" Down with the Queen Mother and her daughters !"
The Paris papers of Thursday, however, discredit the accounts,of disturbances in Spain. It is admitted that there was some excitement in the country, but it was only of the kind that always precedes a gene- ral election in every constitutional country. It would appear that Espartero's popularity was on the wane.
Letters from the South of France state that great numbers of the Carlist refugees were hourly availing themselves of the amnesty, and returning into Spain.
A Madrid correspondent of the Morning Chronicle, writing on the 30th ultimo, says in reference to the dispute with Portugal—.
" In my letter of last night, I informed you that the Douro question was on, the point of being amicably arranged. I sin happy to add by the present con-
veyance, that the subject may be considered as positively settled, the Spanish and Portuguese Governments having accepted the friendly mediation of Great Britain. The former consequently, it is understood, resumed immediately the
amicable relations previously existing between them ; and discontinued those hostile demonstrations which could only serve to give pain to their friends, and real pleasure to their enemies, by whom the quarrel was sought to be aggra- vated in every manner possible. No means, indeed, were left untried for this detestable purpose."
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