European Intelligence.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XV, Issue XV, 7 January 1857, Page 3

European Intelligence.

CURRENT EVENTS. The most striking feature of the week's news relates to Russia, the coronation bf whose Emperor fills a large space in the columns of the daily press. Nothing can show more clearly the hold which the pres~s; as a national

institution, has on the sympathies of Englishmen, than the fact that all the London morning papers despatched their representatives to Moscow, m order to transmit to their employers full and ample details of this event. The work, too, in almost every instance, has been capitally executed — full, graphic, and picturesque. In the case o{ the leading London morning journal, the fame which its Crimean correspondent secured before Sebastopol with the army has been fully sustained by the ability which pervades the eleven columns of descriptive matter transmitted to Printing-house-square, and so pleased was the great organ with this noble effort of intellect, that a special leading article was devoted to a becoming eulogy on the writer. In a political point of view the coronation is without significance. We knew beforehand that the young Emperor, like his father, possessed a tall and commanding figure ; that his wife is young, beautiful, and virtuous ; that the Kremlin is a building admirably adapted for the display of the pageantry of which it was the scene ; that the Russian nobles are showy and extravagant; and that all the resources of a great empix-e would be put into requisition to make the occasion impressive. We knew, also, that Alexander the Second was popular with his people, who regard their Czars with a love and homage characteristic of a semi-civilized nation — the representative of the Divine power on earth, and that the coronation was intended to stamp with the fiat of that high authority the compact between the ruler and his subjects. But although all this was known before, we get an insight, through the medium of the London reporters, into the inner life of high Russian society, as it appeared on this occasion, which will afford pleasure to all persons who study with interest the manners and habits of a peculiar nation. The traits of character ! which the coronation evolved place the charac- j ter of Nicholas's successor in a very amiable j point of view. The imperial manifesto, on the ■ occasion of the coronation, confers favours and ' an amnesty for political offences. The Free-trade Congress at Brussels, which met on Monday last, received representatives from nearly all the commercial nations on the globe. England was represented by the Honourable Mr. Cowper, Mr. William Ewart, and Mr. Chadwick ; and, on Thursday last, the Chamber of Commerce of this town, anxious that Liverpool should be specially represented on so interesting an occasion, appointed delegates to proceed to Brussels in the persons of Mr. William Brown, the members for the borough, and other gentlemen — a very proper and praiseworthy act, which would have been more highly appreciated, we doubt not, in the capital of Belgium, if it had taken place a week earlier. To arrive so long after the commencement of the proceedings is not a very seemly act ; but we are glad, nevertheless, that the merchants nominated are the highest in station in the town — men, in that capacity, of world-wide celebrity. It is also pleasing to find that Protectionist Liverpool, which ejected Mr. Cardwell from its representation because of his free-trade sympathies, and sent two members to Parliament to support Lord Derby's government, is now so reconciled to the new order of things, that a whisper of regret for the dead body of Protection is rarely heard. So it has been with all the reforms of past years, so long strenuously opposed by the same political party. Once carried, they have worked so well that nobody thinks of disturbing them. The intelligence from Spain is of a somewhat conciliatory character. The official gazette contains a proclamation which re-establishes the constitution of 1845, with an additional article. Offences in newspapers will be submitted to the decision of a jury. The Cortes are to assemble at least four months out of the twelve, and there is to be a Council of State or Senate. The marriage of the Princes, heirs to the crown, will require the approbation of the Cortes. O'Donnell is said to be in high favour with the Queen, and he seems anxious, by the course he is adopting, to retrieve, if possible, some of the popularity which he sacrificed by the atrocious coup d'etat. The official gazette also contains a circular from the War Minister addressed to the captains-general of provinces, to the effect that the State of siege in which all Spain was placed should be so modified as to permit the return of things as speedily as possible to their old condition. The sale of church property continues with increased activity, and a portion of the National Debt is to be paid off by the first of January next. That O'Donnell is a man of energy is undoubted, and if his rival, Espartero, had had half his "pluck," Spain at the present moment would be in a much happier condition. In Naples, affairs appear to be approaching a climax. Although the city is said to resemble a place besieged, people speak openly in the most contemptuous terms of the government. The infatuated king; undeterred by the past, is said to be on the point of renewing the political trials which were suspended in the course of the summer, and he is not likely to pause before the country is in the blaze of revolt. It appears from recent filterings of news that Bomba's defiant letter to tile remonstrances of England and France had, after he despatched it, frightened even himself, and that he immediately forwarded another, in which he recalled any offensive phrases contained in the first. We are led to conclude, from the tone of one of the letters from Naples, that the allegiance of the army is wavering, iv which case his doom is sealed. An explosion in Naples at the present time might shake more thrones in Europe than are dreamt of in our philosophy. Turning towards home, we find that our countrymen at Portsmouth have been doing honour to the Crimean heroes stationed in that locality. A grand banquet to the soldiers and sailors embodied the patriotism of the great naval arsenal ; and an effort is milking in Ireland, towards which more than £ 1,000 has been subscribed, for a similar compliment to

the soldiers there. The speech-making on these occasions, which appeals to the martial feelings of the nation, appears to us to be a little overdone ; for we have not coirie out of the Russian war in a way to provoke any extraordinary amount of enthusiasm; At the same time; these recognitions of the bravery of our army have in them so rtiucK heart, arid show such an earnestness lot tlie honour and dignity of tlie nation, thai criticism cannot^ afford to be illiberal. The irien, it must be' admitted, did their duty nobly- I—in1 — in a way which would have ddne hondur to any country, and we wish we cduld say as much for the generals who led them:

We see it stated that the Bishop of Fipdn will be promo* d to the see of Durham 1 , arid that the Dean of Carlisle will be the neto Bishop df London: The distribution of these prizes in tile Church will realize the bill joke, that every thing suffers by translation but a bishop. The salaries attached to these sees ought to secure a srore of excellent bishops, and would support them in comfort and affluence, if a seat in the House of Peers, and the. other accompaniments of lordly prelacy, were dispensed with. Lord Palirierston may be pardoned for bearing his friends in mind dn these occasions, for patronage of this kind is amongst the gifts which fortune lays at tlie feet of her favourites. The Ltinddn Times of yesterday points out the difference between the past and the present t — " Nd cdnscieritious man can accept a bishopric now without tile full intention to work hard. If he purposes sparing himself, and thinks he can get off with i a plausible quantity of light work and mere official routine, he is simply acting dishonestly. He receives his appointment on the express understanding that he is undertaking hard work — work which will, to a large extent, interfere with his domestic comfort, which w?ll put him at the command of his clergy for the disposal of his time, and impose on- him the duty of being ready at any moment to listen to any appeal or obey any summons in behalf of the interests of his diocese." We must confess that we like this language. It is such as bishops have seldom been accustomed to hear, and Lord Palmerston cannot do better than to direct the recipients of his favours tor ponder upon and carry out the sound advice' which it contains.

The members of the Sunday National League, who are seeking to obtain the openingof the public museums, libraries, and gardens on Sunday in London and throughout the three kingdoms, had a meeting the other day, when the necessity for innocent recreation and instruction on the Sabbath was ably advocated by the President, Sir Joshua Walmsley. There is so much excellent reasoning in what fell from Sir Joshua on this occasion, that we cannot resist quoting the following : —

So far from wishing to weaken the cause of religion and morality, they were most anxious to strengthen and preserve it, and they were also desirous that all their actions should be tested by that Word to which all denominations of Christians referred. They maintained that innocent recreation on the Sunday was not only compatible but waa in accordance with Scripture, and they courted any discussion which was calculated to elicit the truth. At the same time they eschewed all interference with the religious opinions of others. For his own part he believed that innocent recreation on the Sunday afternoon was not only calculated to sustain and strengthen, but also t6 foster and advance, those social eflbrts without which there would be very little true piety. Of all men tire working man was most interested in maintaining the integrity of the Sabbath, for it was to him a day of joy, consolation, and comfort. He regarded it as the great bulwark against incessant toil, and all that he claimed wes that it should be as free to the poor as to the rich. He simply sought justice and charity, and while desiring to do his own work in his own way, he refused to be coerced into the opinions of others.- In his (Sir J. Walmsley's) opinion, the only effectual mode of improving and advancing the mteresfcs of tho working classes was by sympathy, by kindness, and by the force of good example ; but coercion had and ever would fail in attaining those objects.. They might close the parks and shut up the publi'Q institutions, but by doing so they would open the public houses, and keep the people in ignorance.- They might surround the working man With pains and penalties, bui. such a course, instead of making him wiser, better, and happier, would only introduce and sanction an organized hypocrisy.