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    he had not really the " pluck" that his tongue had indicated . He succumbed in the matter of Irish education , as his [ Finance Minister did in regard to " unrestricted competition . " William Beresford entered into the I ) erby intrigues ; Augustus Stafford rendered his administration of the Admiralty immortal ; and the stanch Protect tionists , like Sir John Tyrrell , sat on the Ministerial side in a state of total mystification at these attempts " to reconcile the House of Commons with the public departments ; ' * to carry out protection in the shape of " unrestricted competition , "

    and to exhibit the power of the Protectionist-Conservative party by yielding every point which distinguished it , and carrying on , with silly equiyocations , thepolicy of the preceding Ministry , which was said to have been beaten , but which still imposed its own measures on its victors . The last meeting at Castle HedingLammarks a total contrast between the present day and that preministerial meeting ; in Hedingham Castle . Of all "the Essex Ten , " only Bowyer Smijth was present . Disraeli sticks to his Royal Bucks , and roams not

    to vaticinate in Hedingliam Castle . " W . B . " sends a letter that he would come and explain everything , but that proceedings against him are pending ^ in a criminal court . And Sir John TyssenTyrrellsendsthe most ingenuous of letters , confessing that his party is broken , its moral influence gone , that it must be reformed before it can continue , that he is too old to change his principles , and that he shall " content himself with floating on the political surface , until it shall have become less disagreeable . " Such is the state

    of the Protectionist party , with " W . B . " under arraignment , with its prophet silent in the county of John Hampden , with its Premier making unpublished speeches into the ear of a Liverpool Corporation , and with Sir John Tyssen Tyrrell floating on the political surface . A splendid declaration , however , was made at this meeting , by a local clergyman , the Reverend John Cox , who really , to use the vulgar phrase , did " take the shine" out of every speaker present . We do not except Mr . Round , the

    chairman , although that gentleman displayed so much power of imagination as to declare his party " the most important and powerful interest in the country . " The sympathy of the meeting with the reverend gentleman is shown in the fact that , after his speech , as an act of gratitude , the meeting drank a special toast to his health , awarding him a civic crown of beeswing . And he deserves it . It is well known that the Conservative party , like a high prerogative party in a neighbouring

    kingdom , have from time to time conceived the idea of basing their power on Universal Suffrage , and this idoa came out for the first time in open words , if we are not mistaken , from the mouth of the Reverend John Cox . He declared totally against Whig-Radical Reform—and a five-pound franchise . r lhat , he said , is "democracy : " if they were to extend the franchise , let them have Universal Suffrage , " for there ia something imperial in that : Look at Jfrmice "

    The Reverend John Cox has a fitting contemporary in Mr . Booker , the Herefordshire momber . At the annual agricultural dinner of the county , Mr . Booker was in a perfect ecstasy of bliss . The prospects of farmers were never brighter ; gloomy forebodings and despondings have vanished from the mind of Booker . He holds up his head again . A thing lie never could have expected to happen , has happened . Mr . Booker , the day before he made his speech , sold a thousand bushels of two-year old wheat for COO / . •—ten shillings a bushel ! T / wrc was an event to come to pass in 1853—seven years , only , after the repeal of the Corn-laws . Like Sir John Tyrrell Mr . . Hooker glowed at the thought of famine prices , ho felt an " honest pride" in the

    antiemation of them ; and ho he said nothing , no not a word , abou t Protection . But there are , we are glad , to say , other representatives of tho agricultural mind , beside the Rev . John Cox and Mr . Booker . While the ^ roat Here fordshire member pins his fnith on prices , Mr . Martin , a tenant-farmer of Cheshire , ( falls out for hooks . Mr . Martin lmn hit on a new thing— -county schools for the eons of tenant-farmers . Well done , Cheshire ; that will be a good step in advance Kroet a college in the centre of tho county , says Mr . Martin ; and we will send our children thither , and niuko it mvli-Hiipporting . What prospects of improvement are suggested by the idea ! Sheriff Wallis haa made an interesting movement in the city , with what chances of buccobh ,

    however , we ore as yet nnable to tell . His position is peculiar . The shrievalty has become an office more onerous than agreeable to the magnates of the c % , and they usually try to avoid serving . The refusal entails a fine , and some officials profit by that fine . Hence , a traffic m . modern times to procure the election of reluctant candidates , and thus to obtain the fine . At the last election a stand was made against this abuse ; and after a good deal of discussion and difficulty , the candidates first chosen persevered in holding aloof , and another gentleman was elected on his own terms : that is to say , with the understanding

    that he should be allowed to dispense with the pageantries of his office , and to conduct his duties in a business-like manner . ISTot long since Mr . Wallis put the following advertisement into the Times : — "TV / TR . Sheriff WALLIS respectfully invites his JjJL brother Liverymen of the City of London to MEET him at the London Tavern , To-morrow ( Tuesday ) , at 2 o ' clock precisely , to consider how best they may assist Her Majesty ' s Commissioners in the forthcoming inquiry , and so perpetuate the constitutional right of local self-government . The meeting thus convened was accordingly held on Tuesday last . Mr . Sheriff Wallis

    appeared , declined to take the chair ex officio ; was elected to it , and the resolutions which he had prepared in accordance with his invitation were carried unanimously . A requisition will be presented to the Lord Mayor , asking him to convene a Common Hall ; and thus , at the insti ga ^ tion of one of the Sheriffs , the great body of the citizens are asked to take part in aiding a thorough reform , which should preserve to the city its local self-government while adapting it to the increased wants , and improved opinions of the day . Mr . Wallis has not expounded any plan of his own ; but from all that has passed in public , appears to

    be acting openly and straightforwardly in the endeavour to obtain the genuine voice of the great body of the citizens . The Irish jury have given their verdict on the first fatal railway accident in Ireland . They find the driver and stoker guilty of " manslaughter ¦ " they find the company blameless . Deliberate experiment has proved that the luggage-train had just time to stop , if the driver had begun to pull up at the place where he saw , or ought to have seen the light . But , alas ! the company are not quite blameless as it appears to us . The

    luargagetrain was going fast , and it might go fast if it chose . The red tail light of the express had gone out ; the white side lights were not in their places . Clearly the signal system was again at fault . Nor was there a break-van in proper order on the crushed train . We doubt the utility of finding drivers and stokers guilty of manslaughter , when the system is at fault . And if the drivers and guards on the Irish railways are worked as unmercifully as they arc on some of the English lines , accidents cease to be accidents , and become certainties .

    There is but little to say on the subject of the public health . Fewer deaths occurred in London last week than on the week previously—the numbers being 45 and 6 ( 5 respectively . But we must expect these variations . Every fact elicited by inquiry confirms the strong conviction in tho public mind that impurity and cholera are cause and effect , and it behoves the authorities to take measures aecordin gly .

    The question is asked , whether Parliament is not to be summoned , for Ministers to consult it touching tho posture of affairs in the East ; but what good ? Why assemble gentlemen who are laid up in ordinary till after Christmas , in order that they may debate motions by Mr . Nowdeffato , Mr . Ewart , or Sir Benjamin Hall , and sit to cheer while Lord John . ' JiuBsell , vice Lord Clarendon , emulating Lord Palmerston ' s admired feat , " throws himself on tho House , " aiulaflkato be allowed to answer questions by silence P Members

    care no more about . England , her honour , and influence , than other Englishmen do . Mihh Margaret Cunningharne has been forcibly releiiHedunderpeeuliarciroumHtanees . Thcreleaao was made suddenly—instantly on thegravodemand of England . It is averred that a competent eeeloHuiHtical authority had pronounced the tracts winch flhe distributed vot , to bo oppugnant to the KomiHb faith ; so that she did not beard tho Pope , and wm not seeking martyrdom . Yot when her prison door was thrown open , who objected to iro inmi without

    a formal order ! Ifc is lucky that J useany has cut short this " question" by looking out thiH rolriuitory younc lady , for it might have been difficult for Lord Claremlon either to draw UacJc , or to enforce hiH peremptory demand .

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    1010 TH E tEADBfe , [ Satorday ,

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    PUBLIC OPINION ON THE EASTERN QUESTION . The Einsbury meeting on Tuesday was very large It was held ai the Music Hall in Store-street : the room was crowded . Mr . Thomas Slingsby Duncombe took the chair , and explained the objects of the meeting in an opening speech . He said : — ° "I find that we are assembled together for the purpose of calling upon her Majesty ' s Government to assist the Turks by every means in their power in expelling the Russian troops from , the Danubian Principalities , where they have committed a most unwonted aggression upon our old ally , the Sultan . ( Cheers . ) It is quite clear that

    if the requisition convening the meeting means anything it means war ; and it is a matter of serio us Considerati on to the people of this country , whether they should or should not express , in terms not to be misunderstood howfar they are prepared to sanction the Government of the day in proceeding to such an extremit y . We know perfectly well that the Crown has the prerogative of declaring war , or making peace ; but it is the prerogative of the people , if the Ministers of the Crown counsel the Sovereign to conclude a dishonourable peace , to call those Ministers to account for giving such advice . I confess I should have been glad to see at the present moment some preparations for the re-assembling of Parliament ( oteera ) , in - order * that

    the people of this country , through their representatives , might be able to express , their opinion | as to the course which England ought to pursue on this" occasion . ( Cheers . ) That there has been a most unjustifiable aggression on the part of Russia , no one can doubt . Every one is ready to admit that a great wrong has been done to Turkey , and that the occupation of the Danubian Principalities is an insult to Europe at large . ( Cheers . ) That a difference of opinion exists as to the course which this country ought to pursue , is apparent to every one who reads the daily papers . You have doubtless read an account of the proceedings of what is called the Peace Conference , at Edinburgh . Those proceedings were most amicably and delicately conducted . But I may say this— that , looking at the materials with which we have to deal—the Nicholases

    of the North—I don't think the argument of the Peace Conference likely to make much impression . Your negotiations with them will be useless , unless you mean gunpowder , and nothing but gunpowder . ( Cheers . ) If that be not your meaning , they will not attend to you at allthey will snap their fingers at you , and you might just as well whistle to the winds as talk about amicable negotiations with persons who are determined to do wrong if they have the power , or if you give them tho opportunity . Now , if we are for war , let us know , at all events , what that war is to be for—let us know what it is likely to cost . You are well aware that at the close of the last century , before the commencement of the disgraceful wars in which

    this country became engaged , our taxation was only 2 , 000 , 0002 . In the year 1815 it amounted to 70 , 000 , 000 ^ . At the former period our public expenditure was about 3 , 000 , 000 Z ., but in 1815 it had increased to 130 , 000 , 000 ? . Now , although the sacrifices which we made were very great , we must not conclude a dishonourable peace or submit to any disgraceful proceedings on the part of the Autocrat of Kussia . ( Cheers . ) I am well aware that , in discussing tlu ' s subject , we are doing so under a great disadvantage , in consequence of the secret system of diplomacy which Las been too long pursued in this country , and which , I hope and trust , is fast coining to a close . ( Cheors . ) I don't know iin instance in which ( lie inconvenience of secret diplomacy has been so

    signally displayed . Look at the six great parties engaged in tho affair . ' Five of theBO nations publish to tho world tho progress of events , by issuing circulars and manifestos ; but England publishes nothing ; and at tho close of tho session of Parliament , all we could got from the presont Government was the usual oxcueo , ' Negotiations are not yet complete , and it would bo inconvenient to develop what is in progress . ' Now look at the inconvenience caused by this attempt at secrecy . Tho Emporor Nicholas endeavoured , through his minister , to justify hifl aggression in Wollachia and Moldavia by a statement which was lalse from beginning to end . And what was that false statement ? That our vessols having appeared within flight ° * Conatantinonlo . it became necessary for him to toko

    possesHion of . tho Principalities . Now tho reverse was exactly the case . But that was the statement of » w lumper or . « ub «< 1 to bo said that if truth and good faith wore to do banished from all parts of tho world , it ought to be iounj in tho breast of princes . But it is not bo now . Alter uiuj circular was indued what happened P Tho French am JCngliHh Governments answered it ; but wo -could . not ior long timo got at tho prodse terms of the reply ot our w « - vorrimont . Tho reply of tho French Government was ft HpiHtod ono , and told Russia , in thop lainost possible torn "" , that « ho had onoknn a falsehood . Lord John RunsoU sw «^ in tho Housoof Commons , that tho English ! f ^ muck to tho sumo uffoct ; but it w «* ^ lU \ ^ en . erarblod lmHsarren had annoarort in print , that Jjorrt

    don felt ob % od to publish tho entire letter , to » f " " ri tf lit . It would havo been much bettor H wo had l >< . on i in rxiHHOHHion of that correupondenco b I > r i f lulopfc , nor would it bo b (» coininff in mo to artlio I * ' ; 8 f ic < i the MontimcnitH that you may advaneo ; l > ut i" ^ ] uxi . ol ' thiH , Lhatwhatovor rosolutionn you «>»*«" UT ' ' ) Prl - ocfc n « - ovor opinioiiH you may oxproos , they T / , ' Jl , ioh I »» cordiu ' co with those just imd liberal prniciplo * wU ««»

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 22, 1853, page 1010, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2009/page/2/