accorded to the very worst criminal are refused to the
late friend and adviser of his Sicilian Majesty."

The Legislative Assembly of Piedmont was opened on
the 19th inst. by the King in person. He congratulated
the Piedmontese nation on its intelligence; and
recommended the Parliament to encourage that spirit of union,
by the aid of which the Government might find force
sufficient to maintain intact the dignity of the country,
and preserve the noble principle of national independence
from any insult. He concluded with these words—
"Have confidence in me, and by our union we will
crown the grand edifice raised by the hands of my father,
and which mine will defend and preserve."

An interesting event took place at Turin on the 15th
inst.; the opening and consecration of a fine new church
built for the use of the Waldenses. The building is
situated in one of the best new streets of Turin, the Via
del Rè; and its architecture, Lombard-Gothic, is said to
recal the purer days of Italian Religion. It is without
the usual "chapels" at the side of Italian churches;
it has no pictures, statues, or altars, but only a simple
table with a pulpit behind it. This church has been
built by private subscription; and prominent among
the subscribers is General Beckwith, who enjoys the
reputation of being a most munificent patron of the
people of the Vallies. Tlie ojjening and consecration of
the church was attended by about twelve hundred
persons, besides a multitude in the streets. Among
those within, were Mr. Hudson, the British Minister,
M. Bunsen, the Prussian Envoy, M. Malan, the first
Deputy from the Vaudois, and General Beckwith. Two
sermons were preached; one in French, by the Moderator,
M. Revel; a second in Italian, by M. Meille. The
last-named gentleman gave a history of the Waldenses,
and dwelt upon the fact that they met there by virtue of
the constitution granted by Charles Albert, and nobly
preserved by Victor Emanuel. The Waldenses are in
direct connexion with the British Government. Oliver
Cromwell authoi'ised a subscription to be raised for their
benefit while they were suffering under the cruel
persecutions of the Duke of Savoy: part of it he
transmitted to the Vallies; and part he funded, arranging
that the interest should be sent to them, annually.
Charles the Second seized this fund; Queen Anne
restored it; but in 1797 it fell into disuse in consequence
of the war. It was revived again in 1826, and is paid to
this day. This fund is expended exclusively on education
and religion; and furnishes a part of the salaries of
fifteen pastors, fifteen parish schoolmasters, and ninety
hamlet schoolmasters. The Waldenses now amount to
about 20,000 in the Vallies: they have a College, but
take their degrees of theology in Switzerland. They
publish two newspapers—La Buona Novella at Turin,
and Le Glaneur Savoyard at Chambery.

The Prussian Parliament was opened on the 28th
November, by the Minister-President, M. de Manteuffel,
who read a speech on behalf of the King. The only
topic of general importance was the Eastern question.
"Gentlemen, your deliberations commence at a
moment in which apprehensions are felt that the peace,
which has so happily and so long been preserved in
Europe, might be disturbed in consequence of complications
that have sprung up in the East. His Majesty's
Government will not, and cannot, conceal from you that
these apprehensions have actual grounds. The Government,
however, looks forward with confidence. Prussia,
relying on, and fully conscious of, her own strength,
will continue to prosecute the sincere and active endeavours
she has hitherto made in every direction to plead
the cause of peace and moderation in this eventful
question with independence and impartial language.
Whatever turn events may take. Providence has placed
the King, our most gracious master, at the head of a
martial, patriotic, and united people; and his Majesty's
Government—be assured of this, gentlemen—will, in
every step that it may be called upon to take in this
matter, adopt the true interest of the country, which is
inseparable from that of the Crown, as the sole criterion
of their efforts and their actions."

The American mail has brought the Message of the
President of the United States to Congress on the 6th
inst.; an important document, of which the following
are the principal topics:—The President opens his
message with a thanksgiving for the general prosperity the
country enjoys. The diplomatic relations of the United
States with foreign powers are stated to be essentially
unchanged since the last assemblage of Congress. The
pending questions still under arrangement with some of
these states are in course of amicable adjustment.
Negotiations are in progress with England respecting
the fishery question, and there are fair prospects that a
settlement of a favourable character for American fishermen
will be come to. The President recommends that
the boundary line, between the United States and the
British North American Provinces in the north-west,
should be traced and marked. The message reports
that some progress has been made in negotiating a treaty
of commerce and navigation with France. In reference
to the piratical expeditions against the island of Cuba,
the message declares that, since the last Congress, no
attempts have been made by an unauthorised expedition
within the United States against the Spanish culonies;
and that, should any movement be made with such an
object in view, all the means the President has at his
command shall be vigorously exerted to repress the
attempt at any such organisation. With respect to the
Kossta aft'air, the President declares that, after a careful
consideration of the matter, he has arrived at the
conclusion that Kossta was illegally seized at Smyrna, and
that he was wrongfully detained on board the Austrian
ship of war; that at the time of his seizure he was clothed
with the American nationality. The acts of the
American officers under the circumstances are also declared
to have been justifiable, and they are fully approved.
The compliance with the subsequent demands of Austria
is declined while the principles maintained by the
United States Secretary of State in his correspondence
with the Austrian minister, Baron Halsemann, will on
all similar occasions be applied and enforced. The
Treasury Report shows a surplus for the fiscal year of
thirty-two million dollars, out of which some thirteen
million dollars of the public debt has been paid, leaving
the present debt of the United States at fifty-six million
dollars. The President recommends that further
progress be made towards extinguishing the debt of the
Union. He also recommends a reduction of the tariff.
The navy is declared to be in an inefficient state, and
measures for its improvement are recommended. An
increase in the army is also considered as necessary,
especially on the frontiers. The Post-office revenue is
reported to be deficient to the extent of two millions of
dollars.

The accounts from Cuba mention the continued
importation of negroes. Above a thousand had recently been
landed from two vessels without molestation, and had
been divided among the parties interested in the
speculations. The Captain-General, Canedo, was about to
leave that island, and the arrival of his successor, General
Piguela, was expected. He is invested with viceregal
powers; every branch of the civil, military, and
naval government being now united in the person of the
Captain-General.

NARRATIVE OF LITERATURE AND ART.

A GREAT many books have been issued during the
past month, and the majority have been illustrated books,
or volumes suggested by the season. Scott's Lay of the
Last Minstrel has been issued with a hundred very
pretty woodcuts, by Mr. Foster and Mr. Gilbert.
Twelve exquisitely-coloured pictures of British birds, by
Mr. Joseph Wolf, with passages from the poets,
commemorative of them, have appeared with the title of
Feathered Favourites. A splendid volume, in imperial
folio, of Illustrations of the Spires and Towers of the