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    Untitled Article

    From the opposite quarter of the world—the ! United States—come fresh reports that a great ! expedition is fitting out against Cuba , and that I the Government is preparing to suppress it . It remains to be seen whether the preparations are adequate for that purpose ; and if they are , whe-1 ther the expedition Would contrive 1 K > evade the ^ vigilance of the % OvetrtMnent . Tfeere is mo doulSJb that if once Cuba w& $ in American | KflBsessio » , | the Government woul $ Ibe unable to eflfect a sur-f

    render . v . v ;* At hoinMft » e statfc ' of the labotBJlng classes is not quite satisfactory . The excessively trying ¦ weather , coupled with the enhanced prices of an adverse season , has given a sudden impulse to destitution . ; and it'is anugly circumstance , attendjng an increase of applications for relief , that in . several parishes , including some important metro * politan paiishes , the officers have refused food and shelter , in some cases wittufatal results . ^ The strike in Lancashire has not been

    materially altered by the explanation which Mr . Hollida of Preston has put forth . He shows that , by whatever means , his " best weavers" earn higher wagea now ^ fcnan they di < 3 in ' 47—In the ratio of 12 s . to 7 s . fid . The operatives reply , that there is some mystification in the comparison , and tha . t the true average of Mr . Hollins ' s mill was not mbre'than ^ s . 6 d . In one respect , Mr . Hollios brcadvancead farther than the operatives ; for fare % as given , statements "winch are . at once compro Jbenscre and ^ ecific . Tie working classes allege

    4 h * £ the statement laeks honesty : if , on their side , ^ ey would ^ niil ^ -a statement equally specific , and * dd the honesty , they would do what is expected 5 fflt ^ tffem ^ : ytL Cttfresponderit of our own partly Vttpplies vimi- is wanted . It is a mistake , how-« rer , 'to Bnppose that the operatives establish "their case by showing 4 hat wages are lower-: what-they ^ lave to « lo is to prove iihat , consistently with -making a ^ profit , Mr . Hollins could pay the rate of Vages demanded . The question at issue is not their own wants , but the commercial capability of * 4 iher : ini ] lawner 8 .

    To the bread Trots at Devonshire we do not attach , nrach importance . Dear bread commonly provokes discontent—the ; ignorant resent their suffering in violence , the disorderly enjoy the « onfosion of an hour . In these outbreaks the upper and middle classes undergo the penalty of not having taught the people better . The meeting hi Edinburgh , to found a society for improving the dwellings and domestic condiiaim of the agricultural labourers in Scotland , is a -pleasant set-off against these incidents . In Seot-3 and the married labourers are lodged in wretched cottages , ihe single men in a sort of barracks called

    ** bothies . " The buildings go with the farm ; they are the property of the landlords , but no rent ispaid ibr them ; so that nobody has any interest in improving them except the labourer , who has not the means . ' The Duke of Buccleueh and his coadjutors are attempting to break down the , whole system . They seek to obtain advances of money , like those for drainage , at an annual charge , for $ * renty ~ 4 ive years , oi 6 £ per cent ., in payment of capital and interest .

    A reiorm still more important is that now pTopoaed-b y Gpvernment—a re-organisation of the Civil Service . The principal points in the new plan are , that every candidate for admission is to be subjected to ; an ( examination as to his fitness , and that eom ^ Bubsequent examination will take place before promotion . So , that not only will the servant be chosen according to his merit , but ne will have that great innovation in the present practice , an incentive to distinguish himself by zeal and aptitude .

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    PRINCE ALBERT AND THE CONSTITUTION . Jivuoca . 6 bare been recently afloat , as our readers know , hinting at the interference of Prince Albert In state matters . What amount of truth there may be in these stories of course we cannot say ; all we know is that they are general and uncontradicted . They have produced an immense effect , as might be

    supposed . Nor w-ul the following correspondence , published in Dublin , allay the public feeling : — " JY > Bis Royal Highness Prince A Ibert . " H » y it 3 >* M * e y < iW Royal Highness , —I hare recently read ^ With nnxth puin and indignation , articles that appearedin the / public jtntrnils , containing most unjust and anti-Chrmian accusations against your Royal Highneas ; and , moWd by sincere sympathy and loyal du | $ ; , I beg % ave to <^ r , * with unfeignedi *«§ p « ct , the folloiring Nervations to yourlleyal HighnOT ^ . _ u Tto charges fiiipLciottsry preferred itgainst jyour ^ Roval HighOMp may be MKipfistsa under two neafla—first , that

    your Xjffyal HighnflBB amprojiBrly interposes Tour advice to the 4 $ g » en on aSiin of state ; and , secondfy , that 70 ^ ftcgwOBighriees < &i 3 n * arMMy present vthm her Shqwigr Ipnprts audiences ^ ber Masters . Upon ewjfli of these points I will gay a few words . " I . It is utterly incorrect to allege that your Boyal Highness is disentitled to rive advice on affairs of state to your royal wife . It is truetbat your Royal Highness cannot act -as the jjoHticaa'head of the state ; but when the Queen voluntarily ,-selected yonr Royal Highness to be her consort , you became her Jiead by sacred right of marriage ; and your Royal Highness is bound , by that-snperiar relation , to afford all advice taiA assistance to "her "Majesty in executing the arduous responsibilities « &f&toxijlt *' v'and for her Majesty to

    forego that help would be to . deprive herself oi the most important and impartial counsellor in her dominions ! For what object can your Royal Highness have in view but that the best interests of the British crown may descend unimpaired to yo « r royal posterity ? Depend -upon it , sir , that no presumed principle of public polity can or ought to sever your Royal Highness from your assigned rightful headship over the -Queen of these realms . " 2 . The ^ peculiar position of a female sovereign renders it highly decorous and . eligible that in all interviews with her Monsters the-Queen should enjoy the protective presence of . your Royal Highness , and the manly , open interference of your JELoyal Highness should be wisely considered as an effectual safeguard Against even the surmised exercise of sinister influence .

    "In" the bope that these Christian considerations will prove cheering and sustaining to your Royal Highness , I have the honour to be , your Royal Highnesa ' s obedient humble servant , " Thomas Mulock . " ' Kffliney , near Dublin , January 3 . " ** Windsor Castle , January 5 . < ' Sir , —I anv commanded by his Royal Highness Prince Albert to acknowledge the receipt of your letter , and" to thank yon -for your kind communication *—I have the honour to . be , 'Sir , your very obedient servant , *" "Thomas MulockjEso ^ . " C . Gket . " Perhaps our readers \ vill not think more highly of the discretion of the Prince , after perusing the above letters .

    Ironside is oat of order . ( ' He is not . ' ) If Mr . Ironside chooses to go on after this intimation , I shall leave , the chair . I ^* ill sign no memorial that embodies that to which he all « a « s . " U proar . ) ' •^ ftr . ^ ronjido—If yon will be quiet , wo shall get over tbisJUtle episode . The Mayor has altered the memonial to snit ^ fau own view . " * 1 I ! heai $ aror—I have altered it to suit the truth . " Me . Iron ^ de intimated that thare was nothing untrue in > it before , though there might be that which

    to wtne w ^ ould appear to be improper . He valued ord « r too much to continue the subject after the dh&irman JtsdTulcd him out of order . Ete concluded isjr imrffttg the address , omitting the objectionable paragraph ., Mr . ^ Whitworth seconded the . motion . He believed that our ^ overament had betrayed their trttat on this question . 'Without the Russian monster vas checked in his dishonest and aggressive practises the ' liberty of the world was in . jeopardy .

    The Mayor proceeded to take a show of hands on the memorial . He remarked that he had struck out that portion which referred to rumours which , in his conscience , he believed were without foundation , and with which this meeting had nothing to do . As the memorial had to be presented to her Majesty herself , it would have been highly improper and impertinent if it bad contained any such notice . ( Cheers . * Jtter& were cries for . the memorial as altered to be read . }

    It was explained that the Mayor had struck , but the paragraph referring to Prince Albert . In fjiis form the memorial was adopted unanimously .

    At a meeting , at Sheffield , ' on Monday , there were indications of the popular feeliqg . The meeting was convened by the Mayor , on a requisition , to consider 'British policy on the Eastern question . ^ Resolutions condemning the aggression of Russia , and declaring that force , if . needed , should be used to expel him from Turkish territory , were adopted . Then Mr . Ironside -proposed a memorial to the Queen , containing this paragraph : —

    " That , in submitting these facts and resolutions , it would "HI become jour Majesty's memorialists to refrain from alluding to certain painful rumours , calculated to create -alarm and distrust among the British people ; and they would at the same # me beg most respectfully to suggest that thebest way of dissipating these rumours would be by a frank , honest , and hearty movement on the part of the Government in the manner herein described . ' ( Cheers . ) The Mayor objected to this paragraph as entirely beside the object of the meeting . " "Mr . Ironside—I have finished reading it . [ He proceeded to read the nest paragraphs : — ¦ * That if there should be a disposition exhibited by some members of the Cabinet not to adopt this course , it 4 s most respectfull y suggested that your Majesty will farther relieve them of the responsibilities of office , and fill then : places with men who hav « the honour of England at heart , and effectuapy carry oat the unanimous wish of the nation on this question . Your

    Majesty ' s memorialists therefore pray that no further time may be wasted ( altered by the Mayor to * lost' ) in the settlement of a question of such overwhelming importance , but that energetic measures may be forthwith taken by tho British ( tA-nd French' in the original ) Governments to compel Russia to recroBs ' the Pruth unconditionally , and to obtain the most complete and satisfactory adjnstment of all disputes between Russia and Turkey . ' While the Mayor was modifying , to suit his own views , that part of the memorial which be considered objectionable , he ( Mr . ironside ) would , in the most delicate and respect nil manner possible , allude to the most objectionable portion . He had been deeplv grieved to see the rumours that had been put in circulation ; to see the universality of those rumours , and , as far as he knew , not the slightest attempt « t contradiction had been made . { Hear , bear ) It was jk-pajnful thing indeed for true-hearted Englishmen to think upon . Now , if half that was said was true " /

    " The Mayor—I must call Mr . Ironside to order . I came here to preside over a meeting to consider the Russian question , and you are now entering into matter entirely foreign , for which you have no data beyond mere rumour , which is contradicted on all aides , and which 710 one who lias watched the conduct of the illustrious person to whom it refers , can for a morncnt believe . ( Cheero . ) So long aa I p reside over the meeting , I will endeavour to keep ord

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    CITY MATTERS—DEFENCE OF THE CORPORATION . The inquiry before tbe City Commission was " renewed on "Wednesday . It had been arranged that witnesses pointing out defects and proposing alterations in ] the corporation' should be ^ heard first r and that tbe defence of the corporation should then be put in . That has now began . Mr . Stuart Wortley read a written statement to the Commissioners which , going through the charges against the corporation , and defending that body , is its authentic vindication . This defence is of great length , and amounts -in the main to counter assertions . The income of the

    city , complained of as . excessive , is set down at 200 , 000 / ., besides which 17 , 000 / . is raised by r&tea for lighting , sewers , and police . Nearly one-half the former" amount is derived from . rents , a little morj& than one-half from ~ tbH * r , dues , and offices . The corporation contend that their landed property has been in their possession 1200 years , and insist that the purchase of freedoms and the tax on coal , are sources of income alike unobjectionable and convenient . They admit , however , that the metage and porterage require modification . With respect to the Lord Mayor ' s Show and Feast at the Guildhall , they -are defended as ancient . customs which , pjught . not to b £ abolished ; and it is asserted that the expenses of the Lord Mayor have been exaggerated by the

    witnesses before the Commission . The allowance to the Lord Mayor does not exceed 9000 / . per annum . That the salaries of the officers are on a liberal > scale is admitted , but it is ; contended that the civic legislature has a right to remunerate its officers as it pleases . The tavern expenses of the committees do not now exceed 1200 / . a-year . The right of the city to control its own police and sewers is vindicated . li is denied that the accounts are kept so as to be unintelligible . It is obvious that many allegations against the corporation are not answered ; but one seems ta be , namely , that the corporation is inferior to what it was of yore . The refutation of this charge has been made with great care , by instituting a comparison between the civic doings of the last and the present century . We append a few specimens : —

    " In the 18 th . century almost all the officers of the corporation were remunerated by fees , and the offices were sold or disposed of , both in possession and reversion . Offices , judicial and administrative , -were disposed of in this manner , althongh tLe produce of the sale rarely found its way into the corporation cheat . "In the 19 th century as offices have become vacant the fees have lecome diminished or abolished . Not only has the sale of offices been discontinued , but the corporation has , as occasion served , bought up the right of alienation wherever it existerL

    " In the 18 th century the corporation likewise sold and leased , or authorised the Lord Mayor and the sheriffs to sell or lease , at fines and at nominal rents , the profits of the markets of the city , as well as the profits of certain coal , corn , and other meters' places . " In the 19 th century no such sale can take place . By payment of large sums of money , and by granting equivalent annuities and post obit compensations , which Jiavo now been almost all discharged , the corporation have bought np the revenues thus wasted in former times . " In the 18 th century , in consequence of the system of administration then prevailing , the corporation became in a

    very embarrassed state . " Duriop ; the 19 th century , by increased attention to thebusiness oi" the corporation and by an improved management of its affairs , all its old debts have been paid off , the rovenne has been lifted above its expenditure , and its credit has been so completely re-established , that when , for the purpose of effecting great public improvements , the corporation has had occasion to go into the market to borrow very large Bums of money , its seal has commanded the required loans on the l « west and most advantageous terms .

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    * - . 1 26 THE LEADER . v [ Saturday , — " - ¦ — ^^^^ , ^ , ^^ — ^ ^^ - ^^^ - ^^^ - ^^^^^^^^^^^ B »

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 14, 1854, page 26, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2021/page/2/