States. The free men of Boston do not like the idea of being compelled to surrender any slave who may
hereafter take refuge in their territory, which, by one of the clauses of Mr. Clay's proposal, giving practical
effect to what has heretofore been an inoperative law, they will be now compelled to do.

The contest for the Representation of Paris terminated
in the triumph of the Socialist and Democratic party.
On the 2nd, the Prefect of the Seine publicly declared
the result, which was: for M. Eugene Sue, the celebrated
litterateur, who was the Socialist candidate, 127,812
votes; for M. Leclerc, the candidate of the Moderate
party, 119,726. The votes of the army were: for Sue,
6674; for Leclerc, 6598. The funds fell 2 per cent.
immediately afterwards, but partially recovered when
the first rumours of a change of ministry subsided. This
result led to a measure of the government for modifying
the electoral suffrage. On the 1st, the Minister of the
Interior brought in a bill, making a residence of three
years (instead of six months), proved by the payment of
taxes, a necessary qualification; declaring that one-fourth
of the whole electors in a department (instead of one-
eighth) shall be necessary to make an election valid; that
the period for filling up vacancies shall be six mouths,
instead of forty days; and that the votes of the army shall
be confounded with those of the other classes so as to
render distinction impossible. A vote of "urgency"
having been moved, the "Mountain " opposed it, but it
was carried by 453 to 197; Generals Cavaignac and
Lamoriciere voting against the Government. M. Leon
Faucher was appointed Reporter of the bill, and some
clauses of it were modified; in particular the condition
of being domiciled for three years in the same commune
was departed from, it being declared sufficient if the
elector has inhabited the same canton for that period
even under different masters. Petitions against the bill,
at the offices of the different opposition journals, have
been signed by many thousand persons. The Mayor of
one of the arrondissements, and all the officers of the
National Guards who signed these petitions, have been
dismissed.

The government has adopted Stringent Measures
Against the Opposition Press. On the 14th, M. Boule,
the great printer of the Rue de Coq-Heron, was deprived
of his license as a printer. He was the printer of the
"Voix du Peuple," the "République," the "Estafette,"
and several other papers. The authorities seized all the
presses, and placed seals on them. In consequence of
this step, the Editors issued a joint letter explaining
how their papers were prevented from appearing. The
editor of the "Voix du Peuple " was brought again
before the tribunals on the same day for attacks on the
government. In the one case the sentence previously
pronounced against him of a year's imprisonment and a
fine of 4000f for an attack on M. Fould's budget was
confirmed, and for the other he was sentenced to a year's
imprisonment and a fine of 5000f. Courtois and the
Abbé Chatel have been convicted by juries, of
inflammatory speeches at electoral meetings. The former was
condemned to a year's imprisonment and 1000f. fine,
and two years' more imprisonment if the fine be not
paid. The Abbé Chatel has a year's imprisonment and
500f fine. It seems rather surprising that the government
should obtain verdicts against the Socialists,
considering how Socialism has spread in Paris.

The French Ambassador having been Recalled from
St. James's, General la Hitte, the Minister of War, read
to the National Assembly on the 16th, a letter he had
written to the French Ambassador at London, in
consequence of infraction, by England, of the conditions on
which France had agreed to act as mediator in the
affairs of Greece. The letter, after a summary of the
circumstances of the misunderstanding, and the demand
that it should be set to rights, proceeded to say: "This
demand not having been listened to, it has appeared to
us that the prolongation of your sojourn at London is
not compatible with the dignity of the Republic. The
President has ordered me to invite you to return to
France, after having accredited M. Marescalchi in
quality of Chargé d' Affaires," and concludes, "You will
have the goodness to read this present despatch to Lord
Palmerston." This announcement was received by the
Right with loud acclamations, the Left, or Mountain
party, remaining silent.

Lieutenant-Colonel Simonet, of the 11th Light
Infantry, who was severely wounded by the Falling of the
Suspension-bridge at Angers, has been promoted to the
rank of Colonel, and appointed to the command of
Brest. An investigation into the circumstances of that
catastrophe is going on, and it has been ascertained that
the fall of the bridge took place from the iron suspension
cables having become rusted. The 11th regiment is to
proceed to Algeria so soon as the loss of men in the 3rd
battalion is made up.

The debate on the clauses of the Electoral Bill has
commenced in the Assembly.

The Erfurt Parliament, having finished the revisal of
its proposed Constitution for the German Union,
dissolved itself, and has been succeeded by two separate
Convocations. The one is held at Frankfort, and
consists of the representatives of the old Germanic
confederation, convoked by the Emperor of Austria,
with the object of re-organising that confederation.
This conference includes all the secondary States of the
old confederation except Oldenburg and Frankfort
itself, though the assembly is held within its own walls.
The other, held at Berlin, was assembled by the king of
Prussia, and consisted of twenty-one heads of sovereign
houses, with representatives of the three Hanse towns,
Hamburg, Bremen, and Lubeck. This last convention
has finished its sittings, and the members, previous to
separating, were entertained by the king at a banquet
on the 16th, when his majesty addressed them in a
speech expressive of his satisfaction with their proceedings.

On the 22nd An Attempt was Made on the Life of the
King of Prussia, by a serjeant of artillery named Sesseloge,
who fired a pistol at him as he was setting out for
Potsdam, and wounded him slightly in the arm. The
assassin was immediately apprehended.

The only political news from Spain during the month,
related to some palace intrigues, in which the Queen,
King-Consort, and General Narvaez were concerned.
One evening in the last week of April the King suddenly
notified to General Narvaez and the rest of the cabinet
his intention of quitting Madrid in order not to be
present at the accouchement of the Queen. After
exhausting all means of persuasion to induce him to change
his purpose, but which were of no avail, a council of
ministers was held, in which it was decided to oppose
by force the King's departure. His Majesty was placed
under arrest. Sentries were stationed at the door of
his apartment, and the King remained a prisoner during
four hours, at the end of which time his Majesty capitulated,
and even consented to accompany the Queen in
an open carriage in her usual evening drive on the
Prado.

After a Drought of Five Years, the province of Murcia
has been visited by a copious rain. It was curious to
observe the young children who had never seen rain in
their lives, evince as much alarm as if some frightful
accident had happened. Rain also has fallen in the
vast "Huerta," or garden-land of Valencia: the simple
inhabitants of the villages, in the height of their joy,
have carried their tutelary saints about the streets with
bands of rustic music.

At about a league from Saragossa a Powder-mill
exploded and many lives were lost. Parts of human
bodies, remnants of clothing:, and the remains of beasts
of burden, were found scattered in every direction.
The edifice was shattered to pieces.

Since the Pope has established himself in Rome, that
capital has been very quiet. The French commandant,
General Baraguay d'Hilliers, has returned to Paris, but
the French troops remain.

The adjustment, at Athens, of the dispute with the
Greek Government, mentioned in our last number,
having failed of success, the negotiation was broken off