ENGLAND.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 290, 20 July 1865, Page 3

ENGLAND.

(feosi oue ows coeebsposeent.] Yorkshire, 18t]i April) 1865. Politics dull —the Parliament evidently inclined to go through, the routine business as quietly as possible, and to allow the Government to carry all the measures that they consider absolutely necessary. A few intending candidates for the expected general election are already seeking the support of the “ free and independent,” “patriotic and enlightened,” &c; electors of this or that “ old borough” or “commercial emporium,” and promising to behave handsomely if favored with the opportunity, &o. The death of Mr Cobden has led to a contest at Rochdale, but it is scarcely probable that any candidate will succeed there at the present juncture, unless he avows the “ most advanced democratic” opinions. Lord Amberley, heir of Earl Russell, has been exhibiting himself at Leeds, and is 44 booked” to contest that borough in company with Mr E. Baines, who now occupies one of the seats. On the young lord’s appearance, some time ago, he announced that the extension of the suffrage might be carried 44 much further than most reformers had proposed” without frightening him, &c; this was just the thing for them, so they had him down attain lately to be acknowledged as their candidate ; on this second occasion he was for 44 considering this, and weighing that, and voting” 44 as his judgment led him, and supporting a bill that he considered well” “suited for the nation,” &c. This did not suit, so instead of a resolution of confidence they passed one about 44 no candidate for us who wont promise to support 44 such and such things ; here the lord’s case did not look very promising, so his friends had to call another meeting, at which he had to attempt to explain away, &c., and promise exerything they required ; and'then they managed to pass a vote of confidence in him, thus getting him fairly afloat as tneir intending servant, lie will probably be returned. The Edmunds scandal casts more discredit on the Government generally, and on the Lord Chancellor especially than any local event that has transpired lately. That it will be hushed up as much as possible by the Lords’ Select Committee is probable; but the personal as well as the political opponents of the Lord Chancellor will doubtless not let it pass without a passage at arms. Indeed if such jobs were to pass almost unchallenged, our vaunted system of Ministerial Government would be a failure in one of its most important, and, to the general public, one of its most beneficent, aspects. The appointment of Mr Stonor to a colonial office also is discreditable to the Government. Some years ago, he was sent to Melbourne to receive a Judgeship, but fortunately Parliament was sitting at the time, and some members drew its attention to the fact that he had been considered, if not technically convicted, by an Election Committee to have been guilty of bribery, so an order to cancel his appointment was sent to Melbourne, and arriving there before him the colony was saved the disgrace of having a known defier of law set on the bench to judge other men according to the law; for that is a disgrace to any civilised community, however it tnay be glossed over in a district where it is in yojfue, and where familiarity with it, and deficidicy of public spirit, makes people try to forget th.'it it is both an evil and a disgrace.

*lhe Continent of Europe is tolerably quiet, altbnigh the Prussian madman who has got hold of Sfeswig and Holstein evidently does not intend to Id; go until he is obliged, and it is very doubtful if he can be compelled by the force of all the other\ German states to yield. When robbers quarrel over their illgotten booty, it reminds us of the tdage, " when rogues fight, honest men got their rightbut poor Denmark and the Sleswig Hanes can hardly hope to obtain their rights these times. It was very remarkable, when these provinces were invaded, Duke Ernest of Gotha, and Baron Benst of Saxony, two of the leaders in the hostility against Denmark, were (separately) special visitors of our Sovereign ; an act of very questionable taste (to use the mildest terms; no the part of even so popular a monarch as ouis undoubtedly has been.