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1188 THE LEASE R. TNo. 403. December 12 ...
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A WORD FOll THE.-THIEF ¦IN TEREST, &VBI2...
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THE OATHS BILL DEBATE. Some spirited rem...
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LOUD PALMEItSTON'S CITIZENS AT : . \- NA...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
The New Religious Liberty Clause. Out Of...
demn some of Spubgeon ' s expositions ; many accomplished members of the Church of England will be astounded to see the Bishop of London inducing the special congregation which he gathered round him in St . Matthew ' s Church , in Bethnal-green , to believe that Heaven is a city of . Best and Blias inhabited by men in real bodies . But the appearance of a real bishop earnestly preaching hope to the neglected poor is a sight that has awakened strange feelings in Bethnal-green .
We are strongly impressed with the conviction that these specialties of doctrine are more Jikely to be corrected , should the members of Jbhis great community be brought together binder a common Christianity , than they are , while the teachers of different sects , each segregates himself into his own building and remains unquestioned amongst ; his chosen followers . These movements have contributed largely to nationalize our divided Church ; even those who are alarmed at Lord
Shaftesbuets proceedings in Parliament are unable to stand against the force of his movement ; . they cannot resist his objects—they avow Jthey cannot . He has therefore every inducejnent to perseverance ,
1188 The Lease R. Tno. 403. December 12 ...
1188 THE LEASE R . TNo . 403 . December 12 Tftri ?
A Word Foll The.-Thief ¦In Terest, &Vbi2...
A WORD FOll THE .-THIEF ¦ IN TEREST , & VBI 27 G the black fog which enveloped London on Tuesday last , the link-boys , it is said , reaped a rich harvest , and it is supposed that iii some cases they did not content themselves with taking the property that was voluntarily given to them . They took that which they round , and sometimes that which they sought , without much regard to the original title . And why not ? Why should that particular
class , ¦ which is not in the most prosperous condition , abstain from ' assistance' which is largely taken by other classes ? The process of appropriation may be traced through every grade of society , until it met at the two extremes , The three London thieves preying upon Iiady Exlesmebe ' s luggage only completed the allegory . The two extremes of society prey upon each other like a
twoheaded serpent with both tails in each mouth — -a new figure of eternity ! The peculiarity in this JBlLiiESMEiiE case is , that the professors of the art of appropriation are single-minded in their trade . Atwell , Saint , and Whitty , are thieves , and nothing else . They can thieve with considerable adroitness ; hut for want of sufficient information in other branches of their
business , they are liable , poor simpletons ! to be outwitted . To a great extent they have the best of society . Lady Ellesmere ' s jeweltrunk is placed by her faithful servants on the top of a common cab , — -about the best of all places to attract the attention of the London birds of prey . The three men see it . " May I be lagged , " cries Whitty , " but I'll have the big un I" meaning the jewel-trunk , which he chose rather than another simply on
•© count of its size . He seizes the trunk in the middle of the street ; the cab is stopped by . the jerk and the horse rears , but nobody takes any notice . The nearest policeman , intent on maintaining his deportment , has no thought for portmanteaus . Lady Ellesmkbb ' b treasury remains in the . hands of Mr . Whitty and his two partnera . They carry it to the house of Mr . Jackson . Now here we rise in society . Mr .
Jacksou is not only a fence , but he is an oil and colourman in Leonard-street , Shoreditch ; and it is curious to see how this more educated man employed his better information of the world to outshine WnrrTY . The poor thieves , who knew no better , were almost prepared to sell him Lady Ellesmebb ' s treasury , valued at some 15 , 000 / . or so , for 4 OJ ., at which lie vulued it . Whitty had already sold a diamond butterfly , value
50 Z ., to Mrs . Jackson for 2 s . ; but that appears to have been in a great degree under the force of the same politeness which made Jackson himself concede a pair of Lady Elxksmere ' s stays to Whitty to be presented * to a lady named Polly Gentleman . ' Atwell , Saint , and Whitty were not quite so green as Jackson took them for : but still the oil and colourman succeeded in obtaining the property at . what linen drapers call
' ruinous prices . ' But a reward is offered ; and if the poor thieves are the first seized by the police- —throwing away in their flight , as Hoka . ob did his shield , some portion of their spoils—even Jackson and his wife are ultimately placed before a police-court . In that grade of society men do not understand how to play the part of fence or * unlicensed pawnbrokers , ' as Mr . Henley calls them , without rubbing against the letter of the law .
A step higher brings us to Mr . James Ebwabd Stephens , who has just been accounting for his own bankruptcy before the Sheriff Substitute at Edinburgh . Mr . Stephens's proper business was that of surgeon in the Indian army ; in India he made acquaintance with . ' Colonel' Watj . ; but being an enterprising man , after his return from India , in 1850 , Stephens became manager of the London and Eastern Banking Company ; and he' managed * to some purpose . Still the genius of Stephens , however , was undeveloped , until he again encountered
Colonel Waugh , now owner of Branksea Island and Castle , and projectiug ¦ his celebrated clay and brick works . ' The Colonel wanted a bank , Stephens wanted the spark of inspiration ; and from that moment the manager branched out into other businesses . He and the Colonel became ' the Branksea Clay Company ; ' he and a Mr . Lattey became ' Lattey and Co ., carrying on the watchmaking business of GBabwise and Co ., Piccadilly , London . ' He and Mr . James Black became the lessees of ' Lutt's wharf ;' he and the same Mr . James Black became
* MiNTEii and Co ., upholsterers , . 111 Frithstreet , Soho-square , London ; ' Black being also ' Towns and Co ., ' pianoforte dealers . Capital was required for all these purposes , but it was easily obtained from the bank . Lett's wharf aloue obtained sums to the amount of 23 , 0002 . beyond t \\ e sums paid back . This is the principle : Mr . James Edward Stephens only obtained his tens of thousands , Colonel Wait an obtained his hundreds of thousands . Messrs . Syeks , Walked , and Syers , who obtained a certificate in the Court of
Bankruptcy the other day , had been trading for two years to the extent of 1 , 000 , 0002 . sterling without any capital . So said Mr . Commissioner GouDBTTRN , and lie seemed surprised and hurt at the fact ; though a man on his bench ought to be hardened to these illustrations of the prevalent principles . We have not yet reached the top of the scale . We find trading corporations called banks which dispose of millions sterling ; some of these trusted depositories have been the means of employing many persons' money
in wild speculations for the benefit of others , yet they have even , after the fact , received formal testimonials from great public assemblies attended by dukes , lords , merchants , and manufacturers . Perhaps there are reasons for this sympathy . If the banks have used the money in speculation , so have merchants , so have manufacturers . The great object of British commerce is to get hold of capital , and lately it has not been thought necessary to inquire too closely to whom the capital belongs . ' Take any man ' s horaes , '—take any countess ' s trunks . Why , then , are we so severe upon the thieveB ?
Eeally , the traits which strike us in their conduct as most peculiar to themselves are the simplicity of their character , the moderation of their levies .
The Oaths Bill Debate. Some Spirited Rem...
THE OATHS BILL DEBATE . Some spirited remarks by two or three youiK * members were the only reliefs to the apathetic monotony of Thursday's debate . It was felt that a comedy was being enacted , in which the leading parts were filled % the Premier and his ' noble friend . ' Lord Paxmebston sat the whole evening in slumber , real or affected , as if mesmerized by the Conservative minority . Not an utterance came from the Treasury Bench , not even the oracular response of a snore . We admire the First Minister ' s complacency , and his pleasant , lively way of keeping the House of Commons at trot
an easy . By critics less forbearing tlian ourselves he is said to deal , with respect to foreign affairs , in a policy of "bluster ; in that case , his chaff is probably intended for home consumption . How much of that material will be manufactured before there comes a glut in the market ? Lord Pai-merstok gives up the principle of religious liberty ; Lord John Russeul dandles it as though he were its grandfather ; Baron R , oTHscHiti > is dissatisfied—though he himself is no Ajax in the cause of his co-religionists ; and we are all left to wonder why we have a House of Commons , and where the gentlemen are -who flourished so many heroic trumpets on the hustings .
Loud Palmeitston's Citizens At : . \- Na...
LOUD PALMEItSTON'S CITIZENS AT : . \ - NAPLES . / .. \ While Lord Palmehston was ' satisfying' the House of Commons that no outrage had / been committed on British subjects at Naples , the JDiiily News was confirming tlie worst that had Tjeen alleged . The statement need riot he repeated in detail . Its truth has been substantially admittecl by the Premier himself , who would do well , in futuTe , to rely less upon official misinformation and more upon ' anonymous writers . ' A distinct public recognition , however , is due to the Daily News for the iorce and persistency with which it has kept this question alive , Had not its correspondent contradicted the Government version , and forced Lord Palmbbstok to admit his error , there would have been nothing to show that the imprisoned engineers had been barbarously maltreated . We have ourselves repeatedl y returned to the matter , and we confess , after so many complaints , it was somewhat startling to hear the First Minister of the Crown quoting the testimony of the engineers themselves , to demonstrate that they had met with nothing but kindness and courtesy . Happily more authentic evidence was at hand , and Lord
Palmebston , upon the next opportunity , was drawn into an invective against . the authorities he had been defending . But where is the Newcastle petition ? Will not some independent member move that it be printed , if onl y to put himself in order while claiming the attention of the House to ' this flagrant case ? It is very unsatisfactory to have such questions disposed of by friendly arrangement . There is always some stirrup-holder of the Government ready to point a discreet question at the Treasury Bench ; but when a Liberal member rises , as Mr . Coninoiiam did , to declare that ' the lives and liberties of Englishmen are not to be trilled with in this way , ' the rules of the House are enforced to stifle discussion . Now . tliis will
not do . Xiord Palmkbston may be a very successful State wizard , with a body of confederates in the pit , and soxiffle . ms in abundance to assist him in deceiving the public ; if no one is to speak , however , without a previous understanding with the Government , such a political underplot may amuse the House of Commons ; but we appeal from that club-house to tho constituencies . Xne apathy and indifference of Parliament would be sufficient to bring representative institutions into contempt throughout Europe , were it not that there is some nossibuitv of a reform , demanded out of doors ,
and carried by popular pressure . The House of Commons , no doubt , is callous on tho subject , and is actuated loss by its pledges than by the dread of a dissolution , the charm which Mr . Hayocbk omploys to > quell any rising turbulence on the Opposition and independent benches . It is tho . silence of , the few that screens tlto hypocrisy of the many . A . motion in connexion with the imprisonment and cruel usage of two Englishmen at Naples would , at all evenis , act as a test . Perhaps it might at length
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 12, 1857, page 12, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_12121857/page/12/
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