Weekly national intelligencer., 1847-09-25
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
CORRESPONDENCE FROM ENGLAND.
LONDON, SEPTEMBER /, ls47.


ing me pleasure to have to remark that the atmo-
sphere is by no means brighter than it was when |
so expressed myself-not that there is reason TO
fear that the peace of the continent is in any very
great hazard of being broken, but certainly there
are elements of strife and the materials for commo-
lion busy and active in many parts of Europe,
which will require great diplomatic skill on tire
part of public functionaries, great moderation on
the part of governors and great selfcontrol on the
part of the people, TO manage and direct. 1t would
be bold undertaking to attempt to marshal and ar
range all the combinations of interests, all the
new cashngs of views and feelings, all the rapid
Improvements of some portions of the old world,
and all the obstinately stand-sfW prejudices OF
other portions, as TO give correct view of the
present position of continental Europe. broad
and general outline, not very far from being cor
rect, may probably be sketched as follows:
The prominent sources from whence mischief
may arise are the unsettled state of Spain and Por
tuga and the interference of Austria with the pro-
gress of liberal opinions in Italy. The intrigues
and cabals in Spain may cause the Queen to resign,
the succession TO the crown TO descend to the
Duchess de Montpenser, and all the evil appre-
hended from the marriages of the Spanish prncesses
in which Louis Philippe is charged with having
acted so double part, descend upon Europe IN the
shape of squabbles about the balance of power, the
violation of the treaty Of Utrecht and numerous
other political fgments scarcely apPrecable by
common sense and sound argument, but abundantly
fruitful in national anmostes and their pernlclous
consequences.
And the unjust occupation OF Ferrara by the
Austrians, and the demonstrations which have been
made that the Court Of Vienna will not allow more
light and knowledge TO break in upon Northern
Italy than suits her purbIind policy, will cause
the people of Europe to take sides either with the
sta,ad-stW Emperor or the go-ahead Pope, and the
consequences may prove any thing but pacific.
France is said already to have, through its minis
Ter, M. Guizot, pronounced the Pope to be in the
wrong, and that in very significant language.
Let us, however, examine Europe little in de-
tail, and begin with our neighbor France. And
here very unpromising symptom is the outrageous
attacks which have lately been made upon the lib
erty of the Press. Granted that the Press often
abuses It's liberty to licentiousness-and in no
country is this more the case than in France-yet
the Government of any country which puts stop
10 every journal which ventures to call its wisdom
into question, is always TO be regarded with suspi
cion, and such Government is that of France at
the present moment. Owing to this and other
causes, there certainly is great want of confidence
in the King and his policy there is also great COM
mercial and social distress in France. Public feel
ing has been sadly outraged by late disclosures and
events There is an ex-Minister in prison for cor
IupuOH, anOlneT eA-NllnSler driven out OF society
as adishonored man for the same cause !; numerous
denunciations of official persons who have robbed
the Government; in short, says the Partisan cor
respondent Of the Edinburgh Register, such
multitude OF scandaous of all kinds are now
exposed to the public, that are warranted in
exclaming, there is something rotten in the state
sof'-France." The very liberal editor Of the
Daily News has the following cheering view OF
France in the Provinces in opposition TO France in
the Capital and thus helping to prove the fallacy
of the old adage that Paris IS France
For those who like US acknowledge with gratitude the
important services rendered by France to the of Euro
pean civilization, it is peculiarly gratifying present
their gaze from the contemplation of Partisan provincial
France. In the capital powerful, though momentary,
impulse appears have made all the dregs and ecuence
society rise at to the surface The centous orgies
the worthy mates of Beauvaon eliminating in murder and
perjury the gambling and pecuaon of peers and ministers
the suspected completely of ministers Of justice in the suicide
o brutal murderer OF his wife dark huddling
others appears to indicate community thoroughly and ire
eyably depraved The license of faction pointing the
throne itself not altogether innocent of the knowledge
some of these crmesa daring insnuaton, which derives
plauslby from the revolving played by the sovereign
OF France in the affair of the royal marriages Spain
serves in association with such social corruption
to remind readers Of the days Of the last Caesars Even
those who Iepe the suspicious which would level the King
the french with the worst heroes Of the outrageous
modern French dramas and romances the chilling and de-
pressing pfesenment continues TO rest that whenever peo
PIE nave peen Drought habtualy TO believe such of
court or dynasty sanguinay revolutions have been near at
hand.
Escaping from Paris to the provinces we a, once breathe
purer and more wholesome atmosphere In athe popuous
and industrious towns Of Lyons Nantes and else
whee-we find traces Of the growing ascendency Of middle
class intelligence and middle-csss domestic morals We re-
gain faith that the nation is still healthy at the core We
remember the immense pepondeance Of high genius and pure
morality which exists in Paris ITSELF and to which the crimes
Of the had rendered obous We feel our san
gune hopes revive, that the gallant and generous
Great Britain for upwards of three hundred years are becom
ing IFS equally gallant and generous allies and likely 10 re-
main such for many centuries TO come"
Such sentiments as these are worthy Of all praise
How would the peace of the world be promoted
the mass of kind brothery feeling be increased and
all the best interests of mankind be served if pub.
lie journalists would thus endeavor to soften the
preludices and to disarm the antpathies of nations
and individuals, instead of strengthening the one and
encouraging the other How would the press thus
become, what II ought to be. land really is, when
used and not abused,) the greatest blessing to the
world that Providence has enabled the limited ia.
cultes OF mankind to bring into operation
But to proceed Spain, with which the politics
of France are rapidly perhaps too rapidly, connect
ing themselves, comes next under survey. Ii re.
quires, unfortunately, only very cursory view 10
disgust us with the duplicy of its politicians, the
corruption OF It's Court, the RIGHTEOUSNESS and cru
city Of its soldiers, and the general imbeciIity and
ignorance of the people. Can this be the land which
produced CID and CoLuMBus! Which was