Current Topics

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 19, 6 February 1891, Page 1

Current Topics

AT HOME AND ABROAD.

Is the majority of our new Parliament a band of noble patriots whose inspiration is the welfare of the country, and who are ready to undergo every labour and to make every sacrifice to secure that end ? Or is it a sordid party whose end is self-seeking, and who, while ready to sacrifice others and to condemn grabbing in which it kaa no share, is itself determined to grab all it can lay its hands on ? This is the question which during the week has distracted the country. It haß been answered too — satisfactorily, no doubt, but variously. What ! cries the indignaat Conservative Press, prorogue Parliament and hold two sessions in the year, taking an honorarium for each, when an adjournment with one honorarium would have strved all the purpose ! Verily, the Colony and our fortunes have fallen into thievish hands. It is all your own doing, respond the Liberal organ?. Your men, although they knew they were beaten, would not give in. To serve their own purpose they clung to office, and called Parliament prematurely together. With them, therefore, lit s the blame. The Otago Daily T'unen, for example, claims for the Conservatives a monopoly of all the honesty of th j country and brands the Liberals as men of low mimK " And theie cm ba no two opinions amongst I honest mci," protests cur authoritative conterop rary, ''as to it 3 I being oi ; of the most diegract ful actions th.it a New Zsaland Govern- I ment has committed — not merely a betrayal of thi trust of the coictry, bu f denoting a low-minded way of regarding the posi i >n of a public representativj winch is in the last dearie contemptible." It is hazardous, then, to pronounce an opinion by which a mail's h nesty and mental dtctney mny be compromised Our contemporary, ihe Dally 'Junes, however, can hard.y be Ukeii as a guide by less exalted people. This Parliament has much in connection with it that necessarily shocks his feehugs. '• Mr. Buick," he says again, with evident disgust, " a t went) -three-year oid journeyman baker from Blenheim, appears to have shown a remarkable natural gift of orat ry." i'lie Imu •? does no 1 want too much oratory ot any sort from an hon. Member like that. And wherein does Mr. Buick's fault he ? Is it in his a^e ? Uit in thj p'aea whence he hails / Is it in his pancular tra le ? But let u^ hop 1 , at le*s*\ that Mr. Fi<-h has, at last, fouaJ a companion in disgrace. Hitherto, of all the trades going we were Cuctinually given to understand that that of the paiu'er ulone was ineonsis ent wuh Parlnau-nt .iy rc-pecl ability. Or was it tlat, Mr. Fish showed a cipury, to qjote a Yankee f. rm of expiebsuD, for painti g t'je House red, aLd fo kept \ 13 calling before the eyes of nis detractors ' We do not kn^w that theie is any humorous sense in which allusion to the trade of the baker is made, and, thmfore, we mu>t conclude that Ihe stigma '& attached to the humble calling. And »c admit that to an organ which reprints the aristocratic c'asses— the classes that, like Mr. Scob c Mackenzie, for example, are educating their chiidien, albeit at their netgob ur?' expense, to stand before kings. — it tnu?t bj exceedingly moriifji'ig to see a young fellow with tLe dough still sticking to his hands giving promise of making hi 3 mark ia Parliament. Mr. Buick, in spue of his defiling connection with the do'igh trough, had, howev, r, already gain d a very considerable nstne as a pjb ie sp aker. Let us hope, for his own sake and that^f the count r}, that as <i legisli'or he may never t esirvd ,1 he .vier reproach thaa th it alluded to. But as to this momentous question that divides opinion, ',ye hesitate to commit oi.rselvee. 1 vtu in the eyes ef tie Conservative party we should be sorry to Laz ird our ngl tto rat k with Loi e.-t men. We propose, th' r, that the matter should be decided by rcsultp. At ai.y rate, in *ns«< r to the argument that Sir Hairy Atk.n=on's Cabinet weie r^a.ly n " doubt as to the utale of parties, Mr. Bal ance might pit ad, at the worst, that his "rounds for assurance couli be no grea'er tban tl cue, and that, tbeief >ie, Lis pnpaiation of a po'icy «oulJ hive been prtmature. Mr. Scobie Mackerzie's tmart claim that time shou d be now taken for a settlement of Judgj Ej wards' case, as well as to pass an Act fora gradu*ted land tax notwithstanding. Mr. Mackerzie, we further perceive, still postures as an advocate of Liberalism —

A MOMENTOUS QUESTION.

taking the easy (ask to himself, as a wealthy man, of cautioning, ia its name, men of more pressing needs against making it their pretence in gaining ignoble ends. Acd who, indeed, should be more qualified to give such a caution than a man whom long practice has well instructed in the uses to which the pretence of Liberalism may be pat 1 Is it no* common for us to judge of others by ourselves, and may we not occasionally turn our dodges to additional advantage by crying out against any tactics cf a similar kind ou the part of others f Don't you, poor beggars, touch a penny of this money, but go ahead, nnpiepared as you are, that you may all the sooner come to grief and place matters once more in the hands of your betters. If you don't you are only sham Liberals. Such is the gist of Mr. Scobio MacKenzie'a argument, and, fortunately, perhaps, as events may prove, so it Beems to be understood by the Members addressed. Let results, we say, determine the question. If the party, in fact, now in power 6uceeed in legislating for the benefit of the Colony and one or two of their proposals seem of some promise. Mr. Pinkerton's proposal, for instance, for the placing of small farmers near settled districts, and the pledge given by the Hon. J. Mackenzie that he will inquire into the land transactions of the past two years and deal sternly with tricksters, seem of such a kind. If Mr. iiallance'a Cabinet, we Bay, succeeds in plac nj the Colony in a better position, and in ddng something to further genuine 6etilement and promote prospsniy, the majority by waicn they have been supported in what s.ems to us, afier all, no very unreasonable demand for time for rcll'etion and preparation, will well earn the double honorarium so much coni^la'ned of. We, therefore, would leave the reputation of the majority to be determined by tao future, with an earnest hope that i be delcimiua'ion rifeneJ to may be speedy and favourable.

MARCHING ON.

A VERY interesting; debate was that which took pi ice a" thj Uaae lin Athene itn last w--ek, and ia which it was proposed to est.b isj a public library in this city. The matter, as we ar3 given to understand, lies in the hands of thj Corporation, who Lave full powers to act without consulting the ratepayers. Tbe ratepayers, nevertheless, wjuld ssetn to be a party in some degiee interested. Cm them, at least, it devolves to contubute the fuujs frr setting the matter gaing and maintaining it. However, there is no reas3a to supposa that any objection would be made by Ihetn, Are they not an enlightened community, and quite on a level wi h tho requirements of the a<*e ? They, of couisc?, ste the connect m necessarily existing between the project all'jded to and the education system of the colt ny, and which, indetd, if we recollect aright, was pointed cut during the debate to which we refer. Necessarily an idacitcd genera' ion must have books to keep up and increase their knowledge, and how are they to come by these booits un'ess at the public expense / It would appear, moreover, that when p ;op'e pay for tnai books they choose tut m of a kind not quite so well calculated to sustain an i increase knowledge. It ia Ma'el in connection with the library now existing — that of the Atlvcejin— for admittance to which the exorbitant sum of something um-er tivepence -1 week is cbargei — that the books excessively in demani are novels, which, even allowing for an explanation made, to the tffect ibat it took a month to read a history and only a week to git through three or four novels— a necessary consequence, perhaps of a pitftr^noe for novels — hardly speaks well for theeolidity of mind possessed b) those who pay f.r their readii g. And, indeed, tbe case seems* pretty much the t>.mc i_ver.\ wh^re. A writer, fur example, in a reo nt number if the (Jnarterli/ Jievifw gave some striking particu a:s as to tl.e c as-i of bcjkb purch s^J by y^ung people iv England, an 1w! i:h, alsj, arj of the natuie of the romance. However, tbe opening of a public abrary woul 1 eh mga all that. Ie seems pc iplu who üb'a nel aoh ily msliuc lye ma t.r ail for aching would eiu'erly avail themsjlves of it. P>B»io'yif thj ciemi^ts' shops were thi own opjj grat 3 the phy-ic */ mM bi cagorly fcwalljwei down and the pub! cans woul 1 losj t 1 eir cub'omers. Tae expariment, by the way, mijrht be worth trying — an las to the exp-nse, that, as we see, is nowadays, to gu te Mr. Toots, 1f no consequence whatever. What, thtn, ritnui 18 to be said ? We have, we may be convinced, an enlightened body of rati payers, and we have a Corporation truly reprel sentiDg them. No one of any eulightenment, as we have Mid, can

dispute the matter. A generation educated free must be freely supplied with food for their minds. By-and-by, perhaps, we shall find that a generation educated to d> nothing, also aa a necessary con•equence which no one of any enlightenment will deny, must be ■applied gratis with food for the body— and this, too, geoeroas ratepayers will cheerfully provide. We must rot, however, anticipate pleasures and advantages. Sufficient for the day are the delights thereof. And if tbe ratepayers did complain, what of that 1 Ha* not property its duties as well as its privileges? Is not the " unearned increment " in possession of every one who owns a house in an improved neighbourhood ? Nay, property-jwaers should look upon the payment of the tax as a privilege as well as a duty. Is it not a privilege to provide the public with literature of a high class, even though for the most part it may lie untouched upon the Bhelves — where, no doubt, it will remain all the longer intact. He must, indeed, be a determined as well as an unenlightened ratepayer who would venture to protest against so necessary a development of the progress of the period. He must march with the progress of the times, and if he does not like it, well, as the saying is, let him grin and bear it. Our public library may be regarded almost as an accomplished fact — like other accomplished facts, in all probability, a monument of vain pretension and a boon principally to people well able themselves to pay for the reaiing needed by them.

818 OEOBOE GREY.

The motion of regret for the retirement from pub lie life of Sir George Grey, unanimously carried in the House of Bepresentatives last week, must command the approval of us all. There can be no doubt that Sir George Grey's public career his been one of singular merit, most creditable to himself in many respects, ,and useful to the communities with which he was respectively connected. Oa some points, no doubt, he has proved himself weak and mistaken — departing even from the promise of a more early period of bis life, but we should look in vain for perfection. Whatever may have been his faults, Sir George Grey was certainly a man consistently pursuing a disinterested course, with the end of contributing towards the welfare of the particular country— in which effort, as we have said, he was frequently successful. His retirement, therefore, from a position so creditably filled by him, must necessarily be a matter of regret.

USEFUL EVIDENCE.

Switzerland, then, is not the distinctively Protestant country that we often find it claimed as being. Professor Fretillat, at least, a Protestant authority — who writes, moreover, in a Protestant periodical, the Theological Monthly, for November, 1890— £,ives us quite a different Tiew of tbe matter. The total population of the country in 1889, he tells us, was 2,920,723, of which 1,724,957 were Protestants and 1,190,000 Catholics. Nor are the cantons as a rule markedly distinguished by the religion of tbeir inhabitants, so that grounds should be furnished for the claim, also frequently advanced, that where the population is Protestant prosperity reigns, but where it is Catholic the contrary is the cage. Professor Gretillat speaks of the denominations as mixed for the most part. There are, he siys, only two cantons where Protestants vastly preponderate, namely, Appenzell Rhodes Exterieures and SchafihauseD. He, moreover, mentions tba rather a6tonishing fact that Protestant Geneva is, on the contrary, Catholic the population consisting of 51,669 Protestants and 52,817 CatholicsProfessor Fretillat, again, although a man, and, we conclude, a divine ' evidently of no Catholic leanings whatever, has still a good word o two to say of his Catholic fellow-countrymen as Catholics. — " And,' he writes, " we are obliged to confess that, in a political point of view, at least, the presence of Catholicism is to Switzerland a safeguard and a benefit, and an element of stability against the inroads of radicalism ; while, in a religious point of view even, it has proved a weapon of defence against atheism and materialism." — " Oae oaght not to judge Swiss Catholicism," he continues, " more especially that of the central cantons, by what is seen in Italy, in Belgium, ande?en in France. More than once has that minority, in opposition to the attempts of the Cantonal— indeed, of the Federal Government, represented the cause of liberty of conscience. la more thaa one department, too, of social life has the Catholic minority set the rest of the nation an example worthy of beiog followed. We may mention that all the Catholic cantons occupy tbe last ranks in the statistics of divorce." The writer goes on to state that the Catholic electors have of late years more than once successfully resisted despotic radicalism, and in that way rendered signal service to tbe cau9e of right." He gives as an example then action with regard to the vote of the Chambers giving the Confederation absolute control over education. ■' The gravest political and religious interests were thus engaged in this campaign," he says, " which was at one and the same time directed against liberty of conscience and cantonal autonomy ; but, thanks to the concourse of Catholic electors, the mischievous project was thrown out by the enormous majority of 140,000 votes." Tbe writer, although he sympathises with the schism of the 60 called Old Catholics, still very effectively exposes its nature. He honestly condemns the support given to it in Switzerland. " Especially,'" he. B&y 8 ) have the cantons

of Geneva and Berne distinguished them selves in this duel to the death waged with a portion of their subjects, there being, however, this difference, that whereas the proceedings of the Bernese Government ia the Catholic Jura weie only brutal and revolting, those of the late M. Carteret understood here and there to temper what he called the ' stray method ' with something burlesque, thus throwing a certain element of gaiety into the drama." The Professor gives several instances of the parsecation to which the Catholics were subjected— followiog on the expulsion of Monsignor Mermillod. — lhese examples include the forcible taking of aa infant at Compeziere to an Old Catholic baptism, the deprivation of the Bishop of Basle, the expulsion or imprisonment of priests, and the prosecution and punishment of members of the laity, even of persons of advanced age, who had given assistance to the priests referred to. " Sj monstrous an abuse of power in free Switzerland, and in the Nineteenth Century," he concludes, could only bring its own condemnation." The sword became bent within the paws of tbe bear, and some years later the Beraese Government, like M. Bismarck, was itself vanquish 3d by tbe curds, who came back to take possession of their posts, beiog recalled by the votes of their parishioners." — la view of the frequency, as we have said, with which the superiority of a distinctively Protestant Switzerland is cited, we think it useful to place the passages we have quoted before our readers. As the testimony of a zealous Protestant, who is also a competent authority, they are worth remembering.

AN APOLOGY FOB MACBETH.

According to Mr. S. C Carlile (says Truth), Mr. Froude has made a sad mistake in calling Carlyle the son of a " man of the people." He was by " blood and lineage " a direct descendant of Hildred de Caerliell Prince of Cambria, the second son of Crinan, whose elder brother was the King Duncan, killed by Macbeth. The real name for the Cambria over which the anscestor of Carlyle held sway was Caerliellshire. The name of Caerliel), its prince, was first corrupted into Carleel, and then iDto Carlisle. Mr. 8. C. Carlile (another descendant of King Duncan's brother, presumably) says that " Ths Valley of the Shadow of Frederick. " left Carlyle no life space to write, as be had intended, the history of his lineage and family over nine generations.

A CONTBAST.

The manner in which Professor Fretillat, to whose article in the Theological Monthly we have alluded, acknowledges thu services of the Swiss Catholics in preventing the education of the country from baing mide secular and godless is very deserving of notice. It contrasts most favourably with the attitude of other Protest ints, who, in other countries, profess a demotion to their religion, and who yet,are found ready to sacrifice its interests in their anxiety to hamper Catholics in th; exercise of theirs. This good Swiss Protestant, who certainly shows no attraction towards the Catholic Churco, but on the other hand gives clear signs of strong projadice against her, still is glad to side with Catholics and to take advantage of thair aid in defending Christianity from the attacks of its eaemiea. Ha thjs givea pr jofs of the sincerity of hts Christian professions, and, whatever may be his mis akes, deseryej sympathy and commendation. Tested by his standard many Christians amoDg ourselves who make nigh professions, must be found sadly wanting in sinceiity.

A SUSriCIOUb MOVE.

Is it true, as reported, that the Germans are seeking for territory in the Malay Peninsula 1 Why the affection of the Emperor William for his grandmother appears most devoted. His Majesty can hardly bear to be removed an inch out of the reach of that august lady's apron string. Woerever she goes he must also secure a footing. He has followed her to New Guinea aad to Africa, and now he shows a desire to approach her in India. India, however, is rather a sensitive point, where Queen Victoria, or the Government she represents, is concerned. It has, moreover, been recently the object of very particular attention on the part of another potentate, of even more suspicious associations than those of the Emperor William. We kaow, of course, that ,the late visit of the Czarewich to the country in question, had no kind of sinister significance attached to it. The prince merely went there as the guest of the Queen-Empress, aad all the civility shown him was in that respect. The idea, nevertheless, that something lay in the background hardly eeems a very extravagant one. It might, at least, fit in perfectly with the accepted traditions of the Russian Czars that their heir, in making a grand tour of their empire, as the Czuewich has lately done, or is now doing, should take in India also as a country subject to his rule gather than go out of his way to visit there a realm under a foreign control. The solitary rule of England in the far East, in fact, seems about to become less isolated, and, therefore, perhaps less independent, than it has hitherto been, or, at least, more a matter for the close observation of other countries. A Herman settlement, indeed, on the very coast of India would be very suggestive, and we doubt if even our own colonies could afford wholly to disregard it. The Emperor William is, no doubt, an amiable person, and his family affections, where the

Empress his mother is not concerned, may be Btrong, but it may still be questioned as to whether his entry upon the position referred to would tend to promote the peace of the world or to improve the relations that exist between the German and English speaking peoples.

THE LATE MR. CHARLES BRADLACGH.

The death is announced of Mr. Charles Bradlangh . Mr. Bradlangh wai notorious for a good deal, some of which was not of ill repute. As the f raits, for example, of his service as a soldier in Ireland, which was also among his experiences, be has left on record deeply pathetic details of eviction. The part also taken by him during the Franco-German war in attempting to stir up sympathy for the weaker country must be remembered to his credit. He hadi moreover, on the whole, though with some little failure, been friendly to the Irish cause in Parliament. It is, however, to be feared that what will chiefly keep his memory green is the part taken by him as an extreme leader of Freethought. With this character was associated, for example, bis derißion of the Parliamentary oath and the series of assaults on tbe House of Commons, in which he afterwards figured. As a man of advanced Freethought, be was associated with the hardly less renowned Mrs* Besant in tbe publication of a certain unsavoury book— for which he, together with the lady in question, was prose . cated. Mrs. Besant, with tbe common unsteadiness of error, has joined the sect of the Tbeosopbistp, and is now busily engaged in aiding Madame Blavatsky and other shining lights to propagate in Europe a devotion to the tenets, or tbe fancied tenets, of Buddht. In what phase of opinion Mr. Bradlangh has died we are unable to ■ay, but we see little grounds for a hope that he had altered bis mind for the better. In certain particulars, nevertheless, we may think kindly of him, and those are the particulars we shall prefer to keep before us.

CONTRADICTORY BEBULTS.

It seems that the meeting at which Lord Carrington deprecated, for the present at least, all thoughts of Imperial federation, had been preceded bj another meeting, held in East London, the distinctive residence of the masses, at which very different conclusions were come to. We may remark, in passing, that the presence of the Prince of Wales at Lord Carrington's meeting adds emphasis to what we Baid last week as to the want of wisdom shown bj the author of the paper in referring in a theatening manner to the Bahring Sea difficulty. The approval apparently given by His Royal Highness to the reference in question could not fail to ba resented in America. The working men of the East-end, however, see in the project for Imperial federation all that is hopeful and deserving of support. It is to be feared nevertheless, that the circumstances that give rise to this hopeful view are jaet those that among ourselves may produce a contrary effect. One of the speakers at the meeting alluded to described the matter as one of bread and butter, — the explanation being necessarily that in London working-men look upon federation as providing for their competing on equal terms with — or to put it mxc pretily, sharing in the advantages enjoyed by workingmen, in the colonies. We doubt, however, a 9 to whether the spirit of brotherhood prevails as fully as this must imply. Among those less favourably situated, and who have everything to gain, it may, indeed, be quite up to the mark, but among thosa who poesibly have a good deal to lose, the case is probably quite different. We know at least, th»t such is the state of things where America is concerned. To hear those speak, for example, who argue in favour of protection, on a might thick that the Atlantic separated the children of Adam from a race clearly traced to the original gorilla. Oar suspicion is that, on the matter being put to the proof, something of the saim kind might be found to prevail among ourselves. Oar conclusion is, thsrefore, that different in tenour as these meetings were from each other, their effect may be found to be the same. Tne eagerness of the London workingmen, considering its meaning, may aid towards the carrying out of the advice given by Lord Carrington — that Imperial federation should not for the present be looked upon as practical.

PRETTILY NAMED.

Absit omen ! Was there no one to speak a word in favour of innocence in jeopardy ? We hope, at least, in the interests of justice and fair play, that the baby sqaall«d lustily. Lady Onslow's baby, in Bhort, has just been christened Victor Alexander Herbart Huia. Well, God save her Host Gracious Majesty, who, as god>mother, gave the first two names. There ia nothing any one can find fault with in her choice. To the credit of the noble house of Onslow, also, the third name, which, we arc told, belongs to their fami y, has no harm in it. The fourth, however, is formidable and gruesome enough, like the lean kine of Pharaoh's dream,',to swallow up all the others and not be a bit the better of it. Huia, the name of a celebrated fighting chief, from whom were descended the warriors Bauparaha and Bangihaeta 1 There are associations into which to bring a decent Christian child. Who are his godfathers and god-mothcra 1 We do

not, of course, speak of her Majesty the Queen, who can dv no wrong, who, indeed, as we see, did her part worthily. Bat il that child ever forgives the others, he will have more Christianity in him than they are accountable for. Fighting chiefs and tatooed heads, and Maori ovjns— these are associations for a child to become acquainted with whea he comee to the use of his senses — and the more sense he gets tho madder he will be. As well christen him " Cannibal " straight out. Why the child cannot tuck his thumb witbout giving his nursa a turn. It is enough to set his teeth on an edge before he cuts th >m.

A DOUBTFUL SYSTEM

What must necessarily make us look with a good deal of apprehension on the increasing cry for Socialistic institutions is the spirit of hatred agaiast religion that the Beet in its higher development continues to display. We fiad, for example, that the Socialists of Paris have lately held an orgy in which a blasphemous mockery of Christian baptism took place and where the Catholic Church was fiercely denounced. But when we know that a source is poisoned we naturally distrust what flows from it even at a distance. Socialism had its origin in France, and in its origin was hostile to the Catholic Church, as we perceive it Btill continues. It would be very necessary for us then, in accepting even any modification of it, to be assured that religion was secure against any attack resulting from its success. As things are, however, is such the case ? The answer, we fear, must be in the negative. It is at least suspicious that a maj jrity of the declared advocates of Socialism among ourselves; are also the declared supporters of godlessaess and have expressed tbemselves determined to maintain a system, designed at th 3 fountain-head of their sajt in its malevoleat form for tho destruction of religion. Such blasphemous ceremonies, therefore, as that to which we have alluded must give Catholics, or, indeed, all sincere and consistent Christians, room to pause while they inquire as to the bonds which may possibly bind all branches of the sect together, and which may be, nay, if we judge by certain appearances are, of such a nature as to make it incumbent on all who desire the preservation of Christianity to repudiate connection with the adherents of the system referred to and to offer it their determined opposition.

DANGEROUS FOLLY.

The case of a Chinaman committed for trial in Dunedin on a charge of manslaughter by thrusting a bamboo rod into the stomach of a young fellow who bad made him the object of some horse-play, ■hould furnish a farther warning aa to the danger attending on Buch doubtful sport. A. caße of a somewhat similar kind, in which a frolicsome lad also came by his death, it may be remembared, occurred a few months ago near Wellington. We do not know that Cainamen, as a rule, are the virtuous characters that we occasionaUy hear them described aa being ; but, at least under the circumstances in which they find tnemselvea phced in thjse olornes, they are generally quiet and inoffensive when let alone. Things perhaps might be different were they nure numerous ; and there are certainly sufficient reasons for the steps taken to prevent their becoming so. When provoked, however, they are not controlled by the same standards of right and wrong that must more or less influence the conduct of men who have been reared among Christian surroundings, and they must be regarded aa less capable cf restraining themselves. The folly, therefore, as well as the impropriety, of assaulting them even in play is evident, and those who do so must be prepared to bear the consequences.

OBANOE LOYALTY.

" Thk voice of Ulster— or what passes for it— (says Truth of December 4) expressed itself in an engaging tone at a recent meeting of Orange electors in Belfast. Under the presidency of the amiable Dr. Kane the following resolution was adopted :—' We pledge ourselves to resist by force of arms, to the last extremity, any attempt by the Legislature or otherwisa to place us under the domination of our open and implacable enemies.' 'By the Legislature or otherwise,' observe ! A truly edifying ebullition of loyalty to the Imperial Parliament I And, unless the paper from which I quote the above is incorrect, Mr. Arnold Forster, one of the high priests of law and order, was present, and did not dissent when this resolution was passed." — Sir Walter Scott, we may add. in his recently published journal, draws a striking contrast between the Princess Victoria of Kent and the Prince whom loyal Orangemen would hive placed on the throne inatead of her. The Duke of Cumberland he describes as an impudent, swearing, brat, brought up in a barrack-yard.