The Press. — London, England, 1856-12-06 00:00:00

1158 /ortign 6ortespoulunct. BRUSSELS, Dec. 4. THE vote on the Address of the Belgian Chambers has terminated in an inglorious victory for the Rrimanists. By stolidtv 1.. „, „„ ies , amendment after having agreed to the Ministerial alteration, the Constitutionalists threw away the staff with which they had belaboured the priest party with laudable severity, and allowed their antagonists to defeat them on an unnecessary division. The Ultramontanes wisely withdrew their amendment, and sided with the, to them, unpalatable Minister to defeat their opponents. Notwithstanding this partial success, the Address has been carried in a sense ad verse to the Ultramontanes, for the principle was admitted by M. Dedecker, and caused the amend ment of M. Felix Merode. When M. de Merode waived his proposition was the moment of triumph to the Constitutionalists ; they should have strenuously supported the Minister, and placed the Romanists in a false position. In refusing to accept this advan• tage their adversaries stole a march not otherwise than creditable to their tactics. The parliamentary ground of the Constitutionalists has been lost by their own act and deed, so that, instead of beginning the session with a brilliant move in advance, they have been checked in the outset. During the debate, and when allusion had been made to the " Index Expurgatorius," M. Dedecker ob served that an obedience to such sacerdotal enact ment would render the Ultramontanes a " genera tion de cretins." This crushing obloquy from a Roman " ipsissime " has brought down a full measure of vituperation from the ultras, upon whom this cognomen of deformity has been ruthlessly aggluti nated. "Le mot pour rire " is at times a sharp cor rective. In this instance the effect has been made more evident by the adulation of the Romanist journals. The coasts of Sweden are being put in a state of defence from Tornea, on the north of the Gulf of Bothnia, to Stockholm, and the towns of Lulea, Pitea, Ulmea, and Soderham, with the islands of Ornoe and Duloroe, are being strongly fortified. On the part of Russia, and, as it were, in answer to these defensive preparations, the Island of Kasko, in the Gulf of Bothnia, will be converted into a fortress of magnitude which will more than counterbalance the loss of Bomarsund. A of the treaty of Paris has been made a ground of complaint against Russia, and quoted as a pretext for the continued occupation of the Principalities by Austria, and of the Black Sea by the fleets of England. An exemption from such observance, it would seem, was claimed by the Porte. By article 24 of the treaty of Paris it was deter mined that:— The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia should continue to enjoy, under the suzerainty of the Porte and the protection of the contracting powers, the rights and privileges already possessed by them. Art. 23—The Sublime Porte engages that the Principalities shall have an independent and national administration, and that the laws and statutes shall be revised, for which purpose a special commission, nominated by the high powers, shall meet without delay at Bucharest. Art. 24—A Divan "ad hoc," composed of members proper to represent the several classes of the Moldo•Wallachian communities, shall be convened to express the wishes of the inhabi tants of the Principalities on the subject of reorganisation. In nominating a Kaimakan in Wallachia and 'Mol davia. the Porte has violated the constitution of the country guaranteed by the treaty of I'aris ; and, in a firman addressed to these illegal functionaries, the Sultan adopts the following language : It is our will and we command, that in our Imperial provinces of Wallachia and Moldavia there shall be an administrative reform, and a revision of the statutes, kc., and we deem the time arrived when such reorgani• sation of these provinces of our empire may be effected. It is of importance and we order, that the utmost impar• tiality shall be observed by the administration in the dis. eussion and furtherance of these reforms. Until the revision of the statutes, we will that the existing laws be obeyed ; and any change whatever contemplated for the future shall at the present be considered as " non•avenu." It must be admitted that the document is some what singular. The provinces are treated as being part and parcel of the Imperial empire, without na tional rights and privileges. Sultanic impartiality has displayed itself by paying for signatures to peti tions against a magisterial junction of the provinces. The reception of the Emperor and Empress of Austria at Venice has been very different from that of Trieste. It was frigid in the extreme. Exertions are making at Milan to secure a warmer welcome. The Gallenga affair at Turin has had unpleasant consequences. A clue has been obtained by which an establishment of assassin tribunals has been discovered, fashioned after the old Vehmic courts— THE PRESS. femgerichte—of the middle ages. Mazzini, of course, is the principal and presidential agent, and the pardon of Gallenga has sufficed to place the secret details of these assassin courts in the hands of the Government. There can be no apology fro. --" to premeditated brutality; but it oterved that the ue signal indeed to induce i niexisting w iro rg rr n etfie u higher ' impulses of nature, and to deliver himself over to the sway of a passion that prompts him to say, "Evil, be thou my God." Arrests are frequent. It is needless to add that the arrested are one and all republicans. Espartero is at Nice, where he had an interview with the Marchese Sauli, the present Sardinian Minister appointed to St. Petersburg, after which the latter bad an audience of the Empress Mother of Russia. Count Stackelberg also when at Nice had a private communication with Espartero. The ex-Minister lives in great retirement. The Bilancia of Milan has dilated largely and broadly in appro bation of a pamphlet entitled, " Vita Particolare del Eccelso Re-Vittorio Emmanuele." The news of the insurrection in Sicily has caused immense sensation throughout Italy. In Tuscany it will have greater effect than in the Romagna, and the displeasure of the Grand Duchess at the late marriage of her son, by dividing the Court party, has, " pro tanto," strengthened the Liberals. Arrests are taking place; but the Minister Landucci dare not proceed to extremities without appealing to Austrian aid, and the first German that crosses the frontier at Firenzuolo, on the Bologna road, would place the Minister Baldasseroni at the head of the mal contents. C. A. H. /foreign anb 6olonial Intelligente. FRANCE. The Emperor and Empress arrived at the Tuileries on Saturday for the winter. A Council of Ministers was held on Wednesday. A report to the Emperor from M. Rouher, Minis ter of Public Works, upon the French railways, has appeared in the Moniteur. The expenditure since 1852 has Brno - anted to 919,000,000 f. The progressive increase of railway revenue is noted. and the issue of new securities for 1857 to the amount of 214,000,000 f. suggested. The intelligence published in THE PRESS last week of the probable speedy meeting of a second Congress created some sensation in Paris. Upon the Bourse it is reported that the Moniteur will shortly announce the meeting for the middle of January. Le Nord's Paris correspondent writes : The diplomatic information received here to-day from London and Vienna confirms the news of the approaching meeting of the Congress. The perseverance of France, Russia, and Prussia have ended by vanquishing the resistance of the English Cabinet. The only question for the moment is the solution of the difficulties relative to the rectification of the frontiers of Bessarabia. The opinion of diplomatists here is that Russia will not make the preservation of Bo!grad an affair of such im portance as to preclude her from giving up the town ; but, of course, in return for an equitable compensa tion. As to the subsidiary questions of the treaty, cir cumstances will decide if the plenipotentiaries are to occupy themselves with them in the new meeting. It is believed that the meeting will take place at the end of December. AUSTRIA. The Emperor and Empress continue their journey through Lombardy. Their Majesties arrived at Vienna on the 25th. A despatch from Vienna of the 2nd announces : The Emperor has issued an amnesty. Seventy political offenders have received a free pardon. The sequestration on the property of political fugitives is entirely removed. The Swabian Mercury states that Baron von Bud berg, on the 19th, communicated to Count Buol the contents of a note of the 9th, drawn up by the St. Petersburg Cabinet. The note not only contained a formal proposal to resume the Paris Conferences, but the Russian Government expressed itself to the effect that all the great powers, with Turkey and Sardinia, ought to share in them. PRUSSIA. SPEECH OF THE KING. The King opened the Diet in person on the 20th ult. The Speech from the Throne expresses, in the first place, the satisfaction experienced by his Majesty in the prosperous condition of the country and of the industrial movement. The efforts of the Government, his Majesty add 4, will second those of industry by the adoption of Hew general measures. New projects of law will have for effect the fixa• tion of provincial legal relations and the reform of the law of divorce. Speaking of foreign politics, the speech expresses a hope that peace will be assured to our part of the world, and particularly to Prussia. As a party to the European treaties, the King will watch over the accomplishment of the solemn engagements he has contracted, and the principles of the rights of nations. SkTIIRDAY, His Majesty added I have been grieved by recent events in my prin. cipaliy —Echatel ' where the conflict still pending t s „ ~34(5 between my incontestable right and a positi ve solution has led some faithful partisans to resort to open force. The European powers have recognised the mode ration with which for many years I have for the sake of the general peace treated this question. And now, in consequence of the late unfortunate conflict, now that the Germanic Confederation, by a recent and unanimous decision, have given a new force to my unquestionable rights, my desire is to provoke a solution in conformity with the dignity of my Crown, and in harmony with the opinions of the European powers. In any case I will not consent, I cannot consent, that my forbearance should become an arm against my own rights. As my people may be convinced that I cling to the recognition of my duties and to the conciliation of my relations with Europe as the rule of my future actions, so am I perfectly convinced, if circumstances exacted it, that the Prussian people would prove their fidelity and devoted ness to the honour of my Crown with an energy that will brave all risks. The Zeit, in criticising the speech, maintains that the King only wants an acknowledgment of his rights on the part of Switzerland, upon which he would be disposed at once and spontaneously to renounce his claims on Neufchatel. " The King would see such an acknowledgment in the liberation of the prisoners, and would be content." The French Debate of Wednesday intimates, in a letter from Berlin, that the French Government has asked Prussia to " modify her demand," insisting on the release of the Neufchatel prisoners previous to any negotiations. The Berlin correspondent of Le Nord, writing on the 28th November, says that Herr von Sydow, the Prussian Envoy, has received orders to leave Berne, and to break off negotiations with the Swiss Federal Government. The Prussian Correspondence of Tuesday contains a violent article against what it calls the disgraceful attitude assumed by certain English journals on the subject of the question of Neufchatel. It de clares that it relies on the English Government de clining all solidarity in the sentiments put forth by these journals. Count d'Eulenburg has been elected President of the Chamber of Deputies by 175 votes out of 265 votes ; Count de Schwerin had $8 votes. D. d'Arnim was elected Vice president, and M. Biichtemann second Vice-president. The Chamber of Peers has elected Count de Stolberg Wernigerode and M. Duesberg Vice-presidents. GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBURG. The Grand Duke of Luxemburg (King of the Netherlands) has proclaimed, of his sole authority, the Constitution which the Representative Chamber had just before rejected. The new Constitution limits popular rights, and has been promulgated in deference to a monition from the Diet of the Germanic Bund, of which Luxemburg is a member. RUSSIA. Le Nord, in referring to the approaching second Congress, makes the following statement : The political world is much occupied by the attitude taken by France in the dispute relative to the execution of the treaty of the 30th of March. Our correspondence from Paris contains some details upon this subject worthy of implicit reliance. According to our correspon dent, we went too far in saying that the French Govern ment shares entirely in the opinion of Russia as to the questions raised by the execution of the treaty. France has not taken a position so clearly defined; it enters the debate more as a mediator than as a party in the dispute; it pursues a policy of conciliation, and all its efforts tend to bring about an understanding preliminary to the meeting of a second Congress. The task is difficult on account of the conflicting interests. While recognising the justice and legality of the arguments adduced by Russia in favour of the meeting of the Conference, the Cabinet of the Tuileries has taken into consideration the reasons urged against the project. There is every reason, however, to hope that its persevering and moderate policy will end by triumphing over every obstacle. Our special corre spondent at London informs us, on his part, that the Foreign-office has at last shown itself favorable to the meeting of the Conferences. Count Perovsky died at St. Petersburg on the 23rd. The Emperor of Russia attended the funeral obsequies. ITALY. INSURRECTION IN SICILY. An insurrectionary movement broke out on the 23rd ult. at Cefalu, a small seaport near Palermo. Baron Bentivenga, who has recently received the benefits of an amnesty, has headed the movement. The Government authorities of the village were driven out at once. General Zola, commandant at Palermo, instantly despatched a division of troops against the insurgents, but no collision, according to later dates, had taken place. Many arrests of sus pected persons have taken place in Palermo. A strong force of Swiss troops was leaving Naples for Palermo on the Ist. The attempt is not in any way considered serious. A letter in the German Journal of Frankfort states that a circular has been addressed by Count Cavour