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      Untitled Article

      SUBSCRIPTION TO " THE LEADER . " ONE GMJNEA PER YEAR , UNSTAMPED , PREPAID . ( Delivered Gratis ) .

      Untitled Article

      , WAR IN ITALY . The die is cast . Austria , having rashly thrown down the glove , would fain withdraw it again , under the admonition of England arid Prussia . But it is now too late . Summarily menaced to disarm within three days , or abide the dernier ressort , Piedmont has appealed to France for succour , and the appeal has been answered in the manner which might have been expected . Louis JSTapoleon declares his intention of raising a loan of , £ -20 , 000 , 000 , to roeet the exigencies of the occasion ; find two divisions of the army of the Alps are already on their way to Italy . Several

      thousand men have already crossed Mont JUcnis ; and still larger bodies of troops have arrived at Genoa from Toulon . The road , over the Alps is still liable to partial interruption by snow , but the splendid steam ileet of France enables hex' to transport in fourteen hours battalion after battalion from the shores of Provence to those of Piedmont . The line of railway from . Genoa to Allcss . andria and Novi , though passing near the Austrian frontier , is protected by the Po , on the westward bank of which Durnndo ' s corps is stationed . Fifty thousand French bayonets will bo available to support him , if . ' necessary , X > y tho

      beginning of next week ; and in the iaco of such a force ' ' the passage of tho great river may be regarded as impossible AlTcssandriu lms , during the Jasfc five years , been greatly strengthened 5 and it is now in a state fully equal to , sustain a protracted siege . The southern frontier of Piedmont " nlay therefore bo rog ' ardod ns safe , while upon the other side of the territorial demarcation lies Parma , with a population thoroughly disafl ' ectcd to its deputy Austrian ruler . Northward , however , along tho line of-the Ticino , tho little constitutional Kingdom is more exposed ; and had tho Austrians on Tuesday last crossed

      the river , as they threatened to do , at Builalura , they might ; by forced marches , have reached Turin , before it might have been possible to muster any force sufficient to oppose them . But if such a Btroko was over really contemplated , which there are stratogio reasons for considering doubtful , it sooms certain that tho opportunity naa now boon lost . It would bo little short of insanity for tho Austrian general to risk such a movement , now that ho has in iVont a French army whoso advanood corps already lies botweon Suaa and tho capital , and on his Hank another nrmy advancing 1 northward from Genpn . Tho announcement made by toldgrum from the Borne ,

      on Thursday , that the Austrians had crossed the Ticino , was , to say the least of it , premature . We learn , indeed , that the Cabinet of Vienna , awakenin » from its dream of precipitation , is now anxious to ° itself right with the Governments of Prussia and Great Britain , by accepting the offers of mediation on the basis of an armistice made by the latter . Louis Napoleon , however , will not now forego his advantage . His day dream , since he has been upon the throne , is to lead a great army in the field . " Whatever we may think of the sincerity of his professed motives , It must be owned that the occasion is a tempting one for the gratithe . - -m » ... *

      ficat ion of personal ambition- On , day he crosses the Alps he will be received by a nation of 24 , 000 , 000 as a deliverer . He will appear surrounded by the most brilliant staff in Kurope , at the head of an admirably-appointed and highlydisciplined army of 120 , 000 men . He may disclaim all desire of propagandism or of revolution , but the effect of his presence ,, from the Vale of Aosta to the Gulf of Salerno , will be electrical . To rid a noble country of a hated oppressor is a work worthy of a chivalrous i > rihce ; and to defeat and humiliate the old hereditary enemy of France , is an object to which no French ruler can be indifferent . We need not say how thoroughly we ourselves distrust all this splendid show of generosity and heroism . We have never had a doubt thatbeside the

      doubt , and we 'have no now , - immediate desire of personal distinction , Napoleon III . cherishes designs of political aggrandize ment which will ere long become apparent . Even without the fact of a military convention having been concluded by , him with the Czar with the express view of paralysing tlie action of Germany , we should' believe in the existence of very seriotis danger to the equilibrium of Europe were French arms "' -to ' . gain a rapid and complete ascendancy in the Lombard plains . Considering , however , the enormous strength of the fortresses held by Austria , arid the number and discipline of her armies in Italy , we venture to think it . far from probable that the issue will be speedily or easily decided . Therein lies the safety of Europe ; and hence the manifest policy for- ; us of biding our time .

      No little misconception has , we believe , l > een caused by the hasty promulgation of an erroneous version of the alleged treaty between France and Russia . The Court of St . Petersburg would , doubtless , like to punish that of Austria for its conduct during the Russian war ; and it would probably relish extremely the spectacle of its old rival engaged in deadly conflict with France , because it would be left irec to pursue unchecked its own designs in the Principalities , Greece , and Turkey . But the Russians arc too accomplished diplomatists to drive England into active cobelieve

      operation with Austria ; and we shall never the existence of an oilonsive aud defensive alliance , as has been erroneously asserted to have been made with France , unless this country shall madly provoke such an act by openly siding with Austria . Russia has everything to gain by aiding and abetting Piedmont , and by stimulating insiduously Louis Napoleon ' s ambition . Ho has also much to gain by the debilitation of Austria ; and if , out of an Italian campaign between the two great military powers of central Kurope , " opportunities shall arise for Russia to recover somewnnt of her lost

      prestige , it will be 4 br Eughmd well to look aftei her . But , nt present , no such . opportunity is apparent ; and Kussia has everything to lose and little to gain by a rupture with England . We cling to tho beliuf that she will not risk it ; and tho convention she is said to have agreed to has only been intended to hold Prussia in check , and thus practically io limit the impending war to Italy . How rapidly such an understanding with Franco inight and would in , all probability ripen into more intimate and more dangerous relations , if England were betrayed into Die folly of rashly intorpoaing by arms in the present stage of tho quarrel , we need hardly miy .

      Untitled Article

      THE BOROUGH ELECTIONS . Many of tho borough elections are now over , and by tho time these linos meet tho reader ' s eye , nearly all of them , as thr as England and AVales are concerned , will bo so . There have been a greater number of contents than usual . London , Westminster , Lnmboth , Hertford , Kcndal , King ' s I * ynn , Sheffield , Worcester , Wolvorb . nuvptQn ,

      Oxford ( City ) , Liverpool , Halifax , Canterbury , Exeter , Shrewsbury , Rochdale , and Stockport , besides the ordinary number of nomination boroughs , have reelected in almost every case their former members without a contest : but these , after all , are but a minority , of the whole list ; and in the majority of towns , sending members to Parliament , sharp and generally costlystruggles have taken place . The affair at Marylebone hardly deserves any serious notice . It is evident that Lord Stanley ' s name was put forward without his sanction , and that the Conservative portion of his constituency would not obey the admirer £ > 1 ¦//>»•> X T * * L— _ — . 1 TX ^ imCV ^ -. rtnHi /> Hli » Mi 1 ?» . * A-

      random whistle of a rash and unauthorised of the noble lord . The conflicts in Finsbury and Southwark , at Greenwich and Manchester , have been between Liberals of various shades of opinion not always nicely distinguishable . The electoral controversies raised at Bristol , Nottingham , Hull , Yarmouth , Norwich , Cambridge , Brighton , Portsmouth , Weymouth , and Bath , partake essentially of the old party character , which so lon < r signalised similar disputes in these places . " The balance of gains over losses in the laro-er towns is decidedly in favour of the Liberals . In the smaller boroughs the case will be found to be different . Great efforts have notothe

      riously been made by the managers on Ministerial side ; and it must not be forgotten that the overhanging threat of disfranchisement has exercised a powerful influence over constituencies limited in number . Putting aside the returns for counties , which will come next week , and those for Ireland and Scotland , we are disposed to regard the Conservative gam as amounting to somewhat about twenty seats , which - would make a difference of forty m a division . How far this will enable Lord Derby and his colleagues to withstand the future attacks of the Opposition , must be left to form the subject of Midsummer night ' s dream .

      From the tone of the proceedings at the nomination for the City of London , it may be inferred that the prevailing opinion in the City , among leading mercantile men , is , that a change of Ministers , should it occur during the next three months , would place the conduct of affairs m the hands of Lprd John Russell , provided he can obtain the co-operation of men like Lord Palmereston and Mr . Gladstone . We very much . doubt , however , the probability of such a result . The Court naturally clings to those advisers in whose foreign policy it is disposed to pi ape more

      confidence at a juncture like the present ; than in that of Cambridge House or Ghcsham-place . Unless Lord John is prepared to go in to win upon Reform , we do not believe that he can snatch the prize from his antagonists this year . His utmost he can bid in foreign policy , after his recent speeches in the City , will be the observance of an impartial and even cold neutrality . This may bo right , as a dictate of prudence and duty ; but it is not the flag under which a great party can be rallied to fight for victory , and it is not that under which victory is likely to be won .

      Untitled Article

      COST OF WAR . . Qua late rapid progress in peace , and under free trade , has revealed to us , far better than we knew before * the enormous cost of war . Unless we form some idea of tho probable and magnificent progress of society , when ' . unrestrained by cruel fiscal regulations , and undostroyed by still more cruel sword slaughterings , we cannot haye even a faint conception of tho mischief caused by war . On the one hand , figures of finance morely indicate what a Government expends in armnmonW ;' ana in modern times a great part of this sum goes to nay , with a profit , agriculturists and manufacturers and merchants who supply provisions , ammunition , and nrms ; and these classes of man , with their servants and dependant * , may bo onriched by war . So far society mny Boom partially , and even financially , benu / itcd . On the other hand , in modern tiines all wars are earned on by loans , which impose a lasting burden on industry , and while it onduroa they injure the common wealth . Loans tax and degrade tho multitude , and ourioh a ibw . Making these prohmmary remarks in order to guard our readers against expecting too precise a viow , wo shall stavto briefly ' tho apparent financial cost of war , as exemplified by the oxpemlituro of Government . At present our National Debt , flmdod and un

      Untitled Article

      XOTICES TO CQBRJSSPONDESTTS . ' * r « notice enn be taken of anonymous ? correspondency ^ Whatever "" intended for insertion must be authenticated . ftgsssj&ssriis ^ 'SKas sar , » j « r ^ fi 3 essE , &s 3 : * *?¦ 5 ~ ¦ g ^ tf S ^ aBP » ^^ £ SStS ¦ We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

      Untitled Article

      OFFICE , NO . , CATHERINE-STREET , STRAND , W : C ,

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      Untitled Article

      SATURDAY , APRIL 30 , 1859 .

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      Untitled Article

      ' ThereIs nothing so revolutionary , because there is nothing , so unnatural and convulsive , as the strain to keep tbinys fixed when all the world is by the very law of its creation i ' u eternal progress . —Db . Akxold .

      Untitled Article

      TT *„ ,-, «» -Wl THE LEADER . 561 ¦ ' - ^——*™ M" ^ *^ " * l * *^^^^^^ ¦ ¦ ' ' ¦ t ¦¦ '

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), April 30, 1859, page 561, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2292/page/17/