28 JULY 1849, Page 15

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.

Mitesile, 23d July 1849. Sta—The public journals have just printed Lord Palmerston's reply to Mani; m which his Lordship gives the assurance that her Majesty's Government have "Observed with much interest" ( l) the great sacrifices made by the Venetian people to throw off the yoke of Austria. But his Lordship, basing his reply upon the treaties of 1815, advises the Venetians to submit to Austria, "as no alteration rfin be made in the political situation of Venice without the consent of the Impe- rial Government," whose right of property in Venice was acknowledged at those freaties.

I :Irish, Sir, to ask any of your readers who may hold a lingering fond belief in the integrity or consistency of our "foreign policy," upon what principle England, who permitted the occupation of Cracow, who interfered to put down the Liberal of Oporto, now offers this insolent advice to Venice?

then, our so much vaunted "nonintervention" policy no more than what some of us have long thought it ?—a mere Whiggism,* a dishonest blind, a cant term to excuse inaction whenever inaction may serve the ends of despotism, as at °lac", &oily, Venice, Hungary, and Rome; and yet no reason against action, When action May seem wanted to prevent our cause, the cause of the people afAinst governments, from going "too far "? I am, Sir, yours faithfully, W. J. Lin/Torr. *lose the word in its universal signification, not confining the reproach to the pro- Government, the Whigs Par excellence,