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Leader (1850-1860), 24th April 1858, Edition 1 of 2, Page 386, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      delay of sixteen or eighteen months .. The progress of the Indian railways may well be slow , and Mr . Liudell has done good service in setting the nature of the . grievance clearly before the country . In spite of opposition from the thick and tbin "defenders of things as they are , " the House consented to grant a committee of inquiry . The Oaths Bill has been read a second time in

      tlie House of Lords , and a strong appeal has been made by Lord Lyndiiurst and by Earl Ghey to the reasonableness of the House in its treatment of this measure . They each set the case clearly forth , and showed what the consequences must be of a further rejection of the bill , the principles of ¦ which have been over and over again affirmed during the last quarter of a century . It would be extremely undesirable to find the House of Lords again in

      conflict with the House of Commons upon a question which has long been decided by the feeling of all classes of the community . Should the Commons be reduced to the necessity of seating Baron Kotiischild by resolution , the dignity and prestige of the Upper House -will sustain an injury out of all proportion to the gravity of the case . Evidently Lord Derby feels this , and some expect that the bill may yet pass unmutilated . The abolition of church rates is another of those

      questions which have to be urged m the teeth of obstinate prejudice and unreason . On " Wednesday evening the House -went into committee on Sir Joffi ? Trelawny ' s bill ; but before doing so every sort of shift was resorted to by its opponents to overthrow the measure ; some of the arguments used being really childish . Sir George Grey reminded these " worms that never die" that au unequivocal expression of opinion on the principle of the bill had been given on the second reading ; but it was useless ; the obstructives went on with the old

      pleas , and if in spite of them the bill shall find its way before the Lords , the war of words will be renewed . Is it not time that this question , too , should be settled?—it cannot with decency be asserted that the feeling of the country favours the continuance of church rates . According to Lord Derby ' s answer to a deputation which waited upon him on the subject , on Monday last , the House of Lords will not pass the present bill , and for his own part he sees no solution of the question . This may well be , and will bo , so long as he and those

      ¦ who think with him believe that the opposition to the payment of church rates is confined to a " vexatious individuals" in certain parishes . Yet even Lord Derby hints at some new course—a buying-up of church rates , which are to form a charge on tho land . The truth is that the positive zeal on all sides is less than the negative zeal : religion , in England , is more " Protestant" than Catholic ; every man ' conscience makes him object to his neighbour ' s " sect , " but he does not care to bo at any expense or troublo for his own " Church . "

      The astonishment with which tho news of Dr . Bernard ' s acquittal Was received in certain circles in Paris is nothing surprising , though we cannot quite realize the idea of tho " stupefaction" which some assure us resulted from the first communication of the fact . Of course it was to bo expected that a great outcry would bo raised , and of courso wo oxpect a still greater outcry when , it is known that Government has determined not to carry the prosecution any further . Tho newspapers , after n week ' s

      silonco , aro one by one having their say , and one by one evincing their profound ignorance of tho courso — -of-JUngliah-law-and-justioei- — -It-is-usole 8 s 4 o-. ftnBWormen who will not learn that English judges aro no moro nnsworablo for tho verdicts of English juries , and no moro able to diotato or control them , than the writers who fulrninato Ompty thundor from tho printing-offices of Paris , and who tliroaton us with th 6 army of 700 , 000 bayonets whioh thoir master is organizing . But France has other work near at hand than

      quarelling with England . The late debates in the Sardinian Chamber on the Conspiracy Bill have made it evident that it is to France that Piedmont , will look in the event of a . rupture between Naples and herself . And there is good reason to believe that France is very willing to protect her for the sake of measuring her strength with Austria , whose partisanship with Naples hardly needs to be announced , aince she has assembled large forces upon the frontier of Sardinia without object , if not to intimidate her hated rival in Italy . A very short time will determine the destination of the Austrian troops collected at Piacenza , and of the augmented legions of

      Napoleon III . ; for the latest news from Turin announces that Naples has flatly refused to comply with the Sardinian demands . Meanwhile the policy of Count Cavour is winning increased respect in England , and the sympathy of the country will be with him in the struggle into which our defective diplomacy has helped to lead him . Public opinion here is dissatisfied with the position in which England has been placed , and its expression will be sufucientlv marked to enforce its will : it will not sec Sardinia either left to contend single-handed with Naples and Austria , or under the sole protection of Imperial Eraucc .

      The banquet given to Sir James Brooke , at Manchester , on Wednesday , was au event of unusual importance , for , but . for its occurrence , possibly , the real value of the great adventurer ' s possession in the Indian Archipelago would have continued unknown to the bulk of the people of this country . The recognition of the fact that Sir Jaiies Brooke ' s energy and far-sightedness have placed at our disposal the " gates of China , " cannot long be a piece of unfruitful knowledge . Our late successes at Canton must lead to a real development of our trading intercourse with the Celestial nation ; a glance at the map is enough to convince us of the importance of Borneo as a telegraph and coaling station . Russia , France , and America will not be slow to discover the value of

      this " Gibraltar" of the China seas ; and it will be well that the possession which Sir James Brooke offers to give up to us should be early secured .

      Untitled Article

      I ^ SPf ^ W ^ i ^ PHW ^^ - - - . 1 ! ¦¦ ¦ . , <" - " "¦ ' ¦ " " ::: '"' \ " - ¦» - . ¦"¦ ' ¦ ' ¦¦' ' ' . ; •' .. •¦ . - . ¦ - . ' - : ¦¦ ¦• . ; - . ¦; . ¦¦ -: "W ^

      Untitled Article

      Monday , April IStlt . THE CAGLIAIU . In the House of Lorim , Lord Wjgssusyd \ le ,, t ., if the Government intended to refer the case of th seizure of the Cagliari to the Judicial Committee of th Privy Council . He believed that would be the w possible mode of obtaining an opinion on the subject The Earl of Mauiesbuby said lie would consider tT suggestion , but could not give a definitive answer Th law officers had decided that the detention and ' imm / sonment of the two English engineers was illegal- but to the legality of the . capture of the Cagliari , the W officers are divided in ( heir opinion—two deciding th t it was legal , one that it was illegal . The law officers of the late Government were also divided on the questionao that it would be impossible to take any strontr measures on that ground . " °

      THE PATRIOTIC FUND . On the . motion of the Duke of Xoiskolk , an address was agreed to for copies of correspondence between the Commissioners of the Patriotic Fund and other parties relating to the case of ilrs . liosina Bennett and her children . —In the discussion on the subject , Lord Colciiestkk and Lord St . Lkonauos defended the Commissioners from the imputation of partiality in administering the fund ; and Lord Camoys admitted that in the explanation of the Commissioners , the charge had been completely and satisfactorily answered . The Customs Bill went through committee , and their Lordships then adjourned .

      Ol'K RELATIONS WITH CHINA . In the House of Commons , Mr . White asked whether any and what instructions had been transmitted to her Majesty ' s Plenipotentiary in China , willi the view to obtain indemniQeatioa for the losses of British merchants arising out of recent events at Canton , and also to secure uur future mercantile relations with China on a more satisfactory basis . —Mr . Sevmoub Fitzgerald ( who spoke in so low a tone of voice that very little of his reply was hoard ) was understood to say , iu reference to the latter portion of the question , that Lord Elgin ' s instructions were to endeavour to gain access to ports in other parts of China as well as to those which our ships were now allowed to enter . Whatever advantages were obtained , however , would be for the benefit not only of British commerce , but of that of the world at large .

      THE MARBLE AHCII . Lord Elciio , referring to a paper dial on the Marble Arch , inquired whether it was the intention of the Government to place a cluck in that position . —Lord John Manners was understood to say that ithadbeensuggested that a clock being placed on the arch would add to the uniformity of appearance , and a paper diul had been placed on the spot to obtain public opinion on the subject . The idea was not a legacy ( o him from Sir Benjamin Hall ; and , with respect to a question put by the noble Lord as to '' whether the Government thought it would bo desirable to place n similar clock in tho cocked hat of the Duke of Wellington ' s statue , " Lord John replied that " ho should be very unwilling to deface in the manner suggested tho monument erected in honour of the Duke . " ( Lattf / hter . ) The report of tlio Committee i » f Siti-i . y was agreed to ; and tho House then resolved itsolf into n tounnittco of Ways and Moans ( Mr . Fit / hoy in the chair ) , to hear tho financial statement on

      THE BUDGET . Tho CirANCKix , ou of tiii : ExriiEQi'iat begun by remarking that , since this time last yenr , a considerable chnugo for tho worse had taken place iu tho monetary condition of tho country . The American pnni .: acted ill a disastrous way on tho commerce of ICntf land , «' towards the end of 1867 we htul u crisis in which we rato of discount reached ten per cont . Sevcru distress had thus been produced , and the revenue of the emiiiuy had been honvily pressed on . In pointing out tho increase in our oxporta , Mr . Disraeli took the year ibjj ,

      the year before tho war , and tl » e years 1865 , 1 ^ ° - " ^ 1807 . " Tho doclnrod vuluo of tho total export * <« " ° manufucturors"Nf tho United Kingdom , in l * >' ' " * 99 , 000 , 000 / . ; in 1855 , it had sunk to WV ^ M " ' ; 'J 18 !> G , risen to 110 , 000 , 000 / . ; and , in 1857 , to ljJd . nUU . uuw . Of toxtilo fabrics , iu 1853 , tUo yoar before the _ wm , >» exported 52 , 0011 , 1 mm )/ . ; in 1806 , 51 , 000 , 000 / . ! in l 8 j >« . 59 , ( 100 , 000 / . ; and in IH 67 , ( U , 000 , Ot > 0 / . Innioti « M « wi » i the year boforo tho war , our oxporta ' imoUll ^ ' ! 19 , 500 , 000 / . ; in 1000 , they liad sunk toalwut IM " ^ . ""' iu 185 G , they had rlaon to 2 . V » 00 , < HlO / . ! »» lfi ' J ° 20 , 000 , 000 / . Tho real vnluo of tho total imp " . "' Jj 172 , 000 , 000 / . ; iu 1857 , X 87 , 000 , ( J 007 rOur Impoitt t « w cotton wore , in tho year boforo tlui war , 7 . 1 < J , O «» M «» ' ^ In 1855 , thov wore 7 ( 17 , 000 , 000 lbs . ; in 1860 , «' /• " "'[ , | , | , lbs . | In 1867 , they wore 8 fl 7 , 000 , OOOllm . 'i io » . !«« tonnage hi tho yoar before tho war wus mim » limo "IV ,. „ foreign six million * ; in 1 . H 56 , British toiiun « ° ww J » about nine millions , foreign al so about , flix i ' » ' , ' Hrltlsh tonnage had reached olovon lllil 1 "" . " ' ,, o , about woven ; iu 1857 , DrltUh had reached l V V r . V tho and foreign 7 , 400 , 000 . Tho total toimflffo > ' <^ ° „ , „ war was 15 , 880 , 000 ; iu last yoar , 19 , 072 , 000 .

      Untitled Article

      A Curistenino in Venice . —A lady with her attendants came forward , and placed on the lowest step of the altar a little glass case , or rather litter , curtained with muslin and pink calico , and festooned with flowers , which almost vied with those on the altar . What can it be ? we immediately speculated with each other in our innocence . It is some pretty little offering to the Madonna , surely—a model" of a leg or a silver heart , perhaps . Alas ! nothing of the kind . How utterly wo were mistaken ! To our surprise a living child—a living child is brought out of the littlo ambulanco—and to be christened 1—a little red tiling only a few hours born , as tightly swathed as an Egyptian mummy ; its poor little flat , squeozed-up rudiments of features all distorted and awry with the misery of those bands , which aro but a typo of the others , spiritual and temporal , religious as well as political , to follow in their turn through life . It ia taken to the font immediately , where , an old priest and his whito-surplicod lad await it , and the ceremony begins . Tho formulary ia read , or rather I must really say , r / abhled , by tho aged clergyman , with toothless inartioulatlon , and yet as quickly as possible , as if the good man felt all the while that his dinner woe us rapidly cooling . His tonea resembled just the quick and angry bubblings of an old woman ' s potato-kottlo ; and not one word could my Inquisitive , exceedingly attentivo ear detect . As for feeling , I suppose he was too much a man of business to indulge in a weakness winch consumes valuable time . Moreover , no doubt a rite in itself of divine and complete cfllcaoy may well dispense with it . One Important mistake ho was very near committing' in his precipltato haste nevertheless . He all but christened the child Eliaabotta Luoreziu Maria , instead of Isabella Luorossia Maria . At tho proper stage of tho ceremonial , tho poor littlo child ' s hond and Jt ooiiJmJbMe ^ sacred oil , is ouorgotically rubbed in , and the painful mowlingu aro painfully increased ; and finally , tho infirm priost , holding on by tho shoulder of ono of tho sponsorH , and as ho hobblos along , again reading in the same harsh and seething tonon from tho book still borne boibre him by tho aoolyto , tho wholo party makes oft' rapidly to the altar , whoro the rest of tho ooromony Id speedily dospatahod . —Art Journal . Turn Exit ov Liarz . —The Culot / ne Oaaedo announces that tho celebrated pianist , List / ., was solemnly received on tho Ilth into tho order of Franciscans at Pcsth .

      Untitled Article

      IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT . a _

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), April 24, 1858, page 386, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2240/page/2/