Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-04-23
rHE AFRIcA,s MAILS.
me p1PIoxArs ar DINNER.

II
a banquet was given yesterday by Count
] Walewsh, Minister for Foreign Affairs, to the
l Plenipotentiaries, theaIembcrs Of the Diplomatic
Corps. the Members of the French Cabinet and
other high functionaries of State, comprising IN
all about 40 persons. Thenoble apartment used
for such occasions was beautifully decorated,
| and the band Of the Guides attended, and play
ed select passages from the favorite operas du-
ring dinner Count Walewsh of course, pre-
sided, and the places of honor ut his right and
| left were occupied BY. Lord Clarendon and Count
| Buol. All the guests were in full uniform, and
1 wore decorations of the oder to whichit they be-
Hong. When the dessert was placed on the ia
4 BILE, Count Walewski rose, and, IN the midst OF
profound silence announced that he was about
| TO propose a toast His manner was grave, as
became the occasion, and some even remarked
that his features wore more serious cast than
\ usual His speech was brief and to the point.
| He said that he drank to the duration of the
peace they had just signed, all the more as tnat
peace was effected without intlcung Illumination
! on any one, and was peace worthy OF the ma
| lions which had made it; it was humbing to no
| one and highly honorable to all. The toast was,
| of course, well received. 1t was expected that
| Lord Clarendon whould have said q few words,
i and that count Orloff would have responded to
the sentiment; but both English and Russian
Plenipotcntiaries RETAINED, am assured, from
offering any observations, probably IRON the
COnVIctlOn COullL w u1ehShAA
sufficient for the purpose Nevertheless, this
silence gave occasion to various observations and
| comments among the guests. The silence clifford
| Clarendon appeared to most of them as pru-
| dent reserve, but that of Count Oriof was not
so easily explained, and it formed the topic oil
conversation during the evening" otherwise
nothing else remarkable occurred. The other
Plenipotentiaries were placed without distinc-
ton, and alternately, among the members OF the
| Diplomatic Corps.
the "sISGLE SPEECH"
\ The next day the same correspondent writes:
| The silence observed by the guests assembled
at the foreign Office OH Monday to celebrate the
conclusion OF peace occupies the attention, not
merely of the initiated public, but of all diplo-
matte circles; indeed, such an impression was
made that should not be surprised lift formed
the principal subject gilmore than one dispatch
\ to the Governments whose representatives were
present 1t does certainly seem odd that on
| such an important occasion, when the alliance
between France and England has just been
crowned with success, aud when brave and
powerful enemy was, we are to suppose sincere
| " reconcilcd, the ally did not respond to the
toast and confirm the sentiments it embodied,
or that the ciler0nt enemy, in the enthusiasm
\ of newborn friendship, did not give utterance
to the pleasure which he felt or is presumed to
feel 1t was expected, moreover, that Count
Walewskis speech would have been longer.
Among the guests present on this occasion
there were, par pdreatheS0, over 70) were many
who had not honored with their presence the
Opening banquet of the Congress For instance,
the Prussan PlcnipotentiarisS had not then arri-
we'd, and the crowdo of ENJOYS, Senators, Councill-
ors of State and others who sat down to table on
Monday, were presumed to know nothing, or
very little, of what preceded. 1t was expected
that the host would inform his guests of the
course of affairs, excite the sympathy of his
hearers for the arduouS labor of the Plcnipotcn-
tiarics during the previous month, and satisiac-
ItiOnat their happy conclusion: in word, that
he would say something more than he did. This
after all is mere matter of taste. Most listeners,
Iexccptin exceptional cases, prefer shortspe
Ito long one, and to those who have good cheer
before them it is trying to have their attention
or their digestion intcrfcrcd with. But what
can be said of the silence which followed? Lord
Clarendon did not respond because, perhaps,
the usage had not been complied with of a pre-
vious Communication of the hosts speech
Count 0rlof, though not an orator, and little
accustomed to public speaking, might have said
something, in his character of rccOnciled foe,
who has forgotten the past, to confirm the pious
wish in favor of the duration ofpeacc.
believe every member of the diplomatic
body then present was taken unawarcs, and in
the awkwartlnesS of the moment it was suggest
led to the Papal NunSio, who by courtesy is al
lowed to take the lead on such OCCASIONS to say
IA ISW WOEUS, Which, hOulu ndbG DC'
come his sacred charactcr-for Monsignor Sac
choni is an Archbishop us well as an Envoy
Nuncio may, for aught know, be great orna
ment to the church; he may be possessed O
every evangelical virtue, but ola certainty o:ato
lryis mot among his gifts. His eminencc is ar
sorry so say, one of the worst speakers to bt
found in the diplomatic corps. The Nuncio
CONSCIOUS of his deficiency, declined the task
pressed upon him, and when the principal par
ties concerned refused to open their mouths
except for the more congenial cause which
brought them together, of course the others re
maincd silent. The public who expected to fine
in the MOniteur next day some specimens o
Eevcred oratory, have been sadly disappointed
and learn that yesterday, even on the very
parade ground the single speech" was thu
topic of general conversation among politica
persons.
CONDITION OF GREECE.
In the House of Commons Mr.. Ewart enquir
cd whether any measures were being adopted tc
procure the removalby the Government of Greece
of the export duties.
and dimes stated in the consular report as press
ing injuriously on commerce with that country?
Lord Palmcrstou replied: The subject refer
red to has been for considerable time matter o
Communication between the Greek and British
Governments, but up to the present time no sat
isfactory result has been obtained, and l feal
that cannot hold out any wel-foundcd eXpec
tation that better success will arise; for such il
the administrative capacity of those who nov
rule Greece that there is no portion of the Greel
territory in which either person or property j.
safe during any part of the twenty-four hours
except, three miles of the road between Athen!
and Piraus, which is patrolled night and day by
the French cavalry.
BLOCKADE OF THE RUSSIAN COAST.
Mr.. j. Mitchell asked Lord Palmcrston wheth
er British property to the amount of more than
Ell 100000 sterling, being now. locked up ii
Russia, it was the intention of the Government
to continue the blockade of the Russian coast