Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-05-13


proper subject for pulpit defamation and dis
cusson; but it may be observed that scarcely any
of the preachers attribute the event TO the march OF
liberal opinion or to the enlightenment of the age as
to the true principles of Government. Some as
cribe the downfall Of arbitrary power on the CONT
nent of Europe as an act of retrbutive Providence
and as a punishment and consequence OF the in
crease of what they call Popery, and hold it out as
warning for England; whilst others-among whom
is DIR. CRoLy-say that the expulsion OF Louis
Philippe and his Cabinet is an act of righteous re-
tribuon for their cruel conduct of the war in Alge-
ria and their breach of faith towards Abd-elkader
APRIL 2O.--We are threatened with monster
procession tomorrow, fpaupers and nobody knows
who or what, under the guidance and leadership of
| Mr. Charles Cochrane of Trafalgar square memory.
The Chartists also talk of raying on Easter Mon
day, but these ba5bngs" excite little or no alarm.
The firm attitude assumed by the Government, and
their abundant means of protection and defence,
supported as they are by nearly the unanimous will
of Parliament within doors and the mass of the
people without gives abundant proof that the coun-
try is decidedly on the side of law and order. The
bill for the additional protection of the Crown and
Government has passed the House of Commons
by tremendous majority, having received the per-
sona support Of Sir r. PEEL, and the vote of his
party as well as that of the conservative party 1t
would be wrong to call the opposition given to this
measure by Mr.. HUME, Mr.. CoBDEN, DIR. BowRING,
and some forty other members, factious oppose
ton, but it is quite evident that if any great mis-
chief had happened through want OF power in
the Government to prevent it, these gentlemen
would have been among the first to accuse Minis
tiers of neglect of duty in not having asked for
such powers. 1t is very probable that some extern
sive parliamentary reforms will be originated if not
completed, during the present session. Mr.. HUME
/ Al C 49,.
ral'' members of the House, as they rather too ex
clusively call themselves, to bring under the consi-
deration Of Parliament soon after Easter, the pre-
sent state Of the representation of the people, There
is, no doubt, plenty of room for reformation here
and Lord JOHN RUSSELL, without pledging himself
to any particular measure, has more than ntmated
his desire TO do something. Probably the disfran-
chisement of some of the corrupt small borough
constituencies will be one of the first measures and
an extension Of the suffrage to larger towns and
districts now imperfectly represented. In fact, a
bill is its passage through the House for the
disfranchisement of Great Yarmouth. Other places
equally guilty will probably receive the same de-
graduation. Another reform is likely to take place
in the management of the royal woods and forests.
At present many thousands of acres of rich land
are appropriated to no other purpose whatever than
to supply the aristocracy with venison, and this
too, when the insuficiency Of the land, at present
under cultivation, to yield support to the popula.
ton, has been lately so painfully proved and may
be again this next winter, unless the weather be-
comes dry and seasonable for the spring crops
than it is at present. But, worse than even the
transportation Of this extent of valuable land, is
the which that misrepresentation causes to the
terribly overtaxed people. What do you think Of
charge of FL 200 sterling one year for the pre-
servation Of pheasant's eggs /" But you will ac-
cuse me of radcasm, if dilate any further upon
this unwelcome theme.
Our home business at present is said to be very
good. Our foreign trade is almost nothing for
who knows how to have safe commercial dealings
with any portion of the continents The United
States and China are, at this time, our only safe
customers. As to the former, we hope to increase
our social, commercial, and moral relations and in
tercourse to the furthest practical point and we do
not any thing which in the least initiates against
the ful6lment of that desire. The plan proposed
by your scientific neghbor, Lieutenant MAURY, for
the establishment OF line OF steamers from Mon
terey, or some other port in California. TO port in
China, and which, suppose, has been ere this
submitted to Congress by Mr. KING, of Georgia,
demands the attention Of England, profiiing as she
must do by every thing which brings China nearer
her shores. Why this route, continued from Mon
terey across to New York and Boston, and thence
TO Liverpool, should not be adopted as the line OF
intercourse between Great Britain and her East
India colonies, is not obvious TO me. II would be
more expeditions and certain, and very much more
economical Lieut.. MAURY's suggestions are ano-
Their step in the march Of civilization If we need
breadstuffs next winter, shall have to look TO
you for them, since the Emperor Of Russia has pro-
hibited the expectation Of grain from any part Of
his dominions This is serious matter, not only
TO the consumers Of Bread but also to the producers
OF manufactures for what will become of our ex-
port trade 10 Russia, Hamburg, and the Baltic, and
what is to be the condition of our immense ship
ping interest in that direction, il the shipment Of
grain thence be prohbitedl This decree Of the
Emperor of Russia has jeoparded our continental
trade to great extent, If political events
so far settled to return il to its usual channels
What is the origin Of this decree is not at all evil
dent; for Russia has an immense surplus Of pro-
duce in usual years, for which she has always been
glad to find market. Thus you see that our bust
ness looks westward, and through your vast ter
ritory until we come 10 the east again. Liverpool
is amply prepared for this wesfern trade, with her
t,co hundred acres of docks and her fifteen miles
Of quays and Manchester, and Leeds, and Shelf
field, and Birmingham, with their thousands Of
sieam.engnes and their hundreds Of thousands Of
operatives. You have your millions Of acres Of
rich land waiting for the fertilizing plough, and the
industrious hands Of your rapidly increasing mil
lions Of prosperous citizens. What is to interfere
with or 10 prevent the continuance and the increase