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T*o. 453. Novembeb 27, 1868.1 T H E !L I...
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ANGLO-FRENCH CONSPIRACY IN CENTRAL AMERI...
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LIFE ASSURANCE IN INDIA. Of the many Ind...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Trial And Sentence Of M. De Montalejvi B...
restored Empire . His real offence Is not that lie has praised English freedom , or shed burning tears over the cenotaph of French liberty , or muttered half-ina , rticulate prayers to its invisible spirit ; Jus true crime was committed on the day when he repudiated all official connexion with the imperial administration , under which lie had consented to act as a senator during the first year of its existence . He renounced that position , in spite 61 earnest remonstrance , when the private property of the house of Orleans was confiscated . / The offence has never been forgiven or forgotten , and it is nowavenged . What will Lords Clarendon and Palmers ston now say of their august and enlightened friend ? How will they acquit themselves in the judgment of Eno-land for their recent closetings and confidential to
conferences with him ? Will they venture say that they counselled him , not to proceed with the trial ; and that they are now begging of him to remit the penalty ? It may be so , but they are entitled to credit and consideration for neither ; and Louis Napoleon cannot be such a fool as to be swayed in the desperate course he has entered on by advisers whom he has so recently found incapable of estimating rightly the sentiments of their own country and le g islature . For their own sakes , Lords Clarendon and Palmerston \ yould be only too glad to get rid of the popular " odium that will attach to all for many a day who are suspected of having been the confidants of M . de Montaiembert ' s persecutor . But they will not be able to save themselves so easily by throwing overboard their imperial friend aud patron .
T*O. 453. Novembeb 27, 1868.1 T H E !L I...
T * o . 453 . Novembeb 27 , 1868 . 1 T H E ! L IE APJE ft . 1289
Anglo-French Conspiracy In Central Ameri...
ANGLO-FRENCH CONSPIRACY IN CENTRAL AMERICA . Without further explanation , ample and substantial , the recal of Lord Napier is an event which must be viewed without distrust ; and since , until the meeting of Parliament , we arc not likely to have any explanation , the course of events must be watched with an eye to the apparent tendencies of the removement . It is made at a time when , according to report , some other movements are made that certainly the public opinion of this country would not altogether sanction . President Buchanan lias lately shown the sincerity of his government in reference to Central America by liis proclamation against General Walker , the so-called President of some Central American
republic . It seems very doubtful whether Walker can rally more than a minority of any state which Jic may enter with his adventurers , though in that respect it is probable that lie is not worse off than many popular leaders in the same disordered and melodramatic quarter . The constitution of the United States is unfavourable to enforcing a very strict control over any persons who may be seeking to leave the frontiers with somewhat irregular intention . The several states arc each sovereign within their own limits , and seldom take cognisance t ) f foreign affairs , except in the indulgence of some
local caprice . If South Carolina or Florida took aiiy exception to Walker ' s proceedings , either the state Government might interfere , or more probably the people wouldshowsuchpractical discouragement of the adventurer that he would find it convenient to leave the place , On the other hand , irresponsible with reference to foreign connexions , South Carolina or Florida may decline to take any notice of Mr . Walker ' s proceedings ,. may abstain from withholding any conveniences that he requires in the way of shipping , and may , without any formal public step , afford him the requisite number of volunteors to mlly under his fluff . When the federal
uovernment interposes , therefore , it sometimes , by the very constitution of the country , is impeded either by local indifference , or by local oppugnanco , la tho present state of the union , the South is wont to regard any interference from the North , or from the central district ., as an encroachment upon the interests not less than the authority of the South . Mr . Buchanan might at this time bo supposed willing 1 to conciliate the general support of the entire Union as the first half of his term has expired , aud already speculations aro rifo with regard to the next presidential election . Ncvcrthe less , disregarding personal motives , which , we must confoss , low-English Ministers would disregardkeoping in view the polioy which tho Union has inherited from its ablest statesmen since tho time of Jeffersou--looklng forward to tho maintenance of that position which America's best sous have ohalkod put for them in tho future , Mr . Buchanan has taken the decisive oouroo , pf proclaiming Walker ,
It is true that other questions . Clayton-Bulwer Treaty can scarcely be said to have been so completely buried but what some questions may arise , even as to its vitality , much more as to the actual position in which the United Kingdom and the United States are left , should the treaty hav e been practically abrogated . It will be remembered that the treaty refers to the neutrality of the passage across the isthmus , and to the actual de facto sovereignty , over certain territories within the bounds of the Central American States . There could be no difficulty in settling either of those
remainThe in so far as he is presumptive President of some foreign State , to be an alien to the United States with orders that any irregular musterings for foreign expeditions shall be checked by requiring that all persons proceeding from the ports of the United States for Nicaragua or Costa Rica shall only be permitted to depart on showing the proper passports . We have been at the pains to recal these circumstances to the reader , because they sufficiently define the position of Mr . Buchanan .
questions , if it were referred to the public of this country ; each being determined by such plain matters of common sense and fact , with reference to the local authorities and the geography of the parts , that the people of the United Kingdom could determine the question as well as any authority iu the world . But it is not referred to them . ^ . Lord Napier attained to his present position by the zeal aud ability with which he lias served the public interests of this country . It has been said , months past , before even the present Ministry came into power , that Lord Napier could not accommodate himself to the shifting councils which
prevail in Downing-street , and could not disguise the fact that lie agreed with many of the representations made by the American Government on some points ; considering those representations , and the action taken upon them , sufficient for justice * for public , law , aiid for the interests of England . It is undoubtedly t he fact that Lord Napier is popular in the Union , and that he commands a complete respect on the part of the Government at Wash ington . It is under these circumstances that , veiled as the matter may be under some form of " promotion" or other , Lord Napier is removed from that part of the world precisely where lie would be most useful to his own country , and carried away to some other place .
By whom is he to be succeeded ? By the present Lord Lyons , who has at this , moment obtained his title by inheritance ? Far be it from , us to say a word iu disparagement of the Admiral just departed , who was one of the most distinguished men of his time ; but no one will deny that amongst the traits of his character was a very strong disposition to side with the ascendant party in this country , and to follow very eagerly in the footsteps of the late Government , whose hostility to the United States more than-ouce perilled the interests of this commercial nation . The present Lord Lyons is unknown to the public excepting , as a man of remarkable ability , partaking many of his father ' s characteristics , and distinguished by much personal success in that
service which is not generally considered to be inspired by the usual political feelings of the country —the diplomatic . Undoubtedly he is a very able diplomatist , mid if ho had been sent to Berlin he would probably have turned out a diplomat-statesman of that colour which would be peculiarly suited to the meridian of the Prussian capital—not too liberal to be of actual scrvico in the complicated state of parlies there . But it is Lord Lyons who is sent to meshiugtou , whore an ordinary , diplomat is not of much value ; and it is Lord Napier , the statesman who thoroughly understands American affairs , and has proved himself in more than ordinary sympathy with tho feeling of this country , who is soiu ) to JfJcrliu , whoro , pcrlmps , his peculiar temperament ; and abilities may be less valued . Such is very apt to be tho distribution of tho country ' s representatives under our present system !
While there are these incomprehensible sun lings of our Representative at Washington , thore arc very ugly reports ( hat Lord Malaicabury has entered into some kind of alliance , at present perfectly unexplained , witli the Government of the Emperor Napoleon on the subject of Central America . Fur be it frpm us to prejudge the course , takou by Lord Dorby ' s Ministry in that part of tho world ; it may bo the best Unit could oo adopted . It will not , however , bo considered that France is tho ohampion of national independence , seeing that within the memory of man she has made attempts to encroach upon , tho iudv ^ endenco of Belgium , has threatened
Switzerland , maintains a force in Rome to the detriment of Italian independence , and has extorted a concession from Portugal ; pur old ally remaining undefended by our Government . It is said , indeed , that this misprision of treason on the part of our Government is the price of French support in Central America ; but there is another ugly circumstance which * makes us doubt whether we are not about to be diplomatically jockeyed by our Imperial ally . In Central America , lately , has been figuring a gentleman who is a sort of French Walker , a M . Belly . We have called him a French Walker , bearing in mind the peculiar aspect of a
certain class of French adventurers at the present moment—men who unite to the reckless lawlessness of a Walker all the qualities of the lowest class of stock-jobbers and share-jobbers . This M . Belly , whose trading connexions in Central America appear to be peculiar , has entered into some compact alliance with parties in Costa Rica , and has figured before the world as the chief promoter of certain allied movements with the officers of Central American Governments as the mere countersigners of his autocratic decrees . The report of a new alliance between France and England , for some special proceeding in Central America , is contemporaneous with another report that the Emperor ' Government is decidedly supporting the movement of M . Belly in . Central America , just as
it did the movement of M . Rouxel hi Mozambique , and we suspect with about as much equity . It would be onl y just if unreserved aria practical explanation were given . tti the public on this subject . The Government may be right , but the worst of it is , that in such cases the mischief is all done— - the . influence of this country is diverted to bad uses , the Government is plunged into hostilities for which the people have to pay , ducks and drakes are made with commercial property— -before the public could interfere ; -although if we knew the circumstances beforehand , public opinion would be quite sufficient to arrest the proceedings of our stray officials . Here in Central America we have too much reason to suspect that serious mischief is brewing , and the public ought to know what the Government is about .
Life Assurance In India. Of The Many Ind...
LIFE ASSURANCE IN INDIA . Of the many Indian topics which have recently engaged public attention , not the least important , in a social and prudential point of view , is the manner in which the revolt has affected the Provident Funds of the Indian army and the Life Assurance institutions transacting business in our ^ Eastern possessions . At the meeting of the Medical Invalid and General Life Assurance Society— -a body which , under the auspices of the most distinguisued statistical and actuarial talent , has attained a highly respectable position in the United Kingdom—a point was raised , not merely of peculiar interest to life assurance offices , but we may even say of national importance , in so far as it affects the very numerous body of Anglo-Indians who , in one shape or other , are interested in life assurance . This important class was for generations one of those practically excluded from the benefits of assurance , a fprm of providence of which it would bo superfluous for us to enter into the advantages as concerns intortropical residents . How to extend these benefits to them on any comprehensive scale was a problem long deemed * by many difficult , and by not a few , impossible . Its solution was reserved
for the society of which , wq speak ; whose operations had attained important breadth and exhibited considerable profits both to proprietors and to policyholders , when the disastrous revolt in India put extension of business and division of profits tor tho present out of the question P Wo gather from tho lucid report presented to > the shareholders on Thursday , that out of tho treasury of this assuranco office a very largo sum has been paid to the widows and orphans of Indian emnlovea , slain bv tho Indian fellow-servants of
tho state sworn aud armed to defend them . It can be no matter of surprise , then , that tho bonus fund of tho institution has dccu necessarily trenched upon , by a calamity so Avide-spre « d ns to bo not moroly local ,, but national and political . The managing * body have , therefore , in tho exercise of a wise and honourable discretion , abandoned aU present ; thought of bonu ' 3 , and it is exceedingly satisfactory to know frpm tho reports road at the meeting , lliat , largo as the unexpected outlay has been , it 111 no way inconveniences or intortoros with tuo atabi-Jiity of this admirable institution .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 27, 1858, page 17, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_27111858/page/17/
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