CHAPTER XVIII. AUSTRIA-Spirit of Reform in Hungary-Resolution of the Germanic Diet respecting the Surrender of Political Offenders-CracowHOLLAND-Opening of the Session --King's Speech-Death of the Queen-Budget-Treaty with Great Britain-BELGIUM-SWITZERLAND-Insurrection in the Canton of Berne-Meeting of the DietPresident's Speech-Revision of the Federal Constitution-CensusExpenditure- Close of Session-re organization of the Military System-Currency - Religious Dissentions - Louis BonaparteITALY SICILY-Ravages of the Cholera-NORWAY-Differencesbetween the King and the Norwegian People-Reply of the King to the address of the Storthing-Death of the deposed King of SwedenGREECE-Establishment of Departmental Councils-Law ReformReturn of the King-Dismissal of Count Armansperg-Appointment of M. Rudhart to the Head of Affairs-Diplomatic Differences Emiglio Usigli-Sir Edward Lyons and M. Rudhart-Restoration of the City of Athens-RUSSIA-Circassian War-General Williamneff's Correspondence with the Circassians-Capture of the VixenEmperor's tour in his Southern Dominions - Russian National Debt -TURKEY-School of Anatomy opened-Improvement in the Administration of Mercantile Law-Curdish War-Sultan visits Silistria and other parts of his Dominions-Cabinet changes-Vassaff Effendi disgraced-Perteff Pacha removed from Office-Redschid PachaMoldavia-Wallachia, and Servia. T THE AUSTRIAN dominions the concessions, demanded from the Austrian government, were, the substitution of the Hungarian for the Latin language, in all official acts; the removal of the Jesuits from the direction of public instruction, and a discontinuance of the practice of quartering the Hungarian troops, beyond the limits of their native country. maintained their accustomed composure, during the present year, if we except some manifestations of an independent spirit in Hungary. District diets of that nation assembled themselves in the autumn at Buda, Presburgh, Pest, and other places, at which the nobility made a point of attending, and national questions of great importance were freely agitated. Among On the 5th of December, an imperial patent appeared, which promulgated a resolution of the Germanic diet, dated the 18th of August, 1836, by which the states of the confederation bound themselves to each other, "to deliver up, when required, to the State injured, or threatened, any individual guilty of planning an undertaking against the Sovereign, or against the existence, integrity, constitution or safety of another state of the confederation, or of belonging to an association tending to such object, or of partaking in, and favouring the same." The protection of the three great powers continued, as heretofore, to be extended to the republic of CRACOW. The senate was moulded according to the peremptory directions of their residents, and members admitted, and expelled, as they thought proper. Neither HOLLAND, nor BELGIUM, during the present year, afford incidents of importance for our history. The States general of the former kingdom, assembled on the 16th of October. The royal speech was delivered by the minister of the interior, in the absence of the king, who was prevented from attending by the very recent death of his consort.* The speech, after intimating, that the Belgian question remained unsettled, announced, that the general interests of the kingdom, at home and abroad, were in a flourishing condition, and called the attention of the Legislature to certain projected changes in the organization and procedure of the courts of justice, and to Frederica Louisa Wilhelmina, a daughter of Frederick William the second of Prussia. The the expedience of a modification of the tariff of import, export, and transit duties. It informed the chambers, that a commercial treaty had been made with Prussia, and that another, with Great Britain, was in course of negotiation. It further announced the intention of the government, to request their co-operation, in the course of the Session, in measures for the improvement of the internal communications of the kingdom. minister of finance, on presenting his budget, (October 19th), did not fail to dilate upon the prosperity of the country. The expenditure was estimated at 44,687,045 florins. Amongst the items were 1,425,000 florins for the civil list, 4,750,000 for the navy; 11,000,000 for the army, and 15,214,895, for the national debt. The ways and means were computed at 44,671,668 florins, being 47,493 less than for the previous financial year. This statement, it appears, failed to give satisfaction to the second chamber; and several members intimated the necessity, they felt, of voting against the ministers on this subject, though by no means desirous of withholding their general support. A better management, and more economical application of the finances, were what the dissidents required. A treaty of commerce and navigation, between the Netherlands and Great Britain, was signed at the Hague, on the 27th of October. Its provisions placed the people of the two countries on a reciprocal footing, and accorded to each, all privileges enjoyed by the subjects of the most favoured nation. • See ante under the head of Prussia. The Session of the chambers of BELGIUM commenced on the 5th of October. Their proceedings were destitute of general interest. The circumstance chiefly worthy of remark, seems to be the omission of a speech from the throne. But the want of more striking occurrences will probably be thought not ill supplied, by the exhibition of a tranquil and prosperous nation, intent, apparently, on little else, than the developement of the abundant resources of their rich country, and exerting successfully, and to the utmost, their intelligence, industry, and capital. Although the annals of SwITZERLAND hardly present more matter for record than those of the two countries last noticed, the state of affairs in the cantons of the Helvetic confederation is less satisfactory. For, as on the one hand, the spirit of religious, and political animosity, seems to be in full activity, within the limits of the greater number of the states; so on the other, the federal constitution, which unites these independent commonwealths, falls short of its object in various respects; neither affording a guarantee to public order, nor being competent to secure to Switzerland that position among the powers of Europe which it is very desirable she should assume. An insurrectionary movement on the part of the Aristocratic faction, disturbed, in the Spring of the year, the tranquillity of the canton of Berne. A large party still existed in that State, who could not reconcile themselves to the new order of things as established in 1831, and who never ceased to frame machina tions for the restoration of the ancient system. Accordingly they continued to have recourse to the usual practices, of which in free communities, a discontented party is at liberty to avail itself. They wrote, harangued, combined, sometimes evaded, and sometimes defied the law; always, as it should seem rather giving trouble to the authorities, than advancing themselves in public opinion. At length they resolved to hazard a bold stroke; and with this view they convened a great meeting of their partizans at Brienzwyler, not far from Brienz. About 800 people assembled on the 30th of April, the appointed day, in the open air. One M. Scharer, sometime recorder of Interlachen seems to have been the chief orator, and his address was as little remarkable for forbearance, as might be expected. The meeting did not separate, without indications of an approaching revolt. But the cantonal government took immediate measures to prevent it. Scharer and some of his accomplices, were arrested; and troops were directed, along the lake of Brientz, upon the malcontents, who were collected in some force, at its extremity. This military demonstration had the desired effect; after some parley the insurgents quietly dispersed. The Helvetic Diet opened their session, at Lucerne, on the 5th of July. The speech delivered, on the occasion by the Avoyer of Lucerne, M. Amryhn, as president, was only remarkable for his observations, respecting the revision of the federal constitution. "It is now six years (said he) since I had the pleasure of addressing you, upon an occasion, similar to the present, when appointed by the state to preside at the same solemnity. The satisfaction, felt at that meeting, was greatly enhanced by the cheering prospect of a political regeneration of the confederacy. Those hopes, have they been realized?-have the engagements entered into with the people been fulfilled? It seems, as if a voice resounded under these arches, demanding an exact account of our acts, and addressing us thus; • Representatives of the Swiss people, have you given to the federal alliance all that solemnity, of which it stood in need? Have you laid the foundation of a code of laws in unison with the reforms effected in different cantons? Have you taken any steps towards the establishment of unity within, and of a barrier against all dangers from without? Have you placed the country in a condition to defend her neutrality in an honourable manner?' it is with pain we admit, that an answer to the above question, would furnish an accusation against us." The revision of the federal settlement is perhaps at present the most important question that occupies public attention in Switzerland. This subject, came under the consideration of the Diet in September; and, as in former years, three distinct opinions found their way into the course of the deliberation; viz. one in favour of the revision being made by the Diet; the other for submitting it to a constituent assembly appointed for the purpose; and the third, altogether opposed to it, in every shape. The partizans of revision, generally reckoned, in their number, the deputies of the principal cantons; and it was contended, on their side of the question, that it was absolutely necessary to abate the incoherencies of the present system, and to bring particular, into more harmonious subordination to general interests. At present the cantonal constitutions, were but ill secured, the directorial power absorbed by one state, and the means of repressing faction at home, and inspiring respect abroad, were alike wanting. as Thirteen cantons and a half, out of 22, admitted the necessity of some revision; but were much divided as to the method. The three directing cantons, Berne, Zurich and Lucerne, together with St. Gall, Thurgau, and Bale-country declared themselves for the appointment of a constituent sembly, the members of which should be in proportion to the population of each canton. But the deputies of the smaller states, were opposed to this mode of carrying the revision into effect, as calculated, by the introduction of a scale of proportion, to secure to the larger cantons that direct preponderance in the councils of the confederation, which is withheld from them under the existing practice. On the other hand, the opponents of all revision, at the head of whom was found the semi-Prussian canton of Neufchatel, contended, that the federative action should be exceptional, and not predominant, in the Swiss commonwealth; that centralization was at variance with the temper, and habits of the people; that a sacrifice of independence, on the part of the individual cantons, each hitherto sovereign within its own borders, would be ill compensated by the supposed advantages of the new system; and that the present order of things, as founded in 1815, on the whole worked well, in prac tice, and answered every national purpose.* The reformers, being divided in opinion, with respect to the method of carrying into effect the principle, in which they all concurred, were disabled from making any use of their victory, and, as always has happened hitherto, the consideration of the question was adjourned to the ensuing year. Considerable time was occupied in the Diet in discussing the quota which should be contributed by each canton to the central fund of the confederation. According to the division adopted. Bale-city appears to be the richest state in Switzerland, next to which Geneva Neufchatel, Zurich, and Berne, are ranged in succession. The three primitive cantons of Uri, Schwytz, and Unterwalden, are the poorest, as well as the least advanced in civilization. Berne, which, equally with the smallest canton, has but one vote in the Diet, pays, it seems, into the common treasury, as many five-franc pieces, as Uri contributes halfpence. In connexion with this subject we may remark that, in the preceding year, the Diet had decreed, that each canton should furnish a census of its population, with a view to the equitable apportionment of their respective contingences in men, and money. The returns made accordingly gave 2,117,429 souls, as the population of Switzerland, including about • There are certainly many obstacles in the way of those who would consolidate the Swiss cantons into one state. The variety of languages, French, Italian German, Patois; the discordant habits religion and prejudices; the different degrees of intelligence; the barriers which divide the cantons, and are, at some seasons impassable-all act as powLerful dissolvents. 52,000 foreigners. But as it appeared, that, in many cantons, the census had not been taken in conformity with the method suggested by the Diet, the general result, was considered imperfect, and unsatisfactory. The expenditure of the general government, from the 1st of July 1886, to the 30th of June 1837, amounted to 94,316 francs. The expediency of maintaining or suppressing the conclusum adopted, in the previous year, with respect to the foreign refugees, came also under consideration. When the question was put to the vote, seven and a half states were found in favour of maintaining matters on their existing footing, and eight and a half were of the contrary opinion; while the deputies of the rest having received no instructions from their constituents, forbore to vote. The subject therefore stood over. The session closed on the 28th of October. M. Amryhn, the president, though he commended the assembly for many of its measures, felt himself under the necessity of expressing his regret, "that a spirit of cantonal egotism had prevented it from doing all the good the country had expected from its wisdom, and patriotism; he hoped, that next year, they would see the necessity of a reform of the federal institutions, and at length, devise some means of attaining that desirable object." About the most important measure of the Diet, during the year, was the organization of the army on a new footing, a reform very necessary, but not therefore the less difficult to extort from the enemies of change. The effective force of the confederation, as fixed by the new |