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868 THE LEADER. [Saturday ,
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LETTERS FEOir PARIS. [From our own Corre...
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CONTINENTAL NOTES. The Turkish spirit is...
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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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868 The Leader. [Saturday ,
868 THE LEADER . [ Saturday ,
Letters Feoir Paris. [From Our Own Corre...
LETTERS FEOir PARIS . [ From our own Correspondent . ] Letter LXXXIX . Paris , Thursday Evening , Sept . 8 , 1853 We are in the thick of a bread crisis . Riots at Rennes , riots at Reims , riots here , there , and everywhere . At Rennes the women ( always terrible customers in bread'l'iots !) pi'tfceeded en masse to ftie Prefecture and demanded that the price of bread in Brittany should not exceed the price in Paris . Some say the Legitimist influence may be traced in that disturbance . Now , at Paris the state of the corn market
required that the price of bread should be fixed at 50 centimes the two pounds . Unfortunately at that price the Government would have been upset in no time . So poor Persigny ( the done damnee of Bonapartism , the only genuine Bonapartist in fact now left in France , as I have more than once told you ) was compelled , under pain of rejoining the ex-governments , and of going ad patres , to maintain the price of bread at ten centimes below the nominal price—at 40 cents , instead of 50 . To obtain this result he sent round to all the bakers of Paris to assure them that he would reimburse them the difference . In doing this he seems to mo to be singularly like Cadet Roussel , good fellow that he is ! The Paris bakers will naturally declare an imaginary selling price , assured of the difference being
made up to them . They will put down ten loaves to one sold . At that rate our good Cadet Roussel-Persigny , whom I find tripping for the first time ( and after all , poor man , he is fighting against Heaven as well as earth this time ) will have to reimburse the bakers fabulous sums daily . Now of two things oneeither he will be faithful to his engagements , and in that case he will have to pay from 400 , 000 to 500 , 000 francs daily for Paris alone ; or he will forfeit his engagements , and then all the bakers will shut up their shops , and we shall find ourselves once more in ' 89 , plus all the experiences of the last sixty years . In the latter case the account will be settled fast enough . This is just our situation at Paris , and so clear , so simple , so self-evident is the crisis , that the funds have been falling steadily for a week .
The Provinces demand , as a matter of equality ( for we are living under a regime of equality ) , to be treated on the same footing as Paris . The towns are insurgent , demanding to have bread at eight sous , as at Paris , instead of ten sous . This has been the case at Reims , and at Rennes . At the latter town it was the women who were the ringleaders , at the former the disturbance was confined to a few noisy gatherings in the streets . Only on this occasion the Champenois have belied themselves . We have a proverb in France that ninety-nine sheep and one Champenois make a hundred beasts . This time they have proved themselves as quick-witted as the rest . In their " incendiar y"
proclamations ( official style ) they have declared that la faim justifie les moyens , and incited their countrymen to upset a Government which begins by giving them a famine . And really we are exposed to something like a fumino in this fair land of France . In my last letter I was cautious enough to put the probable deficit in the harvest nt one eighth , now there are many who reckon it at a fourth , or about 2 , 000 , 000 of tons . Yet , for all this , everybody is gay and happy . Fetes and felicitations everywhere . It is the poor functionaries , who have slaked their all on the present Court cards , who are . to bo pitied . They are already beginning to doubt whether Providence does not indeed govern the world !
Meanwhile the Government has been losing ita wits . I told you that the journals were forbidden to discuss the scarcity . Left to itself , the Government has fallen into its natural courses , and bus committed an enormous folly . It hns considered it an act of supreme wisdom to interfere with the regular freedom of commercial operation * . It has come down upon all the cornniarkot . s of France with a host of Commissaires de Police ( it had created 2280 instead of JJGO of these officers
¦—ono per cunton , instead of ono per urrondissenient ) , nn < l has declared tho merchants to bo caught in tho net of a coalition to raise the prices of grain . This clever act of vigour of our infallible and paternal rulers was followed by tho natural consequences . All tho merchants disappeared : B 5 O Commissaires da canton drew up reports ( proccs-vcrhaiix ) , by order of Persigny , against them . Now , after a fortnights susponsionof tho market /* , the Prefects arc obliged to lower their tone . Tho Government journals arts full ofl ' rcfeotoral decrees , dismissing Commissaires de Police , for " abuso of authority , " for having endeavoured to interforo with the freedom of commercial trnnsaetion . H .
To relievo you of tho possibility of doubt as to thin fact , I subjoin nt full length tho decree of tho Prefect of Monluubun ( Tarn and Garonne ) against tho Coin - missaire da Police , of tho canton of Jtafranqaise : — " ConttidcirhiK that tho Sitmr Lespino , Connniosaire
de Police of the canton Lafrancaise , has on several occasions infringed his duties and the instructions of the higher authorities ; that notably , on the 24 th instant , at the market of Lafran ? aise , he did , contrary to the distinct orders of the higher authorities , interfere with the freedom of transactions in the corn market , by drawing up a report ( proces ver & al ) against the persons offering corn for sale , because they demanded a price above the preceding price current . " Attendu , & c . & c . " Decrees . Art . I . The Sieur Lespine , Commissaire de Police , is suspended from his functions . "
Poor public functionaries ! If they don't arrest the rise of prices , they know they will be swept away by the rising tempest . If they do arrest the rise of prices , they find themselves liable to be deprived of their functions by their own immediate chiefs . I am sure they mnst be all chanting in chorus just now— - " Ah ! quel plaisir d ' etre— -fonctionnaire . ' " All this time Le JRoi s ' amuse—1 beg pardon , L'Empereur . On the 15 th , after the Venetian fetes at Dieppe , Bonaparte goes to Boulogne , where he is to
give us ( and you , too ) a second edition of the famous Boulogne camp of 1804 . From Boulogne he proceeds to St . Omer , and thence to Lille and Dunkirk , where he is awaited with the greatest impatience . In the two latter towns , citizens who are known Republicans have been appointed officially by the Prefects and Sub-Prefects to erect with their own hands triumphal arches in honour of their Majesties—under pain of being sent to Cayenne ! I pledge you the truth of this . S .
Continental Notes. The Turkish Spirit Is...
CONTINENTAL NOTES . The Turkish spirit is being roused . Some excitement prevails owing to the modifications which the Divan has introduced into the Viennese note . Belying on the support of France and Great Britain , and finding' itself at the head of an army of 200 , 000 men , Turkey is inclined to go to war . The warlike preparations are continued . Fresh troops are daily pouring in . The army in Asia numbers 80 , 000 men . All the accounts from Constantinople concur in stating that the Porte will make a sort of ultimatumof the modifications which , it has prepared in the note of the Conference of Vienna , the state of public feeling in Turkey being such that the Sultan could not withdraw any of them without the risk of an insurrection of his people and a revolt in the army . The last accounts from Malta state that Admiral Dundas had sent in the invalids of his fleet , the physicians having declared that a change of air was necessary for their recovery . The British squadron being 1 anchored along tho coast , and being exposed to the miasma from tho shore , had several seamen attacked with the fever of the country , but there was no danger . Tho French fleet was inoro healthy , being anchored further to sea , and the number of sick did not exceed the usual average amongst such a number of men confined in so small a space . ¦ Tho Paris Correspondent of tho Times writes : —
" There is reason to fear that our apprehensions as to tho nature of tho reply given by tho Emperor of Russia to tho Vienna note will bo realized . I understand that , if tho official answer has not been received to the note itself with its accompanying modifications , wo yet have intelligence of the manner in which the Czar received the fnct transmitted to St . Petersburg , that such modifications woro appended , and that tho Porte accepted iho noto on condition that they were granted . Indeed ifc was positively stated this ( lay at tho Itussian Embassy in Paris , that the Emperor has refused to accept them . It is added , that when ho was informed that tho Porto had modified
tho note of the Conference of Vienna before accepting" it , ho observed , in a tone of much moderation , that lio would willingly iriako concessions for tho expross purposo of meeting the wishes of tho European Powers , but that ho would not humiliate himself in tho eyes of tho world by submitting to propositions proceeding direct from tho Sultan . If it turn out to bo truo that tho Emporor thus expressed himself "with respect to tho allies of Turkey , thoro is still a hopo that , out of doforoneo for thorn , anil , it must 1 ) 0 said , for public opinion , tho peaco of Europe will not bo disturbed , though ho much valuablo time lias boon lost .. "
We learn from Bucharest ( August 2 . 'l ) , that tho 'Russian troops aro practising and mana ; uvring every day . No fresh troops have inarched in for some timo past , for tho Principalities aro already completely overrun with soldiers . Kieldworkn and fortifications are thrown up and constructed with the greatest activity , especially on tho banks of tho Danube . A . letter from Shumlah , of tho 15 th instant , states that tho army of Omer Pasha consists of 05 , 000 men and 180 pieces of camion . Jl . o was daily receiving reinforcements , whilst Iho Russians , it was said , had . lost ] ., ' ( , ()()() men by typhus and diarrlui'asinco their entrance into tho Principalities . Tho Russians , to tho amount of 5000 men , pitched their tents on tho IOth at Totragom , on tho left hank of tho Danube * , no that tho sentinels of tho two nrtnion aro within musket-shot of each other . The following note , dated tho li ) lh of August , has boon sent by tho <)( Ionian Government to tho repmsontativon of England , I'Yanoe , Austria , and Prussia .: — " Tho dm ft of noto which has boon recently mado at Vienna and mint , to tho Bublimo Porto , halt boon . read and examined at tho council of ministers . Tho ono previously composed at Constantinople ) and forwarded to tho Groat Powers under a form adapted to put an ond to tho differences existing botwoon tho fcjubliino Porto und Ituusia ,
excited hopes of a satisfactory result . The Governm Imperial Majesty , the Sultan , is therefore greatlym ? ° ^ *" see that this draft has not been taken into cfW j ? to Although the draft of note written before bv th . « P ^ ' Porte in order to be forwarded to Prince Menscliilf «? i e been used as a basis as regards the paragraph of th j received from Vienna touching the religious privil ^ question has not been circumscribed in this circle f ? ' ^ paragraphs superfluous and incompatible with thn ''^ ' night ' the Government of his Majesty the Sultan ' i ? * ^ been introduced , the Sublime Porte is again placed ! f the painful necessity of making some observations n * ^ subject . The Imperial Government has for a km k past been accustomed to receive testimonies of frie ^ i v from the high Powers , its august allies . It is parS i grateful for so many efforts abounding in good . -will wl k
they have constantly received since the commencement * the present question . It is evident , therefore , that it m feel a repugnance , on account of its particular respect f these Powers , to hesitate on a point which has obtai pH their common consent . But the Government of his Af ai t the Sultan , which at the commencement of the affair w declared to be competent judge of questions relative to iT rights and its independence , unfortunatelynot havinjjbeo consulted upon the composition of the new draft , isplaced in a difficult position . .
" It may be said that the Government of Sussia als has not been consulted on the composition of this draftbut the rights to be defended are th ose of the Subli me Porte , and it is the Porte which will have to si gn the note which will be given in relation to this . Ifc belongs to the Groat Powers themselves , in the exercise of their acknowledged equity , to judge whether it is just to treat the " two parties on an equal footing in this respect . It has in consequence been thought proper not to enlarge upon this point .
" The first of the points which cause the Sublime Porte to hesitate is the following paragraph : — "' If at all times the Emperors of Russia havemani . fested their active solicitude for the maintenance of the immunities and privilege of the orthodox Greek Church in the Ottoman Empire , the Sultans have never refused to consecrate them afresh b y solemn acts . ' " That the Emperors of Russia should manifest their solicitude for the prosperity of the church and the religion that they profess , is natural , and calls for no observation ; but according to the paragraph quoted above , it might be understood that the privilege of the Greek Church in the states of the Sublime Porte have only been maintained by the active solicitude of the Emperors of IiiiRsin . ~
" It must be remarked , however , that the fact of placing in a note to be given by the Sublime Porte the paragraph above mentioned , as it is found in the draft , touching reli gious privileges which have been granted and maintained without the participation of any person whatever , would impl y and would offer pretexts to the Russian Government to advance pretensions to mix itself up in such things . " No ono would consent to draw down upon himself the blame of his contemporaries , as well as of po sterity , by admitting the establishment of a state of things as hurtful for the present as for tho future .
"No servant of the august imperial Ottoman family would dare , would be capable of placing on paper words which would tend to weaken the glory of institutions which the Ottoman Emperors have founded by a spontaneous movement of personal generosity and mnato benevolence . . " Tho second point to bo touched upon is tho paragraph in tho draft of note relative to tho treaty of Kainardji . As no ono can deny tho existence of this treaty , and as it is confirmed by that of Adrianoplo , it is abundantly evident that , its nreeisn fltimilntinnn will bft faithfully observed .
"If in inserting tho paragraph mentioned there was any intention of considering tho religious privileges as the natural result and the spirit of tho treaty of Kainiirdji , no real and precise stipulation of this treaty is limited to in « single promise of tho Sublime Porte of itself to proiw tho Christian religion . Tho paragraphs which tho 1 « might insert , as regards religious privileges , in tho no may sign , ought only to express , as has been at alipe declared , either in writing or by word of mouth , assiirni _ ¦ proper to remove the doubts entertained by th ° " Government , and which form tho subject of tho tub .
. ,. ,. e "Hut to give to tho Government of Bussift inOt { vj \ er . pretending to exerciso a right of survoillanco niiu ^^ volition in such matters , by strengthening '» y n ° ^ ftt tho religious identity already existing boUveen a b ¦ ^ community of the subjects of tho Sublimo I or o < ^ foreign Power , would b ' o in some measure to fli" * j ] i () sovereign rights and endanger tho innepentlone * „ . empire . It is therefore utterly impossible for tho . mont of his Majesty tho Sultan to givo its consent unless compelled to do so . . n i , ( oin n " If , nevertheless , tho intention is merely to <>» renewal of tho treaty of Kainardji , the » Suu » " » might do this by a separato noto . f | , o " Tho imperial government , therefore , f ™ " nW . greatest importance to these points , either tJ > ' » - ' s | 1 )) . graph relative to this treaty , in the Jiot" »(> 1 " ' -H « f ¦
pressed ; or else that , if'it is maintained , '"¦ ' . ; : j ,, ] ,, ) protection contained in tho . treaty of Kiunnrcij ^ ^ y ^ t question of religious privileges bo separated in «• | a ,, ci ; , manner , so that it shall bo understoo d , nt tho m » b that they are two ' distinct things . , onC' ^'' "And " ( ho third point related to the pormi « fl '" " « i ( lo , j to to the Greek rite to share in tho advantage" <"' ¦ J | n ( . ( ho other Christian rites . There can be " <> , '"") ' ,, „ ( Jr <>" imperial government will not hesitate 'lOl > 'n ! ll ll ii ' , < ir () V < i ' " rite to sharo not only in tho advantages wilI future . It is nunorfluous , therefore , to add , " ' t of oi ' will bo juotificd in nofc admitting tho emp loy "
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 10, 1853, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_10091853/page/4/
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