The southern press., 1851-05-10
Correspondence efAs ~ Y. Commercial advertiser


-Four dnd-s-half streets.
Correspondence efhs ~ Y. Commercial Advertiser.
LONDON, April %, 1851.
Parliament not having been sitting, and our
foreign news continuing wholly without inter
est, the arrangements for the opening Of the
Exhibition, on Thursday next, have constituted
the sole topic of attention during the week.
The only fact from abroad Of the slightest
Importance has been the sudden and apparently
complete failure of the military insurrection in
Portugal, attempted by General Saldanha. How
he could have plunged into such mistake is
incomprehensible to all persons conversant with
the recent history of that effete country, for his
position in the State and his popularity with
the army were such as should have enabled him
to calculate his prospects most accurately. Per-
sonal luminosity against the minister, Count de
Thom~r, resulting from offended vanity and
ambition, appears to have been the cause, and
as the general is just as much an aristocrat as
the count, and would merely have used the
liberal party for his own convenience, BIO has
failed to secure popular trust, and has found the
soldiery too cautious to keep their promises
with him in tho absence Of any public enthu-
siasm. According to some accounts he has fled
into Spain Others deny that his cause has be-
come desperate, and assert that he will still
maintain himself Under no circumstances
could the affair create much general interest,
and the only suggestion that renders 1t worth
even passing notice, is that great events usual
" begin in the most obscure and unexpected
quarters, and that successful revolution just
now, of any kind, in any country, might act as
the first thread drawn from the compact web of
continental reaction.
In France no less than in this country, the
arrival of May is anticipated as momentous
epoch, although from very different causes. As
the time for the revision of the constitution APP
proaches, the efforts to accomplish fusion of
the respective partizans of the royal houses,
become more and more desperate, and appeals
representing that by such course alone can the
country be saved from sanarchy" and the Demo-
Gratis, resound on all sides. Thus far, however
nothing appears to have been d+fnitvely ac-
complished Still there is a sufficient agree
ment on the part of the re-actionists of every
shade, to cause an increased use of restrictive
means to suppress all manifestations of popular
opinion; and, by a vote Of 403 to 226, the As
sembly, which met yesterday for the first time
after the Easter holidays, passed a measure to
prohibit the sale and distribution in the streets
of public journals of any kind Prosecutions,
taunts, and military demonstrations, are like
wise continued with unabated activity. In sort,
although perhaps no outbreak is now contem-
plated, every step taken by the government and
the dominant party, recalls the blind and silly
manifestations of repressive power which are
peculiar to French statesmen, and by which, on
all former occasions, commissions have been pre-
ceded.
The progress of Sardinia continues to be most
satisfactory, and treaty of commerce and navi-
L.. L.. Ex,1 haf has
and England, will tend to augment the growth
of this prosperity.--To Austria, Naples and the
Pope, her condition is the subject Of intense
modification, and the feeling is increased by the
daily accommodating financial endorsements Of
the government Of Vienna. The notes of the
national bank of Austria are now nearly at for
ty per cent discount.
II is believed that the old German Diet will
meet at Frankfort on the 18th of May, and that
the Dresden conferences are to be regarded as
having persisted by default According to the
positive assurance given by the Turkish govern
ment, tits understood that Kossuth and his CON-
panons are TO be freed from their detention at
Kutayia at the end of the present month, and
it is Of course presumed they will Immediately
avail themselves Of the vessel of war granted by
the United States government.
In home politics we have just now by CON-
mon consent an absence from all excitement
except that the protectionists have been taking
advantage Of the parliamentary recess to get up
meetings in the provinces. Regarding these, Il
is only necessary TO repeat that the statements
made on such occasions, should be received by
people in your country with about the same de-
gree of reliance, as we in Englaed ought 10 be-
stow upon the -outpourings of certain parties in
America, when they announce that dissolution
OF the Union is arranged, and may be expected
in n month or two. Notwithstanding all the as
sertions TO the contrary, your readers may rest
assured that il would be Just as easy TO re-es-
tablish in England the rotton boroughs that ex-
listed before the reform bill, as TO get back
single sixpence of protection on wheat or on
any other article.
lift were possible, indeed, that the question
could be more efectually settled than IL is these
very meetings would accomplish that end, owing
10 the daring recklessness Of the assertions made
by the speakers who attend them. At de-
monstration the day before yesterday, Mt Edin-
buroh, this was carried so FAR as 10 be abso-
lutely bumating TO the characters Of the public
men engaged in il. Mr. Alison, the well-known
historian Of the Peninsular war, distinguished
himself in particular. lie pointed 10 the board
of trade returns to show that under free trade
our exports were declining, since for the last
month .nelr 0eclnre0 value was IOU,UUU less
than for the corresponding month Of 1850, to.
tally suppressing the fact that the entire year Of
1850 showed an increase over ls49 Of nearly
,f7,0O0,000, and that the returns of the first
months Of this year, rs far as they have been
published, show an increase over the correspond
ing months Of last year Of f690,0oo after allow
ing for the diminution during one month of the
petty 100000 in question. When II is added
that the staple Of all the speeches on these &C.
casions, Is made up of similar perversions, the
caution that should be exercised by foreigners
in the reception Of them will be fully under
stood.
The disappointment that was threatened, in
connection with the arrangements for the state
opening Of the Exhibition, has been entirely set
inside. An announcement has besni sstfed that
instesd Of being private affair, as was at first
intended, the ceremony will be open TO the
holders CT season tickets, and il will consequent
ly take place in The presence Of from $4,000 to
on n00 ncopla M douht was felt from the