NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE Parliamentary week has passed without excitement and almost without debate. Only two Government :measures have been brought forward—one to extend the Lancashire Union Relief Act, and another for the Registration ei Irish Births and Deaths, and nothing is said of a necessary supplement, a general Marriage Act. Questions have been asked about Brazil, charitable endowments, the legal right of the Crown to cede the Ionian Islands, and harbours of refuge ; but they elicited nothing of special interest ; and sharp con- versations in the Lords on the ticket-of-leave system only pro- duced an avowal that Redpath, the forger, was living in Western Australia in independent comfort. A bill is pro- mised for Irish salmon ; but the business of the Houses has been desultory, the attendance small, and the conversations- 3t) call them debates is absurd—exceedingly dull.
In other pages will be found two very complete accounts of the insurrection in Polanll, which is not only not put down, but gathers strength day. by day. The facts are concealed from Western Europe, but the Germans of Posen contrive to ascertain what so deeply concerns them, and the first article is based upon their accounts. The second, explaining the design of the revolutionary leaders, and the organization of the Cen- tral Committee, is from Anglo-Russian sources. We must add to these statements the facts that the insurgents intend to avoid general engagements, that they rely in full confidence on Russian aid, and that they have promised the peasants their land—a promise already reverberating far beyond the the frontier. Success seems still almost hopeless, but the move- ment, it is quite clear, is a revolution, not a revolt.
Yesterday the proceedings in the Vice-Chancellor's Court of the University of Oxford, in accordance with the writ served on Mr. Jowett "for the reformation of his manners and offences," commenced before the Assessor, Mr. Montague Bernard. The proctor for Mr. J-owett applied for leave to post- pone proceedings till the 20th, stating that on that day he would protest against the jurisdiction of the Court and oppose the issuing of a fresh citation, or the amendment of the pre- sent one. The Assessor granted the delay, and gave leave to argue the jurisdiction on the 20th, but said that if the juris- diction were then allowed, the defendant must be prepared to appear without further adjournment. These proceedings against the wisest and most thoughtful tutor in Oxford are, we need scarcely say, grounded on the asserted heresies of his book and essay in Essays and Reviews, and are understood to be promoted by Dr. Pusey and Mr. Keble. If the Court's jurisdiction be established, and Mr. hwett's heresy-the also established, the penalty is exile from the University (precut e finibus Universitatis). The first appeal is, we understand, to the "delegates of appeal," named, we believe, by the proc- tors. If they are unanimous it can go no further,—if not, the further appeal is to the Court of Chancery and Lord Westbury.
Foreigners will be amused, and, perhaps, somewhat puzzled, to hear that the Prince of Wales has, with con,ider- able ceremony, become a fishmonger, and that he is likely also to become a skinner, a salter, an ironmonger, a haber- dasher, a merchant tailor, and, perhaps, a member of other useful trades. He swore last Thursday to be true to the Queen, and obedient to the wardens "of the Mistery of Fish- mongers," and "ready to come at their lawful warning, except I have a lawful excuse, without feigning or delay, according to the lawful ordinances of the Mistery of Fishmongers afore- said." The Prime Warden, Mr. Underwood, not feeling well enough to address His Royal Highness on this solemn occasion, Mr. William Cubitt, M.P., one of the Wardens, undertook the duty, and welcomed the Prince in a speech in which he plunged so deep into the antiquities of the Fishmongers, their hostility to Wat Tyler, and loyalty to Richard II., that when he returned to the surface he could not recall the name of the "illustrious, beautiful, and accomplished" Princess Alexandra of Denmark, and was indebted for that historical hint to a kind prompter. Lord Shaftesbury and Sir Rowland Hill were also initiated in the evening, when Lord Shaftesbury explained that though Princes and Peers might seem to con- descend to the fishmongers, the obligation really lay the other way, since the House of Lords owes a great deal more to the new blood of the fishmongers and their brethren, than the fishmongers owe to the House of Lords.
The Liberals seem unable to carry even their Government boroughs, the nominee of the Admiralty having been beaten at Devonport by Mr Busfield Ferrand, a Tory of the ultra-radical kind, known as a raging Protectionist. They will also ap- parently be beaten at Devizes, where a Mr. Israel Abrahams has gone down, apparently with the sole object of dividing the Liberals. The truth is, there is a terrible want of party organization. Ever since Mr. Coppock died everything has gone wrong, and while the Carlton never misses its blow, the Reform Club never succeeds, neglects the registration, leaves the "safe" boroughs to eldest sons—that silliest of mistakes —and allows impudent "third men," as in Northampton and Devizes, to interrupt every local arrangement. Some new blood is wanted at head-quarters unless the Tories are to walk over the course, and compel the iirhigs to beat clever intrigue by enlarging the constituency.
Mr. Fawcett has lost his election for Cambridge, the close of the poll showing—for Mr. Powell, 726; for Mr. Fawcett, 609. The failure is not, we believe, due to the physical blindness of Mr. Fawcett, but to the mental blindness of the Cambridge Liberals, who indulged in squabbles among them- selves, and would not unite on their candidate. The discredit to them is great.
Mr. Villiers proposed in the House, on Thursday night, to renew the Union Relief Aid Act of 1862 for another year. He gave a good account of its operation in the past, though the bounty of the country had reduced the scale of its appli- cation. The following sums had been already borrowed under the Act :—
By Preston, between Midsummer and Michaelmas 3,890 „ Blackburn ... 3,517 „ Ashton, between Michaelmas and Christmas ... ... 8,037 „ Glossop
„ Rochdale ... 5,887 „ Todmorden 1,186 Total 44,096
In addition to this, there had been charged, under the Act, to the counties, for Ashton, Glossop, Haslingden, and Preston, 19,5791.—making a total of 63,675/. borrowed or charged to counties under the Act. The Act is approved of in Lanca- shire, and the Preston Guardians say that it enables them to do with a rate of 2s. 6d., when, without it, they would require a rate of 5s.
No one disputed the present usefulness of the Act ; but the leading speakers in the debate urged, very wisely, that it should be renewed only for six months, and that the House before rising for the long vacation should reconsider the question. Lord Stanley asserted with great force that in our absolute ignorance of the drift affairs might take, to legislate for a whole year would be exceedingly foolish—a view in which he was strongly supported by a very gloomy speech from Mr. Cobden. Mr. Cobden estimated the pecuniary burden at present weighing on Lancashire as exceedingly heavy. Some Thillowners are now spending on their operatives at the rate of 30,000/. a year. He gives us the following estimate :- Raised from cotton districts and distributed through Man-
chaster central committee ... ... 350,000 Raised from cotton districts, but only passing through local committees ... 245,000 Raised from cotton districts and distributed wholly by private individuals during the year ... ... 250,000 Raised by poor-rates in cotton districts in excess of the average poor-rates for year ending Midsummer 1863 ... 600,000 Total special burden of expenditure in the distressed districts in the year ... £1,445,000
In addition to this, he reckons the yearly loss of wages by the men, after deducting what they receive from the rates and the relief-fund, to be 6,000,000/. per annum, and the loss in fixed capital, non-payment of rents, &c., to the capi- talist, at 5,000,000/. per annum. The whole special weight on Lancashire caused by the crisis is, then, he con- ceives, not less than 12,445,000/. in the year. All the ex- ternal voluntary subscriptions, therefore, are not, Mr. Cobden thinks, equal to 5 per cent. on the contribution of Lanca- shire; and as he does not consider that the enormous volun- tary subscriptions can be renewed next year, he expects the distress of next winter to be far more terrible than that of this, unless American cotton comes in again before then. He heartily supported, therefore, Lord Stanley's proposal to revise the measure in July or August,—to which the Government will, we should hope, agree.
The French have sustained two severe checks in their in- vasion of Mexico. I telegram which seemed absurd has been explained by letters received vi4 Havanna, from her Majesty's steamer Una, and the facts appear to be these. Negretti, the Mexican General, in the first week of the year, made a sortie from Puebla with 10,000 men, attacked the French advanced guard, 1,400 strong, and drove them back to Orizaba, completely clearing the road. About the same time, 800 Mexican cavalry made a dash at Berthier's corps, 4,000 strong, advancing from Jalapa, and created a confusion in the fog. The Frenchmen fired on each other, and lost 1,600 men, the Mexicans losing only 130. This repulse will seriously delay General Forey, who is, moreover, harassed by the small-pox, which has broken out in his garrison at Vera Cruz. The Mexican means of resistance are evidently on the increase, and we should not be surprised to hear that they had been joined by a few Californian and Texan sympathisers, men very likely to be dangerous to an advancing army.
The throne of Greece is still empty. The Duke of Saxe- Coburg has finally refused the crown, and the Greeks, humiliated and weary, have agreed to continue their Pro- visional Government, allowing its three members to appoint a quasi-Ministry. It is feared that disorders may occur, but as yet the three Powers seem unable to look beyond the charmed circle of German princes. The Duke of Saxe-Coburg, it seems, wanted aid to the extent of some 800,000/. to pull Greece out of the slough of insolvency.
The French debates of the week in the Corps Legislatif have been most unsatisfactory. M. Baroche, speaking Minister for M. de Persigny, admitted that the Government had interfered in the elections, and altered electoral districts in 29 departments, and declared that it would not consent to sit in the presence of electoral "combinations" with folded arms. He affirmed that the press was "free," that the right of public meeting would never be "imported," and that "to expose Government to absolute liberty" involved "an danger enorme." M. Billault, speaking Minister for M. Drouyn de Lhuys, refused to reply to questions on the object, extent, and probable duration of the Mexican inva- sion, but argued that it would immensely extend French busi- ness, French power, and French means of colonization. Ques- tioned on Poland, be said that the Emperor could not coun- tenance insurrection, and on Rome, that it was "not for the interest of France" that Rome should be the Italian capital. The last statement was afterwards qualified by observations about the necessity of reconciling Rome and the Papacy, the old story which postpones justice until its value has been proved by a miracle.
There seems to be a new restlessness in the governing circle of France, shown in excessive severity to the Press and all persons with an opinion. M. Fevre alluded in his speech on Mexico to- the old Jecker scandal, the purchase of the worthless claims of M. Jecker on Mexico by persons high in office ;—and M. de Per- signy ordered the press not to comment on the debates. The- journalists murmured, but the Moniteur informed them that the laws of public safety were still in force, and, fearing Cayenne, they submitted, and with columns full of debates. discussedthe Jardin des Plantes in the leader. A few lads who hurrahed for Poland in the streets have been subjected to preventive arrests, and the censorship over foreign journals has been made more vigilant. This journal,. of course, has for some time been formally prohibited in France; but the Cornhill Magazine has now shared the same fate, for an article on Kinglake's "Crimea," while the book itself is watched in every custom-house with a vigilance only displayed in England when there are suspicions abort tobacco. The cause of alarm seems to be the angry feeling - excited by the Mexican expedition, and its unexpected im- portance.
On Friday night, too late for our last impression, Mr._ Layard offered an explanation of the recent occurrences in Brazil. The facts are accurately known to the public, with the exception that the men of the Prince of Wales were supposed to be not merely wrecked, but murdered, and the inspector of the district resisted inquiry "at the head of armed men "—a circumstance, perhaps, explicable by the fact that cargo was found in a magistrate's house. The Consul at Rio Grande, accordingly, applied for assistance to the capital; but after months of negotiation no redress could be obtained.. Mr. Christie was, accordingly, instructed to insist on repara- tion, and, the Brazilian Government still refusing, to make- reprisals, which orders were carried out. On the affair of the officers of the Forte Mr. Layard offered no remark, but pro- mised that all papers on both subjects should be presented to- the House.
A bit of the forthcoming budget is to be prematurely re- vealed. It had been noised abroad that Mr. Gladstone intended to reduce the tobacco duties, and he was compelled, lest impor- tationshould cease, to give notice of a motion for that object. The rates are to be lowered from 9s. 5P. to 5s. on cigars, to 3s. on snuff, and on all other manufactured tobacco to 4s., the much more important duty on unmanufactured tobacco remaining untouched. It is believed the revenue will not suffer, as smuggling is excessive, common snuff, for example, being sold all over London at lid. an ounce, or, even allowing for adul- teration, not one-third of the duty. The remaining rates,. however, are still excessively high. Bengal cheroots, for example, can be made at a profit for 10s. per thousand, or 2s. per pound, which the duty will increase to 78., or 250 per cent. That temptation, however, is not enough for the smugglers, who always want a duty which shall make one cargo saved out of three pay all expenses. The consumption of tobacco has increased enormously of late years without any increase in the revenue.
We are happy to correct on the best authority the error inte which we fell last week concerning the vote of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce on the proposition to exempt private property at sea in enemies' ships from capture. Aware that Mr. Campbell's motion in the Chamber of Commerce had been carried by a large majority, we were quite unable to under- stand the report of the result given by the proxy voting. The explanation is this :—When Mr. Campbell's motion was first carried, a motion to take the vote by voting-papers had been previously negatived. Mr. Spence's party renewed this proposition in the Council after their defeat, and carried it by a very small majority. Eleven members of the Coun- cil protested, and issued a circular to the members, requesting them to abstain from voting, on the ground that the Council had exceeded its powers in issuing voting papers, and that any vote taken in that manner would be unconstitutional and in- valid. The returns given, therefore, were simply nugatory. The members of the Chamber number 609; probably all Mr. Spence's supporters voted, and only numbered 223; almost allof Mr. Campbell's probably did not vote,—and the 37 votes recorded in his favour were votes recorded against the wish and advice of the leaders.
Sir William Armstrong has resigned his post of Ordnance Engineer and Superintendent of Rifled Ordnance for the War Department, for no official or public reason, but in order to attend more closely to the Elswick Ordnance Company, which is now the chief contractor for the supply of rifled ordnance.
Convocation has metand done something; —which is a change for the worse. In the Lower House Archdeacon Denison has got a committee appointed to examine into the doctrinal character of the Bishop of Natal's book, and report on its heterodoxy or orthodoxy to Convocation. Archdeacon Honey led the opposition ; indeed, the strength of the speaking was entirely hostile to this attempt to revive the judicial authority of Convocation in matters of doctrine ; and the Dean of Can- terbury suggested that a committee of the Index had better be appointed at once. But the Convocation was allowed to discuss the matter without a prorogation,—thanks, we sup- pose, to Lord Shaftesbury's influence ; and the motion was carried. If condemned by Convocation, Dr. Colenso's book will probably acquire fresh weight with the world at large.
There have been conversations in both Houses this week about the tickets-of-leave. On Wednesday Lord Stanhope and Lord Carnarvon very justly laughed at the Government for devolving on a commission the duty of dealing with this question, and Lord Carnarvon laid the whole burden of the mismanagement on Sir George Grey, who, he says, has three times been Home Secretary during the last fifteen years, and has systematically "trifled with the prerogative of mercy," by shortening the judicial sentences and even dis- pensing in practice with the conditions nominally annexed to tickets-of-leave. Sir George Grey admitted in the Commons the same night, that he had taken no steps to make convicts about to be liberated on license known throughout the country. Be did not see how it could be done ;—he has never heard of photography.
Mr. Lincoln has addressed a very good letter to the working men of Manchester, in answer to their noble address of sym- pathy on the 31st of December. He recognizes heartily the spirit of self-forgetfulness in which they write, and expresses his concern for their sufferings. It had often been represented to him, he says, "that the attempt to overthrow this Govern- ment, which was built upon the foundation of human rights, and to substitute for it one which should rest exclusively on the basis of human slavery, was likely to obtain the favour of Europe." This representation the working men of Man- chester have powerfully helped to falsify, and their address will "excite admiration and friendship" among the Ame- rican people. Mr. Lincoln concludes with a hope, that whatever else may happen, "the peace and friendship which now exist between the two nations will be, as it shall be my desire to make them, perpetual." The letter is through- out dignified and simple, which must be a sad blow to the " rail-splitter's " many savage enemies in this country. Mr. Beresford Hope will feel that it is not quite in keeping with the character of either Belshazzar or Sardanapalus.
The Lord Mayor entertained on Wednesday Mr. Mason, the captured and recaptured representative of the Confederate States, and a clamorous dinner party insisted on hearing him speak. Mr. Mason was prudent, and confined himself to thanks and prophecy,—gratitude for the cordial reception which England gives to the emissary of the slave power, and the vaticination, that "the day will come, it is not far off, when the relationship between that Government, which is now in its infant fortunes, and yours will be one of close and intimate alliance." The prospect of intimate alliance, "doubtless political, certainly social," as Mr. Mason says, with slavery, seemed to delight the Lord Mayor's party, and the author of the fugitive slave law sat down amid loud cheers.
As usual there is a mess in New Zealand. According to the latest adviees the natives are still resisting the weakly concilia- tory plans of Sir George Grey, and threatening immediate war. The Governor and the Commander-in-Chief have, accordingly, sent home a demand for 15,000 troops, with a distinct intima- tion that refusal involves their resignations. The colonists be- lieve that Catholic priests are at the root of the matter, but the wretched jealousy of the Horse Guards, which refuses the local Governor authority to remove incompetents, is much more to blame. If the Commander-in-Chief will not give way, the Duke of Newcastle had better ask the loan of three regiments of Sikh Irregulars, a "mountain train," and Sir Herbert Edwardes, who, between them, would settle the Maori question once for all in six mouths.
The latest news from the United States (31st January) is still indefinite. General Hooker, "fighting Joe," has succeeded General Burnside in command of the Army of the Potomac, but the army seems to be useless from want of discipline, the superior officers refusing to obey orders to advance, and clamouring for M'Clellan. Eighty of them are to be removed. Gold was at 57 per cent. premium.
On Monday, Sir Robert Peel introduced a bill for securing the registration of births and deaths throughout Ireland. The system adopted is the Scotch, under which registration is compulsory, gratuitous, if made within three months, and must be signed by a qualified informant in person. It will be worked through the union doctors and dispensary doctors, who will be registrars, giving one registrar to every 7,400 persons. The bill seems sensible, but, unless Govern- ment intend to bring in a general marriage law, it is a little timid. There is no conceivable reason why marriages should not be registered in Catholic Ireland, as well as in Catholic France; nor does it become the dignity of the Imperial Legislature to swerve from its course at the bidding of a few priests. They might easily be paid for their work, to the immense advantage of the community. The measure seemed acceptable to the House.
The address of the Prussian Chamber to the King has been sent as a letter, and His Majesty, contrary to many expecta- tions, has vouchsafed a reply. This document reasserts that the budget can only be established by agreement of all Estates, and that when they disagree the King must conduct the Government ; deprecates the censure passed on those- who carried up loyal addresses ; reminds the House that expenditure has been reduced 4,000,000 thalers ; talks of the " Landes- vaterliche " feelings of the King ; refuses to diminish the pre- rogatives of' the Crown ; and hopes the Chamber will return to a spirit of conciliation. The tone of the reply is one of stupid kindliness, as of a man who, with good intentions, does not comprehend the issues at stake, and the country replies by electing at every vacancy men of advanced views.
The British Government propose to strike a dollar for their colonial possessions. Why not adhere to their own coin, the rupee, which already circulates through Asia, and which has the advantage of being the decimal of the pound ?
Professor Stanley delivered a sermon of more than usual interest from the University pulpit on Sunday last. Taking for his text the curse denounced on the serpent, he remarked how the two different schools of Calvin and Rochefoucauld had sprung from a strong conviction of the innate depravity of hutrian nature. Nevertheless, there was room for hope that the victory of the Son of Man over the seed of the serpent was being worked out. To take a familiar instance, all knew how one of the grossest sins of the flesh, the vice of drunkenness, had come to be banished from society within the lifetime of one generation. Passing, by an easy transition, to the more repulsive forms of spiritual vice, the preacher warned his hearers against the desire to think evil, the readiness to judge without examination, and other kindred growths of theological rancour. Five great movements, he said, had convulsed the religious world of England within the last thirty years. Of the first two Oxford had been the centre ; of the last three (twelve, four, and two years ago), only the echoes, as it were, had reached the University walls down to that day. He ap- pealed to the conscience of all present if it had not been a priceless good to all, that so many generations of students should have passed out into the world with no more unholy memories than of contemplation and study.
The George Griswold, the vessel freighted by Northerners with food for Lancashire, arrived in the Mersey on Monday. She was received with a salute from the North Fort, the Rock Fort dipped her ensign, all duties were remitted, and the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce have drawn up an elo- quent address to her commander. In it the Chamber express their hope that, as the Irish Famine produced free trade, so the terrible calamity under which America is suffering "may issue in some signal national deliverance, the benefits of which are to stretch beyond yourselves to the benefit of our common humanity." Liverpool praying for emancipation is a pleasant and unexpected sign of the times.
