EUROPE AND AMERICA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1619, 22 February 1866, Page 2

EUROPE AND AMERICA.

' BELGIUM. DEATH OF THE KINO. At a quarter of an hour before noon on Sunday, Deo. 10, King Leopold died. This event was not, of course, unexpected. Of late years, the king had suffered from confirmed heart disoase, as well as from stone but, fortunately, the skill and science of English physicians afforded him material relief* | and unquestionably protracted his days. It is believed that the attack to which His. Majesty succumbed was mainly inducad through over-excrtion. During a recent car-riage-drive.au accident happened to the hordes of the royal equipage, and His Majesty in- ! sisted on walking home. The effort brought ; on a sudden attack of heart-disease, and eon- ! siderable prostration ensued. From this, eon- | dition, however, King Leopold rallied ; and, after a sojourn at Ardennes, he returned better and stronger to Laeken. Here he, on a recent occasion, partook somewhat freely of ice, which induced an attack of dysentery, which it was found impossible to check. His Majesty was unable for days to take any support, and gradually, and without any symptoms of rallying, he sank and finally expired. There were around his couch, at the time of his death, the immediate members of his family. He has left behind him, as issue by his second wife, Marie-Louise—who died in 1850—two sons and a daughter. THE FENIAN MOVEMENT. After Charles Underwood O'Connell was sentenced in Cork, O'Callaghan Holmes O'Riordan was placed on his trial on Dec. 22. The Attorney-General stated the case for the Crown. O'Riordan is a native of Ireland, and left the country in June last for America He entered the United States service as a commissioned officer, served but a short time, and returned to Ireland in September, when lie was arrested at Queenstown, and the usual documents and arms were found with him. He was connected by the evidence with a man named Mountaine, who awaits his trial at Cork, and it was asserted that when O'Kiordan was leaving the port ir June, Mountaine took farewell of him, and expressed a wish that the hour was come and the expectation of seeing him soon, again at Bantry, or nearer home. Warner deposed to having seen O'Riordan giving instructions in the use of the rifle. A fresh informer was produced, named Connell, who deposed to the prisoner having said that there

•were 390,000 in America, and that as sure a he was over there (New York) he woul return with them. The jury, after a shor deliberation, acquitted the prisoner. Tins 1 the first acquittal on the evidence which ha occurred during the Fenian trials.—Alexan der Nicholls was then put forward; J> pleaded "guilty," and was let out on givi"j heavy bail to come up when called on.— i court adjourned at its rising to Decembe AMERICA. The Message of President u to have had a very salutary effect; & the country. It is regarded a■•"jbleWaJ. paper, pacific in tone, and cak: _ „ ooc ; tribute materially to the rest fpllinir between the two sections lately m con S t L to allay much of the apprehensions S Let bin « e Republicans 'S' oZetZ to m»ny cue. inß«en«J » more cottre< to r™£ion°tsto, introduced. in Concrese and referred to the Committee, foi Foreign Affairs, requesting the President tc take such steps concerning the Mexican question as will vindicate the policy and protect the honour ami interestof the Federal Government Congress has called for the Mexican correspondence. The Senate has passed tiw resolution concerning the admission of Southern representatives in a materially amended form. It is asserted that General Grant, in the course of conversation at the dinner given by General Sickles, stated that now was the favourable moment to drive Maximilian from Mexico, and that such opportunity might not occur again. General Grant reports, after a tour through the South, that the negroes are in comparative idleness, and refuse to renew their contracts. He believes that the professions of loyalty expressed by the Southern masses are sincere. Three-fourths of the States having ratified the constitutional amendment abolishing slavery, it is now the supreme law, and the great end for which the war was fought is practically accomplished. Four Southern States —North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama —have ratified the amendment. The New York News of Dec. 12 has the following very unlikely story "In the Cabinet meeting to-day, our relations with England, which have now assumed a serious if not alarming aspect, were discussed at some length. It is understood that the President has directed Mr. Seward to prepare an ultimatum to be presented to the English Government, and in the event of its not being complied with, our minister is to ask for his passports, and return home." The Fenian Senate have impeacihed John O'Mahoney, and deposed him from office for a malfeasance and misappropriation of funds. They have elected W. R. Roberts president, and issued an address urging all Fenians to ially round the new organisation. O'Mahoney's supporters act independently of the Senate, and have called Congress to assemble in New York in January. Meetings of the supporters of both parties have been held throughout the country, endorsing the respective organisations. The. Fenians are making preparations for the reception of Stephens, who is expected in New York. It is believed that he will be accepted as arbiter between O'Mahoney and the Senate. A circular of the Freedmen's Aid Society states that, unless some special provision was made for them, 70,000 negroes will probably perish during this winter in Georgia and Alabama alone. A bill has been introduced into the House of Representatives, providing for the payment to Mrs. Lincoln of the sum of 100,000 dollars, being the salary of her husband for the four years' term for which he was last elected. The bill was referred to a committee of one from each State. The President had pardoned 118 citizens of Texas, who, being worth over 20,000 dollars each, were excluded from the benefits of the recent amnesty proclamation. FRANCE. The students of Paris are not disposed to allow the expulsion of their comrades to pass without energetic protest. All the lectures in the University are interrupted. Indeed, none of the lecturers are permitted to make themselves heard. Outside there is much sympathy with the students, and consequent rows; and several people are said to have been arrested. The Moniteur of December contains a notice that the students who disturb the lectures will be punished. ITALY. A Ministerial crisis has occurred in Italy. In consequence of an adverse vote in the Chamber of Deputies, the Cabinet tendered their resignation, which was accepted by the King. General La Marmora has undertaken the formation of a new Cabinet. ROME. The brigand chiefs Capasso and Antonucci, with six of their followers, have spontaneously surrendered to the Pontifical authorities, in consequence of the late edict issued against brigandage at Frosinone. Several conflicts have occurred between the troops and bodies of brigands. The Earl of Clarendon, her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, has received the following information from her Majesty's Consul at Rome, dated November 28, 1865 : — Various bands of brigands have now descended from the Neapolitan territory into the Papal States in such numbers that the small amount of Papal troops (in the absence of the French) is evidently unable to contend successfully with them. These organised bands now extend from Yiterbo to Frosinone, so that most of the frontier towns are without protection, and three individuals are prisoners uatil they can be ransomed. GREECE. Brigandage is increasing, it is said, over all Greece. It has been discovered by the Prefect of Argolis that the monastery of tlio Panaghia, in Kynouria, has for some time served as the head quarters of the great band of Lingos. An act of brigandage, accompanied by horrid cruelty, has been committed in the neighbourhood of Corinth. Robbery and murder prevail in the Peloponnesus to an alarming extent. In Northern Greece matters are much worse, the citizens of Athens console themselves for the sufferings of the agricultural population by saying that all the brigands cross the frontier from Turkey. A band of 25 entered the village of Zacharas, in the eparchy of Lebadeia, and murdered seven of the inhabitants who resisted being plundered.