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Miscellaneous.

Pakujerston's Position. —Lord Palraerston's luck' does not desert him even in adversity ; what are mischances to ordinary men to him become opportunities, and his friends speak yrith increasing confidence, real or assumed. It is a public mischance that an appeal to the country should be made on this China question, into the real merits of which the country is as little inclined as it is fitted to enter. It draws upon us a general election without a general policy. But this serious deficiency in such an appeal will be felt more by every political section than by that of which Lord Palmerston is for the time the head. His difficulties, indeed, are serious. He has not yet been ?ble to explain his estimates, and he threatens us with a continuance of large expenditure, attended by an income-tax higher than that promised by the Tory patronised budget of 1853. Worse than that, has he not " torn down the last remaining rag of the old Reform banner.;"■stands he not confessed as no longer belonging by his

acts to the orthodox Liberal party; and has J e not reminded us that this was.his original character P Lord Palmerston has occasionally taken a distinguished part in conflicts arranged by others, but home affairs have not. beer his metier;, Domestic questions are treat-, ea by statesmen of the "haute politique" only as instruments to attain . special objects. Pal. ™erston has troubled himself less with the votes of parties than 'the votes of states; but he knows that states are to be governed through their weaknesses, whether-the weaknesses be m favour of Free-trade, a Zollverein, or a Sclavonic frontier arrangement; .and he is as much_a ■Free-trader on the Exe as he is a Disumonist on the Danube. His want of a vocation : for questions of domestic politics leaves a void m his round of qualities, which, with unusual indiscretion, he exposed in his wanton declaration on Mr Locke Kihg's : .County Fr.anchisa motions If the session^had (iptitinued;:the public might have' found that; the Premier fbrf oreign Affiur^; left without a war or a congress on hand, had rio fttnctibnJ in Parliament; and the legislative barrenness • oT- the isessioii rniist^ave^ provoked a settled discdntent. -The'result of the China debate enables him to go to the country before he has completely uncovered the political nakedness of the Cabinet. Wrong as Sir John Bowi'Lng was, probably in strict law, undoubtedly m discretion and broad policy, there are some, and, they are influential, who resent the bearing of. Lord Palmerstori's opponents in favour of -the. . Chinese and against our own merchants, Palmerston is faithful to the rule ascribed to him of standing by a subordinate ; and an English public sympathises with that attitude of gene, rous manliness.— Spectator, March 7. Emigration Societies.—We are very glad to perceive that some practical steps are being taken to carry into effect the recent movement in favour of Emigration Societies, and that one has already been established with the title of the East London Emigration Society, under most respectable auspices. The object of the society is to enable working men and their families to emigrate to .the British colonies^ for which purpose weekly payments wi 1 be received from artisans and othefs,/under the condition that it is applicable.splely ; to the benefit of the Wsm making the.payment.and thatall.depositsso paid may be withdrawn at anytime. Colonial Loans.— From the correspondent of the 'Argus,' under date 14th February, we learn that-" The intelligence brought by the Morning Lightfof the intention of Sydney Govermhent to issue upwards of half a million of debentures has taken London by surpnse,and in consequence Sydney debentures are almost unsaleable," The writer then addsj," the Governments of Ihe different colonies should always bear in mind that their credit is limited, and that they should confine their borrowing within reasonable limits." A. lieutenant of the United States Navy lms^nvented an instrument whicli when applied to the keel of a vessel gives the depth of water near shore or upon shoals, without the use of the lead, whereve^the debth does not exceed two fathoms. A Board of Naval officers having reported iavourably of it, tue invention was about to be applied to a Government

v p o c p 1 ■ '...' Thr fashionable journals give roseate accounts of a. great Hebrew marriage which took place in February, at Gunnersbury .Park, near Chuwick, the seat of Baron Lionel de Rothschild* ..ihe^B.aron's eldest daughter, Leonora, and Alphonse, the eldest son of Barons Tames de'Rothscluid of Pans, were married according to the Jewish rites, by Dv. Adler, the chief Rabbi. The rooms wer<Sdeeornted with costly taste-the bridal presents,, gold,- s.lver, china and precious stones were piled in heaps on many tables in quantity sufficient "to stock an Eastern bszaar." Among those present were the r,ount and Countess de Persigny, the Duke and Du^ of Bedford, the, Duke and Duchess of Wei mpton,. Lord and Lady Lyndhurst, Lord and Lady John Kussell, Mr. and Mrs. Disraeli, and Mr. Ralph SThTre has been a great « row " at Edinburgh arising out of the Maine Liquor Law controversy. Professor Lay cock, who fills the chair of Physic in the University, was invited to lecture to the Total •Abstinence Society, on "the Physiology of drunkenness, its causes and remedies. m the course of two lectures, he argued, in favour oi " moral suasion "to cure intemperance ; and expressed opinions that the Forbes Mackenzie Act led to great moral evils-espionage, falsehood, periurv smuggling, &c—and that the Maine Law is Jca2ulated r to be more injurious. The society were annoyed at these remarks, and treated Professo Laycbek- very Hmgraciou.ly at the end o his second Jecture. Dr. Lees subsequently lectured in opposi-

tion to Dr. Layc.ock, and it was announced that Dr. M'Culloch, of" Dumfries, would also lecture in the same strain. Placards were issued, headed "Dr., Laycpck,Dissected." The University students took fire at this insult to their professor; packed the hall on 'the ..'night appointed for the [lecture ;• and by . every imaginable kind, of interruption and noise prevented Dr, M'Cuiloch from obtaining aihearing. Then they went to Dr, Laycock'sljoiise, and he thanked them from the balcony. Two newspapers having blamed the students, they, bought numbers of copies—a capital ,way of punishing newspapers! —and burnt them at night, on Cattqn Hall. The students returned towards the. Uniyersity, followed by a noisy mob; the police interfered ; stones were thrown j and there was much/trouble in restoring quiet. Next day Dr. Laycoejki addressed_the students and urged them to put a slop,to their mprudent proceedings, and. they .'promised' to do so.. But their conduct had roused therabble; and at night on Fridiy, last week, the police \had serious difficulty 'in dispersing the : riotous crowds assembled round the 1/niv'ersity, who pelted them.with stones. Thesarrie trouble that is bestowed in our National Schools in teaching children their catechisms and collects is bestowed at Berlin on im-* pressing the "young idea." with a conviction of the faultlessness and supreme excellence of the Prussian military system-and of Prussia's financial administration: in consequence, every good Prussian believes in these latter fictions far more devoutly than he does in his Bible; the authenticity of which latter may be treated or not as an-" open question," without any injury to his standing as a citizen and subject.—' Berlin Correspondent of ihe Times.' The " Victoria Cross" consists of a Maltese cross, formed from the cannon captured from the Russians. In the centre of the cross is the. Royal crown, surmounted by the lion and below it a scroll bearing the words- " For valour." The ribbon is blue for the Navy and red for the Army. On the clasp are two branches of laurel, and from it suspended by a Roman " V,'' hangs the proudest honour an Englishman's bipod can buy. The decoration carries with it a pension of • The famous story of the ' Times' entitled "■ Railways and revolvers.in Georgia," is now settled definitively by a formal process. Mr, Cuyler, the President of the •!-Central Railroad and Banking Company of.Georgia*'' has forwarded to die' Times,' '* in an authentic shape/ the several depositions' pf the conductor, the two enginemen; and three- firemen, who performed tl;isijjpw celebrated trip, and. also the deposition of the Government mail-agent, who was present during; the whole ; of it; all distinctly denying• the narrative og Mi. Arrowsmith." These de.|)ositio»s are-^certified'by Mr.. •Motyneus, the British .Consul for-Georgia,, to have been duly and legally taken,. The train us traced throughout its journey; jt'.is. shown ..that there was no irregularity, difficulty," disturbance, or accident of any kind, during the trip.. Gasper J, Fulton,, the conductor, deposed, "that he has read the narrative of Mr. J. Arrowsmith, under .the head of 'Railways and Revolvers in Georgia,' and that the said narrative is wholly false. This deponent served as conductor on the central railroad, both on freight and, passenger trains, many years, and on the Augusta and Savannah road for a year, and never heard of any such actings and doings as Mr. Arrowsmith has related." _ _' ■ ■ [Since the above statement appeared, Mr. Arrow r smith has found, frpm his diary, that his Journey on the railway from Macon to Augusta, took place not on the 28th but on the ?9th August; so that the depositions, he asked us to believe, go for no thin"-*: " Were las free," he'says, "to meet the judgmenuday as I am in this matter, it would be well with me."] . . In the course of last summer, a c'vil action was heard i» the Sheriff's court, at Glasgow, and the proceedings were reported in the - Glasgow Herald.' It is not usua for regular reporters to attend that court, and as one ot the parties to the suit thought his cause would be improved if he could obtain the name of the reporter, some P^ns connected with the newspaper were summoned and asked to give up the name. They declined, and the case was a d r olrned. Early in March, Mr. Wilson and Mr. Pagan iersons connected with the ' Herald,' were summoned and called upon by Sheriff . Steele, to give up the name. They declinerl—the report was a " confidential communrcation. Sheriff ■ Steele ridiculed this idea, and issued a ■ warrant Committing Mr. Wilson to prison, and held out «. threat^to Mr. Pagan that if he did not give up the name he>bo.«ld S oto prison likewise. Finally it was arranged that the informant should be consulted, and it was understood that if he declined to permit his name to be mentioned Pagan and Wilson were to go to prison ! TTNITEP STATES. There has been a smart debate in the House of Eeprer Kentatives, apropos of a charge made by the -New lork TTmesJto the effect that corruption had found its way mtp Cong ess; and that the votes of members are to be bought for WOO 'dollars each. In explanation it w stated that the medium of corruotion is what is called •• the lobby, —in ™£ words, the agents and persons interested in many °cheme* requiring legislative sanction, such as grants of for railwayf, the renewal of pa.ent bills, and the creation of places. A Mr. Kelsey moved for B Committee to it vestigate the' chargo. He was met by a storm of dwapi Ibatim., and there was a general ontcry agamst the Newspapers. In. the midst of it, however,, Mr. Paine, of North Carolina, rose and said— -•' I scarcely know whether I ought to say anything or not-

I. know nothing about that editor or his jonrnnl. I knownothing aboat any communication made to it. I know not how this., editor obtained the, information. I know not whether it be true or false; but I tlo know there hae been a proposition made in the HoraeV by members of tho House, on the subject. (Sensation,1 arid cries ;of " Who ia lie?" ... •' Expose him1.") IxbaH not name the gentlemen, I (thall not mentionyio member by name. [(A Voice —" You ought to do it!") It.wag with feelings of indignation I heard the proposition. (Impatient demands of " What was it?" "Tell it!"). 'The reason why I did not announce it tot the House was, that pendiug the organization of this.-* boldy, when a member rose in hig place and stated that a ■ feliow member had made an attempt to tamper with him. for his vote for Speaker, the only credit he received was that ho was .laughed at; and it was charged that he did not accept the proffered bribe because there was no such pro-; ■Stable place to be had... I say distinctly, there is not a wantof truthin theallegation contained in the 'New York Times', article. '.'■ A distinct proposition was made to me by a member of' this Honse, in regard to the Minnesota Land ' Bill, and that-1500 dollars would be given in. consideration, of a vote for that bill. If the proposed Committee shall be raised, and 1 am called as a witness, I shall give my evt> dence." - • After this, Mr- Kelsey's motion was carried by acclamation. The citizens of Clarksville, Tennessee appointed a Com-* mittee of Safety to enquire into " the truth of the threat* ened insurrection of Negroes." The Committe3 has reported a'series of measures which it deems needful for public seenrity. It is recommended that all assemblages of Negroes, under any pretext whatever, at frolics, balls, benevolent societies, .or at public worship where Negro preachers officiate," shall be suppressed; that ministers of the gospel' shall be requested to suspend their habit of preaching to the Negroes, except in the churches at usual times ; that owners should not permit their Negroes to take buggies and carriages for pleasure on the Sabbath;" and. that owners of livery stables " ought not to hire horses and baggies to Negroes even when their masters permit it, for the reason that such indulgence to Negroes promotes insubordination among the slaves, and stimulates feelings wholly inconsistent with their duty to their masters and the subordinate position they should occupyi^rejerence,*!White people,;" and that traders ought not to <Hsoi~with Negroes, and on no account to sell them arms or ammnmtioh with or without their masters', consent. The late projected rising is attributed to the Presidential canvass, when Negroes were allowed to be presentjat public meeting* where questions touching Negro slavery were di-cussed. At these meetings the Negroes "imbibe crude and disjointed notions of freedom, which only emperiltne safety of-the White and'the certain destruction of the Black race" Negroes are not to have Christmas holidays; "it would be V "blessing to them to be kept, constantly employed;" a Negro must not visit his wife without a passport; nor may Negroes hire their own tune as it .a palled,' on any pretext whatever," Meanwhile, the comr mittee. was to sit from day to day, and a body of twenty men were to patrol the country, The- Supreme Court of California has declared the entire State debt unconstitutional, dxcepting^oo,ooo dollurs:^ ; recommend*.: the adoption of the debt by: the L^lature and that.the question of repudiatum be submitted to the people. No transfer of stock has been made since the decision.. The'people are opposed to repudiation, and meetings have been called in various parts of the State to give expression to the public opinion. At a meeting held in San Francisco, resolutions were passed pledging the redemption of the debt by the people. The amount is over 3,000,000 dollars. Retirement of the Lorp Chancellor — The grand difficulty of the Government moves the sympar thy of its friends, and it has. called up, a rather curious. ► pecnlation. The apparent necessity which lies on a Libem; Ministry to have Lord Cranworth as Lord Chmerilor, revives a belief in predestination, and confirms the "Vlossulman idea of fate. Those who are les« inclined to yield to the superstitious despondency naturally induced by the facts, cannot forbear the more irritating inquiry. How it is is that there should be such a phenomenon at all ? We have the official head law-reformer, rendering impossible. That Lord Cranworth's desire for law-reform is sincere, we all believe: how then can we accoun for his actions ? Ought we not to have a «P ecja* CQmml^ o"> de Cancellario inquWdo? He introduces three bills to amend the jurisdiction of the Ecclesiastn-al Courts,-and he is the firat to raise a question as to the propriety of this provision or of that omission. The Peer who is most obSound to move an amendment on the bills, if not to move that they be read any day six months, is Lord Cranworth.1 Under what fatality does he introduce what he Condemns, or damn with inevitable defeat what he desires ? He is so impartial; that his convictions go one way, his conduct the other. He is so devoted to law^reform hat he can be content with nothing but an impossible P" fectlonThe inquiry might extend to the question *hetto jhe Lord Chancellor most wishes the success of hjs own bills or otherwise. = But there are yet larger questions. Is there no vigour among the law-reforniers, that they mustsuomit to be stopped by this obstruction ? Is aw-reform to be arrested in .order that the country maybe blessed wi ha Cranworth for'its Chancellor? The inevitable effect of placing him on the woolsack was as well known as the effect of putting a cord into the neck of a bottle, lliere w therefore some higher fawlity; how wit that thp Literal Administration of the day must take to itself that particular law Lord? It will destroy the Government if it go* on : how then to rescue the Government?—that is not t.ie practical question. Can the country get rid o the Cr*nworth Chancellorship by removing the Palmewton Admin, istratiou ? It is the fashion to put every question to a Select Committee, and there is no public question more pressing at present than this-" By what mode could the operation he performed, to.rid us of the Cranworth tnthout upsetting the Government?" Any mode would be accept able. No one desires to injure or hurt the best of men, no one desires to read tbe epitaph which be will so woh deserve, or to degrade him from an eminence which Ins virtues adorn. If he could only be abolished by promotion off the fate of [Parliamentary] creation. It is difficult, since the Woolsack is next the Throne. let it is possible, /Eneas was made ti constellation: yhj not make Oranworlh a D'nke ? It would he sound economy, if a provision^were the difficulty, to givHnm a revenue ont^of, the funds of the Law Amendment Society.—«Spectuto.. ;

A Polite JcooE.-Goveroor Ford, of Illinois, teUs an anecdote of o«e bf Wie .arly judges of that State but the governor doe. not put upon record the Wrfthe considerate magistrate. At A. court orer which this judge presided » man named Green was Scted of murder, and the judge was obl.ged sentence of death upon the c« pnt CWhn* on the prisoner to rise, the judge said to him:— Mr. Green, the jury say.you are guilty of ™urder, »nd the law says you are td be hung! T want you and al your friends down on Indian Creek, to know that it is not I that condemn you; it is the jury and the Uw Mr. Green, at what time, Sir, would you like to-be hung? The law allows you time for preparation.'' The prisoner replied, "'May it pease your honour, I am ready at arty time; those who kill the body have no power to kill the soul. My preparation is made, and yon can fix the time to suit yourself ; it is all the same to me, Sir." ." Mr. Green, returned the judge, "it is a very serious matter to be huri ' - It can't happen to a man but once in nis life unless the rope should break before his neck is broke, and yon had better takVall the time you can net Mr Clerk, since it makes no difference to Mr. Gteen when he is hungj just look into the almanac and see whether this day four weeks comes on Sunday " The clerk looked as he was directed; and said that that day four weeks came on' Thursday. " 'Ihen said the judge, " Mr. Green, Ifyou please you will be hung this day four weeks, at 12 o'clock." The Attorney.GeneraljMr. James Tnrner.here interposed and said, " May it please the Court, on occasions of this sort it is usual for Courts to pronounce a formal sentence, to remind the prisoner of his perilous condition, to rtprove him for his 'guilt, and to warn him against the judgment in the world to come. "Oh Mr. Turner," said the judge, Mr- Green understands it. Mr. Green, don't you?" ' Cer~Sv ""aid -the prisoner. « Mr. Sheriff, adjourn thirCourt." Four, weeks, from that day Mr. Green ■was hune, but not so nntch to his own satisfactionas his appearance promised ort theday of his coiitjc-t\on.~-American paper. ' , M. SaUes, arq^aebusier to the Emperor IS apoleon, has invented a post-office automaton, which takes up every letter as it is thrown into the box, places it under the stamp, where it receives the post-mark and date, and. throws it out a^aia for delivery to its destination. The process indicates the number 'of letters thus-stamped. -It is said that no less than two hundred letters, may be stamped by this'machine in one minute, -The General post-office made a trial of the invention, which ha's'turned'out'satisfactory; and it is now in treaty with $L SaUes, for. machines to-be furnished to all the principal post-offices throushoat France. The illegibility of postmarks, so often complained of, will, it is said, be completely obviated by the use of the automaton- ; .

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Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LT18570620.2.12

Bibliographic details
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Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 483, 20 June 1857, Page 6

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Tapeke kupu
3,588

Miscellaneous. Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 483, 20 June 1857, Page 6

Miscellaneous. Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 483, 20 June 1857, Page 6

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