estimate for 1824 was 27 millions for the revenue, and 26 millions for the expenditure; but by the falling of the prices of coffee, there was a deficiency of nearly a million and a half in the first six months of 1824. The revenue exceeded the expenditure till 1819: when the troubles in Palembang, and the prevalence of the cholera morbus had a visible effect, in diminishing the income, at the same time that the establishments remained on too costly a footing, and the expenses became too great. To lessen the expenditure for the future, certain measures were to be adopted. These were, the determination of a quinquennial budget for India, from which no departure should be made; the suspension of public works for five years; the abolition of expensive boards for civil works, &c.; the simplifications of the administration; the diminution of the number of persons employed in many of the offices, and limitations in the number of new appointments. It was calculated that the board of works alone cost annually 800,000 or 900,000 florins; and that the interest of the public currency, which was to be called in, amounted to 400,000, so that the saving in these two branches would amount nearly to the 1,400,000 required. But while the government at home were thus devising plans for extricating the Indian administration from its pecuniary embarrassments, events were taking place in Java, which tended to make these embarrassments still more overwhelming. The administration of the Dutch had always been unpopular among the natives: it was accused of being capricious and oppressive; and poverty seldom renders a colonial council and governor either more forbearing or more scrupulous. The disaffected were numerous; and, in the present year, they proceeded to open war. The first disturbance of much note that broke out was in the residency of Djocjokarta. It had been observed by the Dutch Resident, that a prince, called Dipo Negoro, one of the guardians of the young sultan, who was a minor, had assembled a great number of people at his abode, among whom it was suspected that some insurrectionary movement was in contemplation. The Resident, therefore, requested the prince to explain the motives of this proceeding; and as he, on various pretexts, declined to do so, the Resident, on the 21st of July, thought it his duty to order his appearance, and to send some troops to compel him to obey. Dipo Negoro opposed the armed force sent against him, and made his escape, along with a confederate, called Mankoe Boemie. The two princes, along with their troops, took up a position at a little distance from the residence of the sultan, and were there attacked by a detachment of Dutch troops, on the 27th of July, without any decisive result; though the insurgents were for the time dispersed, and fled whenever the Dutch forces made a demonstration of attacking them. On the receipt of this intelligence, the lieutenant-governor sent orders to the governor of Samarang (the capital of the eastern district of the island) to take all necessary precautions to prevent the evils which might arise from this incipient rebellion. On the 29th, his excellency reached Samarang, and immediately set out for Sourakarta, the capital of what is called the empire or dominions of the Su-su-hunang of Java, where he procured a reinforcement of native troops to join his own against those of the rebellious governors of the sultan. Detachments of the garrisons of Samarang and Wittevrede likewise marched towards the seat of the insurrection. In the mean time, the insurgents spread themselves over the Dutch province of Kadoe; and, though they were successfully attacked and dispersed, wherever they could be met by a Dutch detachment, they were too numerous, and carried on their operations over too extensive a tract of country to be effectually controlled by the scanty army which was opposed to them. ཐ་ In August regulations were issued by the government of Batavia, by which all persons between the ages of 16 and 45, foreigners included, were compelled to enrol themselves, and to perform military duty; and soon afterwards many of them were forced to march into the interior, to assist in putting down the insurrection. This proceeding occasioned violent irritation, especially among the English merchants, who were little disposed to risk their lives for a government which they despised. To add to the distress, an expedition which had been sent against Macassar returned with the loss of nearly half their numbers, and without having accomplished any of the objects for which they were sent. The communication by land between the capital and Samarang was cut off, and the despatches were transmitted by sea. General Kock occupied Samarang, where all was tranquil; but the native princes were in force at a distance of not more than 20 miles, and offered large rewards for the head of the Dutch commander. On the 2nd of September, an en gagement took place about 50 miles S. E. of Samarang: the rebels were about 12,000 strong, and were opposed only by 60 European seamen from the Javan frigate, 100 infantry natives of Madura, 20 gentlemen volunteer cavalry, and 20 native cavalry, with two 1lb. field pieces. The greater part of this force was cut to pieces, all the arms and ammunition captured; and only the officers of the detachment, a few of the volunteer cavalry, and 16 of the European sailors returned in safety. Out of ten English gentlemen employed in commerce in Batavia, who accom panied the troops, seven, it is said, fell in the skirmish. This advantage did not induce the natives to quit the interior and venture upon a decisive engagement. On the contrary, the Dutch having assembled in considerable force at Samarang, the insurgents withdrew from the vicinity. Several unimportant skirmishes took place between small detachments of the Dutch and bands of the natives, in which the former had the advantage. But, though the insurgents dispersed, they soon reunited upon some other point. About the same time an attempt was made to cut off the Dutch residents in Bencoolen. Sweden, Denmark, and Germany remained, during the present year, in their usual state, without undergoing any alteration of circumstances worthy of being mentioned. One transaction occurred at Stockholm, which excited some attention in Europe. The government had sold three ships of war: the purchasers were an English mercantile house, who, however, there was every reason to believe, were merely the agents of one of the South American states. The Spanish ambassador presented remonstrances, to which civil, but some what evasive answers were returned; and finally, upon an application made by the nominal purchasers, the contract was rescinded, and the money which they had paid, together with the amount of the expenses which they had incurred in repairing the ships, was refunded to them. An article on the subject of this sale appeared in the Algemeine Zeitung, which was re-published in a newspaper entitled the Argus, printed at Stockholm. The chancellor immediately instituted a prosecution against the Argus, on the ground that this article was a violation of article 10 of the ordinance relative to the liberty of the press, by which the publication of any thing relative to negotiations with foreign powers, or to the resolutions of his majesty respecting them, as well as to the funetions of the ministers, councillors, or ambassadors, is prohibited. The defence which the editor set up was, that the chancellor, according to the ordinance relative to the freedom of the press, was bound to confiscate all writings in foreign languages imported into Sweden, which contain any thing contrary to the 3rd section of article 10 of that ordinance. Now, as the paper from which the article was taken had not been confiscated by the chancellor, the editor of the Argus was entitled to consider this as a proof that the chancellor himself did not look upon the article as illegal, and, consequently, he had a right to insert it in his paper. The result of the trial was, that the defendant was acquitted. An order of the king of Prussia, directed to the authorities of his Rhenish provinces, prohibited the Roman Catholic priests from exacting, previous to the celebration of marriage between parents of different sects, a promise that the offspring should be brought up in the Roman Catholic system. Some of the members of the Holy Alliance, who had nearly renounced all intercourse with Wurtemberg, as not sufficiently friendly to their principles, renewed their diplomatic relations with that power. Both Russia and Austria again sent Ambassadors to Stutgard, and professed to have forgiven the constitutional tendency of the feelings and maxims of the king. Maximilian Joseph, the king of Bavaria, was attacked by apoplexy and died at Munich, on the 13th of October. He was succeeded by the prince royal, Charles Louis Augustus, who was 39 years of age, and married, in 1810, a princess of Saxe Hildeburghausen. Maximilian Joseph was exceedingly popular among his subjects; and he deserved their love. He was free from bigotry and prejudice; a friend to improvement, but not hasty and incautious; shrewd, sagacious, and good tempered; not over-fond of power, and mild and temperate in the exercise of it; most simple and unassuming in his manners, and most economical in his personal expenditure. The assembly of the states of Baden met on the 24th of February. The grand duke, in the speech with which he opened the session, alluded, in a manner not unworthy of notice, to the ground of dissention which had arisen two years before, between him and that body.* "The Constitution," said he, • See Annual Register, Vol. 65, p. 172. "has left all the rights of the Executive power united in the person of the sovereign; it made only the exercise of some positive rights depend on the co-operation of the States. But this co-operation can tend to a final result, only by union and concord, without which that which exists may be maintained, but the desire of real amelioration cannot be accomplished; a limitation of my duties as member of the Confederation is no part of the co-operation of the States. If these principles have been at times involved in obscurity, the develop ment of the federal constitution of Germany has given to the monarchical principle a more solid basis. The resolutions of the federal Diet have dispelled all obscurity and all doubts on this point. "If, then, gentlemen, you content yourselves with the honour able vocation of co-operating, with reciprocal calmness and moderation, for the good of the country by conscientious exertions, and by your knowledge and experience keeping within the limits prescribed by the constitution, the grand duchy, and by the resolutions of the Germanic diet, my people will for the first time enjoy, in their full extent, the blessings of a German representative constitution." Steps were taken by the Swiss diet, but without success, to induce the grand duchy of Baden to suspend or relax the new tariff, by which heavy duties were imposed on the importation of various commodities from Switzerland into Baden. The Swiss, finding that their representations were without effect, had recourse to a system of reprisals, and imposed heavy duties on importations from the Grand Duchy. The Swiss diet was opened on the 4th of July, at Lucerne, in the usual form. The speech delivered by the president on that occasion, stated, that there was nothing to excite any uneasy feeling respecting the circumstances of the country, if the members of the confederation fulfilled their duties. In the subsequent discussions relative to the internal concerns of Switzerland, it was urgently recommended that no engagements might be made with foreign powers to furnish a greater quantity of soldiers than Switzerland itself could supply; because, by engaging for a larger number, the cantons were obliged to receive foreigners into the companies to be raised, who, when the time of their service expired, returned into the country, and settled there. On another occasion, the governments of the cantons were earnestly exhorted to take care that the schools were nowhere confided to the hands of persons not imbued with sound principles of law and government. The Hungarian Diet assembled at Presburg on the 14th of September; when the proceedings were commenced by a speech in the Hungarian language from the royal commissioner. On the 16th, the emperor proceeded in great pomp to the diet, and in the presence of more than 800 of the magistrates, delivered to the States a speech in the Latin language [see Public Documents, p. 92*1; after which the royal propositions, containing the business for which they had been called together, were handed to the chancellor. The examination of these propositions, which asked a supply of men and money, was referred to a committee; but in the mean time, the Diet discussed and agreed to a very firm representation or remonstrance, couched in most respectful language, stating their grievances, and humbly appealing to his Majesty for redress. They complained in it that contributions had been exacted, and recruits for the army levied, without their authority or consent, contrary to the statutes of the kingdom, and that the Diet had not been regularly and periodically convened: and they expressed their wish to have a satisfactory answer on these preliminary points, before they decided on the royal propositions. They declared their alarms at seeing, that, in open defiance of the fundamental laws of the king dom, and in contravention of articles adopted in 1790 and 1791 (by which the wounds of the constitution had been closed), they had, been deprived of the protection of the laws in the exercise of their principal immunities, rights, and prerogatives, without any regard to the enormous sacrifices which they had made since that time; that the constitution had been again attacked; that the respect due to fundamental laws had been violated; and that the whole edifice of their ancient privileges had been shaken to its foundation. This remonstrance was presented to the emperor on the 22nd of October. The answer of his Majesty was temperate and indulgent. He expressed his sorrow at their delay in considering the royal propositions; urged the necessity of a prompt compliance; professed his attachment to the constitution ; stated the reasons, why its forms had in some instances not been strictly observed; and promised in future to convene the Diet once in three years, or oftener, if they wished it. This indulgent language restored har mony between the Diet and their sovereign. In February, the emperor of Russia issued a proclamation, convoking the estates of the kingdom of Poland for the third general Diet, to open on the 13th of May, and to close on the 13th of June. "Senators and Deputies," said Alexander, in his proclamation, "two Diets have already been held. That of 1818, guided by a spirit of concord and harmony, promoted by wise laws, the welfare of the kingdom. That of 1820, which spent its valuable time in useless disputes, has hardly left a trace of its labours. This will teach you to avoid the consequences of discord, and the delusion of mistaken self-love." In another proclamation, dated the 13th of February, he endeavoured to avoid the evils, to which he alluded, by an alteration in the publicity of the discussions. "Being desirous," said he, "of removing the danger which the abuse of one article in the charter has already caused, and may cause again-considering that the publicity of the debates in both Chambers has induced the speakers to think rather of an ephemeral popularity than of the public good, by which the debates degenerated into empty declamations, calculated to destroy the expected unanimity, and to banish the tranquillity and decorum which should prevail in every important deliberation-desiring to cure the evil in its source, and to cause our subjects of the kingdom of Poland to enjoy all the benefits which the charter accords to them, we have resolved to fortify our work, by altering, by means of an additional article, one point of the regulations which experience has proved to us to be highly detrimental." |