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Leader (1850-1860), 1st January 1853, Edition Country of 3, Page 15

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    • dDprn Cmrarit .
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      January 1, 1853] The Leader. 15

      January 1 , 1853 ] THE LEADER . 15

      Ddprn Cmrarit .

      _dDprn Cmrarit .

      Pc01505

      <L This Department, As All Opinion's, Ho...

      < l THIS DEPARTMENT , AS ALL OPINION ' S , HOWEVEE EXTREME ABE ALLOWED AN EXPRESSION , THE EDITOB _NECESSARILY HOLDS HIMSELF BESPONSIBLE FOB NONE . ]

      Ere Is No Learned Man But Will Confess H...

      ere is no learned man but will confess he hath much _jrofited by reading controversies , his senses awakened _, md nis judgment sharpened . If , then , it be profitable or him to read , why should it not , at least , be tolerable : or his adversary to write . —Milton .

      Farthing Of Damages Should Be Remitted. ...

      farthing of damages should be remitted . Now for the " amalgamated engineers' strike . " This , I believe , is a quarrel between two parties—the master on one side , his workmen on the other . If -we are called on to be merciful to the master , because our directors sympathise with him , we may also be called on to protect the workman ( with whom , doubtless , many of the shareholders agree ) from the effects of the strike . Many very deserving men , I have no doubt , run up long scores with their bakers and butchers from tbe effects of that strike . Are the company prepared to remunerate them ?—for if they are not , a great act of injustive will be done if the extreme penalty is not exacted from Mr . Scott Russell .

      spare the time , and have acquired the art , draw landscapes , read the papers , and play at sixpenny whist in the evening . The rest stare at the fire , if they have one , lounge against the wall , or get fuddled at the beer-shop . There is a good deal of ignorance and drunkenness , and some poaching ; but we don't interfere with each other . Every man for himself , and the parson ibr us all , —for we have a parson , of course . He is a good-looking , burly , apoplectic man , who drives in here once every Sunday , puts on the surplice , reads the service , and goes home again . That's all we see of him . But it proves that we are all "believers ; " else you really might not have supposed it . We _Thm't do , Or sav . Or t _. hinV _na far »< j T nan _« _f » f > nr . v +. _Tiincr in

      rein-Perhaps it may * t ; urn out , however , that we cannot sequence of our belief ; but I can warrant us all to recover damages , as the contract may have been answer questions of faith in any court , as shortly and vitiated by some small alterations . If so , let it be satisfactorily as may be required . But we are rather proclaimed , and let the blame rest where it should— alarmed , just now , because an " unbeliever" has come either with the consulting engineer ( a brother-in-law to live in a nei ghbouring village . It must be admitted of the chairman ' s ) , who advised such costly alterations , that the new-comer is a lady of the highest character . witn

      THE "MELBOURNE . " ( To the Editor of the Leader . ) _s , —In a recent number , you recounted the misforles of the ill-fated Melbourne , and denounced the i . ernment who sold , and the company who bought , 5 ship . You will have seen , by the papers obtained - _! IT _ TV _« _r-f _* - _fliof . _fVio _ivniunnmOTif rU / _1 _rinf or . ll _i-Lr . _llTVl _v _iuuvt « ' « _A . _^ _U -FV .

      or tne solicitor who drew out the contract so clumsily . I have been told that a contract can never be enforced , and I have so little experience of these matters , that I do not know if this be correct or not ; but if it is correct , a question must present itself to everybody— " What was the advantage in procuring any contract at all ( which cost the company , I believe , from 401 . to 501 . ) , if it was impossible to carry it into effect ? Hoping you will rouse the shareholders from the lethargy into which they have fallen , I am , Sir , yours , & e ., A Shabeholder . December 15 th .

      Her life is one of the most untiring and devoted activity . When she is not employed with her books or her pen , she is visiting the cottages , suggesting and carrying out plans of improved building and ventilation , or kindling the minds and brightening the faces of her poorer neighbours by simple lectures on temperance , science , or history . But we object to her . We are positive that she would not answer Mr . Commissioner Phillips ' s questions—as required . My letter has rather changed its tone , but in thinking on this subject , one ' s mind vibrates between indignation and amusement . I hope vou will continue vour attacks , as lone : as an

      Ifil . __^ _-.., ~ .. _~ w _^ _— . _gv . _^ . _.. . il . _UllVi fbourne to the company , but to a Mr . Scott Russell , o agreed in exchange for her to build a serviceable isel . As trustees for the nation , I cannot think but it the government acted properly in exchanging an . tub for a good vessel , although the value of the mer nrobably exceeded that of the latter by 6000 ? .

      THE TRUE TEST OF A MAN'S BELIEF . ( To the Editor ofthe Leader . ) Sie , —The Leader is worthy of its name . Your remarks on the recemy treatment of Mr . Holyoake , as usual , go for absolute justice—neither more nor less . The _nrineinle . -which vou lav down—that , a man ' s

      _snehonest and conscientious man is liable to be scolded from the bench by a judge , who may have climbed there by a strict attention to the maxim" Ply every art of legal thieving , No matter—stick to sound believing !" I am , Sir , yom \ s truly , _GrotJCESTEEis SlS .

      7000 _? . No one can object to Mr . Scott Russell ' s gain , who , as a private individual , of course is the t judge of his own affairs , and a disinterested person 1 congratulate him on getting rid of her for 36 , 000 ? . the R . A . M . S . S . Company . As a shareholder in the lpany , I must , however , protest against the directors ing purchased such a vessel , more especially when I _lerstand that it was the individual act of the chairn , " who was authorized by the board , to buy a !\ v-steamer , equal to the Queen of the South , and fit the company ' s service . " Instead of this , he pursed the Melbourne—a steamer of one-half the _nage ; and the passengers who came from Lisbon say whether she is fit for the company ' s service _, n the more indignant , when I understand ( by Mr . ett ' s papers ) that she was bought from Mr . Scott ' sell ; for I am given to understand that it was rely through his breaking his former contract that Melbourne was wanted to proceed with the mails _, the general meeting it was announced that tho pany had contracted with that gentleman for two < s > the Adelaide and Victoria , to take out thc ) ber and December mails . I believe that the confc was for the Adelaide to bo delivered up to the pany , reaely for sea , on tho 13 th of September , nnd Victoria on the 13 th of November . This contract , hove , was signed in May or April , and in ele : faultof vessels being delivered , a penalty of 150 / . a-day to ho imposed on tho contractor . The Adelaide _» ot launched till the 16 th of November , nor ' < _-red to the company till the 26 th , en- thereabouts _, _ven knows when the lletoria will be launchod—>» ut _te ; n weeks , I believe , if they keep on working _'r . Two excuses , of which I will presently dispose , "ado for Mr . Scott Russell ' s non-performiuice ; of ontrnct— " the high prico of iron , " and the " strike 10 amal gamated engineers , " by which Mr . Sceitt < - '" lost Hovcral of his best hands . It is rumoured the company do not intend to _onferroo the ; penalties ' would , in tho case of the Adelaide , reduce he ; r ( > ' » o-half , nnel still more ; cheapen tho Victoria , * h inele ; e ; d they will go but a short way to indemnify "'" pany for tho money thrown away on tho Me . llc i to way nothing of tho hael naino the company thereb y acquired . Tho chairman , at the meeting

      culative opinions , whatever they may be , shall be no bar to his possessing tbe full rights of citizenship—is one that presses for a settlement . There is nothing to be added to your clear and distinct assertion of it . It is a cheering sign that you are not alone in your advocacy of this great principle ; that one or two , at least , of your contemporaries have manfully recorded their protest in its favour . But I observe that they express a sort of anxiety to disclaim any participation in the position of the " unbeliever . " Now , I do not for a moment complain of this expression of feeling , or doubt its sincerity . I only wish to _states , as brielly as possible , why it seems to me to be uncalled for , anel to proceed from a superficial view of the case . Whether or not I shared Mr . Holyoake ' s opinions , I should regard his position in this affair as proof of a moral circumspection above the average , anel , therefore , calling for congratulation rather than the opposite sentiments . What , at the present elay , is implied by a man accepting the position of a " believer , " and being reaely to answer the question of thc court Y Is it that his belief is the result of evidence , study , conviction , and issues in a pure and devout life Y Let the public answer according to its experience . The fact is , we are all such " believers" as pass muster in a court of law . Mr . Holyoake is a rare exception . My own experience le ; ads mo te ) suppose that religious profession , te > the ; law court requirement , means only unthinking or interested habitual conformity in ten cases , for one in whieh it means personal conviction ; that , Ibr one in which if implies a devout and beneficent life , it implies tho mere level , worldly character in a hundred . Now , what _eleies the ; public avowal of " unbelief " imply Y Independent thought , a preference of truth to self-interest , anil some courage . If you fell me that a man is a " believer , " you tell me nothing . I woulel not trust him with half-a-erown without further knowledge of him . If you tell me that a man has publie ; ly and persistently avowed his disbelief in almost universally received opinions , thereby _encountering serious misre ; - _presentation , I suspect him to he ; an honest- , courageous man . Anel , paradoxical as it may sound , I should call the state ; eif mind of that man , Atheist though ho were ; , more ; religious than that of most orelinary " believers . " He ; is bound , anel _sheiws the ; strongest attachment , to

      ' veinbor , usoel the ominous phraso , " that as for n damages , _womust talk to the lawyersabout that . " w "ir , if wo can obtain damages from Mr . Scott "» ' maintain that neither of the two pleas I have "' Kiel ought to shield him . As for the high prico _'« Mr . _fcJcott Russell should have thought of that , tho probable ; further increase in the prico of _"letul , beforo he ; e ; ntored into tho contract _, highl y respectable _iirnis sent in tenders—( We ; ro _'peneel by the directors , or by tho consulting on-»> their presence?)—Mr . Mare , Messrs . _J'ar-1 ft » d _Coutts , & c ,., & a ; . —and thoy woro rejected as hi gher in prico than Mr . Scott Russell ' s . It is lr to these _rospoctftWjp _ahip-builders that ono I

      something higher than mere sellish anel prudential considerations ; which is more than can be saiel for tho common believer . How much longer shall men bo bamboozled hy names ? What are ; we to look at in rating men ace ; ording to their religious opinions ? The net result , which may be stateel in a formula , communicated to the car , and mumbled , parrot-like , by tho mouth ; or the _epialifieis of mind and heart involved iu their formation anel maintenance . In the little village in which I live , wo aro «} 1 "believers . " VVo eat , and drink , and sloop a good deal , are more ; eir less clad , anel protected l ' rom tho weather by houses , varying in their architecture from the _substantial to tho pigsty order . Thoso of us who can

      Slavery. (To The Editor Of The Leader. S...

      SLAVERY . ( To the Editor of the Leader . Sie , —Concurring in your view of the Ladies-of-England Manifesto to America , one remark in connexion occurs to me , which perhaps may be worth making whilst the Ladies and Women of England are talking about it , for they will talk about it certainly . The class-feeling manifested here towards African blood ( not in romantic circumstances ) has been alluded to in a general way , and that towards white governesses in particular , and the remarks made seem to ine to apply with still greater force and wider scope to tho spirit freq _\ _iently displayed towards emr domestic servants—in the middle classes , at least . I have known ladies ( ardent admirers of Uncle Tom ' s Cabin ) who will do and say things regarding this class of women wliich seem to me to have in them the essential spirit , of . Slavery—and if I imagine how they woulel act if _the'se " helps" were eif another coleiur , anel could not give ; " warning , " anel might be ; whipped- —I am _obligeel to close my eyes to the picture . 1 really dare not bo toe _> sure in some cases if " sacreel marriage " would be a permit for a _geiod servant to live ; with her husband on another estate , when I remember the tone of remark hearel sometimes on m : irriage ; s eif servants ; to say nothing of the "' no lbllowers alleiwed" system . Ear be ; it from me to assert that the feeling I speak of has not legions of _exceptions , whe > think with Leigh Hunt of " home's' inhabiting strangers , " but that thero I i . s much of it I am sure : anel I think it may be ; _goeiel for us all to try to re ; nienihe > r in connexion with Slavery , that its spirit essentially is the ; tyranny of power , the selfish exaction from any of more ; than is elue , the ; infringement on the part eif any of the sacreel individual circle of free life demanded feir the health of every human being , deprived of which , that being is certainly _degraded either into hypocrisy eir worse meanness . These remarks will neit be mise _* e ) nstrucd , I hope , inte ) any other feeling than your own , as to the ; generous feuding ne ) doubt uppermost in the ; Ladies' Meeting at Stafford House , eir as any echoing of that ridicule of philanthropy which says , in _eflect , " always look lo your own hemic—nnel nothing else . " 1 am . Sir , respectfully yours , _Docemlior fi , 1 H _515 . ( " _* ' " _'"

      " Mauoakkt's Kdiioation."—-" A School, S...

      " Mauoakkt ' s _Kdiioation . " — - " A school , sir , where it was a rule te > take ! in nothing lower than the dau ghter of a professional man— they emly _waived the rule in my case- —the most genteel school perhaps in all London ! A drawing-ri > e » iii-dej > orfnie ; iit day once every week—the girls taught how to enter a room nnd lea \ o a room with dignity and e _; ase ;—a model of a carriage ; - _eloeir and ste ; ps , in the back drawing-room , to practise the girls ( with the footman of the _establishment in attendance ) i » K _iting into a carriage and getting out again , in a ladylike , graceful manner ! No duchess has had a better education than my Margaret _!"—Cowana ' U Basil .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 1, 1853, page 15, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_01011853/page/15/