of a party who are hostile to our Government. Their object was to revive the constitutional question, and to oppose every measure favourable to our subjects. A number of others were drawn over to their way of thinking, and thus they formed a majority in the Chamber hostile to our Government. It has been weak; it has been, however, the means of paralysing our paternal views, inasmuch as they required the concurrence of the States. The Second Chamber, thus composed, have led away many Deputies who were animated with the best intentions, making them believe that we wished to attack the established laws, whilst, on the contrary, we respect them. It is thus with the liberal party, which respects neither private nor public rights. The tyranny was become so intolerable, that the members of the majority, fearing the responsibility which would weigh on them, quitted the assembly, not daring to support a contrary opinion. Our Governmental acts, our desire to lessen the taxes which press on agriculture, should have deprived the remarks of the enemies of the Government of all their force. The first acts of the Second Chamber showed hostile intentions. The choice of the candidates for the Presidentship fell, first, on a Member who, under the reign of William IV., used all his efforts to constrain the royal power to make concessions and to enter into compromises with the States. The second candidate declared on the 13th of March, 1833, in the Assembly of the States, that he never wished for a fundamental law based on the existing laws.. The third was declared by us inadmissible to the functions of Councillor VOL. LXXXIII. of the Treasury. These three candidates obtained at the first ballot the absolute majority of voices, which proved that there was in the Chamber a party decided on carrying on a systematic opposition against the Government. Circumstances independent of our will having prevented us from convoking the Assembly of the States at an earlier period, it was our intention to shorten the session, that the members might not be kept from their homes beyond the usual period. The budget should have been the first object of their attention. The Chamber, at the same time, had communicated to it different financial and other bills. The First Chamber hastened to form a committee on the Budget. The Second Chamber, instead of forming a committee of able and intelligent men, made choice of Members who had no knowledge of financial matters, and by their turning their attention instead to constitutional questions prevented the proceedings of the other Chamber. It was our duty consequently to assure the carrying on of the public service by constitutional means, and as a commencement to dissolve the States agreeably to an article of the constitution, which we should otherwise have done from the hostile attitude assumed by the Second Chamber. The President of that Chamber, being honoured with an interview, hesitated not to draw conclusions from my words contrary to their meaning, but in unison with his own ideas. In refusing all concurrence with Government, it was wished to suggest to the people a false idea, that the constitution of 1840 was not proper to assure the welfare of the people and the country, and to excite discontent against the 2 H existing authorities. The address was rejected by the First Chamber, and blamed by a large number of the Second. The discovery of these criminal projects will only render odious their authors, who have sworn fidelity to us and our son. We repel with horror such an opposition. of law which have not been examined, and we are willing to believe that the errors committed by the majority of the Second Chamber of the dissolved Assembly will exercise a salutary influence on the composition of the new one. We do not require the concur rence of the States to carry on the public service and to levy the taxes, but we do require their concurrence to realize objects which are of benefit to my subjects, always the object of my paternal solicitude. We have also to complain of the conduct of the majority in calumniating our most intimate servants, who profess an unbounded devotion to our person. In all import ant affairs of state our faithful counsellors are charged with the execution of our wishes, and if they are attacked, the courts of justice will know how to punish them. Conformably to the provisions of the constitution of August the 6th, 1840, we shall convoke within the legal period an Assembly of the States, to which we shall again submit the projects July 14th, 1841. Party spirit, which is blind, could alone dissemble that the welfare and prosperity of the country must inevitably suffer by a persistence in a state of things as adopted by the dissolved Chamber. ERNEST AUGUSTUS. Speech of the King of thE FRENCH ON opening the CHAMBERS. "Gentlemen, Peers, and Deputies. "Since the close of your last session the questions which excited in the East our just solicitude have reached their term. I have concluded with the Emperor of Austria, the Queen of Great Britain, the King of Prussia, the Emperor of Russia, and the Sultan, a convention which consecrates the common intention of the Powers to maintain the peace of Europe, and consolidate the repose of the Ottoman empire. "The great burdens imposed upon the country have already experienced considerable reductions. It would have been my lively wish that a balance should have been immediately re-established between the expenditure and revenues of the State. This is the result which we must now prepare, aud which you will achieve without weakening our military organization, and without deferring the execution of those works which are to increase the national prosperity. "A project of law will be presented to you for constructing the principal lines of a great system of railroads calculated to ensure those rapid and easy communications with all parts of our ter ritory, which will prove a source of force and riches to the nation. "I am endeavouring, at the same time, by negotiations prudently conducted, to extend our commercial relations, and to open new markets for the productions of our soil, and of our arts. "Such labours honour peace, and render it stable and fruitful at the same time. I have reason to reckon that it will not be disturbed, receiving from all the Powers the most amicable as surances. "I have taken measures to prevent any external complication from disturbing the security of our African possessions. Our brave soldiers are pursuing on that land, henceforth and for ever French, the course of their noble labours, in which I am happy that my sons have had the honour of concurring. Our perseverance shall complete the work undertaken by our courageous army, and France will introduce into Algeria her civilization as the consequence of her glory. The financial laws and others, having for their object to introduce useful improvements in the public administration, will be presented to you immediately. "Whatever may be the burdens of our situation, France would support them without difficulty if faction did not unceasingly obstruct the course of her powerful activity. I will not dwell upon the intrigues and crimes of the factious, but let us not forget, gentlemen, that it is that which debars our country from fully enjoying all the blessings which Providence has conferred upon it, and which retards the development of that legal and pacific liberty which France has at last achieved, and of which I make it my glory to ensure her the possession. "We shall follow up this task, gentlemen. My Government will do its duty. It will maintain everywhere and constantly the authority of the laws, and cause them to be respected, as it will respect them itself. Your loyal support will aid me. In enlightening the country with persevering sincerity with regard to its true interest, we shall strengthen by its support, and by our union keep entire the sacred deposit of order and public liberties which the charter has confided to us. Future generations will reap the fruit of our endeavours, and the gratitude of our country will be our recompense." DESPATCHES. CHINA. CAPTURE OF THE BOGUE FORTS. Jan. 7th, 1841. Wellesley, close off Anunghoy, and two or three marines, were in possession of the upper fort, and the British colours hoisted; the lower fort was speedily surrounded and stormed, by the entrance as well as the wall, by a party of Royal Marines, and the Union Jack displayed on the ramparts. The management of Ty. cocktow I intrusted to Captain Scott, of her Majesty's ship Samarang, accompanied by the Druid, Modeste, and Columbine, and in one hour it was silenced; but the Chinese remained in it until it was stormed by the boats, in which operation Lieutenant Bower, sen., of the Samarang, was severely wounded; the guns in all the forts have been destroyed, the magazines blown up, and the barracks and houses burnt; eleven large war-junks were anchored in the shoal water to the eastward of the position; the Nemesis, under Commander Belcher, accompanied by Lieutenant Kellett, of the Starling, attacked them in admirable style, assisted by the boats of the Calliope, under Lieutenant Watson, sen., of that ship; they were all set on fire and blown up, one with all her crew on board, a rocket having gone into her magazine. This ended the operations of the day. Sir, My last hasty despatch will have informed their Lordships, that it was my intention to commence the attack on the forts of the Bocca Tigris, by the destruction of Chuenpee and Tycocktow this day. At eight o'clock this morning, the Royal Marines of the squadron, the detachments of the 26th and 49th regiments, and the 37th Madras Native Infantry, and Bengal Volunteers, were landed, accompanied by the detachment of Royal Artillery, with one 24-pound howitzer, and two 6-pounder fieldguns, together with a division of seamen belonging to the Wellesley, Blenheim, and Melville, in all about 1,400 men; the land forces under the command of Major Pratt, of the 26th Cameronians, a copy of whose report (which I enclose) will explain the detail of military operations, which were admirably executed. The Queen and Nemesis steamers were placed in position for throwing shells into the upper fort by Commander Belcher, of the Sulphur, and soon made an impression; a division of ships, consisting of the Calliope, Hyacinth, and Larne, under Captain Herbert, attacked the lower fort on the sea face, and in less than an hour silenced the guns, although a number of troops remained within the walls; by ten o'clock the troops had advanced, and carried the intrenchments with their field batteries; Major Pratt himself, It is now my pleasing duty to express my high admiration of the gallantry and zeal which animated every Captain Maitland I received his usual valuable assistance; Captains Herbert and Scott carried their divisions into action with their accustomed gallantry, and they were ably seconded by Captains Smith and Blake, and Commanders Warren, Eyres, and Clarke, under their immediate orders. The Commanders Pritchard, Puget, and Fletcher, of the Blenheim, Melville, and Wellesley, the commanders of the steam-vessels, and every officer and man employed, deserve the highest praise for their zealous exertions on every point. Major Pratt, of the 26th, conducted the operations on shore in the most able and gallant manner: he speaks in the highest terms of the conduct of every officer and man employed. I am most happy in being enabled to inform their Lordships, that this service has been performed with trifling loss on the part of her Majesty's forces, although it is but justice to the Chinese to say, that they defended themselves, especially in the batteries, with the greatest credit and devotion; they have suffered severely, their loss, including that on board the war-junks, cannot be estimated at less than from 500 to 600, out of a force calculated at 2,000 men; the slaughter in the lower fort, when carried by storm, was considerable. Wellesley, off Anunghoy, Sir,-In continuation of the de information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that yesterday morning I moved forward towards the forts of Wangtong and Anunghoy. A Chinese, a civilian, had been saved from drowning by the Louisa cutter, and I liberated him, sending by his hands a letter to the Admiral, in which I explained the usages of war amongst European nations with regard to flags of truce, sparing the lives of prisoners, and of an enemy yielding, and that the striking of flags signified submission, and always led to a cessation of hostility by surrender; and also that I had yesterday liberated upwards of 100 prisoners who had laid down their arms. The plan of attack was laid, and would have commenced seriously in a few moments, when I was surprised to see the flags and banners of the forts hauled down, and a boat with a flag of truce coming out; it contained a letter from the Admiral, requesting a suspension of hostilities until a communication could be made to the Imperial Commissioner at Canton. On consulting her Majesty's Plenipotentiary, we were of opinion that it would be advisable to comply with this request, in the sincere hope that negotiations would prevent a further conflict. Three days have, therefore, been given for this purpose. The Plenipotentiary renewed the offer of terms which he has forwarded to her Majesty's Government, and it will be a source of infinite gratification to me to find that they are accepted. I have, &c., J. J. GORDON Bremer. tail of operations, I have the R. More O'Ferrall, Esq., M.P., honour to acquaint you, for the Admiralty. |