The Press. — London, England, 1857-06-27 00:00:00

- - "R, r' ^ .l 7 4llC ww - ' • —4.4Ablistler 1), . 01 74 r eAle:,. Zbt No. 217.—V0L.V. Vress. LONDON, SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 1857. LORD PALMERSTON is said to be the chief of a I , powerful party, and the most absolute Minister since the days of WALroLE. Now, it is quite possible for a Minister to bear about the name of Dictator for a very long time, if he chooses to surrender the substance. If a school master proclaimed perpetual anarchy on the simple condition th 't when parents and guardians were announced his pupils should assemble in the school-room, repeat a well learned lesson, and affect to tremble at his nod, there is no doubt that he would for a time be the most popular of pedagogues. It is a most significant circumstance that of all those great questions which are now agita ting men's minds, so few, if any, are in the hands of the Government. The age of social improvement has succeeded to the age of politicians; and yet there is not a single man in the ranks of the Government who stands in the first class of our social Reformers. Defeats upon social questions continue to attest the truth of these remarks. The Premier's "honourable friend," Mr WILLIAMS, of Lambeth, vanquished the Ministry on Tuesday upon the Finsbury-park question. The debate and division were the more remarkable as those Cabinet • Ministers, the Premier, Sir GEORGE GREY, and Sir CHARLES Woon, were pitted " on their legs" against Mr. WALPOLE and Mr. HENLEY, the latter of whom was extremely effective. Ministers were urgent in their en treaties that the bill should be passed. They even went so far as to alter the wording of the measure, but they were beaten by 91 majority. Such a defeat coming after the anti Ministe rial victory, gained by Sir DENHAM NORREYS last week, has put people in a critical vein with respect to the position of the Palmerston Government. The suspicion is taking rapid root in the minds of the new Members of the House of Commons that the Palmerston Ministry is not likely to last, and the instincts of the younger Members point to the same conclusions in this • respect as the opinions of more expe rienced politicians. A reaction against Lord PALMERSTON has certainly begun. His want of knowledge of domestic affairs has been strikingly visible even in this present short session. People are at last getting wearied of his jaunty self-assurance and his faded attempts to pass for a witty speaker. Many, too, have got hold of the notion that some clever diplomatic artifice is in reserve, for the purpose, when next session arrives, of adjourning the promised Reform Bill. Others, also, calculate that there will be a Ministerial crisis about Christmas, as the winter solstice has often had an agitating effect on the vivacious deportment of the Noble Viscount. The notion certainly has got abroad that the proposed Reform Bill, in any true Parliamentary sense, is a mere delu sion. LATEST EDITION. LONDON, SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 1857. Adroitness in dealing with single individuals is Lord PALMERSTON'S chief accomplishment. In knowledge of the law and customs of Par liament, and of public business generally, the Premier yields to several Members of the House of Commons, amongst whom we might mention Lord JOHN RUSSELL on one and Mr. HENLEY on the other side of the House. Per sonal dexterity,however, will not plan measures, sway the public out of doors, or rule parties. The late time of life at which our Premier has become a leader has militated against his efficiency. He still occupies a neutral position and his majority wavers to and fro because it is known that the Liberals have only a tem porary chief with a transitory system. A Cabinet without convictions must palsy a large majority. As a Minister for Foreign Affairs, the public opinion of the country finally condemned Lord PAL3IERSTON. As a Home Secretary the Noble Viscount con fessedly failed, but the mismanagement of the war gave him a chance. We are not at war now, and the commonplace character of Lord PALMERSTON'S views about military education and army reform have extinguished the sup position that the Premier is a great or ganiser. The new Members in the House observe, also, that Lord PALMERSTON is looked on as a " Parliamentary middleman," playing fast and loose with opposite parties, and that "the House" accepts him only for the conve nience of the hour. Could it, therefore, be cause for wonder that Lord PALMERSTON'S star should be rapid in its declension? A name may be better than nothing. It may also be worse. When the people see a Cabinet of incapables propped up solely by the traditional repu tation of a single Minister, it begins to wish that he were less famous, and to doubt the advantages of a great man who only uses his power to promote the reign of mediocrity. STAMPED ....SIXPENCE. UNSTAMPED..FIVEPENCE. the bookworms of the Pays Latin, and certain sacerdotal adventurers who are in a con spiracy with certain ex-journalists to cheat the world into the belief that they are personages of consequence. Many causes, besides a consideration of the social and commercial advantages which have resulted from the friendly alliance be tween England and France, will make Eng lishmen most cautious how they afford the least countenance to the efforts of French factiouists. A Bourbonist policy of the Charles the Tenth school would find no favour amongst the ruling States of Europe, nor would such a dynasty survive a year's freedom of the press in France. The manner in which some Democratic politicians have been put forward by intriguers behind a screen can deceive nobody. Silly, indeed, would be the homme (Neat who could not see through such puerile artifices, aping the ruse skill of veterans in statecraft. if aught was required to open the eyes of a novice as to the personal ends aimed at by the speculating, contrivers of these counterfeit demonstrations, it would be the fact that attacks on the Imperial Dynasty always appear simultaneously at regulated intervals in London. " Frascati 's " has been put down, but the Stock Exchange remains, and certain English organs carry the system of roulette into their haphazard politics . Such demonstrations as have occurred is these few days at Paris will not tempt English men to break through the established policy of non-interference in French affairs. France can decide for itself,' and goading inter meddlers will not be sanctioned by the state manship of the British Empire. FRENCH ELECTIONS. INTRIGUERS in London and at Paris are again at their old mischief of trying to embroil England with France. Stockjobbing gamblers are not the only persons mixed up in this abortive attempt at exciting a demonstration against the ImpEsial dynasty. Some of the political subordinates attached to those ephemeral factions who, in the language of the present Emperor, " destroyed two con " stitutional monarchies and one republic," are doing their petit possible to advertise their own insignificance. Personal vanity, even more than political design, is at the bottom of this feeble and futile attempt to raise a new Fronde. For views of that kind, men, money, and even opportunities are not at hand. Resources of all sorts are wanted by those declaimers, who are equal to agitating third rate salons in the neighbourhood of the Boulevards, but who have not enough of poli tical stamina to sway parties, or bring about events. These little beings are preparing a signal retribution for themselves. They are or ganising a crisis when they shall he subjected, not to the guillotine, hut to the grimaces of every Frenchman and Frenchwoman who loves the ridiculous, that is of all Paris, excepting EDUCATION CONFERENCE. THE most important question discussed at the above Conference is undoubtedly that of the early removal of children from school. All the others are but ancillary to this ; and it becomes, consequently, of the greatest im portance to ascertain how far we have advanced towards a solution of the difficulties with which it is surrounded, or a comprehen sion of their true character. Two causes were adduced by the Bishop of OXFORD as being concerned in the above result—the present condition of the labour market, and the general indifference of parents. We are, however, rather surprised to see that Sir Joux PARINGTON yielded but a qualified assent to either of these propositions. The Right Hon. Baronet has, indeed, devoted so much attention to this subject, and is so well adapted both by his habits of mind and his country experience to form a just opinion, that we have great hesitation i, soundness of his views on sion. Still we think it is two considerations calculated force of his statement may notice, and we therefore in our readers to some brief on the question at issue. We are told by the Right of our juvenile population of an age to go to in demurri n the Atli,. PAIIOk7 possibidAbOoliii* .4; lated to~in~dilg- t%l ay have g 504,4"." ,nvite thi7tligh remarks *ice ;v.; p•••• ht Hon. Baron