The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-30 00:00:00

THE lONIAITISLANDS

ZANTE, Dec. 13.—Mr. Gladstone landed here on
Wednesday, the 15th inst. There was much excite-
ment preparing for the " coming man." " Gladstone
and union with Greece" was placarded all owes the
town ; illuminations were got up,' and the " Grande
Place" decorated with flags, &c. At ten a.m. on
Wednesday the Terrible steamed gallantly into
our bay. The morning was bright and clear, and
the vessels in the harbour decorated with flags.
The ships fired a salute,.and the castle guns followed;
the guard of humour presented arms, and the autho-
rities, in full uniform, made their salaam as his
Excellency the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, M.P.,
&c., put his foot on shore at the Resident's private
wharf. A levee was to be held at once. Now, this
proceeding did not please the great unwashed (a
very large class in the lonian Islands); they forced
the police at the Resident's gate, broke in full tide,
bearing the national flag of Greece aloft, into the
fore court, and if the doors had not been closed and
barred at once there would have been a fuller atten-
dance at his Excellency's levee than the master of
the ceremonies was prepared for. The mob was most
clamorous for admittance, but the guard of honour
quietly but firmly forced flip' outside the court,
where they employed themselves in shouting and
yelling till they were tired.
In the meantime the levee went on; the several
clerical, military, and civil deputations were mar-
shalled and presented in due form, and when this
ceremonial was over the Greek Archbishop and all
his clergy were recalled, whereupon the Archbishop
put out his hand to present a petition for annexa-
tion with Greece, but was stopped by Mr. Glad.
stone, who addressed him as follows :

" Most Rev. Sir,—l beg of you to accept the ex-
pression of my deepest reverence. I thank you for
the honour of the visit you have been pleased to
make me. But, before receiving any petition or
hearing anything you have to say, I must first ful-
fil a sacred duty. lam come to the islands to exa-
mine into their condition. The mandate of the Queen
Protectress requires me to hear the complaints of
every class of the people, to invite suggestions and
hear advice, but not to incite or listen to anything
else. Pstrictly adhered to that mandate at Corfu,
Santa Maura, and Ithaca. Arrived at Cephalonia
and Zante, I found myself bound by a new duty,
which exacts my first and especial attention. But,
before I make an investigation I must correct a
mistake. Despite the solemn
,and formal declara-
tion made to the Most High Senate, it appears that
many persons entertain the opinion that at this
epoch, and under the present circumstances of
Europe and of the Eastern question, the
idea of a union of the Seven Islands, not with the
whole Greek race, but with the actual kingdom of
Greece, might be ected, and that this idea might
the more easily be made a fact by coupling it with
my name and my presumed Philliellemsm. This is
their mistake. I speak with due respect of every
sentiment of nationality so long as it keeps within
the limits of possibility and justice. But those who,
without considering time, method, persons, circum-
stances and consequences—in a word, facts, would
like to take that sentiment of nationality as a rule
for human things, may be styled out of their senses.
I may add that doctrines of nationality couched in
certain terms become doctrines of disorder and
anarchy. And what is this idea of nationality taken
as an exponent (norma) of the policy of these
islands, when neither time, method, persons, cir-
cumstances, nor consequences—in a word, facts—
bear it out ? In this light it is certainly a phantom
—a dream. Nay, it is worse. The lonian people
have not the power to select either annexation or
reform, or the actual state or status quo, because,
annexation being under present circumstances im-
possible, there remain only two choices for them—
one is to aim at a reasonable liberal progress ' • the
other to maintain the existing political and admi-
nistrative system. Those who clamour for the im-
possible exclude the possible. Those who clamour
for ' annexation,' which is impossible, and exclude
the reforms which I• should like to render possible,
leave no choice. They exclude reforms; annexa-
tion excludes itself; thence there remains nothing
but the status quo. Ido not mean to say that this
is the object; but I positively affirm, and let it be
well understood, that it will be the end and result
for having substituted, before me, the vote for
annexation for the exposure of grievances and
suggestions for improvements which might be
made in tjie actual condition of the country. This
is what I want you clearly to understand from me.
A higher authority, the English-Government, has
expressed its opinion on the subject. It is not a
month since that Lord Malmesbury, the British
Minister for Foreign Affairs, sent a circular

despatch to all the English Representatives at the
European Courts, to inform them that England
recognised the obligations imposed on her by the
Treaty of Paris, and never had the intention or the
wish to disown them. That despatch will shortly
be published. I have only to add,.that the most
sure means to deprive me of all power and all hope
of doing anything good for the lonian people is to
couple my name with the demand for annexation
with Greece by means of placards, which you, gen-
tlemen, have seen as well as myself. And now,
most reverend Sir, you will find me ready to hear
with due respect what you or the clergy, for whom
I entertain so high a respect, will do me the honour
to say to me in favour of the interests of the lonian
people, and to state their grievances."
The venerable gentlemen with their long beards
seemed quite taken aback. They had not expected
such a speech. As Mr. Gladstone_ proceeded their
mouths fell. Union with Greece was declared a
simple impossibility, and the treaties of 1815 to be
carried out to the -letter. Mr. Gladstone spoke ear-
nestly, andmade, I think, a deep impression. The
reverend gentlemen returned to their cures wiser
and sadder men, for after all the priesthood are the
only foes to our protectorate worthy of considera-
tion. Once united to Greece, the great Russian
Head of the Church would soon be looking after
his lambs scattered over- the Seven Islanils.
The rest of the day and the following were em-
ployed by his Excellency in receiving those who
applied for a special audience. A ball at the Resi-
dency and a State dinner at the Regent's last night
with an adjournment afterwards to the Opera,
which was gaily decorated, filled up the remainder
of the time, and before daylight this morning Mr.
Gladstone, on board the Terrible, was out of sight,
in full steam for Athens.
The following address, signed by the Municipa-
lity of Zante, was sent to Mr. Gladstone when he
was at Corfu : •
" Excellency,—The Municipality of Zante having
maturely considered the high mission intrusted to
your Excellency by the royal mandate of Novem-
ber, 1858, and the speech which your Excellency
made to the Senate on the 26th of the same month,
feel it their sacred duty, as representing the com-
munity of this island, to submit the following de-
claration.to your Excellency's consideration :—.The
people of these islands have expressed their firm
and unalterable will to return to the bosom of their
mother, free Greece, as soon as Great Britain has
granted them freedom of speech and of election.
This was made known to the whole of Europe by
the decree of the 26th of November, 1850, which
the unexpected prorogation of the Chambers pre-
vented from being unanimously adopted; by the
persecutions which followed, directed against those
who proposed that decree of union and supported
the sentiments and just demands of the people,
and against which the Chamber vainly protested
on various occasions - by the rejection of the re-
forms proposed in 18:52," and by the unanimous de-
claration of the Chamber on the 20th of June,
1857 ; when it is evident that in the present
political condition of this people no transaction is
possible. The Ipnians, exercising this right as a
free and independent people, proclaimed such by
the treaty of Paris of the sth of November, 1815,
find themselves for the last 10 years engaged in a
lamentable political struggle. Now that the most
gracious Queen of your Excellency is desirous of
procuring the happiness of this people, she certainly
cannot satisfy that Christian duty without giving
it its emancipation as soon as it can only find its
real happiness in its annexation with free Greece,
with which it forms one family. This desire, the
firm will, this municipality which represents it, all
give your Excellency the most frank information
which any authorities or individuals could give in
reply to your Excellency's speech to the Senate.
The municipality hope that your Excellency, as
the interpreter and defender of the real happiness
and rights of the Hellenic people, will represent
this appeal to her Majesty's Government, that by
its high co-operation with the other Powers that
signed the treaty of 1815 its realisation may be
accelerated, and an act of justice and humanity be
rendered worthy of the glorious English nation."
(Here follow the signatures of the members of
the municipality of Zante.)
The following is the address presented to Mr.
Gladstone by the deputies of Ithaca :--
"Excellency,—We fulfil a sacred duty in appeal-
ing by these presents to so distinguished a states-
man ; we owe it to the people we have the honour
to represent to speak to you respectfully, but also
with that sincerity due to the character with which
you are invested, respecting the feelings and wishes
of the population of Ithaca, which are shared by
the population of the other islands. Excellency,
be assured the population of these islands entertains
the most profound respect for the English nation,
which deserves it on all accounts; that it only feels
gratitude for all the good which the British Govern-
ment has done for the country, and that it forgets
all the evil which its officials may have done,
misunderstanding their mission. Belonging to the
same family which inhabits enfranchised Greece,
the lonians form the most ardent wish to behold

their fate united to that of the kingdom of Greece,
to share good and bad with our national family.
These few words sufficiently express the character
and the sentiments of the population of Ithaca, as
well as of the whole lonian Republic. Knowing
what weight the precious opinion of your Excel-
lency will have in the decision that will be taken
for our country's future, we entertain the flattering
hope that your Excellency, whose nobility of heart
and Philhellism is no secret to us, will exert his
best efforts in favour of a population of Greek
nationality, which desires nothing so much as to
behold the great English nation acquire new claims
to its gratitude and devotion."