GENERAL SUMMARY.

Wellington Independent, 19 January 1860, Page 1 (Supplement)

GENERAL SUMMARY.

(From the Home News, November 18.) The subUaace of the treaty of Zurich, signed at last, but not yet finally ratified, is now known. It maintains the scheme of an Italian Confederation, with | the Pope at its head, and '' reserves the rights of the banished Dukes, just as if nothing had happened all t'ois time in Itajy to show the world that the said ducal rights are great popular wrongs. The next step is to summon a O.>ngre.ss ;>f the European Powers to settle finally the f.itim destiny )f Italy. But it is not at all apparent how this Congress can be brought together. There must be , a common ground of agreemsot as to what are the matters to be submitted to its consideration, whatever differences mij exist as to the m inner in which they s'.iould ha dealt with. But hero there is no such common ground. The Congress, as its objects are intimated in the treaty, proceeds upon the principle of right of intervention of the great powers in the internal government of the wa.iker Powers. But this is a principle which England has cast out of her inter national code, and which France herself has on more occasions than one emphatically disclaimed. England, therefore, cannot be a party to such a Congress, nor ought France. The specific declarations of Lord J. llussell and -g;* Qw*«^-C!ur»ewall Lewis. .jfl'LicirthjsJ.! vj£vf" beyond duuijr; — ttrrg land "will not enter any Congress upon Italian affairs which does not rec>gni?e as a preliminary condition the right of the Italian people to choose their own form of government, and their own governors; and as the proposed Congress is to be convened for the purpose of shaping and carrying out the provisions of a treaty by which that right is ignored, England can have nothing to do with it. The Emperor Napoleon stands no less practically comtnUlcd to the same doctrine, notwithstanding that he has signed the treaty in which it is set aside. He has again and again declared that he will not only not interfere in the internal settlement of Italy, but that he will not allow «my I\.'wer to. interefere; and he affirmed that declaration by receiving at St. Cljud the deputations from the provisional governments of Tuscany^ Mrnlena, and Parma. The line of recognition of popular rights rt was very distinctly marked by his refusal to receive the deputation from Bologua. The question of a Congress may, therefore, lie considered to be iv abeyauce. But the future that looms out of this state of incertitude is dark aud menacing. It cannot be concealed that an uueasy feeling exists on both sides of the channel, although wj receive misty assurances every now and then that the best possible understanding is maintained between the two governments. The signs of the times point to a different conclusion. Spain has declared war against Morocco, notwithstanding that the new Emperor has offered to concede her demands ; a wanton war which has excited much enthusiasm in Madrid, and svhich France is said to have piivately encouraged. It was undei stood that France and England were both using their influence to avert this result ; but it is now said that the policy of France takes the opposite direction. Whoa it is remembered at such a juncture, that there aro large French and English squadrons in the Straits, and that the interests of England are involved in the preservation of peace, it will be seen that the situation is one well calculated to excite anxiety, if not alarm. Alarm undoubtedly prevails both in France and England as to the probability of a rupture between the two countries, difficult as it is to discover any rational cause for it. The imnour and the expectation of such aa issue form the current subject of discussion in the press and in the salons of both countries. The newspapers of Fiance Uem with abuse of England. Invasion is talked about everywhere. It has become, we understand, a common subject of conversation, from which bow m>(s not very complimentary to us, are wrung in the best circles in Paris, not to speak of the cafes, where it has long been fa-niliar. In England it is touched upon with more or less seriousness at every public meeting, and a political speech, or even, indeed, a convivial speech, from which the " defences," and the arming of the country, should be excluded, would be. the play with the hero left out. It is proper, however, to note that Ministers disciedit the likelihood of any difference with Fiance. The tone c'f the Cabinet is that of perfect confidence iv the maintenance of our friendly relations with the French Emperor, aud we hear that the most amicable spirit pervades the correspondence of the two governments. Ministers undoubtedly ought to have, access to the best information, and if they cannot obtain evidence to satisfy them that the preparations said to be going forward in France are really so extensive and menaciug as the newspapers report them to be, we may fairly presume that the statements alluded to are at least exaggerated. But the condition of the public mind in France admits of no question, and the hostility evinced towards England by a press which draws its inspirations direct from the authorities cannot be denied. Even, granting then, that Jjjmis Nupoleon c*. tertuius no

no designs against this country, the seeds of future dissensions are sowing broad-cast over : the land : and, with the best intentions, he may | find it impossible, a few months hencn, to preserve the alliance. This danger is obvious on the suifaee, and it is the duty of Ministers tc guard against it in time. The volunteer movement, which is the work of the people themselves, has lately received considerable encouragement from Government, and is making rapid strides ; a Naval Reserve of 30,000 men is in progress i of being raised : and other active measures of defence are going forward. There certainly never was so favourable a moment for an appeal to the patriotism of all classes, for there never was a moment when the attitude of the people was more (inn, or opinion more united, or when the substantial resources of the kingdom were better abfe to bear a heavy and sudden pressure. There is strength beyond mere armaments in national unity ; but armaments arc necessary also. Pending the Congress, a variety of rumours" reach us from Italy, where gieat agitation has been produced by a letter addressed to Victoir Emmanuel by Louis Napoleon.. Although thaJt. letter could not be considered as an ultimatum, and was abundantly elastic in its, expressions, it brought the affairs of Italy to a crisis which placed the King of Sardinia under the necessity of taking a decisive step of some sort. In this emergency he sent for the two generals, Garibaldi and Fanti. They held a long interview with him ; and after it was over, Garibaldi is reported to have said that the hour for action had arrived, an I thai the Piedmontese Government h.id finally determine I upon the imme^ dUte adoption of a more vigorous policy. A Turin paper confirms this report by assuring its re uleivs that the substance of the King's answer to the Emperor's letter was: — If you are bound My the convention of Villafranca, I am, in like manner, bound by the wishes of my people." If this be so, Italy is preparing to take her liberation into her own hands; and the advance of Garibaldi upon the troops of his Highness, which, single banded, could not hold their ground fora week against him, is one of those st>rtling incidents that every hour's intelligence readers less and less improbable. . One thing is certain, that the people are loosing faith iv the Emperor of the French, and that the Central State.s have resolved to leave the Congress in no doubt as to their wishes. The Assemblies of Modena, Parma, Tuscany, and the Rjinagna, have unanimously elected the Prince de Cardigan Begent of Central Italy, to rule thete provisionally iv the name of his cousin, the King of Sardinia. Considering the position in which Sardinia stands towards France, and the indirect obligations imposed upon her by the treaty of Villafranca it was hardly to be expecfed that Victor Eaimanuel should openly agree to this arrangement; buthe has neither reproved nor set it aside. The Prince received the deputation with marked courtesy, expressed his sympathy iv their objects, regretted that weightypolitical reasons, and the approaching Congress prevented him from accapting the charge they offered him, and concluded by nominating the Chevalier Buoncompigni as the proper person to undertake- the trust. This was cleaily the next thing to taking it himself; and at this moment the Central States, including the Romugna, are under the administration of an authority to all intents and purposes chosen by thbiiiselves. Alarmed, no d «übt, at these spirited demon strations of public feeling, the Pope is beginning to m ike dumb motions, intended to indicate his disposition to introduce reforms into the government. The substance of his projected improvements appear toiconsist in the introduction of a lay element into the Executive, and the formation of a Finance Committee whose members are to be elected by the people. These changes are too contemptible to produce the slightest effect upon the determination of his subjects to free themselves from his yoke; but they^ will be gall and wormwood to his Holiness's supporters in Ireland, because, in<,ignifi cant as they are, they admit the necessity of of reforms of some kind, which the Irish clergy ; and their followers, more papal than the Pope himself, utterly deny.

A negro insurrection at Harper's Ferry, in Virgiuia, turns out to be a very small affair, although it signifies much, and holds out a terrible warning to the South. It was header! by a Captain Brown, or Old, as he was called, a free soil settler in Kansas, wbo maddened by the horrors committed there by the border rufli ins, amongst the rest the butchery of two 01 three of his own sous, had devoted himself to ■ the project of liberating, the negroes by such means as he could command. The experiment tried at Harper's Ferry was remarkable for the extraordinary courage aud constancy under perfectly hopeless circumstances with which it was conducted } and its failure cannot be tcceptcd as a security against future outbreaks. Harper's Ferry is isolated, and the few slaves it contains are thinly scattered over the soil. Had Drown set up his standard in any of the rich and crowded cotton plantations, the consequences must have been terrible. The moral is highly impressive, and it is heightened by (he demeanour of Brown in the hands of his captors. The calm tone of superiority he maintained over them was very striking, and will do more for abolition even than the revolt itself. He has been summarily tried for treason, found guiltj', and cast for execution. The intelligence we receive from the United States respecting the San Juan affair is not satisfactory. The President is said to have answered Lord John Russell's despatch in a tone which implies the determination of America to assert her right to the island. Some of the American papers speak of hostilities as being- unavoidable ; but, in the absence of any information from our own Go.-ernment, it is idle to hazard speculations. Our domestic news does not present any very striking featares of importance. Cabinet Councils have been unusually freque! t of lute; acircurastauce from which a vaiiety of auguries are drawn. Pailiament has been prorogued till the middle of December. There is no longer any doubt that a joint expedition to China is to go forward without delay. We are taking the necessary measures for organising the requisite force, and the prepaia--11 jns in France are already far advanced. It is understood that 8,000 troops, to be followed by reinforcements will be ready to start about the middle of next month. i A great banquet was given recently to Loi\l Derby and the principal members of the late. Government, at which China, Italy, and France, and barely the Mediterranean, were slightly touched upon, while the relative position of the two great parties, the Whigs in, and the Tories out, occupied nearly the whole attention of one of the largest political gatherings we have re cently witnessed. The little apparent head that is given to dangers from abroad may be illustrated by the recmtimencQment of the Reform agitation in the North. \Vhilc all the rjst of Europe is tl.i iking about a possible coutiueutal

war, and watching the telegrams frpm Ltfl hour with profound interest, we Englisfl philosophically minding 1 our own busin«| home, and looking after the readjustment fl representation. - H The Great Eastern, during the 25lhH 26ih of October, was most sharply tested* 1 ad to weather as heavy a gale as has ■[ into the harbour nf Holyhead for years pasH the whole she stood the test well, bat afl time it appeared all but certaia that she 9 be completely wrecked. After this Dccuß it was determined to bring her round to SB ami/ton. She left Holyhead on NoverabeH and arrived at Southampton NoveraberH The trip was a very successful one. It wfl excellent trial for the ship, and she belß admirably throughout the passage, not a s ! rope having given way. She did not pu her power until reaching the I/zar'd, about on the 3rd, when both her engines were at and shi was under fore and aft canvas: ! the Lizard to Portland Bay she averag spesd of 13£ knots per hour, while in a Hours' run betwee^ the Ertdystone aujj Start, the speed attained was nearly, 16 per hour, as attested by several logs a time. There was a heavy ground swell, in sequence of which the G reat Eastern jrl heavily. With regard to the consumntibl fuel, not the least doubt now exists "thai Great Eastern, full ste imiug power, .vilJ q>iire at least 300 tons a day, and for ul steaming under sail, 230. The last is, on! whole, rather too low an estimate $ and the supply required was more likely rather to ceed than fall short of the first named quai The big ship was thrown open to the publi< the 7th, but visitors had not been very nu Oils. The builders' strike rnaj be considered 1 at an end ; the men, finding a struggle h less, have withdrawn the nine hour? deman and terminated the contest on the orij; grounds, but they still resist the dedlara They are already to go to work as they been before the strike, but will not sign pledge for the future. The masters ate likely to relinquish the advantage they ll secured; and irresolution may, thereforej some extent, be looked for in this trade. Wl men in large numbers have been already broil over from the continent. ' I