The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-09-29
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE NATIONAL ERA.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

LONDON, Sept 9, 1853.
To the Editor of the National Era.
IL often happens that particular vices and
crimes, from some pre- disposing cause or causes,
prevail to such degree a. to appsax rs ifthey
were propagated by infection. The two great
contagious running over England at the pres
ent time are child. murder and the brutal treat
ment Of women, wives, or parsmours. IL is
difficult to account for these most unnatural
offences but it is to be feared that, coupled
with the inhumsn practice of secret poisoning,
of which examples are ever coming to light
(many remaining undiscovered) the whole
mass of guilt bespeaks condition Of moral de-
pravity and godlessness, which cannot be con-
templated without absolute horror.
We might take an alarming view of such
circumstances, and from history argue the,
decline /" of Empire" but the phenomena are
not so new as the newspaper jeremiadcs might
lead us to imagine; and for the consolation of
the tmid, we have pleasure in quoting a lite
rary curiosity published by an ex-Minister of
France twenty years ago:
"Taken collectively, the populace of Eng
land is remarkable for its cowardce. Its tur-
bulent disposition, which it is always prompt
to manifest, is easily suppressed by the stat,
often by the presence of a few policemen. The
character OF individuals must be studied, in
order to find amongst them some indications of
courage The fights in which the lower orders
indulge, prove that they are capable of violent
anger, have q strong tendency to revenge,
great contempt for the consequences of the
struggle in which they engage, and much gen.
crosby during the progress OF the combat. But
their domestic manners are IN keeping with
those they display in the streets Among this
class the husband exercises his superiority by
blows, and the wife hers in the education of
her children. The conduct of both ia often
| followed by the most disastrous results The
daily newspapers TEEN with details of domestic
murders arising from unbridled violence, and
unmitigatcd in their atrocity by tardy re-
pentance No efforts are made by the incul-
cation of the principles or the exterior prac-
tees of religion, to correct the vicious molina
tions of the people. The only education which
they receive is tho elements of reading and
writing. The effect produced by such train
ing is to make shsrpers and robbers of those
who without it, would be stupefed by misery
and debsuch. Barron UHd,N@ss Sketches OF
Engiand-lS33
Politically speaking this date may be styled
a dearth but politically speaking there can
be no dearths for the observer of the world in
it's progress now. On the contrary it may be
| that the very moment selected to dilate upon
as the epoch of repose, is the calm before the
outburst of the volcano IL is not 10 now for
there are irrtations even upon the surface to
converge attention; but still we are of opinion
that the less observable movements beneath are
of infinitely greater Importance than Russo
Greek questions or Mohammedan polemics
These may be folio wed by wars-by jealousie
they must be; but wars come 10 an end, an,
jealousies wear out, and change partners. Blu
the deeper stake is now beginning to be playe'
for; and though we may shut our eyes to
as much as we please it must be played out
and supersede all other EMOTIONS" and consid
erations. The headmarket is a splendid place
for diplomatists to signalize tho acumen O
their countries; but the stomach market is tn,
place where their theories will be tested.
It is for this reason that people continue t.
look more anxiously to the clouds and skies
than to the news from Constantinople, Vienna
or St. Petersburgh and calculate on the pro
duction of food rather than on the destruction
of war. From England the precious metal
are already departing much faster than thu
supply from California and Australia. tn.
silver is finding its way to Egypt and India
the gold to all the corn quarters in Europ,
from which grain can be imported. In com
petition the French Government is buying tt
the utmost extent and Italy, and Belgium, anC
other countries, are providing against the evi
day The rise of prices is already seriously of
fecting the stationary middle classes and
Goals, bread, and butchers meat, are carrying
nearly all other articles up with them to wha
used to be called war-prices The Bank hal
raised its rate of discount to 4 per cent las
year it was 2 and 81. The effect of all thi,
will be great change in the relations Of life
and in the manufactures and commerce of the
country, 10 which no other nation can be st
deeply Interested as America Therefore there
is no doubt your merchants are awake to their
brcadstuffs and cotton. Yerbum sat We are
only at the beginning of the end.
The Emperor of France has, by a strange
and erroneous stretch Of power, ordered the
| bakers of Paris TO sell their bread below the
price at which they can make IL; which is a
system that cannot last, without destroying
the very elements and principles OF trade. The
Louis Blanc national ateliers could not be &c
fatal but, as We have said, the stomach mus.
be appeased, or revolution will boom in the
| near distance.
After a visit TO Ireland and the Dublin Crys.
tai Palace, the Queen has proceeded to her
| Highland retreat. The demonstration Of Irish
loyalty were sufficiently developed; but it has
been remarked that the Romish clergy aud Ro-
man Catholics generally kept entirely aloof
from those signs of rejoicing and attachment
Among other incidents, o meeting Of four of
our principal Cabinet Ministers for which Lord
John Russell was hastily telegraphed from
Scotland, has attracted much notice. II evi
IDENTIFY referred to the decision of the line of
conduct to be adopted on the Turkish perplcx-
ity, should the assent of Russia be withheld
from the propositions as altered by the Sultan.
The determination OF this vital measure is
hourly expected and with it peace or war, or
possibly further negotiation, If the Danubian
Provinces are evacuated. At all events il is
evident from the manifesto addressed by the
Turk to the four Powers at Vienna independ-
entity Of the note forwarded 10 st. Petersburgh,
that the belligerent spirit has accumulated in
the Ottoman Empire and that the provoca
ton thrown in the teeth Of Russia viii render
the acceptance of the first note yet more I'M
palatable The sine qua non Of the evacuation
Of Moldavia and Wsllschia Is insisted upon
previous to the despatch Of an ambassador 10
Russia 10 sign the treaty; and even guarantees
against any future occupation OF the Provinces
are required. Unless the negotiators can mod
ify these tcrme, war seems 10 DO imminent 5
and as the Turkish force is estimated at
100000 mon, including that description Of
troops which are the most effective in noun
tain warfare, the first burst Of conflict would
be terrible. The four Powers are meanwhile
placed, we might almost say, in series OF
dilemmas
In another quarter hostilities have broken
out. The Spanish Government has quarrclied
with the fourth estate, and prohibited the en-
trance Of the Times newspaper into Spain ;
hence bella, korysda bsilai
Ia Rome Mszzini conspiracy has been de-
tected, and many persons arrested: From all
that can he learned, il was another ili-judged
personal attempt OF this restless man, and not