ENGLISH & FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 661, 4 March 1869, Page 4

ENGLISH & FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

GENERAL SUMMARY. (Homo News, 2ncl January.)

As we anticipated in our last, we have to chronicle the resignation of the Disraeli Government, and the accesion of a Gladstone Administration of a character that seems for the time to command the unbounded, but possibly unreflecting, confidence of the people. The unanimity on the question of the disestablishment and disendowment of the Irish Church upon which Mr Glad stone haa oome into office is perfectly ■wonderful, and so we make up our minds for important changes in the ensuing Parliamentary session. Mr Disraeli oh ascer taining the majority against him voluntarily resigned office before the meeting of Parliament, after the elections; an act by whioh he saved the country a good deal of public time and left his successors free to conduct their plans with the fewest possible impediments. The old and the new Ministers will be found in juxtaposi tion in another column; and, noting the fact that Mr Bright, Quaker though he be, has not only become a right honorable, but has kissed hands, and dined at Court, it need only be added that all the preliminaries necessary to the meeting of Parliament for business in February have been completed. It is with satisfaction we announce that the Queen will open the re reformed Parliament with a speech from the Throne, which we may trust Mr Gladstone and his colleagues to make as agreeable as possible. But there wiU be no particular peace, or at least comfort, for a variety of polititical gentlemen who have got into Parliament, but whose antagonists have no mind that they should stay therein. About seventeen petitions against returns have been presented, and will come on before the judges, during this and the next month Among them are complaints against Mr Forster, the Education Minister, Mr Smith, who defeated Mr Mill, the veteran Mr Clay (but the best whist-player in England can hardly have been so indiscreet as to revoke), Sir Robert Peel, and Sir Henry Lytton, and many others. The county petitions have more time allowed, but we hear of several, and it has been neatly said, in allusion to the ancient rhyme, that the Man in the Moon has been visiting the Man in the South. It ■was at first thought that Mr Justice Black burn would be able to dispose of the cases, but this is impossible, and Martin and "Willes will be obliged also to sit. It will be a novel aud not uninstructive sight to Bee agents and the like subjected to the tort of examination which a judge super vises, with the remarkable "rule" before him—the greatest advance the law has ever made—that no formality shall interfere with justice. We may yet live to see an accused person interrogated by a judge, and told that he is a person of the kind who must be considered guilty until he proves himself innocent. The lawyers will out-cry that this would bring down the roof of Westminster-hall. Possibly; but the roof of the new Courts of Law will be made of sterner stuff.

The single vacancy caused by the hand of death has been filled up, and the Con servatives have won the seat to which the deceased member was elected by the Liberals. The chosen is Mr Drax, a mighty hunter in other days, with •whom Grantley Berkeley, if we remember aright, laid a very dashing wager some twenty years back, namely that Berkeley and his one dog, named Odin, should, without other aid, select a deer from among many, and hunt him down. The challenger lost, if we mistake not, and the affair was commemorated by a balladist of the time, who wrote a parody on the « Old Woman of Berkley "—a proof of the value of a poet to those who would be recollected— vatem quia. Domestic incident is not otherwise rife. Mr Mill has received a foolish letter from a strong-minded PricillaM'Laren, a Sootch Jeader in the cause of woman's rights, and Priscilla condoles with him on the loss of his seat, and compliments him hugely on his conduct to Mr Eyre, which she thinks will redound more to his fame than even his intellectual successes. Mr Mill writes in reply a letter even more foolish, considering the difference in the brains of the correspondents, and he deplores that the -women of England have shown themselves very cold upon the subject of the punishment in Jamaica. It is truthful like all of Mr Mill's utterances, but he does not state the case with exactitude. The women of England knew that many whites had been cruelly slaughtered by a mas 3 of blacks, many of whom were wild savages, and others of whom only wanted the incentive success to become so, and therefore, when the women of England heard that Mr Eyre's prompt measures had saved the island, and that he, with the approbation of all the whites, had caused severe punishments to be inflicted, they showed that they had belter heads and heart* than the ridiculous females who are led by Priscilla M'Larens, and they felt favor for a brave officer who helped the few against the many, A few more letters like this from Mr Mill, and these who have a right to admire his former achievments will cease to feel thtft they have a right lo proclaim his greatness of intellect. Christmas has been a pleasent season for the liitualist, who huve at last received a heavy blow, and one which ought to bo final. The appeal in the case of Mr Mackonochie (the priest of a new church near Jiolborn, where rituiism has been carried out to the utmost of its "symbolic" meaning) from the Court of Arches to the Judicial Comm.Mee of the Jrivy Co\inQii

has been waiting for some time for sentence; and this was given a week ago by Lord Cairns. The Arches decided that incense, and the mixing water with the the wine, were illegal, that lighted altarcandles were legal, and that the question of elevation of the elements should have been taken to the bishop. The promoter appealed on the last points, and judgment is given without reserve against Air Mackonochie, who is to pay all the costs of suit and appeal. The Council insists that the orders of the present Praver-book shall be literally obeyed, and stops all earths. The judges were the Archbishop of York, Lords Cairns and Chelmsford, Sir W. Erie, and Sir J. W. Colvile. As this will be the governing decision, it is to be hoped that the Ritualists will take the hint, and choose between obedience and a Ohurch where their symbolism may be indulged to any extent fancy may dictate. But at present they have not; and they are evidently in a dilemma. That the G-reco-Turkish question will, f'o.l the time, be removed- from the tribunil of war is the generally received opinion. The intended Conference has found considerable favor, though the Porte, in insisting that the duties of the diplomatists shall be confined to the consideration of the ultimatum sent by Constantinople to Athens, has made it impossible that the pacification to.be effected shall be more than temporary. Still the Porte puts itself in a somewhat favorable position in the eyes of Europe by acceding to a delay which re illy works unfavorable for Turkish in terests, and encourages the rebels to think that they are in possesstion of the sympathies of other nations besides Russia. In the preset state of the Turkish array and navy, though the Greeks may be right in saying that the Turk would collapse in a protracted war, there is no doubt that the latter, suddenly grappling with his Christian enemy, would strangle him before he could make effectual resistance, fn yielding, therefore, to the remonstrances of the Powers, the Porte has acted with a forbearance at which, forty years ago, it would have laughed. It is not much over that time since the frightful massacre oi dcio took place when the Turks slaughtered some 20,000 men, women, and children under circumstances of the most hideous barbarity, and it is just over forty years ago since the famous day of Navariuo, when the treachery of Ibrahim Paoha, who had granted an armistice, and who violated i it the moment the English and French admirals departed, was avenged by i\u annihilation of the Turkish and Egyptian fleets. Turkey has perhaps a more powerful navy, the resources of science considered, now than she had before Navariuo, but she has learned a lesson in ethics, voluntarily or not, and it is a new thing to see a Mahommedan power, with great strength for aa immediate purpose and having the right on its side, calmly submitting to the judgment of arbitrators. The judgment can be but one way, for though there is force in much that is urged on the part of the Cundians (who are still in active revolt), there is nothing to be said for a friendly nation that encourages rebellion, and the Powers, who have the double right of parents and of creditors, to dictate a course to Greece, must necessarily prescribe an honest and peaceful policy. But the result of all this can be but temporary, as we have indicted, the question of Turkish existence in Europe may not be so distant as some suppose, but at all events a territorial rearrangement seems absolutely essential, when it is clear that Turkey, no less than Greece, requires a development of her resources, if she is to compete, as she desires to do, in the race with Powers that understand something of the art of government in accordance with the rules of political economy. The Emperor and Empress of the French have lately been heard of only in connection with their hospitalities to the ex Queen of Spain and her family. The Prince of Asturia appears to have become the intimate friend of the Prince Imperial; they ride with the same master, play the same games, and exchange presents. The kindly feeling which the Empress has for her former sovereign, and the common passion which botli ladies have for excess of devotion to their Church, may help to promote this exceeding intimacy, and it may seem hard to censure generosity to royalty in exile. Nevertheless, it may be supposed that the Emperor would prefer another friend for his son than any child of the Queen of Spain. The bitter satirists of the imperial rule do not fail to see and point out this new proof of the delicate morals of the dynasty. Prince Napoleon has been yery ill, though the papers were not instructed to say how ill, but later there have been bulletins, and he is declared better. Paris amuses itself with its usual extravagance at this date, and men who are not happy enough to have rejations in the provinces to fall ill conveniently in the last week of the year, and to demand the instant attendance of their Parisian connection, are ruining themselves with presents. Among the trifles of the hour is a box of bonbons, around which a birch-rod is fixed, and this is presented wherever a Jesuit can be annoyed, certain of that order having come to grief by cruelly flogging a pupil, in contravention of the laws. Happy is the people who punish their offenders with sugarplums. Our cousins in America are counting the days until Mr Johnson shall go out of otlice, and General Grant take his place. For at that time, which will be in March, they not unreasonably expect to hear something about the political views of the President whom they elected simply because he was a successful soldier. If silence be gulden, President Grant will indeed be a tmsure.

His reticence has been magnificent. And he has just avowed that he does not talk because he has nothing to say, but because he believes that speeohmaking is a pestilent nnisance. This to the Americans, who love nothing so much as a speech, and of whom it is recorded that Daniel Webster, once being discovered in an omnibus, threw all the other passengers into such an ecstacy of terror lest he should esoape without spouting, that one of them moved a vote of thanks to the conductor, and called their illustrious fellow-citizen to speak to that motion. One of General Grant's friends has also put his chief's sentiment into plainer s ieech still, and declares that it is the General's mission "to put down gab." Still, when he becomes chief magistrate, it will be incumbent on him to say something, unless his reign is an instalment of the Avatar of Vidar, the God of Silence, who, according to the Scandinavian theology, is to rule when all other gods are extinct. See ye not yon silent Stranger, Proud he moves with lowering eyes: Odin, mark, thy stern avenger, Slain the shaggy monster lies. We do no!" hear more of the resolution for the recal of Mr Reverdy Johnson,for daring to shake hands with Mr Eoebuck and the owner of the Alabama, and it is thought that this, which was referred to the Committte on Foreign Affairs, is shelved. Mill. Johnson continues to assure us of the good-will of America, and has addressed a meeting of artizans to that effect. Tlie generous American, Mr Feabody, who had previously given £250,000 for the poor of London,has addedanother £IOO,OOO to his gift, and has signified to Lord Stanley and his other trustees that he is entirely satisfied with tlie manner in which the money has hitherto been laid out. The nobili'y of his conduct needs no word of eulogw But complaints are made that the " poor" in the ordinary sense do not get the benefit of the donation. This, we incline to think, is well. It is of no use to give money to paupers—Unit course does but increase pauperism. Help t sose who have a little power and a great will to help themselves. The somewhat sudden death of Sir Richard Mayne, the head of the Metropo litan police, has occurred, much to the discontent of the actors in pantomimes and burlesques, half of whose jokes this year turn upon his two useful edicts for killing curs and preventing boys' hoops from tripping up old women and horses. The changes cannot be rung upon "mayne force," "may and mayn't," and other sparkling epigrams, now that tnc subject of them has just departed. He was a very valuable public servant, and often very unfairly treated, but lie had obstinate lubits of mind, and would not see that something cleverer than Sydney Smith's mere stout constable was required to deal with a ruffian as stout as the officer, and ten times more cunning. England, France, Eussia, Italy, and all the Powers of impoi tanco, including Persia, have assented to a convention which is thought to be in the interest of humanity. They have agreed that no explosive missiles under 14J ounces in weight shall be used in war, naval or land. The terrible inventions of which we have heared so much, and which, fired from a rifle, inflict the most hideous wounds, as has been shown on the bodies of dead men and animals, are therefore tapued. But they may be employed against any enemy who has not been one of the signataries to the convention. There is an absurd side to all this, and is opposed to the rationale of war, which bids us hit as hard as we can, but the resources of science have really produced articles which it is too mild to call infernal, for Milton's demons, though they opened their batteries on the angels, fired round shot only. Moreover, there has ever been a sort of rule about the customs of war, and a few readers may remember a very old story of a sailor in a sea-light who had a pocket-full of bright shillings, which he rammed into his gun, "swearing the French rascals should have none of them." They flaw over the enemy, and after the fight the English captain was accused of violating the usage of war, by firing broken glass from his guns. His in" dignant denial and inquiry brought out the fact of Jack's shillings, as they glittered in the air, having been mistaken by the Frenoh for glass.