ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 332, 4 October 1848, Page 3

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

The New Sedition Bill. — By the present act the punishment of sedition is commuted to transportation. The criminals are degraded from the dignity of traitors^ to their tiue position as felons. It is to be hoped that this act, if properly enforced, may complete the good work undertaken by St. Patrick some centuries back. The Saint undertook to clear Ireland of vermin. He disposed of the snakes, toads,' and frogs, but unfortunately be(|ueathed to posterity the more necessary task of ridding the green isle of her still more noxious swarms of " Patriots." — Times.

Street Warfare. — Strategic arrangements devised by the Duke of Wellington have thrown a new light upon the manoeuvring of troops in street warfare. In previous cases the people and troops have been suffered to stand on the whole separate — the soldiery on one side and the insurgents on the other, with barricades between. There is a popular impression that with such an arrangement the people have it all their own way. A contemporary has pointed out that the occupants of the houses can turn the balance against the insurgents, just as they did in Paris against the troops. But the Duke oi Wellington has shown that the troops can possess a town independently of that domestic aid ; by advancing them into the midst of the people — stationing them at every point of strength — lodging them in public buildings, he took effectual security against any settled occupation of the streets by the turbulent : the military were complete masters of London. Wellington has " turned" the impregnable barricades. — Spectator.

Property op Louis Philippe. — The Times iv reference to certain statements that Louis Philippe is not the poor man he is represented to be, has the following :—": — " We believe that the reports of the Comte de Neuilly's investment here are entirely fictitious. He lives at Claremont in a state of almost penury, denying himself even those small luxuries which had become a'l but necessaries from long use to a man of his time of life ; even withthe mostjcigid economy, however, it is said that his^ indtfme is still insufficient for his maintenance, and that in a year or two, if he survives so long, he will be completely destitute. It can, however, scarcely be the intention of the French Government to sequestrate the private property not only of the ex- King, but of his whole family. The dowers of his son's wives are said to be almost entirely invested either in French funds, or in land in France, and whatever claim the nation may have on the Royal estates, it can by no process that we are aware of be extended to property thus acquired,"

The " Slaves." — Another \ French Rebuke. — The Jou.nal dcs Debats says: — " We see with surprise that the Irish delegates in their address more than once call themselves slaves. We fear that in such languagethere is something of Irish exaggeration ; for, in fine, out of the three delegates of Young Ireland who came to Paris, there are two, if we mistake not, who are this moment under the weight of an accusation for sedition in their own country. Some short time since the magistrates of Dublin issued warrants against them, and cited them to appear before the Queen's Bench. The three accused put in bail pledging themselves to appear beforethe Court on a fixed day; meanwhile, one stopped behind to continue his harangues as before, whilst the other two set sail very tranquilly to come and tell us that they are ' slaves." Seriously and sincerely men are not slaves under such laws. No ; it is not there that will be found the slavery of Ireland. It is in her territorial constitution — in her moral state; it is in Ireland herself more than in England. Her first want is, not independence but regeneration."

Equai.it y ; Fraternity. — We read in the Gazette de France ;— " A few days ago a wag meeting a peasant, who was on his way to Bordeaux on business, said to to him, 'What are you doing here ? They are about to divide all the land of the rich, and you had better go to the mayor and put down your name for your share.' The peasant set of at full galloped on arriving at the mayor's, said, 'Monsieur le Maire, as there is to be a division of the land, I wish to have the meadow of M — , which joins my garden. Put down my name at the head of the list.' The mayor turned over some papers, and then said you are not the first. I have an applicant who demands the meadow, and also your garden with it.' 'My garden !my garden !' said the peasant in a fury, 'I will go and get my musket;' and he set watching his garden day and night. There is a host of persons like this peasant ; they wish to share the property of others and keep their own." Paris, May 13. — The following is a corrected list of the hew French ministry :— Bastde Foreign Affairs ■. J. Favre Under Secretary do* Ilecurt Interior Duclerc Finance Admiral Cazy Marine Trelat Public Works Carnot Public Instructions . Charras War, ad interim , Bethmont Worship Cremieux ...«.« Justice Flocon .- . . . .-. .Commerce Carteret Under Sec. Interior Jean Royaud Sec. Instruction Marrast Mayor of Paris Caussidiere Prefect of Police Pnguerre Secretary of the Executive Government