The Express.
London, England, 1847-11-05 00:00:00

put an obstacle in the way of it, are you disposed to disregard
her ? You must reply, in order that we may well know ow
far passion can carry you. Audit as we are willing to be-
lieve, you would retreat before the danger of a rupture, of
what use is it to make France assume without necessity an
odious part which you dare not even play to the end ? Of
what use is it to place yourselves in the situation doubly
bad, of creating, at pleasure, contrary to good sense, contrary
to right, a perilous eventuality, without being able or willing
to meet the consequences ? It is, on the whole, a ridiculous
braggadocio which has no other issue than an immense
danger. But in default of justice, can the cabinet allege the
interest of France ? We have shown how much we have
reason to remain, if not indifferent, at least inactive, with
respect to Switzerland. But, assuredly, if it were permitted
to the minisiry to abandon neutrality, it ought not to be for
the advantage of the Sonderbund. let our government not
alarm itself at theehances of a possible war, when • threat-
ened nationality has to be defended ; let it intervene fur
Poland or fur Italy, and the country will willingly follow it
in that generous path. Is it not fur the honour and also for
the interest of France to come in aid to oppressed nations?
and do we not remeseat the ideas of emancipation and of
liberty in the world? For this noble cause, destroy the
treaties of Vienna, the shameful witnesses of our defeats, and
we will applaud your courage, we will praise your initiative,
without disquieting ourselves with the discontent of Europe.
But you, who have permitted Austria to shed the blood of
Galicia, Russia to destroy Poland—you, who yesterday
crushed the Portuguese insurrection, and who today leave
trembling Italy to struggle under the burden of the yoke--
you have lost the right to erect yourselves into protector:: of
the cause of minorities put down by a tyrannical government.

-
We have received further advices from Berne,
together with the journals of the 3lst. As we stated
yesterday, the question respecting the attitude of
neutrality desired by the principality-canton of
Neufchatel was referred to the committee of the diet
on the league. That committee presented its report
at the meeting of the diet, held on the evening of
Saturday last, the 30th. The following is a short
summary of the proceedings of the diet on that
evening :
The committee Implied that the diet ehould decide that
Neufchatel should be summoned to call out its contingent
immediately, and to place it at the disposition of the federal
commandant, making it responsible for the consequences of
its refusal or delay, with a reserve to the diet to take further
measures. After the committee's report wan read the de-
puty of Thurgau, who drew it up, contended that Neuf-
chatel could not be permitted to take a neutral position,
as it pretended itself entitled to do. A lever was next
read from the deputy of Neufchatel to the president of
the diet, protesting against troops being sent to that
canton. The deputy of Neufchatel then argued that his
state could not and ought not to he called on to cooperate
with a military force in carrying into effect a decree against
confederates whose convictions it shares. The deputies of
Zurich, Glaris, Soleare, Schaffhausen, Apprised' Exterior,
Saint Gall, Argau, Thurgau, Tessino, Vend, Geneva, and
Beret., maintained that Neufchatel was bound to obey the
orders of the Diet; and the deputies of Appeneell Exterior,
and Bale-Ville, spoke in favour of Neufchata I. In the course
of his speech the deputy of Berne stated that the envoy of
the King of Prussia had waited on him on the previous day,
and had expressed in the King's name the desire that the
troops should not be called out; to whom he replied that he
would communicate that desire to the competent authorities.
The deputy of Neufchatel demanded that his protest against
the military occupation of that canton should be inserted in
the protocol. A decision was then come to, when the pre-
position of the committee was adopted by the twelve states
and two half states of the majority.
The utmost activity is exhibited in the military
preparations at Berne. Couriers and aides-de-camp
are despatched in all directions. Troops, ammunition
waggons, and baggage carts are continually seen pass-
ing, and all Switzerland presents the aspect of one
vast camp. The president of the canton of Vaud
arrived at Berne on the 29th, and reported that his can-
ten had 32,000 men under arms, whose zeal exceeded
all description. Letters from Zug had announced
that a considerable number of conservatives had
joined the federal party in that canton, and expressed
an earnest desire that it should detach itself from the
Sonderbund. The four divisions of the federal army,
under Colonels Itilliet, Bourckhart, Donatz, and
Ziegler, had received orders to march on the 30th, and
several battalions of the reserve were called out to
reinforce the other troops.
Several of the journals in the immediate seats of
military operations have announced that they will
discontinue their regular publication, and will confine
themselves to publish occasional bulletins of the
army.
The Augsburg Gazette, under the date of Stuttgard,
28th Oct., says :
Count Munch Bellinghausen, president of the federal
diet, arrived here yesterday from Carlsruhe, to confer with
our government on the conduct to be adopted relative to the
affairs of Switzerland. It is known that the three states
of Germany, Bavaria, Wirtemberg, and linden, have
not thought proper to comply with the invitation of Austria,
by marching troops on to the frontiers of Switzerland. in
consequence of the presence of the federal envoy, the report
(which appears to originate from an authentic rouree) has
been spread to-day, that Baden had contracted the engage-
ment of making a demonstration in favour of the cantons of
the Sonderbund, on its frontiers, by Bending troops thither.
Nothing of the kind, as far as we can learn, has been decided
upon here ; and, in all probability, Wirtemberg will not
interfere in the concerns of its neighbouring state.

Letters from Tuscany continue to represent the
population as excited in a high degree in consequence
of the transfer of the districts of that state named in
the treaty of Vienna to the Modenese.
The Alba of Florence of the 27th ult. states that,
in consequence of the late disturbance, the people
arrested all the abirri of the old police on the 26th.
None of them were struck or otherwise insulted. A
letter from &masa, in the same journal, states that
the ex-Hereditary Prince of Lucca, on passing
through that town, was obliged to have recourse to
the protection of the police to save himself from po-
pular indignation. But having arrived near Lerici,
a little place on the Gulf of Spezzia, he was sur-
rounded by more than two hundred peasants, who, in
spite of the escort, stopped his carriage, and forced
him to cry " Long live Pius IX." He complained to
the authorities at Genoa, who merely expressed their
concern at his not having demanded a more numerous
escort.

The Madrid journals and correspondence of the
29th ult. have arrived. Rumours of ministerial changes
before the meeting of the Cortes were circulated, and
their probability was admitted by the moderado
party. In fact, it is impossible to conjecture, on any
reasonable grounds of judgment, for 24 successive
hours, what may or may not take place in the Spanish
government.
One of the journals says that Espartero has ac-
cepted the London embassy. but that before he assumes
its functions he must return to Madrid and take his
seat in the senate.

By the arrival of the Levant mail we are in pos-
session of the journals and our private correspondence
from Constantinople to the 18th, and from Athens to
the 22nd ult., from Alexandria to the 19th, and
from Malta to the 26th ult. The details of
our correspondence will be found in another
column. A collision had taken place between
the senate of Athens and the King, on the subject of
the address. The senate rejected the ministerial ad-
dress voted by the representative chamber, and pro-
poeed one which contained reflections, among other
subjects, on the disorder of the finances and the im-
proper proceedings adopted at the late elections. The
King refused to receive the address, and threatened to
appoint another senate.
The entire commerce of Greece in the Levant has
been paralysed by the state to which the difference
with the Porte has brought the country. Our letters
from Athens say, that in some cases attempts arc made
to evade the measures adopted by Turkey, by in-
dacing the Russian authorities to consent to the use
of that flag. The Constantinople journals say, that
in consequence of the circular instructions issued by
the Porte, the Viceroy of Egypt has signified to all
Greek agents in his province, that all relations with
the Greek government are suspended. Intelligence
had also arrived at Constantinople, that the Hoe-1
podars of Wallachia and Moldavia had broken off all
consular and commercial relations with Greece.
The news received from Trebisond, on the 15th,
was satisfactory. The cholera continued to abate in ,1
the suburbs, and had every appearance of arriving at
a speedy termination. On the 10th the epidemic still
prevailed, bat very slightly, in the town. Not more
than three or four cases per day were declared, in a
population of 40,000. The inhabitants, who had fled
the city in alarm, were returning.

MADRID, Ocr. 29.
The continuance of Narvaez without a portfolio,
and the consequent diminution of his sphere of action,
as well as of his pay, give some colour to the reports
that prevail of the gradual eclipse and probable ex-
tinction of his power by Christina. A certain mode-
ration visible in the official appointments lately made
has been advanced as a proof that the Queen-Mother's
influence is not yet paramount ; because, in that case
it might be supposed that she would open the door of
the cabinet to Mon. Pidal, and Martinez de la Rosa.
Ilut, perhaps, the new influence is not blind to the ad-
vantage of creeping by artful and almost impercepti-