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Leader (1850-1860), 20th April 1850, Edition Country of 1, Page 1, No. 4. SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 1850. Price 6...

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      " The One Idea Which History Exhibits As...

      " The one Idea which History exhibits as evermore developing itself into greater distinctness is the Idea of Humanity—the noble endeavour to throw down all the barriers erected between men by prejudice and oae-sided views ; and by setting aside the distinctions of Relis ^ ion , Country , and Colour , to treat the whole Human race as one brotherhood , having one great object—the free development of our spiritual nature . "—Humboldt ' s Cosmos .

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      News Op The Week— -P<*.<7« News Op The W...

      News op the Week— -P <* . < 7 « News op the Whbk—continued . Sunday Labour at the Post-Office .... 85 Water in Mines 90 Parliament 74 Trial of Prof . Webster for Murder .. 79 Subsistence and Land 86 Self-acting 1 Locomotives 90 The Education Movement 76 Punishment by the Gallows 80 Literature— Mud of the Nile 9 * 1 The Movements in the Ghureh 77 Miscellaneous 80 Tlie Devtiny of Man 87 Portfolio—The Paris Election 78 Public Affairs— A Volume of Verse 88 Imaginary Conversation , by Landor .. 91 The State of France 78 The Suffrage Movement 83 A Didactic Novel 88 Parable of the Bread-iruit-tree 9 L Return of the Pope 78 Post-Ofliee Sunday Labour 83 A Ba-tery against the War-office .... 88 The Glass Mountain 91 Repression in Hungary 79 Republican France 81 / Books on our Table 89 The Drama 92 The Rule of the Czar 7 g A Deserted Village 84 Notes and Extracts 89 Creed and Conduct 93 The Army in India 79 Opbn Council— PnooaBss of Science— Count Pepoli's Picture 93 Fetichism Imperial 79 On the Credit System 85 Balance of Vegetable and Animal Life 9 * Commkkcial Affairs—The Sea-Serpent Arrived 79 Difficulties in Reciprocal Aid 85 Gas from Water 90 Markets , Gazettes , & c 94-6

      No. 4. Saturday, April 20, 1850. Price 6...

      No . 4 . SATURDAY , APRIL 20 , 1850 . Price 6 d .

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      War Has Fairly Begun Between The Advance...

      War has fairly begun between the advanced guard of the Education party and the joint forces of the stationary and retrograde parties . The events of the week have been very important . In the debate on Wednesday , on Mr . Fox ' s bill , Government has committed itself to an obstructive and stationary policy . On the other hand , the result of the ~ pu ! 4 ic meetings at Leeds , following up those at Manchester , is calculated to inspire the men who

      fight for secular education and freedom of opinion with the strongest hopes . The debate displayed a very good muster of the antagonist forces . There was Mr . Stafford , representing the Tory party , which has , of course , every ancient reason to resist the emancipation of opinion in whatever form it may be attempted . The Earl of Surrey endeavoured to excite alarm by connecting the bill and the movement whence it emanated with the most

      eminent of the out-speaking writers on the state of religion- —Francis Newman , Froude , and Foxton ; and , while he showed the unabated resolve of his party to resist any attempt to loosen the shackles on discussion , he did no small service in exhibiting the array of genius and talent on the other side . Lord Ashley represented a Protestant imitation of the same retrograde party , prepared to treat as enemies of religion those who cannot consider it to be limited by established creeds . Lord John Russell joined the Opposition , on the professed ground that the majority of the people , whether members of the Established Church or of

      Dissenting bodies , refuse to be taxed for a merely secular education . Let him see the anticipatory answers delivered at Leeds . He is anxious for education , but he cannot divorce it from religion . And , as nobody can agree upon the religion which should accompany education , he is anxious for that to which he attaches an imposible position .

      Perhaps he is not unwilling to obtain some credit on both sides ; but the . substantial fact is that Ministers join the resistance . The educationists and advocates of freed opinion have some spokesmen in the House , one of the most explicit being Mr . Roebuck : but it is clear that the real work must be done out of doors , and that the conflict resolves itself into one between old authority and a young

      opinion . Now , what is the relative position of the two parties to this conflict ? The party of resistance derives its chief power and influence from being headed for the time by the Government ; if the Government had taken the other side , the result would have been different . The resistance will only be formidable while it is headed by the G ivernment ; its duration depends upon the Government . The position of the existing Government is not strong . It has not strengthened itself by resisting Mr . Milner Gibson ' s motion to abolish

      certain " taxes on knowledge , " whereof the papertax is universally the most unpopular . It has derived no strength from the incapacity which Ministers have shown to devise an intelligible reform of the Stamp-tax ; from the blunders in the bill for that purpose ; from the attempt to evade opposition on these blunders by spontaneous amendments ; or from the Ministerial defeat on Monday , when the House of Commons affirmed by 164 to 135 Sir Henry Willoughby ' lower scale of duties . In all these respects , the Ministry , which was not strong before , has been seriously damaged . Now , what is the position of the Educationists

      out of doors ? One to encourage the highest hopes . Thev have succeeded at Manchester in defeating their antagonists in a pitched battle ; this week they have done the same at Leeds . They must be growing aware that their strength increases in proportion to their boldness . Outspeaking wins them respect and sympathy ; courage inspires followers with confidence . The manner in which the admirable speech of Dr . Smiles , generous and courageous , was received at Leeds shows the feeling which exists , it it be but evoked . The last two or three weeks have incalculably increased the importance and conscious strength of the party . Its members will not therefore be daunted bv the

      resistance to Mr . Fox ' s bill . Rather they will estimate that vis inertias at the right value , and only see in that resistancce the motive for concentrating their own forces . A little trouble will not be unsalutary , for otherwise the party might have grown over confident and careless . As it is , trust in a right cause , experience of success in agitation , practical success for outspeaking , inspire them with a determined hope .

      The issne of the Church contest is scarcely so clear to view . Several curious portents are observable this week . One of the most singular , though not of the most practical moment , is the correspondence between Miss Sellon and Lord Campbell . A devoted follower of Dr . Philpotts , Miss Sellon , superior of the Sisters of Mercy at Plymouth , repudiates Lord Campbell as a committee-man , and eke his money support for her " Orphan ' s Home , " because of his share in the heretical decision of the Privy Council . Lord

      Campbell cannot understand that kind of mediaeval devotion . The Bishop of Bath and Wells has made declaration against the interpretation of the Judicial Committee in the matter of baptismal regeneration . In the Court of Queen ' s Bench the High Church party have endeavoured to revive an old statute , which would set aside the Judicial Committee and restore the authority of Convocation ; and the question awaits a preliminary decision on a point of form . And the Evangelical party , professing magnanimity , but displaying that discretion which is the better partof valour , have resolved notto get up a counter-demonstration against the movement of the High Church . All this is ominous of more dissension .

      For other matters the week is not productive in startling incident . Our own " domestic murders , " a standing dish of news , are scanty just now , and are outdone by the heartless murder in New York , for which Dr . Webster has just been convicted and sentenced to death . Nor can any of our reported marvels compete with the announcement that the great sea-serpent has endeavoured to land as an immigrant into the United States—fate unknown . In India Sir Charles Napier is vigorously acting with the mutiny in the Anglo-Indian army , much disorganized , but feeling thatit has a master .

      Is France Hastening To A Crisis ? We Mig...

      Is France hastening to a crisis ? We might think so , if compelled to credit the rumours on the Bourse , which speak of grave measures of * ' reconstruction" and " social consolidation" preparing by the President , and of heaps of arms and ammunition found in the " strongholds of Socialism . " But the Bourse has its own ends to answer . The President will hardly risk a collision in the face of his unmistakeable unpopularity , of which he every day receives new proofs ; though Changarnier , they say , would urge him to the chance ; the rough General having declared that a year will ruin all , Socialist

      for in that time the very Army will be . Banishment to Algiers , — dismissal of schoolmasters , of douaniers , and workmen , —persecutions of the press , —prevention of public meetings , — all seem insufficient to check this dreaded enemy of " Order . " One result , however , the reaction has insured , —the greater unanimity of their opponents . The division between the two parties becomes , also , more strongly marked . The choice of M . Eugene Sue , the popularizer of Socialism ,

      and of M . Leclerc , of the barricades , is significant of this . The reaction puts the question neatly enough—" With us are all those who marched against the barricades , with you those who defended them ; let the separation be effected , and let God decide . " Be it so , replies the National : " the bourgeoisie and the people overthrew the barricades , to shake hands together ; our enemies would reconstruct them . If M . Sue ' s candidature had wanted meaning , the meaning would be there ; the election of the 28 th will be a protest against civil

      war . The Pope is in Rome . And , as acclamations were not to be had , it is announced that they were not desired . Indeed , although the priest party paid for them , it was at their own express command that they were not forthcoming . Those strange , stern Romans , have not forgotten the

      Republic ; are not moved even by the affecting account of the tearful parting of Pio Nono and his godly son of Naples , —that good King , in whose happy realm , according to a writer who views affairs with a Legitimist colouring , " order and tranquillity prevail without the presence of foreign , troops , and those who do not conspire against the Government enjoy the blessings of a terrestrial

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), April 20, 1850, page 1, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_20041850/page/1/