TREASONABLE CONDUCT OF THE IONIAN ASSEMBLY.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume XII, Issue 1286, 28 November 1857, Page 4

TREASONABLE CONDUCT OF THE IONIAN ASSEMBLY.

[From the Daily News ] Letters anti papers from Corfu bring disagreeable intelligence. It was to be expected that tbe occurrence of the mutiny in Bengal would give heart of grace to al) the enemies of England throughout Europe to exert themselves to add to her temporary embarrassment. And among the enemies of England in Europe there are none more inveterate and unscrupulous than the agents of the Greek priesthood and Russian provocative emissaries, with their machinery of secret socities, in the lonian Islands. During the late war their faction mustered so strong io the lonian Parliament that Sir Henry Ward was compelled to prorogue it before the answer to tbe speech with which he opened the session was publicly given ; because that answer contained a paragraph expressive of sympathy with Russia and the machinations of the Greek Government Io excite rebellion in Turkey. Since the arrival of the recent news from India, tbe leaders of this faction flatter themselves that the power of England is al an end, and that tbe time has come when they may strike a deadly blow at her. This impression hasled to a most extraordinary explosion in the lonian Parliament. On tbe 2nd of July (20tb June, 0.5.) Signor Dandolo rose and stated that a petition was in circulation, tbe prayer of which was to make Corfu an English colony. It is now admitted, even by Signor Dandolo and his accomplices, that the statement was utterly devoid of foundation. Nay, more, it is certain that neither Signor Dandolo nor any other member of the Assembly ever believed in the existence of such a petition. The story of its circulation was simply an invention, for the purpose of affording a pretext for the melo-dramatic interruption of the public business to which Signor Daudolo's statement gave rise. No sooner had Signor Dandolo told his “ wonderful story,” than the President of the Assembly rose to express his indignation at the idea of merging the nationality of the Hellenic in an alien race. He was followed in turn by those who are called the ‘‘Government members/’ the most violent in their declamation being those who actually held office. Signor Padovan, the head of the department of public instruction said : “ With regard to the base creatures who are making themselves busy in this way, I assure them that should they venture to show themselves in the parts of the island where I have influence, they will there find their graves, for tire grave is the proper place (literally, ought to cover) such abominable wretches.” Signor Lombardo exclaimed —“No Corfuote has, I am sure, the most distant wish to see Corfu become an English colony, and there is no one in the other islands who is not horror-struck by such an idea (many voices repeat, there is no one). Not only is every lonian ready to make use of every means in his power to defeat any such petition, but he is at the same time willing to sign, with a pen dipped in his own blood, that union with Greece is our sole wish and desire." “ The President,” so runs the proces verbal, “ here rose, and with him all the members of the house, crying with enthusiasm —‘ Yes.' " “ Let us,” continued Signor Lombardo, “ prove to the foreigner what we have already proved, that what we desire above everything is to get rid of his protection.” The result of this pronunciamento was thus summed up by Signor Lombardo: “Wo have to-day voted unanimously our national resurrection. Thanks tn you, Mr. President ; you were the first to rice and vote for it. Thanks to you, Cefalonites, you hava been among the first to declare that yen subscribe with your blood the union with Greece. Who dares say now that the foreigner can find any support in these islands? With enthusiasm and unanimity we have voted, tha national resurrection. Henceforward, therefore, it is only by force that the present political system can be kept up. As evidence of the fact, order that the proces verbal of to-day be printed and published forthwith.” Accordingly, the prods verbal— signed by the President and by the two Secretaries (one of whom is the nominee of the Assembly, the other of the Lord High Commissioner) —was immediately printed and circulated. Hundreds of copies were sent off by the first post to the ether islands, Greece, and the whole Levant. Next day a committee assembled to go through the form of taking evidence as to the existence of tbe pretended petition. The inquiry, of course, ended in finding not the slighted trace of its existence. Signor Lombardo thereupon declared that on tbe 7tb be would make a motion on the subject. On the 6tb, however, lie intimated that tbe Corfu members were satisfied that enough had been done, and that he did no: think it necessary to proceed further in tbe matter. Signor Lombardo and his friends therefore give up the story of the petition as a myth. They do not, however, recal or contradict that incendiary prods verbal which they have disseminated through tbe whole of the Levant. In that proces verbal— a repriut of which no.v lies upon our table, and an abstract of which will be found in this day’s paper —Signer Padovan is stated to have exclaimed exultingly, “ To-day we have begun the solution of the Eastern Question, on which the future of tbo East depends.” The plain English of this is that the lonian Assembly, under false pretencec, has issued a manifesto to the whole of the Levant, calling upon tbe Greeks to assist in the annexation of tbe lonian Islands to the kingdom of Greece, in order that from the combined territory a permanent propaganda for the wresting of Albania and Bulgaria from the Porte may be curried on. Tbe lonian Assembly, under the false impression that England's whole power will be absorbed in the Indian struggle, undertakes to accomplish what Russia has failed in attempting. The lonian Assembly has made itcelf a focus of Eastern agitation, with a view to subvert the power and thwart the policy of England. This insurrectionary effort, when we contrast the power of England and of the lonian Islands, is in itself ludicrous enough. But the malice is not tbe less because the power is insignificant , and tbe ingratitude in seizing the moment when England appears to be embarrassed is monstrous. What in these circumstances has been the conduct of tlie Lord High Commissioner—of the ' representative ol the English Crown ? Although the ring-leaders in the lulse, spiteful, and calumnious denunciation of England were officials uomiuated by himself, holding their otlices at his pleasure, he has not removed one of them. The greater part of the calumniators—among them tbe Minister of Public Instruction—dined at the Governors table, by special invitation, the day

after their indecent and incendiary demonstration. The only inference that can be drawn from this unaccountable conduct on the part of Sir John Young is, that he is both indolent and incapable.