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The one Idea wnieh . History exhibits as evermore developing itself into greater distinctness is the Idea of Humanity—the noble endeavour to throw down all the barriers crecfced between msa 07 prej udics and one-sided views ; and by setting aside the distinctions of Keligiqn , Country , and Colour , to treat the waale Human race as o-ie brotherhood , having one great object—the free development or our spiritual nature . " —Ilumholdt ' s Cosmos . .
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VOL . V . No . 249 . ] SATUB 33 AY , DECEMBER , 30 , 1854 . [ Price Sixpence
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SECRET Diplomacy is in the ascendant this week ; We hear of intrigues -everywhere . In India Kussian agents arc doing their ' work excellently . In Italy Russian agents are making use of the name of Mazzini to complicate French and Austrian politics . In . Vienna there is a grand diplomatic banquet , Prince Gortschakoff taking Lord "Westmoreland down to dinner . In London , Baron Von TTsedom is in conference with our Court : and our Cabinet is having daily Councils . Is all this secret diplomacy to be followed by a peace ?
Nevertheless the Governments are preparing for war . The Austrian army has been got into good condition , and is now pronounced ready . The Czar is strengthening himself on all sides and is raising another half million of men . England is getting up her foreign legion of 10 , 000 , and sending off fur caps and comforters to the Crimea —tins being the modern English way of carrying on a great war . France—that is the Emperorlias ordered more men and takes more money . And the funds go down—indicating the boliof
that all these preparations are in earnest , and that Secret Diplomacy will not be able to mnnnge the premature peace . Louis Napoleon affects to calculate on the ¦•' defensive" junction of Austria ; he ami the Austrian Emperor are , personally , interchanging civilities and grand crosses . The diplomatic coup of compromising Austria with Russia is no doubt immense ; but the circumstances do not suggest that his Majesty the Empevor of the French is verv " safe . " lie could not have calculated that
the Loan would have brought the funds down ; and it was certainly a stupid arrangement to suggest to the newspapers that they would be permitted to bo free-spoken in their dissertations on tho war at the very moment the newspapers Avcre finding out that the war was not popular . Tha ductile " Parliament " ( whose proceedings , in imbecile fear lest the Emperor should " resign , " parallel our own Parliament ) is " passing" the Loan . But public opinion in Pans seems
decidedly against tho Government " measures , " just as in England ; and tho public ia beginning to perceive that his Majesty tho Emporor , though a clever man , it , not quite equal to carrying on 11 groat war . Our own newspapers are Huggusting to Louis Napoleon that ho might now safely give real representative institutions to France—our own newspapers considering our own institutions as tho real thing 5 but a more practical question would be , Why does not Louia Napoleon seek the
services of a real general—Changarnier or Gavaignac ? He perorates , in his speech from the throne , on the " glory of France : " can he think that second-rate generals will produce glory to France ? ; The plan of the French loan seems to be such as is suited to the state of French intelligence in the matter of loans . In this country we consider ourselves to be furthex * advanced — certainly to have advanced beyond the ' notion of a sinking fund The plan is ' to raise 500 , 000 , 000 francs ( 20 , 000 , 000 / . ) in such
form that , as in the case of the last loan , the ? nation can subscribe in sums and in a manner that would permit subscriptions to come in from all classes . One-hundredth part of the fund thus formed will be set aside as a sinking fund—that is , a fund wherewith to commence paying off the loan . This was an old idea of Pitt ' s , and was exploded even in his day . It is generations since we learned here the folly of borrowing money now to pay off money hereafter , since the simplest w * ay would be just to reduce tho debt by that" amount . There is , however , every ground for the loan , since the French Government must be in funds to
very noble ; but is it really the very best way of fetching out the energies of . the nation , or securing the thing -wanted ? We doubt it . Railway companies that give rails may possibly rely on the " old maxim that you must not look a gift horse in the mouth ; and perhaps rails that wouldbe ' discarded for Brentwood , will do for Balaklava . Supposing that the dainties are of the "best , and are hot condemned stores , there is wanting a check \ ipon their consumption : given provender is mercilessly
squandered . The officers , and even the men , quartered in . the Crimea , do not feel the want of meals on chai-ity ; they want access to the things at fair market prices . It is the same with rails ; the country could pay for the rails , could pay the navigators' wages , and in paying fairly , could at once exact the very best article . Why not be true to commercial principles in war , if . commercial principles are really tha best way to get tho article wanted , and to secure its most economical u . se ?
Penouucing Kussian intriguers in Italy , a writer at Turin also denounces the patriot party which acknowledges Muzzini for its head ; and a document is published , as if accredited by "the Nationnl Assembly of Action , " inviting a contribution from tho Italians for a revolutionary movement . This " National Assembly of Action " is unknown to tho Italian patriots and their friends in London , and wo incline to believe that the use of tho name of " Giuseppe Masszini" is a forgery . Tho name has beon forged before , and we feel safe ia taking upon ourselves to deny that Mazzini , tho puru and generous , can act with Nicholas the Russian .
provide all that is needed for the war . Tho demand for ready ensh from the whole body of the nation would CA'idontly be more oppressive than the acceptance of the money from those who find that they can spare it , leaving the country to make good the borrowing with time and opportunity . Should the war be prosecuted to any real purpose , it is possible , nay , it is more than probable , that by beating down tho anti-commercial influence of Russia , by promoting a butter understanding between several states of Europe , and freeing some races now much oppressed , tho commerce of the Continent may be suffered to expand , and future Governments will profit by tlie consequences of the war . The loan enables future Franco to bear her shave of the benefit .
The progress of Russia hx tho East voxes the mind of Bombay * but has ceased to harass Calcutta ; for Lord Dalhousio lias had communications with l ) o « t Mohammed . The Dost , it seems , ¦ undertakes to kcop back the Russians , already numerous , busy , and advanced on the brond -wastes of Central Asia ; and no doubt he could do much to block the road of the great enemy oi mankind . " Dalhousio , groat God of War , " reciprocates approvingly , uud roads tho J ) oab u lecture on tho contemporary history of tlio Anglo-French alliance to sustain tho descendant of thu
Two other questions also vex cavnost minds . Something is done in the Crimea or is not dono , and the public is eager for an account . What is tho reason then that Lord Raglan's despatches are not published ? He silences " oui' own correspondent ; " but why does Government permit its own correspondent to bo silent ? Again , whnt is our Government doing about the Foreign Legion P Thero was great haste to , get . the bill ; has there been oqual haste to get the mon ? and if so , whero nro they ?—of what nation ?—where engaged ?¦—on what terms ?—whither ordered ? Tho public granted the Legion -with reluctance , but would Ijko to know what has , becomo of tho article now that it is supplied ?
Caliphs at Constantinople . So the . Dost Hooins likely to bo appointed to the guard of that Indian portal . What if ho should also take foes on tho other Vide , for wo must remember that tho Dost is as wily and Asiatic na tlmt intriguing old double-faced donlor Mohoinut-Ali of Egypt . Denmark oxultn in constitutionalism triumphant . Tho Oersted Ministry lm » become an antiquity . tho Bang Ministry procures all it wants from tho King , including complete control over tho finances ; and , in short , a thorough Parliamentary system . Thcso arc indications which , to tho non- Danish mind , suggest a foar , that in return for those concessions tho Libornltf , fia in 1018 , have agreed to sustain tho King in his foreign policy—which is u
Fond o ( its soldiers in the East , the country in all for gluing . Tho Crimean Army Fund 'Bonds dainties aud comforts to bo given away ; , tho grout contractors present railways , labour , and management gratis ; ships are supplied , gratis ; Gun tor cooks gratis ; and Cross paoks gratis ; All this is
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" . ^ j page Protestant Firmness 1230 The Court 12 S 4 LITERATURE- •' Imperial Parliament ............ 1226 Indian Civil Service Reforms . 1230 The Imraaoulate Conception ... 1234 , „„„ . „„ -, ' . „„ Opening of the French Lcgisla- Tho Now Danish . Parliament . 1231 Giving Gloves to Jiulees 1-231 pi ™? « ^ "" i " , " - £$£ t ^/ essiou 1226 Hopo « . Aguado 1231 Miscellaneous „ 1-23 1 Critic M 1 ^ . lf ? nio « ' S ' The War .... ; 1226 America 1231 Postscript ... 1-235 c l * ic ; ilMi&ce-llamcs > 1240 French Opinion of our Military American Statistics 1232 * " £ ° 1 Nl ° > ° i v : , « -,- 1241 isaSi- ^ s-irfflraiBSK " SSSSia ; -:::::::::::::::::: ill ¦ s S ^ «?" Sfi ™ ™ « m-. Reyolution 1229 Distinction ho Favour 1232 Working ^ Officers " andPcntio- Theatricals ia Berlin 1243 A Fettered Press 1229 The Poor Clergy 1233 . nieii \ 9 olViute C r S V ? W Musiciu Vienna 1244 Armingthe People ¦ . 1230 Elections 1233 CuSvand 8 ro £ ISdt " r ! w Theati-es-Tho Pantomimes ... 1244 . The New Beer Bill 1230 'Jung Bahadur 1233 Oui > a ana Cronstadt ., 1237 The Cab-ocracy and the Parks 1230 The New- 'Metropolitan Com- OP £ N COUNCILNew Acts in Force ..... 1230 mission of Sewers . —Mr . F . v / re . ™ wuimv . il COMMERCIAL AFFAIRS-^ I ^ f ?^ ° n th f e Eeduc- , O ; - Wn ^ i ^ > < s ¦ , . - ,- ¦ 12 ? 3 Lord Palmerston ' s Prot ( % < 5 in City Intelligence , Markets , Adtion in the Tea Duty 1230 Lottery Swindling m Salford . . 1234 Hamburg . 1237 veriiseraents , &c . .. „ . 1245-1248
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 30, 1854, page unpag., in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2071/page/1/
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