Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-03-12 00:00:00

THE NORTHERN TIMES,' SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 1859

instructed to publish. They steadily repeat that no which not only demand heedful diligence, and
r change has taken place in the Emperor's policy require business experience, but must have the
that grave difficulties still exist between France d
a vantage also of intimate local knowledge, in order
and Austria, that a settlement of the Italian
to their proper disposal, whether in committee or in
question isnecessary for the peace of Europe, and
that if it cannot be obtained by diplomacy other f the House itself. Most modestly does Mr. HEYWOOD
means will be resorted to. The military preparations declare, "in the event of my becoming your repre-
in France still continue with unabated activity. sentative, I can only hope that my habits of business
The Paris correspondent of the Times says
and strict attention to the details of my duties may
that the statement in the Constitutionnel on the
armaments of Austria in Italy came direct in some degree compensate for my want of ability in
from the Sardinian Government to the Tui- other respects." And sure we are, that did there
leries, and from the Tuileries they were forwarded really need anything to make compensation for any
to the Constitutionnel. It is asserted that the
want of ability in other respects, those sterling
following additional note was added at the
Tuileries This concentration of artillery causes qualities, which it is so well known he possesses in
it to be supposed that a veritable siege train was an eminent degree, would far outweigh any such
getting together at Pavia, and which can have no I disadvantage as that which he has supposed. The
other object than the siege of the fortified places of
very distrustfulness of his ability is, moreover, a
Piedmont. Austria knows the plans concocted
between Paris and Turin, to wrest Lombardy from hopeful sign. It has yet, of course, as respects
her. Armaments on one side produce armaments on Parliamentary life, to be tried. But there can be
the other, and irritation begets irritation, until a i no doubt that one who has shown so much ability as
collision becomes inevitable. The French Govern- i a man of business, in the highest spheres of finan-
ment gave assurances to Lord Malmesbury that they
could give no assistance to Piedmont except in case cial and commercial life, will be found as able, as we
of aggression by Austria. Of course Piedmont is know he is willing; to discharge all the duties of a
doing her best to provoke' aggression. The ministers Member of Parliament with honour to himself, with
are haunted by the fear that,. in spite of appearances, credit to his constituents, and with advantage to his
the Emperor and his cousin are on the best
country
understanding, and that, so far as Italy is concerned,
they will act without any more reference to
ministers than if they were not in existence

PROBABLE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY IN

It was reported in Paris, yesterday, that Prince
Napoleon and his young bride are about to proceed to
Turin. The Paris correspondent of the Daily News
says that Prince Napoleon is believed to be higher
in the Emporor's favour than ever. All the cor-
respondence from Piedmont concurs in stating that
neither the article in the Moniteur, nor the resigna-
tion of Prince Napoleon, have destroyed the hopes
nor altered the expectations of the necessary
aggressive act they say may' be found at hand
whenever wanted.

CUBA

" IT is an ill wind that blows no body good," says
the proverb ; and the ill wind of covetousness which
has blown from the tinited States upon the Island
of Cuba, may not improbably, it now seems, have
the effect of doing that important. Spanish posses-
sion the great good • of ridding it of the curse of
slavery. There were several motives for such a
step, to which the American threat of annexation
would appear to be impelling the Cubans. In the
first place, they believe that, in the words of a
recent paper upon the subject, written in the
interest of Spain, " Cuba, peopled by mulattoes
and free blacks, would no longer be the prey that
to-day the Americans- aspire after," since it is well
known, that " the Southern States urge the acqui-
sition of that island because they could divide it
into two States, and could_thus re-establish in the
Senate and House the equilibrium of votes, which_
now stand to their disadvantage. Cuba, besides,
would serve them as a dep3t, to which they could
draw the negroes of Africa, and to give a great
impetus to the slave trade." These are certainly
most tangible and powerful reasons for the South-
erners of the United States coveting Cuba. Again,
it is considered that the most effectual strength-
eners of Spanish rule are the two hundred thousand
mulattoes of Cuba, who are to-day free men, in
possession of every civil and political right, and
who would, the day following its annexation to
the United States, fall back to the level of the
slaves; and that to augment and fortify this
coloured population by the accession to the rank
of all the negroes still in the bonds of slavery
would be to raise an insurmountable barrier to
American invasion ; while having once made them
free, it is certain they would sooner perish under
the banner of Spain' than submit to' the re-estab-
lishment of slavery by the hands, of Americans.
More than all this, as the paper already quoted
sets forth,' "to proteCt Cuba against the covetous
Americans, Spain ought, above all, to count on
England, who hg's also Jamaica and so many other

A telegraphic despatch in the Univers announces
that the Carnival had concluded without the slightest
disturbance having taken place on any point of

important islands to defend ; but the former intimate
relations between Spain and England have greatly
changed during the last twenty years; and" the prin-
cipal cause, not to say the only cause, of this cold-
ness is the undeniable continuance of the Cuban slave
trade and the tolerance, but little disguised, that the
Spanish authorities afford to this inhunian traffic.
This continuance of the trade, in obliging England
to maintain, from self respect, a squadron in the sea
of the Antilles, is the source of continued difficulties
which spring up periodically between England and
the United States." Here, then, is a combination of
powerful reasons for doing what no single motive,
perhaps, would eves effect.
The argument thus framed, be it known, is of
Spanish origin. And, in the present state of the
case, it is natural that it should be. For Spain is
threatened with the loss of the most valuable of her
colonial possessions; and it is but reasonable, there-
fore, that she should cast about for the most available
expedients of defence against such an attack. What-
ever Spanish statesmen have thought before, what
so likely as that they should now have come to see,
that the abolition of slavery is the most infallible
means of assuring to Spain the retention of a colony,
but for whose fifteen or twenty millions of tribute
money annually replenishing the treasury, her finan-
cial condition would be desperate indeed.
One very important preparation for the abolition
of slavery in Cuba, is the introduction of coolies, as
free labourers. A bill now awaits, we believe, the
authorisation of the Spanish Cortes, for obtaining
twenty thousand such free labourers, to be drawn
either from the Asiatic colonies of Spain, or from
Hindostan,—a project which it is confidently ex-
pected will eventually result in the cessation of the
African slave trade with Cuba, and be followed, in
no long time, by the abolition of slavery. Slave
labour is very expensive,' and is increasingly so, on
account of the high and still advancing price of
slaves. And the statement is quite credible, there-
fore, that " the Spanish Minister has well
understood, that the only means of effectively
destroying the trade was to assure the planters
of cheap labour. That is why he wishes to
introduce coolies into Cuba. The purchase price of
negroes, and the expenses of their support, are high
enough at the present time in that island, for this
effort to have some chance of success. If the planters
find it advantageous to employ these new labourers,
they will have no longer any interest in favouring
the slave trade. The latter would immediately cease,
and Spain would gain by this movement a moral re-
habitation, and the protection of England against
the United States." True, there must be compensa-
tion to the slave owners, whenever the abolition of
slavery may be decreed. But the proceeding alluded to
is calculated to facilitate that necessity, by reducing
the amount through the influence of the cheaper free
labour ; which, combined with other considerations,
"permits the hope," they tell us, "of seeing the day
when the weight of indemnity will cease to be too
overwhelming, and when the expenses of emancipa-
tion may be accomplished by the means of a loan, to
be repaid by the revenues even of Cuba,"—while,
in such a case, the further hope, they think, may be
indulged, "that English philanthropy, in that hour,
will not refuse Spain her financial assistance."

It would seem, then, to be more than ever im-
probable that the United States will be able to annex
Cuba. Their very attempt to do so is only having
the effect of raising up more insurmountable barriers
than ever. And who knows but it may even result
in shaking to its foundation their own slave system P
Who knows that the very scheme which the Ame-
rican slave-owners so cunningly devised for feeding
and fostering slavery in their own boasted free

country, may not have the effect, however indi-
rectly, of breaking up their abominable systo,ut alto-
gether ? At any rate, they seem very likely io be
immediately outwitted,—just as with
" Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself."

THE STILL CRITICAL STATE OF INDIA.
IT is with no disposition, let our readers be as-
sured, either to disparage the great achievements of
our victorious :army in India, or to discourage the
excited hopes of peace as their immediate result,
that we remark upon the fact which every recent
mail has served but to bring out more and more
prominently, that although the rebellion is in a great
measure suppressed, there are still left the germs of
it in sufficient vitality to render very precarious the
permanent tranquillity, if not the actual safety, of
that vast empire. It may be said of it, indeed, as
Macbeth said of his bloody affair,— •
" We've scotch'd the snake,.not killed it."
Would one could be free from the further apprehen-
sion, that,
" She'll close and be herself; whilst our poor malico
Remains in danger of its former tooth."
But so long as tho'se two reptiles in human shape,
NANA SAHIB and TANTIA. TOPEE, whose bite has
been found more dreadful than that of the most

venomous serpent, remain at large, and are the
centres, as they are believed to be, of inveterate
insurgency, and vindictive hostility, so long with the
empire be exposed to a protracted, however
smothered, rebellion, which must require the most
vigilant and the most anxious military surveillance
and resistance.

There is but too much reason to remember, and to
think of with horror and indignation, the monster
'NANA. Little is known circumstantially of his
recent proceedings. But, according to the last ad-
vices, he was believed to be at no great distance
from Nepaul, still in command of a host of rebels.
Now Nepaul—fortunately, let us hope—has solicited,
and of course obtained, the co-operation of our troops
in attacking the rebels. The official account is, that
JUNG BAHADOOR of Nepaul, having applied to Lord
CLYDE for the aid of British troops to assist in
reducing the rebels now refugees in his territory,
Lord CLYDE ordered Brigadier HORSFORD to ad-
vance into Nepaul, and that Brigadier HORSFORD
accordingly,had crossed the Raptee for the purpose
of joining the Ghoorka army,—the rebels under
BENI MAHDO, NANA SAHIB, and others, being, it
was believed, at no great distance from Bankee in
Nepaul. So that, from this, there was a revived
hope of yet capturing the miscreant NANA.
The other sanguinary miscreant, TANTIA TOPEE,
who is a brother of NANA SAHIB, at the head of his
Mahratta horsemen, has contrived to elude the
pursuit which has now been kept up for months
almost without interruption, and is still the object of
anxious pursuit. His pursuers have been close upon
him on several occasions lately. He had the
boldness to give them battle at Rajghur, arid in the
engagement he is said to have been wounded. But
he effected a sally of his forces at Seronge, about
sixty miles east of Rajghur. Seronge was, however,
abandoned, and they proceeded to Esaughur, with
the intention, it was supposed, of making a dour
upon Dotteeah, through the Shahabad districts.
Esaughur is a fortress belonging to SCINDIAH,
whose troops seem at once to, have fraternized with
the Mahratta rebel, and to have placed twenty-one
guns at his disposal. Subsequently he made an
unsuccessful attempt upon Ulwur, and then fled to
the Bickaneer territories. It appears that the
Ulwur contingent, not believed to be particularly
loyal, gave him no assistance, and he was forced to

sheer off with his colleagues to the northwards

They directed their course towards Rewaree, but
afterwards turned to the westward, and were, when
in that neighbourhood, very nearly caught by one of
the British columns, which, after marching two
hundred and ninety-four miles in twelve days, and.
fifty-two miles in forty-eight hours, came up with
TANTIA, who then fled for his life, and managed to
escape their pursuit. One can only hope that he has
• not got away altogether.
Such was the state of the case at the date of the
last accounts. The capture of those desperate and
blood-thirsty rebel-chiefs is essential to the full
establishment of tranquillity and order
condign punishment is highly important as an
example to the whole population so lately in open
rebellion. And it is indispensable if the country is
to be made secure against future disturbances.
There is, besides, much, very much, to avenge—
much to effect in the way of retribution—by the
capture of two such monsters. The work in hand,
therefore, ought not to be considered as quite
completed, until they are secured, and dealt with
as the martial law of the case, which they have
called down upon themselves, would at once
prescribe.

The Earl of Rosslyn has accepted the post of Undei
Secretary of State for War, vacated by Viscount Harding°

THE ARMY.—Twenty-eight captains of Engineers and
Artillery of the Indian army, are gazetted to the brevet
rank of majors in the army.

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CANADIAN POSTAGE.-4 treasury warrant in the Gazette
imposes an additional payment of 6d on all unpaid letters
and letters will be forwarded whether pre-paid or not.

S. May to be Consul at
Liverpool for the King of the Netherlands; Rear-Admiral
Sir T. Hastings, late Store-keeper of the Ordnance, to be

APPOINTMENTS,

Mr. J. W