4 MARCH 1854, Page 2

In foreign affairs, the European war against Russia forms the

most prominent topic; and the Emperor of the French has made an important contribution to the historical notices of the subject, by his opening speech to the Senate and the Legislative Body, That speech contains two points of particular importanee. Louis Napoleon acknowledges that France has more interest than Eng- land in preventing Russia from making herself a Mediterranean power ; and he announces definitively that Austria and Prussia enter into the alliance with the Western Powers. This confirms what had been already stated in London, that Austria and Prussia will unite with France and England in summoning the Emperor of Russia to declare, within six days after receiving the notice, that he will evacuate the Principalities on or before the 30th of April next. By the time his answer shall be received, the Allied Powers will be in a position to act in the Baltic as well as the Enzine and in Turkey.

In the mean time, Mr. Sturge and two companions have been lee- tunes the Emperor on his Christian duties, and have been favoured

with a formal reply from that potentate. We cannot regard this strange proceeding as altogether hroulesa. To the abstract prig. ciples of Christian peace enunciated by the three gentlemen there can be no exeiption ; stud it may be a souroe of supreme gratifica- tion to their self-importance that the Emperor has deigned to make that formal reply. which lie has scarcely vouchsafed to other po- tentates, thug giving the Quaker gentlenien brevet rank higher than the French Emperor, to say nothing of the Sultan. But see- ing is believing ; and if the Emperor has been erroneously im-

pressed with the notion that the Americans are inclined to conspire with the most absolute of monarchs, is it not possible that, on the showing of three real Epglishreen, he may suppose the British feel- ing to be accurately represented by the gentlemen in drab P—an error which might be fatal to him, but extremely inconvenient also to ourselves.

The insurrection in Spain would threaten new complications, if we could suppose that it was really spreading. It appears to be connected with the movement for uniting Spain and Portugal, under the Emperor Pedro the Fifth; and it has burst out among the soldiery ; but its true extension is as yet only a matter ef sur- mise : while it is put down in the place where it showed itself, Government has adopted such extensive measures,—declaring martial law over the whole kingdem,— as to imply that it has reason to apprehend the same outbreak everywhere. At the best, it marks the universal unsettlement.