The Press. — London, England, 1855-11-03 00:00:00

1044 looking stone forts. These could, no doubt, be battered all about their eyes and ears, but the troops would keep beyond the luie of the, and we could not land with a small force in a large city defended by a numerous garrison, so the only result of an attack would be the destruction of private property, the lives and limbs of people who must curse this war every day of their lives, and the infliction of injury on one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.. . . . The mortar•vessels, gun-boats. and floating batteries might have easily gone close enough to pour long.range shot, rockets, and bombs into the town without the chance of being hit by the enemy, save by great luck. The city could not be missed; but it is very nice practice to hit a long low black line—a snake in the grass, wheeling and twisting about—at the distance of 2,500 yards. Such, however, was not the policy or the feeling of the admirals, hut the world will probably be told by the Russian organs that the attitude of their troops and the appearance of the batteries fright ened the French and English fleets, and that they aban doned their intention of attacking Odessa, awed by the courage and devotion of the " holy Russians."—Oct. 13. The town of course is sketched by Mr. Russell, though not quite so happily as in his inimitable de scription of Constantinople. By degrees, as we rose, the land, a white lighthouse, a guard house, a white telegraph house and station, with farm houses, white villas embuwered in green trees, pagodas, minarets, domes, church spires, came in view, and clustered together till we had a day dream of Constantinople and Naples together with a dash of Boulogne in it, and Odessa came in sight. As lam neither a voluntary tourist, a universal gazetteer, or a photographer, I shall not attempt to describe the city, which must indeed be well known to Eaglishuieu, though few artists can do justice to it. These barbarous Russians have a tare knack of building graceful, light, cheerful, and clean-looking cities, which even the "Stones of Venice" might not utterly despise, and if it be distance which lends enchantment to the view they have at least the satisfaction denied to more civilised people of saying there is one point of view from which their cities win the senses. As we slowly drew up to our inevitable " five miles S. by K of Odessa," we passed a wonderful creation, which, compared to the slow efforts of our ancient builders. seemed almost the work of enchantment. There stood an extensive city, built on the curve of a high sea shore, with descending terraces and broad Bights of steps to the beach, which was inclosed by broad quays and the walls of ports and casemated batteries, all shining brightly in the morning sun. Broad esplanades or boulevards lined with trees towards the sea-front ran along the top of the hank, with a background of stately mansions worthy of the best " rows" near the Ilegent's park, and we could see a numerous and gaily-dressed crowd of men and women all along the promenade gazing on the dark clouds of smoke which were slowly drifting in on them from the distance. Behind and in continuation of this esplanade are splendid residences, with pillared porticos and ornamented peri styles, magnificent public institutions—the temples erected by despotism to civilisation in hope of making peace with her, barracks, palaces, governor's house, prisons, rising in front of a confused and graceful mass of domes, columns, steeples, and spires. One huge dome is of an intense ulna marine blue, and is topped by a gilt cupola ; another is of bright green, surmounted by a golden star; here is a Greek temple, there a Tartaresque-looking mosque; there a un mistakeable "little Bethel," here a Byzantine church; again an Eastern minaretlike spire. This beautiful city is sur rounded on the left by woods, bestudded with the houses of princes and counts engaged in the corn trade, and of merchants deeply interested in the state of the English barometer. On the right is a suburb where the " poorer sort" live and make money for their masters, and die out like bees when the honey is in the cells, leavinz materials for fresh hives behind them. The etetnal Cossacks were standing by their horses in groups of two or three, as vi dettes, by the numerous signer and telegraph stations which line the coast at intervals, and are in connection with a'semaphore in Odessa, which was tossing about its arms like Niobe gone mad; others were galloping over the fer tile steppe, appearing and disappearing over the low lines of hills. and numerous herds of cattle all over the country afforded proof that we have exaggerated the general ex haustion of the enemy's resources, if any were needed in addition to the prosperous appearance of all the white farm• houses and harnlete, with their enormous stacks of hay and corn around their homesteads. Some of the inhabitants seemed to be moving away from the place by the north road, and many waggons and carts were visible going to and fro by the road to the northwards.—Times Cor. Oct. 8. SANTA. ANNA, the late President of Mexico, is the subject of a story which, if true, proves his tact and shrewdness. The Governor of Vera Cruz re ceived a communication from high authorities at Mexico to the effect that, should he arrest Santa Anna, they would reward him with fifty thousand dollars. The governor, a Spaniard, forwarded it to Santa Anna, who on the instant gave an order for the amount to be paid by the Custom house autho rities, who on their part pleaded want of funds. The ex President, backed by his troops, then in quired if they did not hold securities from the merchants for payment of duties, and, if so, to remit from teq to fifteen per cent. for prompt pay ment. The terms were accepted, the governor, the troops, in fact all parties were satisfied, and Santa Anna embarked on board tho national squadron (two steamers), amidst the thunders of artillery and great parade. His EXCELLENCY COUNT COLLOREDO is daily ex pected at the Austrian Legation from Vienna, in order to resume his diplomatic functions as Austrian Mistiater at the Court of Et. James's. THE PRESS. lortign dortcspoittturt. FRANKFORT, Oct. 30. WHEN will England learn to appreciate, at its just value, the conduct of Austria? When will the Go vernment honestly declare before an approving House of Commons, the danger of longer relying on the false assurance of a perfidious ally ? Within the last few days Austria has signified her assent to a reform of the Germanic Confederation, and has, in a con tradictory temper, completed a concordat with the Pope, utterly destructive of the slender measure of civil and religious liberty that existed within the pre cincts of its empire. Of those liberties it is proper now to speak iu the past sense. The flagrant anta gonism of the two policies reveals the secret motive of action:— La teudresso etrange dont se sont prig subiternent les orgaues de la politique Autrichienne pour l'idee dune re• vision du parti federal, et rintuation du Gouvernemeut Auttiohien de formuler, ou du moins d'appuyer, des pro positions de cette nature si elles vensient a so produire au sein de la Diete Germanique, ont fait une certaine sensation. L'etonueruent cease du moment oa lon ap• precie le veritable setts duns lequel l'Autriche vent °parer cette reforzne. Faire une Allemague forte, unio, ralkie altiee autour du drapeau d'Autriche et servante d'instrument docile a la politique du Cabinet do Vienne, voila le pro gramme que la presse Autrichienue noits a maintes foes preaente en s'effurcant de lui donner respect le plus se duisant. The testimony of Le Nord is conclusive of the fact. Jealous of the growing influence of the "parti Liberal de Gotha," which meets with a firm support in Prussia by the friends and followers of the Prince Royal, Austria seeks by a jesuitic compliance with the proposition of confederation reform, false, not real, treacherous and perfidious, to neutralise the liberalism that each hour partakes of a character more distinctly Protestant and anti. Catholic. In the event of the Liberal and Gotha adherents being recruited exclusively from the Protestant ranks, a heavy weight would be thrown in the balance against itoman interests ; and the facility for Prussia " Prin ciere to assume a determined predominance in the Confederation would lead to immediate consequences irresistibly detrimental to Austria. The war, if not of nationalities, at least of national interests , is com mencing. The official pamphlet of M. de Gerlach openly proclaims the intention of the " parti de la Croix" to re establish, if possible, the Holy Alliance of 1815, the cause of the revolutions of 1848; and Austria, sensible of the false step made by the Prussian Minister, now hastens to assure the German Liberals that she will side with them against the present Cabinet at Berlin. Austria cannot cloke her covert intention to advance Roman Catholic interests in order to occupy a forward position in Germany when ever the ostensible war of religion shall break forth. In that forthcoming war, nominally spiritual but essentially temporal, she counts upon the aid of Russia; in the Roman conflict she hopes to dissever France from England. This is her secret project, the object of her sleepless solicitude. No one the least conversant with continental affairs dreams of the possibility of a proximate peace. The Danubian principalities will not be easily evacuated by Austrian troops ; and the recent tenta tive to exact an undue influence in Bosnia and Servia, if it does not adorn the Eastern tale, may earnestly point a moral. 'Should it be neglected, the fault will lie with the English Government, fore warned by acts that would be almost palpable to the blind. Nothing can be less correct than the asser tion that the Vienna interests on the Eastern ques tion are entirely opposed to those of Russia. Those who would affirm this confound the words German and Austrian, and would make them synonymous in utter contempt of history or geography. Let the C;rirnea be gained by the allies, Austria will remain in the possession of the principalities, and be passive, if not careless, of the disposition of Eastern affairs, certain that the results will be favorable to her. In some respects Count Buol is a wiser Minister than Prince Schwartzenberg. When the Prince said, "Le moment n'est pas eloigne ou l'Autriche etonnera le monde par son ingratitude" for the sub jugation of Hungary by Russia, he did not foresee a war betwixt Russia and the Anglo-Frank allies. Count Buol judges astutely of the altered circum• stances, and sees in them the reconstruction of Im perial power by their gradual conducting to a difference, possibly armed upon a religious and Roman basis, that shall consume Italy, sow dissen sion in liermany, and disunite the Anglo Frank alliance. He would count, whether rightly or not events will prove, on the support of Russia on one hand and on France on the other. The Schwartzen berg phasis is past and gone, and a new combination is about to be formed ;mire in consonance with the counsel of the late Emperor Nicholas to Francis Joaeph at tits conference at 911auti, tio ti rn 415 aITURDAY, attention Danubianwiirds, if he were anxious to satisfy the pride of conquest. Despite of this pal pable lesson of facts, past and present, England doggedly persists in abusing the Liberal an I Gotha party Protestant of Prussia and Germany, which is the natural and valuable counterpoise to Austxo- Jesuit encroachment upon the libert,ies of central Europe. To all the Roman schemes of Austria for political aggrandisement, Lord John Russell tent attentive ear; and it is not improbable that he was courteously informed of the principles contained in the Papal concordat, in the same manner as the famous Wiseman rescript was shown to Lord Minto in the Palace of 'Monte Cavallo by Pius IX. himself. The preamble states that the concordat is made manifest before the face of all nations, " according to the order established by God and the capopiey stitutions." It thus commences with a demi to ecclesiastical prepotence over the consciences or all men, subversive of individual right, and said to be so willed and upheld by the order of God. Of these divine rights, possessed especially by the company or Jesus, it is stated that the Roman Pontiffs "were utkiustly and fatally despoiled in Austria and the kingdoms appertaining to the empire by one of the predecessors of the present Emperor." This is in allusion to Joseph IL, and proves the imperfect acquaintance with history of Pius IX. and Cardinal Antonelli. The curtailment of ecclesiastical privi leges, and the suppression of prelatic tyranny, were crudely effected in the first instance by Joseph II.; but the canonical emendations were reduced to their, present shape by his brother and successor Leopold 11., and these are the precise liberties which have now been Pontifically and Imperially rescinded. First in order comes the repeal of the " Placetum .Regium," by which the Emperor yields, without restriction, the right to episcopal anti other clerical nomination, and consents to abandon his privilege to object to any such persons, of whatever nation, that shall be appointed by the Pope. Thep follows the absolute power to possess church property in every shape; and, with a view to its particular protection and administration, ecclesiastical tribunals are to be established, having separate and distinct jurisdiction over and above the civil courts, meaning thereby that against an ecclesiastical judgment the civil power shall have no control ; but, on the other hand, the decision of the executive on a case affecting the rights of the Church, specially or collaterally, may annulled by the higher power of an ecclesiastical tribunal. Tithes, and all other pecuniary demands of the Roman Church, are reinstated according to olden practice. The control of bishops over the inferior clergy is to be absolute and without control. This also extends, to the nature and measure of punishment for cle rical offences. The education of the people to be under the exclusive superintendence of the Roman clergy, and no other religious instruction is to be tolerated, or permission to be granted to teach doctrines within the empire, adverse to the Roman faith. A right of censorship is to be vested in an ecclesi astical commission, over works of science, literature, and publications of every description. The offences under this head to be judged by the tribunals of the Church, and to them are also intrusted the prosecu ti3n of published libels, and of verbal libels, if directed against the honour and safety of the Roman Church, with an unrestricted polyps to apportion punishment. In case of contempt of jurisdiction the ecclesiasti cal tribunals are empowered to demand the aid of the executive to compel obedience. In one word, it may be said that the Emperor Francis Joseph has agreed and bound himself to the stipulation without consent of his subjects, patrician or plebeian, that the Pope shall exercise a power within the Austrian dominions superior to that of the Imperial. Like Barbarossa, he has both held the stirrup and bowed his neck beneath the sandal of the Pontiff; and Pius IX., after the example of Boniface Viii., has issued another decretal of "Anam Sanctam," which laid down a divine canon, " Secundum plenitudinem potestatis, jure possumus supra jus dispensare." It is needless to state the general dissatisfaction and disgust that the spirit of the infamous concordat has caused it Germany and Austria, or the loss of personal character sustained by the young Emperor in his unwise compliance with the advice of whoever may have beep his coun sellor. It is the work of the Jesuit. Rather Russia ten thousand times, with her open schemes of cop quest, than the secret tyranny of bigoted Austria, with the rack and the dungeon of the inquisitor. The salvation of Germany depends upon a Protestant Emperor. J. E. L. SIENA, Oct. 27. UNLESS the foreign Ambassadors of England are prepared strictly to du their duty to their country'-- unless they are actuated by some higher motive than .r