The Express.
London, England, 1849-09-26 00:00:00

OUTGOING MAILS.

The mails Lr Vigo, Oporto, Lisboa, Madeira, Cadiz, and
Gibraltar, will be made rip to morrow morning, Sept. 27.
The malls for British North America and the United
States will be made up on the evening of 8. pt. 28.
The West India Ilails, incindiag Marinade, Havanna,
Naomi, Madams, New Orleans, and Mezieo, and excluding
those ler Madeira, Bt. Jaan-do•Nicaragna, New Granada,
Chili, and Pero, will be made lip on Oct. 2.
The mails far Madeira, the Brut's, and Buenos Ayres,
will be made up ow the evening of Oct. 4.
The mails, too Marseilles, to the Mediterranean, Egypt,
Ceylon. India, Hong-Kong, &o. will be made up on the
evening of °stab,/ 8.
The =Mister Gibraltar, Malta, Greece, the lonian Islands,
Egypt, Ceylon, India, and China, vie Bmithamptos, will
M made lip on the morning of Oat. 20.

NlOll WATIN AT LONDON DIMON
Two DAT—Kandag, AL $ a Aftsraems. I.
To-restAw —Manias, IA No. Mows.* 16

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26.

The statesmen of Austria have before them cer-
tainly the most difficult tasks that were ever assigned
to political science. They have to reorganise and
hold together in one empire provinces and countries
of the most opposite interests, of diverse languages,
and of a mutual repugnance, which at every
epportunity produces the embraing their hands
in each others' blood. It was impossible, indeed,
to behold Austria or its Chancery dragging
along with it its rebellions provinces, without
being reminded of the old French plan of fetter-
ing a score of convicts to the same heavy chain,
and dragging them acme the country to their des-
tined bagnio, in this public state of suffering and
degradation.
This old system of coercion produced such terrible
convulsions in 1848, such a disruption of fetter', such
• servile and axial war, that even the most
despotic statesman feels the necessity of dis-
covering some moral means of commanding the
respect and tranquillity of the subject populations.
On this point there are two opinions at the court of
Vienna ; one is that whilst military despotism acts as
the material spring of government, a restoration of
the old religious supremacy of monkdom will suffice fur
the moral. SCIIWAEZENBERO and STADION questioned
the efficacy of this ; and the were forced to question
it, by_tho circumstance of Prussia, the great rival of
Austria having adopted the representative system,
and recommended itself not only to Prussians,
but to Germans, by the show at least, if
not by the reality, of constitutionalism. To
leave this beau role to Prussia were evidently for
Austria to abdicate its German supremacy or influ-
ence. And thus does the German public, or plebs,
however crushed and conquered, still command the
two rivals which cue for its favour', to outbid each
other, in at least the appearance of popular con-
cessions.

There are, however, some Austrian statesmen who
would make the experiment with sincerity—who
would set aside the dowagers of the court,
the priestly party, and the military exe-
cutioners. They would carry out, as far as
can bs done, the constitution of the 4th
of March. Teey believe that each province might
have its local diet, and that a general representative
parliament with two chambers might sit at Vienna,
and notwithAanding the polyglott nature of their
debater, agre e in common legislation for the empire.
We must confess that such a diet strikes us as an
impossibility and aheurdity. We do not see how the
honourable members for Agram or Hermannstadt
can ever comprehend or act with the deputies from
Brescia or Pavia, or how the "rude Carinthian boor"
can mediate with effect to reconcile differences which
equally separate him from such colleagues.
It is evident that the deputies of every
.province
must have disticet political tenders es and interests,
and evident that patriotism, which is each a bond
amidst people of the same land and race, must in
Austria be a 'iron; dissolvent. There is no feeling
save teat of loyalty, and attachment to the reigning
house which could in the least act as a principle for
drawing the people together. But of the future
loyalty of the Lombard., or of the Hungarians, to the
House of Hapsburg every one can judge.
The English organ of tee Austrian government an-
nounces that it is not the intention of the court of
Vienna to make the least we., in the government of
Hungary, of those Hungarian nobles who remained
faithful to it. These are denounced as the Orange-
men of Hungary, whose loyalty is inconvenient. As
it is the purpose of SCHWATHSNIISM; to subject
Hungarian proprietors to the burden of the Austtian
debt, it is of COUTO^ necessary that he should govern
Hungary—that is, tax it, by other than Hungarian in-
strunieuts. The result will merely be to perpetuate
disaffection, to make even GEOROZT'S soldiers
regret KOSSUTH, and to necessities the military
occupation of the csantry by large armies, with an
auxiliary Russian one at Craoow, for the accomplish-
ing the abrogation of the old Hungarian rights and
constitution by a wholesale spoliation of Hungarian
property—such as is the subjecting it to the Austrian
debt. this is merely to give a fresh and jester
pretext far rebellion than those which already
existed.
Yet there are many good things in the Austrian
constitution of the 4th of March. It is at least not
an aristocratic constitudon, unless so far as it is
based on wealth. The payment of 18a. of direct an-
nual tax constitutes the franchise. The upper cham-
ber is elective. So that the feudal aristocracy must
show capacity or acquire popularity, to be chosen
to either chamber. To raise the wealthy and en-
lightened of the middle-class on the ruins of the
feudal aristocracy, which is indeed the policy of the
Austrian government in Lombardy, in Hungary, and
in Gallicia, was indeed the aim of the authors of this
constitution, which oou.d not hare to centralise the
empire. except by the removal of such obstaeer. It is
impossible for liberals not to applaud the means,
however they may disapprove of the end. Whilst at
the same time they must despair of the definitive
success of a plan which at once alienates the noblesse
and upper classes in each province, without develop.
ing and satisfying the popular party. Prince
SCHWABEENBERO will find his iris& males, like M.
GUIZofa, untenable, for it is literally without a basis,
or without a party beyond the knot of mete official
adherents.

The chief objection, therefore, to pen the sine- re
'des of realising the constitution of March is, the un-
likelihood amounting to impossibility, of its belts; ever
carried out. The court will not be true to it. Prussia
will not abide it. The aristocracy will oppose it.
Russia will frown upon it. The military party will
at mos rebel against it, and being virtually posesimed
of the administration of the more important pro-
vinces, will openly est it at nought ; and the cry will
arias, that the experiment of constitutional federalism
has faded, and that the paternal and concentrated go-
vernment of the EMFEROR is the only one possible or
suitable to the requirement of such a heterogeneous
and disconnected man.

Is ever any men had need to pray for deliverance
from the tender mercies of their friend., the tenant
farmers of England are the men. For a long time
the term " Farmers' friend," when attributed to or
amused by a public man, indicated a thorough going
advocate of the law made to keep up rents, and was
generally enjoyed by those political landlords who
had the narrowest margins of rent after payment of
the interest on their incambrances. For example,
the Duke of BUCKINGHAM, whose reasons for seek-
ing to uphold rents are now patent enough, was
deemed especially " the farmers' friend." But though
the protectionist system has been thrown overboard,
the efforts of protectionist cliques and their organs
are still dirnted to depress the hopes and fetter the
exertions of the farmers. As an instance, there has
been throughout the present year a systematic effort
on the part of the protectionists to Induce farmers to
believe that prices will be ruinously low. And there
is no doubt that much of the alarm which exists in
curtain agricultural minds has been the result of these
efforts. That monopoly prices can be obtained is not to
be expected, and no farmer who is master of his business
and understands his own interest, desires anything of
the sort. But, in truth, prior are not low. The ag-
gregate average pries of wheat, for the last six weeks,
is 4 ifs. Id.; a pries at which no energetic farmer
need be daunted. And during the Wt fortnight
there are signs that prices of grain have gone down
below the natural point, and artily of the market has
been the consequence. Our markets were lower than
the continental markets, regard being had to their
relative positions, and the self-interest of the dealers
warned them that it was time to get into

stook. Still the Mamma arrow of passed
away monopoly are prophesying later prices as
the consequence of free-trade. A the fore-
woe of Asa croakers is the 11f Esprerm,
which, in its review of the oorn tads during the
pest week. says, " The report. as to the yield and
quality of the crops confirm the favourable anticipa-
twns previously induled, and we have no hesitation
in estimating the prod-ace of this year's harvest above
that of average seasons." Now, in all quarters, the
fanners who have thrashed any of their corn are
nearly unanimous in declaring themselves disap-
pointed with the yield of grain, in proportion to the
straw; while on wide tracts of heavy land the plant
was decidedly deficient.
Several notices to that effect have appeared in the
columns of the Empress. Now, however, there is
some danger of the agricultural mind being restored
to its bsisSost the prospect of the narrow limits
within which prices are likely to fluctuate with an
open trade, and ideal terrors are again to be excited.
Following out the tams view, the Reviewer, while con-
strained to admit the spread of disease amongst the
potatoes, adds" the blight is by no mean so general
as in former seasons, and this root having been rather
extensively grown, we are disposed to think that that
portion of the crop which has escaped will yield a
larger quantity of potatoes than we have had in
ei• her of the preceding seasons since the first
appearance of the disease." We most sin-
esnlY hope that the disease may prove lees de-
ign:dive than heretofore, for we regard the potato
Wight m a most signal calamity to our working. popu-
lation ' • but he who knows what is going on in our
potato fields most be blind to the lemons of ex-
perience if he con really reckon en the crop
as safe. From this cause it is by no means unlikely
that we shall this year again owe it to free trade in
grain that we be not afflicted with scarcity pikes.
Shedd the potatoes generally fail, it is doubtful
whether our own crops of grain would prevent a coo-
siderable and unwholesome rise in prices. The fol-
lowing passages will perhaps serve to indicate the
parrs* with which the grain is said, by the Re-
viewer, to be so abundant, and the potatoes so compa-
ratively safe:
Believing that the aggregate produce of grain sad pulse
affords • not inconsiderable excess compared with what have
bean maidered good seasons, we are clearly of opinion that
the effect of foreign importations must be to depress prices
in this county to a point highly injurious to the native pro.
dater. We are eoniieqaen yat a loss to account, on any
thing like reasonable grounds, for the advance which has
taken places in the value of wheat linos oar last
and much question whether the improvement will
be maintained fur any length of time. Oar own
impression is, that good qualities of red wheat are not likely
to rule over 40s. per qr.; and notwithstanding the firm tens
which the trade Wu assumed, we should be disposed to fix
the price rather below than above that point, feeling satis-
fied that oar continental neighbours will keep as well
espolied.
This is applied tothe past week, yet Mark-lane Mon-
day's market report, in the same pace, tells us "the
demand [for wheat] was rather motive in the early
part of the morning, and though there was lees incli-
nation to buy towards the close, the stands were
cleared without any decline being submitted to, and
prices may be considered the same as on this
day wick." There was no disposition to
pram the sale of foreign wheat, and the
spread of the potato disease is again recognised. So
again in the very text column, under the head of
foreign corn trade, it is stated that prices of grain in
the United States bad been "tolerably well sup-
ported," and that "the value of flour bad rather ad-
vanced," though the dell reports from Europe and
want of orders from England "had prevented much
brakes being done in breadstuffs." On the continent
of Europe prices have kept up " in consequence of
the generally reduced state of the stocks of old
grain • and at some of the ports flour had advanced
on the report of the "upward movement" at Mark-
lane. At Danzig the best wheats are 425. to 435. per
quarter, and the common sorts—which are very in-
terior—from 34a. to 365. per quarter free on board ;
saile the mere freight to London was 3a. Gd.
the quarter. At Hamburg red wheat " could not
be bought below 39e. 31. per quarter." At Rotter-
dam, Antwerp, and in France prices were about the
tame, and a rise in these markets occurred in instant
response to the rise in oar own markets. In the
Mediterranean, " Polish Odessa wheat and similar
sorts had, notwithstanding the total cessation of de-
mand on British account, been held pretty
Here we see that we hold the key of the world's
market ; that as the most effective purchasers we
give the tone to prices; that being enabled, as we
now are, to draw oar supplies of food from the whole
world, we are well wonted against rapid and
exorbitant advances of price while our pro-
ducers are no less secure against the rapid deprecia-
tion which occurred from a sudden influx of foreign
corn by the opening of the ports. The foreign power
to supply our market will henceforth necessarily
form one of the elements of any calculation as to pro-
bable prices of grain in this country; but now to
hold oat the foreign supply as a bugbear to our
farmers would be simply ridiculous, but for the
sinister political objects with which it is connected,
and its practical operation in depressing the trade in
agricultural produce. The following remarks from
the same pen betray a purpose not to be mistaken.
After admitting that in the agricultural markets the
rise in the price of wheat has been even greater than
in Mark-lane, the reviewer says :
That this impaereasat will have the effect of causing
more free deliveries is, we think, probable, sad as the quan-
tity of foreign wheat oa passage to this country is not unim-
portant, it is more than likely that supplies will, in the
moms of a week or two, exceed what may be wanted for im-
snaliate we, sad as we can scarcely mlcniate on any spe-
culative demand, we are certainly not sanguine of any hu-
shes Unarm
This sort of comment, when viewed in connexion
with the actual state of the corn markets, here and

abroad, certainly has a very "bearish" aspect, and is
certainly adapted to damp the hopes of milers of
grain to the gain of buyers, who can look at the real
state of the corn trade, nnobscured by the haze of
protectionist politic,. And the writer seems
conscious that some sort of apology is needed,
for he directly adds, "This view may be
deemed too desponding, but we have well
considered the matter, and should regard it as alike
unwise and culpable hold out hopes to our agricul-
tural friends which we feel fully satisfied would prove
delusive. The effects of free trade were sufficiently
shown last year, when with defortive come in Eng-
land and famine in Ireland, rendering inmettee im-
portations necessary, the supplies more than ketvt
pace with the demand, and prices never once rallied
from the time the duties were abashed." Can this
writer really believe that such twaddle will be sur-
°opted by our Intelligent farmers ? Besides the
opening of our markets to foreign corn for the first
which led to large importations at a loss to the
importers, this was then nearly the only market in
which prodess could be converted into money, and,
after all prices were not very low, when -
ferior quality of most of the English grownwheat
be taken into consideration.

Let the faets of the corn trade,here and elsewhere, be
fairly and hilly stated—let it be said, also said broadly,
that moderate prices for grain mast be deemed the
ordinary state of ths ; bat we do protest against
this draining after ictions of falling prices—pre-
diction which the data afforded by the prophet him-
self directly teed to contradict—io order to minister
to the ignorant prejudices of trammelled farmers, or
the sinister objects of feeble politicians. At this mo-
ment it is rot am much the actual prices of which the
farmer complains, as the want of activity in the
trade in agrundturid products; and that inactivity is
very much produced by the croaking of those who
would nee the farmers' fears to promote their own
purposes, end infuse doubts into the minds of many
persons whose interests would lead them to create a
more active demand.