The Press.
London, England, 1856-11-08 00:00:00

SPAIN.

A plan of finance will be laid before the Council of
Ministers without delay.
Nothing is yet decided as to the creation of a
Ministry of the Colonies.
The Gazette of the 3rd publishes a decree, re-
establishing the laws of 1844 andlB4s on the subject
of the press.
Senor Louis Estrada is appointed Director of the
National Property.
M. Luiz Gonzales Bravo is spoken of as likely to
fill the position of Minister in the new Department
for the Colonies, the creation of which is expected t•
be officially announced next week.
Count de Benkendorff took leave of her Majesty on
the 27th.

The new Russian Minister to Madrid is, it is
said, Prince Volkansky, who was aide-de-camp
to the late Prince de Paskiewitsch, and brother to a
Russian diplomatist well known in England.
The Duke de Ossuna goes to Russia as Spanish
Minister.

ITALY.
♦USTRIAN OCCUPATION OF ITALY.

The Paris Moniteur of Monday published the
following note, under the head of foreign correspon-
dence, relative to the evacuation by foreign auxilia-
ries of certain portions of the States of the
Church

Rome, Oct. 30.
The arrangement concluded recently with the Vienna
Cabinet for the evacution of some pints of the Pontifical
territory, hitherto occupied by Austrian troops, has just
been carried out. The withdrawal terminated yesterday.
The Austrian troops recrossed the Po, taking the direction
of Padua. They are replaced by detachments of the 2nd
Swiss Regiment in the service of the Holy Father. An-
cona and Bologna are now the only points in the Papal
States which remain occupied by Austrian troops. Thus
is accomplished a measure which, by diminishing the corps
of occupation, likewise diminishes the expenses of the
Papal Government, and restores it to the lull enjoyment
of its rights and action. For some time it has been felt
that it was necessary for tha Papal finances that the in-
direct taxes should be rendered more productive. The
Government has boldly entered into this salutary path,
and, encouraged by the results obtained, not only is it
preparing further reductions in the Customs tariff, but
it has promulgated a decree with a view to a reform of
the stamp duty, which, under former regulations, was
imperfectly carried out, and brought in very little to the
Treasury. The rate has been reduced and its circle of
action increased. Everything leads to the hope that on
this point, as well as regards the Custom-house dues,
salt, and tobacco, both the Treasury and the contributors
will find themselves equally benefited by the introduction
of the true principles of political economy.

The French Minister left Naples on the 28th at
half-past nine o'clock a.m. Mr. Petre, with Mr.
Plunkett and the First Secretary of the French
Embas7, left the same afternoon.
Naples was perfectly tranquil. The King remained
at Gaeta.

TURKEY.
♦ NEW YINISTRT AT CONSTANTINOPLE.

The Ottoman Ministry, whose resignation the
Sultan recently refused to accept, has at length
definitively retired, and a new Ministry, with Redschid
Pacha at its head, has been formed.
On the 23rd of October it was definitively settled
at Constantinople between the Porte, England, and
Austria, that the occupation of the Black Sea and the
Danubian Principalities should be prolonged.
Accounts from Constantinople, of the 27th ult ,
state that the English squadron had been reinforced.
The commi:sion on the navigation of the Danube
was about to reassemble at Vienna. The Porte will
be represented at it.

1062

LORD PALMERSTON AT MANCHESTER.
LORD AND LADY PALMERSTON left town for Manchester
on Tuesday, and arrived the same evening at CI aremon t,
the seat of Sir Benjamin Heywood, Bart. On Wed-
nesday the noble lord visited the Exhibition of Art
Building, and different factories and public works in
the town. On Thursday the presentation of congra-
tulatory addresses took place. The first presentation
took place in the Peel-park, when the mayor and
corporation of Salford presented the noble lord with
an address from the borough, which expressed
" unfeigned admiration and respect" at the voluntary
relinquishment by the noble lord "of a hardly-
earned leisure " to discharge the duties of office, as
well as a sense of deep satisfaction and thankfulness
at the return of peace. Mr. Bro!herton, M.P., sup •
ported the address in a brief speech. He approved
of the noble lord's foreign policy. He supported
him when attacked in 1850, for, although it had been
said that Lord Palmerston was no friend of peace, he
would reply that as long as Lord Palmerston held the
seals of the Foreign-office he did preserve the peace
of Europe, and that by the wisdom of his adminis-
tration as Prime Minister he had terminated the
war by an honourable and satisfactory peace.
Lord Palmerston had also been connect3d with every
measure of reform that had passed since Mr. Bro-
therton had been in the house, and he lett sure that
the noble lord would continue to pursue that course
best adapted to promote the happiness and prospe-
rity of England. In conclusion, Mr. Brotherton
expressed his strongest conviction that the noble
lord's name would "go down to posterity among
those of the most distinguished statesmen of our
time, and as the zealous friend of freedom, progress,
and peace."
_ _

Lord PALMERSTON,' who was warmly received,
replied, expressing his gratification at the reception
he had met with in ➢lanchester. Such great com-
munities as tilanchester represented were especially
characteristic of the nature of that system of local
self-government so fortunately established, and by
which the affairs of the country were carried on with
little interference from the Executive, to the satisfac-
tion of the people, the benefit of the empire, and to
the raising the character and reputation of the
country. The hon. member for Salford had alluded
to his (Lord Palmerston's) foreign policy, and the
accusations of 1850 :

Those accusations allow me to say were founded on a
misconception of the nature of things—( cheers and laughter)
—for, depend upon it, that a country this, with great interests
at stake and a great reputation to maintain, with our fellow-
subjects scattered over the whole face of the globe, with
our property floating upon every ocean, with commercial
transactions extending to the remotest corners of the
earth—depend upon it, I say, that a country so circum-
stanced does well, acts wisely, to guard against the approach
of insult and the very appearance of wrong, and that it is
easier to stop the beginning of such affairs than to find a
remedy when the evil has risen to a great magnitude and
when great efforts may bt required to check it. Therefore,
my object throughout the transactions to which my hon.
friend has made reference was not to bring on war, but to
prevent war ; and rely upon it that that is the true policy
for this country. It is the policy which has been pursued
by all those statesmen of former times who have raised
most highly the reputation of this country and most en-
joyed the confidence of the people ; it is the policy, be
assured of it, which all enlightened statesmen will adopt,
and which all intelligent people will justify and approve.
Upon the point of future reforms, Lord Palmerston
said :

Progressive improvement is what every man studies to
practise in his private affairs, and why should not the
nation practise it also? When we look around, we find
that every man in his private capacity improves his estate
his house, his business, his machinery, his manufactures,
Then why should we not endeavour to be perpetually.
ameliorating those laws and institutions which, being
human, cannot be perfect, but which, according to the
progress of society and the change of circumstance, must
be continually in need of emendation and extension ?
The noble lord then alluded to the effect of moral
authority as the hest means of self-defence for a
nation, though of course all nations must possess
more material means for that purpose, and, after a
few compliments to Mr. Brotherton, shortly concluded.
The noble lord then took his departure amid the
cheers of the assembly. He repaired without delay
to the Town hall of Manchester, there to receive the
address of the Town Council, the Chamber of
Commerce, and the Commercial Association. The
building was crowded to excess, and presented a
brilliant and animated appearance. The mayor and
members of the corporation wore their robes of office.
The appearance on the platform of the Premier and
Lady Palmerston was the signal for some hearty
cheei ing.

Three a.ldresses were then read. They were
each highly complimentary to the noble lord, ex-
pressing the utmost confiience in Lord Palmerston
and his foreign policy. That from the Chamber of
Commerce called the Premier's attention to the pre-
carious nature of the supply of cotton, and to the

THE PRESS.

restrictive nature of our system of colonial govern-
ment.

Lord Palmerston, on rising to reply, was received
with most hearty cheers. Alluding to the impulse
given by free trade to the productive industry and
accumulated wealth of the country, as the best
argument to induce continental countries to follow
our example, the noble lord observed :

When they see how, by freedom of intercourse, the
wealth and prosperity of this country have increased they
cannot but think that the narrow principles upon which
their policy has hitherto been founded must be erroneous ;
and nation after nation, Government after Government,
are insensibly falling into our track. And I trust that if
peace shall continue in Europe—which I hope and believe
it will—the principle of freedom of commercial intercourse
is destined to take a great and rapid development ; and
that we shall find even those countries which we have
least hoped to see adopt it, tardily perhaps, but surely,
imitate our example. It is, however, amusing sometimes
to see the manner in which those who found their practice
upon different principles deal with those of a contrary
school. It was the cry in Germany when England fol.
lowed the restrictive system that England, by its prohibi
tions and duties, wanted to ruin Germany; that we wished
to sell without buying—a problem somewhat difficult to
realise—( laughter )—that we wished to inundate the Conti-
nent with our manufactures, and to take nothing in return
—a most generous and disinterested course, if it had been
pursued—(applause)—and that our restrictive system was,
in short, to be the ruin of continental industry. Well,
but now a different, an opposite complaint is made. They
say, " See the deep designs of those perfidious English
men. (Laughter.) They have abolished all their re-
strictions; they have allowed our corn to come in ; they
buy our corn out of our mouths, and the consumption of
foreign corn in England is raising the price of every
article of life upon the Continent." (Cheers and laughter.)
Well, gentlemen, I say that whatever Government shall
henceforward rule the destinies of this country, they must
found their policy upon this principle of freedom of trade,
and they must endeavour, by example, by argument, and
by all other means, to induce other countries to adopt it
in their turn. (Hear, hear.)

The noble lord then alluded to the difficulties of his
position on taking office, and attributed the result of
his endeavours to bring the war to a successful ter-
mination to the confidence and support of the Queen,
the spirit of the people, the heroic courage and en-
durance of our troops, the fidelity of our allies, and
the justice of our cause. Peace was now concluded :
he hoped it might be lasting :
Its duration (observed Lord Palmerston) must depend
upon the honour and fidelity with which its conditions al •
fulfilled. 3 trust that that power which brought upon itself
the hostility, either active or moral, of all Europe, by a
forgetfulness of international rights and duties-1 trust
that that power, having concluded a treaty, will observe
that treaty, and fulfil it with faithfulness, and then, no
doubt, peace will be of long duration.

With respect to reforms, progressive improvement
was the law of our moral nature, and it would of
course be the object of the Government to occupy
themselves in carrying out permanent improvements.
Lord Palmerston then alluded to a reference made
to the protection of British subjects abroad :

Gentlemen, it has been observed—and I am much flat-
tered by the observation—that in the course of my admi-
nistration of the foreign affairs of the country I was careful
of the interests of her subjects in foreign parts. (Ap.
plause.) In that respect I have felt that I was only the
organ of the British nation. I felt that any Government
that did not extend the strong arm of protection to all
those who are in the right, in any part of the world, would
not be the faithful organs of the people whom they were
appointed to govern ; and there is this to be remarked
about that—that the difficulties that may arise in regard
to the protection of individuals from wrong are difficulties
which generally arise in weak and small States. Larger
powers are above these things. The men who govern
them have a regard for the honour of their country ; they
are men whose personal feelings teach them to discern
right and wrong; and therefore, with the larger powers—
either of Europe or the United States—we have little
difficulty in protecting subjects, because there we find a
sense of right and wrong that, when appealed to, is sure
to obtain justice and redress. (Hear, hear.) It is among
the smaller States, where, from various circumstances
which I don't wish now to go into, the principles of right
and wrong are not quite so steadily kept in view—
(laughter)—it is there that we are most frequently called
upon to interfere. And then, when we do interfere, people
say, "Ah ! you attack the weak." Why, those countries
abuse their weakness; they make their weakness the pre-
tence for doing evil, trusting that you will overlook their
delinquencies, merely because you are able to obtain re-
dress for yourselves.

In conclusion, Lord Palmerston promised that the
serious attention of the Government should be given
to the cotton supply question, and resumed his seat
amidst hearty cheers.
The noble lord then visited the Exchange and other
parts of the city, and in the course of the evening
attended a meeting of the Mechanics' Institute in
the Free trade Hall.

Mr. HtTwoon having addressed the meeting at
some length, the noble lord rose, and, characterising
the two distinctive features of the age as the princi-
ple of co-operation for common things and the diffu
sion of knowledge, proceeded to point out the advan-
tages of education and information. He was opposed

SATURDAY,

to the old saying, that a little knowledge was a
dangerous thing :
A little knowledge is better than no knowledge at
all. The more knowledge a man has the better,
but if his time and the means at his disposal do not
permit of his acquiring deep and accurate knowledge, let
him have as much as he can, and, depend upon it, he will
he all the better fur ii—kuulittuueLl appittubt.:)--ituu,
although he may not be able to drink deeply of that
spring, if his lips have once tasted it he will go back
to the same delicious waters whenever he has an oppor.
tunity; and his draughts, be they great or small, wil
refresh his fancy, invigorate his intellect, raise hira in
the scale of civilisation, contribute to his individual
happiness, and make him a more useful and honourable
member of society. And why should not a life of labour
be now and then cheered by the cultivation of the
imaginative faculties? Why should not a day of
fatigue be relieved in the evening by the occasional
indulgence in the pleasura of poetry, and in that delightful
enjoyment which t,e best works of fiction impart? Such
occasional recreations, though they ought not to be the
sole object of reading, are nevertheless useful, by giving
buoyancy to the intellect and inspiring the mind with
noble sentiments and feelings which deserve to be culti.
vated. You cannot expect that a working man having
but a small portion of time to devote to pursuits of this
description should become an historian, but why should
he not, by books well adapted fur the purpose, gain a
general knowledge of the history of this country, learn
something of the rise, decay, and fall of empires, and
judge of the causes which contribute to national
prosperity and to national ruin ? It is clear,
therefore, that institutions which promote such desirable
objects are eminently deserving of the support of the
people; they are peculiarly congenial to the habits of the
British nation, and they are singularly in accordance with
the spirit of the British constitution. They tend to bring
together the different classes of society, combining them
in the bonds of good fellowship, alloying their jealousies,
mitigating their asperities, and causing them to work
together in harmonious action for the general benefit of
tie commonwealth. (Cheers.)
Professor SCOTT and Dr. VAUGHAN also addressed
the meeting at some length, and the proceedings
terminated at ten o'clock. Yesterday the noble lord
visited Liverpool.

THE EBINBURGH CRIMEAN BANQUET.
THE banquet to the Crimean soldiers in Edinburgh
took place in the Corn Exchange there yesterday
week, and was a most brilliant and successful
demonstration. The hall was profusely decorated
with military trophies, consisting in great part of
spoils taken from the Russians, over which waved
the flags of the gallant regiments invited to the
banquet. Surmounting the whole was emblazoned
the significant scroll, " Vicicome to Auld Reekie."
Flags, banners, emblematic figures, illuminations,
and armorial devices surrounded the hall, and what
with the brilliant uniforms of the guests, the orna-
ments of the tables, and the bright dresses of the
ladies, the scene was one hitherto unequalled in the
old city.
The number of troops and guests present con-
siderably exceeded 2,000. The galleries on three
sides of the hall were occupied by nearly 500
ladies, exhibiting a most brilliitnt array of beauty and
fashion.

The chairman's table was placed across the upper
end of the hall, and from it ten tables extended to
the bottom. Each table accommodated about 140.

The chair was occupied by the Right Hon. the
Lord Provost, Lord Lieutenant of the city. On his
right sat the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, K.T.,
Viscount Melville, commanding in North Britain ;
Captain Ramsay, R.N., C. 8., late of the Bitinheim.
On his lordship's left were Lord Gray of Kinfauns,
Lieutenant• Colonel M'Mahon, sth Dragoon Guards ;
Captain W. H. Hall, C. 8., late of the Ilecla ;
Lieutenant-Colonel Hamley, R.A., Sir John M'Neill,
G.C.B.

The guests were provided with a good and sub-
stantial dinner, with a quart of pale ale and a pint of
wine each.

The toast of " The Queen " was received with the
warmest enthusiasm by the whole company, as was
Rico that of " The Prince Consort and the Royal
Family."
The Earl of DALKEITB having proposed the next
toast, " The Navy,"
Captain RAMSAY, C. 8., replied, and referred to the
impracticable nature of the service in the Baltic and
Black Sea, so far as bringing the Russians out to
action. The spirit of our men was always up to the
fighting point, and in illustration of this Captain
ltamsay alluded to a small circumstance that oc-
curred up the Baltic, which showed their readiness
and enthusiasm
At the commencement of the siege of Bomarsund, the
four line•of battle ships which were more specially em-
ployed in that service, a little after four in the morning,
had landed large parties of men to drag the guns up to a
position from which they might take the enemy's forte.
These men had got their breakfasts at four in the morn-
ing, and were employed in dragging up their guns till
half-past three in the afternoon, when they had arrived at
the position in which they were to remain for the night.