12 NOVEMBER 1859, Page 7

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STRUM—The Imperial Court is at CompiOgne, where visitors go in relays. The Emperor was not 'present at the first stag hunt, but the Empress was there attired in " a charming hunting costume." The Em- peror was visiting the town, buying, among other things, a new photo- graphic portrait of the Empress which pleased him. The fOtes are to be very splendid. There are to be charades, readings, concerts, and an unpublished comedy, by Octave Feuillet, is to be acted by "the highest personages " of the court. On Saturday a Council of Ministers, under the chairmanship of the Emperor, sat for a long time. The Emperor went to Paris on Tuesday to call on the Grand Duchess Marie of Russia.

There is now a rumour that the projected Congress will meet at Paris.

The assistant mayor and the entire municipal council of the commune of the Oise, of which M. Dordigny was mayor, have had the spirit to re- sent the arbitrary decree of the prefect, suspending him because he was an opposition candidate for the Council-General, by resigning their offices.

The Union de ?Ducat, a journal of legitimist tendencies, published at Angers, has received a warning for having, in its number of October 29,

"endeavoured, by insulting allusions, to throw suspicion upon the solemnly expressed intentions of the Emperor in regard to the Holy Father."

All the marshals commanding the military subdivisions of France have been summoned to Paris, to confer with the Minister of War. The following paragraph appears in the Correspondence Bullier :— " I can certify the entire accuracy of the following information touching the relative naval strength of France and England. England has at this

moment, or will have in a few months, thirty-six line-of-battle ships, carry- ing 3400 guns, and of 19,750 horse-power. France has forty line-of-battle ships, with 3706 guns, and representing 27,510 horse-power. The parallel, as you see, is by no means to our disadvantage. As to frigates and gun- boats in a state for immediate service, the proportion is also in our favour. The writer of the letter from which we derive this information, says that the English Admiralty is making prodigious efforts to regain the former nume-

rical superiority of England. It carefully watches every movement in our dockyards, and latterly, when it heard that we were building two blindes vessels at Toulon, it put two upon the stocks also. Whatever diligence our neighbours may use we shall be ready before they are. The two vessels alluded to at which men are now working night and day. at Toulon are de- signed upon the model of the Napoleon, our most magnificent ship of war. They are covered with iron or steel planks, which render them proof against the most powerful projectiles. They will carry only thirty guns, but the calibre of these is so large that they will easily sink a three decker." M. Michel Chevalier has contributed some remarkable letters to the Journal des _Mats, on the Relations between England and France. It shows how deeply the idea of a conflict between the two countries must have struck in France, when a man like Michel Chevalier comes forward with a fair estimate of our condition, polity, and laws, with praise for our assertion of human right ; and with proof that we can always pro-

duce a huge defensive naval armament. He maintains that our arma- ments are merely defensive; he castigates those journalists and others who inflame French passion against England, and he warns them that if we are either threatened, or kept in a state of incessant alarm, we shall probably deal a thundering blow against the aggressor. He con- demns those who would enter on a " hopeless rivalry" with England m building war ships.

The expedition to China is in course of organization. The French contingent, it is said, will consist of 8000 men. They are to sail in December.

The French in Morocco have not only brought the Beni Snassen to submit, but have beaten other tribes at Zekkora. General Martini- prey reports that the tribes are in excellent health ; but in Paris it is said that hundreds have died of cholera.

No further progress seems to have been made with the prosecution of the Correspowlant.

Stalq.—What purports to be an account of the answer of Victor Em- manuel to the Emperor Napoleon has been published in some of the Italian papers. According to the Corriere Mercantile of Genoa, the sub- stance of the document is as follows- " 1st. The formal obligation contracted by the King towards the Italian populations, from whom he has accepted votes. In consequence of this, the King has not been willing to sign the preliminaries of Villafranca except as far as they relate to the cession of Lombardy. " 2d. The project of a confederation, which the King declares to be in- consistent with the interest of Italy, and impracticable except by means of radical change, which would not be acceptable to Austria or the Pope. " 3d. The necessity of not anticipating the deliberations of the Congress, it being now beyond doubt that a Congress will assemble. The King points out the immutable unity of French and Italian interests—a unity eternally sealed by the fraternal feelings existing between both sovereigns and popu- lation."

The Emperor's letter, it is said, led the King to summon Garibaldi and Fanti to Turin. One report says that Garibaldi promised to act with prudence, and not precipitate events. Another report is, that a bold (meaning a warlike) line of policy has been resolved on. This latter re- port is not in harmony with the acts of the States of Central Italy. The Assemblies of Tuscany, the Romagna, Parma, and Modena, have elected the Prince of Carignan Regent, with full powers. Farini remains Dic- tator of Modena and Parma, and he has been named ad interim Governor of Bologna. lie has issued a proclamation on Wednesday. He com- mences by stating that he accepts with confidence the powers conferred upon him by the representatives of the people, and that he will do his utmost to overcome all difficulties and dangers. The Dictator continues thus :—

" Europe knows you are Catholics, and that you belong to the Church as well as the Catholics of all other nations ; but as Italians you belong to It dy, and it is your duty to love and defend your country and to seek its pi asperity. You only ask for that which all civilized nations have sought for, namely, liberty of speech and conscience, and political freedom and equality. You also demand the application of those principles which form the basis of the public right of nations ; the glorious chief of that people which shed its blood for our cause, having invited us to become soldiers, to fight for the independence of Italy under the standard of Victor Emmanuel, and to become free citizens of our country. Europe knows that it can se- cure the peace of Italy by rendering Italy to the Italians; it is aware that we are ready to give the necessary guarantees for order throughout the coun- try, but it also kuows that the people of the Romagna, if forbearance and moderation should be of no avail, sooner than submit to the yoke, would be advised only by their duty to their country and the pursuit of the path of honour."

In Florence, the Marquis Pepoli has submitted to the Assembly a mes- sage stating that the financial resources of the country had during the last quarter increased one million and a half.

A letter from Rimini, in the Corriero dell' Emilia, says that the Bishop of Rimini paid a visit to General Roselli, to thank him for the respect and reverence manifested by the soldiers, not only towards him but also towards all the priests, and for the good conduct of the troops in the town.

The Tuscan Monitore announces that Counts Morelli and Vivani, en- voys of the provisional government, were officially received at Warsaw by Prince Gortschakoff, who assured them of the Czar's best wishes for Italy. In the course of two days about sixty millions of francs of the new Piedmontese loan were subscribed for at Turin alone. Upwards of ten millions were taken in the provinces during the same period. Lombardy, according to the Independente of Turin, will take at least thirty millions, and the rest of Italy about thirty-five millions, so that the sums sub- scribed for will greatly exceed the proposed limit of one hundred millions. The decree transferring the Court of Cessation from Turin to Milan has been published in the Piedmontese Gazette. It is reported that the Papal Government has requested France to oc- cupy with French troops those portions of the Roman States which have thrown off the temporal authority of Pius IX. The Duke of Modena is nursing a little army of his own near Mantua, which he hopes some day to employ in order to regain his dominions by force of arms. The official Gazette of Vienna says- " His Imperial Highness the Duke of Modena has left Vienna for Italy to inspect his troops, and to ascertain for himself, on the approach of winter, their position and their wants." The news from Naples is that Sicily is more tranquil, but that Palermo is in a state of siege; that the army sent to the Abruzzi will go into can- tonments during the winter; that large public works are spoken of as about to be commenced throughout the kingdom ; that a Commission has been appointed to revise the customs' tariff; and that the principle of an amnesty has been decided on. Among the Italian publications of note is a treatise on "the Court of Rome and the Gospel," by Count Roberto d'Azeglio, a good Roman Catholic and the father of the Sardinian Minister in England. It is a powerful attack on the temporal sovereignty of the Pope, and an expo- sition of its bad foundation and cruel policy.

trutanq.—The meeting of the Prussian and Russian potentates at Breslau is still the theme of journalism. The Prussian Gazette has re- plied to one of the current statements.

" The Allgemeine Zeitung insists on its statement that the interview be- tween the Emperor of Russia and the Prince Regent of Prussia had a ten- dency hostile to England. The same paper pretends that Prussia had en-

tered upon the policy of France and Russia to isolate England, and had pro- mised to maintain an unconditional neutrality in case war should be de- clared by France against England. In order to support these absurd in- sinuations the Allgemeine Zeitung refers to the imaginary statements of some Prussian newspapers, which are known to belong to the opposition press, and which have a self-understood interest to disfigure every step of the Government for the sake of obtaining a basis for attacks against it. The writers of the Allgetneine Zeitung place themselves by their conduct on the same footing with certain French journals, which, in translating the malevolent conjectures of the Prussian opposition press, transformed them into positive facts. These tactics may be considered ingenious, but are hardly patriotic or useful to the interests of Germany." A telegram from Berlin says that "it is stated on reliable authority that at the interview held at Breslau the Emperor of Russia and the Prince Regent of Prussia have determined not to consent to a revision of the treaties of 1815, nor to take part in any Congress in which England would not be represented ; the last resolution being proposed by Prussia."

There is a little tempest in Hesse Cassel. " In a secret sitting of the second Chamber on the 5th, the proposal of M. Herrleins, to present an address to the Elector in favour of the reestablishment of the constitu- tion of 1831, has been definitively agreed to by thirty-eight against five votes. The Elector refused to receive the address of the Chamber of Deputies concerning the reestablishment of the constitution of 1831." The Chamber it was said would appeal to the Diet. In all parts of Germany—indeed we may say in all parts of the world —the Schiller festival has been kept with great enthusiasm. The par- ticulars will no doubt arrive in due time.

Spa II.—The formal announcement of Marshal O'Donnell's appoint- ment to the command of the Spanish expeditionary army appeared on the 5th. He retains: the posts of President of the Council and Minis- ter of War. Religious feelings have been brought into play to fan the war flame. The chapter of Toledo will offer prayers and give money ; the Archdeacon of Tay sends 7000 reels to aid the Government in chas- tising "the insolent empire of Morocco " ; the Bishop of Onihuela de- clares that he and all his flock will not only offer up prayers to the God of armies for victory, but are ready to place at her Majesty's feet for war "their property, resources, and lives." The municipalities of Seville, Granada, and other large cities have sent similar addresses, and wealthy merchants and manufacturers were offering donations in money or kind. The students of Madrid offer a battalion; the Basques offer several, and a steamer.

The Spanish steam despatch boat has captured the Moorish gun-boat Seylia, after a sharp combat. There are formidable fleets in the straits : a French squadron, an English squadron, (eight line of battle ships, four frigates, and two corvettes,) and a Turkish liner. A Sardinian squadron was looked for. The Spanish navy is said to be "worth nothing."

TM f.—A letter from Athens, dated the 18th of October, states that Mr. Wyse, as President of the Financial Committee, has presented a col- lective note of the three Powers to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, con- taining a succinct résumé of the report of the commission. In this note the three Powers draw the attention of the Greek Government to the faulty financial administration of the country and to the urgent reforms required, and conclude by saying that as the three Powers see that the country offers sufficient resources to pay without inconvenience the sum of 900,000 francs on account of the loan and interest, it yearly claims that sum from it. The note, it is said, took the Government by surprise, as no previous notification of it had been made. At a Cabinet Council, presided over by the King, the principle of the payment of the 900,000 francs was adopted. The Chambers have been convoked for the 10th of November.

RUHR( i tr1.—The Africa, which arrived at Liverpool on Sun- day, brought advises to the 26th, from New York.

The American papers speak of a despatch from General Cass to Mr. Dallas on the San Juan difficulty. The New York Herald correspondent at Washington hints that the language of Lord John Russell's despatch, to which it is a reply, can hardly be reconciled with a strictly peaceful policy ; but we believe the correspondent has been misinformed. No- thing has occurred to alter the relations between the two Governments.

The insurrection at Harper's Ferry ended in the capture of the place defended by Brown, and of Brown himself, alive but wounded. He, with others, was examined at Charleston on the 25th of October.

" Brown being formally asked if he had counsel, said he had none ; and when the Court assigned him legal advisers, protested against being sub-

jected to a mock trial. He said that he had not been allowed to see his friends, and counsel whom he had sent for had not arrived. Re did not ask for favours, however, and advised the court to spare itself the trouble of going through the form of a trial to legalize his execution. The Court pro- hibited the publication of detailed reports of the proceedings, as no impar- tial jury would otherwise be obtained for the trial in the Circuit Court. The prisoners were remanded for trial before the Circuit Court. The testimony was subsequently sent to the grandjury, who did not conclude their ex- amination last night. The telegraphic reporter says that the indictments will be found and the trial began today. He also says that it is the intention

of the prosecution to proceed with the execution of the prisoners immediately after their conviction. The Court has refused to allow anyone to see or converse with Brown."

It is said that the Virginian Government have demanded the surrender of persons residing in other States and said to be implicated in the plot. A correspondent of the Times, residing at Paris, gives an account of Brown.

"Brown, commonly known in the United States as Old Captain Brown' is a man who suffered cruelly in the commencement of the Kansas troubles, about five years ago. To the best of my recollection, before he had taken any part in the contest then commencing between the partisans of ' free soil' and of slavery in Kansas, his house was entered at night by a party of the border ruffians from Missouri, who plundered and carried off what was most valuable of the snug property that he had acquired by a long course of humble industry, set fire to the buildings and crops, and deliberately murdered one or two of his children. His wife soon after died, broken- hearted. Brown himself became, as has been represented to me by his friends and neighbours, a cool, careful, unnaturally sagacious, patient, and desperately courageous monomaniac. He gathered about him a small band, seldom numbering more than a score, composed mainly of New Englanders, whom events had changed from the most peaceloving, if not pusillanimous, quiet, plodding farmers and mechanics to desperadoes. Among them were two of his own eons. Times and again this band had penetrated far to the interior of Missouri, and liberated men from gaol who had been ap- prehended on a charge of assisting slaves to escape, or some other trumpery allegation which was likely to have cost them their lives at the handspe of Judge Lynch, at the same time bringing back with them and setting free whole families of slaves, and otherwise despoiling the property, and some- times taking the lives, of men who had been prominent in the attempt to force slavery upon the people of Kansas by the terror of civil war. 11 hen this attempt was relinquished and peaceable arrangements had been effected, Brown again became a farmer, and apparently a quiet citizen. Soon, how- ever, a party of Missourians, in pursuit of a runaway negro, under the pre- tence of searching for their property, entered the houses of citizens of Kansas without legal authority, and, when resisted, committed outrages. The Missourians were not long returned to their homes when old Brown was among them with his sons, burning houses, destroying crops, and carrying off negroes and horses. A reward was offered for his bead; he was pursued by a large company, and the last I recollect hearing of him he had, after having been surrounded by his pursuers, charged through them, and, escaping unhurt with all his party, turned upon them at night to their sore discomfiture."

The New York correspondent of the Daily _Yews says of him while in Kansas that- " He finally got it into his head that he was commissioned by God to wage war upon slaveholders and liberate negroes, and seems to have in- spired his followers with a portion of his own frenzy. No man performed half so many daring exploits in the course of the war. More than once he seized upon Missourians in their own homes, in the dead of the night, and hanged them on the nearest tree, for having participated in outrages on the free state men in Kansas; and he at last became the bugbear and terror of all the border ruffians."

It is remarkable that no negroes joined Brown unless on compulsion.

At a meeting of the Kane Monument Association, in New York, on the 9th of October, resolutions were adopted, tendering their heartfelt sympathy to Lady Franklin, and expressing their admiration, on account of her devoted efforts, and the calamity which she now realizes of her irreparable bereavement ; and referring also to the hope which so long inspired her, that " a beloved and long-absent husband might yet be re- stored to her—a hope which, though now disappointed and obliterated, has left the pleasing consolation that its cherished object has only passed from the confines of time to a sunny realm, where he will soon be found, and where there is no Arctic region, and where snows and ice are un- known." A committee was appointed to communicate the resolution to Lady Franklin, directed to the care of Lord John Russell.

Sea a.—Intelligence from Bombay to the 12th of October has been received. A smart affair had taken place on the coast of Kattywar. A body of natives much given to piracy had thrown off the allegiance of the Guicowar and had occupied the fort and island of Beyt. On the 3d four steamers with troops arrived near Beyt. The steamers cannon- aded the island on the 5th, and on the 6th the troops landed and stormed the place. The enemy, deprived of his boats, made a vigorous resist- ance, and we conquered with the loss of 2 officers killed and 2 wounded, and 22 men killed and 45 wounded. The district to which Dwarka and Beyt belong is called in the native tongue the "bad district," and has periodically given trouble to the native rulers and ourselves.

The trade returns of Bombay for 1858-9 show a large increase. The total of exports is 14,364,4231., the increase being 1,971,7891.; the total imports 11,956,7181., the increase being 3,238,3181. Yet it is recorded that Bombay wants everything but natural advantages.

There had been large meetings at Bombay to oppose the License-tax. At one fourteen speeches were made and seven resolutions passed ; they demand fair taxation and something like a representative system. Two na- tive gentlemen, Dr. Bhau Daji, a Hindoo medical practitioner, and Mr. Byramjee Hormusjee Cams, a Parsee merchant, took part in this meet- ing ; but the movement on the part of the native community has been conducted independently under the auspices of the Bombay Association. Two large meetings have been held, one on the 8th, and a second on Sunday, the 9th. At the former, all the leading Hindoo, Parsee, and Mahomedan gentlemen assembled, the proceedings being conducted in the Gujerati language. A committee was appointed to prepare a report, to be submitted to a future meeting. The meeting on Sunday was called by Dr. Bhau Daji, whose invitation was responded to by some 800 native gentlemen, chiefly Hindoos. At the meeting on 8th October the Chair- man made this moderate speech, which, it is said, embraces the views of the native merchants of Bombay.

" Gentlemen—You have been invited by the Committee of the Bombay Association to meet together here this day, for the important purpose of taking into consideration the Bill for Licensing Trades and Professions and the Bill for Stamp Tax, which are now before the Legislative Council, the second reading of which took place last month, and which are expected to pass into law, and put in force from the commencement of the next year. The translation of the Act on Trade and Professions (of which you must be aware) in one of the native newspapers will be read to you by Mr. Sorabjee Pestonjee. It is much to be regretted that the Legislative Council, of which the majority of the members should, so soon after the transfer of the Go- vernment of India to the Crown, from which change we were led to expect many benefits, burden the people of India with successive taxes, so nu- merous and so heavy. It is proper that all persons concerned, whose in- terests no doubt are much affected, should be made aware of them, and their views taken before coming to a final resolution. It cannot be at the same time, gentlemen, denied, that owing to recent unhappy events and other causes, the people of India have suffered great injury ; so have Government too. It is, therefore, evident that to meet the exigency money must, as an unavoidable necessity, be raised in some way or other. Now the matter for consideration is, whether the mode selected by the Legislative Council, namely, that of imposing a tax on trades and professions and the stamp- duty, are the proper and equitable ones to meet the emergent wants of Go- vernment. I am afraid they are far from being so, yet it is for you to suggest one which is calculated to attain the desired end, that of raising the means to enable Government to meet the difficulty. It may not be pos- sible to arrive at any definite or decided conclusion at this preliminary meet- ing. It will, therefore, be better if a committee were formed of gentlemen out of you and their report submitted ; after which, a general meeting might be convened to consider and adopt the report, and to reduce it to a respectful representation to the Legislative 'Council, and to Parliament with the least practicable delay. The Committee of the Bombay Association has had its attention given to these indeed very injurious and obnoxious tax- ations, and some of its members have prepared certain schemes, which, along with some others received recently from other gentlemen, will be laid before that Committee for consideration. If you, gentlemen, concur with my views, you will, I trust, proceed to elect a Committee from thismeeting." Advices from Calcutta to the 8th of October have come to hand. It is said that Jung Bahador has resolved to expel the rebels from his dominions, in return for a cession of a strip of the Terrai.

The courts-martial on the Local European mutineers, have awarded very severe punishments. In one case a man who excited the men to " shout," who used language deemed insolent, and who broke from a place of confinement, was sentenced to penal servitude for fourteen years. This was illegal, and the Court was directed to revise the sentence. They did so ; ordering the prisoner to receive fifty lashes and to be imprisoned for twenty-one years. On this Lord Clyde remarks that he is " quite un- able to comprehend how twelve British officers (for this it appears is the number who voted for the revised sentence) could contemplate the in- carceration of a fellow countryman for twenty-one years in an Indian prison—a sentence entirely without precedent in the records of English courts-martial." If some of the mutineers had been shot the Army might have benefited by the example, but Lord Clyde " cannot consent to give his approval of a sentence that would consign the prisoner, if he survived its infliction, to a life-long torture. " The Commander-in-Chief has confirmed the sentence to give effect to the legal punishment of the prisoner, but as he has never been tried before, and is in possession of a good-conduct badge, his Lordship reduces the period of imprisonment to eighteen calendar months, with effect from the 11th of August, 1859, the date on which the original sentence was signed by the President, and remits the corporal punishment."

Lord Clyde very properly censures a witness who described this man's general character as " indifferent."

S LI 111111.—Mr. Ward, the American Minister, has gone to Japan, where matters remain in an unsettled state. Twelve Russian ships of war are at Jeddo. Three men belonging to this force have been murdered, and serious consequences are not improbable.

instralia.—Advices from Melbourne to the 17th of September have arrived with the Indian mail. The colony of Victoria was going through an election. Ministers had up to the 17th got the worst of the en- counter. Some of the Ministers themselves have been beaten, chiefly by new men ; one being Mr. Don, a labouring stone mason. But it is said that neither the Ministry. nor the opposition will have a working majority. "The only party," says the Times correspondent, " which can justly congratulate itself on the results of the elections is that which is known as the Convention. They have now about fourteen men returned, and they boast that they will have twenty-five in the new House. This is an ex- aggeration, but they will have enough to make and unmake Ministers. This same Convention, as an external body (like the:Anti Corn LawLeague), is no more, but its leading members have organized a new association, which they call ' The Land and Reform League.' From this it would ap- pear that they are for the present satisfied with the constitutional reforms of last session, and they now profess to devote themselves to financial re- form and the settlement of the land question. As to the first, their pro- gramme proposes the reduction of taxation and expenditure to 1,500,0001. It is now in round numbers 3,000,0001., of which about half is expended on public improvements. As to the reduction of revenue on taxation as they call it, that will necessarily flow from the success of their other schemes. At present the colony derives 750,0001. from land sales, and an equal amount from the gold export duty, the miners' right, and the license fees, and assessment on stock. The new League advocates free selection over the country, with payment by instalments, and the whole country thrown open to commonage without stint. All their candidates propose the abolition of the export duty. Now this is really a mode of exacting a moderate pay- ment for permission to appropriate the public property under the surface— just as the assessment on stock is a payment for the use of the public pro- perty upon the surface. Both rest upon the same principle. The scheme of the League will destroy these sources of revenue, and for some years at least impair the revenue derived from the sale of the land. At present the old Convention or new League party is certainly not strong enough thus to hand over the public property to sections of the community, but they will be strong enough to defeat any mea- sures for the settlement of the land question which may be pro- posed by the present Ministry or by their successors. This is precisely the state of things which the squatting interest most desires—division and con- fusion, but no settlement, no inroad upon the present system."

Some of the members of the Chamber of Commerce had, on the 16th, an interview with the Chief Secretary on the defences of the colony, who communicated to them the steps that had been taken to defend' the colony. Six vessels, varying from six to twenty-six guns—the whole armament comprising eighty-two guns and 1000 men—are to be sta- tioned in Australian ports. The Military volunteers and Police will furnish an effective force of 3000 men, irrespective of militia, to organize which a Bill will be introduced. Three batteries will be erected in. Hobson's Bay, mounting thirty guns. Three martello towers and two forts are to be erected at the heads, mounting Armstrong guns, and an ample supply of arms has been ordered from England. The first outlay will be 140,0001., and it is proposed to continue further defences annually, to be accelerated in case of war.

The politics of New South Wales were full of incident at the opening of the session in August. The opposition to Mr. Cowper mustered in considerable force. In the Council they carried their own reply to the address. In the Assembly they defeated the Government candidate, Mr.

Arnold, for the chairmanship of committees ; and elected Mr. Piddington, a neutral. Mr. Parkes, former proprietor of the Empire, recently in- solvent, but popular as a democratic leader, moved a resolution declaring that the customs duties on tea and sugar should be repealed forthwith.

The Ministry met this notice by the "previous question," alleging that the proper time for declaring financial intentions was when the budget was brought forward. The previous question was negatived by a ma- jority of 3 ; and the Parkes resolution carried by a majority of 1. Mr. Cowper now resigned, and recommended that Mr. Murray should be sent for. Mr. Murray was unable to form a Cabinet, and Mr. Cowper again came into office. He then moved that the Parkes resolution should be rescinded, and it was rescinded by 40 to 21.