and the populace, content with sunshine and a sudden insurrection would do little for the macaroni, feel no sense of oppression and no cause of freedom. It would be simply a hurdesire for freedom, and are always ready to ricane of wild retributive justice which might shout and sometimes to fight for a Monarch clear the air and destroy much evil, but would who cajoles them and a Government which leave a chaos of ruins out of which it would spares them. The land is so beautiful, the not be easy to construct better and more abidclimate so delicious, the soil so fertile in the ing arrangements. And for any more delibkingdom of the two Sicilies, that life is very erate and more general re-construction, neither easy, and, unless laboriously and viciously the Italians nor the Western Powers are yet made otherwise, very sweet; men are satisfied prepared-though it is time to think of prepwith little and obtain that little readily; a shed aration. The affairs and prospects of the to sleep in, a slice of water melon, and a cigar Peninsula are, indeed, fearfully complicated. of villanous tobacco, constitute the only neces- There is Russia, willing to support Ferdinand saries of life to the mass. Everything, there- in any atrocities and to approve his insanest fore, that can be borne will be borne; and the follies. There is Austria, as oppressive but oppression which drives the Neapolitans to less foolish, cursing his untimely crimes as men desperation must be general, barbarous, and curse the blunders of an accomplice who stupid beyond all ordinary measure. brings them into difficulties, but certain to aid

The limits of possible endurance on one him, if she is permitted, in crushing any atside and of conceivable folly and brutality on tempt at insurrection. There is Mazzini-sick the other seem, however, to have been nearly of hope deferred, and growing short-sighted and reached. If no actual and cognizable insults unscrupulous in his despair-prepared to take have been offered to the Western Powers, the advantage of any popular movement, and even disposition to insult has been plainly shown. to accept the assistance of Russia to create one The military, who used to be the special ob--if Russia, out of spite to Austria, should be jects of the King's favor, appear to have fallen willing to use him as an agent of discord and into suspicion and disgrace. The police au- confusion. There is Murat, or the partisans thorities do not hesitate to affront and arrest of Murat, circulating pamphlets through the them on the most trivial pretexts; and a bad Neapolitan dominions, reminding the people feeling is growing up between these two in- that a son of their once popular King yet surstruments of tyranny out of which may spring vives, and is ready to come forward and resmuch hope for freedom. Men of rank and cue them as soon as they think the Bourbon loyalty, never suspected of liberalism and dynasty has filled up the measure of its crimes. grievously suspected by the patriots of the There is France, jealous of Austrian influence strongest conservative leanings, are snubbed, in Italy, and sore indignant at Austrian vaciloutraged, and bullied by wretched police lation and double-dealing; supposed to be in agents who, in better times, would cringe and secret not hostile to the pretensions of Murat; tremble before their very looks; while gen- disgusted with the misgovernment and crueltlemen of spotless character and barristers of ties at Naples, but hampered by its guilty conreputation and eminence are actually flogged nection with misgovernment nearly as infaon suspicion of disaffection, or to extort con- mous at Rome; and, by its alliances and fessions of supposed accomplices. Society is antecedents, tied out almost equally from embeset with spies, and in a state of utter disor- bracing in the Peninsula the cause of freedom ganization, terror, and suppressed fury. Mean- or the cause of tyranny. And, finally, there time the Monarch, conscious of the detestation is England, sick and sad at the barbarities of in which he is held, and aware that all these Bourbon despotism, but dreading more the proceedings, authorized and unauthorized, of probable excesses of insurgent patriots; unable his tools must increase this universal abhor- to connive at Muratist plots, yet feeling that rence, lives in dread of assassination and sees any dynasty would be preferable to the effete daggers in the air-he shuns his capital, flies and wicked one which now reigns at Naples; from one country house to another, shuts him- and with its fundamental principles of foreign self up from every eye, and as far as possible policy still so unsettled and transitional that, creates desolation and solitude around him. if a general Italian rising should take place, it What will be the upshot of all this, whether would be sorely puzzled what countenance to an outbreak can be long delayed, and what assume or what part to play,-whether to let form and dimensions it will assume, it would popular sympathies or governmental traditions be rash to prophesy. If it be a quick volcanic guide its action,-whether to encourage the eruption, a second Sicilian vespers, in which struggles of the sufferers, or with shame and the Sovereign and his guilty accomplices shall reluctance to stand by the side of the pres meet with prompt and sweeping retribution, and sors. his many victims be liberated from their loathsome dungeons and their rusty fetters, none can feel surprise, and few will affect regret. But such

Truly the perplexities of the situation are embarrassing enough to statesmen of the clearest vision and the most fixed principles of ac

From The Spectator, 15 Sept. THE POSITION.

tion. An Italian rising-caused by admittedly |nal connivance at our hands. For the Allies unendurable oppression and based upon un- to interpose themselves and compel the King questioned right, coming at a time when our of Naples to govern decently, would be to ashands are full with the work of a desperate sume a protectorate over his people which conflict, with Austria, the source and soul would involve us in vast future difficultiesof Italian sufferings, neither our enemy nor our which we could neither retain with benefit ally, with France, our cordial and loyal co- nor abandon with honor. operator in our deadly strife, despotic at home One word more. It is said that we are and the supporter of an eminently bad despot- sending ships of war to Naples to seek retriism abroad,—would assuredly present a prob-bution for insults offered to our representalem easier to propound than to solve, and the tives. Let us not fall into the error we have occurrence of which must be accepted as a too often committed in past times, of confoundmerited but bitter punishment for duties for- ing an offending Monarch with the people merly evaded and crimes long ago connived who suffer under him and who hate him. Let at. But it may come any hour; and our ob- us deal with him and his agents directly and ject in thus plainly stating both the probability alone, and not injure or annoy peaceful citiof the event and the embarrassment it must zens in the vain idea of punishing Sovereigns bring with it, is that both the British Govern- and officials who care not one straw for any ment and the British nation may make up human beings but themselves. their minds in time, and be prepared, when the crisis shall arrive, to act in a manner not unworthy of their high pretensions nor inconsistent with their avowed principles. Not an hour should be lost in coming to a distinct and ONE certain result of the achievement of cordial understanding with France, and induc- last Saturday at Sebastopol is, that the Allied ing her to join us in an honest, noble, and army in the Crimea is released from the spell disinterested line of policy. The adoption that has bound it up for nearly a twelvemonth. and avowal of one plain and defensible princi- The men are set free from the irksome labor ple will suffice. Let us announce our deter- of the trenches; the regiments are emancipamination neither to interfere ourselves be- ted from the sickening prospect of wintertween tyrannical monarchs and outraged quarters in restraint; the armies are relieved citizens, nor to permit the interference of from their nightmare, and move once more in any other Power. Let Ferdinand and his a field of action with victory in prospect. If victims, and Pio Nono and his victims, try the survivors have been released from the their mutual strength and settle their domestic quarrels. If the oppressors are really the strongest, why, we may deplore the fact, but it would be idle and irrelevant in us, occupied and distant as we are, to attempt to redress the balance: to do so would be to create by external force an artificial condition which honor and consistency would oblige us It is not quite correct to say that Sebastoto continue to uphold. But if, as we believe, pol has been taken; the half-the more imthe enslaved and the injured would prove portant half of Sebastopol-has been abanmore than a match for their tyrants if cut off doned. It is "a mass of blood-stained ruins." from foreign aid,-why, it would be a crime Not, however, so entirely worthless as Prince and a blunder if we were to stand by and Gortschakoff would make believe, but still not suffer that foreign aid to be rendered, if we the whole; and the reduction of the citadel is were to permit others to do for the wrong still a victory reserved for the future. Even what we deny ourselves the luxury of doing after that there are the artillery and troops of for the right. We are fully aware of the dif- the Mackenzie heights, and certainly more ficulty which may be experienced in persuad- campaigning before the possession of the Criing and enabling our gallant ally to adopt this mea be decided in favor of the Allies. The simple rule of action, but we believe that this immediate future, therefore, is uncertain-is a difficulty may and must be overcome. For subject of speculation. But we have accomwe can see no other course which will not plished at Sebastopol that which, being long either involve us in endless perplexity and la- deferred, we began to think would never be bor, or cover us with indelible dishonor. To accomplished; we are advancing, Russia is repermit Austria to interpose to assist Ferdinand trograde; and "hope deferred" is exchanged in his oppressions or to save him from the for a firm confidence that we can accomplish punishment of his atrocities, would, we appre- that which we undertake.

trenches, some have been consigned to that narrow and short trench from which there is no release; but they had confronted their fate before they reached it; we knew that this penalty had to be paid before emancipation, and at whatsoever cost at least the spell is broken.

hend, be a clear moral impossibility, and Some of our contemporaries are rushing inassuredly Austria has deserved no such crimi- to the discussion of terms for the conclusion

of peace. Such a discussion is obviously pre- easily pardoned to the English Ministers as it mature. Russia has as yet shown no signs of has been before. In former contests we have contrition, made no offer of surrender; she had minor states standing by us and giving us reckons up the resources that she can still material aid; and we suffered them to sur count upon, and with her usual strategy ex-render that which they had at the settlement, pects, by falling back, to fatigue her aggressor, forgetting to compensate them or even to reand conquer him by her power of endurance. store their own. We cannot think of Sicily, It is far too early, therefore, to discuss the and of 1812, 1820, or 1848, without a blush. terms of peace; Russia does not offer, and no But, unquestionably, no settlement of the offer can be made by any but Russia. An op- peace now could be sanctioned by the English portunity was afforded to her of saving her people which should treat Sardinia as Sicily pride, when the Western Powers accepted the was treated. England and France stand mediation of Austria; she it was who con- pledged not to appropriate any territory convinced us that mediation must be illusory; and quered by them during the present war; but if there is any humiliation now in submitting, they are not bound to guarantee the integrity she has drawn the humiliation upon herself. of any empire opposed to them or subserving She must be made to feel that she is not equal their enemy; and if it should so happen that to that conquest and domination which she has the Crimea should revert to the Genoese, who interrupted the peace and disturbed the whole could regret it? continent to consummate. In the struggle, we have detected at once her craft, her malignity, and her obduracy; and she has given us no evidence that she is cured of either of those bad qualities. She can only be cured by further castigation; and thus she must not only be bound, but humbled.

Another conclusion which we may consider as already formed is, that those who have stood aloof from us during the contest can have no locus standi in the council of the Western League for settling the peace, which others, not they, have conquered. Prussia refused to be with us while it was war, and victory was As to the eventualities of the contest, they doubtful. Victory accomplished, she has not cannot be calculated at this moment. Who the slightest right to meddle with the settle-would venture to predict them ?-Certainly ment of the spoils. Before she can earn such we cannot. We may sympathize with "the a right, she must, do something to assist us in nationalities," if they will enable us to identify rendering the conquest more complete. So them. We may hope that before the war is with Austria; she has tampered enough with over, those who have suffered from the com- mediations and consultations. We do not atbination of despotic powers to keep down each tach much importance to the suspicions of other's subjects may have a day of justice. those who think that Austria is under some But we have not arrived at that point where separate agreement with Russia, and that when the map of Europe is before us, and we can-peace is restored it will be found that she holds not undertake to resettle its boundaries and the Principalities, which she has always covetdistributions. At this point our conclusions ed, for some purpose understood by Russia can only be negative. We believe that it will and profitable to herself. Any sufferance of be practically impossible at the next settlement, such an arrangement is, of course, out of the which is more or less near, to repeat the fatal question. Nor is Austria likely to have been errors of 1815. The Despotic Powers obtained so rash as to make the attempt. She knows the settlement for their own purposes, they have used it for their own purposes, they have violated it for their own purposes; and it will not lie in the function of the Western Powers to restore that settlement.

the Principalities will not hold her. She knows that her designs upon that quarter have been denounced now for the greater part of a century. She knows that her only chance of avoiding worse embarrassments than those We cannot speculatively sketch out any which she has drawn upon herself consists in scheme for emancipating "the nations;" but keeping clear of any intrigues of that kind." if, by the simple extinction of the false settle- The most that Austria can hope for is to come ment of 1815, which was emphatically con-out of the contest undamaged on both sides demned by our own Minister at the Congress, by the contending parties. Even if she were those nations can acquire some prospect of to succeed, by the occupation of a large army, freedom and independence, by so much more in retaining the Principalities, it would require will the spirit of the present moment be car- a much larger army and larger funds to enable ried out. Be the peace concluded in 1855 or her to retain Italy. But we have proof that other year, it cannot renew the terms of she knows as much. Her alarm at the formathe peace of 1815. tion of the Anglo-Italian Legion, containing At former settlements the Governments of say some 6000 men, proves that she does not this country have shown a remarkable favor trust in an army of half a million-on for its enemies at the expense of its friends. Possibly, that mistake would not now be so

any

paper. If Austria is excluded from the European councils as respects Russia and the Western

Σ

Powers, leading statesmen of this country-bardment of St. Petersburg; I would have not technically debarred from taking part by preferred the latter. I always have maintainbelonging to the Parliamentary Oppositioned this against everybody, and I still maintain have preferred to alienate themselves from that the man who planned the expedition to her Majesty's councils by voluntary retirement. the Crimea played a hazardous game but knew Some of them, we know, have since avowed where to strike. The only consolation for me themselves "of all things the maintainers of is to see that babbler, Kossuth, made an ass peace;" and if they have been always con- of, with his predictions. Believe me-and I sistent in that opinion, they must have objected feel the palpitations of Russia's heart-the to war throughout. They assisted in the past and present Emperors as well as every initiation of the war, perhaps for the purpose Russian statesman and general, would have of keeping it at the stage of initiation. They preferred a thousand times to see all Europe have separated themselves, even more than -no matter a million of men in arms in Poan Opposition can separate itself, from the land, on the Vistula, or the Niemen, to the councils of their Queen and country. They Crimean expedition. The Russians have cermay now press forward to urge premature tainly lost more in resources, horses, cattle, counsels of peace;" but by their own course and men, in supporting their army in the of conduct their advice has been discredited, and it will not be hastily accepted by any who claim to represent the great British public.

A PRO-RUSSIAN STATESMAN ON THE

FALL OF SEVASTOPOL.

[A private Letter communicated for The Tribune.] BRUSSELS, Thursday, Sept. 13, 1855.

Crimea, than they did in the campaign of 1812. Any man who knows the country knows this as surely as that the sun shines. And then a million of men in Poland fighting for her nationality, as Kossuth says, would have starved, ruined, devoured that nationality -that is, Poland; whereas it is Russia which now suffers and bleeds from St. Petersburg to the Black Sea. It would have been easier for the Russians to maintain 600,000 men between the : One act of the drama is Baltic and Bessarabia than 150,000 in the through. The Russians have lost Sevastopol, Crimea. And then all Europe in arms on and with it the Crimea; and certainly they the Niemen or the Vistula would have been will not attempt to retake them. I think that starved out in three months. Germany and the real war will now commence. For all who Prussia would have suffered terribly; while have written on this war have lost sight of the France could and can, as well as England, fact that there has not been from the begin- much more easily provide for her troops in ning, either on the Danube or in the Crimea, the Crimea by the aid of her fleets than she a single pitched battle. All the fighting has could in Poland or in any place in the interior been in attacking fortified or intrenched of a poor country which the Russians would places; Oltenitza, Alma, Inkermann, Silis- have laid waste for hundreds of miles around. tria, Chernaya and Sevastopol. Now we I am sure that even now, if the Russians shall see. I have always thought and still could choose, they would rather see Pelissier think that in an open field the Russians can and his army in Poland than continue the cope with their enemies. At any rate they struggle in the Crimea. This is what the can if they could do it at Inkermann and Crimean expedition amounts to. Chernaya, where they fought under all pos- I believe, I hope, that the Russians will do sible disavantages, where they were huddled the impossible. But to tell you the truth, my together by the ground and could not deploy. heart bleeds, for I see that by this event the On a level field the Russians manoeuvre as well progress of civilization has been stopped on and as quickly as any other troops, and the two points. First, in the West, Louis Napoimprovements of modern tactics are more fa- leon is fortified and the abjectness of the miliar to them than to the English. One thing French increased-in whose eyes, with very is sure, they will fight well, better than they few exceptions, the least glare of military have fought so far. Defeats and disasters do not injure their morale; believe me, that is a peculiarity of the Russian character. But, take it all in all, it is a terrible blow to Russia; not to her prestige but to her power. Sevastopol and the Crimea contributed far more to the preponderance and the prospects The Czars have received a fearful punishof Russia than that little region which goes by ment for having followed for more than the name of Poland. It was the most vulner- twenty years past a German and not a Rusable point in the whole empire. Mutilate that sian policy; for meddling with European and it will take a quarter of a century to heal squabbles; for marching into Hungary in 1849 the wound. In my opinion it is as bad as a bom- instead of taking Constantinople in 1848, as

glory suffices for liberty, honor, morality, and real national dignity; and then in the East, where, in spite of all that is said to the contrary, Russia was an agent of civilization, and where Russia alone could and can fill that office.

Russian interests demanded at a time when as Mexico. For just look at its situation. It is nobody could have opposed it. It is a terrible a block of territory which not only possesses all lesson by which they will profit. You are the climates and varieties of soil of the earth, young, and you will live long enough, I am sure, and is capable of producing nearly everything to see Russia rise again. Her latent forces that man either wants or can wish for, but it are too great to be broken by even this ter- lies midway between the North and South rible blow. As for me, I have nothing but American continents-midway, too, between the petty consolation of seeing the great Europe and Asia; extending in its central reKossuth floored. If even last year Russia or gion only five or six hundred miles from the Nicholas had had the courage to make an ap-Atlantic to the Pacific; and having all those peal to the Sclaves of Southern Europe, where now would Austria be with or without her allies?

From the Examiner, 15 Sept.

natural capabilities of connecting the two oceans which the United States have not. Mexico, in short, is the Egypt, and, by the fertility of its soil and its mineral wealth, far more than the Egypt of America.

THE PRESENT STATE OF MEXICO. Mexico; and the danger is, that the world will The world requires, then, the nationality of FOR the fourth time, Santa Anna is reported lose it. Not because, large though its surface to have abdicated power in Mexico; and is, Mexico wants population; for it has nearly though some doubts are expressed as to the eight millions of inhabitants, and England, truth of the report, it is tolerably clear that with fewer people, was a first-rate European "his Highness" has for some time past been State. But numbers do not constitute the drawing near the end of his political life, and main elements of nationality. These are rather that the political condition of Mexico is about to be found in homogeneousness, in force and to undergo another change. spirit of character, in unity of purpose and

On the shores of the Pacific a successful re-object, in a desire for corporate existence, in a sistance to Santa Anna had been long main- love of independence and a resolution to pretained. Vera Cruz, on the opposite coast, had serve it, in a common language. But in all at last pronounced against him; and Yucatan these characteristics of nationality, Mexico is bas, for years past, aimed at separation. The deplorably deficient.

provinces bordering Texas seem also disposed Of its eight millions scarcely one are whites, to follow its example, and set up for themselves more than two are hybrids, and four and a half as independent, preparatory of course to ulte- are Indians. Thus there is a dominant race! rior absorption into the United States; and amounting to only about a seventh of the though American fillibusterism in Lower Cali- whole population; and if we deduct from it fornia, and French designs in Sonora, failed, the usual proportion of females, children, and it is become quite clear that the Government old people, the number of adult and active of the City of Mexico has no power of retain-whites will probably not much exceed 300,000. ing those distant States as members of a cen- Among them have hitherto been divided the tralized republic, should they be disposed to authority of the state, the strength of the army, separate from the other provinces. Getting rid and the wealth of the church. Yet it is a of Santa Anna, and returning to a federal sys-class possessing not a single virtue; corrupt tem of government, may for a while save Mexi- and corruptible, cruel and cowardly-in short, co from disruption and subdivision into a series hopeless. In spite of wealth, considerable of small States, after the melancholy fashion of education, and some social refinement and Central America; but the absence of either a elegance in its upper strata, it has not prohomogeneous population or of an intelligent duced a single man with any pretensions to predominant race, the want of any principle of greatness, with any capacity to create or concohesion and adherence among the various in-solidate a state, or with anything of that athabitants of Mexico, their confusion of tongues, tractive patriotism which arouses enthusiasm the diversity and antagonism of material inter- and public virtue. All belonging to it seem ests arising out of a protective manufacturing born to confound and ruin their country. system, the complete demoralization of the Nor has there been any uniformity of decountry, the remorseless animosities of public sign to compensate for the want of ability or men, and their constant resort to the sword-honesty. They have differed, and do still difall these agencies render it little probable that fer, among themselves as to the form of gov the Republic of Mexico can be kept together, ernment as well as to the men worthy to carry even if we omit from consideration what is sup-it on; and the consequence is, there has been posed (with probably some exaggeration) to be no stability of system or perseverance in any the policy of the Government of Washington. one line of policy. Between a federal and Yet it is for the interest of mankind that a centralized form of republic there has been a considerable State should be preserved, and perpetual game of battledoor and shuttlecock grow strong in the country marked on the map Now there has been a federal constitutional

.

R

B