23 NOVEMBER 1850, Page 4

Surrign net Culattial.

Gnamaxe.—The differences between the Cabinets of Berlin and Vienna have merged again in silent diplomacy. The armies in Hesse-Cassel have agreed on an armistice, and have so disposed themselves that casual conflict is no longer risked. M. Radowitz is coming to England, in a purely military capacity it is said—on a scientific artillery mission ; the Prince of Prussia is about to leave the capital, to take personal command in the Rhine provinces ; and thus Manteuffel, the peace Minister, is left sole "master of the situation." The popular feeling has been excessively exasperated at the discovery that the national summons to arms was only a " demonstration " ; and a violent Parliamentary opposition is threaten- ' ed, under the notable leadership of Baron Vineke, whom the national crisis has summoned out of the political retirement into which he lately with- drew. The Parliament was to meet on Thursday the 21st ; and it was expected that the King's own " frantic eloquence " would be needed to stem and turn the angry current of public opinion. The great weapon of the Opposition will of course be the awful budget of expenses for calling out the military force of the kingdom.

The King of Wurtemberg has demanded an Austrian occupation of his dominions, to enable his thorough enactment of the Absolute policy which he commenced by dissolving the Assembly.

FAANCE.—The French news is confined to a single important point. The Monitetff has published the President's decree for the increase of the troops on the Rhine frontier, by "calling into activity" 40,000 men of the 78,500 "still to be disposed of out of the contingent of 1849." The Constitution:1cl declared that the measure has no significance beyond the French frontier, and is a "mere ordinary operation connected with the state of the service of the troops" ; but the project of the Minister of War -declares for itself the motive of the step— "In presence of the political events which are agitating Germany, and al- though the Government is firmly decided, as your message stated, to remain in the strictest neutrality as long as French interests and the equilibrium of Europe shall not be compromised, it is a mark of sage foresight to call to- gether, in the Northern and Eastern parts of our territory, a sufficient num- ber of troops to be able to meet all eventualities."

SYRIA.—The weak government of the Porte in its Syrian provinces has allowed serious outbursts of religious fanaticism in Aleppo. The military conscription was lately enforced in Aleppo with a rigour that made odi- ously galling the exemption of the Christians from the operation of the -military law. On the 16th October, the Moslem inhabitants rose in op- position to the law, and drove the slender garrison of soldiers into their barracks; and then, uncontrolled by the military, and defying the civil powers, they made a terrible onslaught on everything Christian in the city. On the 17th, the results of their frantic demonstration were the fol described by a witnessing correspondent of the Times-

- churches, worth upwards of 25,000/., have been burnt ; n plundered ; an invaluable library, containing ancient estroyed ; three priests and several other Christians, in u, have been killed ; many, among whom is the Sy- y respected octogenarian, have been wounded, and of and others arc dying. The principal Christian quer- ;

terry- each as Sulib Fedidtt,—Toomayat, Ilaret,—H-1M116-S6t,

IlownhetOlutrossei Bowirbel. Remit Ihul/ ihnittbseriteckeel • Of property is estimated at nbanillim•sterliriel hho.d.

Irrnm :AND ' 1 brinj`hecqun{s froni Bombay and Caleutta resrleeti+ely kong to the 27th Seriferubef:' 9"° The Indian news desciihelPtlie rule over the doniiniond' it' -west ''%.t is reported

holds in-the Punjaub, with the Widet' '

that the 'authorities intend'. "ilifb &del, 'bocipraolfsttrr000npg-s necessary for its occupation.''' ThiriXtdi 'ported to have made OVertures payment of a inbsidy. The 'Gd1/236noll2 gq/art_ on the let of this Month, for Lahore' Mt 'T if id° ii tat Tat both he and Sit Charles "Napier have alWa$4' better'mode of managing these people to 'pa them moderately than to fight the M eirpensiVely. A scientific survey of the Salt Range has been ordered by the_Gover- nor-General, under the direction of Mr. Purdon ; and a scientific survey of our frontier towards Jumoo, the territory of Gholab Singh. This chieftain has sent to Lahore a collection of shawls and other articles of Cashmere manufacture, for the Great Show of Industry in London; are valued at ten thousand pounds, and are bestowed in free gift on the trustees." Other hill chiefs are said to be contributing numerous and costly gifts—the Rajah of Nabab, a complete set of modern Oriental steel armour, inlaid with gold.

At Hongkong, the vaguely-described movements in the provinces of Kwang-si and Kwang-tung were the topic of general discussion. They were at first unqualifiedly mentioned as parts of a general effort towards insurrection against the ruling dynasty ; bUt the papers written for Eng- lish readers at home, now much insist on the point that the term at first rendered as " rebellion" would be applied to , any movement either of a person or a body of persons offering a continued resistance to constituted authority—such as pirates or banditti. The China Mail throws together the most reliable points of the accounts— .

"It will be remembered that in April 1849, large bodies of militia Were in training, as was believed, to oppose any attempt on the part of foreigners to enter the city [of Canton]. This may have been the chief object of their organization ; • but the authorities averred that they were raised to defend the city against large numbers of lawless persons then in arms in the provinces; and some of the proclamations assigned this as a motive for calling on the people to subscribe funds to maintain the militia," The Mail recounts from the Pekin Gazette the particulars of a great many actions between the Imperial forces and the "rebels" ; in which 140, 300, and 522, prisoners were taken : it then continues its general account—" The common belief is, that the band now so formidable is composed of natives of all three provinces [Hu-nun, Kwang-si, and Kwang-tung]. They were ac: five in the summer months in the South of Kwang-si, and either stormed or held to ransom two district cities, if not more i n its South-west 'territory, which rests, so to speak, upon Kwang-tung. They are said to have pushed Northwards within the limits of the former province, until they reached its Easternmost department; • whence, after sacking the district town of Ho, they appear to have passed into the district of Ying-teh, and thence into that of Taingyuen, the city of which is but a hundred and twenty miles from Canton, and only separated by two districts from those on the common border of which the city itself is situated. A note received this morning (28th September) states, that on the 4th instant, a party, of them sacked Kinchau, a district town of Lien-chau, the Nest Department of Bwangstung, the chief city of which was still in a state of siege. The place in, question is not far from the borders of Kwang-ai and l'onqum. We have no better au- thority for stating their progress and present position than native corre- spondents, who differ widely in dates and details. Two, however, Who have no connexion with each other, agree in stating that the Government troops have been frequently beaten during the last two months ; that reinforce- ments are being sent out without intermission; 'that Shap-'ng-trei and an- other ex-pirate, who had been, like himself, taken into the army, had been captured and held to ransom by the insurgents, and a large body of reclaim. ed pirates who had accompanied them cut to pieces or dispersed; that an expectant prefect, a civilian of some importance, had fallen into 'their hands; the men under his command, who were from the East of the Province, and a most disturbed region, having deserted in large numbers to the 'enemy ; and that the gentry and people had responded to the invitation of the vernment to arm themselves for the protection of the city. Rewards have been offered for the apprehension of suspicious characters; and all amuse- ments, processions, &c. calculated to attract a crowd of people, forbidden. Sand and stones are said to be piled up inside , the gates, which would be thus rendered defensible, when closed, if an alarm were given ; and water- vats have been filled near public buildings, in case any attempt should be made to fire the city."

Accounts from Bankok, to the 28th September, describe the mission of Sir James Brooke to Siam as a complete failure. Sir James crossed the bar of the Menem on the 10th August, in the Sphynx war-steamer, with the Nemesis war-steamer in company. The Siamese had expected him with great distrust and fear, and had thrown across the Menem river, at Paknam, immense booms, and a chain-cable thrice twisted. The ascent from Paknam to Bankok was performed in the King's boats, which pro- ceeded by canals that opened above and below the booms. During nearly a month Sir James was treated with complimentary deference ; but all dila- tory evasions being then exhausted, and the real business in hand mooted, he met with direct objections to make any of the alterations in our treaty which he was commissioned to demand. Tho Minister assured him that Siam was quite satisfied with the existing treaty, and was quite willing that we should levy at Singapore the same duties as the Bing levies ia Siam,—" the wily diplomatist knowing well that Singapore is a free port, where no charges of any kind will be made." It is said that Sir James Brooke was treated coolly when he urged his objects, and was even "con- fined to his house in a sort of honourable imprisonment" On the 26th September his papers were returned to him, with a plain refusal of all concessions ; and he immediately returned in the Sphynx to Singapore. " It is understood," says the Daily Hems, " that Sir James Brooke has written to Lord Palmerston suggesting recourse to less pacific measures."

[Of course !) •

Txa CAPE OF Goon HOPE.—The news from Cape Town is of consi- derable interest ; it extends to the 26th September.

We recently mentioned the arrival at the Cape of the Queen's letters- patent for constituting a local government. The plan of local government sketched in the patent was immediately dissected by the Colonial press. The South African Commercial Advertiser gave Mr. Fairbairn's infirien-

PY;#0,'ii;soffr.oni Hong- tial approbation : aubjeet to objections against the requirement that the Chief Justice should be President alba. Legislative Council; and the empowering of the Governor to Xs/4ln; CouncilRidthia Assembly at Pl6k8uliNkrether or *epartygyAo me of the Colonial Office was ptoneunee oy the South Afrtion as one sierpring it open. to the Council of the colonists." It minieno fkgotteir, however, that Mr.. Fairlarim to make a constitution entirell,inAcno*nce with the views and wants was about to be returned-an, eeke„increher of this some Council. The . ea, 3 - • • • • rang*, organ of-gNeatirropeetability, Fel of decided influeoce ensAlAnnti-conv ctisitm4orty declared itself hopeless of a po- mon ".The constitution lion now to be Ion} ," .)"Aa,one of which the plan has

offici tj government, and of which the sly does not represent the

Jleitti: r eint-.441, 72%".11/P shOW: that the latter of the two jo was use more correct in appreciating the Colonial Office scheme. The Legislative Council was opened on the 6th September. On that day, Si Andries Etockenstrom, Mr. Brand, Mr. E. W. Reitz, and Mr. Fairbairn, took their seats as four of the six members " nominated in con- formity with the votes of the Municipalities and the Divisional Road Boards of the colony." Mr. Cocks took his seat as the Governor's nomi- nee. On the 10th, hdr. Godlonton took his seat as the remaining member nominated in the same way with Sir Andries Stockenstrom and his three ea-representatives. Sir Andries made a motion grounded on the fact that Mr. Godlonton had been nominated as the fifth representative member of Council, though only the eleventh in order on the list of persons returned by the voting bodies ; but the matter was overruled. The Council, thus completed, consisted of twelve _gentlemen, including the Governor as President. Seven of these had been "appointed directly or indirectly by the Colonial Office " ; the other five had been nominated by " a small portion of one class of the colonists--the class possessing a certain amount of a certain description of property." Of the latter five, Mr. Fairbairn and Mr. Brand were the only members of whom it could be said that they represented the whole colony. The. Council immediately began its "sittings, of the whole!' on the subject of the Constitution. The elec- tion-qualification of its own members afforded the first points for earnest discussion., The officials proposed a property qualification of 20001. above all encumbrances ; the popular members rejected any property qualifica- tion, and proposed that the members of the Council should be chosen by "the eombined votes of all persons possessing the electoral franchise in the whole colony,"—arguing that the possession of the confidence of so vast, and varied a constituency would be a qualification higher than the ownership of 20001. or even 4000/, fixed property. The popular proposal was supported only by the elected members, Stockenstrom, Fairbairn, Brand, and Reitz : Mr, Gocllonton joined the officials, and made the di- vision against it one of seven to four. By a similar vote the property qualification was affirmed ; and it was resolved that the members of Council should be elected for ten years. On the 20th September the Se- cretary of Government having presented some drafts of ordinances for consideration, Sir Andries Stockenstrom moved as an amendment, that the ordinances for constituting the local Parliament should be proceeded with till completed and passed, before any others be taken up. He was supported by the same three popular members who before sided with him : Mr. Godlonton again joining the officials, he was beaten by seven to four, and a resolution the reverse of that which he had moved was affirmed. Sir Andries handed in a paper of "reasons for dissent," signed by him- self; Mr. Fairbaim, Mr. Brand, and Mr. Reitz : he and those gentlemen then tendered the resignation of their seats in the Council, and retired. Their Parliamentary protest is worth preserving, for future reference.

REASONS FOR DISSENT.

" 1. Because I have come to the conclusion that I have been deputed to this Council, by the constituencies which have elected me, for the specific purpose of aiding in the creation of representative institutions for this co- lony, and, for that purpose only.

" 2. Because, holding my seat at this board in virtue of the said election only, I do not consider myself authorized to enter upon any other matter than that for which I have been so elected and deputed. " 3. Because neither the matter now introduced by his Excellency, nor any one of the other matters comprised in his Excellency's memorandum as laid before this Council on the 6th instant, or in the minutes of the 10th in- stant, refers in the remotest degree to the creation of representative institu- tions for this colony. " 4. Because I deem it inexpedient in every respect that every one of the matters of subjects comprised in the said memorandum and mmutes be, in the present circumstances of the colony, settled by this Council as at present constituted.

" 5. Because I do especially consider myself incompetent, upon the strength of the trust or commission with which I am charged by the people, to vote away one farthing of the money of that people whose object in thus deputing me is to expedite the construction of a constitution which shall place the whole of the said money at the disposal of its representatives to be in Parlia- ment assembled.

" 6. Because the Executive Government of this colony has already for a considerable , time gone on to appropriate the public money without the au- thority of the. Legislative Council, and because it is more consistent with the spirit and sense of the people that the said irregularity, in as far as may be strictly unavoidable, should continue for a few months longer, and be answered for to the future Parliament of this colony, than that the people should be debarred of its right of scrutiny by means of its representatives, through any, sanction given to the said irregularity by this Council as at pre- sent constituted.

" 7. Because I firmly believe that this Council, as at present constituted, would deem it necessary to sanction items of expenditure which the said Par- liament would reject. " 8. Because in the discussion of the question ' of the resumption of public works,' it is absolutely necessary that various interests be represented which are not represented by this Council. I allude especially to the com- mercial interests of this colony, and more especially the interest of such an important seaport as Port Elizabeth, and because we have every reason to expect that those interests will be fully represented in the future Parliament. " 9 Because the financial relations between the colony and the Orange River sovereignty, as well as the causes and history of those relations, require a degree of scrutiny which =not be successfully conducted except by the said Parliament, which it is expected will comprise members of the local know- ledge and information necessary in such scrutiny : because also any money voted for on account of said sovereignty, without such scrutiny, would be highly unjust towards this colony and other parties concerned, and because the said financial relations would indirectly establish a connexion between this colony and the sovereignty, which ought to be left to the decision of the future Parliament. "10. Because of all the matters and subjects above referred to there is not one which would not be more appropriately discussed by the said Parliament, and which would therefore gain considerably by a few months' delay : for, passing' over ' the ordinances which were before the Council last year,' and which cannot be of a very pressing nature, the diserursion of 'the propriety

enacting a law to establish trial by -jury in civil cases' would be mate- rially benefited by the opinions of a greater number of lawyers than this :Council Itow contains, and by the opinions of the merchants who, we may expect, will be deputed to the said Parliament;' whereas the proposed esta- blishment of a rural police on the frontier divisions, the state of the law rela- tive to the relations of masters and servants, the removal of squatters from Government lands, the propriety of appointing resident magistrates at the missionary institutions, the wine and spirit ordinance,' the educational este- ' blishmentof the South African College, and the confirmation of two amended rules of court proposed by the Judges of the Supreme Court, ought certainly, in the present state and prospects of the colony, not to be settled, except upon the most mature discussion, by the legal, mercantile, literary, and agricultural representatives, who may be expected to be deputed to the said Parliament provided with the full confidence of the country. "11. Because, if this Council and the Secretary of State for the Colonies, as in duty bound, use their best endeavours to expedite the establishment of the said Parliament, that Parliament may open its first session about the middle of the next year, 1861 ; so that no material delay will be caused by the postponement of the said matters and subjects until they can be brought before the Representatives of the People, instead of being carried through by a Legislature which but partially enjoys the public confidence. (Signed) "A. Smexcirsmom. C. J. BRAND. F. W. Itharz, Joint FAIRBAIRN."

On the 21st September, the resigned representatives issued a joint letter to their constituents, assuring them, that within a few days some proposal would be publicly submitted for bringing their wishes explicitly before the Queen and the Parliament and people of England, and for wresting perfect liberty from the Colonial Office.

Weer Warns.—The interesting news by the mail steam-ship Medway comes solely from Jamaica ; it extends to the 28th October, and is of an afflicting character.

The cholera was raging fearfully in Kingston, Port Royal, and St. Ca- therine's; and up to the time of the packet's departure, the deaths in Kingston averaged at least thirty a day. The latest official ac eounta published up to the morning of the 27th of October showed a total of

266 deaths in Kingston alone. In Port Royal and St. Catherine's the ac- tual numbers were less; but, compared to the population of Kingston, the mortality has been far greater, particularly in Port Royal, where about an eighth of the population has been cut off. The deaths in all parts, with two or three exceptions, occurred among the lower orders of the Black people, some of whom resided in miserable hovels and damp localities. Up to the last account received in Kingston, the North side of the island was free of the disease. An order has been is- sued by the Governor in Council forbidding communication coast- wise between Port Royal and Kingston, and the uninfected ports, under certain restrictions. The authorities were particularly vigi- lant in the uninfected districts as well as the others, and the most stringent sanatory regulations were generally adopted. In all dis- tricts the want of medical men was much felt. Kingston, with a popu- lation of some forty thousand inhabitants, contains only ten doctors ; who, in addition to their private business, have in various instances to at- tend the public prisons and institutions : Spanish Town contains but three doctors, and Port Royal none at all. At the latter place, the services of the surgeons attached to the Royal Army were secured through the in- fluence of the Kingston authorities.

The Assembly met on the 22d October, and was addressed at con- siderable length by Sir Charles Grey. No discussion arose on the address. The House immediately passed a short act appointing local boards of health, and allocating funds to put in force sanatory regulations ; and ad- journed till the 19th November.

UNITED STATRS.—The latest intelligence from New York is dated the 6th instant.

The leading topic of the papers was still the agitation produced by the Fugitive Slave Bill ; and the impression conveyed by them is the same as described by the correspondent of the Morning Chronicle, that "were it not for the public meetings, together with pending elections, the excite- ment would measurably subside." A report that President Fillmore had ordered troops to Boston, to enforce the law, had been officially contra- dicted, by The (Washington) Republic; which added, however, that should the exigency arise, the President " would do his duty." A great meeting had been held in New York, at which leading citizens vented their regrets that a measure regarded by the greatest statesmen as a portion of a fair compromise, and declared by them to be strictly constitu-

tional, should now be denounced as unjust and unconstitutional, and as warranting resistance by physical force. A letter from Mr. Daniel Web- ster gave his warm adherence to the resolutions—

The measure, he said, " is not such a measure as I had prepared before I left the Senate, and which, of course, I should have supported if I had re- mained in the Senate. But it received the proper sanction of the two Houses of Congress and the President of the United f3tates. It is the law of the land, and as such is to be respected and obeyed by all good citizens. I have heard no man whose opinion is worth regarding deny its constitutionality, ; and those who counsel violent resistance to it, counsel that which, if it take place, is sure to lead to bloodshed and to the commission of capital offences. It remains to be seen how far the deluded and the deluders will go on in this career of faction, folly, and crime." General opinion in the North had been much influenced by this demon- stration in the capital of the " Empire State." The Southern Nullifiers were, by all means in their power, pushing the agitation in the North to the extremity of outbreak, hoping thereby to unite with themselves those Southern States who are still reluctant to sever the Union in any event : but on the other hand, in these same reluctant States, several strongly demonstrative meetings had afresh denounced the aims of the Diaunionists. The papers supply some notings of miscellaneous interest. Twelve hundred foreigners have been this year naturalized in New York ; a large number of them just before the election, as a matter of course.

On the 19th September the brig Minnesota cleared from Chicago, on Lake

Michigan, with copper ore from Lake Su r, for Swansea, Wales. - A gold region has been discovered in Venezuela, which is said to produce a richer yield of metal than the mines and diggings of California. John M`Donough, a miserly millionaire of New Orleans, died lately, leaving some 10,000,000 dollars or more, chiefly to the poor of New Orleans and Baltimore, and a mere trifle to his sister, who is poor. On dit that the will will be contested. Mr. W. Appleton, of Boston, has given 20,000 dollars to an asylum in that city. Sir William Don, from England, has made quite a hit in New York as a comic actor.

A dreadful event occurred a few nights before at Danvers. Three men at- tempted to break into the bank of that town ; and were warned to desist by a watchman who was in the inside. They persevered, however, and defied the watchman ; who fired through the door, killing one of the burglars. Soon after, a worthy couple, living opposite the bank, got up from bed and went out to see what had caused the disturbance : they found the corpse of their own son'—his evil associates had escaped.