The Press. — London, England, 1858-09-11 00:00:00

868 6orrespaithacc. Nuts. Thursday. EMPEROR away at Biarritz—Minister of Foreign A&irs at the same place—other Ministers here and there—great dignitaries of State no one knows and no one cares where—foreign diplomatists scattered all over Europe—our own Lord Cawley feeding pike in the waters of Chantilly—even those most laborious of slaves, journalists, lounging by the seaside, or losing the little money they have in rouge et noir at Baden Baden—with such a state of things it is idle to expect a correspondent to have political news to send you. Politics in very truth are just now in complete stagnation. Even Lord Palmerston, who was regarded as a great lion on his arrival, subsided so quickly into insignificance that he was greatly annoyed ; and he has gone back to London without even " doing" all the sights set down in his . " Galig• nani's Guide." Lord Stratford de Iledcliffe ,to be sure, has come amongst us; but though at any other epoch the presence of this " terrible milord," this " bitter enemy of France," as French journalists call him, would have created quite a commotion, and have made crowds follow him in the streets, it now excites but little attention. In the dearth of news, the Paris correspondents of several of the Belgian, German, Swiss, and Spanish journals, have, I perceive, pounced on an article on Turkey in the last number of the New Quarterly Review, and have attempted to mako political capital of it by announcing, first of all, that it is most hostile to France ; next, that it is a manifesto of the English Cabinet, of which they regard the New Quarterly as an organ ; and, thirdly, that no less a personage than Lord Stratford de Redcliffe himself has written the article, or at least " inspired " the line of argument adopted in it. I know not if your con temporary be authorized to speak in the name of the Cabinet, but even if he be, I do not see that there is anything in the article to warrant the hubbub made about it, inasmuch as, though it expresses same little surprise at the attitude which the French Government has lately thought fit to assume towards Turkey—a surprise shared by Turkey and by all Eutope—it speaks very tenderly indeed of that Government, and especially of the sole personage who really counts for anything in it --the Emperor; and though it says all that can be said for Turkey in ber present critical state, and somewhat firmly vindicates her right to Montenegro, which Russia disputes, it displays not the slightest bitterness, and makes no attempt to excite illwill between Govern ments. This, at least, is what appears to me from an attentive perusal of the article; but doubtless foreign newspaper correspondents in Paris read English by other lights than an Englishman. The affair of the Protestants of Maubeuge, of which notice was taken in my last, is snaking consi derable noise, and is not unlikely to have serious consequences. The Protestant consistory at Lille, in whose jurisdiction Maubeuge is, has published a remarkably well-written letter on the subject, in which it maintains that their fellow-believers in being arrested were not only unjustly but illegally treated; but the sub•prefect of the district, by whose order the arrests were made, asserts that those persons had assembled without being duly authorized, and had consequently violated tho law. The matter is to be carried before the tribunals, and even before the Council of State. Whatever he their decisions, the Government will be placed in a very embarrassing position. If judgment be given in favour of the Protestants, political agitators will he able to bold meetings, under pretext of being Protestants, and to preach Socialisin instead of the Gospel—a thing which, unless they be belied, they have attempted more than once ; if the judgment be adverse to the Protestants, the "liberty of worship" inscribed in the Constitution will be a farce, and thousands of Protestants scattered in small knots over the country will, by the officious meddling of some petty local authority or other, be debarred from meeting at all. Englishmen will he greatly shocked to think that, in such a country as France, there can be a law which on any pretext throws impediments in the way of any men wishing to unite to worship God according to their consciences ; but to understand the question rightly they must bear in mind the great fact that France is not a free country, and that her despotic Government, being menaced by factions, thinks it necessary to adopt rigorous measures to prevent the right of meeting from being abused. The Government yesterday "seized" the journals of Brussels which contained a translation from the English papers of the will of the Duchess d'Orleans. But, notwithstanding this measure, I find that the will is already tolerably well known in political circles, and as the Orleanist party will of course cause it to be circulated secretly, it will soon he in the hands of every intelligent Frenchman. From the manner in which it is spoken of by those who have had the opportunity of reading it, it appears ki. THE PRESS, SEPTEMBER 11, 1858. destined to create a profound impression on the people. It is certainly, iu a French point of view, a remarkable anti affecting document, and the Go vernment increases the importance of it by pro• hibiting it. It is said that some arrests of Legitimist nobles, and of workmen employed by them to convey cone spondence to Count de Chambord, have been effected; but even if the statement be true, the matter cannot be of much gravity, inasmuch as the Legitimists, though not liking the present regime, ore too thankful for the protection it affords them to conspire against it. I mentioned in a late letter that the Government contemplated establishing a line of electric telegraph from Europe to China. It has at this moment I know projects before it for carrying lines to different points of America, North and South ; but before examining them it has sent people to examine into the causes of the suspension of the English Trans atlantic lice. Criminal returns for the year IsrA just published record the pleasing fact that in that year crimes, and especially those of a heinous kind, were fewer than in the years immediately preceding. But latterly reflecting people have been rather startled at the number of desperate crimes that have been com mitted. In Paris and its immediate vicinity there have been, in less than a fortnight, not fewer than six dreadful murders, and a greater number of attempts at murder and of wanton cutting and wounding ; and the provincial journals literally teem with reports of, or trials tor, similar crimes. There have also of late been an extraordinarily great number of incendiary fires in different parts of the country. Considering that, though food is dear, work is abundant, with the exception perhaps of the coal and iron trades, this outbreak of criminality cannot be oaused by distress, and is, therefore, regarded as a moral and political symptom of not a little gravity. It is so regarded because it has been noticed that in this country causeless crime has always been the precursor of political agitation. The Emperor intends, I hear, to present Marshal Pelissier on the occasion of his marriage with a beau titul house and grounds at Bellevue, a charming village near St. Cloud. PS —I hear, on the eve of closing this letter, that the Minister of the Interior does not approve of what was done with respect to the Protestants of Maubeugc. t °reign an iqlonial linteltigente. FRANCE. THE LAIILARTINE FUND. M. Persigny has sent INK to the Lamartine Fund, accompanying his subscription with a letter, published by the Siicle. M. de Persigny says : When I think of the eminent services which this illus trious man hits renderol to his country, and of the brio liancy of his talents, I grieve (gemir) that 1 csu only contribute, by a vulgar °We ing, to the success of the work of the generous Maconais. --- RAILWAY ACCIDENT. A dreadful railway accident occurred on the St. Ger- main Railway, on Monday. The train which left St. Germain at halfpast ten, and which descends by its own weight the incline of the atmospheric railwAy, could not be stopped at the accustomed place, but ran into s locomotive which was standing in the Vesinet station. A violent shock took place. O a carriage was broken to pieces. The guard at the head of the train and two other persons were killed, and several passengers were wounded, some seriously. It is supposed that the break of the carriage placed at the head of the train must have broken. THE LATE DUCHESS OS ORLEANS. The last will and testament of Helene Ditchesie &Orleans has been proved in Doctors' Commons. It is a remarkable document, which will be read with a melancholy interest by all who admired the many virtues and noble qualities or the illustriou s exile. The following are the more important pot. dons :,-- This is my will. in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. In dying I commend my sou( to God, and in the name of Jesus Christ f implore Hitt infinite mercy, praying Him to receive me in the eternal abode, there to reunite me to those for whom 1 hays mourned upon this earth. I leave my maternal blessiue's to my beloved sons, and pray the Lord to guide the m through this life, to give them prosperous days, and to gr an t t h em eternal felicity when they shall have nobly fulfilled their destinies here below. I bid them here a last adieu, whilst thanking them for the happiness they have contributed to my existence. I entreat the Queen to accept the last expression of my respectful gratitude. I bid farewell to may mother, to whom I owe so much ; to my brothers and sisters, for whom I have ever felt sincere affection ; to my mothe r ' s family, whose tender hospitality has lightened the bitter. ness of exile of my sons and myself ; to my friends and tier• vents, whose fidelity in the midst of misfortune has inspired me with grateful attachment ; and, finally, I bid farewell to France, which I have loved so much, and where the happiest years of my life have glided away. I recommend my sons never to forget that the fear of God is the beginning of all wisdom, that it is a guide and beacon in prosperity, and a stay amidst misfortune; to remain ever faithful to the precepts of their childhood, and continue steadfast like wise in their political faith. May they observe it both bf their constancy in adversity and exile and by their firmness and devoted patriotism when the course of events shall restore them to their country. May France, restored to her dignity and liberty, may constitutional France reckon upon them to defend her honour, her grandeur, and her interests, and may she find once more in them the wisdom of their grandfather and the chivalrous qualities of their father. They should ever beer in mind the political prin ciples which have made the glory of their house, which their grandfather faithfully observed upon the throne, and which their father, as his will and testament bears witness, had ardently adopted. His last directions have been the guiding rule of their education. In quitting this world I recommend my children to the Queen. My beloved son, the Count de Paris, will attain his majority the moment my will shall take effect ; yet, notwithstanding this, I count upon the moral influence of the Queen and npon her respected authority to replace rue in his counsels; I likewise reckon upon her maternal solicitude in entreating her to accept the guardian• ship of my beloved son, the. Duke de Chatres. Such duty will not, I trust, appear to her too onerous, for I beg my brothers to assist the Queen in the administration of the fortune of their nephews. 1 know full well the feeling' which animate them for the children of their deplored brother, and I am sure that they will at all times testify towards them a sincere affection. I charge my sons to remain es er closely united; the indissoluble union of the two brothers forming the condition of their strength and mutual happiness. l desire thst my eldest son i ehaltfront the day that his legal majority permits him, take part n the family council appointed to watch over the interests to younger brother. It is also my desire that those tried sot faithful friends who havo surrounded my sous,and . utter having been the devoted adherents of their fat lei, have never ceased to give us proofs of attachment in adversit, will still continue to remain about them. The illustrious testatrix, having revoked and annulled a deed of trusteeship executed on the 2Flth of Jul) 1849, and a continual ion deed dated in 1853, b o th of which were deposited at Coutts', with the view that the securities comprised therein should revert to her personal property and bo equally divided between her two children, thus proceeds : With this intention I likewise divide between them, equitably - equitably as possible, the following articles in my Foss!Hee,s.. sion, leaving, to wit, to the Count de Paris , my pear the lace in four rows, which he will, I trust, one day give Countess de Paris; the six diamond pendants w ith chain; the red album, containing the fine collection of water' &i h e Orleans ; all ms furs, and Scheffer's picture of tro ~ ,li colours by French artists, which belonge d to the Duke Women" ( lea Sa intes Femmes). To the Du ke de Chartres, ro my set of pearls, composed of brooches , p ins ; eant__if bracelets, and a diadem. This set canoe to ma frow let be' godmother, my Aunt Adelaide. My ruby brac h e uuti , us ; queathed by the Queen of the Belgians; two ruby . the sapphire ring and the ruby ring ; my fine cup , 111 0 1 the Prayer Book, which was made by his father h s t af ar th est . jewelsess d'annes, and my lace. I hope t j and lace may be worn by a Duchess de . e Besides the foregoing articles, 1 bequeath as the Count de Paris the large portrait of , his . 111 ._ 1 ° . ;' , :,h Ingres ; the marble bust of his father, by lailet , !n,'O e picture of" The Iron Gates," hD -y —auzata ; the small P of the " Ccl de Teniah," by Philippoteaux ; all his m well manuscripts, papers, letters, small note-books, so uvenirs bto, PROTESTANT WORSHIP. M. Couillard, a member of the Protestant Consis tory of Lille, has published, in the Debats, a letter on the recent interference of the municipal autho rities with the Protestant service of the canton 3 of Avcsues. In the course of his remarks, M. Couillard says : All that we know is, that on the 11th July a proce.s verbal was drawn up against the minister and the prin. cipal members of his church, slid transmitted to the Pro cureur Imperial, whose silence duringforty days is certainly not a proof that it was any crime to pray to God according to recognized forms ; that on the 22nd August the Corn missai v of Police signified to the assembled church, and to the officiating minister, a decree of the Prefect quashing the municipal authorization ; that the service was inter rupted by the gendarmerie, and by the arrest of the minister in the exercise of his functions and of three of his parish• ioners; that the minister and his parishioners were in open day, and in the midst of an astonished population, con veyed to prison by the gendarmes, and from whence they were on the '.l3th discharged, in spite of themselves, as they had entered. It is true they refused to leave the prison on the evening of the 22nd. They wished, not, as has been stated, to make a scene, but to date from their prison a complaint to the Procureur-General and to the Minister of Justice for the violence exercised against a church and its minister. What they wished • and what they still desire, is that the law should be clearly set forth by the organ of the judicial power RS to the right of the Reformed Church in France to distribute to their fol lowers Cie spiritual bread and the pastoral care of which they stand in need. A religious worship established by a conaistory, with the previous authorization of the municipal council, has therefore been closed. A minister officiating in his place of worship has been imprisoned with some members of his church, among whom was a military sub intendant, and the Protestants of the seven cantons of Avesnes are at the present moment deprived of the exercise of their religion recognized by the State. This is an exact account of what took place, and we need not add that it is a serious affair. We wish neither to exaggerate nor to raise an outcry about it; we wish to give the circumstances their real character 1 a 1 1 1 1 1 1 t 111