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    May 16, 1857.J THE L EADEB. 463

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    CONTINENTAL NO T E S. FUAN'CE. This abru...

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    Spekcii Of Loud Napier At Newyohk. At Th...

    tlemen , did you observe any symptoms of this intellectual decrepitude in Sir Richard Pakenham or in Sir Henry Bulwer ? I have not the honour of having ever served with those distinguished personages , but , in honour to the profession to which I belong , lam justified in alleging that in my friend' and my former chief . Sir Hamilton Seymour , I never observed any want of vigour or capacity . And , gentlemen , I never observed any want of vigour and independence in my later master , Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe , who has passed thirty years of his indefatigable life in contending against the ambition of arbitary power in one country , and in mitigating its abuses in another . Gentlemen , I do not wish to sav anything unduly and ungratefully depreciatory of

    any country or of any Government . I have had some experience of despotic Governments . I have lived in Naples , in Turkey , and in Russia . There are elements of happiness in them all ; Fortunately , I say , there are elements of kindness , of culture , and of happiness which no political system whatever can exclude from the face of nature and from the hearts of men . ( Loud cheers . ) But neither the retrospective glories of the Italian scene , nor the ancient repose and the picturesque associations of Oriental life , nor the splendid enchantments of social life which have arisen in their most agreeable form upon the borders of the Neva , can ever make an Englishman undervalue or forget those principles of freedom which have been cherished by our common

    fathers at home , and which by them were sown broadcast upon the soil of the great American continent . ( Cheers . ) Gentlemen , I have , since my arrival , sometimes observed an impression in the United States that the development of this country is regarded with jealousy by England . That is an erroneous opinion . ( Cheers . ) You will bear me out in the assertion that the last vestige of former prejudice founded on the animosities of two unhappy wars is being very rapidly extinguished . The peaceful and legitimate expansion of the United States forms a matter of satisfaction and pride for eveiy reasonable Englishman . That expansion forms the best resort and relief for our superabundant population ; it forms the best market for our increasing industry ; it is

    the triumph of our labour and our arts , of our language , our religion , and our blood . ( Loud cheering . ) No thoughtful Englishman can contemplate this unparalleled spectacle of future predominance without emotions of thankfulness and praise . No thoughtful foreigner can regard it without a sigh , because Providence has not reserved the future empire of the world for his own tongue and his own race . ( Cheers . ) These . sentiments of sympathy and goodwill , to which I give a feeble utterance , are , believe me , not rare or partial in our country , nor do I derive them from obscure authority . ( Hear , hear . ) I have gathered these sentiments in the benevolent pages

    of a Carlisle , in the wise conclusions of an Aberdeen , and in the eloquent declarations of an Elgin . I have heard these sentiments declared and enforced from the bench of the Government , and I have heard them echoed back from the benches of the Opposition . These sentiments have been inculcated upon me with sincere and careful emphasis by the Earl of Clarendon , and by that noble viscount who is first in the councils and the hearts of the British people . ( Immense applause . ) Finally , gentlemen , I have received these sentiments as a faithful trust from the hands of my Sovereign , and I will not lay up this profitable talent in a diplomatic napkin . " At the close of this speech , his Lordship was loudly cheered .

    May 16, 1857.J The L Eadeb. 463

    May 16 , 1857 . J THE L EADEB . 463

    Continental No T E S. Fuan'ce. This Abru...

    CONTINENTAL NO T E S . FUAN'CE . This abrupt departure Qf Prince Napoleon for Berlin has been attributed to a mission for the dual settlement of tha Noufchutcl question , to a desiro to return the visit of tho Prince of Prussia , anil to the necessity of getting him out of tho way of the Grand Duke Constantino , to ¦ whom ho behaves with marked coolness . Tho last id tho most probable reason . It is whinnered in Paris that the Grand Duke

    Constantino nnd tlio French Court do not get on in tho most cordi a l way imaginable , nnd that tlio Russian Prince contrives to make it apparent that ho does not look upon tho present dynasty as likely to bo porinanont . lie is accused of behaving with abrupt haughtiness , of making too ninny inquiries as to nil ho scos , and of taking too many notes . IIo was entertained lust Saturday at a magnificent banquet givon by Prinoo Jerome . Priiico Napoleon was ulreudy oil' to IJerlin , and tho two Imperial grandees had therefore no further opportunity for exchanging their mutual coldness nnd distrust .

    M . Duohosno do IJulleoourt , iirst Secretary ot tho French Legation to tho Germanic Confederation , has arrived from Frankfort in Paris , to take tho appointment of Firut Secretary to tho Frouch Commissioner Extraordinary ( o China . Tho Fnuiau Cantralc , of Blois , publishes a letter nduvouriofl by tho Count do Clmmbord to Guuural Count do la Roohejaquolcin , condoling with him on tho death of las iiyoil sister-in-law . Tho Tribunal of Correctional Police on Friday week brought to a clono . tho trial of fourteen man aoeuaod of having got up a secret society for the overthrow of tho Government by moans of an . iuaurrootum which wus to

    have broken out on the 24 th of last February—the ninth anniversary of the revolution of 1 S 48 . They were found Guilty with three exceptions , and were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment ( none , however , of great length ) and to fines of different amounts . Tho fete . commemorative of the deliverance of Orleans by Jeanne d'Arc took place on Thursday week in that city . The Bank of France Bill presented to the Corps Legislatif last Saturday differs materially from the scheme circulated at the Bourse . The capital is to be doubled , and the produce of the new shares , instead of being applied to relieve the immediate wants of the Treasury , will only be so applied to the extent of 100 millions in the course of the year 1859 . To cover itself , the Bank will receive a sum of Three per Cent . Rentes at 7 ofr ., from the Caisse d'Amortissement . The privileges of the Bank

    axe to be prolonged for thirty years . In exchange for these advantages , the Bank is to make advances upon Credit Foncier obligations as well as upon public securities and railway shares . It undertakes , moreover , to make advances to the Treasury not exceeding eighty millions . A very important clause in the bill is that which permits the Bank to add a charge for commission to the interest upon its advances and discounts . This question has been very vehemently discussed . The change amounts in substance to a partial repeal of the French usury laws . Instead of being prohibited from taking more than six per cent ., while the Bank of England may be lending at seven or eight per cent ., the Bank of " France will now be able to charge whatever late money may be -worth in the market . —Daiiy News Paris Correspondent .

    The Emperor and Empress , accompanied b \ ' the Grand Duke Constantine and a numerous suite , left Paris for Fontainebleau at one o'clock on Monday . The Nord has been seized for a libel imputing to the Emperor , Empress , Grand Duke Constantine , and Court , the vulgar and ignoble amusement of attacking and defending a steep mound at Villeneuve-l'Etang , like a parcel of children let loose from school . In this game , the Emperor is said to have ' manoeuvred skilfully , ' but to have been ultimately made prisoner after having ' penetrated into the very midst of the enemy . ' This pretty little fiction is thought to cover a political allusion .

    A grand stag-hunt has taken place at Fontainebleau , whither the Court has gone . The Emperor , the Empress , the Grand Duke Constantine , the Prince of Nassau , and their suite , dressed in all the courtly splendours and absurdities of the reign of Louis XV ., followed the chase till the stag gave them the slip , and thev were forced to return .

    ITALY . The garrison of the city of Naples has beon completely changed , and is now exclusively composed of Swiss regiments . The members of the King of Naples' family have made ( according to a report from tho Two Sicilies ) a combined remonstrance with that monarch on the subject of the debased and wretched condition into which the country has been crushed by the despotism which overrides it . Tlio discussion is said to have been very animated , if not warm ; but tho King of course gave no sign of a disposition to relent , lie said that any change would accelerate his fall . On this occasion , it is ufnrmcd that the Count of Svracu . se , moating in the salvns of the

    palace with the members of the council , bitterly ( though with great truth ) reproached them with their system of administration . Tho Minister of Grace and Justice replied that the King acted for himself , and that , even when their opinions were nskod , they wore not permitted to give them with that honour and truth which their consciences dictated . The Prince retorted that innocent men were persecuted simply because they were Progressist ! . Ono of the Camarilla expressed his horror at a prince of tho blood being a friend of progress , and added that all sovereigns should league themselves to destroy the advocates of Liberalism . To this the Prince replied by inveighing against the Camarilla , uml th . ni hastily leaving .

    While the Government is strong to restrain and oppress Progres . si . sti , if , cannot or will not protect life from the assaults of assassins . As a proof of this , a young Englishman has been nearly murdered by a rulliiin in tlio Kiviora di Chinja . The-street * , indeed , swarm with assassins and beggars . Vesuvius is now in a . state of active eruption . At its sitting of tho B ^ h lust ., tho Sardinian Chamber of Deputies adopted , by a majority of ! U votes against f > 2 , tho bill ordering tho transfer of tho naval arsenals from Genoa to Spiv . / . iu . Tho Pope taarliul on tho lth in . st . on a journey to Lorolto — an expedition which , sumo titno ago , at a moment of personal danger , ho vowod to make . AI . 'MTItlA .

    To commemorate tins Kiupuror ' s visit , to Hungary , an amnesty has boon granted to all thoso persons who , having beun condemned lo imprisonment for political oUbncos , are now in Austrian prisons . All trials for political oftunuou are quashed , excepting those which uro pending against , the refugees . Tho Emperor , in replying to tho address of tho

    Primate of Hungary , said , in the native language : t" It affords me pleasure to have been able to come again , in order to show this beautiful country to the Empress , and to examine in person into the condition and necessities of my well-loved Hungary . It is my continual endeavour to iucrease the general well-being of this country and of the-whole of my empire , and thereby to satisfy my loyal subjects . " On the 3 rd inst ., the Emperor sanctioned the revised statutes of the Hungarian ' Academy of Sciences , ' and at the same time took the institution under his especial protection . " It will be the task of the Academy , " says the Imperial rescript , " to cultivate and disseminate learning and literature , and at the same time to develop and enrich the Hungarian language . " The Magyars lose no opportunity of bringing forward their national colours . Thus , when the Emperor and Empress went to the theatre at Pesth , the bills placed before them were made of red , white ,- and green silk .

    KUSSJA . " The subscription for the 150 , 000 shares of the railway network scheme , " says the Times Berlin correspondent , " was opened in St . Petersburg on the 28 th ult . In one letter which I have received , the bare fact is mentioned without any commentary as regards the result . In another the rush to secure a place for the subscribers' names in the list of the fortunate shareholders is described as having been very great , and as offering an irrefragable proof of the feelings prevalent among the public on this subject , and the great desire the latter has to promote the construction of railways and other means of communication . The number of shares left open for allotment will hardly suffice to satisfy the great demand . " This , however , is a Russian

    account . The Empress was safely delivered of a son on Monday . Two American consuls have just arrived at Irkutsk , which the 3 ' reached by proceeding up the river Ainoor .

    SPAIN . . The Queen still remains in-doors . A few nights ago , the King went to the Italian Opera-house at Madrid ; but such is his unpopularity that the audience , instead of rising , as usual , took no notice of him . The same thing occurred on a previous night . . Stories are told of very scandalous dissensions at the palace . A conspiracy has recently been hatched by some Roman cardinals , aided , it is supposed , by Russia , for deposing the present Queen , and placing on the throne the Princess of the Asturias . The cardinals communicated ths project to Queen Christina , under the hope

    th : it she would encourage it ; but no sooner had she obtained possession of some documents connected with the plot ( having previously dissembled sufficiently to get at them ) than she transmitted them to the Government at Madrid , and then told the conspirators , with much indignation , that she would have nothing to do with their suheme . Among the documents was one by the King ; and that unfortunate monarch by courtesy was summoned before the Council of Ministers , lectured by them , told Lhat ho had rendered himself liable to trial for high treason , and warned to be more circumspect in future . The French Government has been informed of this strange episode of the Spanish Court .

    The Parfumento newspaper gives details of a desperate affray in the neighbourhood of Saragossa on tho 2 o " th of April , between forty contrabandists and twoiity infantry soldiers . Tho latter were supported by twenty cavalrymen , who had carried them to the scene of action en cruiipe , but the nature of the ground did not allow tho horse to act . A lioutenunt and a soldier were badly wounded , and an ensign was killed . The smugglers made oil " , having four of their number killed or wounded . Thev were escorting forty-eight or fifty loads of contraband goods , the retreat ui' which they appear to havo . successfully covered . — Time * Madrid Correspondent . The Spanish Government has announced its intention to despatch two ships of war to the China Seas , with an agent specially charged to conclude a treaty of commerce with the Celestial Empire as soon as the situation of tho country will permit it .

    Five petty ollicers belonging to tho English war . steamer Curlew , while ashore at , Malaga , and indulging in a I ' ow harmless practical j'ikos among themselves , wore arrested by tho Spanish gendarmes , who thought they were quarrelling , anil wore convoyed to prison , in which I hoy have lain since Lho l !) th of April . For a day or two , they wore kept without food , and might have starved ,, had not tho facts come to tho knowledge of our consul , Mr . Mark . Lord llowdon , our Minister , at Madrid , being informed of tins circumstance by tho consul , madu a complaint before tho Spanish Government . ; but no redress had boon offered at tho last dates , nor had the . mun boou released .

    IMllKSSIA . Prince Napoleon has arrivod at Berlin , and has dolivorod to the King an autograph letter from tho French Emperor with roflpuot to the NoufuhlUol question . Ho was received at tlio railway terminus by Prinoa Georgo , second cousin of tho King . A tolerable amount of oiUltufliasni was manifested by tho popul . iw . * »» o Prince uUomlod a parado of tho Prussian t roops last Saturday morning , at which tho Kin . ir was also present . Tho parade was followed by a grand dinner at tuo

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), May 16, 1857, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_16051857/page/7/