The Press. — London, England, 1855-05-05 00:00:00

422 the stake is for national existence ; but in either of the many positions that an egotistical policy may place her the peril is equally imminent—frash dangers are in store. A re-establishment of the kingdom of Poland by the Emperor Alexander 11. will not strengthen claim to the Crown of thist kingdom, should he decide on such attempted reconstruction, as it was constitutionally elective, and Catherine usurped and spoliated it by force. In reality, one of the last and binding acts of the Polish Diet was to make the royal title hereditary in the house of Saxony. Under the Piast and Jagellon kings the election belonged to the Diet; in 1574 the fatal Reform Bill placed it in the hands of the indigent and corrupt by universal suffrage; and the CzartOryski party, in 1791, before the second partition, in full Diet, with the plenary consent of the nobles, vested the Crown hereditarily in a Saxon prince. It so remains "de jure," no imperial ukase having the right or power of annul- mint. The nominal restoration of the kingdom of Poland by the Czar would be calculated to keep in check both Prussia and Austria, and is planned with that intent. If Prussia were then to vacillate in Musco vita allegiance, a King of Poland, even in usurpation, with an army of half a million, might insist on the reintegration of Polish Prussia with the old king dom, and would assert a pretension, ostensibly proper, t,) wrest Cracow from Austria, against the annexa tion of which portion of Poland to the empire, England, France, Sweden, and Turkey protested in 1846. Besides, a revival of the nationalities will raise the question of the kingdoms of Bohemia and Hungary—the archduchy of Austria and the duchy of Milan. The mere naming of these subjects would formerly have subjected a person to the for tress of Spielberg, whereas at the present time their discussion may be heard in every café. The danger to Austria and Prussia is pressing, and the effect at the Diet has been to convince the minor princes that their independence approaches a reality in pro portion to the dependence of Austria and Prussia upon the good will of the Czar. M. de Bismarck, an irritable and imprudent emissary, was flatly told by the envoy of a German prince that his master would transact business directly with M. de Benken dorf, the bribery and Russian Plenipo at Berlin, without the intervention of the King of Prussia. This feeling is gaining ground amongst them, and the intimate persuasion that France and England are nationally and firmly allied—of which entente cordiale M. de Bismarck hitherto denied the sincerity— has embodied on their part a resolution to act singly, and this conduct has considerably surprised and alarmed Prussia. Bavaria and Wirtemberg, in com bined action, and supported by the principalities, may bid defiance to the litigious potentates. Certain it is, that in the beginning of the year the rapid increase of Prussian influence was strongly marked, and progressed steadily until the time of the Vienna Conferences and the announcement of the Imperial visit to England. The failure of the conferences, and the exulting reception given to the Emperor Napoleon by the people of England, have belied the plausible inventions of M. de Bismarck, and given a perfect'y new turn to the state of affairs. The gradual estrangement of Bavaria from Austria begins to be understood. Central Germany, that is to say, the Germany of the middle ages, would desire to concentrate and alienate herself from the incubus bearing upon her in the north and south. This is not difficult if the determination exists; but then she must rely upon foreign assistance to counteract the combination of her Prussian and Austrian enemies, which would be immediate. The loss of the ultra- Rhinelands to Prussia would, in that case, be most palatable to Germany, from the consciousness that it would be for the interest of the principalities that Prussia should be deprived of her power of dictation. In a noticeable degree the effects of that Paulkirche National Assembly, once protected by the v.rtual Hohenzollern, are made evident, and a substantial one has been to give a more resolute tone to the princes; thus reacting against the very power that caused its birth. The assured identity of the policy and military agency of England and France, and the rupture of the Vienna Conferences, have induced some of the minor principalities to discuss the pro priety of having separate and distinct relations with the allies, independent of the Diet, should a pro longed war bring an army on the frontier. There is a precedent for this step; and Prussia herself has afforded one by entering into a provisional alliance with some of the duchies, against which Austria protested in 1849. It is sad to perceive that the press of Germany, without an exception, has an ultra-Russian tone, and that the Government jour nals of Prussia fulsomely applaud Austria for the fixed resolve to maintain a posture of neutrality. When a people of ancient renown once abandon the sell-respect that national worth cherishes, and accept willingly and overtly the heritage of the bonds woman, their career to infamy is precipitate ; their lrror must b. tisitod oil a aims to mankind, and THE PRESS. for their trespass they must be lashed with the thongs of their own handiwork. The intelligence has arrived of the attempt to assassinate the Emperor Napoleon—a Red Re publican as a matter of course. It will remain to be seen whether he has any connection with the Brussels gang, of which the Princess Lieven had ample cognisance, and with which M. de Creptowitch has such relations as testify his Mongol and barbaric origin. J. E. L. jratign and &Initial 3itttiligtatt. ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF THE FRENCH EMPEROR. ON Saturday last, within a week of his return to France from visiting the English Sovereign, the Emperor Napoleon was made the subject of an attempt at assassination, from which his escape seems little short of miraculous. His Majesty, it appears, was riding slowly up the Champs Elysees, keeping nearly close to the tootpavement, and as usual somewhat in advance of the three or four officers who were his Pole attendants. When near the Villa Beaujou a well-dressed man advanced and fired two pistol-shots in succession, and was about, to discharge a third, when a police agent, happily standing near, seized the culprit, and after a struggle succeeded in capturing him. One of the balls is said to have passed near his Majesty's head. The Emperor displayed the most perfect self-posses sion, taking off his hat in acknowledgment of the cheers with which a crowd, assembled as if by magic, testified their joy at his escape. His Majesty con tinued his ride at the same walking-pace, and pro- ceeded to join the Empress, who was at the moment taking an airing in the Bois de Boulogne. On their return their Majesties were greeted on all sides with the warmest and most enthusiastic cheering. On ente►ing the Tuileries they found Prince Jerome Napoleon and Prince Napoleon, the other members of their family, the ambassadors and foreign Minis ters, the Emperor's Ministers, the grand officers and the officers and the ladies of the houses of their Majesties, and a large number of other persons, in• formed of this event., who had hastened to congratu late their Majesties. Official congratulations on his escape were offered to the Emperor on the following day from the great bodies of the State, the corps diplomatique, &c. In his reply to the address of the Senate he used these words : There are lives which are but the instruments of the decrees of Providence. So long as I shall not have fully accomplished my mission, I run no danger. Numerous messages were afterwards received from different sovereign powers as the news of the event successively reached them by telegraph. The Papal Nuncio in Paris is said to have been the first to re ceive instructions to notify to the Emperor the joy with which his Court had received the news of his preservation. Other envoys, including those of England, were charged with a similar message, and on Tuesday his Majesty held a reception at the Tuileries to accept and acknowledge their congratu lations. A meeting of the English inhabitants in Paris was held on Wednesday at the British Embassy to frame means of expressing their special t atisfac • Lion at the harmless issue of so atrocious an attempt. In France the Emperor has forbidden all official or formal notice being taken of the event. But this prohibition does not extend to England, and congra- tulatory addresses have begun to pour into the Tuileries from the Loudon corporation and a multi tude of other civic bodies. The Moniteur of Thursday contains the following paragraph : The whole of France has received, with the twofold feel ing of indignation and gratitude, the intelligence of the attempt on his life from which Providence has preserved the Emperor. Everywhere the population have proceeded in crowds to the churches to render thanks to God for having so visibly protected France, and to beseech Him to preserve the life of one so precious to it. Although the Emperor has expressed a desire that no official addresses should be presented to him on the occasion, his Majesty cannot witness, without profound emotion, this unanimous and spontaneous manifestation of the sentiments of the nation. The assassin remains in custody, and will be tried, it is said, by ordinary process and with as little parade as possible. He is an Italian, and &passport bearing the name of Livorani was found upon him, together with three pistols and a considerable sum in gold. It has subsequently been discovered that his real name is Pianori, and that he is a native of Faenza. He was a volunteer at Roma under Gari baldi. Since the taking of Rome by the French he has principally lived in England, and belonged to the sect of Italians who renounced Catholicism. M. Drouyn de l'Huys reached Paris on Monday evening, on his return from Vienna. By an Imperial decree, an extraordinary credit of 9,600,000 fr. is opened to the Minister of Publics Works for the part of the expense which devolves SATURDAY, on the State, attendant on the opening of the Bouvelard du Centre, and prolongation of the Rue Rivoli. GERMANY. The Vienna papers report the suggestion of new propositions for peace, set on foot it is stated by Prussia, and the consequent holding new conferences. General Hess has again postponed his departure for head-quarters. An Imperial decree is expected, calling out 80,000 men as an addition to the Austrian army. An ordon nance has been, made public, recalling to their colours all soldiers absent on furlough. The Austrian Government has commenced prepa rations for making a military survey of the princi pality of Wallachia. Austrian engineers will execute the work under the superintendence of Count Coronini, and a convention has been concluded directly with Prince Stiroey, respecting the aid which the local authorities are to render for this purpose. The session of the Prussian Chambers was closed on Thursday, by a speech from Baron Manteuffel. After enumerating the various legislative enactments passed this session, the Minister promised that the credits granted will be used as economically as could be found consistent with duty in the presence of an army prepared for war, during the actual unsettled state of affairs, so as to vindicate the independence and position of Prussia as a great power. BELGIUM. The Belgian Government asks of the Chambers a a vote of 9,400,000 francs to be expended on the fort ress of Antwerp, and new works for the defence of the Scheldt. The works of the intrenched camp are to be extended, new batteries are to be raised to com mand the river; and forts Philippe, Lillo, and Sainte Marie are to be strengthened. The expose des motifs accompanying the bill for authorising this expendi ture declares that the execution of the works is prompted by considerations connected with the de fence of Belgian nationality, and the preservation of the country's independence. SARDINIA. General Durando announced to the Senate on Thursday that, an agreement with the bishops not having been come to, the former Ministry resumes office. The discussion on the Convents' Suppression Bill will be resumed on Saturday (this day). The Patria, of Genoa, says that, in order to pre vent any delay in the departure of the Piedmontese contingent, in consequence of the destruction of the Crams, the French Government has sent orders to the Crimea to furnish the Piedmontese troops with rations for twenty days on their arrival at Balaklava. The staff and materiel of the sanitary department of the Sardinian army, as well as some officers of engineers, arrived at Trieste on Wednesday last- SPAIN. The affair between Lord Howden and the Spanish Cabinet has, it is stated, been formally brought betore Lord Clarendon, and that his lordship has taken time to consider the matter. _ _ The Cortes on Tuesday approved of the plan sent in for the construction of the ailway between Seville and Cadiz. The Epoca mentions a report that Messrs. Roths child had offered the Government a loan of forty millions of reels, at 8 per cent. interest, with a com mission, and on guarantee of 3 per cent. stock. RUSSIA. On Saturday the 21st ult., at half-past ten a. m., the cannon of the fortress in St. Petersburg an nounced to the inhabitants of the capital that the navigation of the Neva was open. An Imperial ukase revives the state of war in the Governments of St. Petersburg, Courland, Livonia, and Esthonia, which were restored to civil rule when the allied fleets withdrew from the Baltic in the autumn of 1854. The Austrian Gazette announces that a peasants' war has broken out in the Russian province of the Ukrain, and is fast extending. The ostensible cause of this rising is the scarcity of salt. MR. JOSEPH FULLER, to whose perseverance the public are much indebted for the Crystal Palace at Sydenham, of which, during the construction, and for a short time after the opening, he was the WWI - director, has seceded from the board. It ap pears that Mr. Fuller submitted a plan to his brother directors, whereby the capital upon which dividend would have to be paid might be reduced by the crea tion of shares giving certain advantages connected with the palace to the shareholders. This plan having been rejected, and the directors declining to produce an alternative of their own, Mr. Fuller felt it his duty to retire from the board. In doing so he expresses his fullest confidence in the ultimate suc cess of the undertaking, though he feels that the capital upon which dividend has at present to be da Blared is too largos