English and Foreign.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 563, 27 March 1858, Page 3

English and Foreign.

(For the Week ended December 5.)

The Queen's^ speech refers Jo; the; failure of certain joint-stock firms' as having led to extensive distrust, arid" to the; necessity ;of a departure from the existing law;, and it a. bill.5 for ■■ indemnifying those, who advised and those who.adopted that course; bub^Minisfe"rs,\themselves have extended the., announcementfand the, explanation. f TheCCha- t cel'lor of tlie • Exchequer, while giving notice for, last night of the'^Committee of the whole House' on j^e lnHemrii% '^BUlj also - announced -his;; motion- of the reappoiritment of > the Bank.Com-mittee-ofilast session:; = and Lord;. .GraplviUej in; hia:reply?to'ilioriJD.erby's.Tandojn;.comment on • the Quejen's Speech,! stated .that :that^rCommittee, will, be^injvifed " to. consider; carefully? all ;i the!: additionaVlcircu^ niay liaye occar'red.'' Ministers do not' pi;eclude r theinselves from proposing .any alterations in the Bank Act iwhichCfurtherinformation may suggest as prudent or necessary; but it is motthe intention' of her iMajestyte*-Government,.;he said, a as at! present advised,,to t proppse any L change in the" law. Thisgis^xpiicit, and it.is^perfeptly in ac{ cqrdanceiwiti^the actual circumstances: Those. ; whoifiaye \valclied'the;operation"df'iHe'pi'inqfpleSjupbn which .th^act'is^found^d-firid- that they, have worked %a well as , J truth;; itself; always works; bat'ifeis;not so certain, ithat"the act completely carries: out vthe ;i princ|ples ;oand jit ia,:,certain; that ; the ;Qrisis J arose ! from f cau.ses unconnected with the actia.their, origin,.though :not their.coflseguencesi ,Lqrd.Grey put'this very well, when'lie^qin^ed.out the "indisputable fac|s that the jight'of ;coiiiirig paper ris'eyen| a wore dangerous 'privilege than that- of" coming the precious !metals j 'and' should be reserved t0,., the. state itself,s—rthe5 —rthe public being; enabled; distinctly to recognize thatfseparatq.andj supreme control ;_;whije.banking, "the{tirade^qjf,dealing" in iHioney,^hould'.be^ifleglike. ( all. other .trades, open j;pfre l e'and % ,unresiricted,"com Overstqne, a]iqweid as,. ntuch, fchquglV he ' r.ais^d"; ulterior .^uestiotis, which we mjiycoiisider hereafter with mbredelibei-atioh. It is admitted by"• Ministers, by, experienced merchants^ and by wdepoudeat,ift^e.mbers of j high :?t*n_ding in, both, ' fl,Oßses., ;; tihat, J „Yfl h ile) ,^ye; should jpursue to ; ,ijks eT\\ % e t; s9H ssi°, n, ■ P. n |h©.,Ban,k., Charter. Actwith a view to. tlie lCODtj^^a^ce'of tlie. act, vye ' ne?^... an _r ,^ a*ry' JnV, c! m™!? ir<!™l ;di^ireps,. and.into l.ta causes, not-excluding1 the criminal portion of those causes. •., •, v The-s'tatement on vthfr-subjecfc of-India; :haa,; irom the, necessity of!tliQ'Oase,inT.orej.of ajpro-" visional character.', Ministers say, through Lord' Uran ville, that ,tl>e;v. deemed |i t >iglit tq place, an ' .allusion, to,,t]io. .svi^ject iti.tliejQueen'iSneech |is" o^ie t which must .engagq. th^^enbus atteritibn bfi Parliament, ,'bufc at, the. ;sam(v 'time/ ''they tJbBerve the Btatemeht of their views oii'that question until February next,; when they will not be

panting in the fullest and frankest explanations'. ■'Meanwhile,-we have some points which assist us in understanding the probable drift of the Ministerial consideration. Several of the charges against themselves and their colleagues •7-Mi:. ,Y^nou Smith, for example—they believe to be, capable of,,cxplanation when the Thole of the, fac.ts, are the public. It is very difficult, to .understand .how they, can explain away that want of prevision which affected the Government so peculiarly, although it was not shared by many persons of considerable information on Indian affairs. We do not, indeed, ascribe those remarkable statements which are so constantly quoted against Mr. Vernon Smith to "ignorance," but we do ascribe it to something ,worse than ignorance—to a blind reliance upon mere official information—intelligence passed through an endless number of sieves, and manufactured into a smooth comi pound which conveys no real insight or life to I the official mind. It is a sort of " information" denser than ignorance, npon which your " ex- ■ perienced" statesman is only too much given to rest. We are conc?rned, however, less w'th the past than with the future. It is clear, from the [ language of Lord Granville's speech, that Ministers intend ,to maintain the Queen's Go- | vernment rather than the Company's; that | they do not intend to undertake the patronage of any Christian propagandism; and from the allusion to the estimates as -■" framed with a careful regard to the exigencies of the public service, '•'—the formal allusion to economy .dropped out, —it is to be inferred that Ministers have in contemplation measures of a very large kind, which will involve some present increase to the Imperial outlay. With regard to Parliamentary Reform the information is extremely general. The passage in the Royal Speech promises that attention shall be called " to the laws which regulate the Representation of the People in Parliament with a view to consider what amendments may be safely and beneficially made therein." This implies a Reform Act Amendment Bill. Lord Portman alluded to the subject in an extremely delicate and gentle manner, which made an opening for Lord Derby to say, with striking originality, that he "roared an' it were any sucking dove." But even by their provocatives neither of the Opposition leaders, neither Lord Derby nor Mr. Disraeli, succeeded in drawing out of Ministers more than they intended to -state.- Lord Granville and Lord Palmerston positively declined to introduce any explanation on the subject of Reform before Christmas. It .is evident, however, that the Premier has been diligently studying, not only the present state of public feeling and his own position, but the whole tendency of public opinion for some time past; and although Mr. Disraeli assumed that the Reform Bill must be as bookpublishers advertise, " now ready," we are inclined to "think that only the sketch exists— that; the filling-up has been a work of care and of progress. ' ■'•-•■" ~: •:'■■■•-"■ ■':"; ■' '' ; ■."'";. vn other subjects :the announcements of the Queen's Spfeech are of, minor ; interest.; .The allusions ; tp^foreign topics and peace are matters, :of .course.:, Welare to : have the efforts at amendment .of our Criminal ;Law ; continued,—if .tlje. ..Lord, Chancellor do-not break down again.. LordiJ^ortman.ipointed especially to the pro-' posal to amend the law for the transfer of Reil. avsiibjeot of the^greatest importance ■with reference to the use of land as a security and tb;the investment pf capital in agriculture.l ■ The.whote Conduct of the debates on the first mght showsi that Lord Palinerston was right in tjie. light way in which he set aside "Mr. Disraeli; and referred,him to his pwn_' speculations.' Ministers will have little trouble from the .strength ;of .any political party,, whether in numbers, ability^ or purpose; their labour will :lie in :dealihg with great masses of public interests which have in one way or other been brought into issue, in the useful guidance of inquiry and discussion, and in the deliberate •framing of measures .adequate to the want. Seldom .have we opened -a session where tlie tirae'.ijiterest.s of ihe.Gpveniment and the^ public , were "more thoroughly identified;., seldom .have .foregone;conclusions been „more completely.-out' i of,-,place m. the. deliberations of ;tne. Executive with theiestates of the:realin. '. : ! '

j -The rigour of "the crisis" continues gradu- | ally-but perceptibly to abate; and as it declines j the efforts at recovery become "more, vigorous. These are most openly seen in' Scotland, where the greatest exertions are made to reestablish the Western Bank and the City of GlasgowBank by a, kind, of public : cooperation not unlike that which in.-North America is called:a " bee" or a " frolic." . .At the same time,the want of employment in the manufacturing districts appears to be diminishing; we can scarcely say that employment is positively increasing. The tendency is to substitute short-time for. total suspension; a better state of things, in whujh the suffering will be mitigated by the abundant/■/harvest. "The most remarkable novelty., in the money-world is ..the, increase of embarrassment at Hamburg,—conspicuous ju^fc at present for its sound currency and its accu.mulated; insolvency. As: in: this country, the, two facts have nothing to do with -each other.. Hamburg is the centre for a great number of transactions in the North of Europe; it is la •kind of. counting-house for a yery^vide'district; hence at this season, when accounts We roughly balanced,4it is the scene of much anxious em- " bar raiment. 'The, commercial classes are .enideju'paring to get overtheir, \ trouble, by,tlie"' ' issue \ ( of';"-bredi k^ jiqtes, ",-^ah/. insir.u tnent for ..mutualjsuppqrtj which, operates as, a supplement 'to. the circulating, medium, .butdoes} not tamper, iufeegrijiy of ifche r«al currency. Purjliberty^.of the press has received a new guarantee at the hands of Lord Chief Justice Canp~bell,in atjudical interpretation of the net

which, passes by his own name. The manager of a loan society proceeded against one of the cheap papers for libel, on account of the report of a case in which the plantiff had been defendant. The charge of the Lord Chief Justice laid down in the clearest form the true rules for abricigeji, reporting, so as to give the spirit of a case without unwarranted interference; and the Jury acquitted the journal of going beyond good faith in its reports. The facts are so simple, the faults which the Chief Justice noticed as ; vitiating abridgments are so obvious, that the case is sure to be cited as an example in the future application of the law; and it constitutes a marked recognition of the rights of reporting, so that it be in good faith.

(For the Week ended December 12/)

The arrangement proposed by Mr. Disraeli last weeic to. divide thel Indemnity Bill from the,debates upon the.Bank Charter and the Crisis has conduced to facilitate the course of ministers. Although the measure has not passed entirely without criticism in either House, the stages have only been regarded as opportunities, by gentlemen who conceived that they had a vocation to utter something. If, occasionally, a member like Mr. Adams has put on an air of demanding conditions for the smooth passage of the bill, it has been more in vindication of the member's privilege than with any intention of hindering business or prolonging the session. Mr.: Adams's particular object was to draw:from, the Chancellor of the Exchequer some, further explanation as to the mode in which ministers were' induced to interfere ; and Sir George Lewis has repeated his declaration in much more unqualified and positive terms, that the act, on'the part of Ministers, was purely..spontaneous, sugypsjed only by the observation of events. The biHPjtfass ?rl up to the House of Lords on W'ednpsa'ay, that, body sitting on so unusual a day especially to receive if: as soon as the Commons had done .with it; and the -first question was how the several stages should be taken most conveniently with least hindrance. The -discussion on the hill— a form which debating Peers would not waive— has been' taken, not on the second but on the third reading. The mb'Uon to confer a pension of a thousand a year on GeiieralHayelock has not satisfied the public either in or out of Parliament. The dissatisfaction, is natural, but i 3 exaggerated. It is true that, ; the reward, falls short of rewards, which, have been given for smaller services;, true that there is something almost like a mockery in bestowing a small annual pension upon a man whose very life is in peril, and that in this, particular case the son would for his own part have a claim to some provision for an hereditary honour; but no one supposes that this gift is the last. It is highly probable that, should he sur-. viye, Havelock will again come before, the Crown for a reconsideration of his merits, and probably along with others. It is absurb to charge Ministers with delay in these matters: there can be no necessity for improvising some Royal honour the instant a mail brings news of great achievements. The greatest honour of all lies in the achievement itself; Haveloek's most immortal dignity was gained at the moment of his own action. There is force, too, in Mr. Gladstone's remark, that instigations to Royal favour should not.originatewith Members of Parliament. Let the practice once be established, arid we should have officers of the Army openly canvassing members of the House of Commons to meddle in the distribution of patronage.

Lord John Russell has brought forward one instalment of reform in the shape qf his Jew Bill • another variety in the now numerous list of these measures. The composition is Lord Palmerston's, edited by Lord John Russell; who has taken his noble friend's form for the oath, but with the addition of the words "This I declare on the true faith of a Christian." He seems to think that some who support his general proposition will be conciliated by the retention of this "prescriptive " form, while a separate proviso, will exempt members of the Jewish persuasion from reciting the -""phrase." By a geiieral agreenienl, the first reading was taken .without resistance; and the tone of the Opposition is decidedly less confident; while the con version of Mr.Jsaacßutt may operate as an

example. Lord Shaffcesbury took the earliest opportunity to introduce a bill for the purpose of settling the questions raised by the special services at Exeter Hall. The introduction of the bill was resisted, but Lord Shaftesbury stood upon his privilege as a Peer, and the 'bill received a first reading. .Mr.; Edouart inhibited tlie, 1 special services of nis parish,.'not,' it has been explained, because the competition injured the attendance at Ins own church, but because this year his consent was not asked. The effect of his inhibition our readers know; the Prelates, Peers, and others who have been promoting the special services, and who have succeeded in attracting a large and very mixed congregation, stand excluded, while Nonconformists have taken possession of the field. Lord Shaftesbury resents the disability thus cast upon his church; he believes that the parish •minister cannot exercise the power arrogated by Mr. Edouart, save with the sanction of his Bishop; and in this case the Bishop of London showed by his participation in the special-services movement that, his 'own view was directly opposed to tliat of Mr. Edouart. The Lord Chief Justice of England agrees with Lord Shaftesbury as to the fmye of the present law. The proposed bill, introduced as an "amendment-on'"the,, act of 185.5, the "Act to secure, the Liberty of Religions Worship." would retain to- the parishrjmmste'r ih« power of inhibition, except that in s kig\> parishes lie would only be able, to exercise ;ib with the concurrence of Mb ibishop, J\Jany on the

Episcopal Bench, as well as Temporal Peer.*, objected to the innovation upon our parochial system—before, as a daily writer has said, - it has had a fair trial." But even those who resist the passing of the bill at present did not venture to resist Lord Shaftesbury's main obJ? cfc« He has allowed his measure to stand over till after Christmas, but he does not sei-m disposed to relinquish the effort at carrying it. Thepubhcproceedings outside the walls of Parliament partake of the usual listlessness of the season ; but this year they illustrate the unusual restlessness. For when men ought to be thinking more either of trading preparations for Christmas business, or of preparations for holi-day-making, they are troubling themselves with the affairs of the whole world, domestic and foreign. The Indian Reform Association has held a meeting at the London Tavern, to enlighten the public on the necessity for a thorough reconstruction of the government for India, both here and in India itself. Gentlemen who took a leading part in the Association, with one w'ao has recently been sent back from India by the laws to coerce the press, delivered themselves lof cogent statements; but the meeting was of such a kind that they could not prevent it from passing as a rider to the main resolution —a declaration moved by Mr. Ernest Jones, that there could be. no thorough reform of the Indian Government without a reform of our own representative system. A very different movement is that of the Bishop of London, who has been visiting the parish of St. 'Matthew's, Bethnal Green, and has openad the church to the poorest; the pews being specially placed at the. disposal of the humblest in the congregation. Multitudes came to hear the Bishop; and it is probable that this, appeal, of the population will influence Zveat numbers by its spirit, whatever question might bj provoked by the peculiar doctrine of the right reverend preacher.

T;ie remarks delivered by Sir John M'Neill to the Associated Societies of the Edinburgh University appear to be conclusive against the system of competitive examination for the civil service. He shows how it may be abused, and how., little it would succeed in attaining the precise qualities that are valuable in the several departments. Examinations may be employed to keep out utterly incompetent people, by testing the essentials of the necessary acquirements; after that test, the responsibility of proper selection must rest with the responsible Ministers.

The monetary pressure has certainly diminished in its intensity,yet thesigns of itdo not pass away. Trade may he slightly revivingl, as employment appears to be; but several houses that have failed have exhibited a state of accounts worse than, the expectation, in some cases ; because the assets are further diminished by the daily increasing multitude of bad debts. Of the four considerable provincial banks that have suspended payment, three also present a state of accounts worse than any one imagined, and little deserving the "confidence" that has been declared. Although the balance of the City oT Glasgow bank turns out to be less favourable than the managers expected it to be, the difference is slight, and there is little doubt that the bank will resume. In Hamburg, with its peculiar " currency" of large silver bars always kept in store, the crisis has in no degree abated; the great mass of silver which lies safely in the midst of bankruptcy showing how little mere currency questions have had to do with the present troubles. But no misconception as to the cause of the crisis can mitigate its effects, which are fearful; the attempts I of the local authorities to supply that mvich.needed article "confidence" having proved a failure. In the present state of Europo and America, the process going on is not to be estimated when we express it in ordinary terms: it may be said that the huare commerce of different places has been casting up its accounts; it is settling its balances in whole capitals transferred or sacrificed ; and the balance of profit and loss seems to be against England—the largest loss being taken out of her capital. I The Russian Government has adopted a course strange in itself and not insignificant. The recent circular of the Turkish Government having been forwarded to St. Petersburg, Prince Gortschakoff declines to answer it; "or else," he says, he should have questioned the assertions respecting the capitulation of the Principalities, and should protest against the use of the word "sovereignty" assumed by Turkey. There is a presumptuous overbearing tone in this reply, which confesses how much Russia takes to heart her present adversity in the Councils of the Powers. At the same time, Russia is defying the Powers, by closing ports in the Black Sea which under the treaty of Paris ought to be open to commerce. The Attstbalian Mail Sebvice. —The still disgraceful state of the mail service between England and Australia was brought under the notice of Parliament on the 11th of December by Alderman Copeland, who had given notice of a motion for a return of all the vessels employed by the European and Australian Company. As no further returns could be furnished than those already before the House, he withdrew his motion, but took occasion to urge upon the Government the importance of expediting the performances of the new contract, by which it is hoped some improvement may be effected in our intercourse with our Australian colonies. Thewholecaseis discreditable in the last decree to thecolonial department. Thedelays ariaing from the failure of the European and Australian Company in the performance of their engagements have occasioned the most serious inconvenience to the general public, and' inflicted iK>;ivy losses on tha commercial community. It ia understood that only one vessel employed by

that comp my had actually pei'mm d ill' • * _ o in tlii- stiDiil,!^' Iti jie. }'ji > , i > CP tim t .at ti.Ki W.'st luu> * ..{a, ' wit'i who'n the new c;iiti^(' i.-.- )<- ' will be iible to ppi'min *" •> n ' ' j> I v T < effii i 'lilh •' . i (( - i < < pr mm'! g i \ , i <, t -> P '^i.'\\\ I ..JL , I ' ' ' ' 1 v ike. They win . > „ lull arrangements to curry out >, " i merits ot the set vice, ana in Hie lneanwnile tiie postal and passenger communic.itioiiM mu-»t get on as well as they can. Such is literally the condition in which the intercourse between this great empire and its richest colony is placed at the present moment.