The Express.
London, England, 1853-06-13 00:00:00

FRANCE.

PARIS. SUNDAY EVENING.
The following ominous note appears in the
tear :

A notice inserted in the Moniteur of December 2, 18-52,
pointed out to persons struck by the measures of general
safety, or condemned for political reamns after December 2,
1851, the course necessary for them to pursue in order to
obtain a remission of their sentences, and to return to their
fire-sides. The time that has elapsed since that period, hes
enabled all the political prioolves who wished to appeal
to the clemency of the Emperor to fulfil the
tormalities which the government felt it requisite to
demand from them in the interest of the general ufety. All
have not shown themselves equally worthy of the benefi
mace which has been extended to them. In future, pu-
ling of this nature will only be granted in case it shall be
proved, after an attentive examination, that the liberation
of those soliciting them will not be dangerous to order and
public tranquillity.
As a commentary upon this note, I have to inform
you that political arrests have been going on all this
week, and I am assured this morning that at least
300 republicans have been arrested since the other
day, when I spoke of 70 or 80 arrests as having been
recently made. In the Batignolles, the Rue de
Berlin, Montmartre, and Moutrouge, among other
places domiciliary visits have been made by the po-
lice, and numbers of apparently quiet inoffensive me-
chanics and labourers (for these arrests have been con-
finedalmoet entirely to the working classes) have been
snatched away from their families, and are now au
secret. The only pretxet I have heard resigned for
this ramie, is a rumour of the vaguest possible kind,
of some conspiracy against the Emperor to have
been executed on Friday last at the Hippodrome.
Some say the police has a list of sworn regicides,
others, that a band of republicans had plotted to seize
the person of the Emperor at the Hippodrome, and
him
off. The absurdity of the latter supposition
itself. But if it be true that any plot whatever
has boon discovered, why does not the Moulton say
Instead of speaking in this mysterious way ? No
ardection could be made to the arrests of persons sus-
pected upon any reasonable ground of a design to
assassinate, but the French people are beginning to
tire of arbitrary arrests without any reason that will
bear stating. France cannot be perpetually governed
upon coup delat principles, and those who wish for
the stability of the empire have, most of all,
reason to regret the necessity or caprice, whichever
it may be, that has led to this fresh specimen of a
system which pt might have been hoped after the
tranquillity that has long prevailed, there was a dis-
position to abandon. I learn from a source worthy
of credit that it is intended to transport this last batch
of prisoners to Cayenne without trial. If this
be done I believe it will raise a feeling of
indignation in the public mind, the expres-
sion of which it will be impossible to repress.
I am assured that a resolute attempt will be made
to appeal to a court of law against an act which,
although it has frequently been committed without
question, end by the right of force, is still illegal even
under the constitution granted by Louis Napoleon
Bonaparte.
I have seen a letter from a political prisoner at
Belleisle, stating that M. Meinier, s captain of the
National at Marseilles, Who was sentenced
to fifteen years' imprisonment in June, 1848,
is just dead. He was in perfect health down to
December 2, 1831, but then the prison rations were
diminished, and his health has since gradually de-
clined. This letter speaks of the health of the pri-
soners generally as being in a sad state, owing to
their manifold hardships. The hospital is said to
be almost a nonenity. The surgeon, an old retired
officer, lately received a gratuity of .500 fr. for the
savings that he had effected in that department.
In truth, notwithstanding the thousands of political
pardons that have been granted, the prisons are yet
so crowded that although no one in particular may
be chargeable with wilful cruelty, it is materially
impossible to provide for the proper treatment of the
prisoners.

- The jealous misconstruction of the motives of a
country gentleman who may be clear-headed enough
to see the value of free trade is extended with tenfold
bitterness to those free traders who happen to be born
in towns, and who do not admire such recent
converts as DERBY, Diskant, and Co. And
yet at this time a very considerable body of
tenant farmers are engaged in discussing and agi-
tating with the view of effecting certain changes and
reforms which their popular idols look upon with
undisguised disgust and contempt, and which they
can never hops to carry without the assistance, not
only of enlightened men like Mr. Pussy, but of the
Free Traders and Liberal politicians whom it is their
habit to attack sad disparage.
It was but the other day that the Winchester TURKEY.
Farmers' Club, being engaged in considering " The
ladvantage of Political Discussions in Farmers' Despatches from St. Petersburg state that Prince
Clubs," were gravely warned by a land agent that Clorschakoff had been appointed to the command of
the army of 120,000 men on the Pruth. The corps
the introduction of such subjects would bring upon of modier, have received orders to hold themselves
them the displeasure of their landlords ; and that is in readiness to march into Poland, to supply the
true. The landlords had no objection to Protectionist places of those who have been moved to the South.
Societies because the only arguments permitted A telegraphic despatch has arrived from Trieste
were strictly orthodox—that is to say, on the side of
gehPacorlatid from
tenn firtredtantotinttereofp the:tit:esti
the majority; and even in societies like the London
the Great Powers a memorandum explaining and
Farmers' Club, nominally confined to discussing justifying the conduct of Turkey in the difference
practical questions, no speaker was ever called to with Russia, and stating the heads of the new oon-
order for political allusions while each references cessions rich the .Sultan proposes to make to the
were " protectionist." But now it is considered by Christians of all denominations. The same despatch
contradicts in the most positive manner the rumour
landlords and land agents to be a kind of treason to
that the offer of mediation by Austria had been re-
jected. Tenant Right, or the Malt Tax, or the Law jected. On this last head, as upon the rest, the
of Settlement, or, we presume, since the last deci- despatch is doubtless truthful. The mediation of
sion of the Royal Agricultural Society, "the use of Austria has not been rejected, because it has never
Agricultural Statistics." Because, if farmer, begin been offered, and could not be offered in the present
to discus such questions without the beacon of posture oft affairs. Austria
emay fulfil
uller_t_reatyn-
hg:grmienran s, oracle:run
Protection to keep them right, they may not be con- e rntothta and
rms ofa lealy.
Cesar, fling
tent with diecussintt
g—they may wish to act and she has neither the high position nor the power of a
to vote. They may demur to the old mediator in the present quarrel. Letters from
rale of taking their political opinions with their Vienna and Paris agree in stating that his " good
farms. Viewing in this light, the landlords are (Lia_ceeds"tol7fferalland
that
thathe Austrian trhiaaanbZnipienrfoor
rmed Ls:
crafty enough when they object to discussions by Ail.
the breach with Turkey is too wide to permit their
farmers about legislative questions on those sole oc- acceptance in this ease.
melons when farmers meet to discuss anything. But The latest accounts from Jassy and Galata are of a
farmers are not so docile as they were. In one di- character to place out of doubt the imminence of an
rection they demand control over the county rates; invasion i
of the principalities of the Danube. Molds-
in two extraordinary cases—Notts and Cambridge— via, lying between Wallachia and the Pruth (the
Porata of Ilerodotus), which separates t from the
they have repudiated landlord dictation, and returned Russian province of Bessarabia, would be first occu-
to the House of Commons their own men—one of pied by the troops of the Czar. There are no Turkish
i these being a tenant farmer. The movement for ob- soldiers in either of the northern principalities, as
taming, if not tenant rights, that fixity of tenure there are in Berrie. The treaty of Balta Liman
which is alike essential for agricultural improve- stipulates that th;aottencteiither Twurrk
sermotilrintreourr;ign,
.nor
merit and political independence, is spreading. In Russia
Moldavtiaeof Wallachia, except for securing t°hesaron lfnety°
lfact, Free Trade has given a fillip to the —of the local governments. The rulers of the princi-
political as well as the agricultural progress of the palities, called Hoepodars (from Goepodin, Sclavonian
tenant farmer class. Yet the force of bad habit for lord) are nominated for seven years, and are en-
still prevails. The agriculturists are yet apt to titled by the constitution to administer the govern-
abuse or distrust that middle class and that section of meritil for the
mes of the people alone; but they have
the press which alone is prepared to give them the ;Intitientice. The popthe ouvleartrclwoefingeptrewssouprerionfeißpaulsistiiaens
support they require in effecting the reforms they is about 3,300,000. The people, who call themselves
need. The result of the meeting at Chichester for Roomons, or Humans, speak a peculiar language,
the repeal of the Malt Tax—where not one of the which is a mixture of debased Latin and
county magnates appeared to support their tenant- Sclavonic. Most of the inhabitants profess
farmer friends—ought to read them a lesson. Would the Oro k religion tthe—
of-
-2 w'hohmowareveer'amn
the landlords have been absent at a similar meeting them 'Hungarians,
ofthe principalitiescatholic..
few
before regular troops
before the last election ? to bo of any account in a war such as that with
I Let farmers apply the same test to every other prac- which the country is threatened. Wallachia has
tical question, and they will find the same result. They two infantry and one cavalry regiments, while the
will not find a LExtrox supporting a representative army of Moldavia is let smaller by a regiment of
control over county rates, or a NEWDEGATE in favour infantry.
woo mn intoTh° 111:fields."
Utz; together couldcim circumstances,
ttabnring
of leases or tenant right. The great guns of Proteo. and the fortresses of the Danube not having been
tion consider legislation one of their feudal privileges repaired since the last war, there appears little
and are not going to transfer it to their tenants. eraiomiblance in tho statement of the mane Wan-
! The commercial middle class—the Free-traders—areiderer that 30,000 Turkish soldiers under Newly
the natural allies and true friends of the farmer, for I Paella, will cross the Danube
übeand enter the f.rinci-
they have not cajoled him into paying electioneering ith
etYtasreary no`f° Ittltat Lininasncmgsis cros the
ves 'Turkey the
expenses by promises of impossible " protection," or right of introducing into Moldo-Wallachia' as
• " '• ' " ••

_-; --::

EVENING, JUNE 13, 1853..

it gives her the right of considering an unwgrrant-
able occupation of the principalities as a declaration
of war, but it cannot bind the Sultan to take up a ,
bad military position in warfare.
A letter from Jassy, of the Ist, announces that
Prince Ghika had just received important despatches
from St. Petersburg, and had immediately called
together his council to deliberate. It was rumoured
that these despatches related to applications for pro-
visions for the first corps of the Russian army.
Our own letters from Constantinople state that the
Turkish commander will adopt the line of the Balkan
as the best natural defence of Turkey Proper in the
first instance, and only cross the Danube when able
to dispose of a very considerable force.
The Petrie has the following in its intelligence
from Constantinople: "The Greek population, which
continued to be tranquil and devoted to the govern-
ment, seemed anxious about a great event predicted
by several Greek priests, and which was to take place
the next day, May 29, the 400th anniversary of the
taking of Constantinople by the Turks. The greatest
number, regarding as favourable the nature of this
event, appeared to think that the prediction applied
to the publication of the firman concerning the pro-
tection of the Christians, which it was said had been
already communicated to the ambassadors. The
situation, in its aggregate, continued the same."
The New Prussian Gazette, under date of Vienna,
6th, says :—" It is now positively known that the
note brought by the Baron de Meyendorff repeats the
declaration that Russia will not make any modifica-
tion in her policy relative to the Ottoman Porte.
Our government, in t rder to be prepared for any
eventuality, has reinforced our troops in Croatia,
and has sent cannon and ammunition to Carlstadt.
Some new regiments of cavalry are to be organised."
A telegraphic despatch from Vienna of the 7th, in
the New Munich Gazette, says :—" New propositions
concerning the Eastern question have been sent by a
courier to Constantinople. The last news arrived
from St. Petersburg is very pacific."
A letter from Vienna of the 7th, in the Cologne
Gazette, says:—"lt is positively stated that the repre-
sentatives of Austria and Prussia at Constantinople
have declared opinions similar to those of France
and England, but they at the same time stated that
they did not know the views of their governments
, on the subject."
The Trieste Gazette states, from Constantinople,
that the Turks are much better piepared with the
means of resistance against Russia than is generally
supposed. They have, it is said, in their store-
• houses, the means of supporting an army of 200,000
. men for seven months. Thirty of the richest Pashas
and Bays have offered to raise 00,000 men at their
. own expense, and the Ulemas have assured the Sultan
, that they will raise even more than that number.
, From the extreme points of Arabia and Persia offers
. of assistance have also been received.

The Debats calculates that the order sent to the
French fleet must have reached Salamis on Friday
last, and that u it is well provisioned and commanded
by an officer of great energy, it would arrive in
Besica Bay, at the entrance of the Dardanelles, on
the 12th or 13th (this day). Should circumstances
require an advance to Constantinople, the distance
might be done, as the Debats calculates, in forty-
eight hours.