The Press.
London, England, 1857-11-07 00:00:00

'l' FI E PRE S S, NOVEMBER 7, 1857.

1076

tinuance of some local defects to running any
risk of deranging the whole body by premature
attempts at their removal.
Now, non Conservatives are they who refuse
to be fettered by such considerations—who,
wherever they see a blot, would dash it out—
wherever they see any one wheel working
more slowly than they think it ought, at once
summon the blacksmith instead of the
engineer—and then call themselves progres-
sive ! A poker is mended more quickly than
a watch. But we know not why, because we
refuse to place our timepiece on a village
anvil, we are therefore to be called sta-
tionary.
Which is the more truly and healthily pro-
gressive of these parties would seem tolerably
apparent. But however that may be, we only
ask our opponents to give us the benefit of
facts. The article to which we allude in
l'raser's Magazine has wilfully suppressed
them. Such conduct will not, perhaps, have
many imitators, but still it requires exposure.

titude ? We may call ourselves magnanimous.
But what, we should like to know, do the two
poor fellows at Naples call us What do the
Greytown sufferers call us? What does Mr.
CRAMPTON think about our magnanimity?
And yet, too, the English certainly aro mag-
nanimous, and certainly intensely national;
the very last people to see their countrymen
insulted, robbed, or oppressed, without inter-
fering .in their behalf. In fact, as we have
already said, Lord PAtmasszoN's popularity
was origitally based on the belief that he was
the very man to give effect to this national
spirit.
Clearly, then, the altered state of affairs
which now exists must in some shape be the
work of the Government. For the work of the
nation it is not. And we in great measure
attribute it to that very policy which was once
so popular. Lord PALMERSTON was by degrees
found out to be wholly insincere. His threats
meant as little as his promises. His anger
was as valueless as his friendship When the
King of NAPLES found that he had secretly
furnished his rebel subjects with cannon—
when delegates from the insurrection were
thrust into the same room in Carlton-terrace
with the Neapolitan Ambassador—FEßDlNAND
began to understand what an alarming sacri-
fice would be the loss of Lord PALMERSTON'S
friendship. When the Republicans were
crushed, and a still more rigorous regime in-
stituted without a remonstrance from Eng-
land, his Majesty, no doubt, began to estimate
his enmity at a similar figure. Both sides
began to understand more clearly the signifi-
cance of those rantipole harangues in which
Lord PALMERSTON indulged at home.
Foreigners may be excused if they were taken
in by them when Englishmen were so
egregiously gulled. But if the one have
awakened from their dream, is it not time that
the other should do so too ? The course we
are now pursuing must end at last in our
sinking like Holland into a second-rate
Power. It is inexpedient, we are told, to
offend powerful States, or the allies of power-
ful States. But if England would hold her
own, she must never shrink one inch before
the stoutest opponent. The instant she does
this, the moment she waives the position won
for her by CHATHAM, NELSON, and WELLINGTON,
that instant she begins a downward course
from which she could never recover herself.

can understand, but the conduct of the English
Cabinet is so inconsistent that it has excited great
astonishment throughout Europe. What ! England,
the land of liberty, striving every nerve to prevent
five millions of beings from throwing off the yoke of
slavery, and taking rank amongst civilised nations
as freemen ! It is not to be believed. And I feel
certain, at least to judge from the Liberal professions
of his life, that were Lord Palmersto►► left to his
own inspirations he would at once declare himself in
favour of the Rouman population. It is certainly
rather anomalous, after all that has been said by the
leading Government organs in England, that Louis
Napoleon should advocate liberal, and Lord
Palmerston despotic, principles. But so it is.
Certain articles in a leading London journal have
excited much surprise in our diplomatic circles, and
conclusion arrived at is, that they are intended to the
intimidate, and to make the French believe that
should the Emperor persist in carrying out the
wishes of the Rouman Divans, the entente cordiale
between England and France would be greatly en-
dangered. If such was the intention of that journal,
the object has not been effected. Frenchmen of all
opinions are well aware that all the leading great
political parties in England are in favour of a
union, and would support the Emperor in carrying
out the wishes of the Divans, all due precautions
taken to maintain the sovereignty of ,the Porte and
to insure the peace of Europe.
It is somewhat astonishing to see Lord Pal-
merston oppose the union of the provinces on the
grounds of weakening the Porte. Surely his lord-
ship must have forgotten all the arguments he made
use of to certain powers to induce them to consent
to the wresting of Belgium from Holland, and
raising the first to the rank of a neutral kingdom—
the chief of these arguments being the siege of Ant-
werp and the capture of the Dutch fleet in the
Downs. Is his lordship prepared to make use of
similar arguments to carry out his opposition to the
union ? I feel certain that he will not ; but that,
whatever may be the decision of the Congress of
Paris, ho will, perhaps reluctantly, accept it without
openly murmuring. Wbat that decision will be it
would be presumptuous to anticipate ; but this
much you may rely on, that the Emperor will not
waver in his endeavours to see justice done to the
Rouman population.
Much has been said, and many conclu-
sions drawn, from neither the Austrian nor
Turkish Ambassador having been invited to Cora-
peigne. I am assured, in quarters well informed,
that these omissions were not in any way from poli-
tical, but from private motives. This is so true that
even Count Kisselef, the Russian Ambassador, did
not receive an invitation.

There is no doubt but that the Emperor is de-
sirous to effect an exchange with the British Govern-
ment for a part of its possessions in India. His wish
is to give up Cbandernagor for an equivalent position
of territory near to Pondicherry. Should this project
be carried out, Pondicherry will be made a most
important colony, greatly productive, in a commercial
point of view, to France.
You will have seen from the report of the Minister
of Finance on the Budget, that I was correct in
informing you that the receipts would surpass the
expenditure.
Notwithstanding the positive assurances of several
journals that General Leflo bad not returned to
France, and had taken up his residence in Jersey, I
am enabled to state that the general, with the whole
of his family, is now in France, and that he recently
passed several days in Paris.
The Parizian correspondent of one of the
Government evening papers, in strong terms,
lately accused the French subordinate Go-
vernment officers with intriguing to ruin the
reputation of M. Voisen, a receveur•general, by
spreading the report of a deficiency in his accounts,
in order to replace him by M. Collett Meygret, who
he said had resigned for that purpose the honour-
able post of Prefet of the Nord. The correspondent
further added that the Government had not only
neglected to insert a contradiction of the calumny in
the 21Ioniteur, but bad refused the refutation of it to
be posted at the Exchange. So far from this being
true, the Government has actually ordered several
journals to be cited before the tribunals for copying
and promulgating this false report. As to the resig-
tion of M. Collett Meygret, that is true ; but it is
supposed that his ambition is to be made a Coun-
sellor of Slate.

......_.. ....___.
There can be no doubt that Spain has consented
to leave its quarrel with Mexico to the arbitration of
France. It is expected that the acceptation to this
arrangement will be received from Mexico by the
next mail.

The inundations in several parts of Italy have
caused serious damage, particularly in the districts
of Corte, Olona, Zesbo, Caselle, Badia, Montecillo,
and Chignolo. More than 300 houses were carried
away by the water. Upwards of 300 families were
eft without homes. The river Po has risen higher
ban it did in 18391 and laid a vast tract of land
utter water.