order to testify to her the value which I set upon the intimacy which unites us, and upon the reciprocal friendship of which she has given me so many marks, I have been surrounded with manifestations the most satisfactory to France and to myself. I have gathered in the feelings which have been expressed to me fresh pledges for the long duration of that general peace which secures to our country abroad a position dignified and strong, and at home a prosperity ever increasing, and the quiet enjoyment of its constitutional liberties.

"My relations with all the foreign powers continue pacific and amicable.

"You are, gentlemen, witnesses of the prosperous state of France. You see our national activity, protected by wise laws, display itself over every part of our territory, and reaping by the protection of order the fruits of its labours. The improvement in national credit, and the equilibrium established between our annual receipts and our expenses, bear testimony to the happy influence of this situation over the general affairs of the State, as well as over the welfare of all.

"The financial laws will shortly be presented to you. Bills for the improvement of our roads, of our ports, of our internal navigation, for the finishing of our railroads, and for various objects of general utility, will also be submitted to your deliberations.

"Amidst the prosperity of the Country Heaven has blessed the interior of my family: it has increased the number of my children, and the marriage of my beloved son the Duc d'Aumale with a princess already connected with

us by so many ties, has been to me and to all mine a source of lively satisfaction.

"Gentlemen,-Providence has imposed upon me great labours and sorrowful trials. I have accepted the burden. I have devoted myself-I have devoted my family to the service of my country. To found for a long time to come their union and their happiness, such has been for fourteen years past the aim of my constant efforts. I have the confidence that, with your loyal co-operation, the Almighty will enable me to attain it, and that the gratitude of free and happy France will be the reward of our mutual devotedness, and the glory of my reign."

In the course of this year, on the 3rd of June, the Duc d'Angoulême, died at Goritz. By his death the young Duc de Bourdeaux became in lineal succession the heir to the throne of France, to which, indeed, he was previously entitled under the dynasty of the elder Bourbon branch,.by the abdication of the Duc d'Angoulême in his favour. As, however, it was hopeless to attempt. to regain by force the crown which was lost at the revolution of July, he contented himself with sending a protest to the Great Powers of Europe, and assumed the private title of Comte de Chambord.

SPAIN. The history of Spain this year presents few features of general interest. The civil war which so long convulsed the nation is at an end, and has been succeeded by a state of doubtful tranquillity. No great man has yet appeared who appears to be capable of guiding the destinies of the kingdom to a condition of prosperity or permanent repose;

and the successive generals and ministers who have risen to temporary eminence in the collision of arms and parties have alike proved themselves unequal to the task of regenerating their unfortunate country. Senhor Gonzalez Bravo, who rose upon the ruins of Espartero's power, has been regarded in the light of a fortunate adventurer, whose character does not command respect, and whose measures have produced general dissatisfaction throughout Spain.

On the 27th of December, last year, the sittings of the Cortes were suddenly suspended, and it was generally believed that this was only a preliminary step to their immediate dissolution. This, however, did not follow until after an interval of some months; but the measure greatly increased the unpopularity of the ministry of Gonzalez Bravo.

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On the 27th of January an insurrection broke out at Alicant, where a riotous multitude assembled with cries of "Down with tyranny!" Live the constitutional queen!" Don Pantaleon Bonet, commandant of carabineers, placed himself at the head of the movement. The local authorities were cast into prison; a junta was formed, with Bonet for president and Manuel Cabrera for vicepresident; and the revolution was proclaimed. The intelligence reached Madrid on the 31st; when Ministers intercepted letters that compromised the leaders of the Progresista party: the house of Joaquim Lopez was first searched; Cortina and others were lodged in prison; but Lopez and Miguel Ors could not be found. Troops were despatched from Madrid under the command

of General Cordova, and General Roncali marched from Valentia to invest Alicant; but he had no sooner quitted the town than a revolt broke out there, and he was obliged to return and suppress it. Having accomplished this, he proceeded to Alicant. Don

On

Pantaleon Bonet in the mean time had made an unsuccessful sortie from the town at the head of 1500 men, but had been driven back by General Pando. The insurrection spread rapidly around, and in a short time the province of Murcia, including the fortified city of Carthagena, and a great part of Valentia, had "declared "against the Government. The war was carried on with unrelenting ferocity, and the prisoners taken on both sides were generally shot. the 7th of February an ordinance was issued by S. Penaflorida, the Minister of the Interior, declaring the whole of Spain to be under martial law, and suspending the functions of the civil authorities. Alicant held out until the early part of March, when Bonet made another unsuccessful sortie, and the inhabitants then determined to surrender the place. Bonet fled, but was afterwards taken, and he and twenty-three of his principal followers were shot by the orders of General Roncali. Carthagena also surrendered on the 25th of March, and thus ended this attempt at a revolution in Spain.

In the mean time the QueenMother, Christina, was approaching the capital. Her exile was at an end, and she was permitted once more to tread the soil of Spain, and be reunited to her children. On the 6th of March, Queen Isabella, accompanied by

the Infanta and the principal Ministers, left Madrid for Aranjuez, where she met her mother on the 21st, and they then returned together to Madrid, which they entered on the 23rd, with great pomp and state.

Soon after this event, the Gonzalez Bravo ministry resigned office, and was succeeded by a Cabinet consisting of the following members : - General Narvaez, President of the Council and Minister of War; the Marquis de Villuma, Minister for Foreign Affairs; S. Mon, Minister of Finance; S. Pidal, Minister of the Interior; S. Mayans, Minister of Justice; and General Armero, Minister of Marine. On the 10th of July, a royal decree was published, dissolving the Cortes, and convoking that assembly again on the 10th of October. On that day, which was also the day on which the Queen completed her fourteenth year, the Cortes were opened by her Majesty, who was accompanied by the Queen-Mother. In the royal speech, her Majesty congratulated herself on the friendly assurances of foreign powers, particularly naming the Sublime Porte as having sent a special envoy to felicitate her. The dispute with Morocco had resulted in a treaty, obtained by the mediation of France and England. Her Majesty stated also that a measure of constitutional reform would soon be submitted to the Cortes by her Government; and with reference to this subject said, "I promise myself that you will dedicate yourselves with zeal to so important a work, since the least delay might occasion incalculable evils, frustrating the hopes of the nation, which desires to see the field of political discussion

closed as soon as possible, and the institutions which are to rule it secured for the future. In order to give more robustness and force to those institutions, it is necessary and urgent to endow the nation with organic laws which are in conformity with the constitution, and facilitate its action and movement. For this reason, I hope you will contribute, in accord with my Government, to repair a fault which the nation has been lamenting for many years."

Several measures of administrative and financial improvement were also promised. The army, in spite of the seven years' civil war, was announced to be in a state of excellent discipline.

On the 13th of October, Queen Christina was publicly married to Senhor Munoz, who, a short time previously, had been created Duke of Rianzares. Her attachment to this person had been matter of public notoriety before she left Spain for France, and had occasioned much scandal at the time. In fact there is no doubt that she had either been privately married for upwards of six years, or had, during that time, been living with Munoz in a state of concubinage.

Throughout the autumn, the rumours of conspiracies and insurrectionary movements were rife at Madrid, but no actual outbreak took place until the 12th of November, when Zurbano once more appeared in arms against the Government. It is believed that the cause of his adopting this step was a charge made against him of being implicated in some treasonable conspiracy, and he thus resolved rather to try the chances of a struggle, than encounter a trial where he feared that his destruction was foredoomed. The rally

ing cry which he raised was, "Long live Isabella II., and death to the tyrants!" On the 13th, he marched into the village of Najera, in Old Castile, with a band of armed followers, and levied contributions. He afterwards advanced towards Saragossa, and engaged in several conflicts with the Government troops. The disaffection soon spread to other places, and the state of the country became most alarming. Some towns were placed under martial law, and arrests everywhere took place. After one of the skirmishes between the rebels and the Government soldiers, Benito, a younger son of Zurbano, and two companions, were taken; and the royalist commandant in Burgos sent to

Madrid for instructions as to the mode of disposing of them. A deputation from Logrono went also to Madrid, to sue for mercy to the young men. They had an interview with the Queen and her mother, but in vain; and orders were despatched that Benito Zurbano, and the two other prisoners, should be forthwith shot. This was immediately carried into effect, and they were executed without the form of a trial. Another son of Zurbano, who afterwards voluntarily surrendered, was also shot. At the close of the present year, Zurbano himself had not been taken, but his opposition to the Government seemed to be perfectly hopeless.