NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE Irish measures in Parliament scarcely keep pace with the progress of misery and abuses in Ireland. One of the permanent measures, the Poor-relief,Bill, accompanied by the bill to lend a million and a half to landlords for permanent improvements, approaches its latest stages in the House of Commons ; and while it proceeds, the tokens of a recklessness that almost destroys hope
in any measure continue and multiply. Mr. Smith O'Brien has tried to revive, fruitlessly of course, the taxes on absentees. - According to his figures, a tax of ten per cent would yield some 400,0001: does he suppose that the great absentees do not spontaneously spend large amounts—so large that they could save the absentee-tax out of their free pay-
ments? He cited as precedents the taxes imposed before the time of Henry the Eighth, and intended to keep the. Lords of the Pale at the work of conquering " the wild Irish,"—a precedent as strange for an O'Brien to cite as it would be for a Parliament of the nineteenth century to adopt.
Emigration in Ireland is increasing, and is observed to have a peculiar and unpleasant effect: the small farmers depart in aug- menting numbers, leaving the land untitled. The undirected drain of spontaneous emigration—so much prized in official quar- ters—is not removing the disengaged surplus of the idle, but the efficient agricultural population, and' is leaving Ireland, as it
were, an overpeopled desert. Meanwhile' a desire for more sys- tematic colonization gains strength. While Parliament is chat- tering over topical remedies, the state of the country clamorously rebukes the neglect of more searching and effectual measures.
The Short-time Bill has passed the second critical stage, the Committee, and has come forth still a Ten-hours Bill in its pros- pective clause. On the eve of this last debate, certain manufac- turers of Glasgow sent in a proposition which would have had the effect of establishing a voluntary arrangement equivalent to the ten-hours plan, by a combination of relays, off and on for what a sailor would call "watches" of four hours each : the mill would be kept going for twelve hours a day, but each set of hands would only work twelve hours one day and eight the next. The advocates of the bill, however, had gained too great a start ; the House and the Premier had committed themselves too far; and no one would arrest the bill in favour of the Glasgow plan. Lord John Russell, goaded by taunts of silence, at length made a speech ; rather ably arguing for short time, but ending with the impotent conclusion, unsupported by any argument, that he should prefer an eleven-hours to a ten-hours bill. His middle term was treated with disregard : the objectors to the bill joined its supporters in rendering the experiment decisive.
A.third night has been devoted to Cracow. Mr. Stuart Wort- ley succeeded in " turning " the position taken up by Sir Wil- liam Molesworth ; showing that the payment on account of the Russo-Dutch loan was not really purchase-money for the Anglo- Dutch colonies : the two cessions, of colonies and of monies, were quite independent of each other, except in so far as they were both contributions to the general arrangements. Mr. Disraeli un- dertook to make out that there had been no violation of treaty, and succeeded in making an entertaining speech. This gentleman has a knack at displaying wit and sense in a thesis on some nonsensical theme. It is a sort of literary tight-rope-dancing : you wonder how the posture-master can execute such striking actions upon so worthless a standing-ground; you admire the feat, but as to results the exertion all goes for nothing. Ministers succeeded in bringing the debate to a nullity ; and, under threat of a damaging division, Mr. Hume consented to withdraw his motion denun- ciatory and repudiatory, and to leave the effect which he desired to rest upon the speeches. Parliament makes no record on the ELATEOT EDITION.) subject. Mr. Hume counts upon the " strangers" in the gal- lery, whose presence is annually forbidden and provided for— upon the probability that some one at the Russian Embassy will read the lucubrations of those strangers, and report the impres- sions thence derived.
The subject which has shaken London in its clubs and Eton in its foundation has made itself heard in Parliament : the Prime Minister has been asked if he means to interpose to prevent the abolition of Eton Montem. The contest has been carried on with the heat and absence of explicit reasoning that distinguish all great wars. Divers illustrious senators, quondam Eton boys, have met to vindicate the privilege, and they resort to the process of " blackguarding " the Head Master and Provost : the Head Mas- ter and Provost write hot exculpatory letters to the newspapers, without a word of exculpatory evidence beyond their bare asser- tion. that the practice is bad and ought to be suppressed. The public—both the public at large and the Etonian public—are left entirely to generalities and surmises as to the justice of the case. Mr. James says that the exaction of " salt" amounts to vagrancy and highway robbery; and it is certain that many lawless brutali- ties have been countenanced at public schools as devices for keep- ing up the "spirit" of the rising aristocracy. "Train up a child in the way he should go": have not Eton boys to be trained as legislators and country gentlemen—as taxers, rackrenters, scram- blers for offices and commissions, and other branches of exaction? If Mr. James is right, it should seem that the thing wanted was, not the abolition of Montem, but an alteration of the penal acts bearing on vagrancy and highway robbery. However, the spirit of the day is against the practice ; which has followed other feudal privileges " to that what's his name whence no thingum- bob returns." There is no favour now for the lawless and dra- matic pleasures of "the road." The wrongs licensed in our day are of the sanctimonious order : Eton boys must abandon Mon- tem and join the Society for the Suppression of Vice. Lord John Russell will not interpose to save the Etonian privilege.
