The Press. — London, England, 1857-07-11 00:00:00

FIFF7..n4 THE PRES S, JULY 11, 1857. " nothing was easier" than for him at that moment (Oct., 1856) to obtain the right of entry into Canton. Meantime the little bill comes in, a half a million is asked on account beforo anything is done, and the reduction of the tea and sugar duties is to be suspended. The total amount collected for the Hume Memorial has been 1,6581. 78. Sixteen hundred and fifty-eight pounds and seven shillings was "the tottle of the whole" subscribed by the Liberals and Radicals in honour of the veteran economist! Time was when the Whig aristocracy quaked at the name of " Hume," and when " the large constituencies hung upon his words. A more faithful and untiring public servant the Radicals never had, and JOSEPH HUME performed considerable services for the "Liberals." The smallness of the sum raised in his honour excites inquiries of various kinds. Was Mr. HUME overrated when living, or is he un justly neglected when no more ? Or is it that his name, also, is to be added to the long list of public men who, like BURKE, SHERIDAN, Sir PHILIP FRANCIS, MACKINTOSH, and many more, never received justice from the Whigs ? Lord ROBERT GROSVENOR, at the " Hume Memorial Meeting " on Thursday, said, " When he remembered how much the " late JOSEPH Humz had sacrificed for the public good, the great services " he rendered to his country, he was surprised that he had not received " a greater public acknowledgment." We also share the surprise of Lord ROBERT GROSVENOR. But some wags might be wicked enough to lay the alleged " ingratitude " of the public at the door of the Member for Lambeth. Mr. WILLIAMS said that "he was one of the four or fire (!) Liberal Members who started the memorial." The auspices were not favourable. Mr. WILLIAMS " hoped that future generations would " think better of the late JOSEPH HUMS than the people of the present " day." Mr. WILLIAMS ought to be contented if " posterity " thinks much or at all about many politicians of the time. Mr. WILLIAMS then related his wish that in the House of Parliament there should be a statue to Mr. HUME, " but that Lord PAL " MERSTON gave a very ungracious answer, but he trusted " that there would ibe more Premiers than Lord PALMERSTON." But Mr. WILLIAMS fails to perceive that " the people" have been just as " ungracious" as the Premier. " The people" of England are rich enough to subscribe for twenty statues to JOSEPH HUME, if they had fully appreciated him. The Irish gave O'CONNELL in 1829 the sum of 55,0001., and in subsequent periods they contributed 225,0001. to one " who," as Sir A. ALISON remarks, " died poor, having given to his poli " tical followers what they gave him." They raised a handsome chapel over his grave, and two statues to his memory at Dublin and Limerick. What have the Radicals done for JOSEPH Hew. ? We fear that the answer must be of a double character—to the effect that his public reputation was in some respects temporary and overrated, but also that his undoubted services and well-meant efforts were not pro perly appreciated by his political friends ; for it cannot be forgotten that Mr. HUMS wished to be a Privy Councillor—an honour never offered to him by the Whigs. The intelligence that the next mail will bring us from India it, is not improbable will comprise the destruction of Delhi, and the spread of the revolt in neighbouring cantonments. It is scarcely possible to conceive so serious and so deep-seated a mutiny being crushed just as it attains its full development. In its earlier stages it might have been repressed with ease. That it will now be limited to Delhi we have every doubt. It is impossible to deny that the position of India is one full of peril. No evasions of the Government, no set speeches, or diplomatic interpretations of definite questions, can fence off this palpable fact,—that the most reckless misgovernment has brought about the gravest crisis, and excited a most serious rebellion against our rule. The 14,000 troops under orders for India it is pro bable will be 20,000, and it is necessary that they should ; for wo may calculate upon disturbances occurring at the advanced posts of our Indian empire, if, as in the case of Ceylon, we withdraw the Bri tish forces for services in Central India. The seeds of revolt are at this moment too surely ripening among the Cingalese, while our position at Pcgu at one end of India, and in the Punjaub at the other, is far too precarious to be implicitly relied on. Add to this the enormous additional cost we shall now be involved in to maintain our supremacy, and the public may well ask whether a double government is the best form of government to develop the resources or to maintain intact the credit and dignity of our vast Indian empire. The Glasgow poisoning case is at length over, and the verdict which was generally anticipated has been returned. By this time the whole details of the trial have been thoroughly criticised by the publics press, and on the general evidence adduced we have nothing new to add. But we cannot help thinking the present a very fitting oppor tunity for calling public attention to the nature of the Scotch verdict of " Not proven." We are among those who cannot appreciate its propriety. his thoroughly opposed to the maxim of English law, that prisoners are innocent until they are proved guilty; and it seems to us almost equally at variance with the dictates of common sense, which forbids us to punish a person on mere suspicion. The verdict of " Not proven" unquestionably amounts to a punishment, for it affixes an enduring stigma to the defendant's name, and quite as un questionable is it that this young lady's guilt is now but a matter of conjecture. We are sorry to see journals, whose duty it should be to curb public prejudice and dissipate inconsiderate opinions, pandering to the popular excitement, and writing down to the level of THE WEEK. Vistus England with arrested breath pauses for intelligence from India, Europe is once more startled with the sound of the Republican fusillade in Italy. A vast conspiracy for the establishment of the Red Republic, and extending from Paris to Italy, Hungary, and Spain, has been discovered. The plot of the Reds, who agreed upon means peculiar to themselves to insure their success at Paris, was there first abruptly disturbed by the arrest of the leading conspirators. The planned European revolution broke out immediately afterwards at Leghorn and Genoa. At both places the attempt was promptly suppressed with more or less bloodshed. It was tried in Naples with as little success; and the Italians will once more be taught, through the scaffold and the platoon of infantry, the fruitless ness of insurrection. It is time that the people of Italy were convinced that to achieve their independence by force of arms, alone and unassisted, is an illusion. If they rely upon Lord PAL MERSTON, let them bear in mind the Noble Lord's relations with the Government of Vienna, or recall Brescia and the Sicilian insurrection of '4B. Will Lord PALMERSTON help them more now than then? The Italians may rest assured that, so far from assisting them, the British feet, in event of any extended movement, will, in conjunction with the Austrian and French forces, assist in preserving the status quo. The sympathy of England for the political degradation of Italy may be sincere, but it is limited to its sincerity. Never was there a period when revolt was more hopeless, or more calculated to aggravate exist ing complications, which will inevitably lead to the most perilous con sequences, and result in the overthrow of that constitutional system in which at this moment are centred the hopes of all patriotic Italians. A discussion of a highly interesting character on an Important point of " Order," took place on Wednesday, with reference to the expenses of the Persian war. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER suddenly presented estimates to the amount of a million, and Mr. ROEBUCK took objection, taunting " a Liberal Government with throw " ing a slur and stigma upon the House of Commons." Sir H. WIL LOUGHBY understood that the sum to have been moved was 265,000/. Then Sir CORNEWALL LEWIS pleaded the inconvenience of a discussion upon the estimates. After some telling practical remarks from Mr. F. Soorr (Berwickshire), Sir J. PAKINOTON rose to the point of " Order," and moved that the debate be adjourned. Conflicting opinions were given on both sides as to whether the course followed by the CHAN CELLOR of the EXCHEQUER in presenting the estimates on Wednesday was right. Sir JAMES GRAHAM came to the aid of the Chair, and deli. vered an opinion with all the weight due to his experience and know - ledge. At intervals during the discussion there were cries of " Chair," and the explanation given by the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHE QUER was lame and unsatisfactory. At last the SPEAKER rose to decide the point of " Order," and began by observing " that the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER intimated his intention (to " whom ?) to present these estimates on Tuesday ; but, not seeing him " before the Bar of the House before the commencement of public " business on Tuesday, he omitted to call the name of the Right Hon. " Gentleman." This is certainly a singular explanation. After some vague evasion of the point of " Order," Speaker DENISON then threw the question to the Members at large :—" It was for the House to " decide whether there was anything in this proceeding which inter " fered with the regular course of business." It may have been for the House " to decide," as it alone has the final power, but we respectfully submit that it was for the SPEAKER to have delivered his ruling on the point ; and it is plain that on this occasion, as in some others (like the Rochdale Petition a few days since), the Right Honourable Gentleman had not made up his mind. Hitherto, the decisions of Speaker DENI • sox have been rather wanting in firmness and precision, and it must be recollected that many doubted whether the Right Honourable Gen tlemau was sufficiently versed in Parliamentary knowledge to fill the Chair with efficiency. As yet, Speaker DENISON can scarcely be said to have made any status for himself ; he depends upon his position, and hardly supports it with adequate force. At his age, in one who has previously held no office of magnitude, improvement will be diffi cult ; and beyond doubt, in present times, the Speakership of the Commons requires to be filled with energy. Sir CHARLES WOOD'S reply last night to Sir JOHN PAICINGTON with reference to the state of affairs in China is a pleasant commentary upon Lord PALMERSTON'S declared opinions upon the Canton quarrel. The loroha affair occurred last autumn—this is July in the succeeding year and Sir CHARLES WOOD, with charming complacency last night, says " that nothing further has taken place." We have hitherto, in common with our countrymen, laboured under the delusion that the justifica tion of Sir JOHN BowalNo was based upon the necessity of " prompt measures " when dealing with Asiatics. It is now obvious how hollow was the argument. Where is all the promptitude of the Palmerston policy ? Nothing has been done in China beyond our having been driven out of Canton, and compelled to remain on the defensive for six months, if net for twelve. We confess that wo are at a loss to perceive the fore sight of Sir JOHN BOWRING, when be expreasea his opinion that 676