The Press. — London, England, 1857-08-15 00:00:00

788 between the two sexes as to the right of divorce. We cordially approve, therefore, of the amendment of Lord JOHN MANNERS, which is a step in the proper direction. But supposing the Bill is carried as it now stands, a hundred perplexing questions will arise as to the amount of cruelty and the nature of the desertion which will entitle a woman to a divorce. There is no mode of obviating these difficulties, if we allow divorce at all, except by placing the sexes on a footing of equality. THE PRESS, AIMUST 15, 1857. these points, we may say that the judgment delivered by Mr. DEASY, the Chairman of the Cambridge Committee, was extremely able, and distinguished by judicial acumen. A second general consideration has again been pressed forward with respect to the jurisdiction of the House of Commons. Radical Reformers still desire that fin ensic tribunals, and not committees of the llouse of Commons, should decide the cases of peti tions. We trust that day shall never come. The proposition would be unjust, impolitic, and unconstitutional. The House of Com mons must not part with its powers, for it would be stultifying itself. It must keep its traditionary- authority, unless it desires to register a plea of incapacity. The precedent would be most dangerous, and it is one which we trust will never be adopted ; and we think that the vast improvement manifested in late years in the working of election committees is the best argument against the adoption of so revolutionary and un-English a proposal. THE ELECTION PETITIONS. THE Ministerialists asserted that the results of the election petitions would be to increase the majority possessed by them. Such has nut been the result. Of the fifty-one peti tions only twenty-five were investigated ; thirty-three members were obliged to defend their seats, of whom nine were unseated. The final balance cannot yet be made up, as com missions of inquiry have been issued in sonic instances. Two general considerations have been mooted from the working of the committees in the present session. It has been said that there has been a remarkable variance in the conduct of different committees with respect to the important point of the responsibility of candidates for the acts of their agents. It would be improper for a public writer to im peach the conduct of any particular com mittee, as, to do so properly, a due considera tion of the whole evidence offered should be attentively weighed. We have seen that some of the Liberal organs have been extremely wrath with the decision of the Yarmouth Corn inittee in unseating Mr. TORRENS M.Cuttaeit and Mr WATK!N. They have pointed to other cases where candidates have not been held responsible for their agents. But we have little doubt that the committee were swayed by the fact of one of the ejected members having been in close communication with one of the parties who transacted the Coppocking part of the election processes at Yarmouth. That there was gross bribery at Yarmouth cannot be denied, and electioneering " organi sation " (to give it the mildest word) had been carried far in that particular borough. On the other hand, we observe that the Liberals have been silent about the decision of the Wareham Committee. We shall not now impeach that decision; but if we were at liberty to offer an opinion about it, we should say that the Wareham case had peculiar claims for a rehearing. In the Oxford case Mr. NEATE was unseated for the extravagant number of his stipendiaries; and although a discretion must be allowed in these matters, we think that the decision WaS a sound one. On the important point of travelling expenses the Cambridge Committee followed the de cision of the Courts in the case of " Cooper v. Slade." A promise to pay travelling expenses, and a subsequent payment, is not illegal, provided that the promise be unconditional ; but such a promise in payment would be illegal, if conditional, in the giving of a vote to a particular candidate. We fear that under the operation of this rule there may be great abuses. It gives, many facilities for corrup tion ; but in the counties, if we are to take the Statements of the " Liberals," it is not comp- Lon that is to be feared. On this latter point a subsidiary question as to its application may hereafter arise. In large urban constituencies like Lambeth or Finsbury, it is extremely difficult to get people to go the poll at all. We fear that under cover of this rule, " expenses " will be gra dually made to cover " loss of time," " absence 'from shop," &e. &c., and a whole class of voters analogous to the notorious " longshoremen " in the City of London will gradually be dere loped. Still, there is a strong prima facie ground that in counties and in extensive con stituencies the legitimate expenses of a voter should be paid. And yet there is another side to the question ; for ought not every voter be presumed to be so independent as that he should not be subservient to any candidate on the ground of expenses? To confer votes on persons who cannot afford to go to the poll does look like a political absurdity. Wailing foreign Qi;orrrsponbtutt. PARIS, August 13. THE short visit of the Emperor to Osborne bas softened down many irritating questions. The ex planations, frankly given and as frankly received, have cemented in the strongest bonds the alliance of the two greatest nations in the world. It is said that his Majesty has succeeded in obtaining a half promise from the Queen that her Majesty will at no distant period visit Fontainebleau. As regards politics I have little to say. The Danubian question is settled, thanks to the elasticity of Lord Palmerston, who has relinquished the point which so much dishonest intrigue had been applied to establish. You may, perhaps, hear of protocols, diplomatic notes, conferences, new elections ; but you may rely upon it that all opposition upon the part of Lord Palmerston to the union of the Danubian pro vinces is at an end. The reception of the Emperor and Empress at Havre and Rouen was most enthusiastic. The speeches of high functionaries and municipal autho rities car, perhaps, scarcely be considered as offering proofs of the real feelings of the people; but when it is seen that the inhabitants of the first maritime town in France, and the first manufacturing city of the country, received their sovereign with a most hearty welcome—when thousands of workmen quitted their looms, and cried " Five l'Empareur," we must, indeed we are forced, to come to the conclusion that either the people are debased slaves, or that their sovereign is most warmly regarded by them. It has been the fashion of late to attribute all such public testimonies to corruption. Now, I have resided for more than thirty years in France, and have, there fore, been accustomed to hear the word "corruption" applied to Louis XVIII., Charles X., Louis Philippe, and, be not astonished, the immaculate Republican Government of 18-18. I am, therefore, not sur prised at hearing the present Emperor accused of corruption. Yes !I the Emperor has corrupted his subjects. He has corrupted them by raising Fiance from a secondary political power to become one of the arbiters of the destinies of Europe, by increasing the commercial prosperity of the country to that extent that the harbours of the country, which previously to 1852 were only partially filled with sailing vessels of from 150 to 300 tons, have not now sufficient room for magnificent steamers of from 1,000 to 2,000 tons. Take Marseilles as an example, where two new harbours have been found necessary to contain the number of vessels loading and unloading in that rising and prosperous city. But the greatest weapon of corruption made use of, and continues to be used, is the security given to persons and property, by keeping down the turbulent spirits of the Socialists, and preventing the erection of barricades. It is truly ridiculous to see English would-be Liberals endeavour to fotce down the throats of eight millions of Frenchmen their own political nostrums and universal-health pills! Voila tout. I am no admirer of despotism, but I am a lover of " fair play." We have had the most oppressively hot weather, bnt, thanks to a few refreshing showers, the atino sphere is greatly cooled, and our sight-seeing world will be enabled to enjoy the fetes to-morrow and next day, without running the risk of being suffocated. These fetes commence to-morrow by the inaugura tion of the Louvre, by the Emperor, assisted by all the officers of State, marshals, generals, prefets, It will be a glorious sight, and will cause many serious reflections. The height of the ambit►on of Charles X. and Louis Philippe was to complete the building of the Louvre) but each was the dread of the Chamber of Deputies, that none of the Ministers had the courage to propose the voting of a sum of money for that purpose. To Louis Napoleon is due the honour and merit of bringing this gigantic work to a conclusion. Immediately after the inauguration of the Palace, prizes will be dis tributed to such artists as have contributed to the erection and beautifying this truly elegant structure. On the Isth there will be the usual amusements for the million, fireworks, etc. The condemned conspirators have not appealed. It is said that Tibaldi will be sent to New Caledonia. The trial of Carpentier, Grellet, Parod, and Guerin, accused of robbing the directors of the Great Northern Railway of a considerable number of shares, will commence about the 20th of August. You cannot have forgotten their examination before the American magistrates on their extradition being demanded by the French Ambassador. _ Our great poet, Roger de Beauvoir, has lost nearly all his property in the Calvados by a fire which broke out on the 11th instant in his artistical mausion. The Pope is doing all he can to become popular. During his visit to Ravenna he visited the tomb of Dante, and remained for some moments in deep con- templation. On being asked by the local authorities to subscribe his name in the book kept for illustrious visitors, the Pope took up the pen, and wrote the fol lowing lines taken from the " Purgatorio" : Non e it mondan rumore altro the un Sato I)i vento, cher or va quindi, ed or va quinci, E muta nome, perche mute late. The wheat harvest is likely to prove most abun dant throughout France. The apples are looking bad, and it is feared cider will be very dear : this will he a great calamity for the whole of Picardy and Normandy. The grapes are looking healthy, and a good vintage may be expected. FOUR, P. N. I have just learnt that the long pending question of the organisation of the Grande Aumonerie will be settled the beginning of next week. The Emperor has decided that the Abbe Bonaparte is too young for such an important and onerous post as Grande Aumonier. It is supposed that Monseigneur Morlot, Archbishop of Paris, will be named to that high office. Alt the necessary Bulls are already signed at Rome and Paris. I have just now come from the Champ de Mars. The whole of that immense parade is transformed into a Kabyle landscape, with its mountains, rocks, and villages. The departure of the Emperor and Empress for Biarritz is fixed for the 17th of the present month. .lection BEVERLEY.—The nomination of candidates for the representation of this borough took place on Monday. Dr. Sandwith proposed, and Mr. Hodgson seconded, Mr. Wells (Liberal); and Mr. Bainton proposed, and Mr. Wreghitt seconded, Major Edwards (Con servative). Mr. Wells and Major Edwards then addressed the electors ; after which the mayor called for a show of bands. This was in the proportion of four or five to one in favour of Major Edwards, and a poll was then demanded for Mr. Wells. The polling took place on Tuesday. The following is the close of the poll Major Edwards Mr. Wells 4Ol Majority for Major Edwards l7B BIRMINOHAM.-Mr. Bright was elected on Monday without opposition. Mr. Bright, in his address, declared himself in favour of a measure of re form "extensive in its scope and honest in its in tention," and that he should regard a" wide exten sion of the franchise " as shorn of halt its virtue if unaccompanied by " the safeguard of the ballot." With respect to India, Mr. Bright expressed himself in favour of the suppression of the revolt:— I am not prepared to defend the steps by which England has obtained dominion in the East; but looking to the interests of India, and of England, I cannot oppose such measures as may be deemed necessary to suppress the existing disorder. To restore order to India is mercy to India, but heavy will be the guilt of our country should we neglect hereafter any measures which would con tribute to the welfare of its hundred millions of population. I hope the acts of the Government will be free from the vindictive and sanguinary spirit which is shown in many of the letters which appear in the newspapers, and that when the present crisis is over all that exists of statesman- ship in England will combine to work what good is possible out of so much evil. YAI MOUTII.—• Mr. A. W. Young, and J. Mellor, Esq., were elected on Monday without opposition. THE ROYAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO PURCHASE IN THE ARMY (composed of the Duke of Somerset, the chairman ; Lord Stanley, M.P. ; the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, M.P.; the Right Hon. Edward Ellice, M.P.; General Sir De Lacy Evans, M.P. ; General Sir Harry Jones, General Wynyard, General Sir Henry Bentinck, and Mr. G. Cart Glyn) have concluded their labouxe.