Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-04-12 00:00:00

AMERICAN SOLACE.
CHARLES TURMEAI
)LACE.

AMEPIC ~'.

NOTICE TO OUR CHESTER
SUBSCRIBERS.

OUR CHESTER SUBSCRIBERS ARE INFORMED THAT,
IN FUTURE, " ....71/4r THE
_ oRTHERN TIMES" WILL BE
U
SUPPLIED IN nEsTER BY THE AGENT OF MESSRS.
W. H. SMITH & SON, FROM THE RAILWAY
STATION NEWSPAPER OFFICE,

TO CORRESPOND ENTS
. --- • •

Under no circumstnne

we insert ~communications not
A by the author's real name and address, not neees-
,„t as a guarantee of good fad,

luny tar publiCation,

AMUSEMENTS, MEETINGS, &c.—THIS D VI"
ROYAL AMPUITUEATRE—Dramatie performance. D. •
THE PARIPIAN GALLERY OF ANATOMY, Paradise-street
ROYAL CoLLossttum.—Miscellaneous Attractions. •
gzir For particulars see advertisements on Sth page.

lurfjjrn

APRIL 12, 1859,

..........0...-.--

THE DAY'S NEWS.
ri 4 - i se of Lords, last night, the Postal
ui,:atiou with Ireland was brought under
don by Lord Monteagle, who denounced
%-lntracts in strong terms, and declared their
!legal: ,y, and trusted the House of Commons would

interfere its authority between the Government
and the violation of its own rules. The
Earl of Derby denied the charge of illegality, and
justified the contracts, which, he stated; hack been
signed by the late Government ; and added, that the
whole matter throughout had been perfectly open
and legal. A general discussion then took place on
the question of contracts generally, and the subject
dropped. The Savings' Bank (Ireland) Bill
was read a third time and passed. In
the House of Commons, Lord Palmerston brought
under the notice of the House the state of
Europe, by inquiry from the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, if he would fix the precise time when
he would make his promised statement ; and the
Chancellor, in reply, named Friday next. The
Chancellor denied any intention on the part of the
government to interpose any delay in the proposed
dissolution of Parliament. A number of bills were
forwarded a stage, and the House adjourned at half-
past five, having sat only an hour and a half.
The news from the Continent continues of the
most warlike character. Every ray of hope that the
difficulties can be settled without an appeal to arms
appears to have completely vanished, and the worst
anticipations are now indulged in in every quarter
best informed. The Independence of Sunday says,
all the letters it has received, and all the journals it
has read, and their number has been great, concur in
the belief that the position of affairs is most critical,
and adds that there scarcely remains in the public
mind the smallest hope of peace. The Nord of yes-
terday uses nearly the same language, and the
Wanderer, of Vienna, does not hesitate to say that to
believe in the meeting, or at any rate in the success
of the Congress, is as ridiculous as to put faith in
witchcraft or the appearance of ghosts. The Paris
correspondent of the Daily News says that the article
in Sunday's .3fonitettr is generally regarded as a pre-
liminary to a declaration of war. It is in substance a
recommendation to Germany to remain quiet while
France settles accounts with Austria. The words,
especially, that "what France will cause to be
respected in Italy, she will know how to respect in
Germany," is at once equivalent to an announcement
that France is about to fight for Italian nationality.

The Paris correspondent of the Herald writing
on Sunday night, says it was stated on reliable
authority that Austria had actually declared war
against Piedmont—that the Austrian Ambassador at
Paris had received his passports, and that orders had
been given to the army of Lyons to move down to the
South. The writer adds that in a fortnight the whole
of southern Europe would be in a blaze, and long
before that time it was not unlikely that Turin would be
occupied by an Austrian garrison. The correspondent
of the Herald says that the formation of a supple-
mentary squadron for all the cavalry regiments of
the French army has been decided on. The same
writer states that a French army of observation, of
eighty thousand strong, is to be concentrated on the
frontier of the Rhine. He further states that,
four French and Sardinian war steamers have been
despatched to the Adriatic to be in readiness to
blockade Trieste and Venice.

The Vienna correspondent of the Times, in his
despatch dated Friday, anticipates that in a few days
he will have to announce that Austria has declared
war against Sardinia. The Emperor Francis Joseph
ted to have declared his resolution not to be
made the football of the French. The French
Government solemnly promised that it would make
Sardinia disarm if Austria accepted the four proposi-
tions preliminary to the Congress. Instead of keeping
that proposition, the Paris Cabinet advised Count
Cavour not to disarm, but proposed that both Austria
iould withdraw their forces from the

and Sardinia

frontiers

Austria rejected this, but offered to dis-
arm if France and Sardinia would do so likewise.
The Emperor Napoleon indirectly refused, inas-
much as he ordered the armament to be con-
tinued with the greatest possible despatch. Such

conduct confirms the Austrians in their sus-
picions that he is resolved on going to war.
They are now considering whether it would not be
better to take the initiative and attack Sardinia
before the French can take the field. A council of
war, at which the Emperor presided, sat till four
o'clock on Sunday morning, and at this council
the advisability of immediately declaring war was
doubtless discussed.

The correspondent of the Advertiser says the
highest authorities in the French army are agreed
that Austria would be able to utterly annihilate the
Piedmontese army ere any help could reach it from
France.

Moniteur is

The article on Germany in the
variously regarded—some looking upon it as a
menace to Germany, and others that it indicates
the persistence in a serious quarrel with Austria.
The Moniteur publishes a decree, ordering the ap-
pointment of 100,000 conscripts among the different
departments. This is the whole of the contingent of
the year. In ordinary years 80,000, and even only
40,000 have been called out. The commercial .posi-
tion of France is described as uneasy ; the fear of
war paralyses all commercial activity.
With regard to the elections, there is very little
additional news. An immense number of rumours
are in circulation, and among them is one to the
effect that Mr. Cobden, and Robertson Gladstone, Esq.,
will be nominated for Manchester. As regards
Liverpool, nothing is yet certain, beyond what we
have already announced.

♦
THE PEACE OR WAR QUESTION,

THE hopes of preserving the peace of Europe,
which were excited by the agreement to hold a Con-
gress on the subject in dispute between -Austria on
the one hand, and Piedmont and France on the other,
appear to become more and more doubtful of being

realised, as the course of intervening events passes
on. More than a week ago, one of our well-informed
contemporaries made the following statement,—"Of
the present prospects of European peace or war it is
difficult to speak with any confidence. The auspices
under which the Congress has been ushered in do not
appear to inspire any faith in its bona fides. The
impression seems to be daily growing stronger that
it is little more than a pretext to give time for pre-
parations which are in no degree relaxed. The

Df France continue with unabat

d acti-

vity, and. Germany seems to find no reason in the

prom

d negotiations for slackening
vi

her military

it of Count CAVOUR to
taination of the French
ror to encourage to the utmost the aggressive
party, have inspired a universal uneasiness and dis-
trust. No one seems to know, or even to believe,
that any solid agreement has been arrived at as to
the general objects and scope of the Congress. All
that can be said is that the negotiations have pro-
gressed no further than the agree ment to a most
precarious armistice." This, we say, was a true
representation of the case, more than a week since
and it remains in that position still—only
decided in its uncertainty and confusion, not to sal'
hopelessness.

ences

Paris, and the apparent deter

Empe

That .a Congress has been agreed upon— tliat so far
the bona fides was undoubted—is a fact which there
is, we believe, no reason whatever to dispute. But
the question is, what are to be the real conditions on

which it is to act—what are the precise purposes
which it is to be at liberty to bring about ? The
special treaties of alliance, of 1815, under which
Austria shelters herself in Italy, it is asserted in her
behalf, are in strict accordance with international
law ; and these treaties, she declares, although they

may now have little practical value,slLeN7 which
illi not
give up at the bidding of Louis NAPOL
would be a mischievous procedure for all time to
come. One of the articles of the treaty with the
Grand Duke of Tuscany sets forth, that "though the
mutual guarantee of their professions in Italy, which
the Emperor of Austria and the Grand Duke of
Tuscany have undertaken is meant to be maintained
by each with his full. power, and though the con-
tracting Powers, starting from the principle, which
forms tho basis of this treaty, of opinion, that