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SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.
SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. (From the John Bull.) The following communication was received this morning by Extraordinary Express:- "Paris, Thursday Evening, Nine o'clock. "Another attempt has been made to assassinate the King of the French at six o'clock this evening. As the Royal carriage was leaving the Tuilleries, return- ing to St. Cloud, he was fired at, but neither he nor any person of his suite was wounded. The assassin was instantly seized, and the King, who displayed his accustomed coolness and courage, ordered the postil- ions not to stop, and continued his route to St. Cloud. The assassin is a young man, a native of Mar- seilles, who avows his criminal intention, and manifests much regret at having failed. He declares that he has no acomplices, and that he is not connected with any secret Society. When examined as to his motives, he says he wished to rid his country of a tyrant, and that he had no other object than his country's good." Had we no better or more Christian motive for rejoicing at the escape of Louis Philippe from this madman, or ruffian, the knowledge that on his pru- dence for the most part depends the peace of Europe, would make us heartily thankful that the sanguinary attempt had failed. Since writing the observations, which will be found elsewhere, on M. Thiers' memorandum, the add- itional note" referred to in the postscript to it, and which had not been published, has appeared in the Morning Herald. It is a very wordy, rambling affair, and turns upon an IF-your only peace-maker." Comparing its pacific tone with the war-stirrim* spirit of the "memorandum," it was evident thai; there had been some movement hidden behind the curtain which, we find by this morning's papers, is drawn up by the Journal des Debats, and the ma- chinery clearly exposed. That ably-written paper, which is well known to be the organ of the Tuilleries and which had not declared its opinion on the "me- morandum" at the time the majority of the French papers (extracts from which are given elsewhere) had published theirs, spoke out as follows on Thursday:- We are happy in being able to bestow upon the memorandum of M. Thiers our entire approbation. In addition to that rare lucidity of exposition which everybody allows the President of the Council to possess, it cannot be denied that this diplomatic docu- ment displays great propriety of language, a dignity free from haughty pride, and much moderation with- out any trace of weakness. We see with pleasure in the communications of the two Governments a tone of moderation which cannot detract from the firmness of their resolutions, and which may go a great way towards calming the irritation of the public mind in the two countries. The memorandum of Lord Pal- merston contained several assertions which are politely but positively contradicted in the reply of M. Thiers; a complete discussion can only settle all doubts on this subject. What is certain is, that it is not our intention to wage a systematic war against any nation, and that our sole desire is that the Presi- dent of the Council may maintain at the tribune the decision and dignity which are manifested in this expose of his policy. As for ourselves, we have an exclusive motive for congratulating the President of the Council. When the Ministry of the 1st of March took office, it became a sort of axiom that they were going to undo all that had been done, and that, with the inauguration of a new Ministry and the govern- ment of the journals of the Left, would begin a series of presumptuous experiments and fatal indiscretions. WE ARE GLAD TO SEE THAT THE MEMORANDUM OF M. THIERS GIVES THE LIE TO ALL THESE HOPES. Not only does M. Thiers adopt the policy of his immedi- ate predecessors, but he remains faithful to the Con- servative policy, which has for ten years given to the world the benefits of peace, and of which he was for- merly the brilliant defender. All his negociations have constantly tended to preserve the European equilibrium, and it may be observed that, if he has placed the status quo in danger, it was for the pur- pose of maintaining it." The murder is out. Louis Philippe superintended the memorandum"—as is clear by the delay in for- warding it, since, dated on the 3rd, it was not des- patched, as appears by the date of the postscript, till the 8th—had suffered M. Thiers to take his swing in it, for appearance sake to the French people, but had tied a string to the said swing in the shape of the "additional note," by which he had provided for stop- ping in due time his excursions in the air. Hence the praise lavished on the memorandum," and on M. Thiers in the Debats, modified and turned into the channel whieh the King has all along desired, by the passages which we have italicised.
.forrign intelligent
sible to be contemplated by that man without his feeling a most awful responsibility. The Monitear Parisien of Sunday night contains the following official account of the ABDICATION OF THE QUEEN RE- GENT OF SPAIN. TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCH. Barcelona, Oct 16 (at Noon.) By a manifesto dated the 12th instant, the Queen Regent has abdicated. The Ministry, in publishing this manifesto, announced that they are provisionally charged with the Regency up to the convocation of the Cortes." The intention of Queen CHRISTINA to abdicate the Regency was known for some time to the French Cabinet. It was even asserted in the diplomatic circles of Paris that the French Ambassadors in Spain had recommended her Majesty to abdicate rather than consent to share the Regency with Es- partero, and to trust to France for the restoration of her authority. Queen Christina is expected in Paris, and a rumour prevails that the Palais Bourbon has been for some time undergoing re- pairs for the reception of her Majesty. But whether she fly to France or to Naples, imports little at present. What really interests Europe in the aspect of the new events now developing themselves in Spain. So far as we may be allowed to infer the future from the past, the Cortes, which will be immediately convoked, will appoint a new Regency, composed of three or four members, which measure, if violently opposed by France, will be followed by the abolition of Royalty in Spain. France has, therefore, need of more than ordinary caution in further intermeddling in the affairs of Spain. There is no longer an Army of the Faith to cross the Pyrenees and a Republic in, the vicinity of the Monarchy of July will be little to the taste of King Louis Philippe. Better, therefore, leave the Spaniards undisturbed to settle as they may think best this troublesome Regency question. We copy the following summary of the views which are taken of the expose of the mat- ter at issue between M. Thiers and Lord Pal- merston by the organs of the Paris daily Press. The Constitutionnel says- Uprightness of conduct stands forth in the lumi- nous precision of this expose as much as the conclu- sive demonstrations which are founded upon argu- ment," This journal then analyzes the reply of Al. Thiers, and dwells on the principle passages, for the purpose of showing that it is a full refutation both of the fact and the argument of the expose of the English Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. The Temps publishes the reply of M. Thiers with- out comment; observing, however, that it abstains from reflections upon it only for the moment. The Siecle says- After having read both exposes-that of Lord Palmerston, full of equivoques, founding its principal assertions upon conversations of which there is no trace, and showing the Powers resolved on pursui g a dangerous and absurd object by tortuous paths; and that of M. Thiers, reposing upon positive facts, written documents, and official communications, al- ways tending to the same object, and that which was pointed out by good sense, viz. the equity and inter- p oin est of nations—after having, we say, compared these two documents, it is impossible not to acknowledge that sincerity, as well as right, has always been on the side of France." The following is. from the Courier Fran- cais:- "Honest men of all nations, who will take the trouble of examining and judging for themselves will find in the memorandum of France the most over- whelming refutation of the sophistry and the strange allegations, to say the least of Lord Palmerston. M. Thiers has carried propriety and moderation so far as even to palliate the faults of his predecessors. On reading this expose it would be supposed that the conduct of Marshal Soult had been a chef (Pwuvre of skill." The Debats and the Presse give the letter of M. Thiers without comment. The Commerce is highly dissatisfied with the moderation of the President of the Council. It says- "This document announces no resolution. It is merely a speech addressed to the English Parliament. M. Thiers enters the lists of the Opposition at the tail of Mr. Hume. If M. Thiers had nothing else to say, why did he not say it whilst the Parliament was sit- ting ? He proves that Lord Palmerston has lied this was not very difficult, now that the diplomatic documents are known. Lord Palmerston ought to have been prevented from lying by telling the truth before lie had an opportunity of speaking. Does it become the Government of France to complain of an English Minister before the British Parliament like a schoolboy ? Is France unable to do herself justice ? The National says, We did not hope to find the proud language worthy of a man to whom the un- happy fate of France has confided so important a post, but we did think that M. Thiers, having been publicly and haughtily contradicted by Lord Palmerston, would have found in wounded pride some expressions to show that the heart of a man is not rendered wholly callous by the portfolio of a Minister. We were deceived. This long verbiage is only the history a hundred times told and untold of the negociations of the treaty; and from the two official documents it results that diplomacy is a perpetual falsehood. It is good enough to take note of certain confessions made by M. Thiers. He admits that he has been duped by England, and that if he had been called upon to explain himself, he would not have shown any great hesitation in joining the Four Powers. He admits that the treaty was signed ex abrupto, without France being apprised of the intention of signing it, and theiefore acknowledges that the treaty was a pro- found insult. He admits also, that this new coalition resembles those which for 50 years caused the shed- ding of blood, and that the execution of this treaty weakens and endangers the Ottoman empire; and yet he shows us that France, instead of opposing her- self at the onset with all the energy of her power to this treaty, has played the part of a power which, being powerless as to arms, seeks to calm her enemies by the most degrading concessions." Of the Capitole, it is only necessary to state that it takes the same view as the National; for, like the National, it is furiously opposed to anything like mo- deration. The Quotidienne makes no other remark upon the expose than that it does not justify in the slightest degree the emphatic eulogium passed by M. Thiers on his own energy." The France merely ives an extract from the document, and, at the end of it, says—" It is not warlike; it avows that the iso- lation of France is its own act, but declares, in the name of France, that by her threat to isolate herself she did not understand that she condemned herself to inaction. After this declaration," adds the France, "what becomes of the reproach against the parties who signed the treaty of the 15th of July, of having insulted and deceived France." The Constitutionnel remarks, and remarks cor- rectly, that the entire provincial press, with the ex- ception of two journals," which had lent themselves to the intrigue which had been formed against the Min- istry," are unanimous in demanding that the Govern- ment take more energetic measures, and, if necessary, even an extreme resolution, in order that the na- tional honour may not be wounded in the present crisis."