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Leader (1850-1860), 22nd March 1851, Edition Town of 1, Page 269, Untitled Article

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    • POSTSCRIPT. Saturday, March 22.
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      Untitled Article

      The first business in the House of Commons , last evening , related to the disorderly proceedings of Thursday . Mr . Mooke thought the House ought to take steps "to prevent the repetition of those obscenities of prurient senility , and to repel those dastardly insinuations . ' — The Speaker : The honourable member must retract the word dastardly . —Mr . M ooue : Those unmanly insinuations against English ladies . ' '— Mr . John O Connem , put the following question to the Speaker : —

      11 honourable member of this House , the member for Surrey , having spoken in terms of levity and insult of certain practices connected with the religion of other members , which , although not enjoined upon them as of faith , are , and have long been , sanctioned by competent authority and recommended for devout observance ; and the same honourable member haying proceeded to speak in similar terms on subjects usually beld in reverence by Christians of all denominations — involving an allusion , the terras of which it is impossible for a Christian to repeat , to the mother of our common Redeemer—is it to be understood that such conduct , tending as it does to outrage not only right feeling and charity , but Christianity itself , was in order ; and that a repetition of it will , therefore , be permitted in the British House of Commons ?"

      If it should go forth to the world that in the House of Commons , a Christian assembly , such expressions , touching matters which are held sacred by all Christians , be allowed to pass , he for one could not hope that order would be preserved , for it would be impossible to sit patiently and listen to them . ( Hear , hear . ) Sir Robert Inglis thought the subject might be allowed to drop , after the apology which Mr . Drutnmond had made ; he having expressed his regret at having given any offence . A rather angry discussion followed relating to Miss Talbot , in whch several gentlemen gave each other the lie , in the Pickwickian

      sense . Another episode , also flowing out of the wearisome discussion on the Papal Aggression Bill , was introduced by Mr . Milner Gibson , who called the attention of Ministers to the fact that seven weeks of the session have past , and that only two nights have been devoted to business . He was quite aware that the Papal aggression was the principal cause of this . Many people , no doubt , were anxious to have that question settled , but there were others equally anxious to get on with business . The coffee trade was in a state of suspense , the timber trade and , indeed , the manufacturing and trading interests generally were in a state of suspense . They complained of the unfair appropriation of public time . No one knew when the debate would end . It was

      rumoured also that Ministers would find it necessary to withdraw the bill , in consequence of the first clause containing those very provisions which they were anxious to avoid . Under these circumstances , he thought the best thing they could do would be to lay the question aside for the present , and get on with the more urgent business . Lord John KussKin , would huvo been very glad if the debate had been brought to a close on Monday , but it lay with the House rather than with Ministers to say when it should close . As regards the busineHH of the session ,

      " As soon as the House has decided upon the second reading of the present bill , we shall prooeed , on the first order night , to the Army estimates . We shall endeavour to take the votes of the men for the Army immediately , and the notice will be given on the next order of what shape the Budget shall appear in . On the next , order day we shall take the votes on the income tax , and I hope that this will bo perfectly HatiBfactory . { Hear . )" The formal debate waa then begun by Mr . Biounai-Ohuohnh , who asked why the isle should be fri ghted from its propriety because a harmless act had been done in an arrogant mid bombastic man-«« r . Ho commended Lord John for omitting tho two cluusos of the billrecommending him to omit

      , tho preamble alao ; and than addressed himself to the arguments urged in support of the bill , which he said , with one or two exception ** , abounded with vituperation of tho Roman Catholic religion . Tim no-Popery cry out of doom , and . the vituperative speeches on the platform und . in tho nulpit , us well » h in that House , reminded him of the Popiah Plot in 16 78 . While ho dopr « cnteil legislation against TtorniBh bishops , ho admitted there was ll gravo question touched upon in Lord John RuhsoII ' b letter—namely , the atato of th « Church of England , J »« l how far tho UnivuraititM conduced to the purity Mt that Church , and he recommended that , iwstoud of

      looking to the Vatican , we should reform Oxford . Mr . Coohbane and Mr . Child supported the bill , Mr . Fortesctje and Mr . Gould opposed it . Mr . W . J . Fox did not deny that there had been an extensive movement in the public mind on the subject of Papal aggression ; but he thought it had been considerably exaggerated , and it was not a movement in favour of this bill ; what the people wanted was to stop the progress of Popery . How far that could be done by act of Parliament he should not inquire ; but this bill would not have the remotest effect in that direction . If the real wishes of the people were to be gratified , it must be by making the Church of England more Protestant , instead of imitating the worst features of Romanism .

      The bill had already produced disastrous effects , —a great party shattered , public business obstructed , the tone of deliberation in that House lowered ; and all for what ? To placate the wounded pride of a few titled ecclesiastics . Mr . Walpole supported the bill in a declamatory harangue , and Mr . Roebuck followed on the other side . After asking what the Queen of a nation like this could fear from a poor , old wandering priest , who , if he came here at all , came clothed only with moral attributes , he said the act of Cardinal Wiseman had been a blunder , for had the Catholics waited a few years , the popular mind would have been in that state that

      would have allowed them to do as they pleased . The Attorney-General , whose speech closed the debate for last evening , endeavoured to sow dissension between the Irish and English Roman Catholics . " He was by no means clear that the Papal act was not a first step towards giving the Catholic Church of England a mischievous superiority over the Catholic Church of Ireland . " Mr . Pagan having moved the adjournment of the debate till Monday , Lord John said he would not oppose the adjournment , but hoped that on Monday a division would take place .

      Untitled Article

      The Times , which , has lately taken up the suffrage question much more earnestly than any other daily newspaper , in an article this morning on the desperate condition of the Government , warns Lord John that he must lose no time : — " Unless Lord John wishes to sell his party altogether , and go down to posterity as the last and least of the Whiga , he must bring in the bill for the further reform of the British electoral system which he has had in hand for some time . That , however , cannot be expected to pass without a great deal of debate , extending , perhaps ,

      into two sessions . In his own mind , and on a very rational estimate of the labour and difficulties involved in the task , his lordship had reserved the bill to the less occupied session of 1852 ; but the events of the last seven weeks abundantly prove that it is unsafe to postpone a measure of such absolute necessity a day longer than need be ; for every day brings us nearer to the crisis when we may require the assistance of a new Parliamentary Reform Act to save the country from the most serious of perils—viz ., the temporary ascendancy of a party at utter discord with the public opinion and interests of the empire . "

      The election of a representative for Thirsk , in the room of the late member , Mr . John Bell , took place yesterday . The only candidate was Sir W . Payne Gallwey , Bart ., who , backed by the influence of the Fratikland liussell family of Thirskleby , asked for the suffrages of the electors upon Protectionist and Protestant principles , and was returned without opposition . The case of Miss Talbot , a ward in Chancery , whose fortune of £ 80 , 000 is likely to go to " pious uses , " has been fixed for hearing this morning . The Earl of Eglinton was installed as Lord Rector of the Marischal College and University of Aberdeen on Tuesday .

      A large and influential meeting of the inhabitants of Glasgow was held in the City hall , on Wednesday , to petition Parliament to take efficient measures to repel the Panal aggression , and to withdraw all endowments , and every species of state encouragement from Popery . Tho meeting was addressed by the leading Established and Dissenting clergymen of the city . The speakers condemned tho vacillating conduct of Ministers in very strong ternm , and called for strong measures . They called upon Parliament" To withdraw from tlio Cliurc . li of Homo that tiutioniil « mifioiir . igemtiiit an « l support which it now r «?« eiv « H from tho public fluids uud otherwise ; to pluoo nil convents and uunmM'tas , and other uiuiilar e . stiildinhinputs of 1 . 1 m Koiiuin Catholic . Church , under r <« uhir public inspection ; to uiiiimkI tho laws of mortmain , and Kenorully to resist the «( ryrwniivM Hpirit of l ' opory . " One of the resolutions was of a decidedly huninths character . It

      declared" Thiit , looking to the unsound viewH on tho 1 ' olinh < iiu : nliou recently expreKHed by HTutesiiK-n of Jill p ; irtlen , und having rt * H |» ccL to tho not di « t . ; uil disnoliitiiiii of I ' lirliaiiuuit , thin mooting nifolvew to ostablmh an tmHooiution in ( Uita ^ ow , either independently of , or in connection with the Keottinh Kefoimutiou Hociety , rnnenlly iimtitutcd in ('' . dinbiir ^ h , for tho purpoxtt of procuring mid circulating information i <>|{ ttr < liiijj J ' upal movemenlH , und of keeping the attention of the country , and eHpeciully of tho Parliamentary coiiHtiuoncicH , alive to tho true c . liurar . trr and ( lenient ) of 1 ' opery , mill to tho iie < u > nmt . y of tuking effectual inciiHureii to Hcr . uru that e . tl ' cct Hhall In ; given to the mind of tho parties on thin subject , both by the Govoruiuent and tho 1 ' arliament of thin kingdom ; and that , a uuinberof gonllfiiioii ho appointed a coiimtllt < : it for forming mich an attMocialion , with power to add to their number . "

      At . Nottingham a public incuting of a similar character wan held in the Corn Exchange , on Thursday . All neotn and parties are fluid to havn joined in the demonstration againut Papal aggression . Tin : steam-ship Cumbria arrived at Liverpool from New

      York yesterday , which port she left on the 8 th instant . The news include an arrival from California , which dates to the 1 st of February . Business was very dull at San Francisco . The North America had arrived at New York with 480 , 000 dollars in gold dust . Twelve hundred thousand dollars' worth of gold dust had arrived at Panama . The British steamer Orion had left Chagres on the 24 th of February , with 800 , 000 dollars in silver , and one million dollars in gold . Another fearful steamboat explosion had taken place , the Oregon having blown up on the Ohio river , killing and wounding about sixty people .

      Another explosion , attended with loas of life , has taken place in the neighbourhood of Paisley . On Wednesday night the boiler of the engine attached to the flax-spinning works of Messrs . Finlayson , in the village of Johnstone , three miles west of Paisley , exploded , by which eight men and boys were instantly deprived of life . The works had been temporarily suspended while the workpeople were taking some refreshment in the fire-room . A large portion of the building was blown down ; and while exertions were making to rescue the sufferers from the ruins , it was discovered that the mill itself was on fire . This was caused by the hot cinders having been driven through the partitions into the inner apartments of the factory . The fabric , with its valuable contents , has been almost wholly consumed .

      The inhabitants of the parish of Wingfield , in the county of Suffolk , were horrified , on Tuesday last , at hearing that a single woman , twenty years of age , named Maria Clarke , had murdered her infant , six weeks old , by burying it alive , in a meadow . She had left Pulhana union house on Tuesday list , for the purpose of being married to a labourer , living in the neighbourhood . In the afternoon she was seen carrying her infant , going towards Mr . Hill ' s meadow , with a spade . During the evening , in consequence of her appearing without her child , she was questioned as to where it was , and she admitted that she had buried it in Mr . Hill ' s meadow . She was taken into custody , and on the following morning the meadow in which she said she had buried the child was searched , when the body of the child was found buried about six inches under the turf ; the spade

      with which ! t is supposed the mother dug the grave was found in a ditch close by , covered with water . After being remanded by the magistrate on the charge she made a confession to the following effect : —" I was fearful that the young man who proraised to marry me would not do so if he knew that I had a child , and I , in consequence , was anxious to get rid of it . I had not entertained the slightest notion of murdering my child until I came out of one of our neighbours' cottages , where I saw a spade standing outside the cottage , I took up the spade , went into the meadow , dug a hole , and laid my child in . I then covered the child over with earth , and to stifle its screams I stamped upon the sod . When the child was covered up with the earth I heard it cry . I then sat down upon the place where I had buried it , and in a short time after I went home . "

      Elizabeth Gibbs , cook , was tried at Carmarthen Assizes on Wednesday , lor the wilful murder of her mistress , Mrs . Severne , and of Rebecca Uphill , a fellow servant , at Laugharne . Both deaths had been caused by arsenic administered in food , and one witness said she had seen the prisoner put some white powder in the broth given to Ann Uphill , the day the latter died . The jury returned a verdict of not guilty as regards the murder of Ann Uphill , but the prisoner was afterwards to be tried for the murder of her mistress . The trial of John Firth for the murder of his brother , atThurgoknd , on the 2 lth of January , commenced at York on Wednesday , and was brought to a close on Thursday , when the jury returned a verdict of not guilty .

      Untitled Article

      A manifestation of the students took place in Puns , on Thursday , in favour of Professor Michelet , which led to the arrest of a " considerable number of the ringleaders in the affair . The procession , which insisted upon proceeding to the Assembly , was throe times put to flight by tho police before it ultimately dispersed . Between forty and fifty of the most obstreperous were arrested and carried to the Prefecture of Police . A strangR and thrilling discovery was made in Paris on Thursday by a workman employed at the restoration of the Palais do Justice . The mummy of a femalo was found walled up in the portion of the building he was engaged in demolishing . The Socialists of the Croix-Rousse , at Lyons , made a

      demonstration on Tuesday by attending , in number about 10 , 000 , the funeral of one of their body , a workman named Mathey . No priest officiated at the interment . Only about forty pursonH wore admitted to the cemetery , and when the body was lowered to the grave the crowd wuu ordered by the police agents to disperse , which was done at onoo . There was no breach of order , but the military and police were kept ready to act at a moment ' s notice . 4 The German papers state that the cabinet of St 1 eternburg has addressed a note to the cabinet of Vienna , strongly objecting *<> the entrance of the whole Auatriau monarchy into the Bund , without tho consent of all tho purlieu to tho treaty of 1816 . -:

      _ _ ........ A note haw been received from Vienna containing a reply to the P . inwrnn memorial of the ( hit " > *» j : II 1 this note the Austrian Cabinet « xpmweH its goodwill and it * perfect readings to coo ^ rate with Prussia for the creation of « permanent central Government . Novel helew Austria peraium in demanding the Presidency 1 he Ministerial olgan . prole-t ^ t U »« *>™ 7- potion resolved to tack the annexation quantum to the question of Z ' Presidency . If A-Htri . i > . H .. t . on-the Presidency , 1 ' riiMia will o |»|) oii » tho aniuxation . Some rioting took place on Monday at Aurtol , Bouohea « lu Rhone on tho occasion of the eonnoripUon . The auloritk " Aided by the military force , soon rcatored order .

      Untitled Article

      TO BEADEBS AND CORRESPONDENTS . It ia impossible to acknowledge the mass of letters we receive . Their insertion is often delayed , owinj to a press of matter ; and whan omitted it is frequently from reasons quite independent of the merits of the communication . Communication * should always ba legibly written , and on one Bide of the paper only . If long , it encreases the difficulty o ! finding space for them . AH letter * for the Editor to be addressed 9 , Crane-court , fleetstreet , London ,

      Untitled Article

      March 22 , 1851 . ] ifff ) * & * && *? + 269

      Postscript. Saturday, March 22.

      POSTSCRIPT . Saturday , March 22 .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), March 22, 1851, page 269, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1875/page/9/