The Express.
London, England, 1846-11-30 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVINENG, NOVEMBER

THE world will very soon have ample means
judging whether the French Court is sincere in the
surprise and resentment, which it professes to feel at
the unwarrantable absorption of Cracow. Every
public man is fully aware how exceedingly vulnerable
Austria is, not merely to the arms of France, but to
her ideas, and to any fresh and hostile impulse that
France may please to give to those ideas. All know
the regime by which Austria holds its own portion
of Italy, and weighs upon the rest. How easy it
would be for France to overthrow that regime, enable
the independent states of Italy to shake off the Aus-
trian incubus altogether, and thus render Austrian
rule untenable even Lombardy,is so evident, that no
one can suppose that Austria durst provoke France
in the manner she has done, unless assured before-
hand that France would not seriously resent it.
From almost the earliest period o Louis
PHILIPPE'S reign that monarch has coquetted wit
Austria, and has shown repeated readiness to pro-
pitiate Prince MErrEßNten with the offering, which
Prince METTERNICH most prizes—the freedom of
young. and rising nations. It was for the sake of
propitiating Austria that the French King repudiated
the Liberals of Spain, sacrificed the Liberals of
Greece, and refused any cordial entente with England
in the administration and constitutional arrangement
of those countries. Spain, too free, would revo-
lutionize Italy ; Greece, too free, would show free
institutions to be possible in the East of Europe.
A great exception to the French policy of obse-
quiousness to Austria occurred lately in the election
of a liberal Pope, and in the progressive reformation
of the Roman States. This -has gone farther, per-
haps, than the King of the FRENCH intended, his
purpose being rather to extend the sphere of his own
influence and become master of the Papal Govern-
ment, a necessary preliminary, by the bye, to his pur-
posed Spanish marriages. But the steps necessary to
this have shaken Italy from one end to the other. A
pacific revolution is in progress in the Roman States,
and this, instead of exciting opposition in the other
monarchies of the Italian peninsula, has on the
contrary been hailed and welcomed by them. The
Court of Naples has shown neither terror nor hostility.
That of Piedmont, considered to be buried in abao-
lutism, has actually burst its cerements ; and the King
of the SARDINIANS has congratulated the new Pope
on his political and commercial liberalism. It is need-
less to add, that France, by moderately fanning the
flame of this liberal tendency of the Italian courts,
which evidently sigh for independence from Austria,
would rout and overthrow the dictatorship of NIETTER-
Incu, or, at least, confine it to the foot of the Alps.
France has but to say the word, and Italy is hers in
opinion. Her propaganda could now make a more
certain conquest of it, than ever was achieved by the
arms of NAPOLEON.
Here, then, is retaliation for Cracow ; here, then,
is a victory worthy of the NAPOLEON of Peace; a
victory demanding neither equipment of fleets, nor
augmentation of armies; one, too, which France may
achieve and enjoy alone, needing no entente eordiak,
no joint notes or action with England, or with any
other power, being nothing more than the natural
development and progress of that war of ideas—of
those conquests of civilization, which the French
boast to be their mission, and which form, certainly,
li
the truest tactics, the most formidable campaign, that I
the liberalism of the west can undertake against the
despotism of the cast.
We shall look to these movements in Italy with
considerable interest and anxiety. The ultra-abso-
lutists in that country are leagued, are active, are
conspiring. The Austrians alone afford them every
encouragement, and Prince 'METTERNICH is employing
his agents and intrigues to put down liberalism in
Italy as zealously. as France has employed hers to put
down liberalism in Spain. The POPE alone cannot
resist that retrograde impulse, unless strongly and zea-
lously supported. France is fully able to give that
support. But will she ?
Hitherto the reforms in the Roman states have
been chiefly administrative. The amelioration has
been of that kind, which an empire feels in passing
from a dull despot to an enlightened one. The change
is most beneficial for the present, but promises little
for the future. In order to establish the improve-
ment, and render it permanent, it would be necessary
to give institutions, at least municipal institutions, to
the cities of the, Romagna. But here we begin
to doubt the Frnch king, who seems to favour
despotism with liberal leanings, a despotism°
illustrado, but who seems to abhor charters and insti-
tutions, especially municipal institutions. In fact,
the French have proscribed those elements of
liberty in all the countries under their influence. Yet
without these, nothing can be done for the Romagna.
The anti-liberalism of the French Court in Spain, and
lin Greece, may, however, be accounted for by its desire
I to combat the influence of England, the sincerity of
I which is more trusted by the liberals of
those countries. In Italy English efforts or in-
fluences have not intruded. France has, therefore,
a fair and open field for her efforts, with
nothing to oppose but the despotism of Austria and
the bigotry of the priesthood. If she follows on in
that path she will far more than avenge the absorption
of Cracow. She will extend the liberal empire and
influence of the west; she will be making progress in
her favourite scheme of converting the Mediterranean
into a " French lake," and this will be done, in a way
which will call forth the admiration, and not the
jealousy, of England. Let France but sincerely
struggle to extend political and commercial freedom,
and the two countries will infallibly have the reality
of an alliance and an entente cordiale, without the
empty and too often deceptive phrases. If the aims
of France be of this high, liberal, and lofty kind, no
minister here durst gainsay them.
We expect, however, the contrary of this. From
all we know of the French Court and Cabinet, we
cannot expect any more disinterested or liberal feeling
at Rome than in Madrid. We do not expect that a
Prince who offered to sacrce the Quadruple Alli-
ance to Austria, and who did sacre it to
family interest, will ever have the sincerity or courage
to free Italy in Austrian despite. Whatever of liberal

has been achieved at Rome by French infinenon will,
we fear, merely be considered as something to sacri-
fice for Austrian support. The novel resent-
ment for Cracow is a transparent veil, an
idle pretence, which will deceive no me, not
even the French mob. Its reality will soon be
tested by French policy in Italy. And we greatly
fear, that Count FLABAUT has already artange
at Vienna, the mutual sacrifice of Rome and
Cracow, as the secret conditions of the MoNtrut-
si ER marriage.

Tan tendency of all modern improvements in
agriculture is towardathat approximation to certainty,
winch has been attained in nearly all other businesses.
By drainage and better calture we shall at once
improve the soil and correct the climate of this coun-
try, render the farmer, to an extent formerly thought
impossible, independent of seasons, and reduce the
business of husbandry to one of skill and calculation.
The occasional prevalence of incendiary fires in the
rural districts, for many years past, has rendered the
practice of insuring farming stock and crops against
fire practically universal. No farmer who expects to
die out of the workhouse at this time permits his live
and dead stock to remain uninsured against fire. Com-
panies, too, have been established to insure grow-
ing crops against hailstorms and similar visitations,
which sometimes and in some places have, on the eve
of harvest, converted the prospect cf plenty and
comfort into wide-spread misery and desolation.
The principle of life assurance, moreover, by which
the farmer, as well as other men of basisess, can
secure to his family some pecuniary alleviation,
if not a compensation for the loss throigh death
of his own exertions, has recently been applied to
live stock. And for very many reasons the practice
of protecting live stock aipinst loss by disease or
accident, merits the attention of every farmer. Its
adoption, partial as it may be at present, affords evi-
dence of the gradual approach made by husbandry
towards some economical and commercial principles.
It marks the transition from empiricism in farming
towards practical science applied to agriculture.
Our attention has just now been drawn to this
topic, from having been invited by a correspondent
to enter with him pell-mell into a contest on behalf
of a cattle insurance company, established upon
the principle of a large proprietary with paid-up
capital, against a rival association framed upon the
principle of mutual insurance. Our correspondent
must excuse us if we respectfully decline to embark it
any such conflict. We do not seek to arbitrate in such
strife. We are satisfied with the existence of the com-
petition, firmly believing that there is ample room
and verge enough for both associations, and shall
content ourselves with leaving each agriculturist to
discover for himself which of the rival companies
offers terms most meet for his acceptance.
But we shall avail ourselves of some of the regula-
tions common to both companies—necessary, in fact,
to the existence of any such establishment—for the
purpose of showing the policy of insuring stock, and
of its tendency to give the prudent, self-depeudent
farmer an advantage over his more careless neigh-
bour. Such associations have long existed in France
and Belgium, but they are new in this country, the
oldest of the associations not being, we believe, of
more than three or four years standing.
The objects of insurance are horses of various
classes, cattle, sheep, and pigs ; also, respectively ranged
in different classes, the rate of premium ranges from
ft to 6 per cent., and certain risks, such as that of
dairy cows in towns, which are deemed hazardous,
are to be made the subject of special contract.
We do not profess to have any data whereby we
can test the reasonableness or otherwise of the rates
of premium, but probably, as happened with the
earlier life insurance companies, the cattle insurance
companies have taken care to rate their premiums
high enough to cover all risks, and the risk arising
from imperfect tables of disease and accident besides.
If they be too high, it is probable that a wholesome
competition will soon reduce them. One of the first
and most obvious benefits to be derived from such
associations, will be the gradual formation of
accurate calculations of the expectation of
life and disease amongst our live stock ; and
the keen eyes of the directors, stimulated by
self-interest, will soon detect and mark by their
rates of premium, the localities and conditions
most and least conducive to animal health. If farmers
in one district, or adopting one system, can only in-
sure their live stock at a premium of five or six per
cent., while others in another district, or under a` dif-
ferent plan, can effect the same provident object at
three or four per cent., the why and the wherefore of
the higher rates of premium will inevitably lead to an
examination of local causes of disease, and the disuse
of plans of treatment so practically shown to be un-
thrifty. In both cases improvement and increased
certainty in estimating the result of a given outlay of
capital in farming, will be the result. Such may be
said to be the general effect of the operations of cattle
insurance societies.
But they will act still more strongly to improve the
management of individual farmers. In the first
place, persons of respectability—solicitors and so
forth—are appointed local agents, who are instructed
" to be careful not to send any proposal of a doubtful
character;" so that a farmer notorious for want of
care with his stock would be at once rejected. In-
dependently of the direct losses from bad management
of stock, the negligent stock-master would find him-
self out of the pale of insurance against accidental or
epidemical contingencies. Here there is at once a
premium upon prudence and a business-like cha-
racter, the value of which is fully understood in all
trades except that of husbandry. Then there are in-
spectors appointed in every district, and it forms one
of the conditions of insurance, that in case of any
serious illness or accident occuring amongst insured
cattle, immediate notice must be given to the district
inspector, who will visit the case, and if contagion
be feared, he will order the deceased animal to be
separated from the rest of the stock ; and the owner
is bound to keep it so separated until it recovers or
dies. Again, the owner is bound to pay attention to
the medical treatment of his stock," under pain of for-
feiting his insurance." But-if the inspector thinks
that the animals are neglected or improperly treated,
he may give such orders for additional advice or
variation of treatment as may appear advisable, and
such orders must be complied with. So, again, we
find ire the rules of one of the companies the follow-
ing, for the enforcement of that care which every
prudent man bestows on his own stock, but which is
too much neglected with large classes of farmers.
All claim tookpe piny be forfeited if giverson whose
Mock is prtby the cohall neglect to the notices
graratiberett buytiothneorldriteut'o;istttrki,normssehaVreilirse tra death,
ir with
I orders of the inspector as to slaughtering or separating, and keeping
separated until ite recovery, any diseased animal from the remainder
of the stock; or shall emit or refuse to comply with any reasonable
request of the inspector as to the food, treatment, or shelter of any
sick animal ; or shall omit or refuse to keep clean and ventilated the
stabling, stalls, or sheds where.' nick sick amnia! may be confined,
after being requested so to do ; ur lf lt eau be elluern
iolthatent th
drleie death of
the animal occurred through neglect, blows, or hyrng, or
raring, or from excessive fatigue caused by the owner or hie
servants, or by those in his employ, or waer his control.
Here, then, we find, that when a farmer becomes
insured against contingent losses, he must take
care, in order that hie insurance may be avail-
able in time of need, that his usual and ordinary
treatment of his stock is judicious and careful.
But, perhaps, the most valuable regulation by which
these societies will improve the management of stock,
is that which requires " that a consulting veterinary
surgeon, being a graduate of the colleges of London
or Edinburgh, or more than one, if required, be
appointed to each agent's district" Within our own
recollection the treatment of horses, cattle, and stock
of all kinds has wonderfully improved, especially in
casesof accident and disease, wit' ch i s entirely to beattri-
buted to the improved education of the professors of
veterinary science. No careful stockmaster will permit
a.scrious case of disease to remain unattended by avete-
nnary surgeon, and the occasional attendance of such a
person, even where no seriouscomplaint exists, is a mea-
sure of wise precaution. Not only are the men who
attend upon the stock improved by observing the di-
rections and operations of a man of competent know-
ledge and skill, but incipient disease is often detected
by the practised eye of the medical man, which might,
but for preventive means, have become serious.
Another advantage from such insurances, is, that
the farmer becomes thereby more independent. He is
bated
remission breath;of reenratving on
not obliged, in the event of loss amongst his stock, to
hisg honour's
o before h s landlord
indulgence,
or with"
account of such loss. This is no slight good. It is
another help to the independence of the tenant-farmer,
which is the only foundation for the advancement of

lusbandry.

The Paris papers of Friday express their sentiments
on the refusal of England to consent to a joint pro-
test in the matter of Cracow. The mimaterialists

affect chagrin. The oppu..—_ that Eng-
land, in resenting the trick of the Infata'to all senus marriage,
and in feeling consequent distrust, is lost -
ments of pluhuithropy, and all enthusiasm for

freedom.
manifesto, in the name of the two
The following I
committees of the National and La Refortne, appeared
in those journals, on Friday, signed by Lamenais, de
Courtais, Ledru Rollin, A. Gaillard, Goudechaux,
F. Flocon, and Armand :Humid. It was announced
that 500,000 copies of it would be put in circulation,
and that it would be translated into all the languages

of Europe :
TUE DEROCEACY OTCE TO TEE DEMOCRACY
OF EUROPE.
The last wreck of a vast empire, which for ages formed a
barrier of civilisation, menaced by tilusaulman barbarism ;
a single spot spared firom the odious rapine of three powers,
accomplices in the destruction of a great people, still recalled
its memory, like those funereal creases erected in places
where a murder has been perpetrated. This wreck has just
disappeared, this cram the murderers have overturned. In-
stead of the Polish flag, which, under the guarantee of the
most solemn treaties, floated upon the walls of Cracow,
Austria, that same Austria which owed to Poland her safety
in an extreme danger, has substituted his own, encouraged
to the crime hy the impunity of assistance, and
by one of those bargains for mutual which
brigands make in the depths of their caverns. All the
clauses of the treaty of Vienna bad already been in-
solently violated by Russia. In concert with her allies, and fur
their common object, she bad already almost consummated the
abolition of Polish nationality. And by what means, what
violence', and what crimes was this consummation effected' '
Deeds, such as history can offer no other example of, and
wkich, perhaps, hereafter, she will refuse even to believe !
To recall even briefly those infernal scenes with which three
sovereigns have frightened mankind, would lead us far be-
yond the limits of this document. It would be necessary to
follow executioners through scenes of carnage perpetrated in
the silent fortresses of Prussia, in the dark dungeons of Au-
tria in the deserts and mines of Siheria, upon publsic
places transformed into slaughter-houses ; into the
homes of each family weeping the exile or th
e
death e
death of those dearest to them ; weeping for
country and their religion, and forced to renounce the very
language of their ancestors. It would be necessary to show
a Government which dues to call itself ChrLstian,ureing one
entire class of its subjects to the massacre of another class,
without distinction of age or sex, by the offer of an infamous
bribe, after having first deceived and brutified them. It
would be necessary to paint fire and murder spread over a
whule country which was concerted, by the premeditated
deign of its Government, into one immense tomb. It would
be necessary to relate how among those who have survived
this universal smassination, are found more than three
hundred miserable little creatures under three yearst
old, incapable of telling who they are,— withou
father, without mother, without known relative, the
foundlings of blood. The French democracy believes it to be
its duty to protest against these execrable crimes ; to protest
against all the acts of which the avowed object has been the
' final destruction of Poland ; to efface the very name of this
people, so glorious and so unfortunate, from the map of
Europe. The French democracy believes it to be its duty to
call for similar protestations from all those who think that
nations ought not to be abandoned as the prey of violence,
who, out of France, share the sacred principles of its revolution
of all those, in a word, who are animated by a sense of jus-
tice and humanity. Let them rise in the 4 strength, and in the
I firmness of an irrevocable revolution let them rise as one man,
=deny to the oppresuos,whatever name,be it despotism or aris-
toasty trey assume, We render you thanks. I n tearing the last
veil with which you enveloped yourselves you have dissipated
I the last illusion of too trusting minds, you have removed the
last pretext for inaction from the timid and the weak, you
I have hastened your ruin ar,d accelerated the fall of your
I detested reign. There exist sinister pacts which you called
I treaties, under the shade of which were concealed your plots
against the human family, which you destined to one eternal
slavery. You have yourselves torn these treaties. Positive
law exists no longer. As to natural law, that impresetiptible
right which secures to each people as to each individual its pro-
per existence, you proclaimed that you discard it. ,
The right of force is the only one th it you acknowledge.
Let force then decide between you and us. In the mad
pride of your material power, which we fear not, because we
trust in another power—in the power of true right and of
duty—you di dare war on all nations, on society itself, which
exists only in virtue of duty and of right. Be it so' we
accept this war. War on conditions which make it holy is
victory for us. Were it otherwise God would not be God!
Doubtless there will be martyrers sent but be well assured that
after the struggle you will pr yourselves not proudly
I surrounded by your bloody assistants, but before the solemn
tribunal of social justice as upright as it is inexorable. There
will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, and there also
I will be the pure joy which the assurance of a happy future
will excite in the heart of nations. Democrats of all coun-
tries, brothers uniting the same faith with the same hope,
henceforward adopt unity of action, which will neither be
superseded nor relaxed. Elevate in the midst of subjugated
Europe the standard of its emancipation! Lot the nations
start up at the signal, and b one unanimous effort shake off
the chains with which hey are loaded. The hour is some
for each to fulfil its duty. To-day the combat—to-morrow
the triumph : up, then, all !
La Presse contradicts the report circulated during
the early part of last week respecting conferences
between Count Mole and the King, stating that the
former has in fact been absent from Paris.
A Genevese journal says that Austria has de-
mended from the Papal government the amount of a
debt contracted during the Neapolitan war, threaten-
ing, if it be not paid immediately, to occupy Ferrara
and Ancona. The same journal states that a secret
society has been formed in the Pontifical states under
the influence of Austria, to oppose the government of
Pius IX.

We have received the Madrid journals with our
private correspondence of the 21st instant.
Although nothing positive had been ascertained as
to the reported entry of Cabrera into Spain, the in-
tended movements of the Carlists gave rise to more
serious conversation.
El Heraldo publishes letters from London, which
[peak of great preparations made by the Carlists.
Among other things, they speak of 3,000 infantry,
and 1,500 cavalry uniforms.

FRANCE.—PEPAECUTION Or TILE NESTORIAN
CHRISTIANS IN ASIA MINOR.—The Presge says:—" We
lately spoke of the cruel persecutions which the Nestorian
Christians of Asia Minor have suffered from the Kurds. We
learn with satisfaction that the ambassador of Fr mice at Con-
stantinople has warmly espoused the defence of the Nemo-
rians- An energetic note, addressed to the divan, has had
the effect of hastening the preparations for the expedition
which the Porte directs against Bader-Khan-Bey, the chief

of the Kurds."
SPAIN.—A Madrid letter of the 20th says: "The
Progressists are making great exertions to return members
to the new Cortes, but it does not appear that they have
much hope of being able to add materially to their strength
in the Chamber. It is thought, however, that the non-
ministerial Moderados will be much more numerous than in
the last Cortes. The Queen gave a grand ball last night on
the occasion of her file. Her Majesty danced a great deal,
and appeared to be very animated. The party did not break
up until four in the morning. The day before yesterday
there was what is called a family concert at the palace. The
Queen sang several of the airs of Rossini, Bellim, and Verdi,
and performed with M. Albenir a piece of music on the
piano. The Queen-Mother also took part in the concert.
The French Ambassador here has opened a subscription ol
the French residents in aid of the fund for the relief of the
sufferers by the inundations of the Loire."

ITALY.--A letter from Bologna, of Nov. 18, says :
" Patrols et the citizens have been organised to the number
of 100, each composed of twelve individuals. Letters from
Rome state that the Pope, on the occasion of the posseno,
has accorded a considerable diminution of punishment to
the political offender. who had been kept in prison under the
pretext of having attacked the public force. Condemnations
to the galleys for life have been reduced to three years ; for
twenty years to one; and for fifteen years to six months.
The tribunals opposed this measure, but the Pope persisted."
- •

SWITZERLAND.—The Message). des Suisse', of
Lucerne, states that the Sec, etary of State of that canton
has concluded at Turin a treaty with the Sardinian govern-
ment, for the supply of muskets to Lucerne to the amount of
40,000 fr. It is stated in a letter from Zurich, that the
government of Lucerne had resolved on raising openly a very
huge force, with a view of keeping the Liberal cantons in
check, but that several foreign diplomatists had observed that
this measure would look like a provocation, and would there-
fore give displeasure to the Great Powers. In consequence
of this communication, it has been decided, adds the letter,
that secrecy shall be observed in the mode of increasing the
forces of that canton.
GERMANY.—VIESSA, Nor. 19.—1 t is reported
that an eminent statesman, Count Kolowrath, intends send-
ing in his resignation, and retiring to the baths of Pisa.
The emission of treasury-bills, at 3 per cent., has com-
menced at Prague, and is to be adopted at all the principal
towns in Austria.
AFFAIRS OF CRACOW. The news of the incor-
poration of Cracow to Austria reached Posen on the 19th
inst., and came like a thunderbolt upon the Poles, who
never supposed that the three powers dared have taken
such a step, without the sanction of France and England.
Groups formed in the streets, conversing on the all-engros-
sing subject. The Poles still wish to doubt the reality of the
fact ; they still count on France and England, some of them
even nourish the hope that England and France will take up
arms for the re-establishment of the independence of Cracow.
The incorporation is regarded as a finishing stroke to
Poland.-1 he Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung says:—" The
great powers of the north have replied to the marriage of
the Duke of Montpensier with the Infanta of Spain, by the
marriage of the Duke of Bordeaux, and the incorporation of
Cracow to Galicia."
LIBERALITY OF THE EMPEROR OF RESSIA.—We
read in the Post Alive Gazette of Frankfort, under the head
of Vienna, 19th instant, " The Emperor Nicholas has shown
Pouch disinterestedness in the Polish question. Oue of his
Ministers said to the Austrian Government, ' The Emperor
gives rill a carte blanche as regards Cracow : do what you
please.'"