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Leader (1850-1860), 17th April 1858, Edition 1 of 2, Page unpag., JUuijui nf tlit Wttk.

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      Untitled Article

      ^¦ Kspf ^ sqsps ^ r ; *^ A POLITICAL AND LITERARY REVIEW . ¦ - ¦

      Untitled Article

      ?— = rpHE Parliamentary proceedings on the first night X again exposed the mendicant condition of Lord Derby ' s Government . The illustration of the drowning man clutching at straws always carries with it a certain amount of compassionate interest , Lilt really Mr . Disraeli ' s wild dash at the straw thrown to him by Lord John Ktjsselx to keep his head above water on the wreck of the India Bill is too ludicrous an incident to be contemplated with any sort of gravity . Lord John proposed that before proceeding with either of the bills—Mr . Disraeli ' s or Lord Palmerston ' s—resolutions embodying the principal suggestions should be laid before the House , in order that the Commons might be actually taken into consultation . It can be seen at a glance how this course removed a dauger for Ministers , an opportunity for the late Ministers ; Mr . Disraeli seized it with unconcealed gratitude . His bill is pronounced from one end of the kingdom to the other to be a miserable failure ; but it is the very best that the present Ministry can offer , and they snatched with delight at , the means put within their reach of getting free from the responsibility of defending the indefensible . One thing has been especially remarkablo since the reassembling of the House , and that is the bold and direct speaking of the foremost speakers on all the leading topics of the week . Lord John Russell ' s speech on Monday was a strong example He went at once to the point , and dealt with the Derby Indian Bill as if everybody ' s mind were made up to reject it in its present form . Mr . Disraeli appeared to have nothing to say against that assumption , but eagerly fell in with Lord John ' s views , and , in fact , he has to thank Lord John for keeping him in office—for a while longer . The course taken by Lord John will be better understood if we bear in mind that lie is just now holding aloof from the party of which ho is the natural head , but that ho represents tho general opinion of the country on the Indian question . That that opinion will prevail is not to bo doubted ; ~ UiirpWcy ~ iS ~ ffiRS ^ at the head of public opinion , which will shape and oontrol tho action of tho Liberal party , and ultimately call upon him to take tho ooinnmnd of it . To follow tho courao suggested by Lord John Uubseli , will be to ensure a more complpto and unbiassed discussion of tho measure cnllcd for by tho country for tho transfer of the government of

      India from the Company to the Crown than would be possible , considering the position of the Government and Of the Opposition , with its conflicting feelings on the question of a leader . The Navy estimates moved by Sir John Paki > 'Gton on Monday night opened up the question of our national defences , and showed , almost beyond dispute , the wastefulness of a too restricted expenditure . Whatever the need for looking closely into the disbursements of the country with an eye to saving , the efficiency of all the national services is a subject of more vital interest , and it was not unnatural that , at the present time , when there is good reason for looking into the state of our coast defences , and of our naval power , Mr . Williams should find only twenty-five supporters of his views , according to which we should at this moment reduce the expenses of our army and nav y to the standard of 1 S 35 . The voice of the public would decidedly be raised against a reduction which would react upon the safety of the country . "What we want is , that the national defences should bo placed in a state of completeness , but that , whatever the sum required , it may be laid out in such a manner as permanently to secure the object for which it is given . The country never begrudges money for money ' s honest worth . Among the weak points in the present Government , of that class which belong to essential discord between the several members of it , is the difference of sentiment even more than opinion on the subject of law reforms . Tho present Attorney-General is one of the most active men in promoting a very extensive reform in our law , in a consolidation of the statutes ; and no man has done more to render that course possible and intelligible than Sir Fitzroy Ki : llv . He is supported , it would appear , by tho Solicitor-General ; for Sir Hugh Cairns has this wock introduced a very excellent law reform . It is a bill to extend the powers of tho Court of Chancery by enabling it to award dnnmgos , to take oral evidence , and to uso the assistance of a jury . This is ii grand step towards a simplification of our judicial svstem . It goes somo -way towards removing the useless distinctions between * law' and ' equity , ' mul , courts in which t ' hesuiiors " , pluuHifls , or prosecutor ^ would most ; naturally range themselves—namely , courts dividing amongst thorn different kinds of business , but mainly undor tho guidanco of tho same fundamental principles of law and . justice . Above tlioso two men , —good reformers in their own way though they arc Conservatives—there is

      placed one who has been a very powerful advocate and consistent politician , with commanding presence and a high respectable personal character ; but since he has been elevated to the woolsack , that statesman ' s actions have not justified the Hopes that the intelligent Tory barrister Thesiger would de- . velop himself , as the Lord Chancellor Chelmsfoed , into a Law Lord fit to take his place amongst the reforming Broughams , Lvxdhursts , and St . Leonards , who have forgotten the distinctions of party in the one desire to amend their profession . Lord Campbell has been veryactive in improving the law of libel . He had a bill before the House of Lords which would have extended the immunities of the press by enabling any defendant under an action to plead —except where positive injury had been inflicted —that the alleged libel was part of a bond fide report of proceedings before some constituted public body—namely , the two Houses of Parliament , Town Councils , or any meeting convened by a corporation under Act of Parliament . No doubt there arc other meetings to which the same immunity should be extended ; but this bill recognized a progressive extension of the principle , and it would have been easy , in a later session , to accomplish more by another act . Lord Lyndhubst showed up the bill for its shortcomings ; but Lord Chancellor Thesioer put his thumb upon it , and extinguished it , because he objects to all such reform whatsoever . Mr . Locke King has improved the occasion afforded by the prosecution of Mr . AucmtuTY Gloveb to announce a bill for abolishing property qualification , a step that will , in all probability , be taken sooner or later—later rather than sooner . Parliamentary reform is slow of progress ; indeed , t hero is an almost constitutional dislike in tho House to meddle with the question , of which wo had tin example on Tuesday evening , when the opinion of the leading members was strongly opposed to the measure suggested by Sir John Trelawny , declaring it n high breach of privilege for a member to receive any spcoics of reward in consideration of the exolf * ciso of his Parliamentary influence This was u rcry mild and fitting sequel to tho proceedings in tho case of Mr . Butt and Mouhad Am ; but how "mnivy"MTcn ^ nre ~ thore--in " the .-Houao ^ -who ^ ai .: o . oon . 3 __™_ , . ____ scious of agency , and who resent any infringement on ' free trade' in Parliamentary inlluonoo ! How . over , one stride has been taken on t ho road to re . form' , iu tho passing of the Jew Bill , which once more loaves the Lords responsible . ^ * m Tho subject to which Lord Clarence Paqet ^ B ••"" r . / . v ; - ™ , ¦ / i <> " s-ifetfc

      Untitled Article

      VOL . IX . No . 421 . ] SATURDAY , " APRIL 17 , 1858 . Price { & ™ % r . ™ zSS £ ™* CE-

      Untitled Article

      © ontrnts : REVIEW OF THE WEEK- i-aoe . Gatherings from the Law and Po- Parliamentary Uuckshcesh 374 Switzerland aiid the Reformation 378 Naval andMilitary 3 < S 2 Hcc ' CoSrts . " , 70 > The Whole Duty of Spies 37-4 , The \\ 'oather 378 Imperial Parliament 362 Miscellaneous 371 The Hallway , the Press , the Soldier , ' a * ii « n ^ J ?{ , \ . " RoV . rhnn 4 9 sn Public Meetings 303 Postscript 371 and the Priest 374 S i v ?¦ « ? S ^ V ^ i nHk " , V ;"" ' Hn The Indian Revolt 3 ( 56 Qp - N COUNCIL- The Ncw Belgian Passport System 375 Publications and Rcpubhcations ... 3 S 0 State Of Trade .... 36 C tC TMitv of th * T ihoral P-vrtv 371 ! The Straits Settlements 375 THEARTSAccidents and Sudden Deaths 300 A " ^ " ° J " ™ t . - » DCiai i arty a . i The House of Commons in Now- Her Majesty ' s Theatre 3 S 0 Ireland 306 PUBLIC AFFAIRS- , „ , . pate 376 : Royal Italian Opera 381 America 307 Emancipation of the Liberal Party ^ A Word or Two on the Navy 376 ) Miss Arabella Goddard ' s Soirees ... 381 ^ fTwSfSfB ^ nSrf "" :: " : " :: " : "' :::::: ^! Th " iffiX 1 Sfd « ioiudia Birr ::: 373 literature- commercial affa . rs-The Assizes ' . ' . ' . ' . ' . 370 Balance-Shect of the Anglo-French ' Summary 377 TheGazette " •• ,- ; IIJ Central Oriminal Court 370 | Alliance 373 ; Shelley . 377 City Intelligence , Markets , &c 381

      Untitled Article

      " The one Idea-which Hi 3 tory 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-3 idedview 3 ; and , by setting aside the distinctions of Religion , 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 . " ¦ ¦* ¦ -

      Juuijui Nf Tlit Wttk.

      itUwra nf tjit Wnk .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), April 17, 1858, page unpag., in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2239/page/1/