The Press. — London, England, 1857-04-11 00:00:00

APRIL 11, 1857. CLARE COUNTY.—General Sir J. F. Fitzgerald (L), Lord F. Conynghain (L), Mr. F. Caleutt ), and Mr. L. Whyte (L), were nominated. Poll demanded. The remaining elections are those of Dublin, Clare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Galway, Longford, King's County, Antrim, Cavan, Tipperary, Monaghan, and Wicklow. With the exceptions of Longford, Antrim, and King's County, there are likely to be clos3 con tests for the other counties enumerated. A GREAT NUMBER OF PETITIONS against the return of certain members are in preparation for presentation to the new Parliament. LORD lIARRINUTON has written to the papers stating that the letter published last week by Mr. GlNile, with reference to Lord Althorp's election, was a forgery. foreign 6orrtspoitDcutt. BRUSSELS, April 8. THE English papers have given an account of the riot at Tourney by the protectionists of native in dustry, and of the abuse of the English as commercial rivals, by whom they insist that they are directly injured. This tumultuous and anti-Anglican demon stration afforded an opportunity to M. Vilain XIV., Minister of Foreign Affairs, to expatiate cn the relative position of the two countries, and to blame an animosity injurious to those who fostered such untoward prejudices. The Minister asserted the right of all to offer their produce in the markets most profitable to the seller, and further remarked that the purchase of English goods was voluntary, since Belgium was not fettered by treaty to accord a preference to British merchandise. He likewise re verted to the goodwill and friendliness of England at all times, in support of Belgium, since the establish ment of the kingdom in its constitutional state, and terminated his speech amidst the loud cheers of the Chamber, by calling upon his countrymen to con demn au hostility neither serviceable to their interests nor redounding to their credit. Of this amicable disposition on the part of England in IfB3o and 1831, no one can speak with greater certainty than the present Minister of Belgium in England. The reputation of M. Vilain XIV. as a statesman is coeval with the independence of his country. Firm in his principles of political Liberalism, and attached to Catholicism from education and faith, he offers to the ultras of both parties an example for their imitation and a subject for profitable reflection. Violent partisans are the common instruments with which astute statesmen work out their end 3. They never possess power without damage alike to their country and to themselves, invariably becoming the victims of au improvident fanaticism and the agents of an unwise policy. The ultra Romans in Belgium would subvert the Constitution and retrogade to a medieval subjection to a despotic priest, whilst on the other hand the ultra Liberals would extend par liamentary and democratic p ewer to such an extent as to render constitutional monarchy an empty name. In these times of onward tendencies, re sulting from generalised education, it is essentially necessaty that the governmental executive should be intrusted to men whose large and regulated minds exempt them from the control of vulgar passion, and who legislate alone upon the principle of right and from the integrity of conviction. Such a one is M. Vilain XIV., nor is it now only that he has given proof of his Ministerial value. A letter from M. de Rayneval, the French Minis ter at Rome, addressed to M. do Walewsld, on the present state of Italy, and more particularly of the Pontifical Government, is a document worthy of attention. As I see that it has been comtnente.l on in your columns, I shall not notice it further than to point out how strangely M. de Layneval errs when be praises the laws, juridical and executive, and the administration of them by sacerdotal and lay functionaries. The canons of the Pontifical digest may be exceedingly good, but the men selected to enforce them are unequivocally bad. It is administrative ineffi.iency, from the personal im propriety of the magistrate, that. ruins Italy. And the besetting sin of these magistrates of the tonsure is corruption. It is their rule of conduct. Here is a tariff of transgressions that under a Pope of a former it4e might be committed with impunity under the secret sanction of the sacerdotal Government— provided always the trespass were not made inju diciously public : Ducati. For Plenary• Indulgence to Counts( Signori Conti— from fasting generally Permission to said Counts to eat meat and eggs on fast days l2 Permission tocornmit, and absolution iron', usury 7 concubinage 6 It It rape ti incest A It perjury 6 It SI homicide It (If the person killed or murdered he au eccle siastic the olf.mder is obliged to repair to Home to ransom this crime, which is held to be more heiuous thau parricide or Ira. Weide.) THE PRESS. Ducati. For a husband who has beaten his wife, and thereby brought about premature labour 5 And it' the child die For procuring abortion by improper means 8 For infanticide For burglary L For a rich man who has possessed himself of an inheritance by false documents and forgery For the absolution of a persta. dying in excom munication of the Church, and Mr drawing his soul from the lowest pit of hell ....1 ducat 9 carlini Roma: 11. MAons, Geneve, Imprinierie Vauen, Rue de la Croix d'Or, 4 1-1H32. Now, a Government, boasting of spiritual immuta bility, that of old could allow, " con licenza dei superiori," the circulation of a prospectus offering immunity from punishment, here and hereafter, for a monetary consideration to the priest, in auricular confession, cannot warrant for its ministers the terse encomium of M. de Itayneval—" Its sont a l'abri de la critique." In Bologna, during the month of May, 1856, there were twenty-six days on which robberies by bandits with violence, more or less, isnd in two cases attended with death, were perpetrated in open day without the interference of the police. An Executive, under which these crimes daily occur, without repression, ought not to be deemed a fitting subject for unex ceptional eulogy by one hulling a situation of diplo matic eminence. C. A. 11. lortign nab 6olonial 3ntelligcntr. AUSTRIA AND SARDINIA. The immediate retirement of the Marquis de Cantono, the Sardinian Envoy from Vienna, is denied. His Excellency, although, for the time being, having ceased his official relations with the Government at Vienna, will yet, it is reported, remain in that city until the close of the spring. A letter from Vienna of the 4th, in the Hamburg News, says : The Count de Pair had a private audience of the Ern• peror yesterday. The information given by the Count is said not to be of a nature to calm down the irritation felt against Sardinia. The Ost-Deutsche Post publishes the following despatch, dated Turin, April The Gazette Mililaire, the organ of General de la \l1:r• morn, announces the formation of a camp of 21),00 men at Alessandria, observing that this measure ought to give no provocation, as it is required every year fur the purpose of military evolutions. The Ost-Deutsche Post observes on the fore going : It is our duty to take cognisance of this new feature of Piedmontese politics. At the moment in which Austria complained of certain appearances of hostility, it was thought opportune at Turin to enter upon a discussion relative to the fortifications of Alessandria, protesting that no demonstration was intended. When Count I'aar declared to the Piedmontese Mini stry that the Marquis de Canton.) was free to remain at his post, the latter was recalled. Rut there was nu desire for a rupture—it was a pure ipiestion of dignity. And now, at a moment when the diplomatic relations are broken, Piedmont establishes a camp of twenty thousand men, and says to its, "This is not a demonstration, but simply a military exercise which takes place every year." We do not know sufficient of the usages of the Piedmontese army to say whether such a concentration has been hell every year, and it it has taken place at precisely this period of the year, and in these pro portions ; this we know, however, that a moderate and pru- dent Government, whose tendencies were opposed to any provocation, and which was averse to causing alarm, would have preferred in a situation so delicate to have post poned fur sonic months the " annual evolutions," in order that their simultaneity with a recent diplomatic conflict blight not give them a signification which most assuredly cannot favour a solution of the difference. There is a rumour in Italy that Austria has pro posed a league, offensive and defensive, with Modena and Parma, which if confirmed would be of the most serious importance, for it would amount to the per petual occupation of those States by Austrian gar risons. Vogs's Gazette of Berlin gives the following as the principal passages of a circular despatch, in which the Austrian Government expresses its views on the present position of the dispute between the Cabinets of Vienna and Turin. The despatch denies that Austria has any ill-feeling towards Piedmont on account of her liberal institutions:— Austria:approves of the principle of a progress which goes on prudently, and she combats r.--):ution. At Turin, on the contrary, projects are baso: on revolution, and the tiovernment approves and supports movements which are directed against the existing possessions of the powers, which do not permit reArms to be made because they maintain in people's m'n Is the hope of a violent revolution. The representations made against this manner of acting having been without result, the Imperial Lega tion at Tin in has been recalled, not, boo ever, without manifesting an intention of leaving the door open for a subsequent understanding. That door, however, Count de Cavour had closed by recalling the Margins de Cantotio, and thus proved anew that he was not at all anxious to come to an arrangement with Austria. The question has 355 been asked, what signification Austria attaches to the rupture of diplomatic relations? It is easy for everyone to understand that there is in that act a serious warning to Piedmont. The foreign Cabinets, particularly those of the two Western powers, have not witnessed this step with an indifferent eye, and they endeavour to anticipate ulterior consequences by friendly mediation. At Vienna they will meet with the very best dispositions. lathing is demanded of Piedmont but the observance of inter national rules, and if the mediating powers can obtain what was refused to Austria au arrangement will be easy. Should, on the contrary, Count de Cavour intrench him- self behind a line of argument which merely plays on words without altering the facts, Austria will have to examine what she ought to do nest fur the preservation of her dignity and of her safety. In Piedmont public feeling is calm, but con siderable discontent is reported to exi-t in Lombardy. Orders have been transmitted from Vienna to Count Giulyai to reinforce his garrisons. The Vienna State balance-sheet for 1856 has not yet been published, hut it is credibly stated that the deficit is about 125,000,000t1. FRANCE. An Imperial decree in the Moniteur of Tuesday contains the decision of the Council of State in the matter of the Bishop of Moulins, and repeals certain measures adopted by that prelate to the prejudice of his under clergy. This decision of the Council of State is regarded in Paris as a severe blow to the Ultramontane party, but has given great satisfaction to the general clergy. The return of Count Morny from St. Petersburg is stated to be probable. The Grand Duke Constantine will not arrive in Paris before the Ist of May. A grand review of the garrison of Paris. and a ball on a magnificent scale at the Hotel de Ville, will take place during his stay at the 't'uileri:ts. His Highness will subsequently spend a few days at Fontainebleau. The reigning King of Bavaria will arrive in Paris during the visit of the Grand Duke. General Tudtleben, the Russian hero of SebaF topol, is at present in Paris, and has been received with distinction by the Emperor. The appeal of Prince Danilo of Montenegro for the settlement of his differences with Turkey is at present under the consideration of the French Go vernment. The question in dispute is for the cession by Turkey of a certain portion of agricultural territory for the support of the 3lontenegtins, for which the Prince will consent to pay tribute. The difficulties to this arrangement are—first, that Turkey is not disposed to surrender any territory without retaining her rights of suzerainty in full ; and, secondly, that the Christian Montenegrins will resist any attempt of their Prince to place them under the domination of a 3lussulman Sultan. The report of M. Abbattucci, Minister of Justice, upon the prevalent habit in Franco of a false assumption of titles of nobility, has created great consternation throughout the country : Never, perhaps (observes the Minister), at any former time did the tendency to assume titles, and to put on an appearance above one's real condition, manifest itself in such a regrettable manner as it has done within the last few years, and although in most cases these usurpations de noblesse take their source in a ridiculous vanity, they very often proceed upon fraud and interested calculations. It is, therefore, necessary both for political and social reasons to put a stop to these excesses. But will it be sufficient to revive art. '2:19 of the law of 1810 or of 1816, or will it not rather be desirable to go deeper, to take into consideration the state of the old nobi lity, and to lay down, in a complete system, what facts shall constitute a misdemeanour, how these facts shall be proved, and what penalties shall be applied? The solution of these questions presents difficulties worthy of the meditation of statesmen and lawyers ; it should be such as to remedy the constantly increasing disorder in the social relations of the present time, and, at the same time, to restore for the future to an institution inseparable from monarchical power all its lustre and sincerity. PRUSSIA AND SWITZERLAND. The Neufchatel Conferences have been temporarily suspended, but the question approaches its final settlement. According to the Band the following are the eor ditions which Dr. Kern brought forward at the fifth sitting of the Conterence as the only bases on which Switzerland would consent treat : 1. Prussia is to acknowledge the complete independence of the canton of Neufchatel of every foreign tie ; and, as a consequence of this, the King is to formally renounce all pretensions whatsoever to that country. 2. Switzerland cannot admit a preliminary recognition of Prussia's rights of sovereignty over Neufchatel. 3. Switzerland concedes neither to the present King of Prussia. nor to any member of the Royal family of Prussia, the right of bearing the title of Prince of Neufchatel. She is bound, therefore, now and for ever to protest against any sort of pretensions which might afterwards be deduced from this title, disputed, as it is, by Switzerland. 4. The charitable institutions now existing in the canton are to be recognised as such, maintained, and placed under the protection of the constitution and of the laws of the country. As for guarantees of another kind, no question of then' can be entertained. ad