REVOLUTION IN FRANCE. [From the Hobart Town Courier.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 308, 12 July 1848, Page 2

REVOLUTION IN FRANCE. [From the Hobart Town Courier. ]

From all classes, and parties, and nations, and individuals, the Provisional Government of the Republic have received expressions, of confidence* and adhesion. Lord Falmerstpn acknowledged in the House .of Commons^ the receipt of despatches from the British Ambassador at Paris (Lord Normanby) notifying, in respectful language,' the establishment of the Republican Government. The Charge d'Affaires from the Republic of the United States had himself paid a congratulatory visit to the new Ministry at the Hotel de Ville ; and the Papal Nuncio had responded, on the 27th ultimo, to the communication from M. ,de Lamartine, announcing th; formation of a Republic, his reply being couched in words expressive of friendship and cordiality. " Monsieur le Ministre," wrote the Nuncio, "I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of the communication just made to me', under date the 27th of February, and I will hasten to transmit it to our most Holy Father Pius IX. I cannot refrain from profiting by this opportunity of expressing the lively and profound satisfaction with which I am inspired by the respect which the people of Paris have shown to religion in the midst of the great events which have just been accomplished, fa lain convinced that the paternal heart of Pius,lX. will be profoundly touched by it, and that the common father of the faithful will call down in all his prayers, the blessings of God on France." Such is the language of the representative of the Sovereign Pontiff and the language employed by the survivors of the Imperial Family is not less emphatic in its approval of the popular movement. "The nation has just destroyed the treaties of 1815," writes the ex-King of Westphalia ; " and the old soldier of Waterloo, the last brothef{of Napoleon, re-enters from that moment the bosom of the great family." Another document had arrived at the Hotel de Vijle, the closing paragraph of which, was thus expressed — ( , ( The duty of every good citizen is to assemble rqund the Provisional Government of the Republic. I consider it the first duty to be discharged, and shall be happy if my patriotism can be'usefully employed." This laconic but moderate and suggestive letter is signed with the startling autograph " Napoleou Bonaparte"—^being the act of adhesion sent in by the Prince who recently escaped from the fortifications of Ham, and who has thus expiated his adventure at Boulogne. Among the more important accessions', to the supporter* of the Provisional Government -must be mentioned, of course, M. Adolphe Thiers and his political adherents, together with M. Odillon Barrot and his associates. A London journal remarks — " The basis of the new Government is in fact essentially a basis of popularity ; and, although sufficient time has not yet

. elapsed* to enable us to estimate the capacities of the provisional Ministers in the art of administration, we must confess that as yet they have proved themselves eminently qualified f«r their responsible and illustrious offices. Never have men so little accustomed to the labour of government so speedily adapted their energies to the necessity of the occasion. Fray God ! the poet,, the astronomer, the historian, the journalist, and the artisan may continue to prove themselves capable of ensuring peace and happiness to the Republic!" , The Spectator of the 4th March observes : '• '* Intelligence of the movement in France has created the most lively interest in surrounding countries. In Belgium there is a mixed feeling — joy at the advance of Liberalism, jealousy of national independence. An attempt at disturbance was made, at Brussels on Sunday ; but it was easily quelled. Cora- ' mercial and conservative Holland received~tbe news with fevered uneasiness almost * panic' Prussia remembers the old claim of France to the Rhenish boundary, and the Cologne Ga"ttttt purs fofth a spirited manifesto in favour of Prussian independence ! * Our first and holiest duty,' says the writer, * is to lay down our lives and our properties in defence of our country.' Switzerland hastens to acknowledge (arid has since imitated) a sister republic. From Italy we have no accounts as to the arrival of the French news ; but the Austrian provinces were in a state to receive it with ~ little equanimity, — a smarting under newly proclaimed martial law. The Princes of the other States it is to be hoped, have granted • their constitutions in time. In Spain, the very earnest rumours of the difficulty about the Reform dinner in Paris had awakened a conflict of feelings. Queen Christina was dismayed — very naturally. Russia can scarce--]y have learned the change. The mode in which England has acknowledged the republic has caused great satisfaction in Paris and has moved some of our quondam enemies of the* war party to make strong demonstrations of good, fellowship." The news from France was received in Ireland with rejoicing. In Tipperary bonfires were lighted. Mr. John O'Connell, in a letter from Paris says, Ireland must not be left behiud in the advance of nations. He deprecates violence, but advises the people to "Speak from every city — every valley — every hill and plain ! The time is come. The - hour is arrived when it is our instant right ! -when it is England's directest and most imperative interest that we should manage our own affairs in our own parliament at home!" The journal above quoted concludes its comments upon the political events of the period, and their collateral influences, as follows :—: — " In the disposition to continue peace, on all sides, we fully believe ; but it is not to be denied that the elements of danger are rife. To say nothing of doubts abroad, it is not all certainty at home. Ireland exults somewhat malignantly in the overthrow of a neighbouring Government, for the sake of the example as applied to England. We, as well as the French, have republicans among us, also Chartists, Communists, and other lovers of change, who will be brought more or less into activity according to the prospects of making 'an impression. We too have classes who may bejojuriously stricken with panic — witness the fall of ten per cent, in onr funds. With such influences at work, a feeble Government might entail mischief beyond calculation — provoke trouble among the turbulent in England, encourage some mad sally in Ireland, destroy confidence in the City and unsettle trade. We never stood in greater need of a really strong administration — wise to discriminate, alert to anticipate the call for national improvements, firm to resist the temptation to random concessions to irrational clamour."

■ In the interview between the American ambassador (Mr. Rush) and the Provisional Government of France the American ambassador spoke as follows : — 1 To the members of the Provisional Government of the French 'Republic. Gentlemen, — As representative of the United States, and charged with the interests and rights •of my country, and of my fellow-citizens residing in France, and too far off to wait for instructions, I seize on the first opportunity to offer you myielicitations, persuaded that my government will sanction the course which I. thus adopt. Nor can I either fail to state to you that the remembrance of the alliance and ancient friendship which have joined together France and the United States is still living and in full force amongst us. I am perfectly convinced that a loud and universal cry will arise in glory, ' under the empire of the institutions which' she is now inaugurating, subject to the ratification of xhe , national will. A ll Americans will indulge in ardent hopes that, thanks to the wisdom of France, these institutions will have for the human race those happy results of which the magnanimous conduct or the nation in the late events is so satisfactory a pledge. It is under the empire of such institutions that the United States have, for seventy years, enjoyed a constant prosperity. < M. Arago replied that the members of the government received without surprise, but with Bvely pleasure! the assurance of the sentiments

expressed by the ambassador of theUnitedStates. France expected no less from an ally to whom she now drew so close, by the proclamation of the Republic. — The Provisional Government thanks you for the wishes which you express for the greatness and prosperity of France. It is well pleased to repeat like you the words of Washington, and it has full confidence that these words will not merely be a desire, but a reality. M. Dupont (del Eure) then approaching the ambassador, said — "Permit me, Sir, in thus taking your hand to assure you that the French people grasp that of the American nation." The ambassador then withdrew, conducted by three ot the provisional government. The guard presented arms, and cries of Vive le Refublique dcs Etatt Unit saluted the party. A correspondent of the Morning Herald says : — " When I repeat that I saw an attack commence on the Prime Minister's hotel from a mob among whom were national guards, shouting " down with the Minister ;" that I stones thrown, and preparations to break open the gates in presence of the troops, whom 1 saw load their muskets, you must allow that a sanguinary collision was very imminent." " 1 was told that in tbe morning the female members of the Prime Minister's family were seen to leave the hotel, and whatever faults the minister may himself have fallen into, no one could, I am sure, help feeling sympathy for his aged mother — whose husband died by the guillotine, one of" the martyrs of the first revolution. His daughters also are young and lovely and described to be of most affectionate dispositions and unaffected manners." There it not tbe slightest intimation of the number of lives that were lost, but there must have been a great many, as one regiment is described to have been cut to pieces. Only a very few days before the revolution, the Prince de Joiaville sailed for Brazil, with his v.ife (the Emperor's sister) intending to take up his abode there for some time. A frigate had been despatched after him by the Provisional Government, to forbid his return to France. The Provisional Government had changed the flag — the white and red in the tricolor are to be transposed. Business was resumed at the Bourse on the 7th of March. Amongst the decrees of the Provisional Government is one which appropriates the Tuileries as an asylum for invalid workmen.