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Leader (1850-1860), 12th January 1856, Edition 1 of 2, Page 28, Untitled Article

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      THE FATE OF FRANKLIN . Intelligence , placing beyond a doubt the deatl from starvation of Sir John Franklin and his crew , has reached England during the present week . In the early part of last year , the Hudson ' s Ba \ Company sent out a party to ascertain with certainty , if possible , the fate of our country men The expedition was placed under the guidance of Mr . J . 1 ) . Stewart and Mr . Anderson , and consisted of fourteen men , exclusive of the commanders . Thcv had several narrow escapes of being " nipped " between moving mountains of ice ; but—to quote from the account given by the St Paid Times — ¦

      " Tho expedition reached what is ciillod Montiil Island , whore they foil in with somo Esquimaux , w ' n ¦> informed thorn whoro the crow of the Terror ( one nf Franklin ' s ehipa ) mot their untimely fato . They gathered up tho romuina of a boat having the muno of Sir John Franklin on 3 t , a hammer , kottlos , part of u blue flag , and other articles bolonging to tho unfortunate vessel . "Wo aro informed by tho Esquimaux that they roaohod tho spot just in time to hoo tho Uwt wmi dio of hunger , who was leaning against Borao object whon discovered . Ho was too far gono to l > o saved . Tho wolvof ) wore very thick thoro , and no trucon of tho bonos of tho men oould bo Hoon , nupposod to have boou oaton by tho wolvoa . Tho Ksquimnux stnto thut it is four years ago uinco tho crow porinhod . It wait on tho ooant opponito Montreal Island . Tlioir b < n » lio buried in tho sand within an oxtont of twclvo

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      States—to the frequent dissensions we have had with them—and to the desirability of continuing on friendly terms with ^ the great western Republic , —his Lordship gave some details of his reception by the corporation and citizens of Portland in the State of Maine : — " We had dinner after the meeting , and at that dinner a practice was adopted which I hope will this evening be honoured in the breach rather than in the observance . We had nothing to drink our toasts to but water . Among those sentiments—for they are too wishy-washy to be called toasts—we had Success to the Allied Armies ! ' " With respect to the war , Lord Elgin was in favour of its energetic prosecution , and thought that , " next to the successes of our arms , what we have had most reason to be thankful for is the failure of our diplomatists , " who would only have deprived us of the real objects of the struggle . Returning to the question of colonial government , Lord Elgin observed : — " Though I think we have solved one important question in colonial policy—viz . how to reconcile complete liberty of local government with the exercise of the Imperial prerogative—I do not know that that is our last difficulty . It is very possible that great colonies , rassuming the whole , charge of their own defence , and even coming forward to aid us in war , may not ultimately be satisfied unless they have a voice in the Imperial Government . I do not think it advisable to treat of such matters as abstract questions ; but I believe when it arrives we shall be able to deal with it as satisfactorily as we have dealt with former questions , if we still meet the colouies in the same fra . uk , open manner . What is wanted is thisit is necessary that the people of this country should look on the colonies as part and parcel of themselves , sympathise in their wishes , and rejoice in their progress . We know that many of the colonies forra an admirable investment for our capital , and t am sure , if you make an investment of your affection upon the colonies , you will find an ample return in their gratitude and goodwill . " ( Cheers . )

      the Lord Provost toaving made a flattering speech Lord Elgin rose to reply . Of course he commenced by administering plenty of food to the national vanity of his hearers . Having pronounced the words " As a Scotchman , " the audience burst forth into vociferous cheering without waiting to learn the deduction which was to be made from those premises- The deduction proved to be that the speaker could not but be sensible of the value of the good opinion which had been expressed by so great a commercial metropolis . He added : — " Knowing , as I do , from long experience , ho-w much Canada and how much all the other colonies owe to the enterprise of Glasgow , I cannot but feel that it is a proud distinction—the proudest distinction perhaps , to which I could possibly aspire—to find that the efforts of an individual who bad laboured for many years ( God knows how assiduously ) to promote the interests , develope the resources , and place in a firm and rational position the system of government in that important dependency of a great empire , had been deemed worthy of recognition here . " { Loitd , cheers ) Referring to matters of personal history , he reminded his auditory that it was on that very day nine years that he parted from his family , under Somewhat trying circumstances , to undertake the government of British North America . He had but recently come from Jamaica ; and the contrast between the heat of that island and the intense cold of Canada gave him " an admirable opportunity of testing what is the effect of extreme degrees of temperature on the human constitution . " But here again an occasion was presented for administering fresh drams of flattery to the excited Caledonians . His lordship crossed the Atlantic in a Cunai'd vesselj and , " for- the first time , " he felt the influence of the tutelary genius of Glasgow . * ' There was a tremendous gale ; " mountains of ice" were piled uv the forepart of the vessel ; and the Earl was credibly informed that one hundred tons of congealed water were carried into Halifax on the piow . But he "had the fortune to be in . a Clyde built steamer j so they arrived at Halifax" safely . " So smooth and steady was the action , so well founded our vessel in every particular , that 1 do not believe a single individual ever felt one moment of anxiety or alarm . " - Loud ¦ cheers followed these words . ; Lord Elgin then referred tothe state of Canada when he went > and to i ' condition when he left , and indicated the great improvements which had taken place in the meanwhile . Nine years ago , the Canadian Minister was " walking up and down the streets of London with sixty thousand debentures in his pocket , which he could not get any one to take from him for love or money . " So low was the Canadian credit at that time , so reduced was the colony for want of money , that it was " obliged ¦ to issue a quantity of five dollar debentures , which were forced on wretched office-holders , who were -compelled to talce them , though they could not get them exchanged without a discount of somewhere from ten to twenty per cent . " But now , " * these same discredited Canadian securities are commanding a higher premium in the market than any other American security whatever . " These good effects had proceeded from our better system of governing the coloniesj for , " in our relations with them , we have substituted , for a policy of reserve and distrust , a policy of confidence . " Since 1850 , the progress of Canada has been allowedeven by the citizens of the United States- —to have equalled , if not surpassed , the progress of the most favoured parts of the Union . "At the meeting of tho Education Board in ! NTew York , a . paper was read , representing tho syatein of education in Canada as equal to that in Massachusetts or New York , and tho President reommended -the system adopted at Toronto , Canada West . I do not think it is undesirable that tlie population of Scotland should know that there is a country not two woeka ' sailing from Glasgow , possessing a fertile soil and a , genial climate—possessing a population very much resembling what you , find in any Scottiob . county , sharing our viewa and sentiments on all questions , moral , social , political , and , abovo all , roligioua , with tho means of attaining elonaontary education free of cost , and on conditions that can do violence to no principle , on conditions attainable by ov « ry child in tho community , and whoro overy child of talent and industry may go to the hlglior school , whoro a superior education is given on the samo towns , and from tho superior school to the university . " The Earl contrasted this happy state of things with the vexatious party quarrels which have hindered the cause of education in this country . Referring to our relations with tho United

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      those days ( the days of James I ) . Not long ago , but long before these matters were questioned in courts of law , one of nay country clergy Bhowed to mo an ancient specimen belonging to his church of thick silk stuff , highly wrought with gold flowers . In truth , the meaning of the words of the canon would not be quite satisfied with a ' mere covering of silk . ' I certainly should not think it necessary to censure such a covering—unless , as is very possible and , Iain afraid , not very improbable—in the reaction of which your judgment may very preveraely be made the cause—I should not say , I say , censure a mei-e covering- of silk , unless in a wealthy parish , there -was an ostentatious display of scantiness or homeliness in the silk covering itself . I should , otherwise , be inclined to leave the matter to the sense of fitness in the parties themselves . But still less should I think myself at liberty to blame a parish or parishioner for placing even a sumptuous carpet of silk or velvet , or other rich stuff , for the very richest material would appear to me ' congrua et decora' in ornamenting the house of God , especially His own holy table . " Of crosses in ^ churches , the Bishop says that he cannot convince himself of their illegality , since he finds that they were used in and after the second year of the reign of Edward VI . Quitting a topic which the writer confesses is " tempting" to him , the Bishop winds up by a glance at the ultra-Protestantism of the present day : — " While I write this , painful it is to reflect on the many , very many instances which are presented to us of ( I will not say wilful , I may not say ignorant , but I must at least say ) heedless , culpably heedless inattention to a very plain law of the church , made for the very purpose of securing the due performance of the service . If we go through the churches o / the metropolis—aye , or if we go through the cathedrals of the land—it is painful to see how few there are ( my own cathedral at Exeter I rejoice to say is one of the few ) in which , the church ' s law is observed , that ths bread and wine be not placed on the holy table till the priest makes , and in order that he may make , the oblation of them . To those who direct the worship in those noble temples—to our deans and dignitaries —shall I be forgiven if , without making ' special reference to any , I venture to address a word of reminiscence to all ? Cathredrals are not merely places of ornate , elaborate , sumptuous worship . They were designed to be- —tbey ought to bo exemplary to the diocese at large . Now , carelessness in those wh-i undertake the duty of setting an example of dutiful obedience to the orders of the church is something worse than carelessness—it is positive ueylect of one of the not many or very onerous duties which specially belong to their offices , and for the discharge of which those who liold them are not commonly ill-remunerated . These offices aro , in these days , exposed sometimes to invidious criticism and to iuquUios into the reasons for which , they are retained . la the defence of them made more easy to those who wish to defend them by this too frequent disregard of a very manifest duty , to which 1 thus venture to solicit attention ?" We are told that " rampant Protestantism rejoices in fixing ugly names on those who hold " opinions contrary to its own , and in hounding on the ignorant multitude to give even more substantial marks of their displeasure . " The writer concludes by reminding us that it is not the Church ' s business to be popular , and that popularity is not the best test of its usefulness .

      THE BISHOP 0 "F EXETER ON TABLES AND TABLE CLOTHS , &c . The Bishop of Exeter has addressed a letter to the Right Hon . Dr . Lushington in reference to his recent judgment in the cause of Mr . Westerton , the churchwarden of St . Paul ' s , Knightsbridge , and Mr . Beal , an inhabitant of the district , of St . Barnabas , Pinalico , against the Hon . and Rev . Robert Liddell , the incumbent of those districts . With respect to the matter of the tables , the Bishop observes : — " Perhaps you -will be surprised at my saying that it is your decision that credence tables are illegal which appears to me pregnant with serious consequences . It happened to myself a few years ago to have a complaint brought to- me against a clergyman for putting a credence table within the chancel . My judgment in that case was , — ' Change the name of the table , but let the table itself remain . ' This , I really think , was substantially the fittest decision I could make . It gave a triumph to neither party ; that was certainly well ; it was disagreeable to both parties—that too , probably , was not ill . If I had been applied to before such a table was set tip , to solve a doubt between this clergyman and some of his parishioners , bow he waa ' to do aud execute' tho direction of the rubric introduced for the first time in 1662 , —' and when there is a communion the priest shall then ( after the offertory sentences ) place upon the table so much bread and wino as ho shall think requisite , '—it ia very likely that I should have said , ' Put the bread and wiuo upon some table within easy reach that you may be able , with least inconvenience or unseemliness , to place them on the Lord ' s table at the tinae commanded by tho rubric' If any person had been bo ignorant an to object to the second table aa Popish , I should have « ndoavour « d to convince him of the contrary . " Now for the table-cloths : — "To a variety of coverB for tho holy table , earned to a fantastic or great oxtont , I am , speaking of myself personally , opposed in taste and judgment . But X know not whon or where tho excess can bo said to be culpable , You out tho knot by saying there shall he only one , Now , this condemns a black cloth in Lent no Iobb- than ever-varying exhibitions of covering . I frankly Bay that I do not assent to tho entire propriety of such a decision . If anything of thie sort ia carried to such an extent as the Conaistoriftl Court of tho bishop shall doom inconsistent with duo solemnity , that court will very properly restrain tho ufjago . But the absolute prohibition of all variety on all occasion aoonan to me of very questionable fitness . A mourning cover , for instance , would seem very appropriate- to a soanon \ of mourning or humiliation , " Thero remain to ub Rpooimons of tho maosivo , costly , highly wrought , richly-embroidered tapotes of

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      28 THE LEADEK . [ No . 303 , Saturday ,

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 12, 1856, page 28, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2123/page/4/