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Leader (1850-1860), 6th September 1856, Edition 2 of 2, Page 4

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      _, The Leader.- [No. 337, Satubpay , I 9...

      _ , THE LEADER .- [ No . 337 , Satubpay , I 9 H __ —— ~~ r _ rz = ^ = : _^ : ^^ _^ _ l . js

      M. De Lamartine Las Published In The Cou...

      M . de Lamartine las published in the Cours Famibers % de Literature a defence of Ins policy with respect to at Italv during the four months he was in power in 1848 . w t £ LS he " was not a radical republican , a subversive cc Sffii' a clerical republican , dreaming of the « . Sow of the foundations of government and civil b ; ZS Z order to create out of blood and fire a new b « wYrldf perfect in three hours ; " he was " an improvised « reDubiican , a republican from expediency , a republican si up holding everything which ought- to Jflk ^ f W in * > - ¦ $ ciety tinder the penalty of death . " H & Qgh not been a * conservative republican , " he conceives be might easily ti have " let the flames of France , by the mere current of & the wind that was then blowing , kindle the world . " But , " out of the general conflagration would have come tl wbat alone could come—a heap of ashes quenched with , a showers of blood , forthwith to be trampled under foot by I a military tyranny . " He adds : — "My wish was to a show once for all to Europe that between free France and the neighbouring powers—respected in their fron- P tiers as in their independence —there was nothing in- o compatible . Mutual inviolability is the foundation of t peace upon which reposes the world . To violate this c foundation is not only a crime , it is war—wholesale i murder—it is human blood thrown at hazard and broad- 1 cast over the whole continent of Europe . And by what i right ? By right of an opinion , of a theory , of a fancy , ' of a vanity , of a whim of Danton ( and yet even Danton proclaimed only a defensive war , and negotiated with « Prussia ) . I confess my weakness . My conscience—tho < conscience of a man who fears God—spurned that game ] of human bloodshed whereof the stake is the life of his fellow-men . Despise me , but acquit me . I kept the Republic from an offensive war as a crime to humanity and to God . ; in thought 1 accepted , for the Republic nothing but a defensive and patriotic -war . .... The confederated courts were deprived of all right of attacking the Republic ; the nations , respected and reassured in the possession of their territory , came over to our principles ; and , within six weeks , French , diplomacy was t e arbitrator of the world , having done no violence to any nation , and without firing a single shot . " M . de Lamartine then glances more especially at Italy : — " I issued a decree for the army of the Alps , consisting of 60 , 000 men , and € chelonnes from Lyons to the frontier of the Yar . What was the meaning of the army of the Alps ? In my mind , it had a twofold meaning—first , to be ready to descend into Piedmont on the first sign of peril to that ¦ nnwer ; ne-jrfc . to Vie readv to nut down the relieious . b as & It , . . p . f 3 I t a a o e s L d g .. ,. . ' v r a i 0 r to at 1 R

      civil , socialist , and democratic commotions "which mig at any moment have burst forth in the south of France —moTe ruled as it is by passion than the north . " Austria invaded Piedmont , the French army < would marched to the rescue , and " fought , had that been ne- cessary , for the evacuation and the independence of the whole peninsula . " Further on , M . de Lamartine writes : — "My duty was not to flatter Italy , but to save her . I did not flatter her . I did not excite the unseasonable risings of 1848 . I call to -witness her ambassador and her patriots of that day . Let them say whether I did not use my sincere efforts to turn aside King Charles Albert from his scheme of aggression , in wliich I foresaw his destruction ? Let them remember my words at the tribune , too full of meaning : ' All the songs sung are not Marseillaises . ' At the present time , I speak my mind of this nation with all sincerity : ripe for independence— ripe for liberty—ripe in eloquence—ripe in genius—it is not ripe for arnns . Liberty placed those arms in its hands ; but it needed a people of soldiers and veterans in glory like the French to teach the use of thein . You may improvise liberty ; but you cannot improvise the armies to defend it . " The reader will recollect a pastoral of the Bishop of Arras , enjoining his clergy to visit with severe rcprehen sion the schoolmasters and schoolmistresses who bring up Catholic children with English Protestant children A , correspondent of the Daily Neios aflirms that this piece of Taving bigotry has had no effect , "and the posi tion of English children will not bo in tlio least injured 1 Even the moat orthodox look upon 5 t as a mistake while easy-going readers laugh at it . " It is stated that a belief gains ground in Paris that widely different view of the Spanish question is enter tained by tho French and English Governments . No communications on the subject have passed between tho two Cabinets , that tho public are aware of ; but it thought that tho dissimilarity of views may lead some unpleasant discussions . Tho sympathies of England are in favour of tho Progresistas ; those of Franceof tho French Government—incline to tho opposite party , and to on approval of O'Donnoll . Tho proceedings taken against tho four journals which published tho letter from tho Paris students to those Turin bavo been abandoned . Tho young men who signed tho letter aro to bo admonished . PRUSSIA . A quarrel haB arisen between Prussia and Turkey a . question relating to tho navigation of tho Nile . There is a law to the efioct that all river boats navigating Nile ( with the exception , of pleasure-boats ) should , thoy hoisted any flag at all , display the Turkish colours A Prussian merchant at Alexandria , however , bough SE Tl eyTJt « m n , « BteamerB , hoiatod tho Prussian flag , and sent them to Thebes , whence tli « y towed tho nvor a number of country boats laden with '

      ht l for Had m ^ have miJ They were allowed to pass , the river authorities being struck with surprise ; but at Alexandria the question was taken up by the local government . The Prussian consul was remonstrated with : he refused to interfere , and appealed to certain immunities granted to Russia y the Porte , coupled with , the fact that Prussia had been placed in the position of the-most favoured nation , a justification of what the merchant had done . The steamers went on a second voyage , "but were stopped at Atfeh , and sent back . A protest was then issued by the Prussian consul , who intimated that he held the Egyp- tian Government responsible for all losses , damages , c . ; and thus the affair stands at present . . . Rumours are current at Berlin to the effect that it is the intention of Government to surround tho city with an enceinte of forts similar to that which encircles Paris is believed , however , that this idea has no good foun- dation . ¦ ' ' ' The Prussian infantry are to be armed with small field- ieces , two to each battalion . One soldier can draw each of these pieces , which can bring down a man at a dis tance of one thousand paces . The extraordinary range of the Mini 6 rifle has been lately proved in Prussia by a melancholy accident , a labourer in a field having been killed at the distance of 1700 paces , during some experi ments with the weapon . It was thought that the man was quite safe where he was working . The Duke William of Mecklenburg ( says the Berlin correspondent of the JPresse of Brussels ) , whose late conduct has given rise to much public scandal , will probably enter the Russian service in a regiment lancers . A line of conduct has been laid down for him to which he has promised to adhere . The King has paid from his privy purse to the holders of bills accepted by the Duke the net sums for which they had discounted them . SWEDEN . The Swedish Chambers have admitted the desirability of fortifying Stockholm upon a new plan , and of con structing a series of defensive works in the valley Maeler , on the banks of the lake of that name , which communicates with the Baltic Sea . They have further voted a sum of money for the necessary preliminary surveys . HANOVEB . The Hanover Gazette states that the Government decided that , if it cannot come to an understanding with the Chambers , it will settle its financial affairs by royal ordinance . . ul In place of eight million francs which were required for the bank , four milliards have been subscribed , and to ad maintain order it was necessary to call in the aid of the iVe military .

      f ^ ° cer Slt ^ * jlj & 0 . W 1 ta ' ^ ° cr nc ai Ul - ^ z . . £ - a , i ! , * * a c - ? c is * to * \ or ( ] ' of 3 : on the if . t down grain ! SPAIN . - " ' The Marquis de Tabuerniga , the only member of the ex Constituent Cortes who spoke against the resolution of ar censure passed upon the O'Donnell Cabinet at the last of sitting of the Cortes , on the 14 th of July , has just in . received the appointment of a Gentleman Groom of the G ; Chambers , and the Queen has presented him with a su golden key of the richest workmanship , and ornamented with diamonds . —Daily News Madrid Correspondent . p £ Sefior do los Santos Alvarez has been dismissed from w the post of minister at Mexico . tl ' The Queen of Spain having , by an order in council tc dated the 11 th of August , permitted the free importation cc of corn until tho 1 st of June ; -1857 , has now , by a de- ti cree dated the 21 st of August , ordained that all vessels h laden with wheat , flour , barley , and Indian corn , for the \ ports of Spain , shall be exempted from tonnage and d j anchorage dues , charges for loading or unloading , light- p house , or other municipal dues , P Some particulars of the plans of the Spanish Cabinet a aro contained in a recent communication from the Times ~ Paris correspondent . He states that private intelligence t 5 from Madrid confirms the intelligence he has already I L given . " Tho Constituent Assembly will be dissolved , p 3 and the Constitution of 1845 will be ro-cstablished , not , c i ~ however , as has been asserted , with modifications in a a , Liberal sense . The question of modifications will bo "' left to the new Cortes , to be summoned according to the c electoral law of 1837 , with elections by provinces instead ( . of districts . It is said that tho elections will take place 1 : in November , but apparently nothing positive is known c on this head . A now Senate is to be appointed . All < : „ these measures aro resolved upon , but tho Government i h 0 keeps thorn en pwtefmille . No one seems to expect that i , ( 1 tho present Ministry will last to meet the new Cortes , i 3 " Tho palaco is , as of old , a focus of intrigues , the object t 0 of all being moro or less tho overthrow of tho Govern- 1 ment . Tho King , taking counsel with his confessor , with q ' j a woll-Unown Spanish Bishop , and with the celebrated f nun Patrocinio , who has found her way back to Madrid , would fain see tho installation of a Cabinet that would revoke the law of deaamoi'tizaciou , sanction convents , and make itself in all respects agreeable to Rome . Tho Queen ia said to have a loaning- towards the Marquis of on Viluma ( Pczuela ) , tho old supporter of Isabella abso-; ro lute . " Norvaez is watching from Paris , and biding his lie time . if RUSSIA ., rs . Tho solemn entry of tho Emperor and Empress into jht Moscow took place on tho 20 th ult ., amidst a widely ian diffused clangour of bells and roar of nrtillory , tho wn utmost amount of military ami ecclesiastical splondour , iin . kissing of images in tho cathedral , presentation of bread are of pap to 1 t it 1 . it 1- h : d 1 , Id s , of B- iis to ly ho ir , ftd

      ar dc C tc sr . m g si g w g Ti ii , t p " 1 a c - i t i s - i i ^ 5 i of , ' - of has and salt to the monarch , and all the accustomed ortho- m dox . ceremonials . 9 A brightly-coloured picture of the interior of the B Church of the Assumption , in which the coronation is I to take place , is given by tne Daily News special corre- I spondent , who remarks : —" What a scene of barbaric I magnificence , historic reminiscence , and political sug- I gestiveness ! Passing through a darkened vestibule I I suddenly felt myself almost dazzled by a perfect blaze ' of I gold and colour . The walls were every inch covered I with frescoes and mosaics , in heavy gilt frames , and the I great central pillars that support the cupolas were deco- I rated in a similar manner . Although the church is fj small , the loftiness of the ceiling gives it a most impo 3- I ; . ing appearance , and the vague indistinctness with which I : , tlie comparative gloom enables you to take in the details Ii . produces in the mind a peculiar feeling of awe and re- J verence . . As works of art , few would be "bold enough to 1 defend these elaborate decorations , but they are the signs I l of a sentiment , a power , and a policy , and , looked upon I - in that light , must always be objects of deep interest to I j the spectator . Greek priests were chanting their vespers I : in , one corner , -while carpenters were hammering away in I i another at the gorgeous estrade upon -which the Empe- I - ror is to kneel while the metropolitan places the crown I 1 upon his head . Everything was resplendent with gold , I and velvet , and . ostrich feathers ; but a glance was all I j a "was permitted to take , sufficient to convince me that the I e interior of the church will not accommodate more than . 1 about five hundred persons . " I if The campaign projected by the Russians against the j 1 , Circassians is indefinitely postponed . I 9 Prince Esterhazy was unable to present himself before I d the Emperor Alexander as early as the Plenipotentiaries I d of England and . France , owing to the absence of his ere- j dentials , which were not ready for him when he left I Vienna . It was expected that a special courier would , y overtake him before he arrived at St . Petersburg ; but a 1- great pressure of business in the Austrian foreign-office J 3 f prevented the speedy despatch of the necessary docu-: li ments , and hence the delay in the presentation . sr A romantic story is told of Count de Morny exhibit-• y ing at ¦ a party a breast-pin , in which ' an almost invisible capsule , ' on being opened , displayed an exquisite miniature of the Empress Eugenie . This , affirmed tie as gallant statesman , gave the "pin the greatest value ia th bis eyes . Ever since then , there has been , a rage for inal finitesimal miniatures of the French Empress to put in Dut iouua to

      ¦ . pins ana Droocjies ; n nas Deen necessary send to Paris for them , the Russian artists being unequal to their production . ITALY . The subscription for the hundred guus intended for the new fortifications of Alessandria is proceeding with extraordinary rapidity in the Grand Duchy . The lists being publicly circulated , notwithstanding the efforts the police . Among the chief subscribers may be mentioned the Marquis Gino Capponi a » d the Advocate Galeotti . At Leghorn , a great number of porters have subscribed . The Sardinian Government has sequestrated two ers at Genoa—the Italia e Popolo ( in which Mazziai writes ) and the Maga—for publishing lists of subscriptions to a fund for presenting a gift of 10 , 000 muskets the first province of Italy which shall rise against the common enemy . The Italia e Pojmlo , however , continues to publish its subscription lists , only under tho head of " Patriotic Fund . " The Pope lias granted power to the Bishops of Sardinia to allow persons to read and rettiin the journals prohibited it jure et ah homine . Prince Murat is at Aix-les-Bains , lviuch to the annoyance and alarm of the Neapolitan King . A proclamation , detailing their wrongs , and exhibiting the iutensest hatred of the existing Government of King Bomba , has been put forward by the Sicilians . A disposition iSj shown to unite with the Neapolitans for the common object of putting an end to tlie tyranny under which thoy botli suffer . A disgraceful system , encouraged by the Government of King Ferdinand , of tampering witli the electric telegraph , exists at Naples . Tho telcgrapli with England has been open two years , and it is alleged that , incredible as it may appear , tho private messages of nierchants and others aro divulged , the instant they arrive , to a set of monthly-subscribing speculators , who act upon them , and affect tlie markets in most cases before tho despatch has been delivered to the rightful owner . A commercial paper at Naples publicly gives tbo substance of each message , contenting itself with the sole omission of the names of tho receivers . Tho telegraph is under tho control of Government , tlie oflieinls coiitii-fting , for the most part , of old Custom-house employes , who arc bound to hand , a copy of each despatch , ns it arrives , to tho Ministers of Finnnuo and Police . — Co > - respondent of the Times , Prince CImrles Doria , who every year was nccustomed to distribute a sum of 40 , 000 fr . in alms , has rccently died . Ho was a saccone , and , not content with what be hiin « olf gavo , used to go , barefooted , drcsscil m coarso sackcloth , with ix thick cord round hifl w » is * i about tho streets , imploring charity from the pnasevs-by for tho poor . Tho Corrkre Mercantile , of Gonon , gives the following version of the riot which took pluco on the 2-lthull * » ' ¦ Leghorn : — " Soino country pooplo > vcro singing songs

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 6, 1856, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_06091856/page/4/