The Portland daily press., 1868-12-24
LATER frsna Washington.
WASHINGTON, Dec. p, 1865,
To shs Editor Of the Ness;
CONGRESSIONAL.


Very little business has been done so far'
Several committees remain here nara AT
work, as will also quite hummer OF senators
and Representatives. Among the matters
which have been placed in line to be reached
is the question of drawbacks on shipbuilding
materials. There is very little doubt that the
committee on ways and means VIII agree 10
such A drawback as will give 10 your ship
building interest chance TO compete with
Others.
The question Of session of the 41st Con-
gress on the 4th,of March is becoming an in
teresting one. A good many favor the repeal
of the law, but majority of the House seem
to desire it to continue in operation. The can
didates for Speaker are DESTROYS of a session
for organization and no more. The question
will be decided in all probability by the
amount Of business done at the present SEES
sion.
EUROPEAN AFFAIRS FROM A WASHINGTON
STANDPOINT.
There is considerable interest, as may read-
ly be supposed, in the European news among
foreign and diplomatic residents Of this city.
The rupture between Greece and the Porte,
does not surprise any one. Ii is only mat
ter Of astonishmcnt that IL has not occurred
sooner. OF course our syinpathies go with
Greece, though it would puzzle most of us to
tell why. except in a vague and sent
way, beginning with Homer probably, who
was not Greek at all, down to Byron and
Halleck, who were of Saxon stock, and the
former Of whom certainly had great con-
tempt for the individual entities of commu-
nifty on whose behalf he yentured and lost SO
much. With all who know the modern Greek
there is the Same admixture Of contempt and
sentiment which characterized Byron's feel
ings.
Among those most likely to be best inform
ed here, there is but one opinion as to the up
shot Of the affair and that ia, a Compromise
The Greek charge d'qfaires 1.-THE venerable
Professor Rangabie, who was formerly Greek
Minister here is now transferred to the Tuil-
cries and his son fills the p1ace,l though an
enthusiastic .HelIenite, does not believe that
there will be serious war. The Greeks the M
selves are ready enough to fight, but their gov
eminent knows how little prepared they real
ly are.
AS for tie Turkish Minister here, Blacque
Bey,-he shrugs his shoulders and laughs Gym
icaly,-jolly French Levanter that he is He
does not believe that t-er3 will be war, though
he is not quite so open in saying it as others
Blacgue Boy il a thorough stud ent of modern
policies and an accomplished man of the world,
and we'll comprehends that nothing is 50 much
dreaded in Europe by the government, Except
Prussia and Italy, perhaps) as q war of any
kind, and especially on the eastern question.
Doubtless the general feeling OF the diplo.
matte circle here is best represented by tho
persifage Of a we'll known French gentleman,
who, conyersing with number of journalists,
| with that light and airy manner none but a
frenchman knows how TO use TO point with
meaning an otherwise slight sentence or senti-
ment, said-"A Greek var, bah To go to
war there must be nation. The Greeks are
not. 1t is one grand humhug to think~so; as
for the Turks? Why! France has for this
two hundred years past wished TO substitute
some one else for the Muss ulman, but found
90 one strong enough to govern these Levant-
inc people. They are only clans. The Greek
has not national viriiity or virtue; Russia is
too" with shrug the Marquis left the sep-
tence unfinished. Some reference was made
to the Turkish representative. 'Ahw was the
response, she is a Frenchman; as well ioliy
Turk. There's the point. The Greek was
little shrivelad up man. For my part if /
must choose, and II France does so, we prefer
the good, fat, jolly Turk to the lean, dried up
Greek, whose only claim to forbearance is the
ancient glory that surrounds his name But
what has that got 10 do with diplomacy?
There will be no war France and Great
Britain both need peace and Russia is not
ready 10 risk anything"
This is the epitomized expression of the
feeling in the foreign circle.
But there is a more potent reason why the
present rupture should not be allowed to fame
out into the blood red blossom of war; 1t is
that European Democracy stands ready at any
moment TO take advantage of it. 1t is hardly
possible to conceive of an occasion more ia
vorable to the wishes of MaZzini, Garabaldi,
Victor Hugo Karl Blind and other leaders,
than such rupture between Greece and Tur-
key as would raise Eprus, Thessaly and the
Danubian provinces. Their plan is to promote
the organization of a great Danubian and
Greek Republic, federal in character and
strong enough to resist the march of Russia,
making Constantinople free city, under the
protection of Europe. In the last idea they
are at Iault. rom sucn vantage ground
they would hope to reach the Slavonian Mag
vars and other races in the Austrian Empire
and especially to reach Poland Louis Napo-
oleon understands the upfagging zeal, the I'M
faltering faith Of the "idealogists'' whom his
great predecessor despised but whom the astu-
ter nephew has studied too Thoroughly in the
person and plans Of Joseph Mazziri, to hold
any such low estimate of. The French Empe-
ror will do any thing rather than permit an
eastern war. So with England. Privilege
x Ia hot5. -, <lo1 A.
ever is in Downing street, on this issue will be
| Louis Napolean's obedient slave;--unless it
may happen that the English Contists. should
get chance within its sacred precincts when
Napoleon Petit dies.
What l have written about the European
revolutionary purposes, l know by informa-
ton not TO be gainSaid. Movements are being
pressed there By the Democratic leaders for the
cole purpose of taking advantage of the pend.
ing European war, which In their Judgment,
over Rome, on The Rhine, or upon the Medit-
eFrapean, must come within the next twelve
months. Representatives of Mazzini aud the
| others were in this city but a. few days since,
| urging upon Senator Sumner and others the
! propriety of an open declaration and recon.
| mendation to Spain of the adoption of repub.
| lican institutions there, now that the ODD 1rtu
nifty offers. The recent debate in the Senate
on Mr. Summers resolution was affected BY
their presence here. Ii was stated by them
that the Spanish military leaders, Prim and
Serrano, had really betrayed the peoples
cause. Starting out with the declaration that
the plebiscite should decide the form of govern.
Inent. they found the popular feeling running
towards republicanism, result that thew new
er intended should come So theg forestalled
events By proreuncing in favor of monarchy
The Cadiz insurrection, in tn point of view,
was an uncomfortable expression of republ-
can Indignation at this treachery, The gen.
tlemen to whom have referred declare chat
the GOODNESS of the American press and pub.
lie to the success of democracy in Europe, does
more than the armies of the old governments
to check its movements and hinder its tri
umph. The opinion exists, not only among
| such as are en- rapport with European democ
| racy, but with the diplomats also, that Prim
| and Serrano, the former especially are only
| trying 10 build power for themselves Like
| Louis Napoleon, they have to begin by profess
ing liberalism, and like him they will end in
perjury and the overthrow of liberal nstitu-
tons. My cynical French friend--an ardent
admirer OF Napoleon, by the wav--has an opin-
ion of Prim worth quoting. Of him he says,
that" It's nonsense to talk of Prim's want
ing to establish liberal institutions. He's "a
adventurer who wants to be Emperor, if he
can. When he sees there's no chance for that,
he wouldn't mind accepting a Dictat rship for
term of years, and falling that he wi !, TO
oblige the poor Spaniards. consent to be Pres
ident of Republic, always, however, intend
ing to make his po yer permanent"
But" inquired, suppose he fails in all of
them?"
Then he'll attempt a revolt on his own ac-
count, at the first opportunity" was the reply.
The Mazzinists are determined to create
public opiriOn favorable to their movement
and with the hope of securing to democratic
movements in the old world, favorable decla-
,a-s hara d.