While the French Government talks of reducing its army to
a peace establishment, the discords among the Ministers and allies of the President defy, concealment. M. de Falloux is driven into a long nervous fever by anxiety, and M. Leon Faucher is accused of writing in the Opposition journals.
Austria has proclaimed the loan which we have mentioned above-71,000,000 florins, at 4i per cent; to be negotiated by Messrs. Hope of Amsterdam. The history of the Austrian empire in the years 1848-'9 stands thus : Europe being convulsed, the Austrian provinces share the movement ; the Metternich policy is dethroned ; Count Stadion proposes a constitution suited to the time, but is driven into madness by the thwarting of his col- leagues, and the provinces are driven into greater revolt; Hun- gary specially resists the constitution ; Austria asks help of Rus- sia; Russia conquers, Hungary yields, Austria goes back to Sta- dion's constitution ; and finally, Austria is borrowing money " to pay the piper."
A cloud has come over Constantinople. The Austrian and Russian Governments have formally demanded the surrender of Kossuth and his companions : the. Sultan has refused, resolutely ; and the representatives of Austria and Russia have broken off diplomatic relations with the Porte. Will France and England leave their old ally Turkey at the mercy of her old enemies? The Pope has given to his subjects a state reform and an am- nesty in one manifesto. The state reform is to establish a Conn-
cil and a Consults in Rome, composed of members not yet de- termined, partly elected by Provincial Councils, and exercising consultative functionsy—legislative or controlling functions not being named ; Provincial Councils are confirmed, and local Muni- cipalities, mainly, it would appear,, with consultative powers; and there is to be anadministrative and judicial reform. All this leaves the absolute power of the Pope untouched. The amnesty makes so many exceptions that it may be called an amnesty in favour of the Pope's own party. The manifesto seems to be a mockery—such a " reform" as Popes might give and Cardinals devise.
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