The Press. — London, England, 1858-12-25 00:00:00

1260 THE PRESS, DECEMBER 25, 1858. THE WEEK. MR. BRIGHT has compared the press of this country to a great steam ship in the Bay of Biscay, with its paddles driving it one way and its .screw driving it another, with no one on board understanding navigation. The terms of the comparison afford a new proof of the audacity with which Mr. Minim uses subjects of which he has no knowledge, but it is hardly worth while to point out to Mr. Ihnoirr that a ship is not steered either by her paddles or a screw. Mr. Balmer has, it seems, a mind incapable of true knowledge or correct representa tion, and instruction is thrown away upon him. He will understand retort better. What, then, if we throw ourselves into the conflict, with com parisons instead of arguments for weapons, and for the one cast at the press throw back two ? What does Mr. Btu Gin - think of "a Bear at sea in a washing-tub," or " a Cat upon ice in walnut-shells " ? Does he know anybody who, helplessly staring round him, wobbles about as purposelessly as the one : every moment on the point of tilting out ? or has he ever seen a politician skating hither and thither with outspread legs as distressfully and as ridiculously as the other? We think we have. We have seen an oratorical politician aspiring to be a statesman who had undertaken to fuse and remodel in a single session of Parliament a Constitution which the wisest and the greatest had taken six hundred years to form, after announcing formally and solemnly that he had been able to borrow from his forerunners an unexceptionable basis fin his new organization, suddenly abandon it, and confess that he had totally misunderstood its principles, its action, and its results. We have seen him vainly drifting here and there on the heavings of democracy in search of a landing-place, and finding none, and we have now laughed, now sighed, over his ungoverned and aimless skating-8 over the slippery surface of popularity, catching now at this and then at that device, to give himself some steadiness of attitude. JOHN BRIGHT, in October, said, "I venerate " the principles of your Constitution, and delight in its land " marks. The aristocracy is idle, silly, and corrupt, but the " middle classes are industrious, wise, and virtuous. Municipalites, poor " law unions, and parishes are admirably and equitably governed. I will " take the principles embodied in their administrative organization for the " basis of my new Constitution, in which every man, whether he be tall " or short, vicious or virtuous, intelligent or imbecile, shall have an equal " power and influence in the State." Jolts Minna in December discovered that the wise middle classes in the municipalities, the poor-law unions, and the parishes did not administer their affairs after this fashion, but procured the results which he has so lauded by giving to property, to stability of position, and to respectability of character that direct influence which is their due—a procedure from which the soul of JOHN BRIGHT recoils. And . thus it happens that Joux I3ltiotur is alternately wobbling over seas in his washing-tub, oarless, sail-less, and rudderl e s s , o r floundering and slipping on fields of ice in his walnut•shells. Or he is like the Barber's fourth brother in the Arabian Nights, who found the money which overnight he had put in the till so bright and glistening turned in the morning into dead brown leaves ? Even so has it been with the principles and the organizations which were to make Mr. Butater's success and England s fortune. The Barber's brother screamed and tore his hair till all the neighbours gathered round to hear of his mishap. And so has Mr. • BRIGIIT. lie had better have taken a lesson out of "Tristram Shandy." For our own part we are not disposed to trust the destruction and new composition of the Constitution of the Empire to a man who has not .yet, at forty-two years of age, mastered the principles upon which government is organized and administration conducted either in the Borough which he represents or in the Parish in which he lives. to bring the Government into hatred and contempt, and of attacking the principle of universal suffrage. But still sensible men as k one another Wit was either gracious or patriotic to reject with disdain the implied apology of the Emperor, and to prolong of malaise created by this unequal contest. As a loyal Frenchman, it was the duty of M. DE MON TALEMBERT to re _ ceive with some show of respect the conciliatory overtures made to him by his undoubted Sovereign, and to whom he was among the first to tender his allegiance. In very recent times the command er o f a f ort who prolonged his resistance beyond certain limits was liable to be hanged for having caused unnecessary bloodshed. M. nN MONTALEMBERT has be en guilty of a similar offence, and has no right to complain if hi s o b st i nacy should yield him hereafter harsh and bitter fruits. M. DH MONTALEMBERT has little reason to congratulate himself on the result of his appeal to a superior Court. In one respect, indeed, he has gained an important advantage, but he has done so at the expense of a vast amount of sympathy. For a brief space he shone like a meteor in our northern sky, but, like a meteor, his glory has quickly paled and faded away into the shadows of night. He would have done well to re member the wise and witty remark of one of' the wisest and wittiest of his own countrywomen : Il n'y a rien qui bride comme ks lauriers secs. Ills withered laurels are already scorched and crackling, nor has the interest attached to his cause outlived an ordinary nine days' wonder. The immense popularity he acquired in this country is easily accounted for. Englishmen are passionate admirers of " pluck," even in a doubtful cause, and they are taught from infancy to applaud at the name of Liberty, and to regard every monarch as a tyrant who keeps on foot a large standing time. They are, besides, pardonably, vain of their own institutions, though little aoquainted with their history and character, and naturally warm towards every foreigner who appears to appreciate what they themselves only dimly comprehend. In addition to all this, the Times gave the signal for enthusiasm, and bade the "greasy citizens " to fling their caps into the air and shout fot a Montalembert. Thus the Poitevin nobleman became a hero, and would have become a martyr, had not the crown of martyrdom been , withheld with a refinement of cruelty. The tyrant declined to be guilty of tyranny, and accorded a free pardon to a subject convicted of seditious and disrespectful writings. But the Count would accept no favour *out his Sovereign, and demanded justice from a higher tribunal than the one that had previously condemned him. his appeal has been so far successful that not only was the sentence mitigated, but Its real sting wait' drawn ont. lie has still to pay a small fine, and to undergo a brief' period of nominal imprisonment, but he is no longer liable to the dreaded Loi des Suspects, which would have exposed him to the risk of deportation to Lambessa or Cayenne, without so much as the form of a trial. The Court acquitted him of the charges of attempting The campaign in Oude has at length commenced under most favour able auspices. The Royal Proclamation tendering pardon to the penitent. had been issued not many hours when the Commander-in-Chief crossed the Ganges at Allahabad, and took the field in person, to inflict a swift and inexorable doom on all who persisted in turning a deaf ear to the gracious words of their Sovereign. But, like all true soldiers, averse to unneces sary bloodshed, Lord CLyor, halted his troops after advancing only twenty miles into the country, in the hope of conciliating submission when it was seen that he had the power to enforce it. It was also demanded by the commonest principles of justice that time should be given for the dissemi nation of the amnesty, and that a brief period should be allowed for the final election between present forgiveness and future destruction. No evil consequences of any material importance could result from a slight delay. The weather was every day becoming more favourable for active opera tions. The enemy had no reinforcements to expect, nor was there any chance of their availing themselves of the opportunity to concentrate their forces on any particular point. Already this humane and magnanimous policy has borne the fairest fruits. Among the first to lay down his arms has been LALL Alsnltoo SING, the Rajah of Amaithee, a chieftain highly honoured by his countrymen. His fort may be contemptible in the eyes of an English engineer, his guns may be few and insignificant, his armed followers may be little better than a rabble-rout; but it is equally certain that his local influence was very great, and that his example will have immense weight with chiefs of lesser note and consideration. Lord CLYDE'S first victory, therefore, has been over himself. Ile might have added another laurel to the wreath that already encircles his brow, by the forcible reduction of the Rajahs fort, and the confiscation of his territory; but he preferred mercy to a bloodstained triumph, and withheld his hand from useless homicide. The Amaithee Rajah was the first to yield, but soon to be followed by Rajah ParritEE PAL SING, and other landed pro prietors of greater or less mark. As the tenor of the Proclamation becomes better known and understood, its effect will be seen in the almost instantaneous pacification of the province, and the total dispersion of the desperate men who are excepted front the terms of the amnesty. Other forts, too, have succumbed to British prowess. Rampore liusseeah fell to Brigadier WALPOLE after a gallant fight; Buriah was taken by Brigadier Blom: after a brief investment, and Roohia evacuated on his approach; and on the 9th of November Brigadier EVELEGU completely routed the formidable army under BENI MADHOO, and captured Simree, his stronghold. Three leaders alone remain in Oude—the Begum, " the only man of her family," this very Bi' MADHOo, and NUIIPUT SING. The NANA SAHIB, indeed, is said to be in the neigh bourhood of Chundra ; but whatever influence he may once have possessed has long since evaporated, and few will care to share the fortunes of a man marked out for special vengeance. In Central India the aspect of affairs is not less encouraging. The Nawab of BANDA, a brave and powerful chief tain, no sooner became acquainted with the purport of the Royal Procla mation than he at once proceeded to General MicnEL's camp to throw him self on the mercy of the Government. His brother rebel, the übiquitous and swift-footed TANTIA TOPEE, is, however, still at large, but driven into the wild mountainous district around Asseerghur. Those jungles have already proved fatal to a fugitive leader, and one far more daring than TANTIA. It was here that CIIEETOO, the last of the Pindarree chiefs, ter minated his troubled career in 1818, his body being found torn and mangled by a tiger. Should our present enemy escape the wild beasts of the forest, he will find himself enveloped on all sides by masses of in fantry and cavalry, whom he can neither hope to conquer in the field nor elude by further flight. Finally, we learn from a telegraphic communica tion received by the Bombay Government that on the 14th of last month Brigadier SMITH overtook and Surprised the 6,000 followers of MACS SING, the Rajah of Powrie, and put one-tenth of the whole number hors de combat. The Duke of BuciiircunAm once laid a wager with Sir CnAni.Es SEDLEY that his chaplain should preach a funeral sermon upon a very wicked old lady of the period, and that every word of it should be in her praise. His grace won his wager, and the sermon ran something in this wise,--That the subject of it was born in Shad-well, that her name was Cress-well, that she lodged in Bride-well, died in Camber-well, and was buried in Holy-well. Of much the same character has been the great match lately played between Mr. late of the firm of OVEREND and Guitsv.v, and the Times newspaper. The Times no doubt has lost. Mr. Cli.tr3tAs has no doubt proved what lie undertook to prove. Ile did this thing right, and that thing right, and the other thing right ; yet, a ft er ali, he has been unable to efface the very g ene ra l impression that the whole thing was wrong. Just as a man whose every feature is faultless, who has a Grecian nose, and brilliant eyes, and a high forehead, and hyacinthine locks, frequently possesses over and above them a most dis agreeable expression of countenance. We are obviously penning these remarks from Mr. CIiAPMAN s own point of view. We are supposing him to have shown that in every particular alleged by the Times the conduct of his firm was blameless. B u t s uck, in truth, ie very far from be in g the fact. Messrs. OVERENiI and GIJRNEY certainly did not issue the spelter warrants knowing th e m to be fictitious and , i ns tead of bill; to