The Press. — London, England, 1856-09-20 00:00:00

SEPT. 20, 1856. lortigit nn dolonial 3ittelligont. FRANCE. The Moniteur of the 17th announced that Marshal Serrano ha.l presented to the Emperor and Empress at Biarritz the deputation charged with the official act by which the Junta of Biscay recognised the right of the Impertal Prince to enjoy the prerogatives and privi leges attached to the citizenship of the province. The Emperor received the deputation very gra ciously, and replied that he was very grateful to the Queen of Spain for allowing the deputation to be presented to him ; that he was extremely touched by this proof of sympathy on the part of the province for the Empre-s and her son ; that such demonstra tions could not hut strengthen the ties which already united the two nations ; and that he was happy to think that the Imperial Prince bail Spanish blood in his veins, for lie had ever felt as much affection as esteem for that warlike and chivalrous people. Count Hatzfeidt, Prussian Minister at Paris, left Paris early in the week for Biarritz. The Emperor had revoked Count Walewski's sup pression of the 100-gun subscription. The DThats insinuates that the Emperor's motive in authorising M. Manin's subscription is to show how small a sum France will sub-cribs for such a purpose ! When the amount of the collection is made known (says the Dikes) we shall see which is the most astute policy, that of the ernment or that of M. Mama. The return of the Court to St.. Cloud is not antici pated before the end of the month. An important arrest of some thirty conspirators belonging to the Marianne has been made in Paris this week. The majority of the men were young artisans. They are at present in solitary confine ment at Mazes. The Constitutionnel of Tuesday, in an able article upon the Serpents' Isle question, maintains that Russia has executed in perfect faith every promise of the treaty of Paris:— The occupation of the Isle of Serpents does not appear to us to be of such importance. It signifies lather that the Russians are not disposed to yield anything more than what may be absolutely exacted from them, and that they will not abandon, without at least making an effort of dis cussion, a portion of territory the cession of which they think is not categorically prescribed by the treaty. It is a custom to say that an unsuccessful pleader has twenty four hours to curse his judges. Is it therefore astonishing that the Russians show some hesitation in making a cessic.n which, in their opinion, they may not be positively obliged to make? No one is ever eater to put an interpretation on a treaty which is unfavorable to himself. The ground the Russian Government takes upon the question is shadowed forth : The treaty of Paris, it is tree, gave to the Ottoman Porte the islands of the D ►nube, but the Isle of Serpents does not form a part of them, and its situation ou the coast of lie-sarabia, which is a province of the Russian empire, appears to make it in the opinion of the Russians a part of the impenal territory. Admitting, however, that this islet stands outside the limits of Bessarabia, Russia, after the rectification of the frontier which is about to be male by the international commission, will, it is said, consent to abide by the decision of the powers who signed the treaty of Paris as to retaining or giving it up. Such at least is the language attributed to the Russian Government. The Constitutionnei concludes with declaring that no alarm is felt in Turkey at the act complained of, and that France and England need have no fear that Russia would ever realise the testament of Peter. HOLLAND. The session of the States General was opened by the King in person, at the Hague, o i Monday. His Majesty alluded to tne satisfactory state of the coun try :—"Commerce, navigation, agriculture, and the different branch N of industry, were in a state that left nothing to be desired." HANOVER. A decree in the Hanover Gazette announces that the King has resolved to dispose of the public revenues, and augment his own civil list, in a manner "Inch the Second Chamber—prorogued on the 4th inst.—recently refused to sanction. The decree enacts that the civil list shall be endowed with a revenue of 600,000 dollars derived from the produce of the do- mains, and &so with the interest derived from a eapital of 000,0001. sterling invested in the English Lads. PRUSSIA. The Berlin papers are wholly taken up with the Neufchatel question, and insists that Neufchatel must for the future be entirely separated from Swit zerland. 'fho Berlin correspondent of Le Nord says t let a protocol signed by the five great powers in London on the 24th of May, 1852, destroys the pre tensions of the Swiss Confederati n. The Zeit declares that the relent events were wholly unforeseen by the Prussian Government, and asserts that Neufchatel belongs to Prussia, by a right inalienable and acknowledged by all Europe. THE PRESS. A letter from Berlin of the 15th states : That a note has been addressed to the foreign powers relative to the affair of Neufchatel, the object of which is not merely to reserve the rights of Prussia. but that the Prussian Government considers the definitive settlement of the question according to treaties indispensable in the interest of the peace of Europe. The Journal de Geneve gives an account of the interview on the oth of M. do widow with the Federal Council : The Count de Sidow asked, in the first place,that the pro secution of the authont and accomplices of the Neufchatel insurrection might be suspended until the international ques tion between the King of Prussia, as Sovereign of Neufchatel, and the Confederation, should be settled. Secondly, he demanded that clemency should be shown to the prisoners. The President of the Federal Council answered categori cally that a suspension of the prosecution was impossible under the circumstances ; that justice must take its course; and that, as tote injunction to show mercy put ton ward by the Prussian Envoy, it fell to the ground of itself, seeing that the federal code was of all European codes the most merciful in regard to crimes of the nature i►► ques tion. Finally, uto the protest previously addressed to the Federal Council, the President said it could not be taken into consideration. The Federal Council renewed its negative answer of May 6, 1818, and was firmly resolved to repudiate all diplomatic intervention. The Swiss Federal Assembly opened its second session on the 15th inst. The events of Neufchatel naturally occupied the most prominent place in the speeches pronounced by the Presidents of both Chambers. The Presidents of the National Council and of the Council of the States expressed identical opinicns, and solemnly pledged themsrlvei, in the name of Switzerland, to reject all foreign interven Lion and defend the integrity of the Constitution. The Prussian Government is reported to have re quested the intervention of France in favour of the exercise of clemency towards the royalist prisoners of Neufchatel. RUSSIA. An imperial manifesto issued by the Emperor Alexander, upon the occasion of his coronation, con fers great benefits upon the Russian people. His Majesty grants : A commemorative civic and military medal for all who took part, directly or indirectly, in the war. Freedom from military service for four years throughout the empire. A more equitable assessment of the plll tax. An amnesty to the political offenders of 1826 and 1831. Freedom to the Jews of the empire from the special burdens of the recruitment that still oppressed them. The children of soldiers brought up by the State, and as such bitherLo formed part of the army, in which they were bound to serve as soldiers, are all restored to their relations, and permitted to enter any station of life they may choose for themselves. As regards the amnesty, the Emperor restores to condemned political offenders, and to the children born since condemnation, their titles of nobility. The amnesty divides the persons who benefit by it into three categories :—those who may obtain a diminution of their punishment in the place of their banishment (it is probable that Siberia is referred to) ; those who are to be allowed to reside in the interior of the country, and those who may establish themselves in any part of the empire and in the kingdom of Poland, with the exception of the two cities of St. Petersburg and Moscow. By another part of the document the western provinces of the empire, which had been subjected to an exceptional regime, are to enjoy the same rights as all the other provinces. The Emperor, moreover, has abolished the tax on passports to foreign countries, merely pre serving the stamp duty on them. The ukase also enacts that such Poles as are suf ficiently prepared by the study of the Ru ►n lan guage and institutions may be admitted iti o he dif ferent branches of the civil administration of Russia. This measure is to have a reciprocal effect, and Russians are eligible to all situations in Poland. Several promotions had also been granted. Count Orloff was raised to the rank of prince, and Genera de Berg to the rank of count. Upon Count Ester hazy, the Austrian Ambassador, was bestowed the Grand Cross of the Order of St. Andrew. The coronation fetes had passed off with great splendour and eclat. Count Kisqeleff left Moscow on the 16th for St Petersburg, Berlin, and Paris. SPAIN. RE-ESTABLISHMENT OP TII CONSTTEHTION OF 1845. The Gazette of the 18th publishes a royal decree re-establishing the Constitution of 1845. An additional article lays down the nature of those offences of the press which shall be cognisable by a jury. It is also stated in the decree that the minimum duration of the ses , ion of the Cortes shall be four months—that the existence of the C uncil of State is solemnly acknowledged—that the consent of the Cortes shall be necessary for the marriage of the 893 Sovereign, or that of the heirs to the Crown, for the alienation of the royal patrimony, altl for general amnesties. Marshal Narvaez, according to the Espana, has been refused his passports by the Spanish Govern ment. Diplomatic relations are about to be renewed with Russia. The Count de Benkendoff has been selected to announce to the Queen the coronationlof the Czar: NAPLES AND ITALY. M. Hubner arrived at Naples on the 6th. His excelleney had an audience of the King on the 12th. The political trials in the Mignouna case, sus pended for some time, were ordered to be continued on the 15th. A strong force of troops, some 45,000 men, is now concentrating at Naples, G,teta, and Capua, and ex tensive works of defence are progressing rapidly. The state of siege in Parma has been raised by the Duchess Regent. Mehemet Djemil Bey, the Turkish Ambassador, accompanied by Kia-imo Bey, Saladin Bey, and a numerous suite, has arrived at Turin. His excellency has come in the name of the Sultan to offer congra tulati ms to the King as a mark of alliance and friendship. The Piedmontese Government has decided on having six steam screw frigates built of the same size as the Victor Emmanuel. Four are to be built in that country and two in England. The Marquis Sauli has been appointed Sardinian Envoy to the Court of Russia. TURKEY AND THE PRINCIPALITIES. Accounts from Constantinople, of the Bth instant, state that, in consequence of the steps taken by M. de Boutenieff and the other amba , sadors, the Porte has abandoned its intention of undertaking an expe dition against Montenegro. The affair is to be regu lated by the Conference of Paris. The question of the principalities is the great topio of the day at Constantinople. The whole of the commissioners have now arrived. The Austrian Gazette of the 12th says : The question of the union of the principalities, the only one which could give rise to any serious discussion between the European Cabinets, is solved. It is probable that it will not even be discussed bv the commission which is now assembled in the principalities. We have received positive information from Constantinople thst Austria, France, and Turkey have come to an understanding on the subject; they agree that the union of the principalities would bo inopportune at the presenttime, and it is probable that the English Government will coincide in this opinion. The composition of the Divans will be such that those assem• blies will understand their true interests to be not to manifest any contrary wishes. A modification of the Turkish Ministry is daily expected at Constantinople. Redschid Pacha is mentioned as certain to resume the functions of Grand Vizier, and Aali Pacha as President to the Council of Ministers. The Bessarahian Commissioners have commenced the survey and definition of the new line of frontier. AMERICA. Intelligence from New York to the 3rd announces the closing of the Pxtra session of Congress. The Senate had passed the Army Appropriation Bill without the house proviso, imposing certain limita tions on the Executive respecting the disposition that shonld be made of the United States' troops in the ter►itory of Kansas. The proviso was lost in the house by 97 to 101. Alluding to the matter, the New York Daily Times says: The pro-slavery party has again triumphed, The Presi dent and Senate have carried their point, and the federal army miy still be employed—at the expense of the federal Government—in dragooning the inhabitants of Kansas into obedience to the infamous laws of the sham Legisla ture. This result, it should be understood, was reached by the coalition of the Fillmore and Buchanan members of the House of Representatives. The New York Herald observes:— We are not surprised at this result at all. The tom• bination of Buchanan and Fillmore men in the house was getting too' string f•or the Fremont party, and the defeat of the proviso was from the beginning but a matter of time; another day or two would have brougnt in suffi cient Democratic and Know Nothing absentees to crush out the whole strength of the republicans. They have yielded to necessity, being in a minority as against Fill more and Buchanan men, and the President is left to use the army in Kansas at his discretion. The state of Kansas is deplorable. Both parties were arming and concentrating, and a pitched battle between the two forces was anticipated. Meantime the pro-slavery men ravage the free-soilera' country, and commit the most frightful atrocities. The President has declared his intention to pre vent an expedition into Kansas from the Northern States.