1 OCTOBER 1859, Page 5

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fratirr.—The Patrie has stated that the Emperor is to return to Paris on the 8th of October.

In consequence of the rumours in circulation respecting the intention of the Emperor to obtain Tuscany for Prince Napoleon, the Moniteur has published the following statement- " Foreign journals have asserted that the solution of the affairs of Italy has been impeded by the desire of the Emperor to found a kingdom for a Prince of his house. Such reports do not require refutation. It is enough, without speaking of the engagements of Villafranca, to refer to the acts and words of the Emperor before and since that date." The Paris correspondent of the Morning Poet gives information which he says "may be depended upon" concerning the mission of Prince Richard Metternich to Biarritz.

" When his Excellency returned to Vienna the other day, he repeated to the Emperor of Austria the conversations he had with the Emperor Na- poleon, and which conversations he had reduced to writing, in order to re- port them as exact as possible. I gather from the despatch before me, that Prince Metternich had previously been ordered by hur Government to re- quest the insertion of a note in the Moniteur calculated to counteract the language of certain organs of the French press, thought by the Government of Vienna to be encouraging the people of the Italian Duchies to resist the return of their exiled Sovereigns. His Excellency succeeded. The desired note, which has produced so much discussion, appeared in the Moniteur on the 9th of September. It appears, however, the Emperor Francis Joseph and his advisers were not content with the article in the Moniteur, and Prince Metternich himself argued, whilst at Vienna, the necessity of ob-

taking from France, in the shape of an official despatch, the following pro- mises regarding the Italian Duthies :—

4"-1. The restoration of thethree Sovereigns must be accomplished, but without the intervention of either Austria or France.

" Nothing shall prevent the Grand Duke of Tuscany and the Duke of Modena from organizing military corps, formed of Austrian or other foreign elements, and with which forces the Duke shall be permitted to establish themselves on their thrones.

"1 If Piedmont should oppose the enterprise of the Sovereigns, her inter- vention shall be considered a legitimate cause for the intervention of Austria on her part ; whilst France, "having accomplished her task in Italy," shall net mix herself up in the affair. 4. If events should cause Piedmont to lose Lombardy, she shall not be permitted to call for asmistance from France. But as Austria appreciates the difficult position in which France would be placed by such a situation, Austria engages not to provoke Piedmont, resting assured that the Em- peror Napoleon will do all-in his power to persuade the King of Sardinia from preventing the -Sovereigns of the Duchies from returning to their States.'

" Should the Emperor Napoleon agree to these terms -he would insure

another war in Italy. Austria would soon find an army for the Dukes, and asTiedmont could not stand by and see the small forces of Central Italy de- skated, she would he compelled to enter the lists, and then we should again find Austria with 200,000 men opposed to the 80,000 of the Piedmontese army, and such other forces as are collected in Central Italy." - Monseigneur Parisis, Bishop of Arras, has addressed a pastoral letter to the clergy and laity of his diocess for the publication of the encyclical letter of the 18th of June, 1859, complaining of the disturbances in the Papal States, and also directing prayers to be said for the Pope. He ex- presses the utmost confidence in the intentions of the French Govern- ment towards the Holy See, but lie indulges in severe strictures on the events accomplished in theltomagna. The Bishop deplores the untoward coincidence of such events with the success of our arms ; he cannot get over his astonishment at the fact that a peace which appeared calculated to add another gleam of glory to the Pontifical diadem should have been followed by an outburst of violence, treason, and blasphemy. And lastly, he stigmatizes the actual condition of -the Legations as a state of social decomposition.

The chief political movement in France is a struggle for the freedom

of the press. The Opinion Nationale, the Prase, the Courier du Di- manche, and the Journal des Debate, have been engaged in a gallant con- flict with the Government organs, and have beaten them in argument. Whereupon the Opinion Nationale has received a "warning," and the Koniteur has thundered out an admonition to the press in general. It says Under Under the pretence of proving that the press is not free,-several journals direct against the decree of February, 1852, attacks which exceed the ut- most limit of the right of discussion. Respect for the law is inseparable from the exercise of legal liberty. Against the writers who are forgetful (If it, the Government might make use of the weapons which it possesses in its hands ; but it does not wish -to do so immediately after the -entirely spontaneous act which relieved the press from the warnings with which it had been stricken. The Government, however, faithful to its principles of moderation, nevertheless cannot fail in its duty of enforcing respect for the law. It, therefore, honestly warns the journals that it is resolved no longer to endure polemical excesses, which can only be.regarded as the manoeuvres of parties." The other journalists being thus fettered, M. Grapier de Uassagnac has fallen upon them and has issued one of his portentous articles justifying fhe French law by citing all the worst, precedents to be found in Eng- land during the reigns of the Georges. He stigmatizes the " press " a-miserable band of about 300 individuals, who presumptuously claim a right to interfere with the destinies of thirty-six millions of men ; and concludes with the triumphant assertion that France will be delighted to'find-that its "elect" is not •disposed to part with his legitimate au- thority. Villemain, in the Courier du Dinsanelte, had previously entered'the arena on behalf of liberty. His article was a direct reply to the Duke of Patlua's circular on the Liberty of the Press." That document de- nied that there was any censorship. The present law, it told us, holds journalists answerable for their writing after the fact, and-subjects them to a triple warning, with the- penalty of suspension should the ,triple warning be incurred:— "It is not, as has been too often said, a law of circumstance born of a social crisis, but the principles upon which it is founded are intimately con- nected with the restoration of authority in-France and the reconstitution of the unity of power on the basis of universal suffrage."

But the system of warnings, says M. Villemain, has completely per- verted all the essential- conditions of free discussion :-

" What matters the particular form in which comminatory action is exer- cised upon the daily press ? As long as that action is otherwise -than ju- dicial, if it is discretionary and preventive, if it affects things not legally punishable, which the law has not classed as offences, and which could not be sent before judge or jury, then the censure, more or less disguised, does

i

in point of fact exist ; there is administrative control of the public thought ; instead of the repression of guilt there is an arbitrary interdiction of What is displeasing." By an exhaustive process, M. Villemain shows that the claim -to ar- raign the so-called " excesses " of the press, is in fact a suppression of liberty. If those excesses are misdemeanors, or even contraventions of distinct law, the ordinary tribunals -would be sufficient to punish and to restrain them. These tribunals are -an integral ,part of the State, and are quite sufficient to maintain both the law and the Government, leaving discussion free, so long as it does not attempt to supersede the law.

" France was once of the same opinion ; the jury artem was tried three times -since 1814, and prevailed without Interruption

during a reign of eighteen judicial jyears. latterly, and as was very more j na- tural in a country moudicial than parliamentary, the uris- diction of the jury was somewhat unceremoniously abolished, and that ef the correctional tribunals and appeal courts -established -in its stead. Was not this a very considerable 'guarantee against the excesses of the press ? Why should this system, which is to this day exslusively appli- cable to all non-periodical writings, and is very seldom resorted to against them, not be sufficientto control the periodical press ? " 31. Villemain -contends that if -such a system sufficed in the _limited monarchy, a fortiori, there shotdd 'be greater freedom under universal suffrage.

The Yrench -Emperor is .resolved to augment his military and naval !forces. The Echo de ,resone says that .the _military divisions and sub- divisions.01,France.are about lo be organised on a new -footing, and that

the government intends to make every great port a centre of a division or subdivision, in order that at a given moment the action of the land and sea forces may be more prompt and efficacious. Advices from Morocco announce that a body of French troops had been concentrated at Nemours. The enemy retreated after having attacked the towns of Lalla Maghrina and Nedrowna, and set fire to the French mines at Mazig. The authorities have established a garrison at the mines of Gar Reuben, and eontinue to take energetic measures for the protection of the inhabitants. The colonists hope that a military expe- dition will cross the frontiers, and take as well as chastise the town of Ouchda.

IITIITIII: In consequence of the disturbances in Morocco the Vul- ture visited Tangier, Mazagan, and Mogador, in order to afford protec- tion to the English. The gardens of the European Consuls at Tangier were destroyed by the Moors. The women and children were sent on board a steamer. The English had prepared to defend themselves, but danger did not seem imminent, as the Moors were friendly to all Euro- peans except Spaniards. The Spaniards had collected an expeditionary force of 90110 men, intended for service in Africa.

41111/5.—A telegram from Bona states that the Bey of Tunis died on the 22d of September. "In consequence of the energetic measures taken by Rhaznodar, tranquillity has been maintained. During the in- terregnum, which lasted thirty-six hours, the presumptive heir, Sidi Sadok, was recognized as the successor ; he was installed as Bey on the 24th instant, and took the oaths to observe the constitution and laws granted to the country by his predecessor."

611111117111111—Baron :de Bourqueney and M. de Meysenberg had a conference on the 27th of September. On the 25th, the Marquis de Nadi dined with the Baron de Bourqueney, and left afterwards for Paris. "It is said that he is the bearer of a despatch from the Grand Duke of Tuscany (who is now residing at Lindell) for the French Go- vernment."

Prince Napoleon had arrived at Zurich on the 28th. " Separate con- ferences between the French and Sardinian, and afterwards between the French and Austrian, Plenipotentiaries have taken place. No news in connexion with the conferences has transpired?'

Stild.—The King of Sardinia received the deputation from Bologna atlfenza on Saturday ; and replied to their addressas follows. " I am grateful for the wishes. of the people of the Romagna, of vshiels you are the interpreter before me. , _ " As a Catholic Sovereign, I shall myself always retain a profound :and _ unalterable respect forthe superior Hierarch of the Church.

" As an Italian. Prince, I am reminded that Europe, having in view-the state of -the Romagnese people, who deManded prompt- and efficient Measures of reform, has accepted formal obligations towards your country. " I receive your wishes, and, strong by the rights conferred upon me,y will support your cause before the great Powers. You may rely on thir sense of instice. You may rely upon the'generous` ove of our country of the French Emperor, who will accomplish the great work of reparation he has so powerfully begun, and who, assured of the gratitude of Italy, and seeing the moderation which has characterized your -resolution during the late moments of incertitude, -will -recognize that in the Romagna the-mere hope of a national Government suffices tepid an end to civil disorders. " When your numerous volunteers arrived, during the days of the national struggle, to eurolthemselves under my flag, you knew:that Pied- mont would notgo to war for herself alone, but for our common country. " Today-the unanimity of your wishes and-the order which you observe at 'home, is very gratifymg to my heart, and-nothing better could ensure your future destiny.

"'Europe will recognize that it is -her common duty, and also to her common interest, to finish the era of disorder, and thereby satisfy the legiti- mate desires of the people."

When the -King arrived by rail at Alessandria, says the .Diritto, a train containing 800 Hungarians, who had formed part of the levy effected in Piedmont during the war, was about to start for Genoa. The Hun- garians, on perceiving the royal train, greeted it with an interminable "Eljen ! " which means " Long live the King !" His Majesty, -touched with this cordial manifestation, sent for General Klapka, who accom- panied the Hungarians, and requested him to thank them in his name ; he further expressed sympathy for the Hungarian cause, and encouraged him to hope—a just and noble cause coUld not fail to triumphin the end. The words, 'being repeated by General Xlspka to his countrymen, pro- duced an immense sensation.

The Tuscan _Monitore of the 22d contains a -very warlike loader, in which it asserts that the Tuscans want to carry out the programme of the Emperor Napoleon III., because the welfare of Italy and the peace of Eu- rope require it. The perseverance of Tuscany will, it allows, no doubt be accompanied with sorrow, but the Italians will prefer sorrow to their ruin, which would be that of civilization. The writer asserts- " he destiny of Europe, is in the-hands of Italy. The nation must con- Emue to arm ; the Italians want a country which shall be no longer the sport of Germans, _French, Or Spaniards; -they :want Italy for themselves, that she-may cease to'be the prey of those who can neither keep her -nor render her heppy ; they want Italy for themselves, so that she may no longer be a cause of eternal disturbance'for Europe !"

The following letter has been addressed by Baron Ricasoli, the Prime Minister of Tuscany, to a friend who urged him to prepare a strong reply to the late article in the alerriteur :—

" Sir,—I thank you for the advice you give mein your yesterday's note. I am happy-to assure you that-from the moment I wasputat the head of the Tuscan government, 1 never had one moment either -of uncertainty or weakness. Uncertainty cannot abide with a man who proposes to himself a complete -political design, and fulfils -it upon a persevering system, every part of which tends to the fulfilment of the Whole. Weakness finds no room intheleart of one who asks for and accepts nothing from his country in re- turn-for the sacrifices he is ready fearlessly10 make for its sake. I think 1 am not mistaken if I say that the cause of Italy menthe presentheight it has reached to the clear political programme, to the uprightness and strength of mind, by which the Tuscan government has so far distinguished itself. I feel assured, and all may feel assured, that neither thiagovernment northose of Modena-and Bologna, nor that of the King-elect, nor the Italian people, will fail in their intent to -constitute that strong kingdom, which is a mai- Tersia want, and -which alone may enable all -of us to call ourselves Italians, as Italy may only in that event be said to exist. 'This, which is our must needs also be the wish of Europe 'for Europe may never hope for pease till it becomes an mdmowletiged fact that 'there is an Italy?-11freascos. 'General Garibaldi arrived at Rimini on the 16th. General Mezzacapo and his staff went out to meet him, and the town was spontaneously illuminated on the occasion. The people crowded under the balcony of the hotel where the general had alighted. The troops of the Central Italian League are under the orders of General Fanti.

The Sacred College met at Rome on the 26th of September. In his annual allocution the Pope alludes to the National Assembly of Bologna, and refers to the censure expressed by that Assembly against the Papal Government. 'In conclusion, he expresses a hope that the Romagnese will return to their allegiance to the Holy See.

Superstition reigns at Naples as firmly under the new as under the old Xing. We read in a letter from Naples, dated the 20th- " The great event of the day for the clergy and the lower class of the population is the miracle of St. Januarius, which has this year been ac- complished with a rapidity hitherto without example. The liquefaction of the blood of the saint took place yesterday morning in two minutes ! Be- peated salutes of artillery from all the forts of the town announced the happy event, for when the miracle is effected rapidly it is considered a sign of prosperity for the kingdom. The miracle takes place three times a year ; the prayer and the fete lasting nine days in May, eight days in September, and one day in December. It also occurs in the ancient town of Pnzzoli, where the saint was beheaded. The atone on which he was executed is pre- served in the church of that place, and his blood appears on it at the same moment 118 the liquefaction takes place at Naples. Today, in accordance with the traditions of the monarchy, the Court proceeded to the Cathedral in great pomp. The Bing, the Queen, the young princes, the King's brothers, the Count and Countess of Aquila, and the Count and Countess of Trapani, went to venerate the relies of St. Januarius, and received the benediction of his Eminence Cardinal Riario, Archbishop of Naples. The royal cortege passed through the whole city. The people present were not very numerous, a fact attributed to excess of zeal on the part of the police, in unnecessarily occupying the streets with agents and gendarmes."

Some hundreds of persons, including the Duke of Verdura, and the Whole of the Nobile Club, have been arrested at Palermo, because some- body hissed the Chief of Police, and because some persons illuminated on learning the result of the battle of Solferino.

Mt umark.—The States were opened at Copenhagen on the 26th. In his speech, the President said that "the-Government and the Coun- cil of the Kingdom had but to choose between Federal execution and the suppression of the whole common Constitution in so far as it relates to Holstein and Lauenberg. Government has chosen the latter, although it does not recognize the competency of the Federal execution."

EtIM11111.—Austria seems about to (make an effort to put her finan- cial house in order, for the Vienna Gazette of Monday contained an Im- perial letter addressed to the Minister of Finance, ordering the appoint- ment of a Commission, with special legislative powers, to organize ex- tensive reforms in the system of direct taxation. The President and Secretary of the Commission are Count Hartig and Baron de Kalchberg, and the other members consist chiefly of the ratepayers in the different provinces. It is stated that the Austrian Government did not address a circular despatch to its agents touching the German Reform movement, but it tarns out to be true that it did address a despatch, for the New Prussian Gazette has published the text. The despatch is a rebuke to the Duke of Saxe Coburg Gotha, to be communicated to him by Count Tram; Aus- trian Minister at Dresden and Gotha. It is as follows.

" Vienna, September 4.

"Among the many party programmes which have recently discussed the transformation of the German Confederation into a Parliamentary Federal State, under the leadership of Prussia, there is one which struck us par- similarly therein. The demand of the exclusion of Austria from reconati- tuted Germany is particularly insisted upon.

-4' This declaration, published at Gotha, manifests, in fact, with startling

frankness the desire of a well-known party who style themselves the Na- tional Party, that -in future in its relation with Germany the German Im- perial State shall be placed exactly on the same footing as Denmark and the Netherlands. But later we saw, not without sincere regret, that his High- ness the Duke of Saxe Coburg Gotha not only received a deputation which handed him the.programme with an address, but that he replied in words of assent and encouragement, without making any reservations. "The Imperial Government respects every sincere conviction, but the

words spoken at Gotha by princely lips do not come within the precincts of free individual opinions, but concern an ensemble of Most positive and most important rights and obligations. His Highness Duke Ernest himself must be perfectly aware that the object, the accomplishment of which is aimed at by the formation of a pretended new national party, by means of elements taken from the the democratical party and from that of Gotha, con- tains the absolute denial of relations founded on treaties which exist be- tween his Apostolic Majesty and the other Princes of the German Con- federation, and consequently also with the Duke of Saxe Coburg; and that therefore any approval or assistance given to the efforts of that party is equi- valent to a renunciation of the Federal pact. The Imperial Government has consequently the right, but it thinks that it is still more its patriotic duty, to protest, while yet time, and energetically, as it does by these presents, spinet the act by which his Highness the Duke has expressed his sen- timents. It has at heart the welfare of the common German country, and it-cannot forget that the lamentable errors of that same party, which now boasts of an approval from a high quarter, handed over Germany not very long since to great commotion and to the danger of civil war, a danger from which she was not saved by narrow-minded and shortsighted constitu- tional doctrines, but by the noble German sentiments of our Emperor and master, and by the moderation and love of peace of the two great German Powers.

"Conformably with the intentions of his Majesty the EnSperor, I beg your Excellency to be careful to see that when a copy of this despatch is left with the Minister of State of the Duke, or in such manner you may deem best, his Highness the Duke may•not be left in ignorance of the observations which precede, and especially the reservations .of right which it contains.

"I am, ere. RIICUBEB.G."

It -need hardly be said that fhe Duke of Base Coburg said nothing in his speech about placing Austria on 'the same footing as Denmark and the Netherlands, and did not -give any encouragement to the revolu- tionary party.

The Senate of Frankfort-on-Maine has rejected the appeal made by 'the National Association against the refusal of the Director of the Police to sanction its statutes.

The Official Journal of Darmstadt contains a decree for the renewal of the ordinance of 1850, which prohibits all subjects of Hesse-Darmstadt from becoming members of any political society, established either in the interior or abroad.

The Duke of Anhalt, a small Protestant state of the Germanic Con- federation, has just restored to his people representative institutions of which the duohy has been deprived since 1849. The new constitution, however, contains a clause which excludes Jews from the representation.

$1115 i ti.—The Emperor Alexander returned from Moscow to St. Petersburg, it is said, at the solicitation of the Empress, who feared he would suffer from the cholera raging there. However that may be, the Emperor, after receiving Colonel Baron Bente, an envoy from the French Emperor, and transacting other business, again set out.. for Moscow mi the 23d, en route for Toula.

The Cezarewitach, Nicholas, attained his majority on the 8th, and took the oaths of allegiance to the Emperor and the country. The ()eternally was performed in the Winter Palace. In the evening St. Petersburg was illuminated.

A foreign journal gives currency to the following anecdote of Schamyl. " Some tribes, which suffered more than others from the Russians, de- sired to make their submission, and sent a deputation to Schamyl to obtain his consent. The deputies found only Schamyi's mother, whom they suc- ceeded in interesting in their favour. She communicated to her son on his return the propositions of the tribes. The next day the chief of the deputa- tion came to demand an answer. He found the mother bathed in tears ; she said that Schamyl could not take it upon himself to decide on so serious a subject, and that lie had shut himself up in a mosque, to wait in prayer and fasting the revelation of the Prophet. Schamyl had previously com- manded all the inhabitants to proceed to the holy place, and to pray outside till he should come out. The inhabitants remained there for three days in prayer, and some had fainted from exhaustion, when Schamyl, pale, and with features distorted, came forth and commanded a murid to bring his mother into his presence. He then addressed the people, telling them that the Tehetschenses had formed the infamous plan of submitting to the Giaours, and to succeed they had not hesitated to submit their horrible demand through his mother, who, being weak, had not the courage to resist.

have interrogated Mehemet,' added he, and his reply is, that 100 stripes are to be given to the person who first transmitted that hateful proposition, and that person is my mother.' When the unfortunate woman heard thin sentence from the lips of her son she screamed frightfully. Schamyl, in- flexible, ordered two murids to seize her, and tie her hands ; he bunself, armed with a whip, began to inflict the punishment. At the fifth blow the woman fainted. Schamyl stopped, threw away the whip, and fell at the feet of his mother. The crowd craved pardon for the victim. Schamyl rose, his countenance composed, and announced to the expecting crowd that the Prophet had granted his prayer, and had permitted him to receive the remainder of the blows to which his mother was condemned. Then, stripping off his scarlet mantle, ho presented large whips to two murids, and ordered them to strike ninety-tve blows on his bare back, threatening to put them to death if they did not obey. The punishment was inflicted without a sign of pain from Schamyl. He then resumed his clothes, and, descending from the mosque, he ordered the deputies from the Tehets- chenses to approach. Everybody expected he would order them to be put to death, but he merely said, Return to your homes, and, in reply to your people's ill-advised demand, tell them what you have seen and heard.'

Le Nord publishes the following details of the capture of Schamyl de- rived from a St. Petersburg letter dated September 17.

" Lieutenant-Colonel Grabbe, who arrived yesterday from the Caucasus, has brought details of the capture of Schamyl. " Having been sent off by Prince Bariatinski from Gounib a few minutes after the surrender of the linen, he has brought no written details, but has given a verbal account of events to the Emperor. "The following is a correct version of the affair : "After numerous defeats, Schamyl, as a last resource, shut himself up, with 400 murides who remained faithful to him, in the fortified add of Gounib. Gounib is a fortified stronghold, on very elevated ground, of large extent. On three aides the reeks are perpendicular ; the only other aide was deemed impregnable, and it was supposed that a handful of determined men could have defended it for months against any odds.

"Prince Bariatinski ordered the attack to be made on both sides at once. The attack commenced on the 7th of September. While the chief attack was -made on the only accessible side, a number of men, who volunteered, sealed the rocks. The enemy was taken by surprise. A fearful struggle ensued. The resistance was moat determined. Of the 400 murides in Gounib only forty-seven remained alive. Five guns were captured.

"Schamyl retired to a house cut out in the solid rock. • 1 he plateau was covered with corpses. We have lost more than 100 men. Prince Bariatin- ski, who had come up, summoned Schamyl to surrender, and ordered his men to cease firing. The Iman asked upon what conditions. " Come out without conditions,' said the Prince.

"Schamyl came out, and the Prince met him, though advised by his officers to retire, for fear of treachery. "`Are you Schamyl ?' said the Prince. 'Yea, I am,' replied the Iman. Well, your life is safe ; you may keep your wives and treasure, but to- morrow I send you to St. Petersburg. Your fate will depend upon the will of the Emperor, my august master.'

"Schamyl bowed without uttering a word. The Prince then said to him, I expected you at Tabs; I thought you would have come to make your submission. As you did not, I was obhged to come and seek you here: "Turning then to Lieutenant-Colonel Grabbe, Prince Bariatinski said, Start at once for St. Petersburg, tell his Majesty what you have seen. and heard ; I will send written details tomorrow and Schamyl with them.'

"This is the denouement of the sanguinary drama which has lasted so long. But it is not quite over yet. There are many tribes in the Caucasus who still maintain their independence, but the capture of Schamyl will con- tribute greatly to their subjection." The Russians arc already exulting in the prospect thus opened of ac- quiring supremacy in Central Asia, and by that means of wresting from us the trade of India.

CI kfli.—Advices have been received from Constantinople, via Nes-

seines, to the 21st September. The journals from Constantinople an- nounce that numerous arrests had taken place in consequence of the dis-

covery of a political conspiracy, but few details of the affair are pub- lished, as the journals state they have been forbidden to make comments

on the matter, until the judicial examinations have been concluded. Private letters state that the conspiracy was to have broken out on Sa- turday, but on the previous Thursday it was denounced by Sergeant Adze. Vigorous measures have been taken by the Government. Two frigates have been moored before the Seraglio, and the squadron had arrived the day the mail left. Among the principal leaders of the con- spiracy were two Generals of Division, Djr of the Artillery, and Hos-

sein, Governor of the Dardanelles, several Colonels and 'Remits. Djaffir was drowned in the Bosphorus. No Christians were compromised in the plot. The plan of the conspiracy was cleverly organized. The Eu- ropeans and the foreign ambassadors were to be protected by the Generals of the rebels.

The Ost Deutsche Post of Vienna inserts, "by request," the following corrective to the above news.

" The accounts published on the 21st by several journals of a conspiracy against the life of the Sultan, and at the head of which plot was the Pacha of Albania, and also of the arrest of 200 persons, a certain number of whom were Ottoman soldiers, is incorrect and exaggerated. We are authorized to make known with the most rigorous exactitude the facts which have given rise to this statement. A plot existed, but the object of it was only to cause disturbances, from which the agitators hoped to derive some advantage. The number concerned in it is forty, most of them Cireassians. All have been arrested, and a special tribunal has been formed to try them. This conspiracy had nothing of importance in it, and had no ramifications in the country.'

Later advicee„from Constantinople inform us that " a Commission has been appointecrair investigating into the late conspiracy, and is composed of the Grand Vizier, the Sheik-ul-Islam, the Minister of War, the

Minister of Police, the President of the Grand Council, and the President of the Tanzimat. Two Generals, several Colonels, with other officers

and priests, have been arrested. Djaffer Pasha, of Albania, one of the conspirators, drowned himself during the transport of the prisoners. It is probable that the conspiracy had ramifications in the provinces."

SU tf details of the new tax on incomes has arrived with the fuller despatChes of the Calcutta mail of the 22d August. They are sup- plied in a condensed form by the Times correspondent. "All men whose incomes are derived from land are exempted. All men who live on property without doing anything are exempted. But all men who pursue any trade or profession, or draw any salary from private indi- viduals, are to take out a license for so doing, and pay for the same accord- ing, to the following schedule :—

Class 1. 2000 r. yearly; any corporation or company carrying on busi- ness as bankers or banker.

" Class 2. 1000 r. yearly ; any corporation or company carrying on busi- ness as bankers or banker.

" Class 3. 500 r. yearly ; any one carrying on trade or exercising a pro- fession.

" Class 4. 250 r., ditto. " Class 5. 150 r., ditto. " Class 6. 50 r., ditto. " Class 7. 25 r., ditto. " Class 8. 10 r., ditto. " Class 9. 5 r., ditto. " Class 10. 2 r., ditto.'

"The rates, it is understood, will be about equal to a 2 per cent Income- tax on the industrial classes alone. The return from the import is estimated at a million and a half, but, unless the expenses of collection are excessive, this must be very considerably below the truth, the tax reaching down to all men with 50 r. a month, and covering at least 40,000,000 of people, or the entire non-agricultural class. This is the fourth taxation bill intro- duced in six months. The first was the new tariff, producing 1,000,0001. ; opium duty, 300,0001. ; stamp-tax, 150,0001. ; trade and profession tax, 1,600,0001.; total, 2,950,0001." It is a curious fact that the drawers of the bill exempted themselves and all officials, but the obvious injustice of the exemption has led to an outcry which will probably compel the omission of the clause.

The Governor-General was to leave Calcutta in September, on a tour through the North West, Simla being his halting-place. It was thought that Calcutta would see him no more.

tona.—Advices from Hongkong to the 10th of August report no change in our relations with the Chinese. The brave Captain Vansittart had died of the severe wound he received in the Pei-ho. Mr. Bruce was at Shanghai, and the fleet off the Ningpo river.

Some kidnapping of Coolies for Havannah by a French adventurer had led to a riot at Shanghai, in the course of -which several Europeans, including Mr. Lay, were seriously hurt. The matter was under investi- gation by the French minister. For some time there were apprehensions of a general assault on the foreigners, but the Shanghai men thought better of it.

The _Northern Bee publishes a correspondence from Kiachta, which states that the loss of the Chinese in the affair at the Taku forts was 1000 killed; the number of wounded is not stated.

The American Minister had arrived at Pekin, but he was kept in confinement like a prisoner. [This is greatly doubted.] We have received the following interesting letter from an American resident in China. It will be seen that it gives an intelligent exposition of the state of affairs.

"The rebound that is the natural result of concessions wrung from timid reluctance and besotted egotism does not adequately account for the de- liberate bravado and deadly efficiency of the forts at the mouth of the river leading to Tien-tsin, the port whereat the treaties were negotiated, and hence, by all the rules of logic, included among those ports into which British ships of war are permitted to enter ; the stipulation, indeed, in- cluding any port of China whatsoever.'.

- "The grave results of these—the reckless violation of the Treaty, the complete rupture of peaceful relations and lamentable loss of life—are to be traced to less natural but more sinister suggestions than the wounded pride; we primarily find their origin in the divided councils of the Christian Powers, and more immediately in the present of guns from the Russian Government—unaccompanied though they may have been by soldiers to wield them.

" With incentives thus derived in the temptation offered by a force ri- diculously inadequate, the Imperial Court caused or permitted the barri- cading and fortification of the river, and entrusted to a Mongolian Prince- Sen-ko-lin-sin—who is married into the Imperial family, the reassertion of the right of exclusion. " That it was the seriously deliberate resolve of the Imperial Government thus to invite hostilities I doubt; but the influences alluded to, along with wavering on the part of Lord Elgin in respect to the concessions ofavaidence at Pekin, had :tended so far to counteract the salutary effect of his lord- ship's general policy that bravado was resolved upon, and Prince Ben, who contributed a large part of the cost or labour of the refortifying of the river, seems to have had carte blanche, or so dangerous a scope, that the Emperor has now no recourse but to protestations of regrets which are unavailing to atone for such grave consequences.

• Vide Article 52 of British Treaty.

" Such is the aspect of this question as presented to my mind. It is not improbable that our Embassy may acquire information of a precise charac- ter. In the meantime, I beg to refer you to the enclosed extracts. " But I still beg to say, before closing, that we must not too readily ac- quiesce in the imputations of blame already freely indulged in by incautious or reckless writers for the press, the self-constituted exponents of that heated public opinion that ever craves a victim. " So far as regards Lord Elgin, we can only attribute to him a concession to the exacting sentiment of the West in modifying some of the provisions of his treaty at the earnest request of the Imperial Commissioners; erroneous as such wavering appears to enlightened minds here.

" In judging of the conduct of the Allied Plenipotentiaries, we must re- member that all previous experience indicated as one of the conditions of their obtaining suitable conduct to and reception at Pekin their firm assertion—at every point of intervention or of contact—of the dignity of their respective Sovereigns. "Lastly, Admiral Hope—but just arrived in China—is entitled to our fullest sympathy rather than our blame, for having relied upon the general opinion that dash was the chief requisite of success in China warfare, and allowed the strictures of the Times upon Sir Michael Seymour's prudence, last year, to prompt him to what the deplorable results of the conflict plainly exhibit as lamentable rashness."

The Admiralty has furnished to the journals a copy of the official accounts rendered by the Chinese commander in the forts at the mouth of the Pei-ho, or " Tiensing-ho," to employ the correct name, of the action on the 25th of June. As the document is curious and full of interest, we reprint it entire- " Sung-ko-lin-sin, Imperial Commissioner, Prince of Potolakutai, of the Korehin tribe, reverently presents a memorial. He hastens to report in de- tail how the barbarian ships, disobeying reasonable injunctions, burst into the inner waters and commenced firing upon our soldiers ; who, being en- raged, attacked and destroyed their vessels in a sanguinary engagement, which lasted all day from two in the afternoon till ten at night, the bar- barian troops having pressed right on to the very foot of the wall, where they obstinately fought without retiring. Looking upward, he prays for the sacred glance thereon.

" He cannot bear to speak minutely of the insolent bearing of the re- bellious barbarians during several days ; [suffice it to say that] when your slave Hang-fuh* had hastened to Penang, and written to their Envoy upon the subject of proceeding to a personal conference, they paid no attention to him, but reiterated their demands for the complete removal of all ob- structions within a specified time.

" On the night of the 24th instant,f they came in one of their small beats within the iron stakes, and burst asunder with shell two of the large iron chains which crossed the river, and one large cocoa-fibre cable, when they fell in with our guard boat and retired. Not a shot was fired at them from guns or small arms by our men, who at once proceeded to reconnect firmly the iron cables, and stretched them, as before, athwart the stream, so as to bar the passage up.

" Early on the morning of the 25th, upwards of ten barbarian steamers having taken up their position outside the iron stakes and just below the fort on the southern bank, three of them came close up to the stakes, the foremost prongs of which were, by the agency of several swimmers, bound round with ropes, and the ends of these made fast to the sterns of the vessels. Another steamer then wheeled round and dragged them up, and, after an interval of more than six hours, upwards of ten of the stakes were pulled away, while the vessels in position all hoisted red flags [thus showing] a de- termination to commence hostilities.

" To put up with this proud, rebellious bearing was indeed difficult, but the reflection that the measure of pacification, which was now in the second fielar of process, would be utterly deranged were a fire once opened, induced ce the memorialist] to submit to it in silen, and quietly to abide his time, t us encouraging the barbarians in their pride, and feeling the fury of our soldiers. Just as the action was about to commence, an officer with a communication from the Tautai of Tien-tsing, was sent once more to warn them. The barbarians would not permit the letter to be handed in, and their vessels advancing like a swarm of bees, right up. to the second fort upon the southern bank, bore straight down upon the iron chains twice ; but, being all brought up by these, they opened fire upon our batteries. Our soldiers, pent in as their fury had been for a long time, could no longer be restrained ; the guns of every division, large and small, opened upon all sides, and at evening the firing had not ceased.

" More than twenty boats now came alongside the bank of the Southern Fort, and the barbarians, having landed in a body, formed outside the trench ; our gingall and matchlock divisions were then brought up to oppose them, and fired several volleys. The barbarians did not venture to cross the ditch, but threw themselves down among the rushes and fired on us from their ambush. Such murderous ferocity was, indeed, calculated to make one's hair stand up (i.e., with rage) ; and to vindicate the honour of the State, and fulfil at the same time the expectations of the Government, your slaves were obliged to bring forward their troops to oppose them with their utmost strength. Your slave Hang-fuh, who had been stationed on the New River, put himself at the head of his cavalry and infantry, as soon as he heard the cannonade, and returned to Taku, bringing up his men as a reserve by a road from the rear. At the same time Wan Yu, the Com- missioner of Finance, arrived also from Panting.

" Your slave has now reverently embodied in this memorial a circum- stantial account of this fierce encounter of our infuriated troops with the rebellious barbarian, who disobeyed our reasonable injunctions, forwarding it at the rate of sixty li (per day) Prostrate, he entreats thereon your Ma- jesty's sacred glance and instructions. " A respectful memorial. Forwarded from Taku on the 26th of June, 1859."

To this document is appended a Supplementary Memorial, reporting the particulars, as they have been ascertained, of the action. "At dawn this morning your slaves reported the various circumstances of a sanguinary and protracted engagement with rebellious barbarians, who, in their unruly spirit, would not listen to the dictates of reason. " When their troops advanced up to the southern ditch and provoked us to fight, great numbers of them fell under the volleys of our gingall and matchlock men ; but upwards of a thousand concealed themselves among the rushes, and endeavoured to push forward along the ground. "As we could not tell how far these were off, our soldiers kept them back by projecting fireballs through bamboo tubes ; and, as these blazed up, our guns and cannon being laid, by firing into them at point-blank range ; till, their skill and strength alike exhausted, they dared no longer to continue the engagement, but slunk back to their ships. It was daybreak before our men began to return to their ranks.

• Governor-General of the province of Chi-li.

+ This alludes to a partially successful night attempt made by Captain Wines to blow up one of the booms. The statement that the boat was not fired on is false, as is also the memorialists subsequent assertion that the gunboats were the first to open fire upon the 2.5th June. "The barbarian dead lay piled in heaps, there being 100 and some tens of bodies, exclusive of those carried off on board their ships ; also 41 foreign guns and sets of accoutrements, and a great number of other barbarian ar- ticles. Three boats, too, were stranded ; hiding himself in one of which was a barbarian soldier, who was captured alive by our troops. Another was brought off a prisoner from the mud. " These men stated, when examined, that one was an Englishman and the other an American, and that during the action they had come in with the reserve in the boats from the bar. They say that the landing party numbered some 1500 or 1600 men, and that a great many of them had been killed ; that the English chief, Admiral Hope, was in the foremost steamer,

which was d' ; by our fire that he was wounded in the right leg, and lay down upon a couch unable to move ; also that hostilities were com- menced entirely on the motion of this chief. "Your slave Hang-fuh appointed an officer to guard the prisoners, hold- ing that [in the possession of them] there might, at some future time, be a means of enabling us to vouchsafe a manifestation of conciliatory inten- tions.

" It appears that of the 13 barbarian steamers which were engaged on the 25th instant, what with those that were sunk where they lay by our fire, and those that were dismasted and disabled, only one got back outside the bar. The rest all suffered so severely that they could not move."

The Pays gives the following description of the very dignified manner in which the representative of the United States went to Pekin :— a " The last news from Shanghai establishes beyond a doubt the arrival of Mr. Ward, the American Envoy, at Pekin. This diplomatist ascended the Ki-Tcheou-Yun-Ho, one of the branches of the Pei-ho, accompanied by all the members of his Legation. Arrived at Ning-Ho-Fou, the American cor- vette which had brought Mr. Ward was retained in the port. The members of the Legation, under the guidance of a Mandarin, were placed in a huge box, about five metres long by three broad, which was closed everywhere but above, so as to prevent those it contained from seeing the country. This box or travelling chamber, provided with all things necessary to the corn- ball/If the traveller, was placed on a raft, and taken first up the river and then up the Imperil]. Canal as far as the gate of the capital. Here it was placed on a large truck drawn by oxen, and in this way the Minister of the United States and the members of his Legation entered the town of Pekin. They were perfectly well treated by the Chinese, but were not allowed to see anything. The truck was drawn into the court-yard of a large house, which was to be the residence of the American Envoys, but from which they were not to be allowed to go out. At the last dates they were awaiting their interview with the Emperor. They had not been allowed to have any communication with the outer world, but were permitted to send a despatch to Mr. Fish, the American Consul at Shanghai, informing him of their safety. After the interview the American Minister was to be reconducted to the frontier in the same way as that in which he came."

SalISII.—Intelligence had been received at Hongkong in the middle of August, that our treaty with Japan was ratified on the 11th of July. But, say the advices, since then the Japanese Government have attempted to evade it by seeking to confine foreigners to a small island about ten miles from Yeddo, and to establish the same sort of surveillance over them as they formerly exercised at the Dutch settlement of Decima. They have further sought to establish a new coin as the only ono to be used in commercial dealings with foreigners, but at the same time for- bidding its currency among the natives, so that all payments in the new coin would have to be exchanged at the Government treasury for the old itzabon ; and the relative values fixed by the Government produced a de- preciation of 66 per cent on foreign coins, which, according to treaty, are to be received at their intrinsic value as metal. Mr. Alcock, the British Consul-General, has issued a protest; and has stopped the trade for the present. It is to be hoped that the calm, but firm attitude he has assumed, will have the desired effect.

fit Slat/O.—Further particulars from America in regard to the San Juan case have been received, but they do not substantially affect the statements already in possession of our readers. The American cor- respondent of the Morning Post says :-

" The San Juan affair occupies much of the attention of our press, and the tone in which it is commented on shows an anxious desire on our part to maintain a perfectly good understanding with England. There is hardly an exception to this state of opinion, and the contrast between what is now and what was in 1852, when the difficulties about the fisheries arose, is really remarkable. The story that your forces had attacked the force sent to the island by our General (Harney) is not believed to be correct. It ap- pears that General Harney had some reason for his conduct, the Americans on the island really needing protection against the Indians. Governor Douglas appears to have behaved very properly. Our Government is much annoyed at what has happened, as it is sincerely anxious to maintain the excellent relations that have existed of late with England. The President and Secretary Cass are especially anxious that those relations should not be disturbed.'

The Northern States were in the thick of State election contests ; and Mr. Douglas was promenading through the West.