The Press. — London, England, 1858-04-24 00:00:00

- " deep indignation in France ," and throws " a sc an . dal on public morality ;" while as to Mr. E. James's s peech, if " it were to be circulated in the towns, bar racks, and rural distr icts of France , it would be diffi cult for Government, with the best intentions, to s tay the consequences of public indignation." The Patric, Univers, and Pays all follow the same tone, but in less dignified terms. Al. Louis Fould, an eminent financier, and brother of the Minister of State, died on Monday after a short illness. The three candidates for Paris—M. Lionville (Batonnier of the Order of Advocates, for the third e l ec t o ral district, for which the late General Cavaignac had been chosen ; M. Ernest Picard (Ad vocate, for the fifth district; and M. Jules Favre (Advocate), for the sixth district—have signed their f o rmal oath of fidelity to the Emperor and the Con stitution. SW ITZ E RLA N D. The Federal Council has just presented to the high Swiss Federal Assembly a report on its proceed ings during the year 1857. This document, whicb is to be submitted to the Chambers, contains a long detail of the affair of Neufchatel. It declares that the attitude of France, at the same time firm and conciliatory, contributed not a little to the amicable solution of that important question. TURKEY. Constantinople letters of the 14th confirm the statement that Fuad Paella has been definitively appointed to represent Turkey in the Paris Con gress ; he will leave about April, and, during his ab sence, Mahmoud Pacha, Governor of Smyrna, will take the portfolio of foreign affairs ad interim. M. de Talleyrand received orders to leave on the 12th. The Constantinople journals announce that the Conference will not meet before May 10, and that the powers are agreed upon the subject of the organization of the Danubian principalities. An agent of Rothschilds, of Vienna, has proposed to the Porte to establish a bank, and there is some hope of an arrangement. PIEDMONT, AUSTRIA, AND FRANCE. A MOST interesting debate having arisen in the Sardinian Chamber of Deputies at Turin on a Conspiracy Bill introduced by the Government, Count Cavour, in an excellent speech, last week replied at great length to the opposition of the Liberal party. He declared that the bill was not introduced under the pressure of France, and he drew a sketch of the foreign policy of Sardinia since 1t448. The King, Victor Emanuel, he said, bad accepted the melancboly but glorious inheritance of Charles Albert, bit had abandoned neither hopes of the future nor the glorious traditions of the House of Savoy. He admitted that the policy inaugurated by Charles Albert, and since pursued, was not without its perils. There was danger of attack from a great power, which behAd with displeasure the success of a political system diametrically opposed to its own. Hence it was necessary to make friends, to form alliances. But perhaps, he said, Signor Brofferio might be of opinion that before seeking the alliance of France it would have been well to wait for a change of government in that country. For his part, while entertaining great respect for the French nation, he thought it one of the least suited for republican insti• tutions. And if there were a Republic in France, what would there he to hope from it? All Republics, he remarked, had an egotistical policy, and were more prone to tyrannize over other nations than to iud them in conquering free institutions:— Have we not the example of the French republics? Roth the first, which was warlike, and the second, which was pacific, always had, with respect to Italy, a worse than egotistical policy. The first drove out the Germans, but it was to make a market of the zonquered provinces. It gave yenice to secure itself the Rhine. And the second There were in the Government representatives of the most advanced revolutionary opinions, the Ledrn Rollins, the Bowles ; nevertheless, not only did they refuse us the assistance of men, of money, of armies, hut even the loan of a general (disdainfully) which we committed the fault of ask ing them for. When, the form of the government having been somewhat changed, we turned for assistance to its head, do you know what happened ? Nine years have elapsed since then, and I do not think I shall be indiscreet in telling it. The head of that Government was disposed to give ettica cons assistance to Charles Albert in his war against Austria, but he was prevented by the chiefs of that national assembly and by his' Ministers, among whom were ancient and present Republicans. I can confidently affirm this, because I heard it from the lips of a celebrated writer, who had the sal courage to boast to me of the part he took in that resolution of the Imperial Government. The Government of Napoleon 111. be declared had ever shown itself more favourable to Italy ; and he concluded by declaring that the Ministry made this WI a Cabinet question, as the Ministers who pre sented it considered themselves incapable of bringing in a measure contrary to the dignity of the nation. The following day (Saturday) Signor Brofferio replied to some parts of the speech made by Count Cavour, and, referring to the charge of selfishness THE PRE S S, APRIL 24,1858. which the Minister had brought against the French Republic of 1848 for its conduct at that time with regard to the Italian nation, spoke as follows : Lamartine told the Italian deputation that, it the liberty of Italy were attacked, the aid of France might be reckoned upon ; and from the tribune he said that when the hour of any nationality should strike, when any Italian State should be invaded, when their right of alliance among themselves should be contested, the protection of France should not be denied. But the Sardinian ambassador spoke in the sense that the Italian movement was and should remain exclusively Italian, and that it would have been a great evil if the armies of the French republic had passed the Alps without being summoned. Marquis Pareto wrote that Marquis Brignole ought to persuade France not to interfere in our affairs. And a despatch from Lord Palmerston, referring to the army of the Alps and to an order of the day of General Oudinot, called the attention of the Sardinian Government to the interest it had in preventing a French intervention, and said that the best way of getting out of it would be by a compromise between the Government of Milan and that of Austria. Thus spoke that Lord Palmerston who now, for the great good fortune of liberty, has fallen. Therefore, if the Re public of 1848 did not interfere, it was because we did not wish it. And here I ask leave, in my turn, to make an indiscreet revelation. General Antonini, a few months before his death, communicated to me a letter, of which I have spoken to my Political friends, and in which General Oudinot wrote to him : " I have 60,000 men, artillery, cavalry, and infantry; give me an opportunity of inter• fering. Ring the alarm bell at Susa. 1 will descend the Mont Cenis, and we will go together to Vienna." After Custoza assistance was asked tor, but then Cavaignac already exercised a military dictatorship A republic no longer existed, but the dictatorship of a general who had killed 40,000 Frenchmen at the barricades. 1 say 40,000, because I consider transportation as a political death. Signor Brofferio coneluaed by saying : I associate myself with Count Cavour in his salutation to our tricolour banner. I join him in it with all my heart ; and I will add a wish that, instead of being left immovable on the frontier, it may be spread to the breeze over the land of ] taly, realizing its liberty and hopes. _ The next speaker was General Alfonso La Mar mora, the Minister of War, who bad also some curious disclosures to make on his part respecting the conduct of the French Republicans, and their dis inclination to render any assistance to Italy in her struggle for independence. Referring to Brofferio's speech, General La Marmora said : Some of bis words were too suggestive for me to omit replying to them. He said that the French Republic was disposed to assist us. I was charged at that time with a thankless mission, and can give explanations as to those good dispositions. 1 was at Novara, Chief of the Staff of Division. I was called to Turin by the Pritre Minister, Alfieri, and three hours were given me to prepare to start for France in search of a general. Two or three illustrious names were mentioned to me ; one was that of Bugeaud. Marquis Brignole imme diately procured me an audience of Cavaignac. The general—and he was President of the Republic—was astonished that I should have presented myself without an autograph letter from Charles Albert, and also that I had no credentials, I had never been on a diplomatic mission, and did not even know what credentials were. There were ao railways or telegraphs then, and the credentials did not arrive until after ten or twelve days. Then I thought that all was right. Marquis Brignole asked for another audience for me. What did General Cavaignac teply when I asked him for Marshal Bugeaud, who ap pe.ired disposed to come? " Vona ne Faure@ pas, et je vous previens qu'il est garde it vue. (Valerio.—You should have gone to Lamartine.) But if they were all the same ? You wish me to speak of Lamartine? The reply is well known which he made to those who asked him to assist Charles Albert—" I will never allow the Mediter ranean to become an Italian lake." He professed Behan ism only when in opposition. I recollect also that, in '46 or '47, he said, from the tribune, that he had seen the Austrians working at the fortifications of Alessandria. I thought to myself what could ever have put it into that poetical head that the Austrians were at Alessandra'? Do you know what it was ? He had seen our uppers and miners working in their shirt-sleeves, and bad taken them for Austrians. I will not name the other generals. Cavaignac, with respect to them, said to me, " If they like to go they are free to do so ; speak to them." One of them had already asked me many explanations, and listened wil lingly to those I gave him. Fifteen days had already poised ; our army meanwhile was without a general, and lacked confidence in its chiefs. You may imagine what I suffered. One day the general in question said to me, " I cannot accept." And, as I insisted, he at last told me that he bad seen a report to General Cavaignac, in which it was stated that we had only 10,000 or 12,000 men. Now, our 120,000 were not all good; many would have been better at home; but 60,0J0 or 70,000 good soldiers we certainly had. It was the same thing as saying to him, " I will not let you go." I obtained a last audience ; and then General Cavaignac, after many shifts (girl), said to me, " Enfin, nous ne voulons pas nous brouiller avec l'Autriche pour vous faire plaisir." Subsequently, I had other missions to the President of the Republic, Louis Napoleon, and was always received as the representative of a sovereign, and the language of that head of the French Government was alwava marked by the greatest sympathy towards Piedmont and Italy. Deputy Brofferio does not value alliances, and when it is a questi)n of improving the army he always opposes it. Against the fortifications of Casale lie gave one of those black balls which almost made one leap iuto the air. He opposed the fortifications of Alessandris, those of Spezia; but, in heaven's name, on what does Deputy Brofferio reckon for the maintenance of oar banner? Does he by chance reckon on the soldiers whom a republic grants to whoever will pay for them, and who go to support absolute governments? General La Marmora was followed by a member of the party of the Left side, Signor Tecchio, who supported the Government bill, with some amend ments. He denied the existence of any foreign pres- sure, and found nothing in the least offensive in the suggestions made by the French Government ; but, he observed, Let us remember that we are not upon terms with Austria, and that we have France for our ally. France is evidently not upon good terms with Austria. ►9hilst in Austria the celebration of a funeral service for Daniel Manin was prohibited, in France a subscription in honour of him has been allowed. M. Jules Fevre, by the Emperor's permission, lately read the letter of Orsini, which was regarded in Austria as a revolutionary publica- tion, and Orsiui's second letter has since been printed in our own official journal, which would certainly not have published it unless it bad been received from the French Government. It is also to be cbserved that the Austrian journals are employing very injurious language against France. For my part, Ido not look to foreign arms for the salvation of my country; it is only by our own arms that I expect it to be gained, but it would be folly for us to despise the support aud frieniship of others. gout ant irastiott. Her Majesty the Queen has passed the week at Buckingham Palace. Her Majesty on Thursday held a Drawing-room, which was brilliantly attended. Her Majesty held a Court on Wednesday, when Earl Cc,wley, G.C.8., on his return on leave from Paris, and Sir G Hamilton Seymour, on his return from Vienna, had audiences of the Queen. Yesterday her Majesty and the Court left town for Aldershott. Her Majesty reviewed the troops there, and passed the night at the Royal Pavilion. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales is at present enjoying a tour through the west of Ireland. It is needless to say that the Prince is everywhere received with the most heartfelt demonstrations of loyalty and affection. The Countess of Derby has issued cards fur a ball at the official residence of the Prime Minister in Downing street, on Wednesday, the nth of May. lialittc AI. A CABINET Corrrcri, was held on Saturday at the official residence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in Dawning-street. The Ministers present were:— The Earl of Derby, the Lord Chancellor, the Marquis of Salisbury, the Earl of Hardwicke, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Secretary Walpole, the Earl of Nlalinesbury, Lord Stanley, General Peel, Sir John Pakington, the Earl cf Ellenborongh, the Right Hon. J. W. Henley, and Lord John Manners. EAST INDIA CO MPANT.—Lientenant-General Sir George Pollock, G.C.B. Major-General Sir John Robert Hussey Vivian, 8.C.8., and John Pollard Willoughby, Esq., M.P., the three Directors nomi nated by the Crown, took the prescribed oath and their seats, on the inst., as Directors of the East India Company. A CHURCH RATE DEPUTATION, headed by the Dube of Marlborough, Lord Dungannon, the Hon. F. Lyon, M.P.,&c., waited on Lord Derby on Munday last to deprecate the passing of Str J. Trelawny's bill. The Prime Minister, having beard the deputation, said he intended to pursue the same course with regard to church rates as hitherto, unless he saw a solution which might be adopted without sacri. ficing the main principle. He believed the feeling was that both parties agreed in refusing to accept anything like a compromise; one patty will have it as at present, while another would have nothing less. than its entire abolition. He should not, therefore, depart from his present course until he had laits down a solution which would not sacrifice the maim principle of the question, but which would finally pat an end to the struggle. He saw no such solution at present as he should think fit to adopt, and until he saw some such solution he should continue to oppose any measure for the abolition of the rate which he did not think was justifiable. Lord Derby then aug, gested to the members of the deputation to adopt system of voluntary commutation of church rates, to give permission to parishes to buy the rate, er a ig other words, to give power to landholders to charge% their estates with a certain sum annwaty to meet thst object. He believed that if anything of that kind could be worked it would form the basis of a good principle. !kir. Packe, M.P., said he bad very great pleasure in heating from Lord Derby a sugges tion for the voluntary commutabon of church rates. After some further convert/Aim, Lord Derby said b%