The Sun.
London, England, 1857-10-19 00:00:00

THE DANUBIAN PRINCIPALITIES.

OPENING OF THE "DIVAN AD HOC"
IN MOLDAVIA.

(From the Special Correspondent of the Daily News.)
BUCHAREST, OCT, 8.
All the accounts from Jassy agree in the fact
that there exist among the deputies of Moldavia
perfect unanimity, moderation, and determination.
It is to be hoped that this good example will not
be lost on the Divan of Wallachia. M. Demetre
Bratiano, member of the town of Peteshti, in Wal-
lachia, was entrusted with the mission of placing
the Divans of the two countries en rapport, so as to
ensure unanimity of action ; from the successful
execution of which task he has this day retnrned.
I am now in a position to give you some details
of the occurrences at Jassy and the conduct of the
two commissioners there, viz., Sir H. Bulwer and
M. Basili.
The inauguration of the Divan was announced on
Sunday by a salute of 101 guns. At 10 o'clock
service in the metropolitan church, where, after
the celebration of the "Te Denim," the Archman-
drite Seriban (member of the Divan) addressed the
assembly from the pulpit. Some political allusions
in his discourse touching the question of union
under a foregn prince are supposed to have been as
distasteful to Sir H. Bulwer as to M. Basil'. The
latt,r seemed particularly annoyed at one sentence,
wherein the Archmandrite said, " The rights of our
country have been long misunderstood and trodden
under foot." After divine service, .the cortege of
members of the Divan and commissioners defiled
to the palace between an espalier of soldiers and
under a second salute of 101 guns. On their de-
parture from the palace the Caimacan, who had
also assisted at the religious ceremony in the church,
reviewed the troops before the assembled deputies.
All Jassy was afoot, and this national fete was rea'ly
an imposing sight. Iu the evening all the houses,
save that of the Austrian consul, were illuminated.
The Metropolitan opens the Divan by an address,
and the reading of the firman, and announcing the
commencement of their labours next week. Mon-
day were elected committees of members to verify
the election retu' rv, after which comes the election
of vice president, a most important office, and one
which is at first only to be held for four weeks, after
which comes the discussion as to the order and ar-
rangement of their labours.

The-reception of the two commissioners at Jassy
took place without any public display. A deputa-
tion of unionists waited upon each with an address
in their respective house. M. Basili replied to
their address in an extemporary speech, the tenor
and wording of which seem to have grated rather
harshly upon the ears of his auditors : the most
benevolent found it a little to severe and didactic,
especially when he alluded to the presumed action
of the Divan, which intended to confine themselves
to the political reorganisation, without entering
upon the subject of what may be properly termed
their administrative legislation. M. Basili having
learnt that the deputation were somewhat annoyed
and discouraged by his address, subsequently sent
for the leaders of the party, and gave them more
assuring explanations, in conformity with which
second thoughts the emended edition of the Russian
views has been given to the public.
The Moldavians criticise a little the iutimee re-
lations of the Russian with the clergy (the Metro-
politan is the president of the Divan), and do not
quite approve the stress that M. Basili would fain
lay upon "a bond more binding than that of nation-
ality, viz., that of co-religion." The Greek has,
I suspect, counted somewhat without his host.
Our commissioner was received with much cor-
diality. He appears to have been in such excellent
humour on the occasion—vide his annexed reply—
that he could not avoid editing a few facetiae iii the
well-known style of Lord Palmerston, while the
abundance of his proverbs and parables would have
done honour to Cervantes. As, however, these dis-
courses frequently differ considerably, according to
the time that has elapsed between the viva voce im-
pression of the address and the finishing touch of
the author, who declares the proof perfect, I must
beg you to receive my translation as a pretty fair
mean, inasmuch as my informant assures me that
the system of revision had not been applied to it
more than five times. Some of the Moldavians
cavil not a little at the small knot of supporters who
formed the body guard and supporters of our worthy
commissioner at Jassy. They pretend that M.
Basil Ghika, who was dismissed by Vogorides'from
the ministry of the interior, for some rather strong
irregularities, was not worthy of the high esteem in
which he seemed to be held. M. Panajot Radu has
al o offended the sympathies of his countrymen by
undertaking the part of Austro-Turko newsmonger,
and having made himself somewhat obnoxious at
Bucharest during the annulled Mold%vian elections
in this capacity. M. Alexandra .lalsch, the one
anti-unionist of the DiVan, is also out of favour.
Koko Stourdza, an aspirant to the Caima,camie,
does not seem to suit them better, while a certain
Dr. Williamson, a countryman, can certainly boast
of having a very pretty considerable number of
enemies and detractors in the fair city of Jassy.
Sir Henry no doubt has his reasons for what he does,
and I must leave him to give them, or not, as he
chooses, to the gentlemen of Jassy, who appear
somewhat dissatisffed, with the above circle of ac.
quaintance. The easy and gentlemanly manners
of Sir Henry, as well as his personal amiability,
which seems• to have been displayed even more
wrongly at Jassy than at Bucharest, completely
won the Moldavians. He was less successful
in inducing them to credit his assertions of frank-
ness and loyalty of position and advice. Not a
shadow of cinfidence has been es'ablishecl during
these short relations between S:r H-nry and the
Moldaviaus. One of that body, in speaking of this
want of sympathy, and comparing Str Henry with
another political personage, remarked :—" Dither
is to be trusted, the only difference between their)
being tha: one isan intrigiaiit, the other (Sir Henry)
a diplomitist."
The instructions of the two deleigatei commis-
sioners merely authorised them to arrange with the
Pie sident (the Metropolit in) the mode of carrying
out the relations between the Commission and the
Divan. The Metropolitan and atirnaean, posaly
with the best imaginable int-ntions, thought fit to
address certain questions to the two commissioners
regariing the cr ter of the Libours of the Divan, in
conseqn.nce of which Sir H. Buiwer and M. Basili
r:-plied, in form of a consmanicatio-t, giving their
id as upon the order of their labours, an act in I
wl i h they wire perfectly un •uthorised by the
Erirope in Commission—the more so that the clues- •
t'otrs concerned the competence of the Dvan.
Fortunately the reply of the two commissioners, in
wlich the stylus of Sir Henry, and his skill in
weaving a Ne sian tunic, shone conspimou3, was
declared by the au Inn themselves to be " Don
obligat Aro." Those "ideas" caused no little
alarm to the Moldavians. Amongst cther matters,
in opposition to the firman, which says that the
classes are to occupy themselves principally with
qiies:tonsaffict'nekseparate interest, the com-
missioner wished to introduce a preliminary of the
committees as a rule, so that the whole house would
only have 'to deliberate upon the basis of a report
drawn up by the different class committees—a pro-
cedure that would necessarily produce the utmost
disorder in the preparatory labours for the general
preparations, and soon so sink the parliamentary
niachiee in the mire that it would be impossible
afterwards to extricate it and set it in motion.

REPLY OF SIR HENRY BULWER TO THE
UNIONISTS AT JASSY.
Gentlemen,--I have listened to the dieceurse that
hasjust been pronounced with all the attention that
mien friendly expressions ought to inspire, and, if
the words of a celebrated individual be true, " that
Language was given to man, and above all to diplo-
matists, to enable them to diiguise theirtheughts,"
I confess to making a bad use of the gift on the
present occasion, inasmuch as I cannot find words
to cloak the deep emotion that I feel at the cordial
reception with which you have honoured my entry
into this Principality. It is, as you say, gentle-
men, the first time that I have visited your coun-
try ; but allow me to assure you it has long ob-
tained my sympathy, and that I am anxious to sic)
mY name honourably inscribed in the new chapter
of is history which is being commenced. This desire
you -will readily understand, as being the repro-
7enta,ive of a government that must be ioterftted.
in the development of your resources, while, for my
own part, I can desire no mission more agreeable
than the amelioration of
our
glory greater than that ofy livingspionaxyotuor recollec-
tions. I feel I ought alwaysi to
frankness while addressinig you with
entreatywith regard. Do
not imagine, therefore
that the
future of a people can be formed in eydwa.; Do not
fancy either that " the race is always teyih
Trees of the slowest growth are the lonilee:srteswliviretd,
while the tortoise challenged by the
remember the fable—gained the race. In searT
ing for SOW) trait that might afford nee an index ,
to your character, I think that I have met one that
augurs well. True, you have only made a single
road in your country; but that road is excellent.
paved. street in your city ;
Y( u. have only one well
but that street is better paved than almost any
street in the finest cities of Europe. Thus, gentle-
met, you have given me the idea, that it lies less
it the genius of your character to wish to do much,
t'iall to perform well what you undertake. A people
that progresses in th.s manner will advance far, be-
cauee its march is sure. Every epoch in history has
ii n fact fs miesion. True political science (Part de
la politique),. in nations as in individuals, cmsists
in Justly appreciating - the
opportunity, employ-
ing every effort for the possible/ and never wast-
ing time or strength on the impossible. Need
I then tell you that, in demanding to be informed