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ritories and Switzerland , permission to lead an army across ; he has procured in Switzerzerland the strenuous . ' remonstrances of Austria , Bavaria , and Baden ; but now he has obtained a much more powerful support . The Moniteiir of this week contains a paper , recording tow the Emperor of the French had advised the
not come back again . The question of its further transport t $ the German Ocean , as Sir Morton Peto proposes , with a comparatively small increase to the cost , a probable reimbursement , and a certain completeness , appears to stand ovor . In the meanwhile the Board of Works is amusing itself by naming some 60 Q street * of London which the J * ost- office , Sndg inconvenieot ArOW the perpetual jreduplicatiwi of the same namo- —geventee © natnea between $ 64 straets . Wo are . henceforward all to live W places named after oeonte
great and good—as good , for example , as ' Eugene Aram , ' and as great as Mr . Booker . ' But one of the most interesting events of the week has been the reception of a . man who is really great and good—Dr . Livingstokjc , the African traveller . This man is a missionary , who considered it his duty to carry the blessings of Christianity to the heathen . He has employed sixteen years for the purpose , or rather , as he says , he has employed sixteen years in discovering what would be the right path for currying that mission to the African in the midst of his own
continent . To accomplish this mission he studied surgery ; and his travels have been a school of languages . At the meeting of the Geographical Society , or of the Missionary Society , on Monday and Tuesday , the public might Lave seen that strange spectacle—an Englishman darkened to an African tint , a missionary wearing a large moustache , and very practically explaining how the heathen is unfit to receive ' the tidings 3 until his mind shall be opened by better instruction in worldly matters ; his very belie / being in the need of training . And yet , in that centre of Africa , Dr . Livixgstose found an
unconscious instinctive sarcasm , which reads luce a passtige in Voltaire ' s moral talcs . One ¦ -chief ; Sichexi , took greatly to the excellent missionary ; and seeing how anxious Livingstone "was that the Africans should believe , he oilered to accomplish the effect by a summary process , and to beat his subjects into conviction . Livingstone objected . Imagine a priest objecting ! On whicli , SiciiEXi asked , " But how do yoii expect they will believe , if I don't heat them ? " It strikes us that the Africans have something to teach to
Christians ; for let us remember that in spirit , the Inquisition is not an institution limited to Home or Madrid .
republic to surrender the prisoners unconditiooally , and trust to the magnanimous concession * of King Pkedeeick 'William hereafter ; uuw the republic has not accepted that advice ; and now , therefore , Switzerland must not be astonished , if , "in the course of events , " she should fail to find any " good will" on the part of Prance . That means that France-will not assist to maintain order in
Central Europe , but will perhaps side with the despotic German Powers against Switzerland— - against the very principles which are now at stake in Italy , and against all that Englishmen profess to hold dear . So much for the alliance which was to be so productive of moderate reforms in Europe ! At home , the Income-tax agitation is rising . It is decidedly becoming popxilar . Unlike some other agitations , good in themselves , it is engaging the
actiTe interest of the people . This appears in meetings 15 ke that at Stroud or that at Birmingham j for many of the provincial towns are accompanying London and Manchester . The Birmingham meeting was a thorough success . An attempt was made , in pursuance of the suggestion of an association , to mingle the question with one of property tax ; but it Is , probably , a good rule to leave the suggestion of taxes for the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the objection to the
people . The suggestion of a- tax necessarily requires a central position ; the objections may be viewed almost from any side ; and unless they can be contradicted from the centre , they ought to prevail . Tie Incometax "was imposed for a temporary purpose , it was provisionally kept up for a continuance of that temporary purpose—that is , the amendment of our tariff ; it was kept up again for the temporary purpose of war , and augmented for that purpose . But the tax is iiofe sound ; in principle it is a
delusion— -it does not effectually or fairly reach the means of the citizen ; and in -working , it is the most oppiessive , unjust , inquisitorial , and ' un-English' of any that could be invented , except , perhaps , tb at tax for which Wat Tyler killed the collector . We are not at present exactly subjected to an inquisition of the tax-collector into the evidence of our daughters' age ; but the Surveyor of Taxes and the Commissioners thereof do make inquisitions into the Englishman ' s daily life and into the most sacred recesses of his home .
The meetings at Birmingham and other places have not been unanimous ; they have been better . Attempts have "been made by intelligent persons to raise exceptions , and the result has been that * he exceptions have been listened to , only to prove the rule , and to be brushed aside—recognized to be negatived . The people axe right ; it is not an acquiescence in the Gladstone lease of a , partial Income-tax that we ought to permit . What we stand for is total and immediate repeal .
Another popular movement that moves well is education . The meetings at Manchester have been fruitful in a very simple and clear scheme for raising a general rate , and applying it to all schools , without distinction of sect , on the simple condition -that any distinctive religious teaching elwmld lie limited to special times of day , with for
po-wer parents to withdraw their children , nnd that , in any rate-supported school , to child shall be excluded by reason of the religious faith of his parents . The Board of Works has at last fiillen upon an agreement with Sir Benjamin Halt .. It has adopted the plan of B * , that is , it will carry what cught to | bo carried out of London just enough leyoud the metropolitan boundary so that it can-
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The Secretary then read extracts from thread ~ written to the Society by Dr . Livingstone , from differ . ! points m his travels—the first dated from Lim- inti the river Chobe , in tlie interior , describing the cm m to the north ; the second from ' Zamb ' csl 5 vS ^ the third from Quillhnane , in the Indian Ocean T course taken by Dr . Livingstone was traced by ' red W upon large maps which hung ; upon the walls StirT from the western coast of Africa , the red lme ' f « llOu « « f river Coanza in nn easterly direction until it re-Hiesth river Kuye , which runs from south to north , and reach « s ^* ^ A ° * ^ " ^^ r able expanse of W ater inZ
_ : centre of the continent . Another river , the j f 111 li continues the - -great chain of water commiinioi ;™ towards the south until witliin a short distance of L T Ngami , when the river makes . a sudden turn to (| 1 ( , ! , !? and tumbles over the falls of LnUai , the most ™ ch resque scene in Africa . The river afterwards miles * sudden bend , and flows in a northerly direction itiftPr wards runs east again , and takes the name of tlie ' z-nl ~ besi , passing through the towns of Tote and Sena until it empties itself into the Mozambi que Chanuel ' at tlie town of Quillimane , and in the adjacent delta
-Dr . Livingstone , being called upon by the President said that south of the 20 th degree of south latitude the country is arid and contains very fe > v rivers , but to tlic north of that line tlie country is weir watered , and verv unlike what the centre of Africa is popularl y represented to be . The country which he had traversed , indeed is covered with a network of waters , many of which arc large and deep , and never dried up . The natives" lelo ' i--to the true negro family , having a good deal of very
woolly hair , and being darker than the ] 5 eehuana « They hold their women in liigh estimation , and many of them become chiefs . If a man were asked to go any . where or to agree to any arrangement , he said , ' ^ 1 rrnist go home and ask my wife . " If she said "No , " there was no possibility of getting him to move . Women sit in their councils , and , while a Beehuana sweiirs l . y his father , these negroes swear by their mother . X ^ uni is not a deep lake , but is what is left of a lar ^ e lake which
existed before the tussure was made near the I . akai ¥ n \ l $ . The interior of Africa abounds in fibrous substances cif a strong tissue , like flax . Cincona and sar . sapaiilia are abundant ; indigo grows in profusion ; . bees ' -wax , coal . iron , and gold are also abundant .. The inhabitants of tlie interior are kind , especially the women . The meeting , wliich was of a most interesting character , did not separate until near midnight . The London Missionary- Society gave a . reception to Dr . Livingstone , on Tuesday , at -l'Veehuisoiis ' ' Hull . Lord Shaftesbury presided , and among .-other eminent men present were Sir Roderick Murchison . Colonel Kawlinson , and Sir Culling Earclley . On coining
forward to address the meeting , the great traveller was received with loud * applause , all present rising simultaneously . After thanking his friends for their rei / Opt ion of him , the rev . gentleman proceeded to say that " the majority of people have only a faint idea of what Africa is , and less of ' the nature of missionary labour . It is an enthusiastic occupation , certainly ; but it . is accompanied by much hard work , which goes sume way towards keeping up the enthusiasm . Tlie Africans arc a very sceptical people ; they require proof before tliey evince any disposition to believe ; consequently , much labour and energy are required to achieve success . The natives of the South Sea Islands are quite n dilferent
DR LIVINGSTONE'S AFRICAN DISCOVERIES . The members of the Royal Geographical Society held a special meeting on Monday night to present the Society ' s gold medal to the Kev . Dr . Livingstone for his discoveries in Central Africa . The Society ' s rooms were crowded to excess . The proceedings excited unusual interest , and Dr . Livingstone , on entering the room , was warmly greeted by tlie distinguished assemblage . The chair -was taken at half-past eight o ' clock by Sir Roderick Murchison , President of the Society .
The President , in opening tlic proceedings , said " they liad met to welcome Dr . Livingstone on lib return from South . Africa to his native country after an . absence of sixteen years . "What must bo their estimate of his prowess when they knew that he had re traversed the vast regions which he first opened to their Imowledgo ; nay , more , that , after reaching his old starting point at Linyanti , in the interior , lie had followed tlie . Zambesi , or continuation of the Lcamlrye river , to its mouths on the shores of . the Indian Ocean , passing through the Eastern Portuguese settlement of Tcte , and thus completing the entire journey across South Africa ? In short , it had been calculated that , rutting together all his various journeys , Dr . Livingstono had not travelled
over less than 11 , 000 miles of African territory ; and ho had come back as tho pioneer of sound knowledge , who , by his astronomical observations , Lad determined the site of numerous places , hills , rivers , and lakes , nearly all hitherto unknown , while lie had seized upon every opportunity of describing the physical features , climatology , and even tho geological . structure of the countries ho had explored , and pointed out many new sources of comrnerco ns yet unknown to the scope and enterprise of tho Driti . sh merchant . " ( C' / eera . ) Tho President expatiated at considerable length on tho importance of
Dr . Livingstone ' s discoveries , and then , turning to the distinguished traveller , s . nkl " it was now liis duty and hi 8 pleasure to present to him their founder ' s medal , an a testimony of their regard and admiration . " ( Cheer * . ') Dr . Livingstone briefly returned thanks , nnd , at the commencement of his remarks , said that ho had been so long nnuHecl to apeak his own language , thnt thoy must excuse hifl imperfect speech ™ aking . A vo > to of thanks to tho Governors of tho Portuguese settlements in Africa , for their kind treatment of Dr . Livingstone , was tlien unanimously carried , nnd acknowledged in French by Count Lavradio , tho Portuguese Minister .
kind of people . They have diu ' erent habits to the Africans , and arc easier to convince . ¦• lie once remarked to an African chief on the diflicuHy he Lad in malting the natives believe in anything he said to them . ' Believe ! ' exclaimed tlic chief ; ' they never will believe unless you beat them . Let me heat it into them . ' And that is the general opinion of the African nation . ( Laughter . ' ) But he had made ni any believe , nevertheless ; and hoped to- do so again . Perseverance and kindness aro much better than cudgels to carry any point . " ( Hear , hear . ) Dr . Livingstone then piweetleu to give a detailed history of his travels . "lie rejoiced to say that the justness of the English name was everywhere recognised in Africa , and the very fact that he w « s an Englishman induced the natives to treat him in a most kind and generous manner . ( JFcar , hear . ) In conic
respects , Africa is superior to England . There is less disease , there is no consumption , no caneer , no hydrophobia , and very little madncs . s , while other diseases from which people suffer in England are quite unknown in Africa . Ho deprecated the existence of slavery , which , however , ho believed would be gradually repressed , owing to the great falling oil" in tho . price of slaves . Thero is much diUicu . lty in getting tlio slaves out of the- country ; they are , consequently , takffli into tho interior , whero tli « y rejilizo very little money . ( Ifnar , hear . ) Much money had been ouUiinwl * ' > ' l * sale of slaves ; but it appeared to do no good—no 0 Iie seemed nble to Ijccp it—if . would not stay in tin- family —( Hear , hear , cmU lauyhtt' . r )—for many who lui j l (» 1 L ' ° been ric . li aro now poor—poor in purae , and pour nx K : " " vntion . " Tho rov . doctor having adverted ti > () t' 101 topicsresumed his seatamidst much applause .
, , In the evening , he dined with the nieinhiMVi "f " Missionary Society , at the Milton Club , Ludtfrttu-li'M * On Wednesday evening , Dr . LivingHl «> uo W 1 W ^ ' Hcnlcd to the Society of Arts , where , after u lecluve l ) j Professor Owen on the subject of ivory , tho rev- « loctoi gave soino particulars of elephant-hunting in Aft'icn .
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_ 1202 ____^^ [ No . 352 ? SattjrdAY ;
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 20, 1856, page 1202, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2172/page/2/
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