The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-03-22

was many years ago contracted between a Prus-
sian nobleman and an actress.
The French army is alone continuing the
siege OF Sebastopol, while Lord Raglan is occu.
pied In recognizing the English troops. which.
however, meanwhile, have the duty assigned to
them to protect Balaklava from the attacks
Ina. the Russians might direct against this i'm
portant point.
1t is evident, from the immense preparations
ing on with the greatest enerov nossible that
| they themselves do not entertain the hone. nor
perhaps the wish, that the negotiations which
are TO open on the LIST of March, at Vienna, will
lead 10 peace, without any more bloodshed.
Ihe very severe winter of this year will how
ever, prevent the opening of hostilties in the
oaitic Tor two or three months yet. But, as
soon as the weather will permit. still more
numerous and powerful English French arma-
da than even that of last year will appear in
the Russian waters, and probably direct its
course towards the Russian strongholds in the
duif OF Finland. But it is the prevailing opin-
ION, among competent judges, that neither
Sweaborg nor Cronstadt can be reduced by a
navai armament, however powerful it might be,
except by the cooperation of numerous and
well-conducted land force. Hence the West
ern Powers are very anxious to acquire the as
sistance of the Swedish army, and are at pres
ent employing every means of persuasion in
order to induce the Swedish Government to
enter into an alliance, defensive and offensive,
with them, and declare war against Russia,
against which Sweden has certainly many lust
| causes of complaint Should the Cabinets of
Paris and London obtain, as | suppose they
| will ultimately do, an alliance with Sweden,
then the Gar will find himself in the most i'm
minent danger of losing Finland, with its
mighty fortresses, together with his Baltic feet.
There can scarcely be any doubt, in the case
| of the landing of Swedish troops on the Fin
land soil, that the sight of the so dearly beloved
blue and yellow colors will cause a general
rising among the hardy rural population of Fin
land, who still retain strong attachment to
Sweden and its glorious memories. The En-.
peror Nicholas seems to be well aware of these
circumstances and hence, while attempting at
preserving peace with Sweden, he is bestowing
every epithet of fattery and praise upon his
faithful tnlanders, as he calls them-declar-
ing that he feels assured that their fidelity will
prompt them to offer the bravest resistance,
| should the odious troops of the West dare at
tempt a landing in Finland Such would GER
tainly be the case, should French and English
| troops land without being accompanied by a
Swedish force. But fearing a war with Sweden,
the Car employs only native Russians in gar
risoning the fortresses of Finland, while man
ming the batteries of Sebastopol with great
number of Finnish sailors.
The Prussian Cabinet seems already to have
ascertained the impossibility of inducing the
Governments of Holland and the Scandinavian
Kingdoms to enter with it into an alliance, for
the purpose of protecting, in common, their
| respective neutrality. But these secret nego-
tiations have not escaped the knowledge of the
French Government; and hence as well as on
account OF the objection made by Prussia to
the march of French troops through the terri
| tory of Germany towards the Russian frontier.
the Cabinet Of the Tuilleries has become very
bitter in its communications with that of Ber-
| lin.
L must not forbear to mention, that the Gar,
| in the ukase of the 18th instant, above alluded
| to, states that he is very anxious to procure
peace but that his enemies appear reluctant
to accord him any-or, at least such one
as it would be compatible with the honor of
| Russia to accept. But he builds his hope on
the aid of Heaven, and the fidelity of his dear
| and valiant people.
We learn from Constantinople, that the eau
casian tribes have declared themselves indie
| pendent of the Sultan, on account of their dis
| pleasure with the prohibition which the Turk
| lsh Government issued, some time ago, against
| the continuation of the slave trade among the
mountaineers. But it is to be observed, that
the authority of Turkey over this brave, though
| barbarous people, has been but nominal.
The Danish Premier, NJ. Bang, has declared
| himself apprehensive that Denmark might,
at no distant day, find it necessary to become
party in the present war, should peace not
be established speedily between the belligerent
| Powers.
The attempts which have been made in Ger.
many to raise recruits for the foreign legion
which the English Government desires to es
tablish, have failed, on account of the barbarous
| punishments still practiced in the British army
as well as in consequence of the contempt with
| which some of the members of the English
| Parliament choose to speak of German merce
naries. The French Government, on the con
trary, has met with no difficulty in getting Ger
man and Swiss recruits for the foreign corps
which it has been raising.
| The Russian authorities on the Polish from
| tiers have received orders from st. Petersburgh
to admit exiled Poles and Russians into Pc
| land, without instituting any inquiries relative
to the causes of their expatriation. But we
| are left ignorant in what manner the Russian
| Government intends to treat those who might
| venture to return.
The desertion among the Sclavonian portion
of the Austrian troops stationed on the Rus
| frequent though some of the deserters have, on
! the demand of the Austrian authorities, been
| delivered up.
The committee of credit of the Prussian
Chambers has accepted, by large majority
a resolution proposing an address to the King,
expressing the concern and regret which the
Chambers feel at the present political isolation
of Prussia. This shows evidently that the
| course pursued by the Government begins to
excite general apprehension of war with the
Western Powers.
| We see, from late vote taken in the Span
ish Cortes, that rs members declared them
selves in favor of religious tolerance while l39
members opposed it. Hence, we may draw the
conclusion, that Spain is fast approaching the
| time when religious freedom will be established
| in that stronghold of intolerance and superan-
nuated prejudices. But still more deserving OF
notice, perhaps, is, that in one of the commit
tees, NJ. Orense proposed, on the 9th inst, the
| resolution of abolishing slavery in Cuba. But
| the committee refused the reading of the reso
| luton.
| suppose that what has lately taken place in
| the House of Commons has convinced both
| yourself and your numerous readers that my
remarks relative to the English army, and its
| organization, have not at all been unjust or
exaggerated, but containing solely truthful
description of the actual state of things. Let
me here quote remark of Napoleon, while on
| ST. Helena, corroborating what / have said
with regard to the punishments employed in
| the English armies and navies. "The English
discipline" said the great warrior, "is one OF
| slaves the relation is that of master and serf
1t is only maintained by the influence of the
most frightful terror. Such state of things