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Northern Star (1837-1852), 23rd October 1852, Edition 2 of 2, Page 1

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    • KEVIEW OF THE WEEK.
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      Ihf Irani Nf $Tial T$M M > ^ N > %M\T „ ...

      IHf Irani nf $ tial T $ m > ^ > % m \ t „ | Cn-wiii ? Ctonirle .

      Ho. 11,-Nkw Series.] London, Saturday, O...

      Ho . 11 ,-Nkw Series . ] LONDON , SATURDAY , OCTOBER 23 , 1852 . [ Price Fourpence Halfpenny

      Keview Of The Week.

      KEVIEW OF THE WEEK .

      Prance Is Rapidly Approaching Toward The...

      Prance is rapidly approaching toward the Empire , hut the usurper fefeek too sure of his game to allow any signs of hurry to he apparent-Ilfle may , or rather does know that notwithstanding fetes , processions blasp hemous addresses , and triumphal arches , not a single class in If ranee is disinterestedly attached to him . He must he well aware Uliat the adherents of the old regime and the partizans of the House fl of Orleans regard him only as a warming-pan , —as a something to . stave off Democracy for the time , and to'keep alive kingly instituj tions , —that the bourgeoisie do not worshi p him , but the trade which

      tky have , and which they think he preserves from destruction or interruption by political denouments , —that the priests , when they treat him as the " chosen of God , " do but bow to him as priests are always apt to do to power , —as they would to his successor were he cast down to-morrow ; and that the people remember his sansoinarv acts , and nourish in their hearts hopes of a decisive and

      complete revenge . He knows all this , for he is a shrewd adventurer , but yet he marches on to imperialism with a grave solemnity which woaid invest a better cause with dignity , because he feels that he bears the power of the sword . His present safety is his future danger it is true ; for lie must either find a use for the weapon , or have it turned against him by-and-bj e ; hut for the moment lie feels safe , and for the rest it is time enough to meet danger when it conies .

      It is said that the advisers of his Imperial Highness urged to have tk Senate assembled within a day or two of his return to Paris , so that a blow might be struck while the iron was hot ; but the President was iu no hurry , —a few days could make no difference in the resalt ; he saw the importance of the appearance of grave , orderly deliberation , and fixed the 4 th of November as the day for calling his creatures together ; after that step , the rest is perfectly easy . The

      Senate will become a senatiis consultum , —the establishment of the Empire will be recommended as necessary for the present interests of France and the safety of the future , and demanded by the opinion of the people . Then a pretence will be made of consulting the nation , and the votes of slaves will be g iven at the point of the bayonet , and the second-floor lodger of London—the habitue of the gamblinghouses , —the grand special-constable , —will be Emperor of Prance .

      Efforts have been made to induce the Pope to add to the splendour of louis Kapoleon ' s coronation by his presence . It is not , however , likely that the attempt will be successful . The Pope is not at all enamoured of his ibrmer saviour and his present defender . He is as much a prisoner now as he was when he fled from his palace . He ha s made one or two attempts to escape , but General Gemeau keeps a sharp eye upon him . His Holiness desired to pass a short time upon the mountains bordering the Neapolitan dominions , and intimated | his desire to his protector . The polite Preiichnian assented , of course , and obligingly posted three or four thousand men in such a position as at once to protect poor Pius from danger , and to prevent him from evinced

      passing the frontier . The Pope did not appreciate the anxiety on his behalf ; for as soon as he was informed of the measures taken , he declined the excursion . If he does effect his purpose of again taking shelter with his best beloved son , the batcher of Naples , he will not go with the pomp and dig nity which beseems a Pope , but be driven to adopt the costume of flunkeydom , or some congenial disguise . The Marquis of Londonderry is at last made happy . In addition to the garter left vacant by the unburied Duke , he has the satisfaction of rcceivino- intelligence of the release of Abd-el-Kader , m whose fate he so wm * m ? v interested himself . The President himself visited the Chateau of Amboise , and informed the Emir that he was no longer a captive . Some facts in connection with this visit illustrate the

      character for secrecy which the President has managed to keep up . 'He bad been sedulously advised by his counsellers not to liberate so dangerous a prisoner , and they thought that he had given up his intention buUi few minutes before he visited the oriental warrior , he informed General St . Arnaud that he was about to terminate the Emirs imprisonment , ....

      Men are busy canvassing the motives which have led to this step . Of course nobody believes that Louis Napoleon was actuated by any respect for his word , or regard for the honour of Prance , bo one gives him credit for being insnired by feelings of 1 ( % ™ gnammity or noble compassion . Some lean to the opinion that it is meant to shed a ray of grace upon the assumption of Imperial power , but he wore general impression is that deep motives of policy have prompted the act . Louis Napoleon must employ the army , or the army will would

      destrov him . A war with any of the great European powers ** ( Wons , if not fatal , to an Emperor . destitute of the military genius of his uncle . Eastern warfare does not present the . some hazard , while it is equally suggestive of ambitious projects . AM-el-& ukr it is supposed , will be committed to the safe keeping of Tur-% ; if he should escape there will be the opportunity of picking a quarrel with the Porte , leading to another Prench expedition to % pt-a chance of meddling in Syria , to say nothing of a general conflagration among the tribes bordering the Mediterranean . That opens up aprospect of work for the restles s spirits of Irance , and promises enough of glory to make np the semblance of national enthusiasm . It is more than probable that Louis Napoleon is forecast-

      Prance Is Rapidly Approaching Toward The...

      ing these events , and that the liberation of the former foe of Prance may be looked upon as a cunning piece of diplomacy , concealed under the veil of compassionate magnanimity . Austria , in the opinion of tlie diplomatists , is preparing to play a double game , in the event of hostilities involving Prance and England . There is but little doubfc that Prussia would lean to the English aliiance , and Austria might seize the opportunity of strengthening her influence in the minor German states . It is not an unlikely contingency , however , that events may happen in Italy to bring the Prench

      and the Austrian forces there into collision , and to put an end to that dream . The Austrian army is daily being strengthened in the peninsula , both by men and fortifications , and the Prench are intrenching themselves . Patrols from either camp constantly scour the country . The respective commanders regard , each other with jealousy , and the troops on either side entertain hostile feelings . A single spark might spring the mine , and array the two armies against each other , and perhaps the patriots of Italy would not be sorry to ' see their tyrants engaged in cutting one another ' s throats .

      Prom some letters which have appeared in the Times respecting the Austro-Italian passport system , Ave gather indications that the spirit of discontent among the Italians , though smothered , is smouldering as fiercely as ever . Expressions of opinion in words indeed is almost impossible , but small tokens are made use of , to show the feelings of the people . The government employees shave their chins —the natives cultivate enormous beard—the guards byauthoritywear orthodox hats—the haters of the power that rules them adopt head coverings of the most revolutionary forms and dimensions—officers of state , patronises the theatre—the masses leave the rest of the

      benches empty—the officials promenade a street , and forthwith all else desert it . Dissatisfaction is universal , and is expressed in a very safe way , and if another opportunity should occur , the Italians will take a fearful revenge for their humiliation and sufferings . Against a state of the public mind like this , expression is simply ridiculous . Abolish one emblem and another is ready at hand , put down one journal , and a new one starts up in its place . Arrests are equally ineffectual for a whole people cannot be locked up . The Austrians are only safe as long as they can defy opposition , but a war with France or any other power , would raise against them a population animated by the most deadly hatred , and eager to spill their blood .

      Prussia shows signs of political excitement , but the direction it will take is as yefc uncertain . The opinion is spreading , that the government in tlie matter of the Zolverein has acted both boldly and wisely , and that the commercial interests of Germany will incline rather to the Prussian than the Austrian alliance . Prankfort is emulating England . The senate has divested the Jews of all political privileges , and at future elections the votes of Christians only will be received . American news seems to confirm the intelligence brought by late « ....: i « /^ + i >« « v nn (; n « T > mirov at \ A iitii ' f . erlnps * nf the . Whiff mvtv . and mailsof thgrowing and uniteduess of the Whi artyand

      , e power g p , the improving chances of General Scott , as a candidate for the presidency . Webster is clearly distanced and it is said , means to employ himself in satisfactorily settling the foreign relations of the Republic . One of the first objects to which he will direct his attention , ^ is the fishery question . The Americans are not satisfied with their own construction of the convention of 1818 , but desire the liberty of inshore fishing on the coasts of our colonies ; and it is hinted that to attain that object commercial concessions to ^ England will be afforded . The war win the Caffres really does seem to be making some

      progress at last . The expedition across the Kei has , in the language oi the despatches , been ¦ ** completely successful ;* The army went , — ravaged the enemies country , —destroyed the homes and the crops , and captured some 10 , 000 head of cattle ; but the foe had withdrawn himself beyond the reach of vengeance . It is said that the marauders , terrified at the vigour of the measures taken-against them , berinto show a sincere desire for \ peace . We hope it may be all true , but a Caffie war is a long lane , and the end of one , looks like the prelude to the beginning of another . and

      Every mail from Australia tells < us of more gold-diggers more ffold duff . The production is enormous , being at the rate of forty millions a-year . A reduction in tjjfj vaIue ; of gold in relation to labour and commodities , seems to be inevitable , and then of course we thall have the capitalists , the money-mongers , and the creditor part of the world asking for an alteration of the standard to suit their own -A new danger , however , threatens emigrants to the land of gold ; —nothinff less than the danger of starvation . What ! scarcity in the land of plenty ? Want in the utopia to -which political economists have heen directing hungry men and women ? Even so ; the herself

      James has found it out ; Australia only produces enoug h for Her surplus corn onlvcounts up to a few thousand quarters . \\ e have been sending " out mouths Vithout food ,: to where there is nothinff to put in them . The Tims thinks it possible that even now aUhis moment a famine is raging which gold cannot stay . Corn mWit be had it is true , from Southern America , bufc it is a , three months voyage , there and back , and hunger cannot wait too long . Even if it could , there are no ships . Well , the Times treats the matter very cavalierly—it cannot be helped now—we must try to remedy it next year . This is a very apt illustration of the law of supply and demand , under the operation of which , things are sure to be just where they are wanted when they ; are needed . And it cannot be helped ! no it cannot , but it might have been helped . If we had a

      Prance Is Rapidly Approaching Toward The...

      Government which really cared for the people , the thousands who have gone perhaps to starve , might have been free , prosperous and happy at home ; and even if there was a necessity for emigration , it would not have been left to the hat-hazard , devil-may-care commercial ivstem , but have been but upon the footing oi a really national operation . The Irish religious equality men , have received a communication from the Scotch dissenters—which does not exactly me-t their views . The Watchman says , " pull down the Established Church

      by all means , but do not set up another , or a dozen other churches . Take away its funds , but do not take them for yourselves , and as to capitalizing the money , and making it a present to all the relWous sects in proportion to their numbers , " we totally dissent frointhat scheme which would be in effect endowing irresponsible bodies with the property of the nation . " The appropriation of the spoil is evidently the sore point which will prevent any sincere and lastrnoleague between [ the Roman Catholic and dissenting foes of the Irish Church .

      In our own home world there is little alive but expectation . The parliament is to meet for the dispatch of business on the 4 th of November , and the Puneral of the Duke is to take place between the 17 th and'the 19 th—then we suppose some "business" will be done . We adverted last week io a rumoured scheme of Mr . Disraeli ' s , to extend the operation of the Income-Tax to all incomes above 20 s . per week , and to give the franchise to the payers . This has drawn down the anathemas of the Whigs and the Manchester men , who say that it wouid be both unjust and ineffectual . We need not here repeat

      our dissent from any system of , government which denies rights to life and intelligence , and founds privileges upon property and taxation . But we must express our belief that the opposition of tlie political economists k founded upon something else than a desire for reform and a love for the people . If Mr . Disraeli really entertains such an idea , the carrying it out would do more io enfranchise the urban population than anything Lord John Russell has either projected or hinted at . It would do more than a £ 5 rental , or anything short of household suffrage . In the towns , more even than that . It would

      emancipate all that large class of commercial employees and skilled mechanics who so seldom have a vote now , and it would affect the agricultural peasantry to about the same extent as the £ 5 qualification . As to the injustice of taxing small incomes , the Whigs and their supporters talk as though they were not taxed now . The only necessary difference would be , between direct and indirect taxation ; all the taxes and all the income of a country must come from the labour of the country , the only possible source ; and those who know how unjustly tlie poor are now taxed , are those who dread the knowledge of the wrongs , which direct taxation would possibly impress upon them .

      The domestic news of the week comprise a fatal duel near Windsor , between foreigners , one of whom was killed . Pive of the parties suspected to be implicated have betn examined and remanded . A murder of a wife by her husband at Bristol ; a revolting attempt at murder by a married man upon a woman with whom he was intimate , near Yarmouth : and the conviction und sentence to six months imprisonment of Archer , the engine-driver of the South-Eastern Company , for one of those ever-recurring " accidents " which will never be checked till directors as well as subordinates are made duly responsible .

      At the moment of going to press we learn that M . de Brouckere has definitively given up the attempt to form an adminstration . Thus tliie extinguisher has speedily been put upon the cabinet of " neutrals . " Truly , the Belgian people have lost but little in those men , who commenced their short-lived rule by an attack upon the liberty of the press . In interdicting the sale of the Republican journal La Nation , at the railway stations , they clearly evidenced & desire to depart from a " neutral " policy , to flatter the Prench tvrant .

      The fall of the Brouckere Cabinet is an occurrence for the BeWaii people to be glad of . The present is not a time for a neutral policy . When the armies of Progress and Reaction are face to face , it is necessary that Belgium—destined in all probability to be the first battle-field of the new struggle—should have a government , brave and honest , and one that will [ uphold the honour of BeWum , and the liberty of Europe in face of the despotic enemies of both . The Bishop of Rochester has , at length , decided that Mr . Whiston is to be reinstated in the post of master of the school attached to the

      C athedral of Rochester . But the verdict of " his Holiness" curiously illustrates ecclesiastical ideas of justice . In effect , the Bisliop admits Mr . Winston ' s charges against the Dean and Chapter , of misappropriating public trust-money to be well founded , but , nevertheless , pronounces the said charges to be libellous . Mr . Whiston was deprived of his office , some three years ago , and although now to be reinstated , he . is not to have compensation for his loss of three years ' salary . This case forcibly illustrates the scandalous abuses that ' degrade the established Church . When will the people insist upon a new Reformation ?

      Ihe Australian papers just arrived exhibit some curious instances of the system which permits the emigration of bandits , but denies tlv . it privilege when sought by honest but poor men . There lately an lived at Hobart Town the ship Fairlie with 370 convicts from Peaitonville and Millbank Penitentiaries ; worthy " ticket of leave " men . On landing they received a free pardon on condition of not returning to England !

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Oct. 23, 1852, page 1, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns2_23101852/page/1/