The Press. — London, England, 1856-04-26 00:00:00

APRIL 26, 1856• gortign dortzspotatutt. FRANKFORT, April 22. Tim conduct of Austria is watched with eager attention. Italy and the principalities, therefore, are the key to the forthcoming policies of Europe. However binding in word may be the stipulation to evacuate the Danubian provinces, every impediment that diplomacy can create to delay that event, and to occupation, will be given. prolong the military Stated periods may be fixed upon for departure, conjointly with that of the Allies, but should any mischance disarrange the plans of the Allies for a single day an excuse will be afforded and seized with avidity to evade the strict engage ment. It has been the object of Austria for a long time to diminish the Roumani population to make way for German colonists. This is not a novel system, for it has been pursued steadily with more or less success in all the Austrian dependencies —Hungary, Moravia, Transylvania, &c. The indus trious habits of the Austro-German are favorable to the development of internal resources, and contrast advantageously with the wild instincts that are yet prevalent among the military tribes, and render them at one and the same time difficult to govern and inapt for that domestic labour, artistic and agricul tural, that is necessary for the well-being and pro gress of a country. Austria will leave behind many of her own subjects who have removed to the princi palities, under the promises of privilege and protec tion ; and Prussia is similarly affected. The Moldavian mines employ a great number of Prussians, who are the best men of the pit, being stronger, more temperate, and diiigent than the Roumani de.cendants of Italy. These bear the same marks of in tolence that characterised their Ausonian proprie t Irs, and are disposed to gain their livelihood in any wtv save by the sweat of the brow. Prussia, conse quently, has to a certain degree a feeling in common wit t Austria on the subject of the provinces, and this will account for the apparently equivocal sup port given to the latter power at the Conferences. It is known that the mineral and agricultural resources of the Principalities are great, and it is not less positive that the inhabitants are incapable, from idle aid !dissolute habits, from working these benefits even to one-half of their full measure. A vast field i; (pen for colonisation, and Germany would claim the ground as of right. Two facts appear to be undoubted, that the Hospodars are incompetent to govern the country, and the Roumani population is disinclined to labour. Cruelty, rapacity, and idleness shave the district. Taxes are levied by force, the governors enrich themselves by fraud, and the people diminish both in wealth and numbers. This was the state before the war, sad, due care being taken to replace the Porte in the precise position of power c died integrity " that it formerly occupied, such will be the case again. The contemplated marriage of Prince Frederick William of Prussia with the Princess Royal of Eng land is regarded by the Gotha party with extreme satisfaction. An alliance with constitutional England ii held to be sure of ultimate benefit to the Liberal section and detrimental to that of the " Croix." Although the latter possess the whole power of government, yet they dare not to exercise it, more especially since certain of their past acts have been loudly condemned at St. Petersburg. The character of the young Prince may be judged from the following occurrence. The evening before tie second ball at the Opera, the officers of the Royal Guards in garrison at Potsdam had determined not to dance with Mlle. Hinck'4dey, the daughter of the late Minister of Police. Their resolution was formally conveyed to the Prince, and he immediately Crentlemen,—lf you are dissatisfied with the conduct of M. de Hinckeldey, take such steps to signify your dis pleasure as you may deem fit (reglez votre compte avec lui Theme), but it would be little becoming the character of gentlemen to be rude to a lady on his account. To-morrow that lady will be the first whom I shall solicit to have the honour of dancing with. J. E. L. GREAT AGITATION prevails at Naples just now. The police are excessively strict, the Liberal party hopeful, and the Government suspicious. There would appear to be but one instinctive feeling that a political crisis is at hand. The King attended the ball at the French Embassy on the 14th in great State. THE SULTAN has presented the Emperor of the French with two mag,niticent sabres and saddles of extraordinary richness and value. The hilts of the sabres are clustered with diamonds, the scabbards ornamented with precious stones, and the saddles covered with red velvet and diamonds, with gold housings. THE PRESS. lortign anb 3nttlligente. FRANCE. The reduction of the French army to a peace foot ing has been decided on. A suggestive report from Marshal Vaillant to the Emperor has been followed by an Imperial decree suppressing the 4th batta lion of the 100th Regiment of the line, and dis banding the 101st and 102nd Regiments. The Italian question still excites considerable attention in Paris. The Petrie contends that the greatest adversaries to Italian nationality are the Italians themselves, and says . The solution is difficult, but not impossible. The best perhaps would be that which, while touching no existing interest, should re-establish every right, and in default of a material and absolute unity. should give to Italy a relative and moral unity, such as we find example of on other points of Europe. On the origin of the question before the Congress the Siècle of Wednesday contained the following re marks:— We may express our belief that the memorandum of M. de Cavour, after having been submitted to the Emperor, was communicated to the Congress, and read in full in one of the last sittings. We repeat that it was the president, Count Walewski. who introduced the Italian question to the Congress ; that it was actively, energetically, supported by Lord Clarendon ; that, finally, M. de Cavour, placing himself in a conservative point of view, demanded in the name of his Government, and in the name cf the Italian population, prompt reforms in the political and civil insti tutions, also large amnesties and urgent improvements, as the only means of maintaining the tranquillity of Italy, and perhaps that of Europe. We believe that Count Orloff rather approved than repudiated the observations presented on the situation of the Legations and the Duchies. that he was only reserved in favour of the King of Naples, whcse policy was severely condemned by the plenipotentiaries. We maintain all we advanced respect ing the attitude of M. de Buol, who declined to accept the reclamations of Sardinia, and refused to explain himself on the Italian question. We likewise maintain, with the re serve we have alluded to, that the French and Russian plenipotentiaries have displayed the most perfect union. With respect to the treaty of peace, the Dhbats states that as soon as the treaty is published the discussions and acts of the Congress as well as the protocols, if they exist, will be made public ; in fact, every document which may recal what was said and performed in the body of the Conference. Spanish affairs have this week received a very vigorous attack from the Constitutionnel, and the electoral law at home has been subjected to a no less searching exposition by M. de Montalembert. The attack by the Constitutionnel on the Spanish Govern ment produced a profound sensation, as the Consti tutionnel passes as a Ministerial paper. The whole gist of the article went to prove that every e meute in Spain since July, '54, was connived at by F.spartero, in the hope of the establishment of a Federative Republic, with himself as chief, or at least as presi dent of a provincial government, until some dynastic change be accomplished:— What is matter for hope to some (concludes the arti cle) is for others, for the greatest number for the country in general, a cause of dread and alarm. We see, indeed, that monarehy is proclaimed in Spain, but we see also that it is annihilated. It is a duty of honour for Marshal Espartero and for Marshal O'Donnell to leave no doubt resting on their intentions, and to deprive anarchical pas sion of all hope. The intention of this remarkable article is sus pected in Paris to relate to a possible intervention by France. The Assemblee Nationale and the Dibats follow over the same ground, pointing out that Espartero is the nian of whose presence the Government must be rid if it would be secure. The establishment of a pure Progressista Government and a frightful revo lution is confidently predicted by the Dhbats, to be followed by the ruin of Spain and the sacrifice of the Royal Family. Of the effect of the article the Paris correspondent of Le Nord writes on Monday : The article in the Conalitutionnet this day. being an im• peschment in form of the Spanish Government, has caused no little excitement at the Embassy. This morning the Sp inish Minister waited on the Minister of Foreign Affairs, with the view of complaining of this article, and making explanations in justification of Espartero and his colleagues. Count Walewski listened rather coldly to them The im perial Government, attacked sometimes with vivacity in constitutional countries adjoining France, has no very ardent sympathy with the sway of absolute liberty, and it has often had occasion to express on this subject its ideas and complaints in official notes and declarations. It will repeat them. M. Montalembert Jelivered, in the Corps Legis latif, last Friday, a most effective speech, with imme diate reference to the late judgment of the Court of Cassation, against the present electoral law and in favour of fieedom of election. He charaetrised the present system of elections as a " deceitful system of universal suffrage," and insisted on the right of every elector to concert upon and discuss an elec tion. M. Baroche declared that the Government 393 would insist upon the right of regulating the distri bution of electoral bulletins. The discussion has caused considerable sensation, as it is the first time that any member of the Corps Legislatif has exer cised so decided an initiative upon so vital a point. A decree promulgating the convention concluded between France, Belgium, Spain, Sardinia, and Switzerland, for regulating the transmission of tele graph despatches, has appeared in the Moniteur. The convention will be in force for four years. AUSTRIA. The Austrian papers contain long articles on the military occupation of the Danubian principalities, and most of them state (after Le Nord) that "the Austrian troops are already evacuating them," but this turns out not to be true. The furlough men are returning home, but the numbers of battalions has not been reduced, and it is openly stated at Vienna that Austria has in reality no intention of evacuating the principalities until their reorganisa tion is completed. The Oat Deutsch Post, in a semi official article, says that the presence of the Austrian troops is not oppressive for the inhabitants of Mol davia and Wallachia! Baron Koller goes to Bucharest and Jassy as the Austrian member of the commission, and Mr. Alison, the Oriental Secretary to the Embassy at Constanti nople, is to represent England. The reported increase of Austrian troops in Parma is officially deniel by the Correspondence of the 20th. The Emperor having ratified the treaty of peace on the 15th, a solemn service and "Te Deum " was performed in all the churches and cathedrals on the 20th. PRUSSIA. The King ratified the treaty of peace on Friday week. The reduction of the army is being effected with out interruption. The fifth battery of all the new regiments of artillery is to be suppressed, and part of the cavalry disbanded. The otl er States of the Con federation are also pursuing their task of reducing to a peace footing their military forces. The Prince of Prussia is believed to have insisted upon the affair of the stolen despatches being brought before the courts. The judgment and sentence upon Hen• von Rochow for shooting M. de Hinckeidev has been communi cated to the King, but is not yet confirmed. RUSSIA. The retirement of Count Nesselrode from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is now definitively settled. lie is succeeded temporarily by Prince Gortschakoff, late Ambassador at Vienna, who will eventually give room to Count Meyendorff. Count Nesselrode retains his post as Chancellor. Other changes are rumoured. By imperial decree, the militia is disbanded, the army put upon a peace footing, and the Baltic buoys and lighthouses effectively replaced. The port of Odessa is reopened, and commercial relations with the allied powers renewed. The troops in the imea are henceforth to form two armies, under the command of Generals Gortschakoff and Luders. TURKEY. The protocol of the 11th February, prepared as a basis for the settlement of the future condition of the principalities, has appeared. The independence and internal administration of the provinces is recog• nised by the Sultan ; freedom of religion, eligibility for public offices, free trade, abolition of the capita. tion tax and imposition of a land tax in lieu, the election of the Hospodars for life with power to convoke and close legislative sessions, and the pay. ment of a fixed tribute of just and moderate propor tions, are proposed and recognised by the Sultan. The twenty-third article establishes that as soon as the essential bases of the new organisation of the provinces shall have been laid the election of the Hospodars shall take place, and, in accordance with this article, the Porte has dismissed the present Hospodars of Wallachia and Moldavia, and appointed Prince Constantine Ghika and Theodore Balcloe as provisional caimacans until the future government is definitively'settled. The commissioner for Turkey upon this question will be Safet Effendi, First Secre tary to the Sultan. The union of the two provinces under an independent prince was vigorously opposed by the Grand Council. SPAIN. The budgets of 1836 and of the first six months of 185. have appeared in the Gazette. The expenses are estimated at 2,198,517,280 reals, and the receipts at 2,202,591,988 reals. _ A royal decree authorises the issue of Exchequer Bills to the value of thirty millions of reals. The disarming of the national militia at Valencia has been effected quietly. Fifteen hundred muskets were obtained. AMERICA. ----------- By the mail ateamship Atlantic we have intelli gence from New York to the 12th inst.