On this page

• Departments (1)
  • 
• Text (3)

  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    THE KEPORT TO THE EMPEROR.

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    Untitled Article

    T HE reports of ministers in France servcv like pur debates in Parliament , . / but . in-a more succinct and connected form , to make known -the reasons on which \ legislation is founded . They stir up no strife of arguinentv they awaken no passions and impress no convictions on the people ; but they record , facts and motives , and are historical documents of considerable importance ^ Tho modifications made in the commercial relations of the two

    countries by the late Treaty have been regarded as so momentous , as-to . require ' the . publication in full ( . fans reserve ) of the report made to the Emperor by ' M " . Bauoche , the President oi the Council of State , and M . Ii ' ouiiER , the Minister of Agriculture , of the manner in which these two negotiators carried into execution his order to negotiate the ' Treaty . It- serves better than any conjectures or even statements of what the French think , to make . 11 . 3-acquainted with the-causes-which have . so long impeded the mutiuil trade of the two eounf . riek , and with tinadvantages they now expect from the Treaty .

    The report begins by referring to the previous attempts made by tlie . several Governments of France , froni that of the Restoration to that of the Emperor , to unite France and England by a treaty of commerce , all of which , except the Treaty of 1 S&G , establishing the . perfect equality of the shipping of the two nation ? when proceeding directly from the ports of One to those of the other , were fruitless . With Lor is Philippe ' s Government , soon after the Involution . ' of 1830 , negotiations \ vere active , but tho zeal of the negotiators on both sides soon cooled . The King was himself , as a forest and coal owner , interested in Protection , and before tho end of his reign the : doctrines of his cabinet were less commercially liberal than nt its commencement , In the interest of . despotism , the two ministers adroitly ascribo this general failure to the development of the

    parliamentary system , which they say subordinated the general interest to the interest of individuals , and established a formidable organisation against every modification , of-the turilV . They arc right in saying that in a parliamentary system private interests , continually struggle to obtain advantages iu disregard of the publio welfare j but Tt is done openly , and fails to effect its object in proportion as the people become enlightened , and cease to bo corrupt . There is , too , ever more confidence to be plnce , d in tho public for enlightenment and patriotism than in any individual . Our parliamentary system has accordingly led us much moro rapidly and more continuously to put down all attempts , by whomsoever made , to substitute private advantage for the public good , than tho Imperial systems of the Continent , with which the negotiators tacitly but ilutteringly contrast the parliamentary system .

    Political agitation by private interests , operating hero through Parliament , has gradually put an end , , to almost every monopoly and every prohibition ; but the two ministers tell us in another part of the ' ir report , Without thinking , apparently , of the bearings of what they any on tho fluttering compliment they pay to despotism , Unit every Government in France for the last thirty yeara—all of which havo been more imperial than parliamentary' —have endeavoured in vnin to get rid of the prohibitions born , not of private interests , but of war (( tnfunttkx par lea nwlhcun de la guerre ) . Experience proves , therefore , that a parlia-

    Untitled Article

    according to the census of 1853 , and could not have beenvery much larger when the migrations began . ¦' .. ' ¦'" If the Austrian Government does not seek an opportunity for renewing ; the war , its conduct in Italy is inexplicable ; and if such a contingency is ' reckoned upon , its behaviour in Hungary is still more perilous , and without reason . Instead of appeasing the anger of the Protestant churches , Count Thxjk is driving them to rebellion ; and it is not improbable that , before long , we shall witness a renewal of the old sort of religious wax , but with the difference that the tyrannical and Popish party does not possess its former strength / On the 11 th January the Protestants held a great meeting in defiance of the prohibition of the Court . Forty or fifty thousand people assembled , and the Imperial functionary commanded them , in the name of the Emperor , to disperse . The Protestant leader , in the spirit of an old Covenanter or Cromwellian , thundered out , " In the name of God I command you to stay . " The people obeyed what they accepted as a Divine injunction to support their faith . At this meeting- it was decided that another meeting should be held on the 20 th April ; and on the 1 st and 2 nd March smaller gatherings took place , at which many of the nobles"of Transylvania ' were-present , including Count Degenfeld , the brother of the Austrian commander in Yenetia ; and it was resolved with unanimity that the 20 th April meeting should be held . If the Government should resort to force , it is probable that a collision may occur ; and , if religious zeal should not betray the Protestant churches into imprudence , the ricketty Empire of Austria may find that the nineteenth century will overthrow and avenge the crimes against the Reformation ,, of which its riders were guilty two centuries ago . The Court of Vienna has degenerated ; its ' -superstition has none of the ancient grandeur about it— -it is effete and contemptible ; and if the Protestants can produce a Hungarian Glstavus , their enemies will not " be able to bring another Wallensteix into the tield . Tlif re is nothing in the Austrian system to produce great men ; , and if one should arise , he would be likely to consign his beloved Einperor to Leicester Square or Spielberg , and grasp tlie power himself . AVe watch this movement in ¦ Hungary with an interest that will be felt all over the kingdom , when its bearings are understood , not only because it m-siy lead , to most valuable results , but from its strong resemblance - to those important passages in English history which contributed so much . to . make us great and free . If a fresh rebellion occurs in Hungary it will not : be an outburst of " Godless democracy , " nor a political struggle in -which tho younger and less prudent part of the population will take the lead ; but a solemn , determined , " Godfearing " business , resembling that magnificent mingling of . the Bible and the sword which "' carried the Ironsides in triumph through every field . The great ( Linger is lest the outburst should be premature . If it is well timed it may stir up old associations in Bohemia , and do much to redeem even Austrian character from its levity and frivolity , giving , to her Court and aristocracy something better to believe in than licentiousness and superstition , or rough ! v " improving them off the face the earth . " '¦*' .. 'J he stories of . Austria's alliance with Russia are much doubted , although it is known that ( be Czarina was in favour of such a scheme . Tor the present , Goit'rciiAKOFr , who hates Austria , is believed to have triumphed , and a new rumour is afloat that the French Einperor has improved his relations with St . Petersburg , by offering to cancel that part of the Treaty of Paris , which excludes ships of war from the Black Sea . We oiler no opinion on the truth of this story , and place no reliance in the conventions which diplomatists . concoot . There "is no putting faith in . princes '} one . after another breaks his word or his oath , and few continental potentates are entitled to complain if the Tuileries should prove treacherous , for most of them have acted as if perjury belonged to the insignia of royalty quite as much as the sceptre or the crown . Last week our correspondent from Hanover gave an excellent picture of the stote of opinion in Germany , and the wonders of the excellent beer drinkers and tobacco smokers at what they fancy our apathy in the face of the designs of France . It is quite true that we have recovered from everything like panic , and entertain a good hope of escaping from any serious convulsion ; still our dockyards and arsenals nr

    Duchies . If the patriotic efforts of Victor Emmanli : l and his great minister should succeed , and Italy be free from the Alps to the Adriatic , Lord Palmehston " , next spring , will boast of the moral aid his Government gave to bring about such a happy state of affairs . "We want a reconstruction of foreign policy , and need some one to arise in the House of Commons -and defend a cause because it is right , aiid urge itsprosecution whenever it is practicable . The cant of pretending friendship for . Austria , and . helping her enemies , is a national disgrace . The English people wish all Italy to-be free , and no language should he held to Count Rechbekg or anybody else , which is inconsistent with the plain rules of Christian morality , applied to neighbours who have a-moral- right to our . support .

    Looking to , the false andhoiUoTiv character of diplomacy , we are ¦ o-lad to find our Government growing less diplomatic ; but a fuller recognition of great principles is . needed , and there is something like hypocrisy or vacillation , when we find Lord Palmerston saying that England may be proud of having given her moral * influence to bring about the present state of thing ? -in'Italy , Whereas both he and Lord John Russell , only last year spoke very strongly against the very course which they now praise . Kor do they seem to have learnt wisdom from experience , for , as will be seen from the " Further Correspondence on the Affairs of Italy , " Lord John Russell now urges the Iving of Sardinia not to do anything for the liberation of Venetia , just aslast -year he urged lam to do nothing for Lombardy mid the

    Untitled Article

    248 The Leader and Saturday Analyst . - PMarch 17 , 1860 .

    The Keport To The Emperor.

    THE REPORT TO . THE EMPEROR .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), March 17, 1860, page 248, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2338/page/4/