English and Foreign.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 491, 18 July 1857, Page 5

English and Foreign.

The ' Northern Whig ' gives a piquant description of the present electoral condition of Ireland.

" O'Connellism, the dreariest of impostures, is quite dead; and with O'Connellism has .almost totally disappeared that nasty animal which in English apprehension was ' the Irish Member,'—a pauper fed by the Whipper-in, at home a hanger-on of the priests, and in London a resident of the night saloons. Sadleirism, that succeeded to O'Connellism, is dead too; and no constituency is now to be won by a mercantile or legal gentleman coming forward and _ declaring, in the name of God, that his patriotism is a passion, and that he will never take place. Independent partyism is not altogether defunct, but it is a sectional affair, for not more than half-a-dozen counties and boroughs can be brought to believe that their parliamentary interests are best served by their delegate consigning himself to utter impotence in London; and the delusion, such, as it is, would be exploded altogether, but that Mr. Moore unaccountably sinks all his talents as leader and debater, and journalist, in recommending a chimera to simple peasants, and pious young Dublin journalists. On the other side, the violent Orangeman candidate no longer answers in the market. Irish Toryism, like French Eed Eepublicanism, has become tempered by civilization; and we trust to see the vices of long ascendency still further alleviated. Well, this absence or modification of isms is a great advantage to electors really intent upon getting at a fair representative body. There is not an agitator in the country to distract or deceive. The Catholic hierarchy is quiescent from prevalent taste and a new policy. The Lord-Lieutenant cares a good deal more for his dignity than for his party; and we really look for a blessed minimum of Government jobbing. Now, all this is new in Ireland. It is the first time we have been out of a fever when caught by a dissolution of parliament, i They talk of a ' good cry ' in England; but the word is too mild for us. We have generally had a ' good roar 'to go to the country with. One ?— twenty. At the last general election the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill was in men's minds, and with the Liberals it was all denunciation of the Whigs. Lord Derby was in, and his friends on this side of the Channel made the ntmost fuss about Protestantism. Mr, Duffy, Mr. Lucas, and Mr. Eeogh—all three now removed from the arena—were powers in the land, and frightful personal controversies raged on all sides; and the general result was sending to Parliament, as an independent party, a collection of the greatest rogues that ever imposed on a people. All that happened scarcely five years ago, and the bitter lesions cannot be quite forgotten."

France.—There were reports of a " plot" against the life of the Emperor. Numbers of persons were arrested, early in April, not only in Paris, but in Lyons. A new " secret society " framed on the model of the old Carbonari, but with some modifications in the pass-words and slang, had been discovered.... The chief agents are supposed to be the Compagnons of what is called the " Tour de France."

Much electioneering agitation was going on. The Legislative Body will expire in the course of the summer. Some of the towns were showing symptoms of opposition; but the extreme Democrats will be kept out of the field by their unwillingness to take the oaths of allegiance. The Neuchatel Conference had sat twice. Both parties are described as." more yielding." The Swiss, it is stated, have agreed to recognize the Sovereignty of the King of Prussia, on condition that he immediately renounce it; and the King has either abandoned or diminished his claim to an indemnity. A long report from " the French Envoy at Eome to the French Minister for Foreign Afl'airs " is published exclusively in the ' Daily News,' with a strong assurance of the reliability of the source whence it was obtained. The report is in substance a defence of the present administration of the Roman States, with a strong recommendation that the French Emperor should continue " a provisional state of things that has the merit of preserving Europe from innumerable evils."

Russia.—An expedition is in preparation to finish the Circassians " once for all." It is stated that 100,000 men will be employed for this purpose, including irregulars down from fvionrUir +.i'il">po. /Tl^o «]iir>fl~ nP A-haan tyibeS have

already received Russian decorations and high rank in the Russian army, and they have been promised^ large recompense for faithful service, indemnities in land or money, and the succession to their Governments in favour of their sons.^ By these,means it is hoped that a general rising of the tribes that yield obedience to bchamyl will be prevented or paralyzed. Similar means of seduction have been employed throughout the Caucasus to secure the cooperation of some and the neutrality of others, and to sow dissension among those who are the avowed enemies of Russia, for to this great object the views of Russia have been directed tor months past. While Mr. Cobden was addressing the electors of Huddersfield, in the Theatre of tbat town, part of one of the galleries fell down, carrying with it several persons. It does not appear that any one was killed. The accident, however arrested the speaker and dissolved the meeting. Mr. George Hudson was arrested at Sunderland on the nomination day. But he was liberated, being still protected by the law as a late member. The bailiffs anxiously attended to the state of the poll; but Mr. Hudson came in second, and defeated them. It is said that J xn mts are out agamst him to the extent of

Honours may come by routine. One of the most estimable men in the country, the late speaker of the House of Commons, has become Baron Eversley of Heckfield, with scarcely a choice on the part of himself or his sovereign ; and there is far less distinction for him in thus drifting to a Viscounty, than in the simple act of the members in uncovering while thanks were voted to him.

An extraordinary feat has been performed by Mr. W. Purves, of Linton Burnfoot, in Sunlaws water, on the river Teviot. Mr. Purves went out in the early part of the day, and after fishing for three hours killed eight fish weighing 120 pounds. What is most remarkable is, that this large " creelful" was captured with seven minnows ! The average weight of the fish killed was 15 pound.