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Leader (1850-1860), 9th May 1857, Edition 1 of 2, Page 434, Untitled Article

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      p laining the exact cause of the catastrophe . It is , however , guessed to be the result of an assault , led by J )/ Lr . Charles Gavan Duffy , the celebrated Irish K epealer , who had accused . the Government erf ajob . The job was this . A MF { 3 &timms had set going » complaint against the Government Emigration Commissioners for sending out improperly selected emigrants , though no case of the kind appears to have been made out . M ? , Chil ^ HS , however , deufred to come to England for a two years' visit , and any one can perceive how convenient it would have been if he could have come on a public mission at the

      public expense . This was the job for whieh Mr . Duffy attacked the Government , and soon afterwards the Government broke down ; making way for a new cabinet , in which Mr . Duffy formed part . He has established himself completely as a tutor for the people of Victoria on Parliamentary matters ; being highly conservative of metropolitan ¦ usages in such matters ; and now we have to see the Repealer of the Nation as a Cabinet Minister . He is , however , a man of fine feeling and accomplished taste , capable of really adorning any post to ¦ which he might be elevated .

      The English public lias witnessed one stern exhibition of justice , and another is promised to it . Mans it Li / , the soldier who was convicted a few mouths ago for murdering a companion , was respited by several objections which his counsel took to the technical proceedings of the court at Maidstone . Some of the jury had been set aside , on the supposition that , being opponents of capital punishment , they would not fuliil their duty under the law , and convict Mansell , even though he should be guilty . This was rather straining the course of justice ; and the question was , how far

      that proceeding , and some others of a similarly technical kind , vitiated the conviction . Mansell , whose life has thus been hanging by a thread of red tape , was brought before the Court of Queen ' s Bench on Wednesday , and , after months spent between hope and fear , has been formally consigned to the gallows . The other exhibition will be far more more instructive . In bringing the proceedings of the Bankruptcy Court to a termination , Mr . JLinklater called for the prosecution of the delinquents of the

      Royal British Bank . Who are these delinquents to be ? Some are far enough out of the way ; Hugh James Cameron is nowhere ; John Macgregor is beyond the grave . The Government lias before it two members of Parliament and some other distinguished persons ; but here the question is , where to draw the line between active fraud and passive delusion . Justice is so blind , that she is not always discriminating ; and her sword might in this sense as severely cut those who have really been amongst the worst-used victims , as well as those who have been active participators in the fraud .

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      The real business of the new session commenced on Thursday /^ vhen Parliament was opened by Commission . The proceedings did not < fJ ^ cite much iattfr * st , eiftier witWu or without the W « H » i *» d the attendance of peeresses in the gallery of' tlie House of Lords was but slight . The Lords Ceratntestoners having entered the House , and the Commons being summoned , The Lohb Chascelwr delivered as follows

      THE ROYAI , SPEECH . " My Lords and Gentlemen , " We are commanded to inform you that her Majesty has availed herself of the earliest opportunity of having recourse to your advioe and assistance after the dissolution of the last Parliament ; and her Majesty trusts that there will be found sufficient time during the present session to enable you satisfactorily to deal with various important matters , some of which had occupied the attention of Parliament in the beginning of this year . " We are commanded by her Majesty to inform you that the general aspect of affairs in Europe affords a well-grounded confidence in the continuance of peace . " All the main stipulations of the Treaty of Paris have been carried into execution , and it is to be hoped that what remains to be done in regard to those matters will be speedily accomplished .

      " The negotiations upon the subject of the differences which had arisen between the King of Prussia and the Swiss Confederation , in regard to the affairs of Neufchatel , are drawing to a close , and will , her Majesty trusts , be terminated by an arrangement honourable and satisfactory to all parties . " The negotiations in which her Majesty has been engaged with the Government of the United States , and with the Government of Honduras , in regard to the affairs of Central America , have not yet been brought to a close .

      " We are commanded by her Majesty to inform you that a treaty of peace between her Majesty and the Shah of Persia " was signed at Paris on the 4 th of March , bv her Majesty ' s Ambassador at Paris and by the Ambassador of the Shah ; and her Majesty will give directions that this treaty shall be laid before you as soon as the ratifications thereof shall have been duly exchanged . " Her Majesty commands us to express to you her regret that , at the date of the latest advices from China , the differences -which had arisen between the High Commissioner at Cantou and her Majesty ' s civil and naval officers , in China , still remained unadjusted-But her Majesty has sent to China a Plenipotentiary fully instructed to deal with all matters of difference , and that Plenipotentiary will be supported by an adequate naval and military force , in the event of such assistance becoming necessary .

      " We are commanded to inform you that her Majesty , in conjunction with several other European Powers , has concluded a treaty with the King of Denmark for the redemption of the Sound Dues . This treaty , together with a separate convention between her Majesty and the King of Denmark , completing the arrangement , will be laid before you , and her Majesty will cause the measures necessary for fulfilling the engagements thereby contracted to be submitted for your consideration . " Gentlemen of the House of Commons , " Her Majesty has directed the estimates for the present year to be laid before you .

      " They have been prepared with a careful attention to economy , and with a due regard to the efficiency of the departments of the public service to which they severally relate . " ¦ My Lords and Gentlemen , " Her Majesty commands us to recommend to your earnest consideration , measures which will be proposed to you for the consolidation and improvement of the law . " Bills will bo submitted to you for improving the laws relating to tho Testamentary and Matrimonial Jurisdiction now exercised by tho Ecclesiastical Courts , and also for checking fraudulent breaches of trust .

      " Her Majesty commands us to express to you her heartfelt gratification at witnessing tho continued wellbeing and contentment of her people , and the progressive development of productive industry throughout her dominions . " Hor Majesty confidently commits to your wisdom and care the groat interests of her empire , and fervently prays that tho blessing of Almighty God may bo vouchsafed to your deliberations , and may load you to conclusions conduoivo to the objects of her Majesty ' s constant solicitude , tlio welfare and happinesa of hor loyul and faithful people . " At tho conclusion of tho Speech , tho Commons retired to their own house , and tho Lords adjourned till five o ' clock in tho evening .

      TIIK ADDRESS . In tho IIouhis of Loudm , tho Marquis of Townhhkni . ) moved tho Address , and , . in his introductory speech , blamed Lord Derby for tho disparaging remarks he hud made towards thy close of tho last sosaion on Lord Palmorston—remarks which tho verdict of tho country had emphatically contradicted . Having touched upon tho chief points in the Quocn ' a Spooch in tho usual manner , tho noblo Marquis oxproasod his rogrot that nothing about Reform waa mentioned in that opcooh . llo was

      himself to favour of Parliamentary Reform , the abolition of cburcb-rates as regards Dissenters , and the admission Of J « ws to Parliament—evei ^ to thei r Lordships' Hou " —The Earl of Portsmouth , who spoke with some he . ; tatioti , seconded the Address , and declared himself i favour of law reform , and of the introduction of an , t with regard to breaches of trust . " The Earl of Malmksbury regretted the absence of th Earl of Derby , and expressed a hope that there would h no opposition to the Address . Glancing rapidly over the main topics included in the Royal Speech , he repu diated with th the accusation fi l-mftl * Tw «* 'tfRKMyit" f \ f PnrlinTnotitfli-17 "OrtiV—— < i ¦ _

      some -warm which Lord Palmerston had deliberately made against the Conser vative party—that , in their votes on the China question " they had exhibited a willingness to accept the iWada ' tion of the KngUeh flag for the sake of office . As to the Estimates , he trusted they woul d be found satisfactory He should , on another occasion , draw the attention of the House to what he conceived to be extravagance in that department . But every possible attention should be paid to the manner in which the war is carried on and Government would not find on that side of the House any reluctance to assist them . ( Hear , hem : ) Earl Granviile stated that information

      . had arrived that evening that , on the 5 th of April , the General of the English forces at Bushire had received intelligence that the treaty with Persia had been signed at Paris and steps were taken to put the Persian General—whose name he did not recollect—( laughter ) —in possession of the fact , so that . an end might be put to useless bloodshed . ( Cheers . * ) He would only add , that be thought Lord Palmerston * s language did not bear the interpretation which had been put upon it by Lord Malmesbury . The Marquis of Clanricarde drew the attention " Lord Panmure to the imputation of cowardice at the battle of Sobraon which had been thrown on General Ashburnham , the newly-appointed commander of thp

      China expedition . He hoped the Government would support the General from these anonymous attacks . Lord Panmure vindicated the character of General Ashburnham , and observed that his accusers were utterly unfit to bear the Queen ' s commission , and to associate with their companions in the service . The General had behaved with great gallantry , and had simply obeyed orders at Sobraon . —Earl Grey thought that a stop should be put to these pernicious attacks by junior officers on their superiors . He urged on the Government the necessity of supplying the House with papers relative to the Persian war and to the China expedition . There "was no question that , as Lord Malinesbury had pointed out , the Opposition had been vilified by the Government in connexion with the China affair . The Chinese had committed some great

      atrocities ; but they had been exasperated by our most unjustifiable attack on them , and the responsibility of all the bloodshed would lie on us . All nations , when attacked by an organized force , commit individual acts of cruelty , and a semi-civilized nation , unaccustomed to the modern arts of war , would be more' especially liable to do so in self-defence ; but it did not become us , as Christians , to condemn the whole Chinese nation , on that account , as a set of savages , and to rake up outrages committed many years ago , for which reparation had been given , in order to justify our own attacks . The only way in which the Chinese excesses could bo stopped was by forbearance on our own part , coupled with a strong display of arms . —The Earl of Amikmaule having said a few words in favour of Parliamentary Keform , and of an early attention to Indian abuses , the Address was unanimously agreed to .

      On tho motion of Earl Granville , Lord Ricdesdale was roappointed chairman of committees . —The standing orders were re-enacted , and their Lordships adjourned at a quarter past seven o ' clock . In tho Housrc ov Commons—tho Speak is r having read the Queen ' s Speech—tho Address was moved by Mr . Dodson , who , in a maiden speech , reviewed the political features of tho day , and observed Hint ho thought tho House possessed peculiar advantages for carrying out measures of improvement , in tho ubsencool any antagonistic array of interests against interests 01 of classes against classes . Ho conceived it to be a promising sign that tho Address should bo moved by the and

      representative of an agricultural community , seconded by tho member for so largo a commercial constituency as Glasgow . —Tho Address was seconded by Mr . Buchanan , who enlarged upon tho lesson taug ht by tho country to Messrs . Cobdcn , Bright , Miliior Gibson , &c , who , notwithstanding their groat abilities and eloquence , hud found that they could not oontrmlict popular feeling and national honour with impunity . Tho population of Canton roquirod strong cocroivo measures . Ho hopod tho just expectations of tho |> e « F ° with respect to Parliamentary Reform would not bo disappointed ; and concluded by expressing his npi > rovul of tho roappointment of the committed on banking

      General Thomi-son protested ugainut tho Government view of tho China question , and averred Unit n « " » not moan to lot tho subject puss without oium nioio bringing it boforo tho inquest of tho coimlry ,-- '' ™ Roiucrt Grosvicnou thought tho topic might bo le tin nboyance on tho present occasion ; but conculvud tunsome notice should bo taken of t . l » o groat qucntiontt < J » political and social reform . With rofoVonco <<> ( ; "" , " rates , if tho Government did not intend to le ff ""''" , " was himself prepared to propose u bill . —Mr . ^

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      434 , T g j ^ L E A DEj ^ [ No . 372 , Saturday , ^ ¦¦¦¦¦ " ^^ ¦¦¦ " ^ "" " —""^ " ^ " ^ " ™™ " ^ ^^^^^^^ _ " . ' ¦_¦ t

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      Need we go about Clothed ?—An article has been published in the Dublin JLvening Mail , giving an account of an experiment which a Mr . , of St . Anne ' s , Blarney , near Cork , has been and still is making on his own child , a boy aged fourteen months , in order to test ? whether clothing is necessary in this climate . Tho child is perfectly naked night and day , and this in tho most intense frost . He sleeps at night , or whenever ho likes during the day , on a travelling rug folded in four , but with nothing over him , and with no fire in the room Ho is taken out naked in sleet and snow , and scorns to enjoy it . He is very healthy , of a beautiful shape and complexion , and singularly easy and graceful in his movements . lie is inured to hot and cold buths and to

      sudden changes of temperature in order to harden him to all influences . His muscles have become remarkably firm , but hjs ekin . is very sensitive to pleasurublo impressions . Being made to sleep under clothes ono night , he appeared' much less healthy tho next day . Ordinarily , ho seems to be almost insensible to pain . His father is desirous to develop in him a stoical principle of self-control , and therefore frequently wakes him in tho course of his sleep , and compels him to wait for his meals ¦ while the others have theirs . It would appear , however , that ho sometimes feels the

      cold ; for , on the night of last December 27 th , when there was a very hard front , ho cried to bo tafcen into his father ' s bed , and moaned bitterly . He was taken in , but on hia father quitting the bed , followed him out of it . Sometimes he moans when cold water is put on him , but stops when told . ™ f ) ?* ^ ° - ? , hl £ Oft ^ Of tUo story , « a related at annl I > T « *? S ° ^ Ubli n papCr - A modi < ial gentleman hfs ow ^ ohin f ° n fOr m ^ HUOh an «* Pori « nont on Sire ss&i ? ^ jft ^ ttz

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      • * . . _ - »• . - — __ . — . •_ w-m- * " -rm IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), May 9, 1857, page 434, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2192/page/2/