On this page
- Departments (3)
-
Text (7)
-
gjp ^*C ^^ / ^^^^^ vV ~V* ^ -V ? A POLITICAL AND LITERARY REVIEW*.
-
Untitled Article
-
Contents:
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
%tmtm nf tlje tWnk.
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.
-
-
Transcript
-
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.
Gjp ^*C ^^ / ^^^^^ Vv ~V* ^ -V ? A Political And Literary Review*.
gjp ^* C ^^ / ^^^^^ vV ~ V * ^ -V ? A POLITICAL AND LITERARY REVIEW * .
Untitled Article
? THE . postponement of Reform until 1 S 58 has not prevented the introduction of several bills and propositions for effecting particular reforms in our representative system , and this week ^ we have had additions to the list . The conduct of the Government in the matter is remarkable , but is perfectly intelligible ; the conduct of the people at present is not so intelligible . The Morning Star notices the extraordinary manner in which the Government permits all kind of bills to be introduced , with every prospect , however , that they will be thrown out on the second reading . Lord Palmerston has avowed this course . He permits bills to be laid on the table as a subject of ' consideration , ' and calls upon the House to support him in deferring every question of Parliamentary Reform until the session of 1858 . Mr . Locke King has introduced a bill to abolish the qualification of members of Parliamenta measure which would , indeed , assimilate the law to the fact . It is not requisite that a member should possess aproporty qualification , but lie must pretend to do so . Mr . Locke King ' s bill , therefore , repeals the law for obliging members to pretend that they have a property qualification ; and how there can be any clanger in removing a mere pretence we cannot understand ; but the subject is treated as one of grave deliberation . Lord HoBEKT Ghosvenor lias brought in a bill to remedy two defects in the present system . Candidates at elections must bear the expenses for the erection of hustings and polling-booths , as if the members themselves had a private interest in procuring their own election ; as if , in fact , the election were a process for the sake of thd candidate , and not for the sake of the country . Lord Rohekx GitosvjsNOii ' s proposal , therefore , is simply straightforward and just . It is met with various objections , most especially that if tho candidates were not answerable for the expenses , all kinds of persons would be able to present themselves to the electors , mid to hinder the election by a pretended candidature when thoy really did not intend to stand . But this objection only hIiows that ; there should be some effectual check upon trifling with the business of an electionj it does not show Ilia ! , the charging expenses of hustings and polling-booths upon candidates is a proper chock . Lord Hoijeht Gbosvknor also proposed to make the payment for carriage hire of voters illegal in tho savno manner ns treating and bribing . We are inclined to doubt the whole of
this class of prohibitory enactments . They arc inconsistent with the principle of free trade , a principle which may be applied to almost every relation of life , but certainly to every form of exchange . In this instance , complete freedom would be its own protection . If the franchise were extended to every man indicated by the constitution , that is , to every man not in bond , it would be very difficult for the candidate to carry the electors to the poll ; since what set of candidates is rich enough to pay the cab-hire of the million—nay , of the seven millions ? With regard to this portion of Lord Robert Ghosvenok ' s bill we have no confidence ; but it is obviously intended that the whole of these measures shall stand over till next year , with Mr . Locke King ' s bill for extending the franchise to ten-pound occupants in counties . In the meanwhile , however , Lord Palme rstont brings forward his measure for altering the oaths to be taken by Members of Parliament so as to admit Jews . He is going to settle the long-standing question in which Lord John has worked so sedulously without success . This seems to ' cut out ' Lord John ; but we very much doubt whether the public will not remember how lie remained faithful to that inensure through tho periods of adversity , and kept it alive to the present day , when it becomes an easy triumph for the Elected of 800 , 000 . Tor our English head man cannot boast that he is elected by seven millions—the Seven Millions in England being disfranchised , and not able to vote ' yes' or ' no !' Another little instalment is also permitted for the ' sake of Scotland ; the Loud Advocate having 1 introduced a bill to amend the law for the rcgistra- J tion of persons entitled to vote in the election of ' members to serve in Parliament for counties in Scotland ; and although challenged by members to * observe the previous rule , of deferring these mere 1 clauses until the great Reform Bill of 1 S 5 S , the I Lord Advocate threatened obstinately to defend t his measure on the second reading . J Government , therefore , is treating Reform exactly f as it ; pleases—proceeding with it bit by bit , at the I same time that it is obliging everybody else to » defer separate instalments until the grand measure , t The House of Commons offers no resistance to this t course ; indeed , there appears at present to bo iu > c soetion of the House strong enough to resist , ' i tho country has absolutely acquiesced . Hawiek t comes forward , and Stroud has shown signs of life ; t but the Million are asleep on their arms . Two ad- ( vantages for the Conservative classes might bo £ n- n- ry x- ld x- n , :-y : o : h Df ) f [_ c t N 0 [ t „ ° f lI . '_ 1 ! 3 3 . [• t . . t t .
anticipated from the delay : they may be able t o construct such a measure as will appear to satisfy clamorous demands on particular points , while avoiding every concession which , can be prevented bj setting one opinion against another ; and they obtain all the advantage to be derived from the chance of any disturbance which may absolve them from the responsibility of proceeding . The delay also furnishes an opportunity for the people , or at least for those sincere Reformers who are really anxious to render the bill of 1858 such a . measure as they would design . It will enable them to considt together ,- to organise , and to render the Reform Bill of 185 S a national measure . In the meanwhile the minor reforms commenced arc very numerous indeed . The bills for altering the law with reference to matrimonial causes and testamentary jurisdiction have been into the House of Lords , and the second reading of the former is fixed for Tuesday next . The bill comprises a change of the law with respect to the control of women separated from their husbands over their property . In the other House , Sir Ehskine Perry has introduced a bill giving married women rights which they do not possess at present over their property and earnings , at least requiring their consent fort lie disposal of the same . This bill is honoured with much favour from the Attorney-General , who criticizes it but supports it ; Sir Ricuakd Betiiell being the most learned of lawyers , and one of the jnost sincere . Still there is no prospect of its passing . The very principle is repugnant to the commonplace dogmas of the day , and if commonplace dogma is not represented in tho House of Commons , where it has at least great influence , it resides in the majority of the House of Lords . Still a beginning is made . The Chancellor o * the Exchequer hns introdviccd a Bill to alter tho relations of savings banks to the State , with a view of extending savings banks throughout the country . Gentlemen underaking the ollicc of trustees were , by an Act in 18 ' 14 , released from pecuniary liability . On the failure of banks moro recently , it was discovered hat nobody was really liable . Tho depositor lodges his money—probably his small savings—simply on the faith of tho honesty of servants employed by trustees who have no responsibility at all—servants of masters * who do not look after the business . It is natural that poor persons should 11 csit . ajiH j O j tj'us ^ r-- ^ their wages to such custody . The iuscmiutyi X 1 ' ^ - / . a , tratos tho vory object of savin ^^ ^ fr ^ i ^* - ^[ -Jj Geoiujm Lewis ' s bill gives tho giiftSiiMiiWl ti ] y i $ u ! \ ~" State for doposits , and , in return , 4 &uftre 3 a < J «; p $ t > - /*~ - \ . _ < hz *; \ Zbr \> ^ y ^ T jT N j ^^ '
Contents:
CTonttnts :
Untitled Article
" The one Idea which History exhibits as evermore developing itself into greater distinctness i 3 the Idea of Plumanity—the noble endeayour to throw down all the barriers erected between men by prejudice and one-sided views ; and , by setting aside the distinctions of Religion , Country , and Colour , to treat the whole Human , race as one brotherhood , having one great object—the free development of our spiritualnature . "—H-umboldt's Cosmos .
Untitled Article
VOL . VIII . No . 373 . ] SATURDAY , MJlY 16 , 1857 . " Price { ^^ tg ^ : gS ^ -
Untitled Article
REVIEW OF THE WEEK- i * aoe Imperial Parliament 458 Three Visits to the Manchester Art Treasures Exhibition 460 State of Trade 401 Ireland 461 The Orient 402 America 402 Speech of Lord Napier at New York 46 v 5 Continental Notes 463 Obituary 4 Gi I
Accidents and Sudden Deaths 464 Fall of Houses 464 Our Civilization 464 Gatherings from the Law and Police Courts 46 ( 3 Naval and Military 46 ( 3 Miscellaneous 467 Postscript 463 OPEN COUNCIL"Candide" onScotland 460
PUBLIC AFFAIRS — . Co-operation of England and America , 470 The Duchy of Lancaster 470 Reform Procrastinations 471 Women and Work 471 To Marry or not to Marry ? 472 LITERATURE— ! Summary 473 History of Philosophy 473 Dr . Barth ' s Travels and Discoveries 475 I
! | Londoners at Ease 475 A Batch of Books 476 THE ARTSRoyal Academy 476 The Operas 477 Theatrical Notes .. 477 I __ , ! The Gazette 477 COMMERCIAL AFFAIRSCity Intelligence , Markets , &c 478
%Tmtm Nf Tlje Twnk.
% tmtm nf tlje tWnk .
-
-
Citation
-
Leader (1850-1860), May 16, 1857, page unpag., in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2193/page/1/
-