The Press.
London, England, 1857-05-16 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

some academical attainments, the results of a German education
blended with the Chitty school of English practice. He has a neat
style of forensic argumentation, but whether he would prove a
debater in Parliament could only be tested by experience. On the
whole, the Liberal lawyers are vastly inferior to the host of legal
abilities connected with Conservatism.

We acknowledge with pleasure the eloquence and elegant tone
which characterise Lord NAPIER'S first address to the American people.
Jt displays uncommon fluency and rhetorical vigour. But we do not
observe in it that total absence from diplomatic reticence which has
elicited the applause of our contemporaries. On the contrary, it
seems to us a remarkable example of euphonious taciturnity. The
Central American question, the Bay Islands question, and the Panama
difficulty are all as yet unsettled. But his Lordship floats gaily
along, with drums beating and colours flying, as if not
a cloud darkenel the horizon, and Yankee Doodle and
the British lion had exchanged snuff-boxes. We have
a shrewd suspicion that this is beginning at the wrong end. If the
Americans will not be bullied, still less will they be cajoled. That
smart people is a keen valuer of honied words. They cost so little
that they cannot be worth so much. That is about their view. And
though we cordially hope the future may be all that Lord NAPIER so
glowingly depicts, yet we doubt whether by totally ignoring the exist-
ence of sunken rocks he is taking the best way of steering his vessel
into the desired port.

A serio-comic farce is just now being acted in the Danubian pro-
vinces. Her Majesty's Government a short time since despatched an
experienced diplomatist on a mission, to inquire into the wants and
wishes of the Moldo-Wallachian people. But before this accomplished
envoy had even commenced his task, almost before he could.
have enjoyed an opportunity of forming an opinion. Lord PALMERSTON
came to the foregone conclusion that the Moldo-Wallachian race was
not worth all this trouble, and resolved to give it up to Austria to be
dealt with as she pleases. Nor•, if this was a wise and necessary
measure, dictated by State policy and grave political considera-
tions, the decision should have been arrived at some time previous.
Instead of this, the entire policy of England, in conjunction with
France, had been to awaken hopes in the Moldo-Wallachians that they
should be indulged with all the boons of the West ; that they
should be independent, constitutional, free-trading, and should
enjoy a press and an army. The promise was even
made of consulting the wishes of the Principalities on these
important points The consequence is, that if all these pro-
mises are to be broken, and all their hopes disappointed, the power
which is at last to swallow up the Moldo-Wallachs, whether that power
be Turkey or be Austria, will merely acquire a nation of certain malcon-
tents, of probable insurgents, and the world will be entertained by the
tale of insurrection, military occupation, proscription, and—executions.
Lord PALMERSTON will not hear a word in favour of the Levantino
Christians. The French Government has remonstrated, but the Noble
Lord declares himself inexorable. The result is, that France upon.
Eastern affairs is driven in self-defence to come to an understanding
with Russia, while England is left in semi-antagonism to ponder over
Eastern politics with REDSCHID PACHA and Count BUOL. Our com-
missioner in the Principalities is told to cling by and protect
all that is old and effete, though despatched ostentatiously to breathe
vitality into the Moldo-Wallachian race, and to inaugurate an entirely
new order of rule. But Lord PALMERSTON, who has so often deceived
the Liberals of Italy, has resolved that those of Moldo-Wallachia
should experience the full benefit of his Liberal policy. At Bucharest,
Prince GHIKA and his Ministers, detested and despised by the Liberal
classes and by the aristocracy of the country, are to be the proteges of
England. Sir HENRY RULWER, according to his instructions and
against his better judgment, has taken up their cause. This defiance
of public opinion has had the instant effect to empty Sir HENRY'S
salons, and to prevent the Bucharestians from paying him that court
and that respect to which he was entitled, and with which they were
prepared. It was remarkable, also, to observe that when complaints
came from Jassy of the tyrannical acts of the Kaimacans there, the
foreign Commissioners immediately set out to inquire into the case and
see justice done. The English Commissioner did not accompany them.
Throughout the Principalities the conduct of the English Government
is felt to be nothing but rank treachery and illiberality. As in Italy,
Switzerland, Hungary, Germany, Poland, so in Moldo-Wallachia.
Lord PALMERSTnN has once more made a tool of a Liberal party, once
more stimulated them into action, and once more he will reward their
trust by deceit and betrayal.

The recent judgment -of Mr. Commissioner HOLROYD is as
welcome as it was unexpected. Henceforward, the game of company-
mongers will be neither so easy nor so pleasant. It is indeed to be
feared that the spirit of swindling is of such Protean versatility, as to
defy in the long run all legislative enactments, and to find a field for
itself in spite of the most stringent regulations. Still, this judgment
must be regarded as a great blow and discouragement, which we are
happy to see the Attorney-General proposes to follow up by an in-
vestigation of the papers of the Royal British Bank, with a view to the
prosecution of the offenders. Should this be successfully accomplished
it will act as a most powerful awakener to all those by whom the
punishment of Sir J. D. PAUL and Co. was being rapidly forgotten.
They, too, trusted to their immunity from the law. Let us hope the
late plunderer of the public may be as egregiously deceived as they
were.