The Sun.
London, England, 1856-09-02 00:00:00

THE PRINCIPALITIES.

A letter, dated Paris, Sunday, says :—The satf
faction with which the nomination of Prince Aloc-
ander Ghika as temporary ruler of Wallachia wag
received in that Principality was doubtless some-
what heightened by the removal of the fears that
had been entertained lest the powers of the much-
detested Stirbey should be prolonged ; but it was
by no means exclusively due to the relief from pain-
ful apprehensions. Without affirming that the
Porte might not have made a more popular selec-
tion, I believe that of Prince Ghika to have been
agreeable to the majority. There was not a very
great choice of candidates fitted for the post, and
the one chosen is esteemed for his kind heart, his
integrity, and his good intentions. Those who ob-
jected to him did not deny these qualities, but they
maintained that he had two faults, which not un-
frequently wait upon old age—namely, timidity'
and obstinacy. They could not doubt his good-will
and sincere desire to apply remedies to the wounds
inflicted upon the province by the oppressive and
corrupt administration of his predecessor, but they
feared lest his energy and decision should not keep
pace with his honest desires. Letters from Bucha-
rest, with dates down to the 20th inst., seem
to prove that these apprehensions were not alto-
gether ill-founded. While rendering full justice
to the good intentions that animate the Prince,
they describe the general regret that is felt that he
either fears or knows not how to take a step in anY
direction, but strictly limits himself to the main-
tenance of the status quo.
The question of the freedom of the press is one
in which Prince Alexander might advantageously
exercise the powers with which he is invested.
Under Prince Stirbey there was no press ; the two
or three insignificant papers that appeared were
entirely under Government control, and their con-
tents were wholly uninteresting. Applications for
permission to found other journals were invariably
negatived. As soon as the appointment of Prince
Alexander Ghika gave hopes of a more just and
liberal regime, an application was made by the
editors of La Patrie, a newspaper suppressed by
Prince Stirbey, for permission to recommence pub-
lication, and another was sent in for leave to found
a journal to be called The Union. Both were re-
fused. The reply was, that such permission could
not be granted before the arrival of the Commis-
sioners, but, by way of concession, the liaimakall
said he should not impede the discussion of politi-
cal and social questions, verbally and in manu-
script documents.
To explain and excuse his cautious and station-
ary attitude, and to try to ward off the reproaches
of his countrymen, who hoped better from him,
Prince Ghika puts forward the plea t hat, his Go-
vernment being only provisional, he should not be
justified in making any change previously to the
arrival of the Commissioners.

" The Ministerial party in Piedmont," says the
Courrier des Alpes, " is employing all the means
at its disposal to animate the national subscription
for the 100 cannons. But the Mazzini party has
commenced a dangerous rivalry :—the Italicto6
Populo of Genoa, an organ of Mazzini, open
another national subscription for the purchase of
ton thousand muskets, destined to reward and to
support the efforts of the first Italian province
which rises against the common enemy."

A letter from Naples, in the Corriere lifereitatile
of Genoa, states that a Muratist proclamation is
being spread all over the country with great
secrecy and activity.

Accounts from Constantinople of the 21st ult.
state that Admiral Lyons would not quit the Bos-
phorus until the Russians had completely evacu-
ated Turkey. Admiral Stewart was still cruising
in the Black Sea. The Commissioners appointed,
by Russia to settle the frontiers of Asia had arrival,
at Tiflis.