Current:

Leader (1850-1860), 12th February 1859, Edition 1 of 2, Page 209, Untitled Article

Page 209
Page 17
17 of 32

On this page

  • Departments (2)
    • | r» rtlX* ¦* . J^ttultr j^lJl {tIt* 0? T .. * ~ 7~*~ ~~ • ' ¦ is
    • 0^JT^ \ /7HX ^jW t) vWl $(T^. /*jHt\ ^ ' Jks tnfX fy fr e ^[ Hi 1^ '%**' "~ r^L \- % V \> . \ ' ' %' ' < O"C^ ' ' ¦
  • Text (8)
  • 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

      No , 4 64 ; -February 12 , 1859 . ] T H E _ ! L E Aj ) EU . 209

      Untitled Article

      0 « SATURDAY NEXT will he presented t « ( lie readers of " THELEADER , " AN ANALYSIS OF THE POSITION OF THE JOINT-STOCK BANES OF LONDON ON 30 xh JUNE , AND 31 st DECEMBEK , 1858 , Together with a , Comparison of their Progress and Respective Amounts of Profits , Increase of Capital , 8 fc ., Compiled and arranged expressly for this Paper from the best authorities . WITH ORIGINAL REMAEKS ON THE RISE , PROGRESS , & TENDENCY OF THIS SYSTEM OF BANKING .

      Untitled Article

      NEW COMPLICATIONS . While diplomacy is out of breath , trying to arrange a presentable basis for a congress respecting the affairs of Italy , new complications are likely to arise out of the unexpected event which has just taken place in the Danubian Principalities . As may be recollected , the concluding act-of the last Conference of the Great' Powers was the rejection of the unanimous prayer of the lloumans forlegisla ^ tive and executive union . France and Russia had in the first instance favoured the demand , and encoxiraged popular agitation in the two provinces in support of it . Austria and Turkey , true to the instincts of darkness and repression , denounced it as revolutionary . The Porte protested against it as air acknowledgment of a , separate Christian nationality ; and Austria , dreading 1 the contiguity of a new constitutional state , desired to keep 1 lie Principalities divided , and thereby debilitated . Lords Clarendon and Cowlcy unhappily assented to the views of the Vienna Cabinet ; and while the electoral system was cut down to the most Conservativo limits , and the people were thereby excluded from all direct share in the new scheme of government , Wallachia and Moldavia were respectively enjoined to elect each its own Hospodar . Every species of intrigue and bribery was set at work to secure the election of the functionary in question .

      The emissaries of Austria ; , Russia , and the Porto have been busily engaged for some time past in plotting the return ot their rcspeoted favourites at Jassy and at Bucharest . The Moldavian cleolion came off first , when , contrary to tlio anticipations of all the intermcddlors from without , a bravo and honest man , b ' olovcd by his country , and confessedly destitute alike of the arts and the means of counterplotting the foreign intriguors , was chosen by an overwhelming majority Viceroy of the lesser State . Hardly had tho Cabinets of St . Petersburg and

      Vienna recovered from their astonishraont when the still moro startling intelligence readied them that Colonel Gouraa had boon triumphantly nominated viceroy of Wallaohia also . Neither at Paris nor in London was the event so much as dreamed of . In the former capital tho satisfaction with which it lias boon rocoived iu quarters not iax removed from tho contro of authority is undisguised . What Lord Malmesbury may think of it wo know not ; but it oonmea as a perfect godsend to Louis Napoleon , seeking , as ho does , cause of controversy , ir not of quarrol , with Austria . Vy . 0 should not , indeed , be surprised to hear of his

      hastening to recognise as a fait accompli the election , of ' M . Courza . It is the realisation of the views professed by the Erench Government on the Danubian question from the outset ; and fully jus ^ tines , it must be owned , the superior sagacity displayed by its chief in this as in other matters . Napoleon III . was over-persuaded at the Congress of Paris to waive his own opinion as to what would be best for the Danubian communities , partly by assurances confidently made that the alleged sentiment in favour of union was but superficial , and the result of demagogic artifi ces . The natural tendencies of the two Principalities were , it was said i different , iiot identical . Give them but the opportunity of naming their own rulers , and it would be seen how wide apart their real feelings lay . A

      common viceroy ought not to be forced upon them * for if he were , one or other would be dissatisfied , and no end of troubles would ensue . Well , they have had the opportunity , and how have they used it ? Despite of all the machinations of their enemies they have chosen the best and ablest man they could find in either province to be the executive chief of both . A graver or a juster reproof has seldom been administered to the overweening insolence and presumption of the Great Powers , as they are called , for their reckless disregard of popular wishes and local wants in dealing with minor states . With few and casual exceptions the dealings of these haughty arbiters of national fate , have been characterised by incredible blindness and folly . They took Italy in hand in 1815 , and they arranged it so ill that it has never ceased to be a chronic source of scandal and discord , and

      now at last bids fair to prove a magazine of retributive danger to those especially that took most part and sought most profit in its political mutilation . They took the Netherlands in -hand , and made one kingdom of them , declaring that the formation of such a power was absolutely indispensable to Europe ' s safety : but in the course of a few years their handiwork " broke in pieces , and then with solemn airs , and interminable protocoling andAvhat not , they declared that , the severance of Holland and Belgium was a sine qua non of European peace . They took the Greeks in hand after they had shaken off the Turkish yoke , and by their mischievous interference and insatiable love of crown-mongering , they all but destroyed the good effects of the

      war of liberation : the Greeks found for themseyes a country ; the diplomatists of Europe found for them an ' Otho . And so it has welUiigh been with the Roumans . Instead of allowing . them , when the Russian war was over , to decide for themselves what manner of government they would have , the Great Powers set about drilling and dictating until the friends of the unfortunate Principalities were almost inclined to give \ ip their cause as hopeless . The people of Wallachia and Moldavia have nobly vindicated their inherent- right to think and act for themselves ; and if Louis Napoleon wishes sincerely to begin a new and liberal system of foreign policy , he will lose no time in ackuowr [ edging M . Courza as the elect of four millions of people .

      The Porte will of course get into a passion , and Austria of course , will protest . But if Ifrance and Sardinia , not to speak of Russia , recognise the validity of tho election , the thing is done . In the present state of the relations between Prance and Austria , the latter dare not so much as threaten to send a regiment of Jugers across the Wallachian front ior .

      Untitled Article

      ADMINISTRATIVE PATRONAGE . The manner in which various appointments at home and abroad have been of late filled up * oxcites very difl'orent feelings in different classes of tho community . Among the publio at large , long ; acoustonied to seo not only all the prime pieces of patronage carofully put aside to satisfy tho hunger of tho oligarohy , but the very scraps and bones appropriated daily for tho same greedy purposo , it is something new and almost unintelligible to witness ii 1 /* . 1 i * 'it i - j l j moiio oi in cerium

      no tuspcnsauoivroconi'iy nuopvea high quarters . Instoad of following in tho old track , tho heads of several important ; departments appear to be bent upon resuscitating tho almost ob * sole to idea of making choice of men by their personal talent and worth , and paying no regard whatever to the consideration of who wero their grandmothers , Not only are damaged Marquises and dissolute dislonournblos at a discount , but their questionable belongings and connexions seem to have been warned off the publio premises , while respectable

      incompetency . and well-hred dulness begin to believe in the quiet intimation that they " need not appiy . " Some months ago Lord Harris intimated his intention of resigning the governorshi p of Madras . It is one of the best things in the gift of the Minister for India . Had Sir Charles Wood or Mr . VernOn Smith been at the head of the Threadneedlestreet board we know by experience what would have been done with it . It would first have been , offered to all the elder sons of good family , one after another , whose fathers were spendthrifts , or who had made away with their own fortune themselves . If

      none of these had a fancy for it , the younger branches would be gladdened with hopes of the prize ; and to some scamp or sycophant of this reversionary class it would inevitably devolve , unless some one of less obvious , but more importunate claims on a colleague or influential supporter were preferred . What must have been the indignant emotions of all such varnished impostors when they learnr , that Sir Charles Farquhar , a hard-working man of mere ability and experience , and not even a member of the political party now in power , had been singled out for the governorship of Madras ? Then the chief justiceship of Bombay fell vacant .

      It was offered to Mr . Grove , Mr . K . Macaulay , and other men of leading mark in the profession ; but declined . No end of influence was set to work to obtain the coveted post for this ^ or the other hangeron of great lords and fine ladieSi But all in vain . The first place on the judicial bench at Bombay has been most suitably and disinterestedly filled up by promotion of Sir Matthew Saussei who has for some years filled the office of Puisne Judge in the court ; and the latter post has been conferred on Mr . Arnould of the Home Circuit , a man of high character and standing both as a man of letters and a lawyer ; It is almost superfluous to add that both these gentlemen are of Liberal politics , and that neither of them possess any private or family connexion with any member of the present

      Government . Npr are there wanting proofs of a like disposition to prefer merit rather than family or partyties in other departments . The important office vacated by Sir Charles Trevelyan has been most judiciously filled up at the Treasury by Mr . George Hamilton , for many years member for Dubbn . University , a man of talent , temper , business habits , and long acquaintance with public life , and one whose high integrity even the bitterness of party had never questioned . Aniong minor appointments we are glad to have an opportunity of noticing with commendation that of Mr . Lucas , a hicontributions to the

      gentleman well known by s current literature of the day , to the ofilce of Stamp Distributor at Derby . What a contrast to the manner in which a similar office at Manchester was filled up some eighteen months ago ! If Mr . Disraeli perseveres in the course which he and the wiser portion of Iu 3 associates in the Cabinet seem to have entered on , they need not fear the cprrupt cavils and malignant sneers of coteries and clubs . They may make for themselves friends among the outsiders , irrespective of the worn-out distinctions of aristocratic party , who have the ability and the will to sustain them in their righteous course once their confidence shall have been thoroughly

      established . The nomination not long since of the Rev . Harvey Goodwin to the deanery of El y is an earnest of bettor things to come m the disposal of Church patronage . With Mr . Goodwin ' s distinctive peculiarities of theological opinion wo do not profess to meddle ; but on all hands ho was confessedly tho most popular preacher at Cambridge , and ono of the most useful and indefatigable parish priests m the diocese . But tho appointment , perhaps , wJuci * upon the whole has met with tho most unanimous approval from the publio , is that of Sir Henry Storks to be Lord Hiffh Commissioner of the Ionian stones to oe jjora jqugu uoinuu » 5 uu ««^ «» >» v *« ... «« .

      Islands . Though deservedly an especial favourite in what is oalled sooioty , tho gallant olucor is wholly unconnected with any of tho potentialities of the pretentious world . Ho owes his rank and the estimation in which ho is hold as a soldier and as a civil administrator entirely to tho force of Ins own onergctio nature and woll-balanood tono of mind . During tho Russian war ho won golden opinions , ronvall whom he oame into contact with , whether British or foreign ; and it was very much » wing tohis admirable arrangements , and to tho imperturbable equanimity with which ho enforced their observance , that tho prevention of groat diffloultica

      Untitled Article

      There is nothing so revolutionary , because there is nothing so unnatural and convulsive , as the strain to keep things fixed when all the world is by the verylaw of its creation in eternal progress . —Dk . Arnold . ' —^—¦— . ¦

      | R» Rtlx* ¦* . J^Ttultr J^Ljl {Tit* 0? T .. * ~ 7~*~ ~~ • ' ¦ Is

      ¦¦ ' ^ nhlirlffairB .

      Untitled Article

      v v _ - * SATURDAY , FEBRUARY 12 , 1859 .

      0^Jt^ \ /7hx ^Jw T) Vwl $(T^. /*Jht\ ^ ' Jks Tnfx Fy Fr E ^[ Hi 1^ '%**' "~ R^L \- % V \≫ . \ ' ' %' ' ≪ O"C^ ' ' ¦

      / ¦ 'J&tiAtfr

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 12, 1859, page 209, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2281/page/17/