The Press. — London, England, 1857-05-16 00:00:00

TWO "OUT-OF-DOORS MINDS." In MAY 16, 1857. The business and desire of the Conservative party is to root out and bring to light the innumerable defects which have entered into the very vitals of the Administration of the Public Service, and by fully discussing them while the party is in opposition they aim at fami liarising the public with the details of the system objected to, that hurried legislation to meet a general cry from without may be avoided. Last week we adverted to the want of proper control over the expendi ture of public moneys. Since then the committee on public moneys has been reappointed ; and more, no doubt, can be elicited by the evidence of practical men employed in the large departments if allowed to state their views freely and unreservedly on the question whether there is by law any effective control over the public expenditure. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY, a member of the committee, has recently published a pamphlet upon this question. He states that the result of the evidence is that " there " is no efficient audit by competent auditors through the Audit Board," and that the powers of the Comptroller-General of the Exchequer are nullified by a system in the Pay-office which eludes all control, and is not sanctioned by the law. Well may the Administrative Reformers view the whole system of public-moneys control and audit as a sham. We stated last week that it was quite evident the control over the receipts and issues of Exchequer moneys must not be left solely in the hands of the Treasury, however competent the individual may be who is for the time being at tho head of the finance branch of the Treasury. He must always be the instrument of the Finance Minister, and may have to cook accounts at his bidding. No, we have already stated that this busi ness must be brought more immediately under the supervision of the House of Commons. Neither the Exchequer-office nor Audit-office, as at present constituted, are admitted to be satisfactory, but we believe it pos sible to blend these offices and introduce wore modern forms of business into the proceedings of the new offices by creating a practical as well as moral control over the transactions of public accountants so as to operate as an influence over the Treasury, not by interfering with the executive or the administrative business of the country, but by a system of bringing promptly before the House of Commons all ques• tions which may appear to he at variance with the intentions of Parlia ment. Mr. DISRAELI has stated it as his opinion that the functions of the Audit Board should be enlarged, and although it may be desirable to alter the system of Exchequer credits, it is to be hoped that the principle of Exchequer control will not be abandoned. The twelfth page of the Times yesterday morning presented a shocking array of crime. Side by side were the details of three mur ders above the average horror and atrocity of such offences, and two of which certainly seem to have resulted from most culpable negli gence on the part of certain persons concerned. In the first instance, a man named BLACKWELL, who was known to be deranged, whose removal to a lunatic asylum had been determined on, and whose mad ness was supposed to be of a violent and dangerous character, is placed under the care of one person, who is actually sent to sleep with him, without any other precautions being used, or any assistance being at hand. The result may readily be conceived. The already excited mind of the lunatic, irritated probably by the appearance of restraint, is worked into a frenzy. He conceives his bedfellow to be " a devil," and strikes him to the earth, and cuts his throat, in the conviction that he is performing a religious duty. His unfortunate victim had not died without a struggle, and had ordinary vigilance been exercised would probably have escaped alive. The next case is that of MARY Ass HADLEY, murdered at Canterbury by a young man whom she had discarded. Latterly his demeanour had become very threatening, and it was known that he carried pistols. The mother of the poor girl, alarmed at his language and pertinacious attempts to gain an interview with her daughter, went to the station-house and declared that she be lieved her daughter's life to be in danger. A policeman was sent with her, though for what purpose is not very intelligible They met Fox, who pulled something suspicious looking out of his pocket, but satisfied the policeman by telling him it was a cigar case ! The mother said to the policeman that she gave him in charge ; but instead of doing as he was bid, this functionary merely observed—" You be off; and if you're " here again we'll take you." He was off ; and the next thing heard of him was that he had pulled out a couple of pistols, and shot his late sweetheart dead. The girl was not to blame, for she kept out of the murderer's way, and gave him as little provocation as was consistent with breaking off their engagement. Her mother had taken every precaution in her power. But the official guardian of life and property, when called on to perform his duty, evaded either the responsibility or the trouble, and merely told the excited man to "be off." This was, probably, all that he desired ; and the subsequent accomplishment of his vengeance was rapid and certain. The conduct of the police generally in these sort of affairs is unhappily exceedingly capricious ; they are frequently a great deal too t'orward, and quite as often too backward. In the present instance, owing to a neglect of duty, ono human being, and in all probability two, will have been prematurely hurried into eternity. "Tho counterfeit presentiment of two brothers."--Ifs ROBERT (meeting Frederic in the Park).—Ha! Fred, how d'ye do, old fellow? I haven't seen you these thousand years. FREDERIC.—It is a long time, at all events—Friday, the twenty fourth ultimo, at 3 15 p.m., was, I think, and speaking without refe rence to documents, the date. I hope you are very well. ROBERT --First•rate. Toils of office off my shoulders, you know, SO I feel much lighter. Andras you are in the same pickle, why you can sympathise with me. FRI6DERIC.—You have your seat in Parliament. • • MAY 16, 1857. --- The business and desit and bring to light the inn the very vitals of the Admin discussing them while the liarising the public with th hurried legislation to meet Last week we adverted to LI tare of public moneys. Sine been reappointed ; and mor of practical men employed i their views freely and unres law any effective control over a member of the committee this question. He states th " is no efficient audit by con and that the powers of the nullified by a system in th is not sanctioned by the law view the whole system of pt We stated last week that i receipts and issues of Excite hands of the Treasury, howe is for the time being at tho He must always be the instil to cook accounts at his biddii ness must be brought more House of Commons. Neithe present constituted, are adm Bible to blend these offices an into the proceedings of the r moral control over the tra operate as an influence over executive or the administr system of bringing prompt] , tions which may appear to 1 anent. Mr. DISRAELI has st the Audit Board should be to alter the system of Exi principle of Exchequer cont The twelfth page of t shocking array of crime. f ders above the average hen of which certainly seem to gence on the part of certain a man named BLACKWELL, removal to a lunatic asylum ness was supposed to be placed under the care of or him, without any other preci at hand. The result may mind of the lunatic, irritate is worked into a frenzy. F and strikes him to the eat that he is performing a re not died without a struggle, would probably have escap ANN HADLEY, murdered at 1 discarded. Latterly his den it was known that he earn alarmed at his language and with her daughter, went to 1 lieved her (laughter's life to her, though for what purpos( pulled something suspicion the policeman by telling hir the policeman that she gave was bid, this functionary mt " here again we'll take you.' him was that he had pulled sweetheart dead. The girl murderer's way, and gave l with breaking off their en precaution in her power. B when called on to perform or the trouble, and merely was, probably, all that he clef of his vengeance was rapid generally in these sort of a they are frequently a great backward. In the present human being, and in all pi hurried into eternity. TWO "OUT_ "Tho counterfeit 11 ROBERT (meeting Frederi old fellow ? I haven't seen FREDERIC.—It is a long fourth ultimo, at 3 15 p.m. rence to documents, the dat ROBERT —First•rate. so I feel much lighter. Ant* sympathise with me. FRLDERIC.—You have y THE PRESS. 481 Roezar —That's true. Would you like it ? I'd give it you, by Jove ! except that to do so would oblige our follows, who have dis obliged me. FREDERIC ^I am equally thankful. I dare say I shall manage, one of these days. They can't spare ono of the few men they have who really know—don't merely think—that 5 times 0 is 30, and 8 from 19 leaves 11. ROBERT.—Does it? How well you count. What a pity you don't come on the turf. I'd put you up to things. Will you do something on Anton? FREDERIC.—Rido him, do you mean ? Thanks, I hope to save my neck and my country. ROBERT.—Ha! ha! Well, now you are out, you can speak out. What do you think of our chaps ? FREDERIC.—You know that there are many objects of which you form a juster estimate by retiring a little distance to contemplate them. It seems to me that I have dune so in the case of the folks whom you mean, or whom I suppose you to mean. ROBERT.—And the distance doesn't lend enchantment to the view, eh ? FREDERIC.—There can be no doubt, my dear Robert, that the present Cabinet is a very incapable one. _ _ _ ROBERT —Devilish. FREDERIC.—Not in the least that. Highly respectable and utterly inefficient ; whereas the party you allude to is differently re garded. It seems to me preposterous that Lord Palmerston should presume to think of carrying a great Parliamentary measure like that he has announced with such a row of supporters. Fancy the intense respect with which the House will listen to Vernon Smith, Charles Wood, or Sir John Ramsden, on Reform ! ROBERT.—Yes, or Lewis, or Wilson, or Horsman. By George, it's laughable. Do you think ho means to make all the speeches himself? FREDERIC.—He must—or reconstruct. Only consider. There really is not a first-rate, or even a first-rate second-rate, except, per, haps, Sir George Grey, to answer an Opposition speaker. ROBERT.—Bethell's not bad in an up and down fight. FREDERIC.—BetheII is a lawyer. Besides, he will be Chan• color. It is not in human nature to bear with Cranworth much longer. ROBERT.—NO, he'll be sending the Great Seal to the Zoological gardens, or some such piece of wisdom. FREDERIC (laughs).—How ridiculous you are. But, seriously, who else can you mention that is fit to defend Schedule A in the new Reform Bill ? I tell you Lord Palmerston must reconstruct. ROBERT.—Very fine talking, but you can't make bricks without straw. FREDERIC.—You have a reputation for understanding all about " bricks:' and I will not contradict you. I suppose you mean that there are no recruits, worth having, to be had? ROBERT.—That's it Where arc your men ? Unless, like what you may call him, that sowed the dragon's teeth—Caduceus, was it? FREDERIC.--For shame. Cadmus. _ . ROBERT.—I knew he was a cad of some sort. He sowed the teeth, and up came a crop of coves, didn't it? FEU:DEM.—Armed men. But what is Lord Palmerston to sow, except the wind, and then you know what he'll reap. RODE RT.—Blessed if I do. But I mean that there is likely to be a jolly row, when the Reform business comes fairly on, and somebody may start up out of the new lot, perhaps, and be worth Pam's tipping him a shilling, though he won't be worth one Bob. FREDERIC.—That you could name as easily as say Fred Robinson. ROBERT.—O, you know that ! You do know something. FREDERIC.—Without entering into the question of our compara tive knowledge, I would answer you by saying at once that the kind of man you hint at, the man who is to start up, and show himself a good giver of hard knocks, is just the man that the House does not respect, and, though he would be all very well in an episodical battle, he would be lost in a great debate. ROBERT. —Not a bit. What the Ministry want is a plucky fellow in an independent position, so that he don't cam for consequences, and who is not particular as to what he says, and would as soon pour a broadside into one fellow as into another. They should give him a front place, and tell him to blaze away like one o'clock, FREDERIC.—He should be a baronet, shouldn't he ? ROBERT (laughing).—No harm in being a baronet, I suppose, eh ? FREDERIC.—O, none in the world. But my notion of the Minis terial want is rather different. I think that to enable Lord Palmerston to make a good Reform Bill fight, he should select a man who has had official experience, but is not too old to have lost his vigour—a man who has no particular respect for anybody compared to himself, and who comprehends precision and detail, which in a constitutional change are of great importance. ROBERT.—He should be brother to a baronet, shouldn't he ?i FREDERIC (lauyhiny).—No harm in being brother to a baronet, I suppose ? ROBERT. —The fact is, my dear Fred., there are two remarkable men in this world waiting till they are called upon to regenerate things in general. When one of them's wanted he'll be at Tattersall's, where he's going at this present writing ; and so go id bye. LE.rit FREDERIC.—And the other? Alas ! there is no place in which he can be found. There's something in the world amiss. Let me calm m y mind with a sluo•brok for a few hours. [Exit. j