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Leader (1850-1860), 13th April 1850, Edition 1 of 1, Page unpag., Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

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      Contents:

      Contents :

      Untitled Article

      " 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 one-sided views ; and by setting aside the distinctions of Relisfion , 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 .

      Untitled Article

      — ¦ j \ t 3 # SATURDAY , APRIL 13 , 1850 . Price 6 d .

      Untitled Article

      Ministers are in danger . " Thrice defeated in three days ! " exclaims a Tory journalist , exultingly . " Beaten without a word of support from their own side ! " exclaims a quasi-Ministerial paper . Who cares ? The momentous fact is told , and retold , and reechoed in every quarter . It passes from mouth to mouth in the clubs— -it is gravely recited in the lobbies of the House—it resounds in the streets—it is repeated . as a capital joke;— " the only news of the day . " Perhaps the single party that looks rather disconsolate at the prospect is that of the ultra-Radicals ; who regret to lose their tame Ministry as a professional huntsman would regret to lose a stag that was an old hand at being uncarted , was known to afford excellent sport , and yet offered no danger to the dogs . The triple occasion of all this danger is about the smallest that could have been selected . Ministers do select the strangest possible measures on which to take a final stand . They made the silly African squadron a Cabinet measure ; and now they risk their existence in opposition to Mr . Fitzroy ' County Courts Bill ; dashing their heads against the post of common sense . Captain Boldero attempts to release the Assistant Surgeons of the Navy from the very improper position in which they are placed on board ship , exiled from the society of Officers , and lodged with the little boys : any alteration of the arrangements was openly resisted by certain high-born members of the Naval profession , on the ground that surgeons are born to an inferior rank and not sent to aristocratic schools ; and Ministers backed this opposition on the plea that there is no " room" in ships for making the change , and giving the surgeons better lodgings . Thus they courted on mean and unworthy grounds , the defeat that visited them in the adverse division of fortyeight to forty . Captain Boldero carried his motion ; but Sir Francis Baring threw out a hint that it would prove "impracticable ; " meaning , of course , impracticable under his own administration . The existing arrangement , and the opposition to so small and reasonable a reform , are both based on the remains of that spirit which makes the highborn and wealthy classes look down superciliously upon those of inferior " rank . " But the worst defeat , in some respects , was that which Ministers sustained on the question of the Window-tax ; for virtually it was a defeat , although they had a majority—SO to 77 . The Window-tax is a very hateful and vexatious impost , and has betrayed the executive into the most derogatory contests with the subject . You may not admit air to your pantry by knocking out a brick , nor ventilation to the sick-room by a perforated zinc-plate , without drawing upon you the tax-collector for a higher charge . The collector finds that the poor man ,

      stifled in a close room , has sought a little air , as he might do for a leech in a pill-box , by knocking out a brick and making a hole in the wall . The collector tells him it is " a window " : he might as well call the hole in the elbow of an old coat a button-hole . And so probably it would be , if that were necessary " for revenue purposes . " However , Ministers cannot long resist common sense with a majority of three . The prospect of change has restored something like animation to the countenance of politicians . Men rub their hands and wonder whether Stanley will be " sent for ; " evidently with a wish that it may be so . Protectionists imagine that they are to have their turn . Hearty Liberals are not without the satisfaction induced by the prospect of a little real contest . The political movements about the country do not much vary . The church agitation continues ; perhaps with some increase in the positive tone on either side ; but certainly with an increase of numbers . The clergy of Hull exemplify those who support the committee of Privy Council in their conciliatory judgment—strange epithet for a judicial decision . Mr . Gorham ' s own parishioners of St . Just have thanked him for his exertions . A larger number support the Bishop of Exeter . And if the present turn of affairs continues , we shall have to note the growth of a very remarkable disposition to make the Church of England more independent of the State . The Parliamentary Reform movement goes forward in preparation for the London meeting the week after next . Ireland continues to show signs of improvement . The destruction of Cottenham , a village in Cambridgeshire , by an incendiary conflagration , lends an unusual importance to that class of crime . Crimes of malignant , or base feeling , as distinguished from those of depredation , seem to be in the ascendant . We have these vindictive incendiary fires , domestic poisonings , and a singular run of offences , involving breach of faith towards women , especially breaches of promise of marriage . The number of mean rascals who perpetrate these offences is great just now .

      Untitled Article

      The Cape of Good Hope has justified its emulation of Canada in coercing Ministers to do justice under the threat of rebellion : Lord Grey has been obliged to give up his attempt to introduce convicts into the Cape , and retires from the contest with a very bad grace , —thwarted , but not convinced , —beaten from the wrong , and not reconciled to the right , —betraying in the petulance even of his closing despatches the fact that he would still do mischief if he had the audacity or the strength . Luckily he has neither .

      Untitled Article

      The insult to Prince Louis Napoleon , chronicled last week , appears to have been much exaggerated ; that , too , even by some of the Conservative

      journals . There was , however , in the incident plain indication that the unpopularity of the President is increasing . The exaggerated tone also has its significance , showing the state of uneasiness and alarm pervading France . The slightest rumour swells and fixes into solid proportions . Men seem all intent on watching the straws which may show the prevailing eddy . As a sample , it was reported that Changarnier had not been invited to the review of Vincennes , that he had in revenge appointed a review in the Champ-de-Mars , which the President , in his turn offended , countermanded . So it was reported that the two were at mortal enmity . Other instances of such exaggeration may be found in the importance attached to the election of a " Moderate" Colonel of the Eleventh Legion of the National Guard , and in the story which magnified a common colliers' strike for wages , at the coal-mines of Auzin , near Valenciennes , into a Socialist movement . Anarchy is in all parties . M . de la Rochejaquelin breaks the line of " legitimate" policy . The Assembly hesitates not to play the partisan : it annulled the elections of the Saone and Loire — which returned democratic members by a majority of 17 , 000—because more persons had voted than were inscribed on the election lists ; and it confirmed the election of the Haut Rhin—which returned two " Moderates " by a majority of 188—though guilty of the same irregularity . The very President of the Assembly is not ashamed to interrupt debates . The French army in Rome is still further reduced . The 6000 men remaining will neither , overawe the Romans , nor be able to stem the Austrian tide threatening to whelm the Peninsula . The position of Austria in Italy is stronger than ever . Every military point is occupied ; 50 , 000 men are concentrating on Milan , where new arrests of the disaffected are made continually . Still Italians watch events , and hope ; answering with manifest indignation the Austrian commemorations of the fatal battle of Novara . In Sicily petitions against the Constitution are forcibly obtained by the agents of the Government . The King of Naples prepares to second Austria from the South , in supporting the papal throne , and in trampling out the hopes of Italy . But even with such supporters , the Pope is afraid ; he yet lingers on the border , not choosing , it is said , to trust himself in Rome , where priestly vengeance knows no bounds . The last poor relic of German " Radical Ministries " has expired at Mechlenburg Schwerin : the reaction is now universal , —for even Erfurt promises are fading away , —this last Prussian " dodge" is being clumsily managed that it is exposed even before the preliminaries are completed . Already reports are afloat of reconciliation between Austria and Prussia , to be followed by a Congress of Sovereigns at Dresden , doubtless only for their " peoples' good . " Even a general amnesty is spoken of as not impossible , —after 900 political trials in Saxony , and unnumbered execu-

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      Untitled Article

      Ksvrs o ? the Wsn- Page News op thb WMK-con / wued . A Modern Cincinnati 60 Progress of Science— , a * Parliament 50 Erfurt Parliament 54 Open Council— Meteorite ; Purification of London , Sec . 65 The Reform Movements 51 The Greek Quarrel 54 A Free Church of England 60 Portfolio— ft 7 Movements in the Church 51 American News-Boys 54 , Kobert Owen .. 60 The Farmer and the Fox ' s Son 67 Improved Condition of Ireland 51 A White Savage 54 Growth and Culture of Murder 60 Al bought inSpnng ..... 67 Agricultural Strikes and Incendiary Public Affairs- The New Marriage Bill 61 Ihe Apprenticeship of Life 67 ° Fires .. -52 The Want of the Day 58 The Taxes on Knowledge 61 The Judgment of Paris .. 68 The Liverpool Boscoe Club 52 An Example for England .......... 58 Literature- The Beauty of Married Men 68 The Cape and the Colonial Office .... 52 The Messrs . Sandars on the Cost of Fredenka Bremer ' s Last Book ...... 63 1 he Drama o » France , her Finances , Coercions , and Wheat 59 A Woman's Book 63 Scraps of Thought 6 V » Portents 53 Steam Communication with Australia 59 Eugene Sue's SocialUt Novel .... .... 64 Commercial Affairs-KenewaiofKelations with Spain 53 The Church in Malta 60 Note * and Extracts 65 Markets , Gazettes , &c 1 U- *

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), April 13, 1850, page unpag., in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1840/page/1/