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have hopes of the neutrality of the other Powers Thas far the Czar endeavours to make of the Turkish Question a purely Russo-French question . Let this first impression only pass current , and the mischief is irreparable . If , on this one point , France has not obtained the support of England , and on ulterior demands the latter should have to seek the support of France , France will refuse , and Russia , in the midst of all these dissidences and divisions , will stalk silently and stealthily to the accomplishment of her aims without an obstacle .
All the various letters from Constantinople speak of the immense preparations of the Russian troops on the Prufch , and about Odessa . Marshal Woronzoff leaves the army of the Caucasus to take the command-in-chief iof the army of the Danube . The Emperor Nicholas himself , according to letters from St . Petersburg , is on the point of leaving the Baltic to betake himself to Odessa , where a magnificent palace has been prepared for him . Many other significant facts are mentioned . The Russian staff have mapped out the route of the army of the Danube . The line of march , with all the halts * , is duly set down . What is more , the point of
debarkation for the Russian fleet has been carefully reconnoitred . It is at a small peninsula about eighteen English miles from Constantinople . The plan of campaign is therefore fully unfolded . The thirty thousand men that compose the army of Odessa would disem-^ bark at the point above-mentioned , and would at once be in occupation of the very isthmus on which Constantinople is built . Their left wing would rest upon the Black Sea , and their right on the Sea of Marmora . ' They would thus invest Constantinople , and commence the siege . During this time , the army of the Danube would march upon Adrianople , and take peaceable possession of the entire Turkish territory . In such a juncture , what could the French and English
fleets do ? In vain might they ride at anchor side by side in the Golden Horn ; their formidable hulls would ho powerless to prevent the siege operations and the ultimate capture of Constantinople , "What if they attacked and destroyed the Russian fleet ? the land army would be untouched , its operations unimpeded , and the fall of the Turkish Empire undelayed by a single hour . Nay , more , —let but a Russian division ho pushed forward to the Dardanelles and the forts seized , the position of the two fleets would be far from comfortable . After . the capture of Constantinople , they wm » ld havo to ve-3 ) 3 « t the straits between the galling iires of the " ( TRussianj ~ heavy gtfns , and that is an operation never unattended with considerable inconvenieuce . If the intervention of the two Powers is to
he useless , even supposing them to act together , what would it be if they were divided ? There remains , then , but one chance of success to the defence of Turkey ; it is the instant presence of the two fleets under the very walls of Constantinople , where they can wait for the Russian ships to leave Odessa to fight them and annihilate them . This done , there would only be the army of the Danube to handle ; and as this army would have about 450 miles to march to got at Constantinople ( a distance that must take n month to accomplish in the face of the Turkish army ) , Franco and England would , in such a case , find time
enough to transport an army to Constantinople by sea . I give you the substance of various letters from Constantinople . Their tenour may seem to the less reflective of your readers wild and fanciful ; to many , even far-sighted politicians , visionary and remote . 1 do not allect to deprecate tbo insinuations or the sneers of indifferent or ignorant political idlers . I do not net up for u Cassandra , and what . [ write- is at least based on data and on documents worthy of all respect . 1 shall not at all events regret having boon premature in iny announcements , which after all are not my own , hut those of persons diractly and specially informed .
Meanwhile , ltonapiirtc has received news of the lirnt demand as to the- Holy Places , and ho keeps tho news to himself . The ¥ reach fleet which , it wan rumoured , had been recalled , is really off to tho Levant with five months' provisions on board . Three more ships are to reinforce the squadron of Admiral dc Lasusse . Rumour Iiiih been busy getting tho Russian fleet under weigh from Sobastopol , but this in not confirmed .
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If proof wore wanting to convince those who uf . II ] doubt tho intention of tho Northern Powers to Htir u \) war , tho revolutionary intrigues of the Austrian Government in the Canton of Ticino might well open their eyes . On tho JJttrd of this month , on tho firing of a gun at night from tho midst of the Austrian camp , about a hundred mountaineers , men iilwayu at the bock and hire of Austria , marched upon Lugano , armed with fowling-pieces , scythes , and pruning-bills ; thoy endeavoured to seize the Hotel tie Villo , but were repulsed by the Civic guard , and expelled from the fowii . A similar movement occurred tbo ( same day at Locarno . It was nuikrly suppressed . Tho object of theso two
movements is evident enough ; it was to upset the local government , and to replace it by a faction devoted to Austria , and ready to hand over to that Power the famous Pass of the St . Gothard . So much for abroad . At home the posture of affairs is still much strained . The funds don't get up , in spite of your officious City deputations . Confidence in the stability of the existing" state of things seems generally lost . Bonaparte , in fact , maintains himself solely and wholly by the natural force of circumstances . The Legitimists continue to send in their resignations en masse . The salons keep up a terrible guerilla of sarcasms and bon mots . The Republicans begin again to excite a suspicion and alarm . The funeral of Madame Raspail has occasioned a circular from the
Minister of Police to all the Prefects throughout France , forbidding all political obsequies . Even the recipients of " gracious pardons" are the object of measures rigorously severe . A great number of them hare already been torn from their homes , and shipped off again to Algeria . In some departments they are made use of as a scarecrow to persuade the bourgeoisie to rally round the government of Bonaparte . A mot of a Prefect in the South is cited on this subject . On the Mayor of Nimes complaining to the Prefect of the Gard of the threatening language held by certain of the pardoned political convicts , " So much the better , " replied the Prefect ; " this will teach you , Messieurs les bourgeois , what dangers you have escaped , and what dangers you are risking again by your opposition to the present Government . "
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One fact , very alarming to the Government , 13 the progressive rise in the rent of lodgings for working men . On the one hand , the pulling down of a great number of old houses in the populous quarters , has very much diminished the number of lodgings for the operative population ; on the other , the terms of the proprietors , who have now the upper hand , have become exorbitant . Rents are doubled , and , in many cases , tripled . In many cases the landlords have given notice to their poor wretched tenants for the first of April . Now , these working men can find lodgings nowhere , at the present rate of rents , and they are
thrown upon the streets ! They give this state of things a name : they call it " The League of Landlords . " I need not add , that within a week or two they will have to submit to the hard terms imposed upon them . But what a terrible seed of hate and vengeance -will have been sown in the breasts of these hard driven men ! From this first of April there may bo said to be 300 , 000 men ready to " descend into the streets" at the first movement . Not even the Decembrist working men will escape the contagion , for they , too , are struck by this " landlords' league . " Such is the inflexible rationale that presides over the government of this world !
Bonaparte , I have heard , is full of anxiety , and not a stranger to ennui . Not to speak of out-of-doors , which ia far from cheerful , his domestic interior begins to threaten storms ; and he begins to feel the cares of the household . Tho Empress s'ennuie . This unhappy young lady , who before her marriage enjoyed an absolute liberty , now finds herself a prisoner within her palace , fettered and shackled in » . ll her doings and goings by inflexible and inexorable etiquette . She is dying of ennui ! Bonaparte , instead of banishing-thisv ennui , does nothing but increase and embitter it . Every day , almost every hour , the Empress , poor lady ! has some fresh mortification to endure .
Scarcely , even at the ball of the Legislative Corps , was she permitted to shake off her tedious trouble for a moment . ( A jrn se derider . ) It was not until she had been in tho ball-room nearly un hour that nho was able to indulge a little animation , and to take Nome little pleasure in the fete , which , by the way , was magnificent . Tho selector portion of the fete took place in the apartments of the President of the Corps Leginlatif . There was tho principal salon do . danse . The Sallo des Pas I ' erdus wax transformed into a throne-room , and decorated with the richest hangings . Three state chairs ( fauleuils d'honneur ) , of extreme richness , had been placed there : one for Bonaparte , another for the
Empress , 11 third for tbo Prineesa Mathilda On either side of thin gallery , leading from the hall of the Legislative Corps to the apartments of the President , a . sup plemental Hide gallery had been constructed . This triple gallery was adorned with a profusion of evergreens and flowers , which converted it into 11 perfect winter garden . Bonaparte arrived with the KmprcNs at half past ten . Jt was generally remarked that the latter was extremely gracious and graceful , and extremely tristc . Bonaparte himsolf looked full of care . Ho opened the ball with the Km press . She daneod with the lYomdont of the Legislative Corps , M . itillnult , and the Kinporor with Madlle . Billmilt . Four UioiiHHiid two hundred invitations had be « n given . Tho two commercial deputations from London
( I mean the coterie of " City" men , all for peace and " concessions , " and the more intelligent and intelligible , because practical , deputation of the Isthmus of Panama Company ) figured in the fete . Everything passed off with the best order and success . On the following day Bonaparte sent a letter to the President of the Corps Legislatif , to thank the Corps in his own name , and in the name of the Empress , for the fete which had been given them on the previous evening . At the same sitting , the Legislative Corps took into consideration a project of law on the rates of
postage , and passed it without modification . The tax on postage for the interior of Paris is reduced to one decime ( one penny ) . Negotiations are to be opened with England for the reduction of the postage on letters between the two countries to 25 centimes ( 2 ^ d . ) There was a great deal of talk in the Salle des Conferences about the article in the Moniteur , inviting the Corps Legislatif to vote the Budget without discussion . Many of the deputies did not conceal their indignation , and far from expressing a readiness to comply with the suggestion , proposed to introduce a certain number of amendments which would make a further reduction
in the Budget of six millions of francs ( 240 , 000 ^ . ) . The Senate met on the same day . The Due de Caumont Laforce proposed to confer a dotation upon the Empress . A commission is to be appointed to report on this proposal . The Coronation , it now appears , is again put off till August . The Emperor has been persuaded into a belief that the Pope will infallibly come to France at that season ; and poor Bonaparte , who is afflicted with a mania for consecrated oil from the hands of the Pope himself , has swallowed the pill , and countermanded the preparations commenced by the Archbishop of Paris .
A pleasantry of Madlle . Rachel has amused all Pans this week . She wa 3 , you may be aware , acquainted with Bonaparte during his imprisonment at Ham , and in recompense of her services he has lately granted her a pension of 20 , 000 francs ( 800 £ ) . Madlle . Judith , moreover , a sister , by race , to the celebrated tragedian , is the mistress of Napoleon Jerome . Now these two illustrious Hebrew damsels bethought themselves of sporting the green and gold livery of the Imperial court . In a carriage exactly resembling that
in which tho Emperor and Empress habitually drive out , and with their grooms , and coachman , and attendants dressed in the Imperial liveries , they went the rounds of the different barracks , and were received by the troops turning out and presenting arms . Bonaparte , as you may imagine , was savage enough at this licentious practical joking , which has been the fun and frolic of all Paris . A decree was launched next day forbidding the use of the livery of green and gold ( as distinct from the Imperial cocarde ) even to the Princes of the Imperial family ! *
The affair of the correspondents has just arrived at A first denodment . Five of them , four of whom are Legitimists and one Republican ; MM . Coetlogon , the elder and the younger ; de Virmaitre , of the Corsaire ; do Planhol , of the Gazette de France ; and Doctor Flandrin , arc remanded to appear belbre the Court of Correctional Police on the charge of belonging to " secret societies . " Two others , MM . < le liovigo , of the Cor * saire , and do Lupierre , of tho Gazette de France , both Legitimists , are accused of illegal hawking 1 ( colportage ) of journals and news . MM . Tanski , Page , Dupont , and do St . Priest , are discharged . S .
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CONTINENTAL NOTES . The Emperor received on Monday morning tho deputation of London merchants charged to express the desire of their fellow-citizens for continued friendship with France . Tho reception took place at the Tulleries , in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Aflair * , and two of bin colleagues . Sir James Duke introduced the members of the deputation—Messrs . MaHtorman , ( llyn , Barclay , S . Uurney , Dent , W . Gladstone , Powlcu , and Sir I'Mward N . Buxton , Hart . Sir James , previous to presenting the numerously signed document with which he was charged , addressed the Kinncror in the following terms : —•
" Sire , We havo tho honour and tho gratification to appear before your Majesty , for the purpose of presenting to your M iijo . ity , and to the French nation , a declaration from the commercial community of the metropolis of the British ICinpiro , embodying the sentiments ot amity and respect by whioli thoy are animated towards their , brethren of Franco . " The circurnHtaiices which have called forth this declaration being fully stated in tho declaration itself , bearing the signatures of upwards of 4 , 000 yi' tho merchant * , bunkers , and trudorH of" London , wo have only to add the xproM . Hion of our conviction that thin document , conveys at tho Hiimo time a faithful representation of tho feelings of th » people of Knglnnd at large . "in conclusion , Sire , we beg to oxpresH to your Imperial Majesty our fervont hope that , under your reign , franc * and England may bo always united in a friendly and mutually beneficial intercourse , and that from tho ixiond
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Ammjl 2 , 1853 . ] THE LEADER . 317 ts £ S—a ... ' ' .. ' ¦ '
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Leader (1850-1860), April 2, 1853, page 317, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1980/page/5/
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