The Press.
London, England, 1857-03-28 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

Sortign Curresgunnuct.

BRUSSELS, March 25.
Ix the diplomatic circles on the Continent every
other topic is merged in that of the parliamentary
elections of England. The interest with which this
trial of party strength is regarded, and the value
attached to the decision of the country, summarily
disposes of the assertion that the prestige of England
had departed from her. A Belgian personage of
some distinction remarked, during the disasters of
the Crimea, that England might possibly, after a
probation of ten or fifteen years, regain her lost
position in Europe. This proverb of the Belgian
Solomon, in all his glory, will hardly be repeated.
A correct view of the state of affairs is given by the
foreign journals. They show an intimate acquaint-
ance with those tactics that are more creditable for
selfish than for public purposes. The speech of
Lord Palmerston at the Mansion-house is generally
accepted as a war speech, addressed to the pugna•
cious propensities of England rather than to those
higher qualities of statesmanship which keep nations
in peace during troubled times without having
recourse to the ultimo ratio. This belief may be
attended with damnifying results in the actual
position of Italy and the otherwise unsettled state of
the Continent.

M. de Hatzfeldt has received his instructions from
Berlin. The title of the Prince of Neufchatel is to
be preserved to the King of Prussia, who insists that
the point de depart shall be the recognition of his
various rights conferred at the Congress of Vienna,
and that this formality shall precede any concession
on his part. An indemnity is to be made to the
Royalists for the losses sustained before and after
the conflict or revolution. One of the chief difficul-
ties of the negotiation is the colour to be given to the
late outbreak, whether it were a rebellion or a forcible
demand for positive right. The liberation of the
prisoners gives the argument in favour of the King of
Prussia.

A suspension of diplomatic relations between
Austria and Sardinia is now made public. M. de
Paar had already received his instructions on the
13th, but delayed the notification until the note of
M. de Buol, in answer to M. de Cavour, had been
transmitted to the Ministers of foreign powers. The
strong expressions used in the debate on the fortifi-
cations of Alessandria brought matters to a crisis.
M. de Buol, in stating that the powers of Europe
had censured the licence of the Piedmontese press,
omitted to add that the same measure of animad-
version was bestowed on the journalist attacks of
Austria against Sardinia. The English Govern-
ment will have to choose betwixt their approxima-
tion to the views of Austria, that at one time had
been conceded for a stipulated price, according to
the revelation of Mr. Disraeli, and the declaration
of Lord Clarendon at Paris in favour of Italy, with
the revolutionary addenda supplied by L)rd Minto.
As the animosity betwixt Austria and Sardinia in-
creases, so in equal proportion do the assurances of
regard multiply on the part of Russia. The Em-
press Mother had a state dinner on the birthday of
King Victor Emmanuel, whereat the more than
festal compliments paid to the King were of a cha-
racter sufficiently significative.
The precarious health of the Duke of Modena
makes the matter of his succession one of great
interest. By the old treaty of Aix la-Cbapelle, in
1748, between Great Britain, France, Holland,
Hungary, Spain, and Genoa, whereby the treaties of
Westphalia in 1618, of Nimeguen in 1678 and 1679,
of Ryswick in 1697, of Utrecht in 1713, of Baden in
1714, of the Triple Alliance in 1717, of the Quadruple
Alliance in 1718, and of Vienna in 1738, were re-
newed and confirmed, and again certified by the
conque-t of Vienna in 1815, in the event of male
extinction, the duchy would revert to Austria. That
of Parma also, now in the pos'.esslon of a child,
would be divided betwixt Austria and Sardinia by
the convention of Florence in 1844. These possible
contingencies, each and every one capable of bring-
ing about a continental war, render the present
unsettled disposition of affairs perilous for the peace
of Europe.
M. Pianeli has left Naples for Paris and London,
on a private mission, and there is a report that M.
Carini is to be intrusted with a particular negotiation.
It is certain that the antecedents of England and
France have not always been in union on Neapolitan
affairs. If the private papers, direct and indirect,
relative to the dispute, ever reach the table of the
House of Commons without suppression, it will be
seen that the interference of England would rather
hit” been in conjunction with Austria than with
France, and this under the pilotage of Lord N,,r-
nianny, the Whig-Radical representative of England
at the Court of Tuscany.

On the 9th of March, the firman for the convoca-
tion of the Divans "ad hoc" was publicly read by
Kiainii Boy in the old palace at Bucharest. The
Kairnakan—Prince Ale:ander Ghika—tho Metropo-
litan and dignitaries of th f Church, the foreign
agents and consuls, with the military and civil func-
tionaries of all classes, were present at the solemnity
which took place in the throne-room. The oligar-
chical faction does not yield ground. It has pro-
tested against the legality of the firman of the Porte,
and circulars are distributed, containing a decla-
ration of political faith,—called that of the majority
—in the hope of creating disunion, and thus
thwarting the success of the popular and independent
party. Mr. Colquhoun, the Consul General of Eng-
land, will probably he recalled, on account of his dif-
ferences with Sir Henry Bulwer.
A Russian army, of considerable force,ithreatens
the Circassian frontier. By the "Clarendonian "
lave in the Treaty of Paris, this country will, sooner
or later, be subdued by the Muscovite. For this
there will be no help, notwithstan.ling repeated and
valiant resistance. The only precaution to be taken
by England is, that the presence of a Russian soldier
beyond the Caspian boundary shall be construed
into a declaration of war. Lord Palmerston is in
error, in his address to the electors of Tiverton, in
claiming a satisfactory termination of the Eastern
question. It is capable of being reopened, by the
Clarendonian lapse, at any time most convenient to
Russia. The latter country will not place confidence
in a Whig Government. C. A. H.

Sonign antr (colonial 3ntelitgente.