Star.
London, England, 1827-08-27 00:00:00

COUNT CAPO D'ISTRIA.

Count Capo d'lstria sires born at Corfu, in the year
1776. His family had, from the year 1300, held an
honourable plice io the first class of citizens of" the
Seven lonian Isles. He studied in the unive ' 'es of
Italy, and returned to his country in 1798, at the mo-
ment when the overthrow of the Republic of Venice
introduced into the lonian Islands the democratic power
of France. He found his father a prisoner, and threa-
tened by the French Commissary with banishment, on
account, it was said. of his political opinions. Count
Capo d'lstria exerted himself with zeal and activity fur
the relief of his father, and bad the good fortuue to
succeed.

lu February, 1799. the French were obliged to surrender the
lonian Islands to the combined Russian and Ottoman fleets. Count
Capo (Node's father was then appointed head of the lonian De-
putatlea, which proceeded to Constantinople to take part in neva.
elation. which had for their object to determine the fete of the
Seven Islands. In fact, she Treaty of the 20th of March, 1800,
constituted the Seven Island. a Republic, tributary to the Potte
in like manner as Ragusa was played under the protection of RUB.
Ma and England. Though still young, Count Capo &Istria was
employed in 1808 to organize the islands of Cephalonia, Ithaca,
and Santa Maur& This was the commencement of his political
career.

The new Republic could not always avert Ali Parisi. influence,
or escape from the consequences of his tocroachmeots. The coasts
of Epirus, Butrinto, Vonitza, and Previsa, the Governments of
which were placed under the safeguard of the Seven Islands. were
occupied by the Pasha's armies, which were t►en supported by the
policy of Boinaparte, and assisted by his calkers. Peep alone re.
silted this invasion. The degradation and ►umWatlon which the
Icarian Government experieuced is campmate of this infraction
of the Treaty, sowed the seeds of discord in the interior, which
afterwards grew up into civil war.
In 11102 a Russian Plenipotentiary arrived at Corte, with the
mission of pacificator of the islands, and with the guarantee of their
constitution. Count Caps d'lstria was thee appointed Secretary of
State for the Home Department of the Republic, and afterwards
for Foreign Affairs, for the Marine. and for Commerce. One of
the most prominent acts of his administration was the establisbmeat
of normal schools, which had not before ezisted in the Islands. The
national language, which had been hatlittle cultivated, was made a
' particular object in these schools.
In 1007, the Isle of Santa Maim was threatened by All Pasha.
The lonia* Government invested Count Capo d'lstria with the
powers of Commissioner Fstraotdinary en the frontiers, and placed
under his orders all the militia of the Seven Islands, as well as t►e
Greeks of 'liars', Albania, and the PekpollatiliN who were in the
service of the Allied Courts in the Seven Islands.

In this campaign, under the cannon of Ali Packs, Count Capo
d'lstrla became first known to the Greek Captains Colocotroni,
Botsaris Caraiskaki, and other chiefs; and at this epoch his per-
sonal relations with the warlike part of Greece commenced.
The peace of Tilsit brought back the French to the lonian Idands.
Count Capo cllstria remained in the country, but accepted no em-
ployment.
In July, 1808, he was invit-d by the Russian Ministry to repair
to Petersburgh, to be employed in the foreign Department. Thither
be went in 1809, and remained there until 1818. He was then
employed in the suite of the Russian Embassy pt Vienna, whence
be was summoned to discharge the functions of Chief of the Diplo-
matic Department at the head quarters of the Russian army of the
Danube, and afterwards with the Grand Army. He continued
with the army during the campaigns of 1815, 1814, 1815, and took
an active part in the most important uegoclations of this memor-
able epoch.
_ _ _

In l';icivember,lBl3, the Emperor Alexander sent him to Swit-
zerland. The result of his missies was, that Switzerland made
common cause with the Allied Powers against Bonaparte, and the
system of the Helvetic Confederation as it now exists was in part
his work in concurrence with the Ministers of the other Allied
Cuutts, and of the 22 Cantons. Switzerland still feels for him a
grateful affection ; and, independently of the testimony of national
gratitude bestowed on him by the Cantons of Vaud and Geneva, is
granting him the rights of citizenship, he has been enabled, during
his residence, to gather the fruits of the favourable sentiments with
which he had impressed that country. At the Congress of Vienna,
during the conferences at Pais in lills, and at Aix-la-Chapelle,
Count Capo &Istria, possessing all the confidence of the Emperor
Alexander, was chosen to carry on the principal negotiations with
the Allied lowers—negotiations which Included those, the result of
which was the placing the lonian Islands under the exclusive pro-
tection of Great Britain.

In all these situations Count Capo d'lstria constantly professed
liberal principles, but in a spirit remarkable for moderation and
conciliation.

From 1816 to 1822 he exercised the functions of Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet of the Emperor Alexander.
Judging from the testimonies of esteem with which the Emperor
Alexander and the other Sovereigns of Europe honoured him, and
from the reception he received in all the countries he visited, it
would appear that Capo d'lstria has known how to win, not only
the good-will of monarchs, but the no less important suffrage of
public opinion.
In 1882, when the Court of Russia, adopted the Austrian system
with regard to the affairs of the Levant and Greece, Count Capo
d'lstria resigned his office and retired to Switzerland, carrying with
him marks of the unaltered kindness of the Emperor Alexander, and
of the attachment of the most distinguished persons in Russia.—
During his residence in Switzerland he lived very privately, devoting
his time, his attention, and all his fortune—by the by, a very mode-
rate one—to the service of the unfortunate Greeks.

In the beginning of the year 1826 he came to Paris, and it WAS
supposed that he then intended to go to Russia. He did not take
the journey, however, until the month of May in the present year,
and it was un his arrival in ku•sia that he received the news of the
choice which called hint to the Government at the affairs of Greece.

' After a residence of two mouths in Russia, Count Capo &Istria
retraced his step., and he is now in this country. Hfirarrival was
preceded by a overt., whereby the Emperor Nicholas gives him a
complete discharge from his service, fu terms which at once de•
monstrate the personal sentiments entertained by his Sovereign to-
wards him, and the character of the tteuilectious he left behind bins
in !tussle

A meeting of the inhibit:lnd o this town was held
at the Public Office, on Friday, for the propose of tak-
ing into consideration thh propriety of presenting an
Address of Condolence to his Maine!, on the death of
the Right Hon. Gnomon Canned.
Tsai:moat Paten, Esq. proposed the first Resolutiori:
They all knew how much trouble, anxiety, and sorrow,
our excellent King bad experienced from the time of
the good Lord Liverpooi's sodden illness to the presen-i
and as lie was, in a politic .1 point of view, their
father, it became them as his dutiful children, to come
forward and give him comfort, by dutiful and affec-
tionate condolence. Another motive for prev n• ing this
Address was, that as the licentious part of the Press
was attempting to run down Lord Goderich, whom his
Majesty had appointed to succeed Mr. Canning, it was
hoped that by agreeing to the Address, this town would
thus put some check to the progress of the attackrof
the Press against the Noble L .r.f. He beirged to ob.
serve, that he had known his Lot dship for the last 'ten
years, and he was a man whom he had always con.
ceived would ultimately fill the situation to which he
was now elevated. He possessed all the qualities re-
quisite for so important a situation; lie was of such sea.
vity of manners, so wise and good, and so conciliatory,
that doubtless his Lordship had appeased to his Stove-
reign the man most likely to fill that high station.
TIMMIT SMITH, Est. seconded the resoluitin. He
alluded to the anxiety of his Majesty on the recent po-
sition of public affairs. He said, it th y admitted that
such had been the situation of his M jesty, they must
agree that nothing could tend mote to mitigate Fits
sorrows, and give support to the Royal mind end. r the
difficulties with which he had been surrounded, than a
dutiful and loyal address from the town of Birm ngham.
11 Every one must see something to admire in the ten.
duct of his Majesty in the situation in which he had
Pen placed. There could scarcely be one of greatr
difficulty conceived : deprived of his principal Minister,
deserted by those calling themselves his friends, his Go.
vernment assailed by an ungenerous faction. In the midst
of these difficulties the King seemed to be self•biassed :
he watched the progress of the human mind.aod the state
of the times in which he lived,and determined to appoint
at the head of the Government that man who,of all others,
seemed best qualified to fill the situation in which he led,
placed. Mr. Canning possessed, in an eminent degree,
the sagacity, the correctness of judgment, the cooper-
hension of mind, and decision of character. that so pecu.
Early fitted him to fill the first place in the Ministry.
On the loss of such a Minister, it must be supposed that
his Majesty's feelings were greatly agitated. Every
one must have noticed the sensation which had been
produced all over the world, by the death of Mr. Can.
ping; therefore there must surely have been something
extraordinary in that man who, though we claimed him
peculiarly as our own, illuminated other parts of the
world with his maxims, which embraced within their
scope the whole of civilised man wherever to be found.
The first resolution was then put from the Chair, and
carried unanimously.
The Rev. HANN lIERNIIRDT rose to move the second
Resolution. If Mr. Canning\had continued in power,
he would have been what Derd Chatham was—the
greatest War Minister this country ever knew. The
Rev. Gentleman then alluded to the plans Mr. Canning
had formed respecting Greece, and to the projects he
had in view of reducing the expenditure of the canary
one million a year, and of appointing a Finance Com-
mittee, in order to shew the count!, its real situation.
The last important act of his life was the formation of
the present Ministry, in doing which he broke down the
partition between the Whigs and Tories, and invited all
men of talent to unite for the good of the country. This
was what Mr. Canning had done for his country.
The Rev. Mr. COEUR seconded the Resolution.
When the Resolution was read from the Chiir, RICH.
ARD BIRD, Esq. rose to propose an amendment. He
said he considered this a constitutional question, at.
that more was intended by this address, than met the
eye. It was not for the sake of proposing a tribute to
the memory of Mr. Canning that they were called there,
but for the purpose of giving strength to a Ministry with
which he had never been allied. He objected to the ad-
dress upon the principle that it was an innovat ion onthe
common practice on such occasions ; for newer before the
present time, was there a Meeting called in this town to
condole with his Majesty on the death of a Minister, how-
ever great he had been. He wan:se their object was not to
condole with his Majesty, but to keep in a Ministry,which
he must confess was inimical to his (Mr. Bird's) feelings.
The Rev. Gentleman, who so wearily eulogi.ed Mr.
Canning, said, that if he had lived he would have been
equal to Lord Chatham; now lie would ask whether, at
the death of that celebrated Statesman, there was any
Meeting held to condole with his Majesty. There was no
Meeting held at the death of Mr. Pitt, Mr. Fox, or of Mr.
Perceval, the latter of whom was cut off in a moment
by the hand of an assassin ; and tl.erefore he was very
unwilling that such a precedent should be set in the pre-
sent instance. He repeated, he believed this Meeting was
designed for political purposes, and he referred to the
hasty manner in which it had been got up, and said he
knew of no previous Meeting in which more public
notice of it had not been given. Objecting as he did,
to the object of this Meeting, for which there was no
precedent, he begged to move that they do now adjoin*.
Mr. A LLPORT seconded Mr. Bird's amendment.

RICHARD SPOONER, Esq. said he deplored the death
of Mr. Canning as a public calamity, because he saw
that he (Mr. Canning) took that line of policy, which
was most likely to unite all parties in promotigg the
full enjoyment of civil and religious liberty, in the finest
meaning that could be given to the phrase.
The amendment was put, and several voices called
out " Aye ;" but the " Noes* were by far the more nu-
merous and more stentorian. The original resolution
was then put and carried.
TERTICS GALTow, Esq. moved the third resolution.
Gagnon NICHOLLS, Esq. in seconding the resolutions
begged to state, in reply to the observations that had,
been made upon his official situation, that he stood there
only as an inhabitant of Brimingham.
Some conversation arose in putting the third Resells-
tioa, as to the substitutior of the word " hitherto' for