THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, MAY 13, 1872.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1182, 13 May 1872, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, MAY 13, 1872.

The news from the old country, brought by tho Suez mail, though by no means as. startling as was anticipated, has still items in it of a suggestive character. The American difficulty, the question of the day, seems to have subsided ; otherwise it would have been more prominently brought forward than has been the case. We learn that Mr Gladstone has declared the intention of his Ministry to be an adherence to the stand they have already taken as to the indirect Alabama claims. The country, as far as that goes, owes very small thanks to him, for the slightest concession, more than has been made, would have resulted in such a storm throughout Great Britain as would have hurled both himself and his colleagues from office. The telegrams to hand are, we regret to say, as far as .this subject goes, meagre in the extreme, but, at the same time, from the very fact of their barrenness, it is clear that the serious complications threatened are passing away. Brother Jonathan; however blusterous, is good at bottom, and wisely determined to withdraw a great deal of what lately he so stoutly insisted on. It is most sincerely to be hoped that the existing misunderstanding, for really it is nothing more, will be peaceably solved, and that a fratricidal war may be averted. It seems that the Prince of Wales, on his travels for the complete recovery of his health, " interviewed," if we may use an American phrase, the Pope, and that mutual compliments and congratulations followed. It must be most satisfactory to all that such a strange meeting has taken place, and that the results have been as reported. Though England is especially a Protestant country, it must not be forgotten that the Pope holds sway over a very large number of English, Irish, and Scotch subjects within her Majesty's dominions ; and it was alike graceful on the part of her son-and-heir to the Throne to pay his respects to the Pontiff, as it was kindly and Christian-like on the part of the latter to express himself as he did. For the sake of the old • United Countries, all should be glad of such a meeting. There are " signs of the times," however, brewing, and however much Republicanism may have been checked through the loyal re-action consequent on the severe illness and narrow escape of the Prince of Wales, there can be no doubt that the people of England are beginning seriously to consider whether Royalty is worth its co3t, and also as, to whether its perpetuation is desirable. Oat in the Colonies the subject is not worth consideration, for the ties that bind us to the old country are so fragile, are of so silken a texture in fact, that they are really bonds of love and respect that are not likely, slight as they may be, to be easily broken. It seems that Sir Charles Dilke, the somewhat notorious propagandist df Republicanism, brought forward a motion in the Houae of Commons in reference to the Civil list, and Mr Auberon Herbert supported it, declaring at th« same time that he waß a Republican at heart. This, it appears, led to a scene almost unexampled in the annals of the House, if we except the time when Crom well put suoh a summary stop to Parliamentary

proceedings. What transpired is not altogether known, the gallery being cleared of strangers, 'or, in other words, the public and the renorters being turned ojit. The very faot^iiQwever, ot.the nib" . t!6n being introduced^' and of a member declaring himself a republican, is a proof of the advance made during the present cej)tury. in license to express free opinions. Within the 'ast half century, such a declaration would have brought its utterer to the block, or at least to penal servitude. The House of Lords are said to be becoming converted to common sense, for we are told that it is likely the Ballot Bill will at length pass through their august ordeal. Considering that it has been through the Lower House some three or four times, it is about time it had equal fortune with the other branch of the Legislature. An earthquake at Antioch, though no novelty, as Antiocli ia subject to this kind of ■visitation, seems to have been more than usually prolific of disaster, for a recent quake has had the effect of destroying a large portion of the city, and engulphing, or at least killing, some thousands of persons. The right or wrong Tichborne claimant has again cropped up, but this time on tho wrong side of the Court. He has been arraigned for perjury, conspiracy, misrepresentation, and obtaining money under false pretences— a tolerably sufficient list of charges. He still maintains that he is the veritable Roger Tichborne, and has appealed to the public for subscriptions to defend him. How the appeal will be or has been met, at present there is no opportunity of ascertaining. He has, however, had the indulgence granted him of being removed from Newgate to the Queen's Bench, pending his trial — a very great change for the better as far as his personal comfort is concerned, the latter being a debtors' and the former a criminal prison. This, we think, corapriaea the intelligence to hand, and really needs no further comment. The war cloud that so lately threatened to overhang us seems either to have passed or be passing away, and the news, though not sensational, is on the whole at least satisfactory.