LATEST INTELLIGENCE [From the Britannia, Oct. 4.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 441, 24 October 1849, Page 2

LATEST INTELLIGENCE [From the Britannia, Oct. 4.]

The following decree bad been submitted by M. Odillon Barrot to the National Assembly :—: — "In the name of the French people, the ! President of the Republic > charges the President of the Council to present to the Legislative Assembly the following project of law:—— i " Considering that an armed insurrection, directed against the Constitutional power of the Republic, has taken place in Paris, and i that it may extend to other cities in France — | considering the importance of arming the i Government vrith all the means necessary to ensure the prompt and efficacious repression of that insurrection, to enforce respect for the laws, and maintain the Constitution : "Article 1. The city of Paris and all the territory comprised within the first military division are declared in a state of siege. "Article 2. This measure may be extended to the cities in which similar insurrections may take place, and when the Prefects shall have established by a decree the fact of a revolt against the laws. " Given at the Elysee Nationale, on the 12th of June, 1849. (Signed) "Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, (Countersigned) "Odillon Barrot, Minister of Justice."

The communication was received with loud applause by the Assembly, which subsequently, by a large majority, declared itself en permanence. In the Chamber on Friday, a vote of thanks was passed in the midst of the greatest enthusiasm on the right, to General Changarnier, the National Guards, and the army, for their conduct on Wednesday, the left again abstaining from voting. During the disturbances, several proclamations were issued by the President and Government. The representatives of the Mountain also published a very inflammatory address to the French people, to which 284 signatures were attached. War was instantly to be declared by France against Russia and Austria. The Bank of France was to be suppressed. It appears that at one time the operatives of Lyons had made themselves masters of several quarters of that city, and the details give an account of a tremendous struggle. However, all the barricades were taken up by the troops ; the loss of life has been very great. The insurrection was put down on the evening of the 15ih, and renewed but feebly in the morning of the 16th. A telegraphic despatch, dated half-past nine, a. m., on that day, states that the insurrection was then entirely put down. Some disturbances are noticed as having occurred in other towns, but nothing serious. The French government continues to send to Louis Philippe the moveable private property left by the royal family in France. The President of the Republic has personally interested himself in promoting this act of justice. House of Commons. —Rome.—' Lord Palmerston, in reply to Mr. Hume, stated that he should this day lay upon the table the correspondence which had taken place between the Pope's representative at Paris and her Majesty's Government, and the reply of the Government to the ambassador at Paris, when the House would see the views of the British Government upon the Roman question. The noble lord further stated that he did not intend to qualify in the least degree the statement that her Majesty's Government had no participation whatever in any expedition, of any kind, of any power, in the affairs of Rome, The whole of the troops engaged in the late war in the Punjaub were to receive medals with the word " Punjaub" inscribed thereon. The Lord Chancellor of England was much indisposed, and serious apprehensions were | entertained for his recovery. William Hamilton, convicted of firing a pistol to annoy and frighten the Queen, has been transported for seven years. By the desire of her Majesty the culprit was not flogged. In the House of Commons, on Friday night, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in reply to Mr. Thornely, said that the issue of 2s. pieces promised last year, had been interrupted by the discovery that an act of parliament would be necessary to authorise the issue of a new coin. A bill, however, had been prepared for the purpose. It is stated that since the flight of the Pope from Rome 70,000 copies of the Bible have been sold in that city.

Sudden Death of Lady BLESsrNGTON. —Our Paris correspondent, in his letter dated Monday, 5 in the afternoon, announces this distressing event as follows :—": —" We have all been much shocked this afternoon by the sudden death of Lady Blessington. Her ladyship dined yesterday with the Duchess de Grammont, and returned home late in her usual health and spirits. In the course of this morning she felt unwell, and her homeopathic medical adviser, Dr. Simon, was sent for. After a short consultation the doctor announced that his patient wasdying of apoplexy, and his prediction was unhappily verified but too rapidly, as her ladyship died in his arms about an hour and a half ago. Poor Lady Blessington ! She was loved and admired by all who had the happy privilege of knowing her, and of joining in those social circles of the worthy and the wise who congregated around her hospitable board/ It was but the day before yesterday that she got into her new house in the Rue de Cercle, where her delightful reunions were eagerly looked for as an oasis in this republican desert, where the few good and great men who yet linger in this distracted country hoped to find a brief respite from the turmoil of party strife. It was but last week that Lady Blessington dined at the Elysee, and remarked to Prince Louis Napoleon with how much pleasure she looked forward to her residence in Paris, and now, Mors sola fatetur auantulasunt hominum corpuscula. Every one will attribute this sad occurrence to cholera, but Lady Blessington died of apoplexy. Cholera has had enough laid to its charge, and even now at the present moment il has affected poor Carlotta Grisi, who is seriously ill, but it is hoped that she may recover, as she is better than she was

last night. Last night it killed 10 deputies and Madam Visconn. Poor Lord Wallscourt was carried r off rapidly last week, as he did not send for advice in time. Lady Normanby is also very unwell, and is going to Chantilly to morrow, to escape the intolerable beat which is now raging. — Morning Post.

The following Temperance Declaration has been signed by seven Presidents of the United States. At the time it was drawn up, it was generally supposed, that distilled liquors were the principal cause of intemperance ; but all who have examined the subject, have concluded that intoxicating liquors, under whatever, name, should be termed spirituous liquors.and should be avoided as a beverage, as never beneficial but always injurious. General Harrison died so soon after his inauguration to the Presidency, that time was not allowed to procure his signature to the declaration. He would doubtless have signed it, as it was generally undersiood, that soon after the temperance question was agitated, he at once closed the fires of a large distillery in which he was interested :—: — Declaration. — Being satisfied from observation and experience as well as from medical testimony, that ardent spirits, as a drink are not only needless, but hurtful ; and that the entire disuse of it would tend to promote the health, the virtue and happiness of the community : We hereby express our conviction, that should the citizens of the United States, and especially all young men, discountenance entirely the use of it, they would not only promote their own personal benefit, but tne good of the country and the world. — James Madison, John Q,uincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, John Tyler, James K. Polk, Zachary Taylor. Theodore Hook once ,dined with Mr Hatchett, "Ah, my dear fellow," said his host depreciatingly " I am sorry to say that you will not get to-day such a dinner as our friend Tom Moore gave us." " Certainly, not" replied Hook, "from a hatchet you can expect nothing hut a chop."