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GREECE.

In the early part of 1851, the kingdom was infested by bands of daring robbers, by whom many persons were killed, and several villages destroyed. The whole number of robbers in this small State was estimated at 1,000. They were particularly active in Livadia, and the sub-prefect of that district issued a circular to all the mayors, recommending the utmost vigilance to be observed in watching the movements of the brigands.

That the government was to blame for this increase of crime is evident from the following occurrence: A noted brigand named Cavourino, had been arrested and tried. It was proved that he had been guilty of sixty-five acts of robbery, and seventy murders; and he was accordingly sentenced to death. But as he had money, he purchased a royal pardon from the minister of justice. This flagrant abuse of power occasioned a violent attack upon the government, from the members of the legislature, who declared that it was in consequence of the protection given by the authorities to persons found guilty of crimes, that robbery was so prevalent in Greece.

In Acarnania, a band of fifty robbers had given battle to an armed force under the mayor, and the latter was killed, with five of his guards, while the banditti lost but one man. Afterwards the

village of Velizza, in the district of Atalanta, was pillaged by a powerful banditti, under a notorious leader named Calamava. Houses were burned, and several men and women murdered in a horrible manner. Among the women killed was the sister of a distinguished merchant of Athens.

The village of Melessina, in Locrida, was pillaged in open day, by a large gang of robbers, who put the few soldiers in the place to flight, killing one and wounding several. Similar scenes occurred in Euboea, Livadia, Boeotia, and Attica.

Dr. Jonas King, the American missionary at Athens, was occasionally hindered in his labors there, in a manner not very creditable to the inhabitants. On Sunday, while he was preaching, a man suddenly interrupted him, and expressed a wish to ask him various questions. Dr. King replied, that if the questions referred immediately to the subject on which he was then speaking, he would answer them immediately; but that if such was not the case, he would defer the discussion to another day. On this the interpreter demanded an immediate solution: some of the persons present supported him, while others opposed him; and such a terrific noise ensued, that Dr. King, thinking himself in danger, left the pulpit, protesting against the violence used against him, and hoisted the American flag on his house. The crowd then

left, muttering loud murmurs, but without committing any act of hostility.

Early in the year, the Austrian Minister addressed a note to the Greek government, complaining of the protection which Greece afforded to Italian exiles, and that they transformed the country into a focus of revolution, striking medals with the effigies of the most prominent men in the late struggles, and thus exciting the sympathies of the Greeks. He concluded with declaring that the more interest the Greek nation took in those refugees, the more severity would be displayed by the Austrian government towards its subjects. This note, however, had little or no influence on the policy of the Greek government; and it is not probable that any such representations from the same quarter ever will. France, Russia and Britain, are the only countries exercising much influence in the affairs of Greece.

During the absence of King Otho in Germany, there were various rumors current in Greece, to the effect that he meant to abdicate, and leave the country permanently. But these turned out to be groundless; and Otho landed at the Piraeus, from a steamer, on the 15th of May, when he resumed the government, which had been administered by the Queen, as regent, during his absence. While he was in Bavaria, the question of his successor was settled, by his next brother, Prince Luitpold, resigning his claims in favor of his youngest brother, Prince Adalbert, now twenty-three years of age. Adalbert was declared heir to the throne, and agreed to marry and remove to Greece. He was also to have his children baptized according to the rites of the Greek church; and if he had a son who should be of age when the throne becomes vacant, he was to resign his claims in his favor. If he should himself succeed to the crown, he promised to adopt the Greek religion, whenever that event might occur.

The Legislative Chambers were dissolved on the 24th of March, in consequence of the Ministry having been defeated during the discussion of a new electoral law. During the subsequent elections, various complaints were made regarding the arbitrary and unconstitutional interference of the government. In several instances the Council of Ministers fixed the number of representatives to be elected, without any regard to the principles laid down by the constitution. In the case of the election of Pylos, the government seemed to try to what extent it could carry its contempt for the rights of the legislature. In three of the communes of that province, a committee had been appointed for the ostensible purpose of scrutinizing the votes. The most extraor dinary irregularities were proved, and, among others, that while false votes in favor of the ministerial candidates were thrown

into the urns, 118 bulletins, given in favor of the opposition candidates, were abstracted. The bureau of the Chamber appointed to examine the election resolved unanimously that it should be annulled; but the Ministry determined otherwise, and, contrary to all precedent, ordered that the members returned should be aÏlowed to take their seats. The Chamber of Deputies submitted without the slightest opposition.

These facts indicate that the Greeks have not recovered from the effects of two thousand years of ignorance and oppression. Their long struggle with the Turks, also, fostered lawless habits. It may fall to our lot hereafter to describe an improved state of society in Greece, both public and private: but it will take a long while to raise the Greeks to a level with some other European communities.

AFRICA.

The Kaffir war waged by the aborigines of Southern Africa against the Cape Colony, was not terminated in 1851. As all the accounts of this protracted and bloody contest were derived from one side, it was not very easy, at this distance, to obtain a clear and reliable knowledge of its real causes. The colonists complained of aggressions, thefts and murders, committed by the aborigines; and it is easy to believe that the latter could relate grievous wrongs sustained from the British. One remarkable fact seems to sustain that belief, viz.: that the Kat River Hottentots, and many other natives, who had been considered quite civilized, and had made professions of Christianity, joined the insurgents. "It is an occurrence," observes Sir Harry Smith, "unprecedented, I believe, in the history of the world, that a mass of civilized men, the greater part born in the Christian faith, and the remainder converted and improving Christians, for years assembled in societies and villages under excellent clergymen, should suddenly, and without any cause whatever, rush back into barbarism and savage life." But the cause of this "unprecedented" occurrence will perhaps be found in the aggressions and wrongs inflicted on the natives by the colonists. Men situated as the latter were, have been generally regardless of the rights of those whom they were superseding; and the latter would, in their turn, resort to every means that they could devise, both justifiable and unjustifiable, to defend what they considered their rights, and expel their adversaries. We gather from the various accounts received from the Cape Colony, that the case there was precisely the same. Many of the settlers are unprincipled men, who claim as their right to exact from the natives whatever their selfish desires may suggest; and the natives are by no means scrupulous in regard to

the property or the lives of the colonists, when either happen to fall within their power. .

Frequent mutual wrongs, proceeding from the causes just mentioned, and continued during a series of years, had produced strong feelings of mutual hostility in the two parties. The natives saw the colonists gradually intruding, without any right or justification, on their ancient pasture grounds; and the treatment they had received from the latter, from time to time, had prejudiced them against receiving from that source any lessons regarding tillage, and a more economical means of acquiring a subsistence. Military villages were established within the Kaffir territory; and the chiefs were alternately coaxed, slighted, and bullied. In these circumstances, Sir Harry Smith abruptly deposed Sandilli, the principal chief of the Gaikas, and installed an Englishman in his stead. Three days afterwards, he revoked this arrangement, as he found, what might have been easily foreseen, that it was likely to produce a storm. The first step excited the anger of the natives; and the second led them to conclude that he feared them, and that consequently they might attack him with success. Sandilli, the deposed chief, at once prepared for war, and was eagerly joined by many of the surrounding chiefs.

On the 3d of January, the Kaffirs attacked Fort White with a strong force; but they were dispersed by the guns of the fort, with a loss of about twenty killed. On the morning of the 7th, Hermanus, a leading insurgent chief, with a numerous band of Kaffirs and Hottentots, who had joined him, attacked Fort Beaufort. The assault was repulsed; Hermanus, his son, and several of his followers were killed, and the whole party completely routed. Notwithstanding these losses, about 3,000 Kaffirs and Hottentots, supported by a body of native cavalry, attacked the colonists and their native allies at Fort Hare and Alice Town, on the 21st of January; but they were defeated with great slaughter. Among the killed was a native chief named Manana. The Fingoes fought on the side of the colonists with great bravery, and sustained the brunt of the attack. The Kaffirs, however, succeeded, during the contest, in seizing and driving away 200 head of cattle. Next day the government troops repulsed a body of insurgents in a smart action, near King William's Town.

The governor now issued a proclamation, declaring the territory of the insurgents forfeited, and that the people of Hermanus should be forever expelled from the colony. It was further declared that, as the war had been commenced by the Kaffirs, without any justifiable cause, hostilities must be continued against them till they are entirely expelled. There was also a reward of £500 offered for the apprehension of Sandilli; but it produced no effect.

The preceding battles seem to have produced no permanent impression on the insurgents: for immediately afterwards they blockaded Forts White and Cox, so that no communication could be held with the troops stationed there. But they were relieved on the last days in January, by a column of about 2,000 men under Col. Mackinnon, who furnished them with supplies for six weeks. The colonists, in a great measure, stood aloof from the contest, declaring that it was a government, and not a colonial war. They said that, as the government would not allow them to protect themselves, it was bound to prosecute the war at its own cost. The attempts of the government to make the colony a penal settlement had excited a strong feeling of discontent among them; and the attempts were energetically resisted.

Although the insurgents were generally defeated in regular encounters with the troops, yet they showed much skill and cunning in their operations; and by attacking small parties, and cutting off supplies, they greatly harrassed their adversaries.

About this time the natives got possession of Fort Armstrong, from, which they expelled those who held it. But a strong force, under the command of Major General Somerset, marched against them on the 22d of February. At some distance from the fort, and about daybreak, a part of this force surprised a body of Kaffirs and Hottentots, who immediately retired; but being joined by a number of insurgents from the fort, they attacked the troops with vigor. They were at length repulsed, and driven back into the fort. General Somerset now united all his forces, and attacked the fort. In about two hours it was carried, sacked, and burnt down. But the resistance made by the insurgents was so desperate, that the tower belonging to the fort had to be destroyed by shells, as the men in it would not surrender, and the troops could not take it. A considerable number of the insurgents were killed, and nearly 600 made prisoners, two-thirds of whom, however, were women and children.

At this time the missionary settlements suffered severely, and that at Shiloh was burnt by the insurgents. They also ravaged the settlements wherever they could, and many skirmishes were fought between them and detachments of troops along the frontiers. The losses of the colonists were very heavy; and the policy pursued towards the natives by Sir Harry Smith, tended to incite them to greater ravages. He acted avowedly on the principle of starving them into submission, by destroying the crops and wasting the country. The same course was adopted by the insurgents.

The Governor denounced some of the persons connected with the missionary establishment at Shiloh, as aiders and abetters of