NEWS OF THE WEEK.
TIRE mystery about General Sherman's movements is at last .1 cleared up. It is certain that he destroyed Atlanta and the rail. road between Atlanta and Chattanooga, and started on the 14th November for Macon,—on the route, as it is believed, to Augusta, —and subsequently, as it is conjectured, to either Charleston or Savannah. On leaving Atlanta he divided his army into two columns, the right under General Howard, the left, under General Slocum, each consisting of two corps. The cavalry was under General Kilpatrick, and he was to receive his orders directly from General Sherman. The left column must have taken the line of the Augusta railway, while the right struck more for Macon. Macon is 104 miles from Atlanta, and unreliable rumours had been received of its occupation on the 21st, which were pro- bably not true, as General Sherman only contemplated a march of fifteen miles a day—a very rapid one---ani this would not have brought him yet to Macon. On Sunday, the 20th, he was said to be within eighteen miles of Macon, where great alarm prevailed, and his cavalry had ridden into Milledgeville, the State capital, and captured some of the members of the Georgian Legislature. Augusta, his next point, which General Slocum's column will reach first, is 171 miles from Atlanta, and after that Sherman must make for the sea to restore his line of supplies,—whether at Charles- ton or Savannah no one can say. The New York Times supposes he would march first on Brancheville, 75 miles from Augusta, the terminus of the Danville railway, and as many lines of railway as Atlanta,—but probably his first object must be the sea coast and a line of supplies.
The American correspondent of the Star, sometimes well in- formed, sends home a remarkable story. He says the States of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, and Missis- sippi have decided since General Sherman commenced his march to return to the Union, that they have selected Mr. Stephens as their representative, and that he is on his way to Canada, thence to negotiate with Mr. Lincoln. The terms suggested by these States are a guarantee of their debt, the North receiving all cotton within their limits, emancipation without compensation, full amnesty, and the surrender of all munitions of war within the State limits. It is quite certain that Mr. Stephens is in conflict with Mr. Davis, and that opinion in these States has been seriously affected by General Sherman's march, but the story seems improbable for this reason,—the States can get emancipation with compensation, and are not likely to ask for less than Mr. Lincoln has already offered.
We regret to record the death of Lord Carlisle, better known as Lord Morpeth, a reformer, an early free-trader, a popular Lord- Lieutenant of Ireland, and one of the most sincere philanthropic Whigs. He was not a man who would have risen far had he not been born to an earldom and cousin of the over-powerful clan whose centre is Stafford House, but being so born, he used his great position, his considerable scholarship, and his moderate faculty for government for the benefit of his countrymen. He was one of the few practised officials in England who retained a sweet temper, and his personal amiability often gave him the influence which intellec- tual force brings to other men.
A Reform meeting of some importance was held at Bradford on Thursday evening, attended by members from Bradford, Leeds, Halifax, and the West Riding, Mr. Forster in the chair. The drift of the speeches was to enforce upon Liberals the duty of either supporting their members in demanding Reform, or of not exacting pledges to vote for it,—of being, in fact, politically honest. .All the speakers urged strongly a wide extension of the suffrage and a redistribution of electoral districts, and two of them —Mr. Forster and Mr. Babies—declared their belief that if the Reformers once showed themselves in earnest Mr. Gladstone would lead them. The special points made, so far as we can judge from very imperfect reports, appear to be these. Mr. Forster declared generally against speculative sche:nes of reform, and emphatically against the proposal for a reform which should be based on the system of voting by rates. He condemned Earl Grey's proposition for allowing the House of Commons to elect life members, bikt wished the working class to consider, and give an opinion upon, his suggestion for lump voting. Mr. Stansfeld believed that any scheme brought forward, to be successful, must remove the fear generally entertained that the workman's influence was to be made supreme. Mr. Baines declared that the Bill ought to be produced next session and not next Parliament ; and Sir F. Crossley told a capital story. He said the objection to reform,. that the existing system worked well, reminded him of the Yorkshire lad who had outgrown his clothes. Everybody laughed at him, and he went to his father for a new suit. "Thou cut, thou," said the old man, "what dost go roaring for new clothes for, when thou hast thriven so well in tho3e thou haat ?" The meeting was very numerously e ,tendei, and it was stated without contradiction that members would everywhere have to face the question on the hustings.
Mr. Charles Buxton wrote an elaborate and very thoughtful letter to yesterday's Times on tke duty of the moderate Liberals with regard to Reform. He said that the question itself must inevitably be raised on the hustings, that the principles of all true Liberals forbid them to refuse a real representation to the work- ing class, and that the interest of the country and the respecta- bility and ingenuity of that class demand such a representation. But he denied, as we do, that they have any claim to absorb by virtue of their numbers the whole political power of the country, and he objected to a measure like Mr. Baines's, which should Live a mere instalment, but would be sure to extort further instal- ments. He considered the plan for representing minorities which we have described as "lump voting," according to which a voter may pile all his votes on any one candidate, and only rejected it on the ground that "no House of Commons made up of human beings would ever adopt it ; it would shift so many seats at the next election." And he then proposes a scheme which would shift quite as many seats and sound much more invidious,— the scheme of giving some electors as many as four votes, others three, others two, in proportion to their rental. Now, no scheme is so confidently denounced by the Liberals as "impracticable" is this—not because they see any injustice in it themselves, but be- cause they see that plausible epithets of reproach might be applied to it. And why he should reject the "lump voting" on account of impracticability, and yet embrace this, we do not see. We must make up our minds to carry an "impracticable" scheme, if we are ever to have a just one.
Dr. Keble and 64 Anglicanus" have had a little correspondence in the Times on the comparative inspiration of different Scriptures and the doctrine of endless punishments. Dr. Keble thinks the dry historical Scriptures are all absolutely preserved from error, but that they do not reveal as mush as the Gospel of St. John and the books which contain spiritual disclosures. He grounds the doctrine of the absolute accuracy of the Scriptures on the common and unwritten law of the Universal Church, and verifies it by the words "according to the Scriptures" and "who spake by the prophets" in our Nicene Creed. If we stated a fact on the clear and direct evidence of Dr. Keble, should we prove our reliance on his inaccessibility to error? If we said, as we might, that Dr. Keble's Christian Year is. full of the divine spirit, should we assert his literal infallibility? The endless-punishment doctrine he proves by the voice of the Fifth Council, on the authority of Nicephorus, who had "access to its Acts." Nicephorus, says
The Patriot in its issue of the 1st inst. falls into an error which it may be important for the sake of the clergymen of the diocese of Natal to correct. It supposes that the colonial clergy- man who addressed Mr. Maurice in the letter against spiritual tribunals, published in the December number of Macmillan's Maya- is a clergyman of the diocese of Natal. The consequence in that diocese would in all probability be an inquisitorial inquiry on the part of the metropolitan, with menaces of diminished or abolished income for the secret accomplice of Mr. Maurice. The gentleman in question is, we believe, an Australian clergyman.
• It is worth while to remind gentlemen who are speculating on the possible business of nest session that there is one inevitable morsel of business which they all forget. The period allowed by the Act of 1844 after which the right of Government to purchase all railways made since that year begins expires in October, 1865. The Cabinet must bring in a bill to renew Ate period, and is not very likely to do it without suggesting conditions which will raise no small amount of discussion.
The Chambers of Hesse-Cassel on the 2nd inst. presented a formal remonstrance to their Elector. That personage had promised solemnly to re-establish the Constitution of 1831, and has, after the fashion of kings, broken his promise. The Chambers de- clare that the situation of the country is serious, "that they have been bitterly deceived," that " acts of the Legislature conducive to the welfare of the people maybe reckoned as rarities," that schools, agriculture, and commerce are all declining, that if "irrevocable misfortunes" are to be avoided, "a period of sturdy creation and refoimation" must be at once commenced. The Elector replied on the 3rd inst. in a long paper, in which he complains that the Chambers have not asked for the removal of stated grievances, that their criticism is "wanting in the required moderation," that they trench upon the respect dm to himself, that they ill conceal their "tendencies," that as to the Constitution the Chambers are in fault, not the Elector, that they must introduce a new electoral law, as a forerunner of the Constitution, and that nothing will be done till the Chambers abandon the attempt to diminish the "unassail- able prerogatives of our Crown." In short, the Elector intends that the existing misgovernment, the object of which we have explained elsewhere, shall continue, and if the Hessians choose to endure that kind of reply, there is nothing more to be said.
Mr. Layard made a long and very dull speech to his Southwark -constituents yesterday week defending the foreign policy of the Government. He said that the doctrine of "balance of power" meant this,—" that the different States of Europe, when they see one nation sufficiently strong to despoil another, and attempting to do so, should combine together to prevent that unjust attack,"— and then he proved that no State of importance would combine with England to prevent the unjust attack on Denmark, and therefore England did not apply the doctrine of balance of power. He also stated that if the electors of Southwark had done him the honour to read his speech in defence of Lord Russell, they would have found a complete demonstration that Lord Russell used no language of intimidation not also used by all the other great neutral Powers. No doubt some of the electors did Mr, Layard the honour referred to, but probably they did not do Lord Russell the honour to read, as we did, all his despatches: If they had, they would have dis- covered that Mr. Layard dealt -with those expressions of Lord "Anglicanus," living ten centuries later, can be shown to have made a mess of his evidence and confused his Councils, and how will Dr. Keble support Nicepboras ? The methods taken of demon- strating the authority for menacing doctrines are even more wonderful than the passionate attachment shown for those doctrines themselves.
A deputation of clergymen and laymen waited on the Arch- bishops of Canterbury and York on Thursday, to thank them for their recent pastorals, and to pray that "Your Graces may be richly endowed with wisdom from on high, and may be enabled with the other Primates and Bishops of England to take effectual counsel for upholding amid the peculiar dangers of the present times the divine authority of Holy Scripture and the integrity of the faith." This probably means a prayer that their Graces may be enabled to supersede the Privy Council in interpreting the doctrine of the Church of England. The Archbishops did not enter into this question in reply, but simply said they believed that the doc- trines impugned were a substantive part of the Articles. As they have plainly prejudged the question, we trust they would decline to sit on any Court of Appeal which, if it ever came into existence, 'would have to try the question again. Russell which it was most convenient to deal with, and left the others alone. Mr. Layard "went in" for Parliamentary reform.
Lord Stanley and Mr. Austin Bruce have both been lifting up their voice against Government interference with the education of the middle classes,—Lord Stanley strongly,—Mr. Austin Bruce (who is Vice-President of the Council of Education, and knows what the middle-class schools are) feebly. Mr. Austin Brace is in favour of real culture,—he does not think much of the answer to the argument, "Byron was a Harrow boy," which is contained in the repartee, "Yes, but Burns was a ploughboy." He thinks the middle class should be much better taught than it is,—that "its schools are some good, some bad, but the greater part middling." He thinks inspection is needed for them,—but shrinks from suggesting Government inspection, and wants the Universities to appoint and manage the inspection. Lord Stanley is apparently against all interference with the private and eccentric methods of middle-class education. He thinks uniformity bad,—that is, we suppose, that every school should have its own opinion as to what is best to teach and how to teach it. He thinks demand for educa- tion will bring supply after it, which is true,—and an ignorant demand a vulgar supply. He thinks the University local exami- nations better than inspection,—though they only, test the " crack " pupils, and not the general teaching of the average boys. But Lord Stanley believes in laissez faire.
The Austrian Reichsrath seems to be getting too independent for the Government. On the 2nd inst. the Minister of War had to tell the members, in an excited tone, that "Austria would give her last man—not to speak of her last florin—for the maintenance of her power abroad," which must be satisfactory to a Chamber pleading for reduction of expenditure. Again, on the discussion of the clause relating to the state of siege in Galicia, the Ministry became so excited that the Emperor had to warn them not to come to a rupture with the Reichsrath. The Chamber adhered decisively to its condemnation of the state of siege, and one member affirmed, without contradiction, that while 8,594 persons had been tried by court-martial, only 3,624 had been found guilty, and of course shot or imprisoned.
There has been a kind of battle raging this week between Lord Clarence Paget and the Times, in which the official does not by any means win the game. The Times attacked the Admiralty for sending the Victoria, an immense wooden three-decker, to the Mediterranean. Lord Clarence Paget, in a speech to his consti- tuents last Friday night, explained that this ship was commis. sioned because the iron-clads were so badly ventilated that crowd- ing was dangerous, that the Victoria could carry a vast number of men sent out as reinforcements, and that a roomy ship was re- quired for the "departments" which manage the business of the fleet. The reply is a crushing one. The reinforcements are not sent to the Admiral's ship at all, but to the ships they are destined for, or the receiving-ship at Malta, while as to health, Admiral Hay states that the iron-clads are the healthiest of all the ships, the smallest sick-lists being those of the Resistance and Research, and the Royal Oak being the only one which shows signs of want of healthiness. Lord Clarence must have a new excuse ready by February, and had better produce the true one —that Admirals like the wooden vessels better, and that it is the custom to humour Admirals.
Mr. Seymour Fitzgerald addressed his constituents at Horsham on Tuesday in a speech chiefly devoted to non-intervention, reduction, and reform. He claimed for his party the credit of having re-introduced the doctrine of non-intervention, but immediately proceeded to explain that England could not it down in "cold isolation," that "we must make our name, our character, and our weight" felt in every quarter of the globe as guardians of liberty —which is not exactly non-intervention. As to reduction, he thought money might be saved on the army, particularly in the departments; but he objected to reductions in the navy until we possessed the finest navy and the finest artillery in the world—a party hint worth noting. As to reform, he would not enter upon the question, only he was ready to vote for an extension of the suffrage which would "preserve Conservative institutions" and not swamp all classes in one—which is unobjectionable, but a little indefinite. What does Mr. Fitzgerald mean by calling the manu- facturers, men who "make their wealth by the toil of their work- men ?" By whose toil does the landed proprietor make his?
Mr. Fitzgerald a supply of fairies or angels bottled up an ere to let loose on the land, or is a " labourer " not a workman The police have discovered a store for the reception of stolen goods, larger than any bilieved to exist in London. This is the Grapes public-house, Spitalfields. Two constables had entered the house for some purpose, and seeing a man with a gold chain in his hand talking to the landlord at once suspected a robbery, and the man resisting, seized him and searched the house. It was found full of stolen property, some of which has since been iden- tified, large quantities of watches, silver spoons, watch bows and chains, and in an upper room many valuable dogs. The landlord, it appears, inherited the licence from his father, but had previously gone through a sentence of six years' penal servitude, and since the searching of his house has absconded. The police stated that previous to the breaking up of this place watch robberies occurred in the Commercial Road almost every night.
The Russian Government has opened a lottery loan for 100,000,000 roubles-15,000,000/. The bonds are to be re- -deemed by "drawings," two of which will be held annu- ally for thirty years, and at each drawing the prizes will amount to 90,000/. We suppose the plan will draw the money, but if anybody wants to gamble in that fashion we should think rouge et noir more interesting, and quite as creditable. Why does not the Czar set up a great "hell" at once?
Sir Robert Peel has been addressing his constituents and congra- tulating them on the "faille milieu" between Liberalism and Toryism which the present Government has so happily hit. He did not seem to find his office in Ireland a very pleasant one, but he remarked that the Irish complaint of the neglect shown to Irishmen in official appointments was singularly false. All the prin- cipal colonies and dependencies of Great Britain—Canada, India, Australia, and others—were at the present moment, he said, governed by Irishmen,—a fact no doubt due to their personal ability, but also proving that the Government does not hesitate to make use -of their ability. There was not an office, he said, which Irishmen Aid not "either hold or covet." He thought therefore English- men should have their due influence in Ireland, since Ireland is certainly allowed ample influence in the other departments of the Government. That is all very sound, but if we are to admit the -doctrine of moral specific gravities to the full extent, and let the denser thought of either country flow over to fill up the ratified places in the political atmosphere of the other, we shall surely have no excuse for transmitting to Ireland the light wits of Sir Robert Peel!
Mr. Goldwin Smith writes to the Daily News a very high estimate of General Butler's powers. He has been with him at City Point, and regards him as "in all points, good and evil, the model of a revolutionary chief." "Like Denton, he has walked straight on his wild way, fearless of danger, and somewhat reck- less of opinion. I do not worship revolutionary characters. I hate the element from which they spring, as I love the calm progress of regular improvement. But revolution has come, and I suspect that in its melancholy annals Butler will occupy a broader and per- haps a less odious page than is commonly supposed." He has struck a medal for the negro soldiers; with "Ferro us libertas proveniet" for the motto, and "he has made the motto," says Mr. Goldwin Smith, "a practical truth." This is, we believe, a true estimate of Butler. But even now, in all his speeches, the ma whom a _great revolutionary exigency has driven to liberate the slaves for ulterior political ends, is a statesman who would care little for their liberty if it were not bound up with the welfare of the American Republic.
Very funny wagers appear to have been laid in the North on the issue of the late Presidential election. One man (who has luckily won his wager) agreed if he lost it to dine on the steps of the courthouse in Trenton, New Jersey "on all the pleasant days of a week," dinner to be served to him, by the filthiest bootblacks procurable. In Chicago a Democrat will be obliged to pay for, and eat, four dinners with such coloured company as the other party to the wager selects. Another Chicago Democrat has to carry his opponent on his back round the principal square to the sound of music. In Binghampton, New York, a man has to parade the streets at noon as a "sandwich," with " sold " inscribed on each board of the sandwich. In Providence, Rhode Island, a Republican, if unsuc- cessful, would have had to wheel a negro in a barrow down West- minster Street to the bridge, and back up Broad Street ; and a Democrat was to do the same for a white boy. The Democrat has lost, but, "with the consent of his opponent," has wheeled a negro bo round the course in place of the white boy. Is that a relax-
ation of the penalty, or a voluntary act of expiation, to render homage to the negro after all?
A strange burglary occurred on Monday in Lombard Street. Messrs. Baum and Son, bullion dealers, have the floor of a large house, and in one room keep a large iron safe full of gold and securities. The house is left at night to the housekeeper, a niece, and her husband, and the strong room is guarded by double doors. On Monday morning, however, it was found that a hole had been cut through the brickwork of the wall, the :door of the strong box taken off, and gold and securities worth, according to Messrs. Baum and Sons, 5,000/. abstracted. The thieves left four ordinary crowbars in the room, they broke the locks of the iron safe—with- out any reason, as they had taken off the hinges—and they had tied up the dog, and then let him loose again with a strap round his neck. Finally, knowing they could not close the outer door, which is fastened only by bars, they screwed on a spring latch. The housekeeper heard nothing, or her nephew, oriniece—all respectable people—and the breaking of the locks, the knowledge evinced of the premises, the theft of useless securities such as bills of ex- change, and the contradictory reports about the amount stolen, are all exceedingly odd circumstances.
Mr. Isaacson, proprietor of the millinery business known to London as the establishment of Madame Elise, in which Mary Ann Walkley died of overwork and bad air, has just sent one of his workwomen to gaol. Annie Alexander, his shopwoman, a girl of nineteen, the daughter of most respectable parents, was charged with theft of goods to the value of 80/. It seemed from the evidence that she had formed an acquaintance with some young man, and took articles to dress herself up to go with him to the theatre, a "body" trimmed with lace and pearls being found in her box. Strong evidence was produced as to her general character, and Mr. Isaacson pleaded for a lenient penalty, but the Assistant- Judge sentenced her to twelve months' hard labour. The poor girl seems to have been guilty, but out of mere silliness and crave for any excitement which could relieve the dreary weariness of her life. The prosecutor, who had obtained his property bick, might have felt his access of humanity before he made the charge ; but philanthropy in court is reported—out of court, not.
A company has been started, with a capital of 350,000/., for lighting important towns in Austria with gas. It has been offered concessions for thirteen towns, at an average rate of 10s. 4d. per 1,000 feet. The promoters state that good gas coal is purchasable at 20s. per ton, and believe that fifteen per cent. may be expected, Austrian gas shares being, they say, usually at a premium.
Gold continues to be withdrawn from the Bank of England for transmission to Egypt on account of the new loan, and the stock of bullion in that establishment has been reduced to 13,840,694/. The return of the Bank of France is very favourable, and the directors have reduced their minimum rate of discount to five per cent. ; the bullion shows an increase, as compared with the preceding statement, of about one million sterling. The amount now held being 14,225,620/. It is stated that further parcels of gold will be forwarded to Egypt next week.
On Saturday last Consols left off at 89 to 89k for money, and 89f 1 for account. Yesterday the closing prices were :—For delivery, 89k I ; for time, 89f Yesterday and on Friday week the leading Foreign Securities left off at the following prices :—
Greek Do. Coupons .. Mexican
Spanish Passive • • .. Do. Certificates
Turkish 6 per Cents., 1858 1862.. Consogdes.. • r
The following were the closing prices of the leading British Railways yesterday and on Friday week :—
Caledonian Great Eastern Great Northern ..
Great Western.. ..
West Midland. Orford -. Lancashire and Yorkshire London and Brighton .. London and North-Western London and Bouth•Western London, Chatham, and Dover Midland North-Eastern, Berwick Do. York .. Friday, Dec. 2, ▪ 231 ▪ 291 • 33 15
71- 4
461 Friday, Dec. 9 • 23 • 29/
.. 31 • 14
711
so 471 Friday, Dec. 2.
• • 1321 471 133 781
as
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105 98 39 114 Friday, Dec. 9 1301 48 1341 78 57 115 105 1181 98 381 137f 114 1031
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