The Press.
London, England, 1858-10-16 00:00:00

THE PRESS, OCTOBER 16, 1858.

1006

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jortign (torrtsponbenct.

Pants, Thursday.
WHAT may be called the " political season " has
opened with a good deal of spirit. Emperor and
Ministers have only just returned from the holiday
excursions of the summer, and diplomatists and infe-
rior politicians are only just beginning to do so; and
yet we have already on hand two grand affairs
which are creating quite a sensation. The first is
that with Portugal, the second the assassination of
the French and Spanish (not English, as at first
stated) Consuls at Tetuan, in Morocco. Of the
latter affair we have as yet no details; it is, however,
supposed that the Consuls, both of whom, by the
way, were Jews, have fallen victims to an out-
break of Mussulman fanaticism similar to that which
lately stained Jeddah with blood. Of course severe
retribution will be taken for the crime ; and the
crime itself will afford France and Spain an excellent
opportunity of doing what they have long desired—
give a good lesson to, and perhaps take territory
from, the barbaric Majesty of Morocco. The Por-
tuguese case, which has burst on the public with
suddenness, will undoubtedly, us you announced in
your last, be satisfactorily arranged, and I believe
that the basis of the arrangement is already perfectly
agreed to between the French Government and the
Portuguese Ambassador in this city, M. de Paiva.
As, however, the public do not of enures know day by
day what takes place in diplomatic circles, they have
been rather startled by the announcement, on semi-
official authority, that, in addition to the despatch of
two ships of war, the Donawerth and the Austerlitz,
to the Tagus, the French Cabinet yesterday sent to
Lisbon an ultimatum which, couched in very impe-
rious terms, requires instant compliance with its
demands—that is to say, the surrender of the French
ship, the Charles Georges, and the promise of
an indemnity to its owner and crew, and which
threatens that the French Minister at Lisbon
shall immediately break off diplomatic relations
and leave in the event of the slightest hesitation being
manifested by the Portuguese Government. The
alarm has been somewhat increased by the report
that the two ships of war have orders, in case the
Portuguese Government be not yielding, to seize the
Charles Georges, or if it be out of their reach to
pounce on some Portuguese vessel. But I repeat that
the matter will be—in fact virtually is—arranged.
An arrangement being certain, it may be thought in
England that the French Government need not
have carried matters with such a very high hand,
especially as some little consideration was due to the
Portuguese King, not only on account of his political
weakness, but of his being a personal friend of the
French Emperor, having twice been his Majesty's
guest for somewhat lengthened periods. It must,
however, be remembered that the French like to
see their Government act with rough and ready
military energy, and that that Government gladly
seizes esery opportunity of doing what is agreeable
to them, and of giving them something to talk about.
" Il taut quo j'amuse mes badauds !" said the Em-
peror of the French to a distinguished English
statesman some little time ago ; and I think you would
not be far wrong in supposing that the desire to amuse
the badauds has had almost as much to do in creating
the " Portuguese question" as the laudable deter-
mination not to allow a French shipowner to
be wronged. Some of the continental journals, I
see, in order to make as much "capital " out of tee
affair as possible, are representing that England
excited Portugal to resist the French demands, and
that it is consequently against her in reality that the
demonstration in the Tagus is directed. Lut this is
pure nonsense. Nevertheless, be not surprised if,
when the affair is settled, you should hear the said
journals proclaim aloud that England has received
a profound humiliation at the hands of France.
Strange to say, the official Moniteur thus far—
though ao ready to talk to the public—has not had
a single word on the subject. Before quitting the
matter, I may notice that the Toulon journals, re-
ceived this morning, state that the Mediterranean
squadron in that port had received orders by tele-
graph to prepare for sea by this day, and that its
destination was supposed to be Lisbon. Even, how-
ever, if the affair were not certain to be arranged,
this version could not be true : a whole fleet is not
required to coerce a small State like Portugal, any
more than a wheel is needed to break a fly.
The Emperor, after spending several days at the
camp at Chalons, and personally commanding the
troops in some grand manoeuvres with, dit-on, all the
strategical ability of ma consummate general ; and the

Empress, after going down to the camp to join his
Majesty, and " assisting " with him at a magnificent
review, seated on a splendid charger, and looking
every inch a sovereign—after this their Majesties
made on Monday a solemn entrance into the fine city
of Rheims, where the kings of the old dynasties were
crowned, where the oil with which they were
anointed was miraculously preserved for generation
after generation, and where, if anywhere in France,
one would have thought that the remembrance of
the ancient royal race would have been preserved
with respectful affection—and there, at Rheims, the
royal Rheims, the population high and low, erected
triumphal arches, and put flags at every window, and
turned out in a mighty mass, and raised shouts
loud and long to welcome the Imperial pair.
Verily there is some strange charm in Napo-
leouism ; so deeply does it stir the hearts of
this people, be they stoiid Flemings. or mercurial
Southerns, Catholic Bretons, or winebibbing Chain.
pagnese. And verily it seems that the cause of the
Bourbons must be for ever hopeless, when Napu-
leon 111. makes a triumphal progress through that
Brittany which in the great Revolution shed its blood
like water for them, and is greeted with enthusiastic

acclamations in that self-acme Rheims in which they
and their ancestors for centuries back were crowned.

The Imperial visit to the " coronation city " has
given rise to a report that the Emperor has revived
a project which has long been supposed to be dear
to his heart—that of having himself and the Empress
solemnly crowned, as the founder of his race and
the Empress Josephine were. Although his Majesty's
prestige is certainly almost as high as it well can
be, a formal coronation would cast an additional halo
around him, and would bring him, so to speak, more
closelyinto the family of hereditary sovereigns. And—
a thing not to be disregarded—it would give occupa-
tion to the minds of the people for months before
and months after it should take place; and at the
same time it would—a still more important
consideration—put large quantities of money into
the purses of the Parisian lieges, by attracting to
this city hosts of wealthy foreigners. In connection
with this subject, it may be mentioned that a vague
report has lately been prevalent that the Emperor
and Empress will, in the course of the spring, go to
Rome to visit the Pope. If their Majesties should
do so, his Holiness would undoubtedly have to return
the visit at Paris ; and what can a Pope come to
Paris for, unless it be to crown an Emperor?
" Fast as Law and Church can make them,"
Marshal Pelissier and Mlle. de Paniega are now one.
Their civil marriage was celebrated on Tuesday
afternoon, at the Mairie of the first arrondissement
of Paris; their religious marriage on Tuesday night,
in the chapel of the Palace of St. Cloud. Unusual
hours were selected for the performance of both
ceremonies, probably to show to the public that the
wedding was no ordinary one; but, on the whole,
the affair was got through with much less eclat than
' had been expected. Ministers, senators, and other
great dignitaries, and all the high gentlemen and
ladies of the Court were present both at lay and
ecclesiastical marriage, and the Emperor and Em-
press, and all the members of the Imperial family,
honoured the last one with their august presence.
But, beyond the mere assemblage of the distin-
guished and Imperial personages, there WAS no
pomp. It is probable that, before this letter reaches
you, the Marshal and his beautiful bride will be in
London, via Dieppe and Brighton. The old soldier
is quite impatient to present the new Duchess de
Malakoff to London society.
As was to be expected, the translation of Lord
Normanby's spiteful—l had almost written slanderous
—book about the " Year of Revolution, 1848 " has
caused a good deal of irritation amongst two great
political parties, the Orleauists and the Republicans,
owing to the terms in which it speaks of public
men whom they reverence; and it has occasioned
scarcely less irritation amongst Frenchmen !n
general, owing to the contemptuous manner in
which their country and the Government.it thought
fit for a while to adopt are treated. 1 ery harsh
things indeed are said of Lord Normanby for
having attacked eminent personages who showed
him marked kindness when be was Ambassador
here ; and universal astonishment is expressed that
a man who has been Cabinet Minister and Ambas-
sador, and who therefore may be supposed to possess
a certain degree of political importance, should boo o
devoid of political tact, and even of ordinary gd
feeling, as to publish a book calculated (so far as
so small a thing can) to create dissension and revive
animosity between England and France, at the very'
time at which the rulers, the statesmen, and the best
and wisest men of both countries are sparng no
effort to draw closer their alliance.

THE SEWERS RATEPAYERS' ASSOCIATION have
passed a series of resolutions condemnatory of the
plan for the interception of the sewage of London
adopted by the Metropolitan Board of Works, in-
, volving a heavy outlay and consequent taxation.