The Press. — London, England, 1856-10-11 00:00:00

964 French territory, of any attempt to tamper with the fidelity of her troops, or of any project to undermine her political institutions ; and as long as the discussions and troubles of Spain were confined to her own territory France could not be allowed by the English Government to plead in favour of foreign intervention. If the end of the last century and the commencement of the present one saw all Europe leagued against France, it was not on account of internal changes which France thought necessary for her own political and civil reformation, but because she first attempted to propagate her principles, and then her domi nation, by force of arms. Does the King of the Two Sicilies, it might be asked, seek to tamper with the British troops, or to undermine the political institutions of England; or d)es he endeavour in the slightest degree to spread his principles and extend his domination by force of arms ? And, if he does nothing of all this, and if in 1823 Great Britain so strongly disapproved of interven tion in the internal affairs of Spain, how can she in 1856 justify in the point of view of right an in t3rvention in the internal affairs of the kingdom of Naples ? lurtign Corrtsganbturt. BRUSSELS, October 1. WHEN Mr. Ewart, at the closing of the " Congres des Reformes Douanieres," proposed an address to King Leopold, conveying a grateful sense of his ackuow ledged merits as a wise and benevolent sovereign, it was not a lip acclamation only that greeted the motion of the English member of Parliament—but it was a loyal sentiment of approval, spontaneously emanating from persons of different nations and of larious opinions, all concentrating in a unity of as sent on the deserts of the monarch whose high worth elicited this common eulogy. No forced expression of sycophancy—no redundant application of courtly terms, where hyperbole strives to conceal the effort of insincerity—defaced the sterling tribute of regard offered by honest men to an honest king. It was a truth inwardly felt and freely enunciated, and the value was the greater, since by the liberty of speech, fully and constitutionally possessed, words of another nature would have been equally exempt from the danger of a repressive authority. The Russian manifesto continues to be debated by the journals of Europe. But one interpretation can be given to the words that " Le Roi, dans l'exercise (le ses droits ineontestables, gouverne ses sujets comma it l'entend." Without (living intc the political bearing of the " vexata questio," it is sufficient for the moment to doubt the policy of unnecessarily hazarding the expression of an opinion hostilely anti-constitutional, arid promising to be the motive of action on the part of Russia, at this or any future stage of European embarrassment. It will impera tively produce amongst constitutional monarchies, deserving the name, the effect of bracing their sinews of resistance for a time that may come. The tendency certainly is not pacific, and forcibly brings to the recollection the warning voice of the Earl of Derby, in precatory hope that the peace might be lasting. The question of the principalities does not appear at present capable of satisfactory solu tion. The Austrian troops have reoccupied Ga latz, while to propitiate Austria, and to serve its own purpose, the Porte has summarily abolished the liberty of the press. Discussions upon the benefit of Moldo-Wallachian union are forbidden, and no reports can be given of any public meeting without undergoing Ministerial revision. It is diffi cult to say of what use the European commissions can be, or what reliance can be placed upon a re• port, if the evidence upon which it is made is one sided and partial, and not the free testimony of the Roumani inhabitants of the principalities. On the Italian question, there are two points upon which Piedmont will probably insist firmly and justly— the right to send two vessels of war to Naples to protect Sardinian interests and subjects, and a protest against the entry of Austrian troops into the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. In the latter country the spirit is very determined, and unalloyed by the leaven of republicanism. Notwithstanding the strong oppo sition and remonstrance of the Duchess Regent of Parma, the Austrian Government has crudely in sisted upon a renewal of the customs treaty, whereby Parma is a considerable loser. It is an open spoliation, and has been imposed by the " droit du plus tort." By the Roman treaty with the Porte, the Pope has lost much prestige with the more bigoted of his supporters, and he has not gained ground with any other party. He has Ruttier set aside the rules of Papal etiquette, by giving a public dinner in the Vatican, and by presiding thereat in propria persona. The attempt to acquire a questionable popularity by THE PRESS. these means does not alter the inward intolerance of Rome. That still remains unchanged and un changeable; fierce, deadly, and uncompromising. Every exertion is preparing for resistance in the kingdom of Naples. The loyalty of the 12,000 Swiss may be relied upon as long as their pay is punctual; but the other regiments, at any rate, are not unanimous in their loyalty. The marine force consists of three sail of the line, five frigates, two sloops, five brig antines, a brig, twelve steam-frigates, and twelve smaller steamers. MM. Mazza and Campana— Ministers in reality—have organised the Lazzaroni. It must be remembered that this is not the first time that a Neapolitan monarch has resorted to that plan of defence. C. A. H. B UTIGOS, SPAIN, OCt. 4. A FEW years since and nobody who knew well the Peninsula would have believed the time could ever arrive for a railway mania therein. Yet so it is— what the year 1845 was to England, 1856 is to Spain, which is really great progress, considering that as regards everything else the Peninsula is nearer to eleven centuries than eleven years behind " los In gleses." Certain it is that various lines have been conceded to various companies; but if anybody fan cies that in consequence thereof those lines are likely to be made within the moderate compass of his or her life, then is that sanguine individual de plorably mistaken. As an old Frenchman expressed himself to me the other day on this subject, " When that day arrives, Monsieur, je u'aurai plus des dents," and he certainly had none to spare then. The O'Donnell Ministry is, as you know, fast totter ing to decay ; every one mistrusts, nobody confides either in its measures or its duration. In fact, matters are (as I told you some time since they soon would) hourly ripening for the accession of a strong hand to the helm ; but whose is the strong hand, where is it to be found is the questian. Narvaez is supposed to have passed his " beaux jours," and to be more suited for retirement than for public life, like a certain British plenipotentiary at the Vienna Congress, now laid by ; but my own idea is, that when the occasion comes both the one and the other will turn up and the Spaniard will succeed, although, for the credit of England, it is to be hoped his British confrere may not. The arrest of M. de Mora has made little ferment here : nothing does in Spain ex cept a bull-fight or a revolution, and even the latter usually passes off in this province with a few assassinations of persons who have taken upon themselves to live unreasonably long. Be it ob served, however, that Senor de Mora's arrest was by order of a Liberal, almost Radical Government—a creditable specimen of that consistent and enlight ened party in power !* Such is a specimen of Spanish justice at the present day. You may expect another revolution (proriunciamiento) ere long; it is brew ing in the neighbourhood of Pampeluna this time, but will probably be general—indeed, it is the only thing that travels fast in Spain. France and the French are not beloved here, although you hear more of Spanish than almost any other foreign lan guage, excepting English, on the boulevards of Paris. The Empress's recent appearance in a man tilla, &c., at the St. Esprit bull-fight flattered the Spanish vanity not a little, and the Emperor with his usual excellent tact turned it to good account. The Spanish delegate to Brussels came out so strong about free trade an the late occasion that his countrymen knew not what to think of him, and it is well if he be not cited beforo the Tribunal of Faith, too, for holding such heterodox doctrines. No country would gain more than Spain by free trade, and after every other nation has enjoyed it for some three or four hundred years, it is quite possible people may begin to think about it here. The Queen is said to be turning devotee already—premature in itself, as being usually the last and recognised epoch of a French courtesan's life. However, as few Parisian lorettes can boast of anything to match the royal "jeunesse orageuse " of Spain, it is possible the period of penance, &c., is anticipated propor tionally thereto. I do not much credit the rumour, but it is prevalent. As tolthe dispute alleged to have taken place be tween the English Charge d'Affaires and Senor Pastor Diaz, it is doubtful at best, and harmless at worst. The Madrid Government have a great idea that they would send a fleet to help King Bombs at thisjuncture before Naples, but the main impedi ment lies in the fact that they have not a single ship that could get so far without imminent risk of foundering. In truth they have quite enough to do already in trying to keep the Yankees out of Cuba and Minorca. L. E. W. • [lntelligence has beenreceiveti of M. Mora'a liberation. klo is at, this inoniamt, en mite to Englato.l.—ED. Pintos.] SATURDAY, foreign anb Colonial 3nttliigtut. NAPLES. The King and the Duke of Calabria arrived at Naples on the oth from Gaeta. The King granted an audience to General Martini, and [immediately afterwards called a Council of Ministers. The Ministerial Austrian Gazette states that the King of Naples has forwarded autographic letters to the Emperor Napoleon and Queen Victoria, announcing that he is willing to send a representative to the Paris Conference, and to communicate his intentions respecting organic reforms and an amnesty. Meantime every preparation is making in Naples for any evil results from the anticipated visit of the allied fleets. The town was to be placed in a state of siege. The lazzaroni were to be enrolled, to be em ployed at the discretion of M. Mazza, while the King and Royal family would retire to Gaeta surrounded by 20,000 chosen troops. The English squadron under the command of Admiral Dundas lay at Ajaccio. The French squadron has not yet left Toulon. Prince Petrulla, Neapolitan Ambassador at Vienna, had for a third time tendered his resignation, which the King, his master, had at length accepted. Prince Petrulla, with the Princes Satriano, Ischetella, and others, have for some time endeavoured ineffectually to extract from the King honourable and voluntary con cessions. The Nuremberg Gazette, speaking of tho great question in dispute, does not anticipate any naval Although the utmost silence continues to prevail with respect to the affairs of Naples, we can state positively that diplomatic negotiations are being quietly pursued, which will probably have the effect of causing the Western powers to abandon the projected expedition. We learn from a good source that Russia has not confined herself to the protest expressed in the circular despatch, but that Baron de Mohrenheim lately brought to Vienna a pressing note, in which the necessity of preventing .the Western powers from carrying out their intentions is unequivocally expressed. The manner in which that will be done it is not difficult to divine. It will not be a Russian squadron that will come and intoreept the entrance to the Hay of Naples of the vessels of France and England, but Russia will prevent the Western powers from sending their ulti matum by proposing to submit the whole question to a diplomatic congress, and certainly Austria will do all she can to place the question on that footing. FRANCE. The Emperor and Empress returned to St. Cloud at the close of last week. On Sunday a Council of Ministers was held. _ _ On Monday the Moaiteur announced that the Council General of the Bank had resolved not to discount bills of longer date than sixty days instead of ninety as heretofore, the measure to come into operation on that day. On Tuesday the Moniteur contained the roport of M. Magne, the Minister of Finance, relative to the budget of 1856. The most remarkable points ad vanced in the report were that the budget shows a considerable increase for the first six months alone of 63,000,000 as against 1854, and 26,000,000 as against 1855. M. Magne then alludes to the activity of trade in spite of the succession of bad harvests, heavy floods, and the failure of the silk crop, and concludes with an assertion that France is in the most prosperous condition : The two first loans have been entirely paid up, and the terms of the last, which will edifice to liquidate a,l the expenses of the war, are fulfilled with exactitude. The public revenue is augmenting in a hitherto un paralleled proportion. The taxes are paid with the most exact punctuality, and even often in advance. Money flows into the public Treasury. The payment of the last six monthly payments of the rents has left us a reserve of 110,000,000. a It must be evident to every sensible man that these facts are the indices of a situation of things which is fundamentally good. The attention - of the Government was particularly called to the unfair selection of the best silver coins by certain parties for purposes of illegal speculation. On Thursday the Moniteur contained the following notification The specula:ion which consists in picking out the beat pieces from the coinage and melting them down, in order to extract their surplus value, is a wrong done to tie common prosperity, and constitutes an ottence which can not be tolerated. The Government is resolved to endeavour to repress it by every means which the laws place in its power. M. Magne's report has been but briefly com: mented on by the Paris papers. The Constitutionnel, Dibats, Pattie, and Pays, consider the statement frank and reassuring, as incontestably proving that f • t V 1