The Press. — London, England, 1856-11-08 00:00:00

NOVEMBER 8, 1856. headed old statesman who never would " pledge himself " to anything. It is not surprising that in the redtapery of the one son, and the indiscreet babbling of the other, they find it hard to recognise any trace of the " Sir Peel " of former days. The concession of the three great lines of Russian railway to the Credit Mobilier, as just announced, has created a great sensation, and settles all doubts about the limits of the company as to foreign invest ments, &c. In truth, however, the Austrians have long since become debtors of France for the same purpose; and I apprehend the great Spanish lines will in the end have to be constructed mainly by French capital. The reception of Baron Brenier is understood to have been very cordial. He is under stood to be in favour of a more active interference than it has yet appeared right to our ally to adopt. My impression, however, founded as well on proba bility as on good authority, is that the Emperor will take no such step, but content himself with what he has done already, and continue to urge the pro priety of another European conference. England made such a mess of the last that she does not seem likely to consent to this; and thus, therefore, the matter stands. Meantime there can be no question that active influences to effect a rupture of the entente cordiale are at work, as well on the part of various sections of Frenehm.m (Socialists, Orleanists, Red Republicans, &c.) as on that of the emissaries of Russia, who are now swarming in Paris. A certain M—, one of the most eminent intriguers in Europe, arrived here within the last few hours, and is already deep in all kinds of political manmuvres, all tending the same way. The English press, therefore, should endeavour to counteract (in place of aiding) these efforts of our foes; and the French Government, which prohibits all comment on the festivities of Compiegne, or the price of food, to the Paris papers, would act wisely in prohibiting also such articles as I have already referred to, emanating daily (to -day another) from the Union and Gazette de France. It is strongly reported that M. de Persigny's calm judgment and advice will be sought by his Imperial Sovereign at the present crisis ; and never, in truth, was it more needed. M. de Morny, whose abilities are of the highest order, heads a party whose princi ples are dangerous when the great object is the maintenance of that alliance which has been of such incalculable advantage b Ali to England and France, and is the best safeguard for the peace of the world. Fresh arrests have, I understand, place this morning. It is only wonderful that the offence in question (placard posting) can take place, when the police are so constantly on the qui rice as they appear to be, but really cannot be. E. W. Nov. 5, Night. . _ _ PS.—Since writing the foregoing two events have occurred, one the arrival of M. de Persigny, which I announced to you as probable; the other the all. important article in the Constiiutionnel, which is con sidered to be a following-up of the Moniteur hint of the other day, and fixes all the blame at once on the Times, which we knew to be the right quarter, though the Frenchmen generally here did not. The article in question is certainly very strongly worded, and contains facts highly anti• English in tone; but there is an "appeal to the gc.od sense of the people of England " which marks something like the Imperial hand itself, and it is to he hoped will not be unresponded to in a fitting spirit on the part of those to whom it is addressed. Meantime the sensation created is profound, and speculation, I need hardly tell you, abounds. foreign ant( (tokniat 3ntellipct. FRANCE. The Constitutionnel on Wednesday contained a re markable article upon the state of the leading poll tical questions of the day, the continued occupation of the Principalities, and the Black Sea. Refusing to recognise the change of Ministry at Constan tinople as a check to French diplomacy, the writer insisted that Turkey had demanded the withdrawal of the English and Austrian forces ; and observes:— We are told that the intention has been formed of occu pying the seas and the provinces of the Turkish empire until all the stipulations have been accomplished. This policy is open to the most unsatisfactory interpretation in fact, the presence of English naval forces in the Black Sea, of Austrian troops in the Principalities, must hence forth be recognised as an arbitrary and a violent means of preventing the solution which Russia is willing to consent to, by proposing to submit the question to her natural judges. Will it be proposed to have recourse to force—to recommence the war? Will the English Cabinet feel in dined to re-enter the lists, not certainly to assure the execution of the treaty of Paris, but in order to tear it to pieces imprudently before the eyes of the world, with the view of satisfying an ambition momentarily disguised ? We do not believe that the English people are prepared to ratify such a policy, or to accept with joy the come. quences it may entail. We would willingly submit our opinions to the good sense, to the loyalty of the British THE PRESS. nation, and we would, without a scruple, accept it as arbitrator of the difference. For it is impossible to de ceive it on a question which unjust suspicions and the vainest sophisms have not yet succeeded in rendering obscure. The English nation has had a grand and solid proof of its ally. and still believes in it. It knows that the Emperor Napoleon has not repudiated its alliance— that he is not open to the reproach of inconstancy and versatility. Certain papers, like the Times, which dare not openly defy that high esteem entertained by the British nation for the Emperor Napoleon, think fit to distinguish the Sovereign from his Government, the policy of the Emperor from that of his Ministers. Such very poor subtleties do not require refutation ; they will mislead no one in England; and the Times reckons too much on the ignorance of its readers on subjects which concern our Government. We repeat that it is iu the power of the Cabinets of London and Vienna to put an end, if such is their desire, to existing difficulties, and to the mistrust ex cited by the actual state of matters. This can be done by consenting to the meeting of the plenipotentiaries of the congress, without insisting on arbitrary and inadmissible exclusions which would completely transform its character, mei would be another infraction of the treaties. Can it be said that the moment is not propitious for this meeting We would reply that the opportunity cannot be contested by those who are ready to submit themselves to it with Icyalty and without atrilre petiole. We may finally add that, if a pacific solution is desired, no more favorable means of arrangement remains open, and it is the only plan that can be proposed with decency. The Siècle maintains that no further discussion on the execution 3f the treaty will ensue, and that the treaty will be executed in all its rigour. Count Kisselef, the new Russian Ambassador, had an interview with the Emperor on Tuesday. Baron Brenier arrived in Paris on Monday. The Imperial Law Courts were opened with great ceremony on Tuesday. In the Imperial Court M. Vaisse, the Procureur-General, delivered an address, remarkable for its political bearing. The Court has continued at Compeigne daring the week. Lord Cowley and M. Brunnow have been present. The Emperor returns to St. Cloud on the 9th. On the 15th, it is believed, the Court will go to Fontainebleau. On Wednesday a Council of Ministers was held, and M. Billaut appointed to resume his functions as Minister of the Interior. AUSTRIA. The Ministerial Oesterreiehisclm Correspondenz, published at Vienna, contains the subjoined article : It is now time that we should make good.the contradic tions which we gave to the assertion of the French papers, that the Porte had protested against the longer stay of the Imperial Royal Austrian forces in the Danubian principalities. A Paris journal recently replied to our contradiction in the following words : If the ',tip taken by the Porte was not a formal protest, it was a very clearly expressed wish. And, having said thus much, we maintain the perfect correctness of our news. If the Paris papers will make a further concession, and correc'ly explain how the wish was expressed by the Porte, then—and not till then—will they stand on a good and matter•offact foundation. I fthe Paris journals had said that, as the period for &Mil ing the conditions (all the conditions) of the Treaty of Peace approached, the Porte had expressed a wish to come to an understanding (sieh re►etandigen) with Austria and Eng land about the presence of the Austrian troops in the Principalities, and of the English fleet in the Black Sea, we certainly should not have been able to contradict their assertion. It is now our agreeable duty to add to what has before been said on the subject, that the wished-for understanding between the Sublime Forte, Austria, and England, is progressing most favorably. The Oat. Deutsche Post has an article in reply to the French journals. It says that a second Con gress of Paris is undoubtedly necessary for the pur pose of arranging existing difficulties, but that the time is not opportune, on account of the existing differences between the great contracting powers. A lettkr from Vienna, in the New Wurtzburg Gazette, says : It is not believed here that the Congress of Paris will meet on the lath of November. as was stated some time back. It is certain that neither Anstris. England, nor the Porte considers the actual moment as opportune. It is assured that the understanding of France and Russia on certain points of the question of the Principalities, such as their future organisation, the settlement of their fron tier, and the Austrian occupation, was come to some weeks ago; and it is added that these two States agree perfectly on various other political questions. The Principalities, it was anticipated at Vienna, would not be evacuated before the spring. RUSSIA. Count Gortschakoff, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, has just transmitted to all the Rus sian agents abroad a circular from General Prince Gortschakoff, Governor of Poland, stating that all Poles who had taken refuge abroad in order to avoid military service are admitted to enjoy the benefit of the amnesty, and may return home without fear of being molested. The Nord of Brussels announces that the Rugqian railroads have definitively been conceded to a coin- 1061 puny comprising the following firms :—Stieglitz Baring, Hope, Pereire, Hottinguer, and some Ger.. man bankers. A letter from St. l'etersburg, in the Prelim of Brussels, says:—" The question of the settlement of the frontiers of Bessarabia is not considered here of a nature to give rise to serious misunderstand ings. The question of ceding or holding Bolgrad is really not important enough to give rise to the breaking up of alliances; it is, however, a favor able opportunity for exciting a schism betweeti France and England. Our Government, I repeat, is decided on executing the conditions imposed by the treaty of Paris, which are in fact neither oner ous nor humiliating; only, in the accomplishment of its duty, it displays the slowness which has be come proverbial." SPAIN. A plan of finance will be laid before the Council of Ministers without delay. Nothing is yet decided as to the creation of a Ministry of the Colonies. The Gazette of the 3rd publishes a decree, re establishing the laws of 1844 andlB4s on the subject of the press. Senor Louis Estrada is appointed Director of the National Property. M. Luiz Gonzales Bravo is spoken of as likely to fill the position of Minister in the new Department for the Colonies, the creation of which is expected t• be officially announced next week. Count de Benkendorff took leave of her Majesty on the 27th. The new Russian Minister to Madrid is, it is said, Prince Volkansky, who was aide-de-camp to the late Prince de Paskiewitsch, and brother to a Russian diplomatist well known in England. The Duke de Ossuna goes to Russia as Spanish Minister. ITALY. ♦USTRIAN OCCUPATION OF ITALY. The Paris Moniteur of Monday published the following note, under the head of foreign correspon dence, relative to the evacuation by foreign auxilia ries of certain portions of the States of the Church Rome, Oct. 30. The arrangement concluded recently with the Vienna Cabinet for the evacution of some pints of the Pontifical territory, hitherto occupied by Austrian troops, has just been carried out. The withdrawal terminated yesterday. The Austrian troops recrossed the Po, taking the direction of Padua. They are replaced by detachments of the 2nd Swiss Regiment in the service of the Holy Father. An- cona and Bologna are now the only points in the Papal States which remain occupied by Austrian troops. Thus is accomplished a measure which, by diminishing the corps of occupation, likewise diminishes the expenses of the Papal Government, and restores it to the lull enjoyment of its rights and action. For some time it has been felt that it was necessary for tha Papal finances that the in direct taxes should be rendered more productive. The Government has boldly entered into this salutary path, and, encouraged by the results obtained, not only is it preparing further reductions in the Customs tariff, but it has promulgated a decree with a view to a reform of the stamp duty, which, under former regulations, was imperfectly carried out, and brought in very little to the Treasury. The rate has been reduced and its circle of action increased. Everything leads to the hope that on this point, as well as regards the Custom-house dues, salt, and tobacco, both the Treasury and the contributors will find themselves equally benefited by the introduction of the true principles of political economy. The French Minister left Naples on the 28th at half-past nine o'clock a.m. Mr. Petre, with Mr. Plunkett and the First Secretary of the French Embas7, left the same afternoon. Naples was perfectly tranquil. The King remained at Gaeta. TURKEY. ♦ NEW YINISTRT AT CONSTANTINOPLE. The Ottoman Ministry, whose resignation the Sultan recently refused to accept, has at length definitively retired, and a new Ministry, with Redschid Pacha at its head, has been formed. On the 23rd of October it was definitively settled at Constantinople between the Porte, England, and Austria, that the occupation of the Black Sea and the Danubian Principalities should be prolonged. Accounts from Constantinople, of the 27th ult , state that the English squadron had been reinforced. The commi:sion on the navigation of the Danube was about to reassemble at Vienna. The Porte will be represented at it. AMERICA. The usual American mail, with dates to the 22nd ult., brings no intelligence of any importance. The Presidential election was the absorbing topic of the country, and Mr. Buchanan's position was con sidered as improved by the result of the Pennsylva nian election. Intelligence from Central America stays that Walker hail taken the field, defeated the Nicaraguans in two pitched battles, and threatened to overrun the country. S