In Western Europe, overt violence subsides; yet a perturbed and
dangerous feeling but too plainly ferments. The Belgian conspi- racy has not reared its head after the first detection ; LEOPOLD barely alludes to it in opening the Senate for the session : but in- deed, the very meagreness of his allusion might almost provoke the surmise that it is not thought a safe subject to dwell upon. Pacification proceeds in Spain, though slowly. The rebellion has awakened a spirit which is not easily stilled. This is shown in the ultra-zeal of the Barcelona people, who expend the energy with. which they would have fought the insurgents, in.toaring down for- tifications, with a view to some remote contingencies of oppression should the Moderados obtain power ; whit at Madrid, where the insurrection most completely fhiled, popular exasperation and Vt7p- dictiveness oblige the Government to execute General Quiaoaa,
aRer the advocate who conducted the prosecution for the Govern- ment had only sought for a sentence of long imprisonment. There is some disposition to sneer at EseAarsma because he cannot alto- gether control these fiercer feelings : the blame to those who ex- cited them must be forgotten when such a reproach is indulged in. The cautious Regent, however, has not shown himself destitute of firmness: he has struck off the allowance of the traitress CHRIS- TINA*" suspended " it, he says ; probably till she disavow her share in the rebellion.
It becomes a question how France will take that blow at its protegee. The bearing of Louis PHILIPPE towards Spain is, at the best, equivocal. his matrimonial projects defeated, he places a large army of observation on the Spanish frontier, with no appa- rent legitimate object ; and shows some readiness to quarrel with the representative of Spain rather than cease to harbour CHRIS- TINA. If, as it has been surmised, he thought of using that quarrel as a pretext for war, this uncompromising attack upon his guest's resources will furnish the desired pretence. It would, however, place Spain in a more high and tenable position to be at issue as to its right over the disposal of its own funds, than to risk extre- mities on a questionable squabble about the disposal of Canis- TINA'S worthless person.
In the mean time, France is still without an eruption : but those who are on the spot say that the subterranean fires are ready to burst forth. While the Ministerial party and the Opposition are preparing their petty manceuvres for the next session of the Cham- bers,—the Opposition talking of a new attack on the placemen among the members, and the Ministers of an extension of the fran- chise, to admit some twenty thousand professional men—stale and paltry subjects both!—while the great parties in the state are fur- bishing up their trumpery small-arms for this contest, writers of all parties prophesy the outburst of some social revolution. Secret societies are said to be at work for the purpose of seizing on all property, and tearing it to pieces in a new subdivision. Such is the mood in which France approaches the trial, on Monday next, of QGENISSET and other men of the secret societies, for shooting at the Princes.
Previous page
