place in her state, or some fortunate political combination produced this effect.* The introduction of such large sums into Greece, excepting they were subject to the most severe control, and no money issued unless for work really done, and according to the injury inflicted upon the enemy, will, as I before remarked, chill enthusiasm and enervate the people, who, once accustomed to constant pay, will refuse, upon emergency, to act against the enemy without receiving their stipend in advance, as was the case last year with the ships. I should certainly conceive, that the first Loan, which was within the bounds of reason, ought to have the preference in re-payment. I may have spoken, perhaps, rather warmly upon this subject; I have, however, stated what I feel convinced will be the case. As for the means of securing its discharge, I know of none excepting energy and perseverance, in making the Greeks fulfil the stipulations of the contract for the first Loan, by which they pledged all the government-lands, revenues, forests, mines, &c. for its re-payment; no trifling must be permitted, but the contractors must be firm and temperate at the same time. * I am of a contrary opinion. I think that the Greeks, under a regular government, either arbitrary or free, may repay the debt they have contracted. They never can, however, discharge it, unless the army and naval chiefs, and the primates act in concert, -L. S. No. II. Extracts of Letters from a Gentleman of Corfu to Colonel Stanhope, on the Government of the Ionian Islands, more particularly as regards its Influence on the Cause of Greece. THE Executive and Representative Bodies of these Islands are composed as follows:— The Executive consists of the Senate and Lord High Commissioner. The Senate consists of the President and five Senators, and the President has a casting or double vote. Each of the larger islands, viz. Corfù, Cephalonia, Zante, and Santa Maura, appoints one senator, and the three smaller, Ithaca, Cerigo, and Paxò, appoint one in rotation every parliament. Seven of the Members of the Legislative Body are denominated the Primary Council, and are originally named by the Lord High Commissioner. Out of this number the Senators are generally chosen, but such election being subject to the revision of the Lord High Commissioner, who has the right of approval or rejection, the Senator to be so returned is always well-known beforehand. If, however, the Lord High Commissioner should not approve of the first nomination, he signifies his dissent; and should he also reject the second, he proceeds without further ceremony to appoint one himself. No act of the Senate is valid without the approbation of the Lord High Commissioner-the procès-verbaux of their meetings must be read to him by the Secretary for the General Department, and every act must have his counter-signature, before it is carried into execution. The Legislative Assembly consists of forty members, including the Primary Council, chosen from every island. Very few laws have originated with this assembly, but almost all have arisen from temporary enactments of the Senate, during the recess of the legislators, and carried without opposition in this Assembly. The principal occupation of the Assembly seemed to be the getting up fulsome addresses and speeches to the Lord High Commissioner, which, as they are a well-paid body, and such members as most distinguished themselves in this way were generally made Regents, or got something for their friends, is not to be wondered at. Some of these productions were transmitted to England, and I believe even found their way into the House of Commons, as indicative of the high esteem in which the Lord High Commissioner was held. The mode of election of the Legislative Body is as follows: The names of two persons are transmitted to the Regent of the Island where the vacancy has occurred, with orders to convoke the Syndito, or Elective Body, three times, in order to elect one of those persons. For such a mockery of the elective franchise, the Syndito, of course, scarcely ever meets, and the Regent having apprized the Senate of the circumstance, that body elects the representative, and their choice is confirmed by his Excellency the Lord High Commissioner. Both the Executive and Legislative are completely under the control of the Lord High Commissioner, who generally dictates to them what they are to do, in person or in writing, using, of course, very polite language, but there is only one instance, which occurred soon after the promulgation of the Constitution, when one of the Members of the Legislative Assembly ventured to express a different opinion, for which he suffered a severe rebuke from the Lord High Commissioner himself. The business of the Legislative Assembly was formerly conducted by Sir Frederick Hankey, the Secretary to the Primary Council, and Secretary to the Lord High Commissioner. I will relate to you an anecdote on this subject. A distinguished military friend of mine was visited by a Legislator, and asked him, in the course of conversation, if there was much discussion on the different matters brought before the Assembly; his reply was quite comic, "Iddio ce ne guardi! tutto è già ben fatto e preparato dal Colonnello Hankey, e noi vi diciamo sì.”* In fact, the Lord High Commissioner is completely despotic, and the Constitution is a mere farce. The addresses from the different islands, which were sent in 1821-2 to England, were called the spontaneous effusions of Ionian feeling towards the Lord High Commissioner, whilst the signatures were procured by the inspectors of executive police, or their agents, and the people never thought of such a thing until they were told to do so. The system is now, however, improved in the Islands, and great merit is due to Mr. Hume for his exertions in bringing about the better state of things. Could he have carried his point for a commission to be sent out, and had due opportunities been afforded to them of investigating every thing, many abuses would have been found * "God forbid! Every thing is ready cut and dried by Colonel Hankey, and we have nothing to do but to say, Aye!" to exist, and would probably have been in a great measure remedied. ✓ The Ionian government, in the beginning, was excessively adverse to the Greek revolution, to which no one was a more deadly enemy than Sir Thomas Maitland. He persevered from the beginning in representing to his Majesty's Government, that Russia was the supporter and instigator of that revolution. That many native Greeks, employed under the Russian government, might have encouraged and abetted the promoters of it in Greece, I can well believe. That those who held superior offices, such as Capo d'Istria,* and others, . conduced to its breaking out at the moment it did, I do not believe, as I have seen a letter from the Count, condemning the precipitancy of the measure, and stating that his government could afford it no countenance or support. The Capo d'Istria family, resident at Corfu, may be considered to have been almost always under the surveillance of the police, and I have frequently seen intercepted letters, addressed to the Count Viaro Capo d'Istria, of Corfu, the eldest brother of the minister, from Colocotroni, and other chiefs; but they were more appeals to his feelings, and entreaties to exert his influence with his brother to procure assistance, than indicating any direct plan or promise of support. This plan of intercepting letters at the time that was pro tempore resident at Zante, and which letters were frequently ac *A nobler-minded man, or one more devoted to the interests of his country, than Capo d'Istria does not exist.-L. S. |