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Leader (1850-1860), 24th April 1858, Edition 2 of 2, Page 2, 386 THE L EADEE,, [No. 422, Apiui, 24, 1...

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      - Tftfi Leading Characteristic Of The Ho...

      delay of sixteen or eighteen months . The progress of the Indian railways may well be slow , and Mr . IiiDDELX has done good service in setting the nature of the grievance clearly before the country . In spite of opposition frofii the thick and thin " 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

      the House of Lords , and a stfong appeal has been made by Lord Lynditcrst and by Earl Grey 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 RotuscitiLD 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 in the teeth of obstinate prejudice and unreason . On Wednesday evening the House went into committee 011 Sir John Trelawny ' s bill ; but before doing so , eveiy sort of shift was resorted to by its opponents to overthrow the measure ; some of the arguments used being really cbildisly Sir George Grey reminded these " worms that never die" that an 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 be , so loug as he and those

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

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

      silonco , arc one by One having their say , and one by bno evincing thoil * profbund ignoranoo of tho courso of En g lish law ftfld justice . It is useless to ft " for itToix who will noiTloam that EugTisli judges arc ho moro answerable for tho vordicts of English jurios , Md no moro able to diotato or control thorn , than tho writors who fulminato empty thunder from tho 'jjjrfntihg . oflloos of Paris , and who threaten us with tiijp ftftny of 700 , 000 bayohots which their mastor is ' oV ^ afiiiing . But Jrabiob has other work near at hand than

      quareiling'wilhEfigland * The late debates in the Sardinian Chatflber 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 fend her self . And there is good teasoiito believe that JVahce is very willing to protect her for the sake of measuring her strength with Austria , whose partisanship with Naples hardly needs to be announced , since she has assembled large forces upou the frontier of Sardinia without object , if uot to intimidate her hated rival in Italy . A very short time will determine the destination of the Austrian troops collected at Piaccnza , 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 Avill 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 sufficiently marked to enforce its will : it will not see Sardinia either left to contend single-handed with Naples and Austria , or under the sole protection of Imperial France .

      The banquet given , to Sir Jamks Brooke , at Manchester , on Wednesday , was an 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 James 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 uot be slow to discover the value of

      this " Gibraltar" of the China seas ; and it will be well that the possession which Sir James Bkooki : offers to give up to us should be early secured . A Christening in Venice . —A lady with her attendants came forward , and placed on the lowest stop 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 witli each other in our innocence . It is some pretty little offering' to tho Madonna , surely—a model of a leg or a silver heart , perhaps . Alaa ! nothing of tho kind . How utterly we were mistaken ! To our surprise a living child—a

      living child , is brought out of tho little ambulance—and to bo christened !—a little red thing only a few hours born , as tightly swathed as an Egyptian mummy ; its poor little flat , squcozed-up rudiments of features all distorted and awry with tho misery of those bands , which are 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 white-aurpliccd lad await it , and the ceremony begins . Tho formulary is read , or rather I must really say , gabbled , by tho nged clergyman , with toothlesa inarticulation , and yet ns quickly as possible , as if the ffoocl man felt all tho while that hia dinner was ns

      rapidly cooling . Hia tones resembled just tho quick and angry bubblinga of an old woman ' s potnto-kottio ; nnd not one Word could my inquisHWo , exceedingly attentive enr detect . As for feeling , I suppose he wan too much a man of business to indulge in a wonknesH which consumes valuable time . Moreover , no doubt n rite in Itself of divine and complete ofllcacy may well dispense with it . One important mistake hq was vory near committing in 1 » 1 b precipitate hasto nevertheless . Ho all but christened tho child Ellzabotta Lucrozia Marin , instead of

      Isabella Luorozia Maria . At tho proper stage of tho ceremonial , tho poor little child's head and back Atfe bnred , and it ia bent forward ; tho chrism , or Baored-ollj-i 8-onergetionlly-rnbbed ~ in 7 ' ~ nnd- 'tho-pninful ' mowlings aro painfully increased j nnd finally , tho infirm priest , holding on by tho nhouldor of one of tho sponaorM , and as ho hobbles along , again reading in thosamo harsh and seething tonon from the book still borne before him by tl » o acolyte , tho whole party makes off rapidly to the altar , whore the x-eat of tho ceremony ia Hpooillly despatched . — Art Journal .

      This Exit of LtSTfe . —Tho Cologne Gazette announces that the celebrated pinntat , Lint / ., wftH solemnly received on tho Ilth into tho order of Franciscans at Posth .

      386 The L Eadee,, [No. 422, Apiui, 24, 1...

      386 THE L EADEE ,, [ No . 422 , Apiui , 24 , 1858 .

      Imperial Parliameintt ^^ Monday, April 1...

      IMPERIAL PARLIAMEiNtT ^^ Monday , April 19 // ,. . THE CAGL 1 AUI . In * he House op Lords , Lord AVjenslkydale asko * if the Government intended to refer the- case of tt seizure of the Cagliari to the Judicial Committee of ti Privy Council . He believed that would be the h possible aiodft of obtaining an opinion on the subject cart walmesburt said

      Ane er he would consider th suggestion , but could not give a definitive answer Th law officers had decided that the detention and itnim ° sonmcht of the two English engineers was illegal- but a * to the legality of the capture of the Cagliari , the W officers are divided in their 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 questionso that it would be impossible to take any stronc measures on that ground . *»

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

      OUR RELATIONS WITH CHINA . In the House of Commons , Mr . Wiiiti : asked whether any and what instructions had been transmitted to her Majesty ' s Plenipotentiary in China , with the view to obtain indemnification for the losses of British merchants arising out of recent events at Canton , and also to secure our future mercantile relations with China on a more satisfactory basis . —Mr . Seymour Fitzoerald ( who spoke in so low a tone of voice that very little of his reply was heard ) was understood fo say , in 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 asjwell as to those ' -which our ships were now allowed to enter . Whatever advantages -were obtained , however , would be for the benefit not only of ISritish commerce , but of that of the world at large .

      TIIE MARBLE AUCn . Lord Elcho , referring to a paper dial on the Marble Arch , inquired whether it was the intention of the Government to place a clock in that position . —Lord John Manners was understood to say that it had been suggested that a clock being placed on tho arch would add to the uniformity of appearance , and a paper dial had been placed on uie spot to obtain public opinion on the subject . The idea was nut a legacy to 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 a similar clock in the cocked hat of the Duke of Wellington ' s . statue , " Lord . John replied that "he should be very unwilling-to di-fm-e in the manner suggested the monument erected in honour of the Duko . " ( Laughter . ')

      The report of the Committee of Srrn . v w / is agreed to ; and the House then resolved itself into a committee of Ways nnd Means ( Mr . I- ' itzroy in the chair ) , to hear tho financial statement on

      THE BUDGET . The Chancellor of thk KxcnrcQiiat bcRiui by remarking that , since this time last your , a coiwUliraule change for the worse had taken \ Ai \ w in the monetary condition of tho country . The Anu-rican paiiie "K'ted in a disastrous way on the commerce of Englunil , nnd towards the end of 1857 we hod a crisis in which the rate of discount reached tci \ per cent . Severe distress had thiiM been produced , mid tho revenue of tlie country had been heavily pressed on . In pointing out the < iecreaso in our exports , Mr . Disraeli took tho year 1 S . M , tho year before tho wnr , nnd tho yenrs I 860 , 18 ol > , nna 1857 . " Tho declared value of tho total export * < 'l n > ° manufacturer * of tho United Kingdom , in 18- > . J , % v « s 90 , 000 , 000 * . ; in 185 / 5 , it hud flunk to !)/ i , r > Oii , iM «« . | m to 1 at ! 0 U 0 uow

      1850 , risen to 116 , 000 , 000 / . $ and , in 1857 , , , . Of toxtile fabrics , in 185 JJ , tho your before t ' " . Wlir ' . exported 52 , 000 , 000 / . | in 1855 , 51 , 000 , 000 / . ; 1111 ^ 09 , 000 , 000 / . ; and in 1867 , 01 , 000 , 000 / . In mclnl ftbriWi the yoar boforo the wnr , our exports amniin ei w 19 , 500 , 000 / , ; in 1855 , they hud mink to about 1 H , «|» Vl ' ' in 185 ( 5 , they had risen to 2 : t , MK ) , 000 / . ; in | M ; " ' ° 20 , 000 , 000 / . The ronl valiio of the total imports 01 m « United Kingdom in 1 * 55 wan 148 , 000 , 000 / . ; in *•>« . T 727000 rOOO / , r » n-1 ' « ft 7 rlK 7 fOOO t OOO / .-Oui-imporW . iil- w . cotton wore , i . i tho yonr before tho war , 7-1 <) , (>»><> , < j ( j in 1855 , thov wore 707 , 000 , 000 lbs . ; In infill , *«'• "" , ' . , 11 , 8 . ; hi lHfl 7 , they wore 8117 , 000 , 000 H » h . ' 1 * '" / JJ tonnage in tho yoar boforo tho war was iilnomll" ° in , 1 foreign six million * ; In 1855 , Ilrlltah tommtfo « nH 1 1 JJ about nine mlllloiiH , foreign also about hiss i '" ' , ' British tonnage had reached olovon million ^ 1 oh h . about Bevan ( In 1857 , JSrltlsh had reached * V ""' " , J and foreign 7 , 400 , 000 . The total tonnngu M » w * war was 1080 , 000 : In last yonr , 19 , 072 , 000 . Witm »

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), April 24, 1858, page 2, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_24041858/page/2/