The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-26 00:00:00

FRANCE,

PARIS, FRIDAY EVENING.
The Moniteur of yesterday publishes the follow-
ing article :
" The Neuchatel prisoners have been liberated,
and they are already on the French territory. The
Helvetic Government, in concert with the national
representation of the country, has performed an
act which does it honour, and which is in perfect
keeping with the true interest of Switzerland.
" The Government of the Emperor had advised
that measure already in September last, and had
renewed its advice in a communication dated 26th
November. Aware, in confidence, of the concilia-
tory intentions of King Frederick William, and
knowing that the whole question lay in the uncon-
ditional liberation of the prisoners, it found it_
necessary to insist on making the Federal Govern
ment understand the full bearing of the request
that was made to it.
" If Switzerland refused, France could no longer

deter the. King of Prussia, whose spirit of modera%
don she highly appreciated, from having recourse
to arms to procure a just satisfaction for his offended
dignity. If, on the contrary, Switzerland complied
with the counsels of France, the latter fonnd her-
self engaged to make use of that concession with
the Cabinet of Berlin to prevent any coercive
measures, and to claim a satisfactory solution of
the Neuchatel question.
" We, therefore, congratulate ourselves upon the
resolution taken by the Helvetic Confederation.
She may at once fearlessly dismiss her-contingents,
and the Prussian Government having already.
announced that it is ready to commence negotia-
tions on the ground itself of the dispute, a final
arrangement may be hoped for, conformable to the
interests as well as the dignity of both parties."
The foregoing is certainly an improvement, so
far as language is concerned. on the former article
in the official journal, which had the ill luck to dis-
please both parties—Switzerland, from the rather
haughty tone which pervaded it; and Prussia, from
the patronising air it affected. In the present com-
munication there is no allusion to the sacred and
inviolable character of the treaties of 1815, so out of
place when emanating from a Bonaparte dynasty,
or to the obstinacy and ingratitude of the Swiss..
Nevertheless, I doubt whether. it will give great
satisfaction to the Swiss. The "unconditional"
release of the Neuchatel prisoners is put prominently
forward, while the confederation must still trust to
assurances of the King of Prussia, given "in a
confidential manner,"—not of his renunciation of
the Principality, but of his "conciliatory inten-
tions." All who know the King of Prussia must be
aware that little dependence can be placed either
on his intentions or his assurances—not, perhaps,
from preconcerted deceit, but from the inherent
vacillation of character which prevents him from
persevering in the same design for 24hours together
Except in the liberationof the prisoners, I look upon
the affair as pretty much in the same state it was
three months ago. As it is hardly possible to sup-
pose that the Swiss government would have roused
the spirit of the Swiss population, appealed to
their historical recollections, and convoked them
to defend the independence of their country merely
to acquiesce in demands which they might have
accorded long ago, with much better grace, if not
dignity, there is but one way of explaining the
change. It is found in the fact which I alluded
to yesterday. Dr. Kern was sent to Paris as a
delegate from the Council of States, of which he
is a member, eand he was over anxious to arrive
at a conclusion. On his return to Berne from
Paris, he declared that he had seen confidential
letters from the King of Prussia to the Emperor
of the French, in which it was declared that the
renunciation of the rights of Prussia would be
the immediate consequence of the liberation of
the prisoners, and he added that, if the King
of Prussic!, did not fulfil the pledge he had given,
he had reason to know that the Emperor of the
French would take. a -cleciclad part .with the 1-I.l_
vetic Confederation. Dr. Kern also stated, by way
of corroboration, what the poor King of Prussia
must consider as the unkindest cut of all, namely,
that the letters were written in very indifferent
French. Judge how pained his Prussian Majesty
must be at having .‘ his parts of speech" treated so
cavalierly the vindication of his orthography and
syntax has now become as necessary as that of
his claims on Neuchatel. Frederick 'William, it
appears, has taken this much to heart. Dr, Kern
also communicated, orally as in writing, and which,
of course, was soon known to the whole of the
cantons, that England was associated with France
in the determination to make common cause with
the Confederation. This part of his information was
most unfounded ; and, I believe, our Minister at
Berne had to ask for explanations, and to deny the
fact. The King of Prussia has now attained his
object—the release of the prisoners without trial.
He has no apprehension from the Swiss contingents,
his feelings are hurt by the criticism of the imprudent
Envoy on his grammatical deficiencies, and he may
now be encouraged or provoked:by these causes to
make hiSrenunciation depend on conditions which
Switzerland can hardly accept. What the conditions
are I do not exactly know, but I believe that one
to which a G.erman paper alludes, namely, an in-
demnity from Switzerland, has not been mooted.
There-are questions about a certain class property
to which the King lays claim—droits de bourgeoisie,
and others which are surrounded with "difficulty,
and which will have to be discussed at the Confer-
ence. As to the interference of tho'English govern-
ment, it consisted simply of this—it admitted the
right of the Confederation in the matter of the
prisoners ; it pronsised to use its " good offices"
with the King of Prussia after their liberation,
but it !declined to give any positive guarantee:
The Swiss, I have no doi}bt, expected more, but
they appreciate the reasons which may have
influenced it. Nothing has as yet been decided as
to the place where the Conferences will be held,
but the great probabilities are in favour of London,
and until• the place be agreed to no date can be
fixed. Dr. Kern had an audience of the Emperor
to-day. Thus the matter rests for the present.
The French papers have been recommended not
'to publish any more details respecting the assassin
Verger, until the Court of Cessation shall have de-
cided on his appeal. The court met for that pur-
pose yesterday, but his counsel having claimed .a
delay of ten days from the date or his appeal, the
court adjourned until Thursday next.
The Monituer de la Flotte, contains news irem
China, not hitherto published. It was known at
Macao that the Russian Government had obtaitiel
permission at Pekin for their ships to enter the five
ports. This fact is considered to be extremely im-
portant. Russia has had for some years. extensive
commercial relatiOns with China by land and ac-
cording to the terms of a treaty signed in 1725, the
town of Kittchta, situate en the frontiers of the
two empires, serves as a commercial entrepot.
Commerce has increased, and is considerably ex-
tending itself on that point. The Russian Go
vernment, in order to establish its relations
more firmly with China, has obtained the
privilege of having a . Legation at Pekin—
a favour which no other power enjoys, tont, on the
other hand, the Chinese Government had always
refused to receive Russian ships in the five ports
into which the ships of other nations are admitted.
Trade between Russia and China has been hitherto
carried on solely by land. Admiral Patuitine, who
commanded the Russian squadron in the Chinese
seas at the breaking out of the last war, used his
utmost efforts to obtain a treaty which would place
his Government on the same footirtg as the moat
faVoured nations. He would probably have
succeeded had not the war paralysed ,his opera-
tions. Recant events at Canton give increased
importance to the new advantages whiclfßussia
has obtained. On the 25th of November :a body
of insurgents, accompanied by numerous bands of
brigands, who have ravaged the province of ICwang
Si during several months, took possession of the
town of Kouli-Lin, and committed fearful excesses.
The imperial troops, not being sufficiently nume-
rous,. could give the inhabitants no assistance.
It is impossible to give an idea of the
anarchy which prevails at this moment in various
provinces in China. Highway robbery is organised