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Leader (1850-1860), 13th March 1852, Edition Country of 2, Page 11

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      March 13,1852.] The Leader. 24y ' __ ' '...

      March 13 , 1852 . ] THE LEADER . 24 y ' __ ' ' ' ' ' ""' ' ' ^~* — * * ' —~— ¦¦¦ i i ¦ ¦¦¦ , r — ¦ . i-i ii *»¦ ¦ I -i i i »¦¦¦ — i ' - ^^ - — - ^— —— - — " ^——^^^^^ — ^**— ^*^^^^^^ *****^^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^

      ¦»¦ !¦!¦ The Offer Of H. T. S. Declined,...

      ¦»¦ !¦!¦ The offer of H . t . S . declined ,, witk thanks . _ Wm iWThe novel in question has notjeen translated . Mr . Nutt , of the Strand , would , doubtless , ^ wiSfon reflection , see that , except on some special »{«« ' ¦ we cannot undertake to send answers to our £ SgtSfc- **»™ of MS ; are sent to us ; the protlvtion which we can find use or room for is extremel y S the remainder is silentlv destroyed ; to give specific reSonslbr every . case of rejection might employ , the whole of one person ' s time . , " ,., , * - -r i . We were biOf-inclined to publish Mr . Langley ' fl remonstrance in consideration that his adjectives , though still ^ temperate , are » o longer unpunishable ; but we are debarred by the threat with which he concludes , and we must k ^ rratiTin our last Number : —In " Continental Notes , " page 210 , for " Austrian Congress at Berlin , " read , "Customs Congress at Berlin . " In leading article , page 226 , column 3 , for " was of a nature to make their countrymen hang then- heads for shame " read " was of a nature to makehis countrymen , " & c

      • - ¦ | 1.11 . —^—¦! ¦ ¦—¦¦— -^— ^ I I I...

      • - ¦ | 1 . 11 . —^—¦! ¦ ¦—¦¦— - ^— ^ I I I I » I " The following appeared in our Second Edition of last week . ]

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      . Saturday, March 6. The Farce Of Re-Ele...

      . Saturday , March 6 . The farce of re-electing Sir P . Thesiger , the new Attorney-General , took place at Abingdon , yesterday . Of course , there was no opposition , General Caulfield having agreed to retire from the field , on the understanding that the borough shall be quietly handed over to him at the general election . The speech of Sir Frederick was clever , and good-humoured . He claimed for the Derby administration a fair and impartial trial , as their present position had not been the result of any hostile movement on their part . Lord Derby had only accepted office at the command of the Queenbecause the country was without a government .

      , If he had consulted his own ease and comfort , he would liave had nothing to do with Downing-street . As to the members of the new cabinet , many 01 them had not been trained to official duties , but they were " men of utility and character , " who would do their best . The great experiment of a Conservative administration ~ was now about to be made , but he was npt very sanguine as to the result . The tendency of many of the measures of the late government had been strongly democratic , _ and therefore " it was absolutely necessary , in the present state of the country , that there should be a stand made against these encroachments upon the constitution . " After a few wdrds on the critical position of the country , he remarked , amidst great cheering ,

      that " the experiment would perhaps be the last which will ever be made for the safety of our common country . " The difficulty of carrying on the government on Conservative principles had been greatly aggravated by " the bitter legacy which the late Prime Minister has left—the declaration of the grounds upon which his opposition is to be based . " Suck a declaration was quite uncalled for , especially that part of it relating to a duty on corn , as Lord Perby had no intention of stirring that question during the present parliament . (" Because he ' s no chance , " said a person in the crowd , to the great amusement of the constituency of Abin gdon . ) Yes , that was the reason . Lord Derby knew that he was in a minority ; but he thought that the country

      had not had an opportunity of declaring ita opinion . Should a general election prove that the country was adverse to protection , the prime minister would bow to its decision , and the question would bo set at rest for over . On tho subject of Parliamentary Beform , Sir Frederick decidedl y opposes any attempt to extend tho franchise " to persons of a lowor scale of cultivation , " as Lord John Eussell ' bill proposed to do . That measure would never receive tho sanction of the legislature ; indeed Lord John could never have had any hopo of carrying it . Ho must have brought it forward merely " as a barrier in the way of the now Government . " Sir Frederick concluded by

      onlarging on tho importance of law reform , and expressing a liopo ( , hat no factious opposition would bo thrown in tho way of carrying out such measures as tho Government would propose for that purpose Two other elections took place yesterday , and in neither case waa there any opposition . Mr . Wulpole , the new Home Secretary , was returned for tho nomination borough of Mldhurst , and tho Marquis of Chandos for that of Buckingham . Mr . Horatio Walpolo was described by a Mr . Mullens Donnott * who seconded tho nomination , as " a bright star in England ' * political horizon , " but lie does not appear to lmvo shono with much eplondour in Midhurst Town Hall .

      Having doscribed Lord . Derby as "tho champion and chief of that groat conservative policy which was essential to tho woll-boing of tho country , " tho new Homo Hecrottuy proceeded to foreshadow tho main elements of what ho seems to consider good government . Firtft < H all , ho would oppose any change in tho constitution ortho Houso of Commons , bocauso it in to tho Oonfiorvatism of that Houso that this country i » indebted «> v all tho blessings wo have enjoyed of hito years , Avhilo othor countriba lmvo boon convulsed . , . had ha d our changes , but those changes hod loft us jn tranquillit y . And wh y P Bpcause in all tho changes wo Jnudo wo took cftro to ' loot to practical results and to uuua on old foundations i because wo departed as little as poHsiblo from tho maxims of antiquity , and adhered to old « ; UHt , oina and usages , which tho pooplo of this country woro 'imi larizod with and fond of . Wo had clung , in short , to mio oitl anchorage , and ho ( irmly bolioved that in whatever ( mangos wo wished to adopt , as long as wo olung to that

      anchorage England would remain , secure and safe , whatever were the storms in which other countries were driven from their moorings * The contrast between foreign nations and our own was very striking , and bethought the moral was obvious : it should teach us to cling to those institutions which had certainly combined in a nappior form order and freedom , preservation and progress , well-regulated authority arid willing allegiance , more than in any country whose history he had ever read . For that reason he was against organic changes in ^ the form of the government . All changes , even the-best , were attended with many inconveniences ; and change for the sake of change was a positive evil . However , let him not be

      misunderstood . He would willingly redress any practical grievance , any proved abuse ; he would anxiously remedy any practical-defects in the constitution ; but he looked on this as especially and pre-eminently a practical question . Good government was a practical object we ought to keep in view ; and , as long as we could secure that , he would never consent to change , because from some abstract princi p le or some imagined theories we thought we could remodel it into a better shape than that which experience said Was the best . As for protection , he did not appear to think that anything would be done in that direction , but there would very probably be a readjustment of taxation , so as to give the fanners fair play .

      The Marquis of Chandos was equally explicit in his determination to oppose any such democratic measure as Lord John ' s Reform Bid , and equally vague in his allusions to protection . He would pledge himself to nothing . If they were not pleased with him , they could cease to return him . An enthusiastic Anti-Corn Law League meeting was held at Leeds on Thursday evening , at which Mr . Cobden addressed some four or five thousand of the men of the West Riding , on the present crisis . In the

      course of his speech he stated that , bnt for the accession of a Protectionist administration , he had not intended to come forward for the West Riding , having made up his mind to go back to Stockport , should his old friends there be willing to accept him . The change in the Ministry had totally altered the state of affairs , however , and he had at once made up his mind to " come down to the West Riding , throw down his gauntlet and challenge the monopolists of the kingdom to put forth all their strength . " ^

      The Council of the Anti-Corn-Law League are receiving letters of congratulation from all quarters on the step taken on Tuesday , with thanks and offers of support both from old friends and new . The fund progresses steadily . The total sum up to yesterday is nearly 36 , 000 Z .

      A Railway Accident Of The Most Frightful...

      A railway accident of the most frightful character befel the train coming to New York , by the Erie Railway , on Tuesday morning , February 17 . About two miles cast of Equinunk , the last passenger train waa thrown down a precipice , 30 feet , into the Delaware River . A passenger who was in a train which escaped , gives the following description of the scene : — " When the engine was stopped , ujion rushing to the door , tho first sight that met our view was the Delaware River rushing by directly beneath , at the foot of a walled precipice of at least 30 feet in hei g ht . Tho next moment the conductor of the train came drifting by upon a cake of ice , calling for help , and assuring us that ho had already

      fallen through the crumblmg ioothold two or three nines . A short distance- behind him was a passenger in a similar situation . Tho ice was drifting at tho rate of five miles an hour , and it required fast running to keep in a line with them . After some minutes of fearful susponso , with tho aid of a skiff and a board thrown to one of them , to bo used as a paddle , they woro both rescued in a holplcss condition . Wo then learned that the passenger car behind us , tho last of the train , just the other sido of tho curve , was thrown entirely into tho Dolawaro Rivor , with all who woro in it . Wo hastened to tho spot , and lo I thirty feet below us was tho car , almost buried undor tho water , and tho poor creatures within woro thrusting their arms out of tho window

      calling for help . Two or three of them had crawled upon tho roof , and woro bosocching us to save them . Tho scono struck ovory one dumb with horror / Tho smooth-walled prooip ico could not bo descended . Wo woro obliged to go a little furthor up tho river , and there slido down to the water ' s edge . Tho car at its nearest end was about twontyfivo feot from tho shore ; tho wator was doop and running very swiftly . After half an hour ' s hard work a dead trunk of a hemlock troo was shoved into tho last window , tho other end resting upon tho shoro . With tho aid of this a bridgo was built , upon which thoso able to walk woro led , and thoso too much frozon to move woro carried . An axe was procurod and holes cut through tho roof , and , ono after another , tho unfortunate passongors woro lifted oufc

      Tho Quoon Hold A Court And Privy Council...

      Tho Quoon hold a Court and Privy Council yesterday at Buckingham Palace , at which Lord Clarendon had an audionco of her Majesty on resigning bis office . Lord E . F . Howard gave up ins gold koy , as vice-Chamberlain , and tho JSarl of Bossborough HurronrWod tho buckhoiinds , which must now roepgniwo tho , Earl of llosslyn as their master . AJoffor from Mr . Coppook ' appears in tho Sun of last evening , complaining ot tho way in which Mr . Koobuck had attacked him in tho Houso of Commons , and in roply to the honourable gontloman ' s denial that l ( ho had had nothing to do with Mr . Ooppook or any of bin elections , diHtinotly relating tho whole history ot Mr . lloobuok ' s return for Ba | , h in 1841 , when , according to Mr- Coppook , tli <) funds for the contest woro furnwhoa by tho groat Wing electioneering agent .

      The Oloctions Known In J*Aria Up To Last...

      The oloctions known in J * aria up to last night woro 230 , of which live only were gained by tho Opposition , mpluding Genorul CWaignoo for I ' arifl .

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      ,., '¦ . ¦ ¦ '""" T ' • • ' . Saturday, ...

      ,., '¦ . ¦ ¦ '""" T ' • ' . SATURDAY , MARCH 13 , 1852 .

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      There Is Nothing So Revohitionary, Becau...

      There is nothing so revohitionary , because there is nothing bo -unnatural and convulsive , as the strain to keep things fixed when all the "world is by the very law of its creation in eternal progress . —Da . Aenoi-d .

      The Ministerial Crisis Of Next Week. Pos...

      THE MINISTERIAL CRISIS OF NEXT WEEK . Possibly we may have next week to record a " bankruptcy superseded ; " for the effete factions of the day are only too willing to shield in each , other the worst infirmities that beset them all ; but according to the present prospect , the new Ministers will have to undergo a " crisis , " at the very moment of their meeting the House of Commons .

      They are threatened from both sides : the Whigs , panting with , the desire to return to office , are planning a combined attack ; and the ultra-Protectionists , impatient at the bare idea of postponing the instant application of their doctrine , are said to contemplate an immediate compulsion on the poor Ministers . Thrust into office unexpectedly , without any estimates or measures prepared , unable perchance to postpone the general election , beyond the few days required for passing the inevitable continuance bills , Ministers are in a position neither enviable nor deserved .

      Always excepting the undeniable fact , which we set forth last week , that Lord Derby ought not to have accepted office without a clearer warrant in the competency to hold it and to perform , its duties . « - Every day confirms our conviction , that a statesman ought not to undertake the formation of a Cabinet , unless he is ^ prepared for a definite policy , and a responsible adherence to that policy . Every day exhibits new evils in tho situation of a Ministry which offers no test of

      its capacity to command political power , but is launched into a sea of chances , bent only on avoiding critical questions . The opportunity of calling a Ministry to account is valuable , not only for trying the influence which attaches to its principles , but still more for the purpose of putting to the ordeal the working strength of the Government itself . The country has had enough of rickctty Governments , and cannot bo expected to tolerate one that avoids the plainest test of its own right to official existence . It

      certainly cannot be strong enough to bo useful ; cannot be strong enough to deal usefully with the groat questions that press for oiiectivo handling . Of those , Froe-trade is in fact tho least urgent ; since it is settled beyond tho power of the Protectionists to unsettle it . Our imports of breadstuffs are now derived from fifty countries , with whom corresponding exchanges , direct or indirect , must be made ; and no Mmistor dares disturb that amount of commerce , much loss to annihilate it . It is one of those things that , being done , cannot bo undone ; like the breaking of an Offtr . which cannot bo made whole again .

      A second and far more pressing quostion is that of ftoform—tho key to amending tho lawmaking machino ; which is in a stato practically vexatious and injurious to the pooplo at largo . From handling that question tho present Ministry is absolutely debarred b y ita antecedents . A third great practical quostion . is finance , including tho abolition or amendment of the Income-tax , tho reduction of that immense military expenditure which is so lavish and so wasteful , and tho immense mass of charge , yearly for tho National Debt , in tho settlement of which a

      beainning ought to bo made ; but will Ministers ¦ find vigour to deal eflTejj | aally oven witli tho Income-tax , pledged as the ^ aro to favour tho landowners , already so largely favoured in tho incidence of that impost P Tho fourth question is tho ono with many branches—tho regulation of industry . Whether wo are to have Froo-trado or not , tho burdens or restraints undor which eoveral branches of in-

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), March 13, 1852, page 11, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_13031852/page/11/