iftt Yartruinitio.
The Lord Mayor's banquet at the Mansionhouse on Easter Monday was distinguished by a speech from Sir Hamilton Seymour. Among the other guests were Lord and Lady John Russell, Lord and Lady Palmer- ston, the Honourable Sir William Temple, the Bishop of Chester, and the Duchess of Somerset. Of course the list of toasts followed the ordinary routine. Lord John Russell, in answering for her Majesty's Ministers in Lord Aberdeen's absence, deprecated hasty criticism of our military and naval officers. Lord Palmerston spoke for the House of Commons. Sir Hamilton Seymour spoke in reply to " the Diplomatic Service of the country." After returning thanks, he said he would have been content to sit down at once, being altogether unaccustomed to address large assemblies, but that he had a long story to tell. The confidence they had reposed in him was due, not to the individual, but to the system of diplomacy adopted by the British Government. That system is remarkably simple. It consists in a man keeping his eyes as wide open as he could, and in writing home obser- vations, not such as were moat likely to please the English Government, but such as they appeared to be to the man himself. That was the system uni- versally adopted by English diplomatists ; but, unfortunately, it was not followed abroad. In particular, it was not adopted by the Russian Govern- ment ; and the consequences were what we have all seen. Had the Russian Government followed the same practice, he believed that none of the pre- sent evils would have come to pass. But, unfortunately, a contrary course was adopted ; for nothing could be more inexact, nothing more false, than the notions with regard to Europe in general that were circulated through Russia. What did they write with regard to the provinces of Turkey ? They wrote that nothing but the greatest horrors prevailed ; that the priests were murdered at the altar ; that the Christian temples were burnt; that the grossest sacrileges were everywhere committed; things that made his hair stand on end, till he found that he could not trace a single word of truth in the whole relation. What did they write from Constantinople ? They wrote that that interest- ing invalid the Sultan got worse and worse ; that his flesh and his appetite were quite gone; and that his obstinacy was such that he refused to take the prescnptions which the Imperial physician was good enough to send him. What did they write from London ? They wrote that John Bull was a very material fellow ; that he was immersed in the Three per Cents; that he was very fond of the creature comforts ; and that he was most unwilling to in- terrupt his present flow of prosperity by meddling with affairs with which he bad no direct concern. So much for England. He must say here that he was not alluding to mere diplomatic correspondence—to the despatches of Prince this or of Count that—but to general reports sent from the country. What did they write from France ? Why, they represented that country as having hardly escaped from one revolution or political change, and as being only bent upon avoiding another; that the men of commerce were intent upon realizing large fortunes ; that the Government was Imperial in its sym- pathies; and above all, the idea of a close connexion between England and France was treated as a myth—as a thing to be talked of but never to be realized. It might be asked, what was Oa English Minister about ? But the English Minister was a very small man. He did what he could, but his voice ems small; for it was at what was tulicl to the Emperor of Russia in the Iraftglish laeguege that availed anything, but what was said to him in the Russian language] and Sir Hamilton was persuaded that if there had been any ono among lug advisers of courage on of character sufficient to tell his Majesty the emus' truth, his Majesty would never have followed his present unfortunate course. The result was, that England is plunged into a war with a people having many sympathies with England, which not only per.. chases half the produce of Russia, but pays for it beforehand. There are many kind hearts among that people, and many friendly hands, which he should be glad again to shake when the present mists of prejudice have been dispelled.
But if they had lost an old ally on one side, the circumstances of the case had wiped away centuries of jealousy and hostility with regard to another country—the French nation. In every language there are words of peculiar significance and importance. Thus, when they say in England that a man behaves himself like a gentleman, they bestow upon him the highest com- pliment, and they mean that such a man would not only fulfil but would go beyond his engagements. Now, in the French language, the words "loyal" and " lovaute" have the same significant meaning ; and in speaking of the French cabinet he must say, that, as far as his own powers of observation had gone, those terms were peculiarly applicable to the acts of the French Government. As far as he had been able to observe, nothing had been more loyal—nothing more marked by loyautd—than the proceedings of the French Government. He did not wish to go into any personal affairs, but there was one slight circumstance which occurred to himself, and which he thought., as regarded the conduct of the French Government had not attracted the at- tention it deserved. Among the arts that were used—dodges, he believed, is the modern word—to separate the English and the French Governments, the Russian Cabinet meted out a very different treatment to the English Minister from what was awarded to the French Minister. For instance, Sir Hamilton received one fine winter's morning the agreeable intimation that his back was more agreeable to the Government than his face ; that his passports were ready ; and that it was desirable he should set out from St. Petersburg as soon as possible. Nothing of the sort was done to the French Minister. But it happened that this little act was foreseen and discountenanced at Paris ; and it so happened, that when the French Minister heard of this, acting upon his instructions, he wrote to the Russian Cabinet requesting that a similar passport might be made out for him ; and so off he went. At the close of his speech, Sir Hamilton hoped they would excuse any tinge of asperity that might have appeared in what he had said. Many of them, in travelling, had experienced the discomfort, when arriving at a station, of finding that they had left an umbrella or a carpet-bag behind them • and they would therefore excuse any annoyance felt by a poor travel- ler himself, who had left behind him the whole of his luggage, and who therefore naturally felt a little excitement on the subject. (Cheers and laughter.) Among the other speakers, were Sir Fitzroy Kelly, who paid a very high compliment to Lord John Russell—" his character' abilities, and great public services, entitled him to represent the fusteityin the world".; and Mr. Sichels, Secretary of the American Legation, who testified to the interest felt in the cause of Turkey by the, United States.
It will be remembered that some time ago Mr. Westerton Church- warden of St. Paul's, Knightsbridge, presented to the incumbent, the Honourable and Reverend Robert Liddell, a series of complaints touching his manner of performing the service. Some of those complaints we quoted at the time. They were, generally, that the choristers, with the clergy carrying vessels used in the service of the church, march in a kind of theatrical procession from the vestry to the "high altar," approaching it with bows, genuflexions, and ineurvations ; that they bow to a massive cross, and with much ceremonial place the vessels near the altar ; that the service is "intoned" with much emphatic gesticulation and bowing ; that a cross has been placed on the altar; that a credence-table has been set up; that vessels and robes such as are used by the Roman Catholic priests are borne and worn by the clergy; that bouquets of flowers and
other foreign frippery" are placed about the church ; that the offertory or alms-money is appropriated for the purchase of this "meretricious trumpery " ; and that candlesticks are set upon the communion-table.
Mr. Liddell simply acknowledged the receipt of this complaint; and Mr. Westerton next memorialized the Archdeacon of Middlesex and the Bishop of London. The Archdeacon replies, that he cannot with any legal effect receive any presentment of grievances except at a visitation. The Bishop takes up the complaints seriatim. He states that Mr. Liddell did- net introduce the several practices and innovations set forth in the memorial, but that he " eontinued them as he found them, with the ex- ception of a few observances which were discontinued" at the Bishop's request. This relieves Mr. Liddell from the charge of having introduced them. The Bishop also states that Mr. Liddell has assented to his re- quest that he would discontinue the procession of the clergy bearing the vessels and elements of the holy communion; is " a distinct imitation of the practice of the Romish Church." rith respect to the bowings, genuflexions, and gesticulations, the Bishop observes that Mr. Liddell denies the correctness of Mr. Westerton's statement ; and the Bishop himself, and "a confidential person" sent on purpose to the church, did not observe any such gesticulations. Indeed, Mr. Liddell has endeavoured to restrain it in others, and is not inclined to any extravagance of the kind himaelL The Bishop does not approve of the practice of " in- toning," but he would " rather hear the prayers well intoned than badly read." What Mr. Westerton designates as the " high.alter" is not an altar at all, except in a figurative sense of the word. It is not of stone, but wood ; not fixed, but moveable ; when the Bishop consecrated the church, its height did not attract his notice ; it is now the property of the parish, and the Bishop does not think he has the power of directing its removal. Candlesticks he would rather not see in parish-churches, but he " is not prepared to order their removal when they have been placed there for several years." He considers the cross objectionable ; but when he wished it to be removed, he was told that its removal would wound the feelings of the congregation : yet he certainly wishes it were removed; and he would be glad if the parishioners would agree to its re- moval without his authoritative sanction. He sees no objection to a cre- dence-table and the use of flowers, but is opposed to their being paid for out of the offertory collections. At the close, the Bishop dwells on the fact that the parishioners have acquiesced in the practices in question for a long time; and be infers from the crowded congregations that they are not offensive to them. At the usual meeting for the election of Churchwardens, on Tuesday,
Mr. Westerton's reelection was opposed, and Mr. Thomas Davidson was nominated in opposition. Put to the poll at once, the numbers were- Westerton 203, Davidson 200. The Vestry unanimously adopted a re- solution authorizing the removal of the super-altar, the credence-table, the cross, and the candlesticks ; protested against paying the washing and choristers out of the alms-chest ; and recorded its strong disapproval of the " procession," and the practice of intoning the service.
The Chief Commissioner of Public Works has bought Burlington House for the nation, at a cost of 150,000/. It is stated that much larger sums have been offered to Lord Burlington for the house, with a view of converting it into a sort of London Palais Royal, but that they were re- fused. It is surmised that the purchase has been made in order to form a national gallery ; but this is only conjecture.
The death of Mr. Alderman Hooper, which took place on Monday, causes a vacancy in the Ward of Queenhithe. Mr. Hooper had been an Alderman since 1840.
Catherine Saville, a middle-aged woman, " of placid and pleasing coun- tenance," has been committed by the Lambeth Magistrate on a charge of drowning her infant son. The poor woman ie evidently not in her right mind. Having drowned the child in a basin of water, she went to the City and informed her husband of the fact. In court, the husband said, he had noticed some days before the calamity occurred that her mind appeared to be disordered ; but he does not seem to have taken any precautionary steps. When the Magistrate asked Mrs. Saville if she had anything to say, she replied, smiling, that the child had been much neglected; adding—"I thought it had better die, and go to heaven at once: I was very comfortable, and had everything I wanted."
Alfred Richards, "a genteel-looking youth" of sixteen, clerk in an insurance-office, has been remanded by the Worship Street Magistrate on a charge of shooting a little boy in the New North Road. The boy is a crossing-sweeper; according to his statement, he asked Richards for a half- penny, on which Richards drew a pistol from his breast and shot him. A bullet has entered the left breast, and is in the boy's body, probably lodged under the scapula : result doubtful. When Richards was arrested, he drew another pistol from his breast, not loaded ; a third was found at his lodg- ings. Before the Magistrate, he offered no defence or explanation.
Last week, Moses Moses, a Jew, the proprietor of the warehouses in Bell Lane, Spitalfields, was committed on two charges of receiving stolen pro- perty ; but other cases are to be brought against him. He appears to have received stolen property by wholesale, and a score of people who have been plundered by burglars have recognized a portion of the goods they lost in the immense accumulation found at Bell Lane. In one instance, Mr. Har- greaves, a Manchester warehouseman, found in the collection nearly the whole Of four hundred pounds' worth of shawls and handkerchiefs of which he had been plundered.
The artisans were at work in Woolwioh Arsenal on Good Friday, pre- paring munitions of war ; a number were engaged in making rockets ; one of the rockets exploded, and some composition took fire : several of the workmen were thrown down by the explosion, but no one was seriously hurt.
The cast of the Occur de Lion statue has been removed from New Palace Yard. Sir Charles Barry was opposed to its remaining, or to the erection of the statue itself there, as it will not harmonize with the buildings around.
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