The National Register. — London, England, 1820-09-10 00:00:00

-•••T ~., r: to;•+.!4 Our Bing, Comititution, ann natuil. , No. 1,264.--VoL. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1820 . [PRICE 94d• THE HOLY ALLIANCE. great means of safety are secured now to every pretax. ment, which, with the feeling of its dignity and its duty, has determined not to destroy itself. One of these means rests on the satisfactory conviction that between the European powers there exists no mis understanding, and that, according to the invariable principles of sovereigns, none can be foreseen. This fact, which is placed beyond all &nazi, confirms our positions and guarantees our strength. . . nat'allbw us• to invert, is publisteit in the Palest° • paper (the Plicenix) of the 15th August, of the &a. • test betwecen the people and the municipal autheri. ties of Girgenti, previously to the accession of that place to the invitation of the provisional Junta.— Nothing could exceed the ardour and enthusiasm that were manifested in the cause of independence. The triumph of the popular party was complete, and letters were despatched to the Junta at Palermo, apprizing them of their having gained the ascend ency, Mill requesting information in the mode of electing a deputy who should represent their inter ests at the new seat of government. At Cultarisetta a strenuoteresistance was made to the provisional Junta, and a division of the Army of Natiornd Inilepoldence, under the command of the Prince of St. Gittaltlo, invested the place on the Stli of August. His efforts were directed in the first instance to negociutlArfor a peaceful surrender, but without effect, till a further reinforcement arising on the 11th, commanded by OA: U. Pietro Orlando, with Major D. Michele, and Capt. Rodrigo Palmeri Micciche, which augmented his troops to near 8,000, andkenabled him to occupy some important advan ce d posts, a more favourable disposition was shown by the inhabitants. A ntessenger was sent out from the town with a flag of truce to treat for a capitula tion, who was received by the troops with shouts of joy, and embraced, as a brother. This cfk.r proved, however, to cover an act of the blackest treachery. Half an hour had scarcely dapsed from the arrival of the messenger when the advanced guard of the independent army was suddenly attacked by a pow. erful force, and many of them were killed. The troops, under the irritation produced by this breach of faith, entered the town poll melt, and, carrying it by assault, a great number of the inhabitants lost their lives. The town finally acceded to the inde pendent cause. Trapani was in a state of blockade. but still held out. From Catania, which is an open town, little resistance was expected ; but Sy racuse and Messina, being strongly fintifiekl, threat ened a severe contest. All communication between Palermo and Messina, and through the medium with the Continent, was cut.off. No couriers were per. witted to pass. FRANKFORT, AUG. 26.—The last accounts re ceived from Rome speak of numo ous arrests which have taken place in the States of the Pope, particu larly in the marches and legations. These measures have been judged indispensable by the pontifical Government, to prevent revolutionary intrigues, and the fatal consequences which might attend them. It seems, that there is great impatience in the Roman States by the Austrian troops, who are to protect them." ETNA AND Vzsovtus.—A letter front Palermo says, " that the academy of that city had sent win.. persons to mount Etna; who affirm that, while they stood on the crater of the volcano, they heard from it the thunder of the late eruption of Wart Vesu vius, which gives room to conjecture that these two volcanoes have some subterraucous communication with each other." LATTER OF PRINCE METTERNICH. PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRIA. TO TIM CHIEF MINISTER OF EACH ON THE GERMAN PRINCES. Your Excellency has expressed the desire of his Royal Highness the Grand Doke to know - in a general but pre- • cise manner the ideas of the Imperial Cabinet on the political state eii*Gertnany. This invitation on the past of a Prince who gives dsily the most laudable prook of his firm inclination to protect its welfare, and his pro- ' found sense of the elements which compose it, honours me as much as it imposes on me the duty of communi cating in your Excellency, without reserve, the point of view under which we consider the actual state of things. • Time advances in the midst of storms ; to endeavour to arrest its impetuosity would' be a vain attempt. Firmness, moderation, prudence, and a union of accurately ascer tained forces, are still left in the power of the protectors and the friends of order. This at present counitutes the duty of all sovereigns, and of well-intentioned states men ; and he alone shall merit that title in the day of ! -danger, who, after examining what is passible, and what is equitable, will not allow himself to be turned from the noble object to which his efforts should tend, either by ineffectual wishes, or by dejection of spirit. The object is easily determined. Its our days it is nothing more nor less than to maintain that which exists ; to attain it is the only means of preserving pre sent advantages, perhaps even the best calculated to re cover that which has been already lost. To this end the efforts and the measures of all who are united by a com mon principle and a common interest ought to be di rected. The combustible elements which had been long prepared were inflamed between the years 1817 and 1820. The false course which the French ministry pursued during that epoch—the toleration allowed in Germany to the most dangerous doctrines—the indulgence shown to audacious reformers—weakness in repressing the abuses of the press : finally, the precipitation with which representative constitutions were given to the Southern Stateskof Germany—all these causes have impressed the most fital direction on parties whom nothingcan s', tiny Notliingg proves better the impit,sibility of satisfying these patties than the observtaion, that their most active operations have taken place in the state where the great est indulgence was shown to their pretended views. The evil It :4.1 reached such a pitch before the Congress of Carlsbad, that a trifling political complication would have beef sufficient to overthrow entirely social order. The wisdom • of the system which the great Courts adopted has preserved them from the dangers whicb will might be fatal. AV hat, then, its such a case ought to be the march of an enlightened government I In proposing this question) we pre-suppose the possibility of salvation, anti we think ourselves perfectly authorised in such a hope. In exainining the means by which we can attain so elevated au etal, we see ourselves brought hack to the point whence we set out. To repair by little and little an edifice which threatens to fall, we must have a sure foundation. Thus, to secure a happier fu turity, we must be sure at least of the present. The suaitatenance of that which exists ought, therefore, to be the first, as well as the most important, of our cares.— By this we do not understand only the ancient order of things which has been respecter in some countries, but likewise all the new institutions legally created. The importance mrintaining them with firmness and constaoey may be seen by the attacks which have been made upon them, with a fury pet naps greater than agai list our ancient institotions. In the present times, the transition from what is ancient to what is new is accompanied with as much danger as the return trout what is new to what has beets abolished. Both may equally lead to an exptosion of the calamities which it is essential to avoid at any price. Not to deviate in any manner from the exist i ng order of things, from whatever urLiu it may have sprung ; not to attempt changes though they should be thought ab solutely necessary, except with entire liberty, and alter • resolution maturely weighed, such is the first tio:y of a government which is inclined to resist the evils of the age. Limitless unit a resolation, however just or naturai, would excite obstinate opposition i but the ad s tit being placed upon a known and ack nicw led ged basis is evident, because from this strong ground it would be easy to stop or to anticipate in all directions the necussanty uncertain inouous of the enemy. We regard the (injections which may be made, namely, that among the constitutions hitherto given to Germany, there are some which repose tin no basis, and have con sequently u, pewl dams as 'kW . led. If such had beet' the c tar, the tic magra4ues, always indefatigable, would not nave railtstllo undrnwne thesis. Every order, legally Cs ablishetl, contaiiis within itself the principle of a bettor system, provided it is not the work of arbitrary power, or ot frantic blimlness, (like that generally 01 tile Cortes, in 1812.) may ihrireiwer i.e said, that a charter is nut a Colo.lllooollloopaly so e o lIed; We latter is luruted by time, atid depends always on the knowledge and inelinthon of government to give to Lie devehilie ttiesit of toe consthituunal regime such a direction as Indy impala e the good fruit time evil, consolidate public authority, and preserve toe mime and 110: happiness of tlw 114.14 s ul the uattutt auto wiry hostile aticutin. 'lnto The other means is the union formed in the course of the last nine months between the German states; an union which, by the blessing of God, our firmness and fidelity will render indissoluble. The conferences at Carlsbad, and the decrees which issued from them, have acted in a more powerful and and salutary numner than perhaps we dare own to our selves rtt a time when we have still the feeling of those embarrassments which agitate us, and wnen we can only calculate superficially all the advantages which we have obtained. Measures so important as these, can only be appre ciated in their whole extent when we can knqw the whole of their results. Toe epoch which inunediately follows cannot present them all to os, but we efin ap preciate the effects produced by the resolutions of the 9Uth of September, by calculating , the progress which the enemies of order would have made without them.— The results of the conferences of Vienna, though of a more elevated order, will have as effect less brilliant, but more prcfound and desirable. The consolidation of the Germanic union ()tiers to each of the states iwiatch compose it an efficacious guarantee—an invaluable ad eant.e:e in present circumstances, and one which we could nut have been certainly assured, except by the course that has been followed. The; good faith and moderation with which this important work has been conducted may on the one hand have fixed us in certain points, and prevented us front taking measures more bold and energetic ; but. on the other, supposing such course possible, there would have.. been wanting to the work one of the first conditions, namely, the free con viction and the sincere confidence of all the contracting parties. Nothing could havecompensated such a defect, which must have been in every attempt to put in execution de terminations made under such auspices. In general the moral force of the confederation was as necessary as its legislative Mrce ; and the progsess which the conviction of the utility and the necessity of this union has made, is, in our opinion, a most impottsat . and most happy result, The rules which the G.Trattn. governments will henceforward have to observe may he pointed out in a few words:— I. Confidence in the duration of European peace, and in the unanimity of the principles which direct the high and allied powers. 2. A scrupulous attention to their own system of administration. 3. Persever.ince in the maintenance of the legal basis of the existing constitutions, and a firm detet initiation to defend them with force and prudence against every individual attack. _ _ . ..... 4. The amelioration of essential faults in these con stitutions ; this amelioration being made by Govern ments, and grounded on suf fi cient reasons. 5. in case of insufficiency of means, au appeal to the assistance of the Confederation—an assistance which every member has the most sacred right to exact; and which, according to present stipulations, can less than ever be refused. Such is, according to us, the only truly salutary, legal, and safe cour.se. On such principler rests the political system of the Emperor ; and Austria, tranquil in her interior, posse-sing-an imposing mass of moral force and physical resources, will not only snake use of them for own preservation, but will always be ready to dispose of them for the advantage of her confriderates when duty and wisdom demand their exercise. 1 have the honour to he, (Signed) ETTERNICII. • FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE, A melancholy circumstance occurred lately at Brussels. A man was taken ill in the night, and his wife rose to procure him assistance, but betbre she returned he had expired. W hen she perceived that she exclaimed, " 0 Mother of God ! grant that I may nut survive him;" and in an hour after she herself was a corpse. SICILY. CONFLAORATION IN THE PTRENEESA fright fill conflagration which begun to burn on the morn ing of the 21tl of July, and which was scarcely extinguished on the Wth of August, lays waste at this moment the huge thrests which crown the Ape nines, in the vicinity of Fondi. At the moment in which we are writing, the commune of Fondi is on all sides surrounded by flames. Thu conflagration has even extended beyond this territory, and espe cially into that of St. Andre, along the comular road through the territory of St:Er:kg-hone, and of Isa. The sub intem'aut of Fondi has pot in requisition all the inhabi:ants, for the purpose of putting an,fnil to this dreadlul calamity. It is not known whether this has been the effect of chance or of malicious .design, and whether it connnenced in the Ron rut states or in the Linzriont of Naple..— Fondi is divided by the boundary of these too Advices and Gazettes from Palermo, to the I fith ult., were received yesterday, by way of Genoa.— The return of the deputies front Naples sent to ne gociate for the independence of Sicily, with a refusal on the part of the Neapolitan Government, was the signal of the most vigorous measures on the part of the provisional Junta at Palermo. A dkcree was immediately issued for enrolling in the military Ser. vice of the country the name of every it:habitant of Sicily capable of bearing arms, without exception of rank ; and troops were dispersed in all directions to attack those plares which still adhered to their de pendence on Naples. In the preceding advises Mes,ina aul Trapanti alone weds mentioned as in that predicament, but it is now understood that Catania :oil Syracoe take the saint An in teresting inmnint, which we regret 0'..1 ...suit:, will • 0 - 7i 9tP rt ttr+ C . . \ • 7 .1 \ ilk " • Pr.' • • ._' t ) .1