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    somewhat spoiled by over-discussion , tor , as travelling expenses" aro now legalised , a wide door is left open to electoral villainy and agents' ingenuity . This , however , seed exeiie no national sorrow : the bill is onlv wo oil as a lever to raise the public and M . P . atomic about corruption : — technically it is useless . The Oxford University Bill , with , the Lords' ^ suieiuhneats laid on ifc , 'faas been re-discussed iu the Commons , and these amendments have , in the main , been retained , despite Mr . Walpole and some other Church-Tories' exertions . It curiously illustrates how much position and how little principle guides men

    and parties in the House , that Mr . Walpole , who had majorities a month ago , was now beaten on all his most tenderly-fondled fanaticisms . The Beer Bill is likewise improved in . the Lords , who give the working-classes half an hoar extra after dinner for dessert -beer , and an hour later at night ;—that is , no Grink is to be sold after ten , but the place of -entertainment may be kept open till eleven : —a memorandum for the working-class being that they may order at ten sufficient drink to last them . ' till eleven . Lord Brougham asked when would the West End clubs be closed compulsorily in this -wav ? .

    The Spanish news may be summed up in a phrase : —^ Madrid is awaiting the arrival of JEspartero : who is master of Spain : who inay be the Cromwell if he will : who may make conditions with Isabel and attempt a new constitution ; or who may bring in Montemolin , and so challenge Louis Napoleon . We hope he will elect to be Cromwell . Louis Napoleon , who , it is said , is

    collecting an " army of observation" at Bayonne , could not object to that . His Majesty the Emperor will not endure any one of three things in Spain : a Bourbon ( male ) dynasty—a Montpensier dynasty—or a republic ; and he is so necessary to England that the Coburg plan—an amalgamation of Spain and Portugal under the young Kin " of Portugal—is nofe likely to be proposed at all to him .

    We are letting slip the Prussian alliance ( we fancy it will return when Frederick William abdicates—which he will ) , and the advantages of an Austrian alliance are becoming more and more doubtful , if Austria ' s action is to be confined to mere neutrality : so that our governing powers dare not offend the French monarch . We have no reason to assume that there is any disposition to do so the fear arises merely out of remembrance of the old traditional difficulty whenever France and England met at Madrid . Let us hope that it is true that the Emperor has invited Prince Albert to visit , the Boulogne camp , and , also , that liisRoyal Highness

    will accept it . The failure of the City attempt at a French fete has not disturbed the international complacency at the alliance : the honeymoon is over , and there is not yet a cloud . Indeed , Louis Jourdain , in the SiDcle , is this week proposing an alliance of the presses of the two countries — which wo do not precisely understand , unless ho means that the Times should be published in Paris , and the Sidcle here—to which our middle classes , who aro in favour of education , and a dear newspaper , might object . Ho ; is perhaps not awavo that our leading journalists do already take a good deal of the brilliancy of tho Paris press—brilliant still .

    A vary gratifying fact for En gland is that she has allies in her own colonies . Australia has pronounced in favour of tho war with . Russia ; Sydney , with tho ai ™ of a groat capital , talks independently , and yet oflers loyalty . Remembering that Sydney runs some riaks in the warmuch moro than Liverpool or Hull—this is an incident showing how tho old English spirit lives in tho new Englanda . Also how much England has gained in giving self-government . IT wo had more of it at homo , h « r Majoaty may rest assured wo should bo even wore loyal than wo arc .

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    In tho Commons , Lord John Russeix usurped the function which properly belonged to Mr . Gladstone , and moved tho vote—making also a long speech . On behalf of the Government ho thanked the House for the support they had given , and for—their kindness in abstaining from asking questions . IIo sketched the magnificent etatoof our navy and army . But ho admitted tho war had been altogether carried on by tho Turks , to whom ho paid a condescending tributo of admiration , more especially with reference to the siege of Silistrui . Tho " alliance- " with France was , ho said , earnest and hearty ; ho referred to the ombarkation of French troopa in English ships at Calais ; and ho spoke of tho feeling between tho troops of tho two nations aa of tho best character . Ho then went on : —

    " Sir , in rofoninp now to tho pvosont stata of afliiiro , ami tlio necessity for this vote , I shall decline Altogotlior giving any detail with regard to tho services for which thin largo sum of money miiy bo required , ... It 1 h quito impoahiblo to form anything liko a regular estimato ot wluit theso Borvioes will bo , nnd they will groittly dopond on tho imturo of tlio operations which our achiiii'iilH and our gonora h * may think fit , to undertake . . . . Sir , I . hIiuII touch iipou fuw other pointo , a ml thoao pointo I Khali only touch upon , boouuao in tlio view that I have Hint oil , of our bulnj ; nour tlio time of tho prorogation , I think it is fitting to givu to tlii . s IIouho « h muoh Information as ooniiiatontly with my public duty I am ablo to ullbnl . In Hpon-king ln » t year , nearly at a corroanonding poriml , negotiations won ) then foiiliinu'il , ami 1 wuh above all careful not lo ony anything which might tend to disturb tho carrying on of' those nocotiutioiiH , or diminish in Lho lentil dogroo tho cUiuico of thoir bucceas . Wo aro now ocrtuinly moro at , liberty in that , ronpoct , anil our exortioiiH niuttt be umliNgtiim'dly dirootod la it different innnnor to obtain by tho force of our limit ) and tho utrviigth

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    698 THE LEADER . [ Saturday ,

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    PARLIAMENT ; 0 F THE WEEK . TflTE WAR . The war was the question in . both Houses on Monday . Earlyaafter i ^ ie meeting of the House of . I / errds on Monday , the . attendance -being rather fuller itfean usual , ibat stilluot large , tiord-A . BEuo ® EM movedtihe adofress to her Mag « sty tn reply to the-message ' en the credit for the' ^ wsar . He was very brief , bttsmess-iike , « md reserved . He know the * ' proveTbial loyalty" of their lordships , and was sure" there would be no " opposition ; " he would assume , indeed , that there was " entire unanimity" as to the necessity of adopting all such measures as would bring the war " to an early and successful termination .

    u My lords , I shall also assume that that result is mainly : o be produced by the activity and energy of the efforts of France and England , with the concurrence of the other powers . At this advanced period of the year it must be the general desire of your lordships that the close of the existing session may not be delayed longer than is absolutely necessary , and it is also highly probable that in the course of the present year contingencies may arise , of which it may be of the highest importance that we may be able to avail ourselves and turn , to account in the prosecution , of those efforts in carrying on the war which , we believe -will lead to the restoration of peace . It is intended , therefore , for this reason , following the precedents which on similar occasions have been set—it is intended to ask Parliament for a vote of credit to the extent of 3 , O 0 O , 0 OOJ . steeling , —a large sum undoubtedly , the administration of which with the other supplies ¦ which have been voted , possibly some noble lords mar prefer seeing entrusted to other hands tban those

    who now have the disposal of them . At the same time I am unwilling to believe that any such wish , should it exist , will be allowed to interfere in . any degree with that desire to promote and assist as far as possible the efforts which her Majesty ' s Government rnay think it necessary to make under the circumstances to which I refer , by which your lordships are , I am confident , influenced . The House will clearly understand that this money now demanded has already been provided and voted by Parliament—there is no question , therefore , of imposing any new burden upon the people— - there is no new tax , no loan involved in this vote , bat simply an authorisation to employ for the purposes of the -war funds which have been already provided by Parliament . Under these circumstances , my lords , I think I am not making an unreasonable proposition in following the course which has been observed t > y all preceding Governments , and ashing your lordships to concur with the other House in making provision for such emergencies as may arise . I beg , therefore , my lords , to move , " &c . &c .

    The reporters add " cheers" to the short speech ; but there were only a few Ministerial hear , hears . Lord Aberdeen had had his usual luck in producing dissatisfaction and disappointment . The Earl of Em , rnbokougii followed . He would , of course , not resist the motion . But he said a few words to enforce on the Government the necessity aud duty , during what lie believed would be a long war , to enforce economy in every department of the public service . If this were not done , the Government would foil in carrying the people with them during the war .

    The Earl of Hardwicke , a member of Lord Derby's Government , considered that the necessities of the Crown demanded that this should be regarded as a vote of confidence , and he would give his vote for . He hoped the war would be -rigorously conducted ; and for his own part he would like to know what object was had in view , in carrying on the war ! He warned the Government that public expectations were high , and something " great" ought to be done . Xord FrrzwiixiAM , one of tlio Whig conspirators against the Peelitc section of the Cabinet , then rose , and set himself to create an ill-feeling against the Premier , laying stress upon a phrase which Lor d Aberdeen did use , but which was used with perfect propriety : —

    "He must say that both this and tho other House were placed in a most singular position , in conscquenco of tho conduct of ministers jn roferonco to this war ; and his noblo friend at tho head of tho Government must forgive him if lie said that thoro never was a speech made on an occasion like tho pi'csont of whioh it might lies moro truly said that it convoyed scarcely a single idea to the Parliament to which it waa addressed . But , though that speech convoyed so little , one ominous expression fell from tho noblo lord to whioh ho would draw their lordships' attention . In tho course of hia observations , his noble friend made use , whilo

    speaking strongly as to tho roatorntion of poaco ( and his nolle friend could not spoak moro strongly on that point than ho ( Earl Fitsswilliam ) folt )—wliilo speaking upon this point , his noblo friend mado uso of thin ominous expression , ' with tho concurrence , of tho otlior powers . ' ( ' No , and '// ear . ' ) His noblo friend must forgivo him for miying that , if ho usod that mysterious oxproHsion it wus hi » duty to roliovo it from tlio rnystory in which it wus now onvulopod by declaring who woro tho powers whoso coucurroncq hiu nolilo friend was so desirous of obtaining . " Tho Earl of AnuicoiaiSN—I said concurrence in carryintf on the war .

    liiftrl FnxwitfAAM—" Concurronco in carrying on tho war , " —no , my noblo friond said concurronco in tho restoration of peaco . Tlio Earl of AnmiprcuN—my noblo friond ia totally mistaken . I said nothing oi" tho sort . I mado no roibronco whatever to other powers in rospoot to the restoration of peace ; it was entirely in rospoct to carrying on tho war .

    Earl FiTZwt £ i , i * M was sorry if he had misunderstood < iiis nofcle friea ' d . His noblo friend said he only spoke © f csrjying on the war in concurrence with other powers . ' - " Very well , concurrence for carrying on the war . lie knew that the great object his noble friend liad * in view Was , as he had stated , the restoration of peace ; but this , however , lie would impress upon the attention of his noble friend , that the best way of obtaining , peace was by striking a serious blow against'that power ^ rhieh had brought on the war . It was'liot't > y partial attacks upon small isolated points , but by vigorous blows upon that point where the enemy-might be most effectually assailed . A great deal of similar comiaonplace followed ;

    and Lord Clankicarde succeeding , took the sam e side . He clamoured for information ; he wanted to know what was going on ; could he rely on the newspapers ? The convention between Austria and the Porte ought to be laid on the table ; for Turkey had bound herself to England and France not to make treaties without their consent , and tliey ought to know what this meant before Parliament voted more supplies . For his part , he would like our Government to let Austria know that England could do without Austria . The time for conferences was gone by . Lord Clanricarde said not a word on this occasion against Lord Aberdeen ; his former failure in personal attack had convinced him that lie had done enough in that way .

    Lord Clarendon made some " general remarks , " amounting to nothing in particular . He excused the non-appearance of a copy of the convention between Austria and the Porte , and expressed " hopes" about the former : " Iain quite ready to admit that it is a treaty of greafc interest and of great importance to this country , and that the public and your lordships have a right to have an early knowledge of its contents ; but your lordships are awave that until we have received from the respective Governments tho-Tatifieation , it is not usual to lay such documents before Parliament . I will repeat what my noble friend has said ,, and in which I entirely concur , that A-ustria is an independent power , having a right to pursue her own policy hi

    whatever manner she may choose . But , my lords , Austria is under solemn engagements to other countries , has vital interests of her own to protect , and unless we should suppose that she would bring disgrace on herself'by not fulfilling her engagements , or be blind to her most -vital interests , I think we must believe that Austria will act as we have every desire she should do , and as wo have every right to expect . ' As to the " conferences" going on , the English Government was no party to tlie communications made by Austria to Russia , and would not be bound by the reply of Russia . He added some sentences apparently bold and satisfactory , but amounting , after all , to nothing . They produced real" cheers : "—

    " If I still should be so fortunate as to retain your good opinion , you will believe me when I say in my own name and in those of my colleagues , that there is no intention of returning to the status quo , no intention of listening to proposals for a patched up peace , wliicli should only prove a hollow truce , sure to render future mrs inevitable . ( Cheers . ') If we continue to enjoy the support of tho Parliament and peoploof England , 1 can assure your lordships that we will enter into no engagement short of a just and honourable peace , which shall bo worthy of tho righteous cause in which we have engaged , worthy the allies tv 5 th whom wo liave undertaken that cause , and , I hope , not unworthy of the great and disinterested sacrifices which this country has so noblv made . " J The address was then agreed to . Lord Derby waa not even present in the debate , which did not last more than an hour .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), July 29, 1854, page 698, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2049/page/2/