The Press. — London, England, 1854-08-05 00:00:00

740 ~- NEWSPAPER OPINIONS ON MR. LAWLEY'S APPOINTMENT. Tan debate in the Commons on Thursday is made the subject of editorial remark in all the leading journals of yesterday. The Times happily exposes the fallacy of attempting to draw a distinction between Mr. Private -Secretary Lawley and Mr. Stock-jobbing Lawley A question has arisen whether he used his official knowledge in his City speculations. The question is a curious but not a very wise one; and the answer given by Mr. Lawley and his friends is still more curious and still less wise. Every man who speculates in the funds must use all his knowledge, whether private or public, for he cannot possibly ignore any part of it. He may tell more or less of what he knows to another, but he cannot tell more or less of what he knows to himself, and, if he be lieves in his official capacity that it is judicious to sell stock, he will not buy stock because he sees reasons for doing so in his public capacity. 1 u fact, this distinction of using private knowledge is quite beside the purpose, the rule—the rule of common sense as well as of office — being that nobody holding a Ministerial place shall specu late in the funds. So the question is not a very wise one. Mr. Lawley's answer is that he speculated, but lost. If that proves anything at all, it must prove that he did use his private information, for that is the surest way to lose. Everybody knows the story of Alderman Beckford specu lating twice on private information received from Lord Chatham, and losing so heavily, that, when be was offered private information a third time, he begged to decline it, as having had too much of it already. Moreover, as Mr. Gladstone's financial schemes were intended to raise the market, and did not succeed in doing so, it follows that Mr. Lawley must at least have shared his master's expec tations so far, that while one was operating for a rise on public grounds, the other was putting himself in a condi tion to hope for a rise on private grounds." The Post, supposed to reflect the sentiments of Lord Palmerston, is mere severe on " the War Minister" than on Mr. Lawley himself : " We charge the Duke of Newcastle expressly and specially with the responsibility of this appointment, and with all the scandal and disgrace of its results; because it was on him that the duty of selection and scrutiny rested before ptocceding to the point at which Sir George Grey found the engagement to Mr. Lawley. We believe that public opinion will be at no loss on whom to fix the chief blame in this most unhappy transaction, and we conceive that such a fresh and glaring evidence of indiscretion or incapacity will not tend to lessen the surprise which has been created by the position lately assigned to the Duke of Newcastle, and by the Cabinet arrangements, made ap parently expressly for his advantage and elevation. The unhappy episode of Mr. Lawley's appointment and dis grace is not of a nature to create confidence in the quail tications of the War Minister for an office peculiarly de manding judgment, discrimination, and firmness in its possessor. We wish sincerely that our eensure might stop here; but it is imposible to strike the War Minister without wounding the Chancellor of the Exchequer. What one did the other counselled. There is an unhappy sympathy between them in the matter of patronage. Both mesa to have a disastrous obliquity of vision, which has lel them to overlook honest and tit men in order to ap point to places of trust, emolument, and dignity, persons • whose habits will riot bear the light, and whose doings being ruin on themselves, scandal to the public service, and disgrace to their patrons. Among all the names con cerned in this ugly story, we repeat that the one to whom honour and credit are alone due is that of Sir John Pa kington. He has faced a difficult and odious task with timely good sense, firmness, and spirit, and has saved the country from incurring serious discredit and injury in one of the most important dependencies of the Crown." The Daily News comments on the rank ,jobbery of the whole transaction : " How admirably do all the events dovetail ! First, there is a Prime Minister wanting votes, with a son want - ing a seat. Next there is a sporting gentleman wanting anything that a generous Government has to bestow, and possessing a seat which is the very thing for the Prime Minister's son. Next there is a colony wanting a governor. The sporting gentleman is therefore appointed to rule the important colony. The Premier's son is introduced by the sporting gentleman to the disconsolate constituents at Beverley. Of course all this came about by pure accident. There was not the slightest corruption in the case—no pre vious arrangement whatever. It was simply a piece of accidental good fortune that the Minister got a sure vote, his son a safe seat, and the sporting gentleman a valuable post. Everybody concerned seem satisfied, and the tripartite ' accident' wanted but one thing to he completed as snugly as jobs were ever completed in the days of Sir Robert Walpole." The Ministerial journals—one morning and one evening—repeat the apologetic tone of their chiefs in the house. The Chronicle attempts to maintain that distinction between personal and official knowledge which common sense scoffs at " Nor is there any ground whatever for supposing that Mr. Lawley, in the speculations in which he unfortunately engaged, availed himself of knowledge acquired by means of his official position. The indiscretion which he has committed is in itself serious enough, and we have no wish to extenuate it: but it involves no moral guilt, and it is perfectly possible that facts may yet be stated which may show that simple imprudence, and an overanxious desire to meet debts of honour with the requisite promptitude, constitute the only charges which can really be substan• t iated." The Globe, caring nothing for character, thinks th t Mr. Lawley might have made an excellent good fellow sort of governor had the chance been allowed him, and hardly knows which to pity most, Mr. 1 THE PRESS. Lawley for losing so good a place, or the colony for losing so good a governor : " Mr. Lawley has not every virtue under heaven ; he has given evidence of good talents and good qualities—and those precisely of the sort fitting him fur a situation such as he was appointed to. That unfortunately one of his qualities, or rather propensities, has cancelled his claims we regret; and we are disposed to regret it for the sake of the colony, as well as of the gentleman principally and painfully concerned." THE CHOLERA. THE deaths registered in London last week were 1,219, having been only 1,008 in the previous week, and presenting an excess of forty over the corrected decennial average. The increase is caused by cholera, which has made considerable progress since the 26 deaths occurred which were announced in the previous report. It was fatal last week to 133 persons ; namely, to 42 children under fifteen years of age, 78 men and women between that age and sixty years, and to 13 persons sixty years old and upwards. Seventy-one, or more than half the number of cases, occurred on the south side of the river, 35 in the east districts, and the remainder in various other parts of the metropolis, as far as its western extremity. Diarrhoea has increased from 58 to 84 in the last two weeks. The Lord Auckland, which sailed from London for Bombay on the '2lst inst., with drafts of the 10th, 26th, 68th, and 87th Regiments, comprising seven ensigns and 187 men, under the command of Lieut. Steer, put in at Plymouth on Monday last, cholera having broken out on board. Seventeen cases and three deaths had then occurred ; and since the vessel has been at Plymouth six more cases ap peared, followed by three additional deaths. The sick have been removed to the hospital hulk, and by the last accounts the health of the crew and soldiers was improving. Sir Harry Smith boarded the Auckland on Tuesday, and expressed his disapprobation of the conduct of the solders, who were neither clean nor well-disciplined : a court of inquiry subsequently sentenced two of them to im prisonment. All the water was ordered to be started, and the ship to be cleaned, whitewashed, and purified. The Lima, an emigrant-ship, put in at Falmouth, ith cholera on board, on Monday last. Several deaths have since occurred, includii s the captain's wife, the ship's carpenter, cook, and two passengers. According to the official bulletin, on the 23rd July, there were 616 cases of cholera in St. Petersburg, to which 63 were added in the course of the day. Of these 41 recovered and 19 died, leaving 609. ( e irtiaull. THE VENERABLE MARCUS G. BERESFORD, D.D., Archdeacon of Ardagh, and Vicar of Larah and Drung, in the diocese of Kilmore, has been appointed to the vacant see of Kilmore, Ardagh, and Elphin. THE IRISH MILITIA, it is at present understood, will not be enrolled until after the coming harvest is over, and will not be embodied until the early spring of next year. Tows CousCILLOTt BOYCE was on Monday unani mously elected to till the office of Lord Mayor of Dublin for the ensuing year, Mr. Thomas Hutton having declined the proffered honour. Mr. Boyce is a Conservative. THE TRIAL OF MR. CARDEN for the attempted abduction of Miss Arbuthnot commenced at Clonmel on Friday (yesterday) week. The evidence, as given on the trial, was of a startling and extraordi nary character, but the principal facts have already been published. On the suggestion of Mr. Justice Ball, who presided, it was agreed to by the Attorney- General for the Crown, and by Mr. Martley, Q.C., for the prisoner, that his lordship should direct the jury that there was not a removal of the lady sufficient to constitute a felony, but that there was an attempt to commit a felony. The jury then found the prisoner guilty of the attempt to commit felony. This latter offence is punishable with two years' imprisonment, and a pecuniary fine at the discretion of the court. The proceedings were recommenced next day (Satur day), which was spent in the discussion of legal points. O❑ Mr. Carden, with three of his associates, being arrraigned for feloniously assaulting John Smithwick, the counsel pleaded that he had been already tried and acquitted of the felony, but con victed of an attempt to commit a felony. Issue was joined, and the question submitted to the jury, which found that " The acquittal of the charge of abduction is not an acquttal of the felony or felonies in the indictment." The trial was accordingly pro ceeded with on Monday, when Mr. Carden was again placed at the bar, charged with having committed a felonious assault upon Smithwick, the herdsman, who so gallantly came to the rescue of Miss Arbuthnot. The jury returned a verdict of " Not guilty," an an nouncement which was received with loud cheers, several ladies in the gallery waving their handker chiefs. Mr. Carden was then directed to be put for ward to receive sentence for the attempt at abduction SATURDAY, ct which he had been found guilty on Saturday, and; having obtained leave to make a few observations, spoke at some length in denial of his harbouring malice towards Miss Arbuthnot or any member of her family, or of his having any intention of using the drugs which were found in his carriage for the pur pose of producing stupefying effects. Judge Ball then, after a feeling address, sentenced Mr. Carden to two years' imprisonment, with hard labour. The trial of Mr. Carden's associates has been postponed until next assizes. The Tipperary Vindicator states that Mr. Carden's counsel would endeavour to save a point of law for him, it' possible, to be argued in Dublin. Mr. Carden was put to hard labour in the county gaol on Tuesday in the prison dress. ANOTHER CURIOUS AND IMPORTANT CASE is before the Irish Courts, having been commenced on Tues day at Kilkenny. The suit is a civil one, entitled Butler v. Mountgarrett, and involves a•elaim to the title and estates of Lord Mountgarrett. The defen dant, who is the holder of the title, is son of Henry Butler, third son of the eighth Lord Mountgarrett. Two elder sons died without issue, but the viscounty and property are claimed by Mr. Pierce Butler, the heir of the fourth son, on the plea of illegitimacy. The Hon. Henry Butler, father of the present lord, is stated to have passed through a varied career, living often abroad, and characterised during his whole life by erratic habits and an indulgence in play and dissipation. He married Miss Harisson, the mother of the defendant, at Harrogate, in 1811, but had previously lived, both in England and Scot land, with a Mrs. Colebroke, a widow lady of extra ordinary fascination and considerable property, which, however, she would forfeit upon marrying again. Notwithstanding this, it was alleged that, early in the same year, 1811, when in Edinburgh, Mr. Butler, in a jealous fit, uttered words before wit nesses which amounted to a legal contract of mar riage in Scotland ; and one of the auditors then present, a servant named Hannah Stride, has been examined as a witness at the pending trial. It is shown that Mrs. Colebroke had at that time formed a connection with a young man of property named *nude, to whom she was married, according to the Catholic rites, at Preston, in 1816, and that the same witness, Hannah Stride, was called to substantiate that marriage, which, however, was proved to be in , valid. If the Edinburgh marriage between the Hon. H. Butler and Mrs. Colebroke could be established, , his children by the subsequent marriage must be , illegitimatised, and the defendant would lose all claim to the title and estates. This is the case attempted to be set up by his cousin, the present plaintiff. The proceedings were unfinished at the date of the last accounts from Kilkenny, and pro mised to occupy several days longer. Ohituarg. THE sudden and unexpected death of CAPTAIN DICKENSON, so well known in connection with Oa Thetis, took place on Sunday night, at Greenwich . Only a few days since Admiral Walcott brought his claim to a salvage of 600,000 dollars before the House of Commons. His services were of a remarkable character. Hampshire by birth, he entered the navy in 1796 as a third-class boy, and was at the taking of St. Lucia and Trinidad. He next served in the Dreadnought. At the battle of Trafalgar he served under Collingwood, who was so pleased with his con duct that he was the first officer whom he promoted to the rank of lieutenant. He subsequently served in other affairs, and was presented with numerous rewards, as well for bravery as for skill in naval tactics. He was a member of several scientific insti tutions, and received the Vulcan gold medal for the application of percussion-caps to naval gunnery. He had a pension of 1501. per annum for wounds received in action. This pension, and an a pp o ment as resident captain at Greenwich Hospital, fall into hand by the decease of Captain Dickenson. The VERY REV. RICHARD MURRAY, Dean of Ar dagh, one of the most zealous clergymen of the Established Church in Ireland, has died in Ireland after a brief illness. The deceased was a powerful preacher and an accomplished writer. He was the author of the history of religion in the sister island, entitled " Ireland and her Church." The value of the deanery is 4501. a year. At the last meeting of the Protestant Association of Dublin, held on Tues day, the Rev. Dr. Gregg thus alluded to the event, the late dean having been one of the vice-presidents of the society:—" Most deeply did he regret the less of that beloved and enlightened dignitary of their Church. To him they were indebted for one of the most valuable histories of the Church of Ireland in existence. He was a man of heartfelt piety and heart-devoted faithfulness. The Church of Ireland never had a more faithful son—lreland a more de voted patriot—nor the Christian religion a more pious believer." The death of the HON. and REV. FRANCIS Jaiiss NoEL, MA., a son of the late Earl of Ciaiosborought