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d after himAll these brave and China to ...
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• VoUbo i a«BOUI«Uto Uob OoBtorrolcliluc...
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and China to British commerce makes all ...
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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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The Three Provinces Not A Single Man Tai...
« 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 eovernment . But with what enthusiasm , fury , and perfidious rancour did obscurantism and ^ tyranny again instal themselves in the imperial palace ! Chancellor Thagut , Kaunitz ' successor , found the German language too poor to express all his natrea of theFrench and the apostles of liberal maxims . Whoever dared at Vienna to speak about concluding a peace with France , led the existence of a criminal . Oh 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 Kastadt . ..
d * armee marching after him . All these brave men , taking to flight , galloped off at full speed , in spite of the efforts made by Count T-rautmansdorf to encourage the Prince , traversed Hungary and Styria , crossed the Mur , and only regained their . courage when safe oh the other bank . * . This Avas Ferdinand ' s solitary campaign : from that time his courage was only displayed in the forests upon inoffensive beasts ; like Falstaff stabbing the dead , the gloomy empetor killed timid animals in order to persuade himself that he , too , had a hero ' s heart .
. " Proud of hearing himself called by the Jesuits Catliolicae fideo defensor acerrimus ( 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 would say , ' we have combated for God , [ preferred things eternal to things transitory , j ustice 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 a St . Bartholomew far more cruel than the first—a St . Bartholomew that lasted thirty years ! Twenty million beings murdered , tortured , or proscribed , innumerable fariiilies plunged into misery and despair , commerce ruined , fields untilled , a frightful depravation of morals ; so many evils and tears * so much bloody 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 now stirring itself * to destroy , and which must be destroyed , or it will annihilate all hope of human . pr 6-gress . We must leave tke reader to go through the mournful story ; and come to tile 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 Tinlimited homage , the Holy See ever yet obtained from a temporal power . In the words of ah official document : "it completely
abrogates the pretensions of the temporal power aroused in Germany , by the example of the Gallican church , arid restores to Catholicism its 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 which it must perish , at least , in the vast domains of the Emperor Francis Joseph . " It is moreover directed against the principles of the Gallican church , as laid down by Bossuet , and
formulated by Febronius , 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 going to Vienna and holding a personal conference with the revolutionary disciple of France . It was , however , reserved to the present Emperor to subvert those principles on which the safety of Europe depends . Febronism has still a great number of partisans in the Austrian states , and a polemic is carried on , in which France , without suspecting it , ofFers ft mark to the Gorman Ultramontanos . Politicians , such as Herr von Bruck , tire filled with fear by the concessions made to the Pontifical Government . " The Concordat aoeins to them pregnant with storms , and the court of Vienna goyornod by a fatal illusion . " The work before us is well
calculated to reveal tho truth to all whom it . may concorn ; and whom does it not P It is , in every sense , the most important book of the season .
" 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 process of civilisation , it ha ^ 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 imperially 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 Gratz , in 1596 , he was 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 Carinthia , 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 , and 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 sisrned 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 le d 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 am astonished , " said he , wi th an air of conviction , to his entourage , " that the Reformers detest me . Do they not see that I persecute them solely through affection , and to ensure their eternal happiness P " So wide was the devastation that , in 1631 , only thirty families , 1 \ \ J * /
llirUUgllUUl / IUC t ^ JLlWVG AUSKIHU JUJLU »* c * l jl * J , . u »* v old nobility still remained . Ferdinand replaced the old national aristocracy with a new , supplied fro / n 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 the House of Austria and the Jesuits , which established , with the active co-operation of the Spanish order , a system half military , half clerical . " The holy water spr inkle and the sabre have , since that ; period , been substituted for the sceptre and the hand of justice in the imperial palace of Vienna . Formed of varying elements , professing no ties with tho past , no domestic traditions , and no national character , this aristocracy haa never been useful to civilisation . " Here follows a picture of the tyrant himself : — " Though so cruel to others , Ferdinand was full of care for himself . Ho trembled at the appearance of tho 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 tho Ottomans , could ho bo induced to appear among the Imperialists , then encamped beneath tho walls of Kanischa , in Hungary . But so great was liis emotion , that ho decided , boforo setting out , on making his will and invoking the aid of God . Tho future emperor at length quitted Griits with enormous splendour , and , when he drew near the camp , ho noticed a dense dust raised by oxen and pigs , that were being driven in . Fordinand believed it was a squadron of marauding spahis ; ho wus attacked by a panic terror , and his alarm afleotctl the whole corps
D After Himall These Brave And China To ...
and China to British commerce makes all informa-No . 491 . Ado . 20 , 1859- ] THELEAPEB . 965
• Voubo I A«Boui«Uto Uob Oobtorrolcliluc...
• VoUbo i a « BOUI « Uto Uob OoBtorrolclilucUou Hofos , Vol . III . p . l ! ii .
And China To British Commerce Makes All ...
tion touching that mysterious nation most important . The possession , also , by Russia of the River Amopr , 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 and 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 , such as smugglers , the real object being to 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 ipeople . 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 recbnipense 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 , hut 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 island on the 2 nd October . They were well pleased with then- 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 to detend the
and ! good will towards all , rignt ana protect the weak , to promote civilisation over the globe , and to relieve the oppressed . He remarked , that all we said was very good , but why go to 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 liis mind the faet of the different languages of France and England , when separated bv such a narrow piece of water . I was much
pleased 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 the port of Ilakodadi .
Sir James Stirling ; the Commander of the squadron , succeeded in concluding a treaty between the British and the Japanese , tho terms of which are given in the work before us . The squadron then returned to China , and arrived at Hong-Kong ; and the Barracouta joined the expedition against the Kuhlan pirates , who were humbled ifter which they left Hong-Kong and cruised among tho Ladrono Islands . They . 'formed , too , acquaintance with Fai . rung - wane ' s ft » owwj . whom our author denies tol > e Christian * O * Kautschatka , which they subsequently visited , ho ^ vTthat "in many of the houses ho entere d he Serve * pioturo taken from the Illustrated News pasted up in conspicuous nos tions , and amongst thorn ho recognised the familiar faco of Albert ibuiitHt i t i
PERSONA * . NARUATIVlfl OF A VOYAGE TO JAl'AN , KAMTSOHATKA , SIBERIA , TARTARY , AND VARfOUS l'AR'JL'S OF THE COAST OF CIUNA , IN H . ftl . S . JJARRAOOUTA . tty J . M . Tro » aon , K . N . With Charts and Vlgwa . —Smith , Jflldor & Co . Whatever relates to Japan is now of groat and increasing interest . The opening ot the country
. .. . ., . . _ . » Thore is some curious matter in this book relative to the races peopling the coast of I artary But it is to the Japanese that most attention is paid . Our officers found the people sociable and polite , but the authorities were reluctant to observe the treaty , and at last Sir Jamos Stirling wa 8 reduced to tho necessity of enforcing it , on entering the bay of Nagasaki . Our travellers found the prices in the bazaar exorbitant . On landing to visit the city , they were met by an interpreter ana
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 20, 1859, page 17, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_20081859/page/17/
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