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Leader (1850-1860), 24th April 1852, Edition Town of 2, Page 390, Untitled Article

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      that the " great Kothschild" has been sentenced to be beheaded . ' But from his intimate relations -with the European tuonarchs he has been allowed to procure a substitute ( if he can ) by lottery ! For this purpose a sum of " many millions is devoted , all the tickets to be prizes of 3 , 000 thalers each , except one ; that fatal number is a blank , and whoever draws it is to be decapitated instead of the celebrated banker ! ' Count de Buol-Schaueristein , appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and of the Imperial House , as successor to Prince Schwarzenberg , by letters patent , dated April 21 , is to be President of the " Conferences . Ministers , " instead of M . de Bach . The word ' < Conferences" is used , as the Ministers are no longer to meet as a deliberative council , resolving questions b y the majority of votes , but simply as a body oi high functionaries to discuss questions of which the formal decision is to be left to the Emperor ,.

      The Grand-Duke Constantine , and the Grand-Duchess , his wife , have given at Venice a sumptuous banquet to the Count and Countess de Chambord and the Duchess de Berry . ¦ Great umbrage has been given to Louis Bonaparte by the recent royal reception of the Count de Chambord , who figures , we are" told , m the Imperial Russian Almanack , as the " King . " The Russian Princes gave the Count de Chambord a magnificent Album with an inscription to " the King of France . " Count Rechberg is expected to succeed Count Buol-Schauensfcein as ambassador to London .

      Accounts from Naples , dated the 14 th instant , state that during the last few days the politically accused , amounting to 28 , had been removed from the prisons of Naples to the penal islands . Each had undergone examination , but the Court had agreed that they should not be brought to trial , probably for want of material . By such means the criminal courts are saved trouble and exposure of their injustice , while the great aim— -viz ., the banishment of leading men of the constitutional party—is just as effectually secured as by the most formal process . One Of these victims , M . Pizzutti , is the brother-in-law of Baron Mazziotti , now an exile in Genoa .

      But it will be pleasant to our readers to know that heir Majesty ' s Government are on the best terms with . King Bomba . On the 9 th instant , his Excellency- * he Horu Sir William Temple went to the Royal Palace at Caserta to pay the compliments of the season to his Sicilian Majesty . The King is described as looking careworn and anxious . Poor amiable man ! The accounts from Montefusco , where Poerio ^ and his companions are confined , are still very sad . A special order has arrived , from the general of the district , at Montefusco , which says , " These prisoners are to be treated with the full prison severity , especially Poerio and Nisco , who are not worthy to live . They are to liave no medical treatment "

      Such is the treatment of the constitutional prisoners of Naples by the man . to whom our ambassador goes to " pay the compliments of the season . " A Genoa letter of April 16 states , that the municipality intend to convert the Darsena into a commercial dock , in imitation of the Kathcrine Docks of London . The expense is estimated at 720 , 0002 . sterling .

      From the Daily News . ( BY EliEOTKIC TEIiEaBAPH . ) PARIS , Thubsdat . A note communicated to the Jlfoniteur says : " Many imagine the empire is to be proclaimed at a fete . Such are strangely mistaken in attributing to the Government the desire of a pretext to change the established order of thjngs . Such a change , if rendered necessary , could only be accomplished on the initiative of the constituted powers with the assent of the whole people . The sixty thousand soldiers to be assembled in the Champ de Mara , on May 10 , would vainly salute the President as Emperor , the empire would not bo brought one hour nearer . " * By decree the precedence of the great bodies is thus fixed : Senate , Legislative , Council of stato . , .

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      THE CONTROVERSY BETWEEN MAZZINI AND LOUIS BLANC . ( From the lleasoner . ) WnKN two men like Louis Blanc and Mazzini enter the lists of controversy , they exercise an influence beyond that which pertains to the intrinsic accuracy of thoir views . Their manner of controversy becomes an example to others for good or evil . Lessor disputants will become imitators of their tone . Temper and tone are the tactics of modern social warfare . We liavo seen Franco lose its foremost place among the nations because its leaders talked like assailants , and wrote like duellists . We have had much—too much of this among uh . Let us take euro that it be not augmented by importation . Mazzini in essentially great , both as a

      man of thought , and a man of action . A mystic so profound , that ho distances transcondohtaliHin in some of bis speculations j yet ho can throw aside the airy wand of Prospero at will , grasp tlio sword with the practical circumspection of tl » o soldier , and traverse the fields of the possible with tho calculating astuteness of the Utilitarian . Acknowledging all tint ) , wo must yet nay that his brief reply to tho French Socialists in tho Leader was painful to roiul . Chiefly the last words ' the personal [ attack I pass by ] with contempt . ' Contempt is not tho fooling which tho impassioned errors if errors they he—of hit > critics should excite . Tho feeling- —wo say it deferentially—seems to us wrong , and the example bud . Jf groat men have but '

      contempt' for the criticisms or attacks pi each other , lesser disputants , only able to imitate greatness in such a respect , will have Its disastrous "' * contempts' also . Worse than this , the public , who have to be instructed , inspired , and elevated , exclaim— ' If " contempt" is what one leader feels for another , we may be excused any serious attention to the matter they bold in-dispute / It is not for us to say what the French leaders should have done . But the humbler privilege we may exercise of saying what we should wish had been done . Mr . Mazzini should have been expostulated with , not

      denounced ^ His misconception should have been pointed out , and the defence would have had dignity and strength , and a lofty moderation which would have been an example to lesser disputants . If we denounce those who merely misconceive us , we deprive ourselves of the reproof of friends . Then the enemy is too subtle to discover to us our weakness , and our partizans are too intimidated to warn us , and we perish of our independence and our pride . This is no doubt spirited , but farewell to our philanthropy and our love of _ a great cause when this evil hour comes .

      For similar reasons , when V . Schoelcherj Representative of the people , writes to the Times , as on April 10 , saying Mazzini ' seeks to excite between kindred nations a fatal antagonism , and to insult French democracy / we pass away from such a writer in despair . If the motives of a man like Mazzini are not to be respected , there is an end of the honour of publicists , and progress-is again condemned to the vicissitudes of accident . This was the serious mistake made by the French leaders in their attack on Mazzini . The English people would have listened to Jheir arguments —but turned in sadness away from their accusations . Louis Blanc , Pierre Leroux , Cabet , we have learned to regard , nor can we permit even themselves to dispel the attachment . .

      Those ^ who read that emphatic ^ passage ( iin . the Circular on the " Duties of Democracy / ' furnished by Mazzini to the Leader ) , beginning "I do not accuse the great Social Idea which will be the glory and the mission of the epoch of which we are-the precursors / ' can scarcely fail to see that the writer is not the opponent of a wise Socialism . Nor is he the enemy of France who puts upon the record that paragraph in the same Circular , ending with the words— 'Itis necessary now that the whole of democratic Europe aid her to arise , as formerly she aided Europe . It is necessary that , instead of flattering France in her follies , it should speak to her in the frank and severe words whiph are the inheritance of the strong . '

      This is nobly said . In this manful thought , which concludes this extract , let tts also find a justification for the few words of remonstrance which we employ . Those who may have seen the Westminster Review for April will have probably read an article entitled ' Europe : its Condition and Prospects / by a writer of whom tho Leader observes , ' his signature is in every sentence . ' Those who read the article will ascribe it to Mazzini , if internal evidence may be trusted . In how wise , in how wide and practical a sense | Tr . Mazzini is a Socialist the reader will see when he reads what

      follows , which wo quote from tho Westminster : — ' The great social idea now prevailing in Europe may be thus defined : the abolition of tho proletariat ; the emancipation of producers from the tyranny of capital concentrated in a small number of hands ; re-division of productions , or of tho value arising from productions , in proportion to the work performed ; the moral and intellectual education of the operative ; voluntary association between workmen substituted gradually and peacefully , as much as possible , for individual labour paid at the will of the capitalist . This sums up all tho reasonable aspirations of the present time . It

      is not a question of destroying , abolishing , or violently transferring tvealth from one class to another ; it is a question of extending the circle of consumers , of consequently augmenting production , of giving a largor share to producers , of opening a wide road to the operative for the acquisition of wealth and property ; jn short , of putting capital and the instruments of labour within reaoh of every / man offering a guarantee of good will , capacity , and morality . Tjikse IDEAS AKK just , an < ^ H U we destined eventually to triumph ; historically , the lime is ripe for their realization .

      To tho emancipation of the slave has succeeded that of tho serf ; that of tlio serf must bo followed by that of the workman . In tho course of human progress tho putriciato has undermined tho / despotic privilege of royalty ; the bourgeoisie , the financial aristocracy , 1 ms undermined tho privilege of birth , and now tho people , tho workors , will undermine the privilego of tho propriotnry and moneyed bourgcoibio , until society , founded upon labour , shall recognisono other privilego than tlmt of virtuous intelligence , presiding , by tho choice of tlio people , enlightened by education , over the full dovolop » ment of its faculties and its social capabilities /

      This statement is as accurate asit is comprehensive and could only be produced by one who has studied Socialism , and could only be sent forth by one who believes it . It ought not to be overlooked that the political ' situation' in France hasbeen forfeited to the enemy by controversial tactics which Jikve provedfatal Not to look this full in the . face issheer madness—not to attack the source of weakness is to give up the contest . The first shdck of criticism ivill be felt through Europe . Time , we believe , will show more wisdom in Mr . Mazzini ' s course than we can at present demonstrate . In some emment respects , we reiterate his strictures are unjust to Socialists ; still his friendly and manful attitude towards Socialist views cannot be doubted . Bight or wrong , the critical pen of so competent ah observer must do good service .

      Reviewing in another pubhcatibnGburard ' s work on Socialisnte Devoile , we said ¦ : ^ - it- " seems worth while pointing out a curious fact in the inetaphysics of public credulity . Gourard represents the usual heroes of the Times , and is a gireat gun among the ^ party of Fear in France . Granting all to be true alleged of the reckless mendacity of the Times , we see what their estimate is of public intelligence ; They calculate that prevaricatibn will succeed . They believe there is a demand

      for it among the upper classes , and they supply it , Their success is no doubt very annoying td those traduced , but we think it ought to be borne with pataence . In war , wounds are looked upon as amaitterof course , and in civil conflicts lies seem to be thfe weapons used by an unscrupulous enemy , and are to be expected accordingly , iahd borne with equanimity . A lie has been well defined as the murder of intelligence , and such , ah issue xnust be looked for and brayed , like death on the battle-field , as thecasualty of conflict /

      ^ If we would listen to a libel without perturbation , and give battle to a lie with as littlediscomposure as we would meet any other enemy , Kow much more dispassionately should we analyze 'the criticism of one , however severely he s ^ poke , who spoke for our profit ? At home or in exile , at liberty or in prison , we should thank hiin for . those ' frank and severe words > which are alone the inheritance of the strong /

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      THE GREAT HEBREW OATH CASE . JuDaMENT in the case of Mr . Salomons , " the Hebrew Member for Greenwich ( argued at the Hilary Term ) , was given in the Court of Exchequer on Monday . Me . Bakoit Martin , who pleaded , that construction of tho case which good sense and public opinion would adopt , ( the three other Judges stood on the technicaliti es of the case , ) said—This is an action to recover penalties alleged to be forfeited by the defendant under the statutes 1 st * George I ., sess . 2 , c . 13 , s . 17 , and 6 th George III ., c . 63 s . 1 , by reason of his having voted intho House of Commons without having taken the oath of abjuration contained in the latter statute- The declaration stated that the defendant was duly returned to serve in Parliament as a burgess for the ; borough of Greenwich , and that he voted in tho House of Commons without having taken and subscribed the above oath , and thereby forfeited the sum of 600 ? . A special verdictVas found , which stated that tho defendant was elected to servo in Parliament for Greenwich , and whilst he was a member voted in the House of Commons . That he was a British born subject of the Jewish religion , and that the form and m anner ot taking an oath binding on the conscience of a Jew in cases where tho words of the oath are to be repeated by the takithe oath isthat ho takes in his hand tho

      person ng , Old Testament and repeats the words of the oath , and at tho conclusion says , "So help me God ! " and then kisses the book ; and that this form of taking an oath was and in binding upon tho conscience of tho defendant . That before ho voted ho came to tho table of the House in tho usual manner , and demanded to bo sworn to the oaths required by law in tho manner and form abovomontioned , upon tho Old Testament , alleging it to be , as in truth it was , tho form which was binding upon his conscience . That ho then took the oaths of allogiance and supremacy in tlin form and manner aforesaid uuon the Old Testament ,

      and proceeded to repoat tho oath of abjuration containea in tho Cth Goorgo III ., c . 63 , substituting tho namo ot Quoon Victoria for that of King George , down to tne words " upon tho truo faith of a Christian , " whidvlie aoliberately and intentionally refused to repoat , nnd then added tho words " So help mo God , " and k » 8 B ° d tho book . That tho Spoaker objected that ho had not taJtoij tho oaths in the manner required by law , and roq " ? , ^ him to withdraw , Avhich ho did not do , and declared tna * he had tnkon tho oath in the form binding « P " . V * acionco , which tlio special verdict finds to be tho truwi . Thp verdict concludes by submitting to tho Court whotner tho defendant had lawfully takon tho oath of » bjuration . With rofipoct to this oath U is noticeable that ft * . " "" of the Popish plot an act was passed containing "loa " words—the vory words of tho abjuration oath : Ana » it v i , 1 .. '«~ .. T A ~ « ln . ' nKr ««« 1 ainnnvrAv flftKnOWlCClffO W »«

      Bwour , nxjeording to thoso exprosB words by me B P oKon ' " j according to tho plain and common sonoo and unaorBI'l " fcft i ing of tho eamo words , without any equivocation or m"IVj ovasion or secret roBorvfttion whataoover j ana 1 aom this recognition and acknowledgment te ^ ' ^ K and truly , upon tho true faith of a Clwwtjon :, . So poip ™ God : " it la apparent that at tho timo when this «» gHl phraao , " Upon the true faith of a Christian , " waa onacwa an idea provailod that Koman Catholics woro in a cuttorw fc

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      39 a ^ 1 ! lti ^^¦ VK ^ A ;©; E ¦ : ^/ : / ;; . . ' . .. :. ¦ / Ss -: iy ^^ i ^^ : : . :

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), April 24, 1852, page 390, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1932/page/10/