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" Men may change , but the maxims , tendencies , and means of execution never vary . Only once , during an interval of twelve years , under Joseph II and Leopold II ., did French ideas modify the Government . But with what enthusiasm , fury , and perfidious rancour did obscurantism and tyranny Lain instal themselves in the imperial palace ! Chancellor Thugut , Kaunitz ' s successor , found the German language too poor to express all his hatred of the French and the apostles of liberal maxims . Whoever dared at Vienna to speak about concluding a peace with France , led the existence of a criminal . On the 13 th of April 1798 , this ferocious diplomatist tried to have the French envoy , Bernadotte , assassinated by a mob , and ^ in the following year he organised the massacre of the plenipotentiaries at Rastadt .
" "Whenever the imperial family of Austria manifests any interests or pity for nations , any respect for the labours of the intellect , or any sympathy for the progess of civilisation , it has undergone some dreadful crisis . But it soon returns to its natural condition , its Olympian self-esteem , its egotism , its hardness of heart ; and its historic traditions ever thrust back into its hands the stick , the cord , and the axe . " The Austrian imperiality holds itself not only to be absolute , but to be divine—the Emperor identifies himself with divinity , and treats disobedience as sacrilege .. Its policy was inaugurated
by Ferdinand II ., who repressed the reformation in the sixteenth century ; nay crushed it , even when its principles had so far spread that when the Emperor celebrated the Easter festival at Grratz , in 1596 , he Avas almost the only person who communicated according to the Catholic ritual ; the city containing only three other individuals belonging to that confession . In the duchy of Austria there were then only five noble families that remained faithful to the old creed ; seven in Carintliia , and but one in Styria , the Herberstorfs , which expired 1629 . All the rights of collation to benefices , all the important offices
were in the hands of the innovators , arid the reformation was paramount in the popular heart . The Jesuits , however , found Ferdinand II . a docile instrument , and induced him to publish a decree similar to the contract signed in 1855 , which reestablished Catholicity on the principle of " sooner a desert than a country peopled by heretics , " which caused the slaughter of thousands during the space of five years , and ultimately led to the thirty years' war . The Austrian system , spread to Bohemia , and at Prague there were forty-seven martyrdoms , the details—the fearful details—of which are recorded . There was a partial resistance
on the part of the peoples ; but , of course , it was in vain . The bigoted Ferdinand was amazed at meeting with any resistance . " I anvastonished , " said he , with an air of conviction , to his entourage , " that the Reformers detest mo . Do they not see that I persecute them solely' through affection , and to ensure their eternal happiness ? " So wide was the devastation that , in 1631 , only thirty families , throughout the entire Austrian monarchy , of the old nobility still remained . Ferdinand , replaced , the old national aristocracy with a new , supplied from the servile men and ferocious lacqueys who invaded the domains and castles of the ancient
race , and inundated the country with titles ; a mushroom nobility entirely devoted to tho House of Austx'ia and the Jesuits , which established , with the active co-ojperation of the Spanish order , a system half military , half clerical . "The holy water sprinkle and the sstbre have , since that period , been substituted for the sceptro and the hand of justice in the imperial palace of Vienna . Formed of varying elements , professing no ties with the past , no uqmestic traditions , and no national charaoter , this aristocracy has never been useful to civilisation . " Here follows a picture of the tyrant himself : — -
" Though so cruol to others , Ferdinand was full of caro for himself . He trembled at the appearance of the slightest danger . Though his whole reign was one continued war , he never learned how to wield a sword . Only once , during Rudolph ' s war with the Ottomans , could ho ho induced to appear among the Imperialists , then encamped beneath the walls of Kanischa , in Hungary . But so great was his emotion , that he decided , before sotting out , on making his will and invoking the aid of God . The future emperor at length quitted Qrlitz with enormous splendour , and , when he drew near the camp , ho noticed a dense dust raised by oxon and pigs , that were being driven in . Ferdinand believed it was a squadron of marauding spahia j he was attacked by a panic terrpr , and his alarm affected the whole corps
d ' armee marching after him . AH these brave men , taking to flight , galloped off at full speed , in spite of the efforts made by Count Trautmansdbrf to encourage the Prince , traversed Hungary and Styria , crossed the Mur , and only regained their courage when safe on the other bank . * This was Ferdinand ' s solitary campaign : from that time bis courage was only displayed in the forests ivpon inoffensive beasts ; like Falstaff stabbing the dead , the gloomy emperor killed timid animals hi order to persuade himself that he , top , had a hero ' s heart .
" Proud of hearing himself called by the Jesuits Catholicae fideo defensor aoerritnus ( the most ardent defender of the Catholic faith ) , the Emperor desired to erect a monument which should recal to future generations his victory over heresy . The spot selected for the new church was the White Mountain , where a single unlucky battle had decided the fate of Bohemia . , The Archbishop of Prague laid the first stone , in the presence of the imperial family , on the 25 th of April , 1628 . Ferdinand and
" « Whatever may happen , ' II . Maximilian of Bavaria Avould say , ' we have combated for God , [ preferred things eternal to things transitory , justice to iniquity , the positive to the uncertain . With the aid of the Creator we have done nothing but what deserves approval , for there are no heretics left in our states , and our faith is delivered from every spot . ' In this way these blind fanatics applauded the inauguration of aSt ; Bartholomew far more cruel than the first—a St . Bartholomew that lasted thirty years ! Twenty million beings murdered , tortured , or proscribed , innumerable families plunged into misery and despair , commerce ruined , fields uhtilled , a frightful depravation of morals ; so many evils and tears , so much blood , were counted as nothing . Cannot we imagine we see a monomaniac smiling over the corpses of his victims •?"
This is the system , which , according to the evidence accumulated in this volume , Europe is how stirring itself to destroy , and which iriust be destroyed , or it will annihilate all hope of human progress . We must leave the reader to go through the mournful story ; and come to the present aspect of things . The Austrian Concordat of 1855 again troubled the country of John Huss , Luther , and Melancthon , and still awakens anxiety . It is , says our author , the most humble act of submission , and the most unlimited homapre , the Holy See ever yet obtained from a temporal power . In the words of an official document : " it completely
abrogates the pretensions of the temporal power aroused in Germany by the example of the Gallican church , and restores to Catholicism itos primitive rights which have been so long violated . " It is understood by its supporters , to have counteracted the immense revolution of Protestantism , and to be calculated , if properly carried out , to suppress it entirely . Meanwhile others see in it an " abasement of the throne , a voluntary abdication of the imperial sovereignty , " and a new power that arms the Jesuits against Luther and Germany . The Prussians esteemed it " a snare laid for Protestantism , a trap in wliieh it must perish , at least , in the vast domains of the Emperor Francis Joseph . " It is inoreover directed against the principles of the Gallican church , as laid down by Bossuet , and
formulated by Febronms , which produced a democratic revolution in the heart of the Church , inaugurated a new scheme of policy under Joseph II ., in Austria , and profoundly troubled Pope Pius VI ., who formed the resolution of gqingfco Vienna and holding a pci'sonal conference with the revolutionary disciple of France . It was , however , reserved ! to the present Emperor to subvert those principles on which tho Bafety ^ of Europe depends . Eebronism has still a great number of partisans in the Austrian states , and a polemic is carried on , in which France , without suspecting it , oilers a mark to tho Gorman Ultramontancs . Politicians , such as Herr von Bruck , are filled with fear by tho concessions made to tho Pontifical Government . " The Concordat seems to them pregnant with storms , and the court of Vienna governed by a fatal illusion . " Tho work before us is well
calculated to reveal tho truth to all whom it may concorn ; and whom docs it not P It is , in ovcry sense , tho most important book of the season .
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and Cliina to British commerce makes all information touching that mysterious . nation niost important . The possession , also , by Russia of the River Amoor , renders a better acquaintance with the coasts of Siberia and Tartary very needful to our maritime interests . The squadron , of which the Barracouta formed a portion , sailed in September , 1854 , from the mouth of the Yang-tez-o-Kiang for Japan . They entered the Bay of Pappenberg in the evening , and anchored in a retired aud lovely nook , where they were visited by the official boats , which surrounded the squadron , for the purpose , as the authorities pretended , of keeping away troublesome intruders , to
such as smugglers , the real object being prevent any person landing from the ships . _ After giving a description of the immediate scenery , our voyager is constrained to remark , that "it is hardly to be wondered that the Japanese desire _ no intercourse with other people . Frugal in habits , content with their own laws , institutions , and natural productions , they require no succour from other nations . They relieve strangers in distress , but take no recompense in return . With a large standing army and many forts , they think themselves capable of defending their own shores , and repressing any civil commotions which may occur . "
The working class among the Japanese presents pure specimens of the Mongol race . They are simply attired , friendly , and good humoured . The officials were less robust , very polite and courteous , but thin , pale , and emaciated in appearance , as if from the excessive use of tobacco and indolent habits . The officers of the squadron gained permission to land on a small inland on the 2 nd October . They were well pleased with their reception , and the demeanour of the Japanese . They found , however , that the latter had erroneous notions of England . For instance : —•
"A plain spoken official said , that he understood that England was a very small country in the western seas , strong by sea , and that the natives lived by plundering the ships of peaceable nations , and compelling all to pay tribute . We took considerable pains to enlighten our ignorant friend , and to explain by maps the outlines and courses of the British Empire ; enumerating the various peoples acknowledging the sway of Queen Victoria ; and adding that England ' s mission was to proclaim peace andlgbod will towards all , to defend the right and protect the weak , to promote civilisation over the globe , and to relieve the oppressed . He remarked , but to
that all we said was very good , why go war with Russia ; England and France against one power ? I said that we did not wish for war with Russia , but that Turkey being a weak power and an old ally , it was necessary to protect her . He had heard of England ' s work in the cause of the African slaves , and said that our . Queen ' s heart must * be good and large . ' He next inquired of France . I told him of her vast military resources , her people , progress , laws , and of her energetic ruler . He could not reconcile to his mind the faet of the different languages of France and England , when separated by such a narrow piece of water . I was much nleased with the inquiring mind of the Japanese ,
and expressed a wish to see him every day ; but he came no more , and the next place I had the pleasure of meeting with him was in thoport of Hukodaai . Sir James Stirling , the Commander of the squadron , succeeded in concluding a treaty between the British and the Japanese , the terms of which are given in the work before us . . The squadron then returned to China , and arrived at Hong-Kon « r : and the Barracouta joined the expedition against the Kuhlan pirates , who were humbled . Xfter which they left Hong . Kong and cruised among the Ladronc Islands . They formed too , acquaintance with Fai - r > in - wane ' s followers , whom our author denies to bo Christians . Of Kamtschatka , which they subsequentl y vibi ed he savs that " in many of the houses he entered he observed pktu ™ ikon from the Illustrated Nfim pasted up in conspicuous positions , and amongst . them ho recognised the familiar faca of Albert Sl There is some curious matter in this ^ relative to the races peopling the coast of rartwy . But it is to tho Japanese that most attention i& uaid . Our officers found the people sooiable and nolito , but the authorities wore reluctant to observe the treaty , oml ' ot last Sir Jainos Stirling was reduced to tho noccssity of enforcing it , oil . entering tho bay of Nagasaki . Our travellers found the prices in the bazaar exorbitant . On landing to visit tho city , they were met by an interpreter ana
I > ISRSONAL NARUATIVIfl OF A VOYAOM TO JAPAN , KAMTSCIIATKA , SIBERIA , . TAHTAUY , ANJU VAHIOUS TA 11 T 8 OF THM COAST OF CHINA , IN H . M . S . BAltKACOUTA . By J . M . Tronuon , K . N . With Charts ana Vlowa Smith , Wider & Co . Whatever relates to Japan is now of groat and increasing interest . The opening ol tho country
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• Vehao i QeaclUchto doe OoatcrrcloUlBohen HofeB , Vol . III . p . 134 .
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Ko . 491 . Aog . 20 , 1859- ] THE LEADER 965
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 20, 1859, page 965, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2308/page/17/
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