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Leader (1850-1860), 13th November 1858, Edition 1 of 2, Page 1227

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      Eng land , however , has refused to enter into these niceties of the question , has solved not to lay too much stress upon the circumstance that the withdrawal of labour might ruin the West Indian planters not to be too' much affected by the wretchedness and mortality amongst races winch came professedly by their own free will , not to admit any consideration as countervailing her . resolve that under no circumstances should a migration from Africa be permitted lost it should be nothing better than a slave trade in disguise ; and in retracting a certain sanction given to the plan of free a ft . ;™? miration the Emperor Napoleon , actually

      submits to the reclamations of England . He has , indeed , at the present moment only directed his Cousin and Minister , the Prince Napoleon , to inquire ; but he does so in terms which justify the expectation that on the evidence ot the notorious facts he will finally condemn the African emigration as wanting every guarantee of freedom ; while he already intimates his acceptance of the proposed substitute for African labour in the persons of the Coolies . There is no disguising the importance of this concession ; but rather a serious question remains—how far the retrograde step taken by France in this affair will necessarily be copied

      by other countries , or will be effectual m restoring confidence to the system hitherto maintained for the forcible suppression of the slave trade . This doubt suggests a measure which would indeed demand some moral courage on the part of the English Government , but which would be at , once a handsome return for the concession of the French Government , and a wise step in itself . There certainly remains a very imperfect underand

      standing on the Subject of African emigration , its treatment by several other countries in alliance with our own . The state of Cuba , and the courtly classes in ' Madrid , raises the greatest doubt as to the good faith of Spain in observing her part of the the whole compact . On the other hand , public events have given testimony to the thoroughly good faith of Brazil , in using her best exertions to check the traffic , while the most estimable Government of Southern America remains under the ban

      of measures taken iu London for the very purpose of insulting and injuring the Brazilian Government . The demand for labour " in the West Indies , British as well as French or Spanish , is notorious \ the question , how far the present modes of supplying it give rise to greater evils than an importation of Africans , has in no degree been elucidated by the hostile recriminations that have passed on the subject . The Government at Washington has shown considerable impatience at some excesses committed by our cruisers . The sanction given , even temporarily , to the transport of free Africans in French ships , has exposed the fact that any Government which is really independent could at any moment make its escape from the slavetrade suppression compacts by the back door which certain clever Frenchmen have discovered . On the

      whole , the system of forcible suppression has been cast under a , shade of doubt , as well as the system of substituted labour . It is a question how lar the chivalrous efforts of this country on behalf of Africa really serve the children of that ' continent ; how fur they are executed at tltfe cost of injury to other races not less helpless ; and how far they involve us iu political complications scarcely consistent with the general bearing of public law . Under these circumstances no course , perhaps , could bo better , as a practical responso to tlie concession of the

      French Government , than one which would vender the inquiry desiderated by tho Emperor Napoleon even more thorough-going and complete . It , would , at all events , bo a great concession to tho public opinion of this country if the whole subject wero entirely reviewed by a full and unrestrained inquiry , which should ombrnce the actual state of the VVest Indies ' and of other sugar colonies , the present methods of supplying labour , with tho results , mid tho present disposition of tho Powers parties to the filuvc-trudo treaties .

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      Court by some feelings of jealousy , which have originated from the care that has frequently beei taken to exclude her from governmental affairs h Baden . After this general survey we may speak more especially and " personally . of the Grand-Duke Frederick . Still a young man—thirty-two years of age—his life lias already been a chequered one . In 1849 , when his father Leopold reigned , lie was a personal witness , and a dramatis persona in the scenes ol popular revolution which resulted in the overthrow

      BIOGRAPHIES OF GERMAN PRINCES . No . I . THE GRAND-DUKE OF BADEN . Among those German duchies which , in spite of their insignificant dimensions , are invested with considerable importance , the Grand-Duchy of Baden takes a foremost place . Its geographical position renders it the centre . of great interests , political and military . Situated with its western frontier towards France , and its southern side towards Switzerland , it cannot do otherwise than play its

      part in the event of any popular rising on the Continent , or of any armed conflict between France and the German Bund . It was in the Grand-Duchy of Baden that the Paris revolution of 1848 was first responded to . The cry which there arose for German unity and freedom soon flew on the wings of the wind throughout the entire Confederation . It was in Baden , again , that the standard of a German Republic was first unfurled ; and Baden also witnessed the closing scene of the revolution of 1 S 49 , when , after many a bloody battle , the cause of liberty was smitten down . It may not be that

      Baden will once more become the theatre of similar terrible dramas on the outbreak of any fresh continental movement . Still we are sure that , in such a contingency , the democratic spirit animating its population would act as a lever throughout the south-west of Germany . Let that be as it will , in any case the-military importance of the country will remain the same . Only a few months ago this was again felt to be the case , when the question of the standing bridge between Jvchl and Strasburg , which had been -projected at the suggestion of the French ruler , was brought before the Federal Diet

      at Frankfort . Moreover , the Grand-Duchy of Baden has for some time been the chosen battle-ground for the rival influences of Austria and Prussia . Iii the expectation of a crisis in European affairs , and in the uncertainty of the turn which French matters would take , Austria has garrisoned the Federal fortress of jtastadt with more troops than , according to treaties , she is entitled to lodge there . Upon this , the Court of Berlin , laying full stress on her military services of 18-49 , has demanded the right of stationing 1 in the fortress a number of her own

      troops equal to that of the Austrians . The question is still on the tapis , and has led to much mutual acrimony . The policy of Austria is supported in Baden by the Ultramontane and high aristocratic factions ' of the country . Prussia , on the other hand , strives to gain her object through the influence of the young Grand-Duchess , the daughter of the Prince Regent of Prussia , which latter , as we have shown in former articles , has re-established the throne of the Zahrjngcn by an overwhelming force of arms and by a reign of terror , unequalled since the days of Alba . To the people of Baden themselves , it need hardly be said , tlic white coat of the

      Hapsburjrr , or the uniform of the Hohenzollem , is an equally distasteful sight ; in their country . They desire German unity under a democratic constitution ; but have no wish to convert a Baden fortress into an aviary for royal and imperial birds of prey . The Grand-Duko , in these questions , has assumed but an undecided attitude . Married to a Prussian Princess , himself a relative of Louis Napolcoii j and surrounded at Court by a noblesse many ol the members of which lean to the interests of tho Government at Vienna , his position is complicated enough . His ears arc by turns assailed , now by the partisans of his Imperial , Royal , and Apostolic Majesty , then by Prussian counsels oonveyed in curtain-lectures , and anon Russian advice comes cropping in for its share of attention , for tho Baden dynasty has ever been in close friendship , and is at this moment intimately connected by tics of marr ingc , with the Court of St . Petersburg . Last but not . least , tho cousin at Paris nmkes his voice-hoard through "her Imperial Hitflim'ss " tlio Dowager GnuuLDuoliess Stephanie , Ilic adopted daughter of tho llrst Napoleon . This hitler laily , now verging on seventy , in known to Ikj iu continual correspondence' with Louis Nupoloon . Her prolonged visits to tho French metropolis arc always in connexion with soinn deep political object . At ; one period , from ISM ) -. VI , she rejoiced iu tho sobriquet , in Puria , of ( ho Kuerin ui tl » o Presidency . A vctoraji iu intrigue , slvo forms tho link between the Tuilorios and Karlsruhe ^ though in one respect she may bo said to bo iutlucncuu against tho latter

      of the Grand-Ducal throne . On the evening of the 13 th of May of that year , some of the troops in the capital itself rose in insurrection against monarchic government , proclaiming German unity and freedom as their political object . In the streets of Karlsruhe a sanguinary struggle ensued , during which , in the dead of the night , the royal family fled , escorted b y a few artillerymen and their guns , through the dark paths of the Haardt Forest . Prince Frederick himself , the present Grand-Duke , had on that occasion a narrow escape of paying with his own life the penalty of the treacherous policy of

      his father ' s government . Hearing of the outbreak of the mutiny , the Prince had hastened to one of the barracks to harangue the soldiers in person ^ But so little impression did his eloquence make on . the excited soldiery , that one o £ the troopers , brandishing his sword over the Prince ' s head , attempted to cut him down on the spot . It was with difficulty he was rescued by the intervention of another " private , who besought his comrades to spare the- Prince ' s life , saying that " he was yet too young to be guilty . " Frederick had the presence of mind to take advantage of the moment of

      indecision that followed , and leaped out of the window into the barrack-yard , speeding back to the castle as fast as his legs could carry him . -lie and his family subsequently made the forlorn midnight journey through 1 lie forest , some of the High . Mightinesses being glad enough to effect the retreat on foot , whilst others rode on the gun-carriages . In this fashion they took their departure from a country whose constitution they-had laughed to scorn , and whose inhabitants , weary of them and theirs , had resolved to try a government on » republican basis . t

      During the campaign that followed on the parof the Prussians against the democratic cause of Baden , we do liot find Prince Frederick in the field . It is true , he worked assiduously by means of secret agents to ruin the republican cause by intrigues ; but in the brunt of battle he was not found . When monarchy was , however , re-established , thanks to a royalist army of eighty thousand men , the voice of Prince Frederick was loud enough in calling out for vengeance . No bowels of compassion did he then possess , although court-martials were daily sending their victims to a bloody grave . Nay , it is reported that the very man to whom he owed his life , in the incident above

      related , was executed without any interposition on his part . It may be conceived that a man of this hardened character was not likely to show much delicacy of feeling when the question came to be settled whether on his own or his elder brother ' s head the crown was to be placed . The elder prince , Louis , it should be observed , had been for some time afllicted with a species of mental aberration , the result of excesses that had lor years been the scandal of tho country . Now , on tho death of the old Grand-Duko , in 1 S 51 , the question arose of what was to be dona with the invalid successor to the

      throne P Tho second-born prince , however , found a speedy solution , by carrying out a little coup d ' etat on his own private account . Ho shut up _ bis brother , or rather imprisoned him , in a wing of tho castle , and then ana thero made himself Regent . After a while , the locked-up lunatic—whom , bythc-by , many persons alleged to be not nearly so mad as represented—suddenly gave , up tho ghosfc . Prince Frederick * meanwhile , had changed his title of Regent for fchr . t of Gruiul-Dtiko in j > ivj » 'i « persona . The vholo proceeding wore tho unpleasant complexion of a Kaspur llauser nU ' , with , which , it will be vemcwboiod , tho reigning iuinHy of Budon wero commonly supposed to huvo also

      hud something to do . , In internal noliov the present prince has iljstiiir guishoil himself by his violent reactionary canings . Now mul then , it is true , lor tho sake ot dissembling , ho has mndo a prel . onco ol granting a political ifiniuaty . But though he has issued some

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      Tnii Evknincj Suitvicitti at St . Paui / h . — Thonirnnfiojnonts will bo comnMod by tho X 7 th . Every precaution lins been tnhuu to avoid tlio iiioouvi'nfenoo nrislny from noise , tiio ontiro surfaco of tho floor under , tlio dome bohi ^ covered with n new hind of olastlo floorcloth or matting , cullod " kmnptiilicon , " nimlo oxproiutly for the purpose by Messrs , Traloni ' , of Luilgnto-hill , tho puttema having boon dcalgiiQd by Mr . l'uuroso , surveyor to tho Dean and Chapter .

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      No . 461 , TWin , ™ 18 . 1859 . 1 . THE LEADER 1227

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 13, 1858, page 1227, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2268/page/19/