FOREIGN NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 70, 8 May 1852, Page 2

FOREIGN NEWS.

FRANCE. We resume our extracts from the Sydney papers relating to the late revolution. On the 4th December a slaughterous conflict, or rather succession of conflicts, took place in the streets of Paris between .the military and insurgent populace, of which some idea will be formed from the following extracts from a private letter, and the Commander-in-Chief's report. EXTRACT FROM A SURGEON'S LETTER, DATED PARIS, DEC. 5. " I cannot now give you much account of the awful scenes that happened here yesterday. I narrowly escaped being shot in the street, as many were; and having entered my hotel on the Boulevards, which were filled with thousands of troops, a sudden discharge of musketry

took place along the whole line—volley after volley; not a house, scarcely a window, was spared, whether containing combatants or not. Before I could rush from my room, musket balls entered by the window, from which I had retreated but a step ox two. In another room was a Russian family; the brother, a fine young man, and his sister were both struck by balls while hastening from the room with their mother. The lady had her hand shattered, the brother was shot in the chest. I have seldom felt a more intense pleasure in my profession than in being able to give immediate assistance to these poor persons, for which otherwise they must have waited many hours. They displayed a beautiful and generous devotion, each begging me to attend first to the other. There is a house opposite ours that is breached by cannon shot fired into it at a few feet distance. The loss of life, which will never be published, must have been awful. With characteristic peculiarity, after the troops had performed their unworthy task, the military surgeons, at night, went from house to house to see after the wounded. One of them told me he had jus) seen 60 dead and 80 wounded in our immediate neighbourhood. The greater part of the injured are non-combatants, suddenly surprised in the streets or struck down, unsuspecting danger in their own homes. Such scenes—fit enough perhaps for the storming of an Arab town—with an indiscriminate attack on unresisting houses, were never before known, even in Paris."

The Commander-in-Chief of the army in Paris, on the 9th Dec, addressed an official account of the insurrectionary conflict of the 4th, to the Minister of War, extracts of which we give:— "Monsieur le Ministre.—l have already had the honour to address you a summary report on the events of the 3rd and 4th instant, and to render to you an account of the results obtained from the arrangements made in anticipation of those events. Now that the partial reports of the generals commanding divisions under my orders have reached me, I hasten to send you the details which complete my former reports. On the morning of the 3rd, numerous and threatening assemblages took place on different points, and the various corps of the army of Paris marched to take tip their position for. combat. General Marulaz, who, with his brigade, occupied the Place dela Bastile, on being informed that a barricade had been raised at the corners of the Rue dv Faubourg St. Antoine, and the Rues de Cotte and Ste^ Marguerite, sent to that spot three companies of the 19th light infantry, under the orders of Commandant Pujol, and supported the movement by advancing himsejf at double quick time at the head of a battalion of the 44th into the Rue de Charonne, so as to advance on the barricade by the Rue de Cotte. The assemblage, at the head of which were three Montagnard representatives, seeing the troops advancing, fired, and mortally wounded a soldier of the 44th, named Sirlan. Tbe first platoon returned tbe fire, and the representative Baudin was killed on the barricade. In the afternoon General Herbillon, who had taken up a position on the place de l'Hotel de Ville, being informed that barricades were being raised "in the Rues de Temple, Rambuteau, Beaubourg, &c, marched immediately to the spot at the head of a column formed of the 9th batallion of Foot Chasseurs and a piece of artillery, and overthrew all the obstacles which he met with on his passage, whilst a batallion of the 6th Light Infantry destroyed in the Rue dv Temple the barricades which had been commenced. In the evening fresh barricades having been raised in the Rue Beabourg, Colonel Chapius, of tbe 3rd regiment of the line, taking with him a batallion of his regiment and a company of .engineers, again went through that quarter, where he was received with a very warm fire, which did not, however, stop the advance of his column. All the obstacles were carried, and those who defended them were shot. Assemblages which were formed in other quarters were dispersed by the energy and the attitude of the troops. Seeing that the day was passing in insignificant skirmishes, and without any decisive result, and suspecting that the intention of the chiefs of the rioters was to fatigue the iroops by carrying the agitation in succession into different quarters, I resolved to leave the insurrection forsome time to itself, in order to give it the facility of choosing its ground, of establishing itself, and, in short, of forming a compact mass against which I could act. For this purpose I with-

drew all the small posts, ordered the troops back to their barracks, and waited. On the mornhioof the fourth the reports of the Prefect of Police and my own reconnaissances made me aware that several assemblages were formed in the Quartiers St. Antoiue, St. Denis, and St. Martin, and that they were beginning to raise barricades there. The insurrection had its focus in the streets comprised between the Boulevards and the Rues dv Temple, Rambuteau, and Montmartre. At noon I learned that the barricades were becoming formidable, and tpjl the insurgents Were entrenching themselves"fbut I had decided on not attacking before two o'clock and, firm in my resolution, I did dot hasten the' movement, notwithstanding all the entreaties . that were made to me to the contrary. I knew the ardour of my troops, and their impatience for the combat, ami I was sure of overpowering the insurrection in two hours, if it would accept the conflict. Success justified my belief. * * The barricades attacked in the first instance by artillery, were carried at the point of the bayonet. All that part of the town between the Faubourgs St. Antoine and St. Martin, the Pointe St. Eustache and the Hotel de Ville, was covered in every sense by our infantry columns ; the barricades were carried and destroyed, and the insurgents dispersed or killed. The crowds, who endeavoured to form themselves again on the Boulevards,, were charged r by the Cavalry of General Reibell, who sustained a sharp fire at the top of the Rue Montmartre. Attacked on all sides at the same time, disconcerted by the irresistable ardour of our troops, and by that ensemble of arrangements, enveloping as in a net work of iron the whole quarter where they had waited for us, the insurgents no longer dared to undertake anything serious. Thus the attack, which had com" menced at two o'clock in the afternoon, was terminated at five. The insurrection was vanquished on the ground which it had chosen. Colonel Courant, of the 19th of tbe line, who with his regiment occupied the Palais National, learning that a considerable number of insurgents, who had been driven from the Carre S* Martin, had rallied on the Place dcs Victoires, '* and threatened the Bank of France and ..the neighbouring quarters, proceeded thithe&at double quick time with his regiment, carried the barricades in the Rues Pagevin and dcs Fosses Montmartre, and then returned and established himself at the Bank, whence he could maintain tbe tranquillity of the quarters of the Bank and the Bourse. I should never finish were I to begin to mention particular names, but I cannot, however, refrain from doing justice to the energetic skill with which Captain de la Roche d'Oisy, commandant of the fourth company of the Ist batalion of the Gendarmerie Mobile, protected through the whole period of the insurrection the national printing-office, which was constantly surrounded by threatening groups. Several barricades were constructed iv the neighbouring streets, for the purpose of cutting off communication with that establishment. Lieut. Fabre of that company, at the head of 25 men, carried the stronger of these barricades, formed of overturned diligences, barrels, and pieces of wood, and, tbe others being successively destroyed, the circulation was kept open by means of frequent patrols. * * * The next day, Dec. 5, I determined to make a display of all the army of Paris to the population, intending by that demonstration to reassure the good, and intimidate the evil-disposed. I gave orders that the brigades of infantry, with their artillery, and their companies of engineers, should proceed through the city in moveable columns, to march on the insurgents' wherever they should show themselves, and to destroy all the obstacles which might impede the circulation. * * * From that moment tranquillis* was no more troubled in Paris, and the circnla-^ tion was fully re-established on every^point. The army returned to its quarters ; and. the next day, the 6th, Paris, no longer beholding in the streets that unusual display of troops, was restored to its activity, movement, and ll$:. of every day. 1 know not how, Monsieur le Ministre, to i-mder to the troops who fought on these two days all the justice which is due to them for the firmness, spirit, and discipline which they constantly displayed. Officers and soldiers, they all comprehended what the country and society expected from them at that solemn "moment, and all nobly did their duty. I have in particular to praise the energetic co-operation of tbe general officers under my orders. All followed my instructions with an intelligence and devotedness which penetrate me with the liveliest grati-

tude ; everywhere they showed to the troops the way which they so nobly followed. Unfortunately, operations so complicated could not be executed without sensible loss. We had in these two days 25 men killed, of whom one was an officer, and 184 wounded, of whom 17 were officers, of this number was Colonel Quilico, of the 72nd regiment of the line, who had his arm transpierced by a ball, at the same time as Lieut. Colonel M. Loubeau fell at his side mortally wounded. The whole army joined in the regret which the loss of this superior officer of the greatly distinction, caused in the 72nd. The numerical sinallness of our loss, compared to that of the insurgents, is owing to the energy with which all the obstacles were attacked by >- our men, and the determination with which the insurrection was put down. In two hours of combat the army obtained the result which it desired: it worthily justified the confidence of the President of the Republic, and it must feel satisfied that it has nobly aided in saving society iv France and perhaps in Europe. Magnan, Commander-in-Chief. It is a fact, not without its significance, that the .higher orders of the clergy have ordered their subordinates to use their influence in belndf of, and to vote for, Louis Napoleon: the Bishop of Chartres has set the example, and the Bishop of Chalons has written a letter of adhesion to the declaration of the Bishop of Chartres, 1 giving as a reason that " God is with the President !" The Bishop of Le Mans also recommends his clergy to give their active support to the prolongation of the powers of tbe President. The following is the circular of the Bishop of Chartres: - - " Chartres, December 12, 1851. " Monsieur le Cure, —Understand fully the counsel communicated in this letter. I beg you earnestly to conform to it. The 20th or 21st of the present month the French people are to decide whether Louis Bonaparte shall be for ten years President of our country. Yes, or No, inscribed on tickets by all the citizens, decides the question, whose consequences are infinite. Influenced by your own views, and still more by love of country of which Jesus Christ has given you the example, you will, I doubt not, si ( ";n Yes. Providence gives us at. this moment omy this means of safety. It is evident that if Bonaparte be rejected, France has no one to put in his place. The people, deceived by intrigues and false suggestions, might make a detestable choice, which would plunge our country into new and unparalled calamities. We have escaped the 2nd of May, 1852, which was opening for France a frightful abyss. It would be madness to bring back this chance of ruin and of death. All that we have learned for days past of the abominations, the horrors, and the most savage excesses that have just taken place, are but the specimen, or the anticipated sketch, of the monstrous crimes that would be perpetrated on a larger scale, and throughout all France, if God had permitted the triumph of Socialism. You will feel, M. le Cure, the irresistible force of these reflections, which must strike every thinking man, and in which, I believe, all will hasten to agree. " I have the honour to be, &c. " f CL. HIP., Bishop of Chartres." It is officially notified that the capital "must be absolutely cleared of all the impure and dangerous elements, upon which the energy of the government can be brought to bear." A regular fleet is in readiness to transport those whom the police denounce as agitators of society ! Convict establishments are to be formed at Cayenne (S. America) and Algiers, to which the political offenders are to be sent. The Government plainly distrusts the middle classes, and it is by degrees depriving them of political power, dissolving the National , "tjfuards, both in Paris and the provinces, with indecent rapidity. The new system of finance proposed by the President, will press with peculiar severity upon the middle and monied classes, under the pretence of lightening the M|i;dens of the masses, as if measures, which \vilTin their operation, drive away capital and "trade, could really benefit the population generally. General Cavaignac has been liberated against his will, having been literally thrust out of prison by his gaolers. During the voting for the President, the bishops and the clergy generally went to the poll in a body, displaying most ostentatiously their tickets with oui written upon them, thus giving Louis Napoleon the full weight of their influence.

The Pope has addressed a letter to his Nuncio in Paris, in which he expresses his entire approbation of the acts of Louis Napoleon, which he says " have saved society and religion !" All the Foreign Ambassadors in Paris have presented themselves at Louis Napoleon's levees, except the American Minister, who waits for instructions from his Government. The Russian Minister did not wait until the usual reception day, but went at once, and stated "he was sure the coup d'etat would delight the Czar !" The loss of life in the late revolution in Paris and the departments, is not less than 2,000! It appears that the insurgents were killed by thousands, while on the side of the troops only twenty-five fell. It is evident that there was no real resistance on tbe part of the insurgents. It is now known, in point of fact, that only one barricade made any real defence. Behind it were about two hundred men, out of which number the bodies of one hundred and twenty were found on the barracade after it was taken by assault. If the rest of the insurgents had fought in the same manner, certainly the number of deaths among the troops would have been very different. The barricade in question was defended by one of those formidable revolutionary bodies which still go by the name of " sections," and which, in fact, constitute secret societies. The members of the section which defended the barricade of the Port St. Denis had broken through the mot d'ordre given by their leaders, which was to the effect that they should make barricades, but defend none. The consequence was, that they were completely destroyed, and it was there that the greatest number of troops were killed ; but as regards the other barricades they were scarcely defended. Thiers is at Brussels, and the King of Belgium refuses to expel him from his territory, though required to do so by Louis Napoleon. The papers give 7,400,000 affirmative, and 700,000 negative votes, as the result of the election up till eight o'clock p.m. on December 27th. GERMANY. Tbe Germanic Diet, on the proposal of Austria and Prussia, have addressed a note to the English Government respecting the countenance given in England to political refugees. The Emperor of Austria did not refuse an audience to the Earl of Westmoreland, the English Ambassador, but intimated through Prince Schwartzenburg, the desirableness of postponing his reception until some satisfactory explanations could be received from London, respecting Lord Palmerston's observations to the deputation from Islington. AMERICA AND CALIFORNIA. We {Sydney Empire, 30th March), have received journals from New York, to the 20th December, and from St. Francisco, to the 30th January. The reports of the continued ovation of Kossuth entirely fill four pages of the New York Herald. He had made about fifty speeches, and had received at least 25,000 dollars in aid of the cause of Hungary. He had been presented with a Bible and a magnificent sword, and had been publicly addressed by all orders and professions of society. On the 16th December there was a grand military display at Castle Garden, the entire of the Ist Division of the.New York Militia, numbering four brigades, consisting of twelve regiments, being present to do honour to the "Nation's Guest." He was introduced by Major-General Sandford in these words —Gentlemen of tbe First Division of the State of New York, I introduce to you General Kossuth, Governor of Hungary." It is remarked that the clergy and ladies were most enthusiastic in the gifted Magyar's cause. The intelligence from France had come upon him with a very visible effect, and it was not unlikely that he'would leave early for Europe. Mr. Clay was seriously ill. California papers bring our intelligence from that country down to the 30th of January. All kind's of business appeared to be in a prosperous state, except that mining operations were somewhat retarded from want of rain. It was very confidently rumoured that a revolution had'broken out among tbe Mormons, but the only precise intelligence upon this point we have given below, together with several other items of news. Disturbances among the miners, arising out of disputed claims, were becoming more fre-

quent, and had in several instances resulted in murder. The correspondent of the Alia California states that the miners at the San Joaquin are at work mostly on the large creeks which abound in this vicinity, upon which at present there is a plentiful supply of water. Those who are working long toms are making from five to eight dollars per day, with now and then a good strike. Several skirmishes had taken place with the Indians to the southward, attended with considerable loss of life, but there was some appearance of a restoration of peace. Immigration to California was still on the increase—within twenty-four hours no fewer than 1000 persons arrived at Sacramento from San Francisco. The Mormons at San Bernardino.—The subjoined interesting notice of the settlement at San Bernardino will be read with interest :— "In a conversation with two gentlemen of this city, just returned from the North, we learn the following very interesting particulars relative to the Mormon settlement at San Bernardino. The settlement is composed of 5000 souls, divided into 500 families. Over 100 ploughs are in operation, designed to break up 1800 acres. The Mormons have erected a protection against the Indians, a stockade, which encloses an area of ten acres in extent. The Valley at San Bernardino is represented as well watered by living streams of water, and is as productive as could be desired by the most enthusiastic cultivator. Wood is found in great abundance, and the mountain sides are covered with a luxuriant growth of pine timber. Sawmills are in process of erection, and we confidently anticipate seeing a respectable sized city in this beautiful valley in the course of the next two years. However objectionable to some of our citizens the peculiar tenets of the Mormon religion may be found, yet all must admire the patience and untiring energy exhibited by these people, in the prosecution of the vast undertaking they have essayed. We welcome their appearance among us, and bid them God speed in their efforts to develop the great agricultural resources of our country." Later from Oregon.-^Rumoured Revolution Among the Mormons. —The " Columbia" arrived at one o'clock to-day from Astoria bringing us nearly three weeks' later intelligence from Oregon. We give the following rumour, published in the Oregonian, for what it is worth. " Revolution—Utah.—We learn by the mail carrier from the Dalls, that news has reached that place from the Great Salt Lake, of a revolution. It is said the Mormons were arming and fortifying themselves, and had published a Declaration of Independence, in which they ■asserted their full determination to set up a republic for themselves." The editor of the Weekly Times, published at Portland had conversed with a gentleman who had just arrived from Salt Lake. He says that affairs there present a threatening aspect. The people are nearly in a state of outlawry, and freely declare their hatred of the General Government. At the same time they are preparing to resist all authority from without by fortifying their settlement. The United States 'Territorial officers have all left.