The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-08
LONDON CORRESPONDENCE.

LONDON, april Is, 1856.
To the Editor Of the National Era:
The long silence which has been kept at the
Foreign Office, in reference to the American
recruitment question, is to be broken at last
Lord Palmerston has spoken-and Lord Clar-
endon is about to speak. In reply to Mr.. Bail
lie, who gave notice of resolution he should
propose, condemnatory of the enlistment of
American citizens by British agents, Lord Pal
merston said:
My noble friend, the Earl Of Clarendon, as
is well known, is at present engaged at Paris
in negotiations of a very important kind, which
occupy great portion of every day. He, new
ertheless, is transactng the business of the For
eign Office. His powers of mind are very re-
markable; and though he is absent from the
Foreign Office, he continues to perform the
duties thereof; the only delay which occurs in
the transaction of the business being that which
is necessarily incidental to the distance between
the Foreign Office and Paris. The answer which
is to be made to the United States Government
naturally requires to be very carefully prepared
Whilst her Majesty's Government will take
care, on the one hand, that nothing shall be
inserted in that answer which can st all en-
venom discussions, which, unfortunately, have
already gone too far they will, on the other
hand, omit nothing which is essential to prop
er statement of the case of the British Govern
ment. The absence of my noble friend, the
necessity of communicating with him, and the
small portion of time that he has bestowed
upon a matter that requires great deal of
time for its due consideration, are the reasons
why an answer has not yet been forwarded to
the American Government. That answer. how
ever, is in preparation, and we are in commu-
nication with my noble friend upon it. l won't
undertake to say, that in the course Of this
week that answer can be so entirely agreed
upon as to be communicated to Mr.. Dallas.
My noble friend will probably return to this
country at the end Of this week and think l
may venture to say that, in the early part of
next week at the latest, we shall be able to
submit the whole of the correspondence"
Next week, then, we shall read the reply of
the British Government to ours, in reference to
the Champion difficulty.
1t is stated, with positiveness, and you may
receive it as a well assured fact, that General
Eyere's division of 10000 men is to go direct
from Balakava to Canada. The Times says:
"Such measure will no doubt be variously
interpreted. We are not in the secret, and can
only discuss it as any Canadian or American
down by some people at once az threat, or at
least a measure of precaution. Indeed, we do
not see how, just now, it can escape the latter
character"
No doubt it aOW be regarded with you as
somewhat warlike demonstration; but when you
consider that large body of troops was with.
drawn from Canada for the Crimea, it is not
very strange, now that the war is over, that
some are going back. Still, at this juncture,
have no doubt the movement is made to pro-
duce an impression. Exactly what effect it is
intended to produce, though, 1 cannot say. The
news from the Peace Congress is unimportant.
Their labors are at a close, and we shall soon
learn the terms of the treaty agreed upon. 1t
is now confidently reported that the affairs of
Italy were not canvassed by the Plenipotentia-
ries. France is lstterer of the Pope, and so
is Russia, for some Interior purpose. Roman
Catholics and their clergy are, it is said, to be
restored their liberty in Poland. Alexander
contempates changes in Poland, and needs the
help of Rome to carry out his purposes, and
hence he fiatters. Such is the belief of many
here. The mixed Commission is TO sit in the
Danubian provinces, first at Bucharest, then at
Jassy, and they are to ascertain the wishes of
the people of the Principalities. The Vienna
correspondent of the Paris Constitutionael saws:
" According to the dispositions concerted in
Constantinople relative to the Principalities,
the Turkish plenipotentiaries at the Congress
have received instructions to demand, that at
once, after the signature of Peace, the Porte
shall be authorized to name a special caima-
CAME (counci) for each Principally, and also
to despatch an Ottoman commissioner to sit
during the mission of the caimacanies This
proposition, which completely overthrows the
capitulations of the Danubian provinces can
alone be founded on the treaty of Balta Liman,
concluded in l849 between Russia and the
Porte. According to that treaty, as the powers
of the actual hospodars are<limited to seven
years, the administration of Prince Stirbey and
Prince Ghika will expire on the 10th of next
June. Starting from that point, the Porte has
imagined new mode of election Of the hospo-
dars, and which would consist in presenting to
it three candidates, elected by the majority of
votes, from the most notable families of the
country. From these three candidates the
Porte would name hospodar for life. Strange
contradiction, after having proclaimed loudly,
and with good reason, the annullation of ali
Turco-Russian treaties, the Divan appeals to
that of Balta Liman, in order to sap and over
throw the principle OF Immortality which the
capitulations have constantly attached to the
dignity of hospodar."
The Constitutional argues that it would be
wrong for the Porte to go behind solemn treaties,
but it is said, on the other hand that he has dis
solved all treaties. Probably there is no dan.
ger that the Congress has agreed to any such
plan.
But to come nearer home. Lord John
Russelrs education resolutions were last week, |
Friday night, discussed in the Commons, and
rejected by terrible majority. Tories and |
Dissenters, Sir James Graham and Edward |
Mall, united to turn them out of doors. The |
Government gave them feeble support, but
the House rose in q body in opposition to
them. The truth is, the Commons are not in
earnest about the matter They do not want
cheap education for the masses, and | give
Lord John Russell full credit for endeavoring
to benefit the poorer classes, and am aston
ished to see almost all the radical members of
the House opposed to cheap system of Pub
lie Schools.
A return has recently been made to the
Commons, relating to the annexation of terri
tories to the British dominions in India.
Since l849, there have been twelve distinct
annexations of Indian territory, and the recent
annexation of Dude is not included. The total
extent of territory annexed amounts to 1868