Star.
London, England, 1831-06-06 00:00:00

THE MINISTRY.

If we are to place faith in the last protocols we must soon
lose the assistance of MM. Ponsonby and Belliard, notwith.
standing the reception given by the Congress to the proposi-
tion of M. Nothomb, and the favourable disposition of the
Assembly to elect Prince Leopold.
Should the conference, however, give us patience for pa-
tience, which, in our opinion, it is its interest to do, another
month must pus over before we arrive at the solution which
we are sure can be the only one in the present state of this
country.
The result of yesterday's sitting has made it more pro.
bable than ever that M. Lebeau will not retain his porte-
feuilles. It is even believed that his private conduct has
contributed to the downfall of the present Ministry. We
are less likely to err in pointing out the future Ministry
from among the adversaries of the Lebeau party, who are
not influenced by presumption either grounded or not upon
the French ntonia.

" BELGIAN AISOCIATIOIT.-DIRECTINO COMMITTEE.
" Belgians !—The late protocols convince us of the last
wishes of the Holy Alliance.
" The Directing Committee again feels that a duty is re.
quired of it to protest against principles which are the basis
of the protocols, and against the consequences which may be
the result.

•e It takes this opportunity of contradicting all those ca-
lumnies which have been spread under the notice of the
Association, and which seem to express that the Associ-
ation is forming projects contrary to the order of them.
" The Committee must, therefore, state that the Belgian
Association has no other object than national independence,
the integrity of the territory, and the exclusion of the Nas.
saus. It moreover declares that it will use all its influence
to support the Constitution, the powers which it establishes,
and the form of the Government which it has consecrated.

" Brussels, June 1, 1831."
PEOTOCOL, NO. 23 OF THE CONFERENCES AT THE
FOREIGN OFFICE. HELD MAT 10, 1831.
The Plenipotentiary of France, after having declare d the
i full and entire assent of the Government of his Majesty the
King of the French to the protocols 21 and 22, of 17th
April, calls the attention of the Plenipotentiaries of Aus-
tria. Great Britain, Russia. and Prussia, on the means of
combining the execution and efficacy of the last of those acts
with the precautions best calculated to dispel even a pretext
for all alarm relative to the preservation of general peace.
The first question which the Congress has discussed with
this view related to the time which might be granted to the
Belgian Government, as to the definitive propositions con-
contained in protocol 22.
Considering that the Commissioners of the Five Courts
at Brussels, and the Government of his Majesty the King
of the French, are of opinion that a moderate delay would
offer the means of preparing the minds of the people of Bel-
gium for this important communication, the Plenipotentia-
ries have resolved that Lord Ponsonby should be autho-
rised to concert with Gen. Belliard the previous steps which
might produce the most effect in this respect, and not to
communicate the 22d protocol officially to the Belgic Go.
vernment till after employing all their influence to show,
generally, the advantages which the Belgians would reap
ifrom the immediate and frank acceptance of the basis of se-
paration to which his Majesty the King of the Netherlands
has already completely assented.
It has been agreed, cn the other hand, that the official corn.
munication of the protocol in question should take place, at
all events, before the Ist June this year, and that on that day
the delay shall expire granted by the Congress at London to
the Belgic Government, to place itself, according to its evi-
dent interest, in the same position as his Majesty the King
of the Netherlands, with respect to the Five Powers, by the
acceptance of the laws of separation above mentioned.
The Plenipotentiaries have further determined that, if on
the day fixed, the Belgic Government declares by its official
answer, that it accedes to the said basis of separation, then
immediate attention shall be paid to the measures necessary
for the speedy evacuation of the places and territories occu-
pied by the respective troops, beyond the boundaries assigned
to Belgium and Holland. In this supposition the common
consent of the two parties directly interested, to which the
Five Courts will contribute their good offices, would after-
wards decide the exchanges of territory and arrangements, the
principles of which were laid down in Article 4, of the basis
of separation. If, on the contaary, the basis should not be
accepted by June 1, by the Belgian Government, the Pleni-
potentiaries have agreed on this:—
" 1. That according to protocol No. 2, an absolute rup-
ture of all relations shall take place between the Five Powers
and the authorities which govern Belgium."
" 2. That the Five Powers, far from interposing further
with the German Confederation than they have hitherto
done to retard the adoption of the measures which the Ger-
man Confederation has resolved to take, in the Grand Duchy
of Luxembourg, could not but acknowledge themselves the
necessity of those measures.
"3. That the Five Powers, considering the intimate re-
lations which subsist between them and the German Confe-
deration, would ask the Diet at Frankfort to give them
proof oefriendship, by causing to be communicated to the
Congress at London confidential information respecting the
intentions of the Confederation relative to the number and
employment of the troops which it would cause to enter into
the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
" The entirely friendly communication in question would
have no object but to enable the Congress at London to pre-
vent the uneasiness which these military movements might
excite in the adjacent countries.
"4. That if the Belgians should violate the armistice
which they ought to observe with respect to Holland, and
should attack its territory, the Five Powers with which they
would thus enter, ipso facto, into a state of hostility, by the
violation of the engagements which they contracted the 21st
November, 1830, would have to concert the measures which
they should think it their duty to oppose to such attack,
and that the first of these measures would consist in the most
speedy execution of the determinations indicated In the in-
Istructions given to the Commissioners of the Congress of
London on January 18, which instructions are added to pro
tocul No.lo.

"5. Lastly, that if these determinations should be in-
sufficient, the Congress at London, acting in the name of
the Five Powers, would agree in common upon the further
measures which circumstances might require for the same
object.
" The Plenipotentiaries have agreed that the present pro-
tocol, which completes the disposition of that of April 17.
No. 22, shall also serve to complete the instructions of Lord
Ponsonby and be immediately forwarded to him."

raorocoL NO. 24, uSY 21, 1831.
Lord Ponsooby, alter receiving the article No. 23, having
thought it his duty to submit in person to the Congress the
state of affairs in Belgium, has been heard by the Plenipo-
tentiaries of the Five Courts.

Considering that it results from the information given by
Lord Ponsouby.
" I. That the assent of the Belgic Congress to the basis
of separation between Belgium and Holland would be ess►n-
tially facilitated if the Five Courts consented to support Bel.
' gium in its desire to obtain, on giving an indemnity, the
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg."
" 2. That the choice of a new Sovereign having become
indispensable to arrive at these final arrangements, the best
means of obtaining the proposed object would be to remove
the difficulties which would impede the acceptance of the
Sovereignty of Belgium by Prince Leopold, in case, as there
is every reason to believe, that Sovereignty should be of-
fered to him, the Plenipotentiaries have agreed to invite
Lord Ponsonby to return to Bruarels, and to authorise him
to declare—

" 1. That the Five Powers can no longer delay to rrquire
of the Belgic Government its assent to the basis of the Se-
paration of Belgium and Holland, to which his Majesty the
King of the Netherlands has already assented.
" 2. That, paying attention to the wish expressed by the
Belgic Government to obtain the Grand Duchy for an in-
demnity, the Five Powers promise to open a negotiation
with the King of the Netherlands, in order to secure, if pos-
sible, to Belgium, for a just compensation, the possession of
that country which should preserve its actual relation with
the German Confederation.
" That immediately after having obtained the assent of
the Belgic Government to the basis of separation, the Five
Powers would acquaint the German Confederation with this
assent, as well as with the engagements taken by them to
commence a negotiation for the purpose of obtaining, if pos-
-1 Bible, for Belgium, the possession of the Grand Duchy of
Luxemburgh for a just compensation ; the Five Powers
would at the same time invite the German Confederation to
suspend, during this negoelation, the execution of the mea-
sures resolved upon for the military occupation of the Grand
Duchy.
"4. That when the Belgian Government should have
given its assent to the basis of separation, and the difficul-
ties relative to the Sovereignty of Belgium removed, the ne-
iodations necessary to carry their bases into effect should be
immediately opened with the Sovereign of Belgium, under
the auspices of the Five Powers.
"6. Lastly, that if this assent should not be givenbz
June Ist, Lord Ponsonby, in concert with General Belliar

LONDON.

MONDAY, JUNE 6.

Accounts are in town, via Paris, stating that
Prince LEOPOLD of SAXE COBURG has been
elected Kixo of BELGIUM; and the Deputies
from Brussels may be expected to arrive either this
afternoon, or to-morrow at farthest.

Despatches were this day received at the Foreign
Office, in Downing-street, from Lord PONSON BY,
at Brussels; from Lord GRAN VILLE, at Paris ;
and from Sir CHARLES BAUOT, at the Hague.

All our anticipations are confirmed. While our
contemporaries, without one exception, were in
a maze of topographical ignorance, describing
Di EBITSCII as marching for Plock, to assail War-
saw, from the western side of the Vistula, we an-
nounced that he was outflanked by the Poles, and
that he had no remedy but flight in an opposite
direction, through victorious corps of enraged
enemies. In a word, we exactly anticipated that
the flank march of Skryznecki up the Narew, had
emancipated Poland, and ruined the already para-
lysed Russian armies ; while in these statements
we stood alone during the past week. Our expo-
sure of a morning paper, noted for its bouncing
conceits, early in the week, reduced it to sullen
silence for several days ; and this morning, re-
luctant to acknowledge its errors, or concede
victory to the Poles, it speaks of a pending great
battle— as thoegli something remained for de-
cision ! We have, however, not space to expose
such craft or hypocrisy, but leave it to public
feeling.
Our readers are aware that the Russians Lave,
for five months past, occupied the district bounded
by the Vistula and Bug, and have for some weeks
been entrenched at Siedlec, about 35 or 40 miles
from each river. Beyond the Bug is the Narew ;
and in the track between these last rivers, lay the
depots of the Russian armies and their reserves and
reinforcements. SK nYZNECKI, then, has taken all
the Russian positions on the Narew, and has over-
run the entire district between it and the Bug,
capturing the Russian magazines, routing their
reserves, and compelling all who escaped his forces,
to retreat on the armed Lithuanians.

DIEBITSCII then has been obliged to abandon
SIEDLEC, retreat across the Bug at Granna, and
fight his way through towns, and a country already
occupied by the Poles, in the hope of overtaking
the guards who have fled to Grodno, and to places
already occupied by the Lithuanians, full one
hundred miles behind the Bug. He is said to
bare forced his way towards Bialystock, through
one Polish corps, which very properly dispersed,
his object obviously being to reach the Niemen
with the wrecks of his army. But at the same
time, as the country, 120 miles beyond the Niemen
is in open insurrection, his escape must be a mira-
cle; and to capture his fugitive army in detail,
needs the hazard of no general battle on the part
of the Poles.

In a word, the modern or reduced kingdom of
Poland, is now freed from the hated presence of the
Russians, and the war is carried into the provinces
of which Russia robbed Poland in the last unhal-
lowed partition. The nationality and patriotism
of the Poles, is, however, universal. No time would
render any part of Poland, Russian ; and
as these Russo-Polish provinces, all the
way to the Dwina and the Dnieper are either'

in open revolt, or ripe for revolt, the destruction of
the Russian Grand Army will be the signal ler a
general Confederation of the whole, and fur the
restoration of the unity of ancient Poland.

The next advices will, therefore, be inipmtant.
Will DIEBITSCII be able to make a stand at Bielsk,
or at Bialystock ? Will he be able to reach the
Niemen, at Grodno ? What will be the effect on
Volhynia ? Will SKRYZNECK I bring him to
battle, or cut him off in detail

From Russia, therefore, Poland has nolliinp;
farther to fear. Barbarian recruits I, ill be xi)
match for the Poles. But will Prussia or Austri t
step in? If
.the Poles have a month for gener:.l
organization, they will, however, be a match for
either. We confess we expect that TII E HOLY
ALLIANCE will not allow one of its members to
foiled ; but however it be, we have now no fears
for the ultimate success of the brave Poles; and in
making this declaration, we shall give pleasure to
Britain, from the Orkneys to the Land's End.
We have extracted from the Canihrian, and
from Fclix Fancy's Bristol Journal, receivee, this
morning, the particulars of an event which has
occurred at Merthyr Tidvil, in Wales, the seat of
the principal iron-works, which, we are sure, will
be read with regret, all over the kingdom. We
cannot recollect any occurrence recently, of so
truly shocking a character; and we trust a
most strict investigation will be made into the
facts. As they are at present before us,
every person must be impressed with an
apprehension, that a criminal rashness of pro-
ceedure could alone have occasioned the employ-
ment of British soldiery, to slaughter their fellow
countrymen.

The inhabitants of this industrious district of
Wales, are well known to be generally simple and
orderly. They are all employed by four or five
wealthy iron-masters; and the Marquis of BUTE,
the Lord Lieutenant of the County, is the princi-
pal owner of the soil. We observe that
he was present ; the managing proprietors
of the different works were likewise present. How
it came that the military could receive authority,
in their presence, to fire upon a mob of human be-
ings, so closely connected, so dependent, and per-
sonally so well known to them, is to us inconcei-
vable.

This event is we fear symptomatic of what phy-
sicians term a phlogistie diathesis, existing in this
country. The writer of the narrative in the Cam-
brian, says, that the people fired at, on this
oesasion, met for " mischief alone !" Now
we admit of no such motive, ever to actuate
human beings ; the desire ,of mischief is an
efect—not a cause. The proximate cause, may be
supposed to be, some diminution in the daily hard-
earnings of these men. It is well known that
iron, in the present state of commerce, does not
pay the producing price ; and that the wealth of
the iron-master has been long employed in keeping
his furnaces in action, by manufacturing to sleek.
Had not his wealth enabled to this investiture, the
population of this and other iron districts, would,
we believe, long since have been out of employ.
Wages are accordingly kept at the lowest, and
the truck system is introduced to grind them,
in a circuitous imperceptible way, still lower.
What is, then, the distant source of all this sys-
tem of grinding, and its consequences ? Undoubt-
edly the diminished commercial energies of the
country ; and unless our statesmen can find some
mode to increase the vend of our manufactures, the
tragedy at Merthyr Tidvil will not be the last,
nor the least, that is enacted.

ROY

:CHA

rE, ONE O'CLOCK.

Consols, which left off on Saturday at 84/ j for
the Account, opened at 84/ : at present they are
841 f.
TWO O'CLOCK.
Consols have been the whole of the morning 8411
for the account, with little or nothing doing.
The Foreign Market is quite inactive—prices
much the same as on last Saturday.
THREE O'CLOCK.
STOCK EICKAKOZ.—Bank Stock, 200 200 4; Three
per Cent. Red. 113 i The per Ct. Como s, shut. Three
and a Half per Cr. 1818, 904. Three and a Half per
Red.' 914 4. Three and a Half per Cent. New, shut.
Four per Cent. 1826, 994 4. Long Annuities, Jan. 1560,
17 1-16 1.8. India Bonds, 4 3 prem. £lOOO Exchequer
Bills, 1516 14 ; £5OO ditto, 14 16; £lOO and A2OO ditto.
11;17. India for Account, 204 4. Cons. for Account,
844 4-

Sir F. Burdett seems to have played an unfair
part in regard to Mr. Paget, the popular candidate
for Leicestershire. Mr. P. stood a contest at the
last election, and though public spirit was not then
aroused, yet no reformer ever before had so many
votes in that tory-ridden county. At the dissolu-
tion he was a candidate again, and both the old
members retiring, Mr. March Phillips was pre-
vailed on to stand, as a reformer with Mr. Paget,
only on the day before the nomination. On that
day, however, Sir Francis Burdett for the 6r*t
time made his appearance at a Leicester County
Meeting, to propose his patriotic friend Mr. Cave.
on the pretence of preventing a contest between
the reformers; while behind the scenes he had been
urging it on Mr. Paget, after undergoing one con-
test, and a second general canvas, to retire ! The
proposal, both private and public, therefore, was
met by general indignation ; and neither Sir Fran-
cis nor Mr. Cave could obtain a hearing. Perhari
of all men living, Mr. Paget is best qualified 10
form a most useful member of Parliament.
The Light Straw Bonnet, worn by her MAJkSTY
at Ascot Heath, as spoken of in the Journals, win the„
Nww BERLIN Bonita'. Manufactured by EWE, but
Holborn Hill, facing Ely Place.
It has often been a matter of surprise to us that
a complaint so prevalent as rupture has not been considered
worthy the particular study of some enlightened individual,
we are DOW happy to say a gentleman, who has received a
professional education as also great experience in the neat-
Inept of rupture, has confined his attention solely to the re-
lief of that complaint; however, every person hal pow
oPPoeinoity of judging for themselves of his abilities, uhe
is about to give a Lecture at the Mechanics Institutioe. The
partknlars of which will be seen in our advertising whoa'.