Current:

Leader (1850-1860), 8th May 1858, Edition 1 of 2, Page 434, Untitled Article

Page 434
Page 2
2 of 24

On this page

  • Text (4)
  • Transcript

    • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

      Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

      Untitled Article

      In anticipation of the second reading of Mr . Aykton ' s bill for the equalization of poor-rates , a numerous deputation from some of the largest of the ' metropolitan , parishes went to see Mr . Sothe-EA >* Estcouxit , President of the Poor-law Board , memorial hi hand , to ascertain the A'icws and intentions of the Government with , reference to tlie bill . Mr . Estcoujit was avcIL armed witli the "

      difficulties . " He did not hesitate to admit that there were evils under the present system , but as the bill did not meet all his iliificultics he must oppose the second reading , reference , to a . select committee , — every immediate action . However , so many cases of inequality of rating have been brought " before tlie Poor-law Board , that the subject is receiving the " serious consideration" of Government , aud

      further inquiry is to be made . Meantime , j vLi \ Ayjrtox ' s bill , fitted , in the main , to effect the reform in demand , is to be swamped in the Government " inquiry" —a c < parturient mountain " -that , in all likelihood , will not brintr forth even a

      mouse . The Bombay mail has' brought us complete details of the capture of Lucknow and of the subsequent operations of the forces sent in pursuit of the Hying euemy . Several marked successes have resulted from those operations , the chief one being the storming of Jhansi by Sir Hugh Hose . The place was desperately defended by a woman , a relative of the . ^ Iaxa Sahib , aud Sir Hugh had to sustain himself against a large force of rebels b } r whom lie was attacked , with n . view of forcing him to raise the siege ; but he was not to be deterred even for

      a moment From the prosecution of his work , and immediately after beating off his assailants , aud inflicting upon them a loss of something near 3000 men , he captured the place . Iii this victory , as hi so many of the late Indian lights , our own loss was almost inconceivably small , considering the circumstances . From Hajpootana we liave news of an important operation at Kotah . General Roberts found the place in the hands of a rebel force , who were holding the Rajah in a state of siege because lie was friendly to the British . Upon the approach of General Uoisekts ' s force the Rajah with his

      following came out to meet it , and is described as having actually embraced General L .-vwiiknce , the Political A . g-eiit , in his joyful excitement . In . a few days the enemy were driven out of the place , and pursued , according to the reading of a telegraphic despatch , for nearly sixty miles . They were much cut up and five out of seven of their guns captured . To return to Oudc . The capture of Lucknow and the dispersion of its Sepoy defenders clears the way to the commencement of the most difficult task that has to be accomplished in connexion with the mutiny . By some means Oudc has not only to be pacified , but has to be brought back to its

      allegiance , or rather its allegiance has now , for the first time , to be secured ; and at the first glance we see that everything is against our chance of a speedy success . Our policy in Oude has been such as to put us in the worst possible position for making terms : when we have been weak we have been conciliatory ; when wo Lave found ourselves strong we have been overbearing- ; tyranny and vacillation have been the marked characteristics of our dealings with the most warlike country of India . And this policy lias again pronounced itself in the conliscatory proclamation of Lord Canning . Wg arc strong—Oude has to be won back to its allegiance ; Lord

      Canning ' s last step is to alarm and intimidate all whose good-will it is most important to secure . What possible inducement can the landholders have to return , to friendly relations with the Government which despoils them of their lands , and confounds innocent und guill . y under one and the same ban of forfeiture ) ? Lord l ) u auv ' s Government disapproves the policy of the proclamation "in every sense " and has hi ; uI , out instructions to Lord Cannixo lo that elled . but before its mischievous operation can be arrested , a world of suspicion , and doubt , and distrust will have been the certain result of its publication in Oudc .

      The reward of a peerage to Sir Colin C . uu'Tvki . l will satisfy 1 lie * public . JbYom the moment that , his nppoiiitiiu . iil , fo tho command of the army in . India was announced , to the present , lime , there ' has never been a doubl , but , that he was the " very man ;" j \ nd his > : (! Tviec \ s in India have been of a kind that 1 ms madn him specially dear to his country , where there is bill , one wish , that he may live ' long to enjoy the honour to which ho has so well entitled

      himself . The same mail that hears to the gallant soldier the news of his elevation , will carry to him the intelligence of another honour , conferred upon him by -the City of London , in . tlie shape of ; x sword of the value of one hundred guineas , in addition to the freedom of th « City . A similar testimonial ol respect " \ vas-voted at the same time to Major-General Sir James Outram , K . C . B ; , the brave and wise coadjutor and adviser of the Commander-in-Chief .

      Lord Camfbelx ' s judgment on the motion for a new trial in the case of the British Bank directors reasserts the power of the law to . deal with commercial iimnarality , as exhibited in this special case ; but will it help to lessen the widespread demoralization ? What good docs the punishment—doubly intlictcd—of HibiriiiusY Bkown and his more or less culpable associates effect when scores of men , no better and no "worse , arc left secure ? ' What is the use of commercial morality vindicated in the case of the British Bank and openly outraged in half a dozen other cases of greater or less magnitude ? It is nonsense to punish Humphre y Brown and his cuiltv companions while the directors of the

      Western Bank ot bcotland , ot the Liverpool . borough Bank , and others , are allowed to go free of question . The fact is , that trade demoralization is general in this country , and the feeling of the trading class is decidedly with the culprits—a strong fellow-feeling . At present , then , the punishment of such offenders as Lord Campbell has- a second time condemned can be of no public utility , and any expression of satisfaction on the part of the trading class is simply hypocritical .

      The publication of the balance-sheet of the SocieteG « neralc de Credit Mobilier affords the strongest possible proof of the bad state of commercial affairs inlfrancc , and generally-in . Europe- Started a few years back , it commenced by paying its shareholders forty per cent . ; after a rear or two its dividends dropped to twenty-scvea ' per cent . ; for the first six months of tlic present year there is to be no division whatever . The society , it is true , has a handsome balance of profit , but its directors have looked ahead , and seen clearly that , every penny must be retained to meet the losses inevitably consequent upon tlie 'continued state of commercial inactivity in Prance . Of money there is abundance , but there is a want of that which sends money upon its way—coiiQ . deu . ce . *

      Untitled Article

      43 4 , THE LEADER . [ No . 424 , May 8 , 188 !

      Untitled Article

      The Westminster Abbey Services . — Notwithstanding the unfavourable state of . the weather the special service at AVestminstcr Abbey on Sunday night was attended by an overflowing congregation , an announcement having been made that the sermon would be preached by the Bishop of London . The doors were thrown open a little before the usual time , and in a few minutes the whole of that part of the building in which the services are performed was densely crowded . South Africa . —Letters have been received at the Cape from the licv . Mr . Hahn , of the Berlin Missionary Society , -who , -with the Rev . Mr . Hath , had undertaken a missionary tour , a la Livingstone , northwards as far

      as the Cunene I-iiver , but without tlie success which attended the explorations of tlie great traveller . They had intended to take a circuitous route from their . station , New " Harmon , on the -west coast , to Lake Ngami ; thence to the Labebe , and on to the sources of the Cunone , following its course to the west ; and on their return to visit Ondongo . This plan they - were obliged to abandon for a shorter cut in a N . N . E . direction towards Libebc . This course they pursued for several weeks , find penetrated till -within five days of the banks of the Cunene , where their progress -was stopped by the

      refnsul of the cliicf of Odongo to furnish them with guides . They therefore resolved to retrace their steps , but while inspaiming ( yoking the oxen ) for that purpose they were attacked by an overwhelming force . The missionary party , who , it appears , consisted of about thirty persona , made a most determined resistance , and tlic conflict lasted from dawn till noon , when they narrowly escaped -with their lives , and ultimately succeeded in returning to their station , New Uarinen . This llev . Mr . Mofl ' at is expected shortly in Capo Town to moot Dr . Livingstone . —Cane . Town Mail .

      Tiik Dukk oi .- WKr . uxcrm . N ' . s ToMit . —M > . E . J . Treffry writes to I he Times to say that the porphyry of ¦ wh icli the Duke of Wellington's tomb is composeil " was not ( jiH originally stated ) nolished by Messrs . Mnlcotl , and Co . It was , ho states , wrought , and polished by stouiu-powor in the pariah of Luxulyan , Cornwall , on thoTroflVy estates , and in tho field in which tho huge , porphyry bouhlor was found . Thin . stone weighed upwards of . seventy tons , and the greater pavt was above , ground , and ha < l been there for nges . The Continent , say . s Mr . TreflV y , had been . searched in vain for a . similar stone . Tlie cost of the tomb was II . ( Ml / . L . W > y Franklin , widow ( sis wo lVnr slio must now bo called ) of the celebrated Arctic voyager , is at present , at Ahriora .

      Untitled Article

      2 ifo » . ( ? a // , May 3 rd . INDIAN l'APKHS . Is the House of Lords , the Karl of Sii . y ftksirtii that in the list of papers regarding the -transact ! India there was one relating to the mutiny at Caw with the remark appended , . " Not received . " lie to IcrTow if this observation was appended by the of . Control , or hy the Government , or whether the any objection t « lay the paper upon the table House . — The liarl of Eli-icnuorouuii stated t h- 'id made inquiry and fount ! the paper was not it at the India House , . and he thought the \ irobabili that it never was written . His noble friend Shaftesbury ) had intimated to him that he wis have the appendix published or laid before the and he ( Lord Kllenborough ) thought there would greatest objection to so doing . It contained an a of individual suffering , and ho . conceived that n < could result from laying further accounts of tin vidual suffering- at Cawnpore before the public , i contrary , he thought it was desirable that thev not do so , because-the publication of further would only tend to perpetuate feelings tliat were sistent with good government and good fooling . ] anxious that feelings of animosity should be oblii instead of being- increased . —The liarl of Siiaftks with some excitement of manner , declared that 1 equally desirous that animosity should La su \)\ i but he was also anxious that the truth should 1 and that the characters of persons who had been .-niated should "be cleared . If he did not get the nient , he would move an address to the Crow would persist until he had got it . — -The Karl of ] BoiiOLGii : " If it be in existence , which I don ' it is . "

      COURT OF CHANCERY . Viscount Likford asked if any further stops w taken to expedite causes in the Court of Chancery Loud Chancici . lor could not satisfactorily av question put in such general , terms ; nor was In -what course of legislation or proceeding itw ' . carry further . The Court of Chancery Iirul not delayed causes ; no complaints are now made of eeedings ; but there had been a great pressure t

      in the chief clerk ' s office since the . business c arc called the " Winding-up-Acts had been throv it . —Lord Cratcsvorth remarked that tlie com pi unreasonable delay were without foundation . C'AMi'isr . i . T , said that improvements had recently I troduced into the Court of Chancery , but that statements of the noble Lord ( Lifford ) were corn ther reforms were needed . —Lord St . Lkonauds to the etlicient manner in which the chief clerks their business . TIIK IRISH KXnOAVED SCHOOLS . In answer to the Earl of Cork , who asked wha the Government meant to pursue with respect tc port of the commissioners appointed to inquire : stute of the endowed schools of Ireland , the Earl o said that the report and the evidence taken v tremoly vohuniiious . The expense of the in ere p .-i printing of this document amounted to / j 20 o / ., . quantity of paper consumed in the publication ; n to thirty-four tons . lib noble friend might be light reading ( Jaiii ) litcr )\ but , if he had been abl through that document , lie must give him joy fo clustry nnd perseverance . ( Latti / hhr . ) Tlie d < was the report of three of tlie live conunissh whom the inquiry was conducted , and was strc opposed by tliii two dissentient commissioners .

      Mr . Hughes , late Solicitor-General in Ireland , Stevens , an Knglish barrister . lie was quite that there -wore several instances of gross mist ment , and it -was quite evident that in those ii the endowed schools in Ireland had not been overlooked and managed . The subject must be n and carefully weighed hcfiins any decision was < respecting il , by her Majesty ' s Government .- 'I of Caim . ism ; bore testimony to the person raiicc partiality Avitli which the members of the coin had prosecuted the inquiry . —The Hi .-hop oi " urged the necessity for a bettor system of in-p 1 ' the existing schools . — Hurl si . tlr . iuiAxs assert no . school in tills country is superior to the Nova of Armagh . —The Karl ' of ISki . moim ; admitted " liiight . lie so , hut said thnt othi-r srhoulrf in Ind in a very unsatisfactory stati . ' .

      CHRISTIANITY IN INDIAThe ICnrl oi' Ki . i , kniw > icoi : <; h [ n'osciiU-d n pctili various ndi ^ ioiis denomiimtious , rosp .-ctin ;; tlui pr of Christianity in [ iidiii . Tim poti . 'ionors hope t s ( -opo aud action will lie . given to Hie dllVusion « i t ( unity throuf'ii her Majest y ' s territories in t Indies ; thai . the . Uible \ vill h . ; admitted into Vvnunent schools ; that the . ( JovernnuMi I will w fnnn all .-upj mrt of idolatrous eoiviuoiiii's ; ( ha tioii will bo ( extended ; and that grants " in aid ' couforred on < . ' . hi ' islian tiehools ai well an those , i itenomiualiouH . ' l'hey protest against iln lieiug s lliat they Imvo any -wish to coerce ( he nati '

      Untitled Article

      IMPERIALPARLIAMENT . '

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), May 8, 1858, page 434, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2241/page/2/