The Press. — London, England, 1854-12-23 00:00:00

THE PRESS. THE BARBER OUT OF DOORS. (Lord Lansdowne, in ridiculing the objections made to the Foreign Enlistment Bill by Lords Derby, Elleuborough, and others, was pleased to say in the House of Lords that if " a barber out of doors " urged such reasons against it, he would be laughed at.] The Whig of ancient birth, Though he deigns to dwell on earth, The opinion of plebians very haughtily ignores ; But, as it's Christmas time. Will he stoop to hear in rhyme A little that is said by the Barber Out of Doors ? The verse is not the best, Much neater was addressed To my Lord by bards npplausivc—for example, Moore's ; But, no matter how absurd, Let the people's thought he heard, Through their type—his Lordship's choosing—the Barber Out of Doors. The Barber thinks the friends Whom his Lordship now defends Do very little credit to St. Stephen's floors ; All pomposity in peace, In war like frightened geese, All a cackle and a flurry, says the Barber Out of Doors. He thinks that they've despatched, To be madly overmatched, An army to inhospitable Russian shores ; Where blunder upon blunder Proclaims, with voice of thunder, Executive shortcomings, says the Barber Out of Doors. He thinks that they display Gross folly in the way They send that army's clothing, physic, food, and stores , That the hardships of the tent Are increased just cent. per cent. . By the Cabinet's mistakes, says the Barber Out of Doors. He thinks that the provision For surgeon and physician, To tend our gallant soldiers, and dress wounds and sores, Is so stingy and so bad That it almost drives him mad To reflect on what they suffer, says the Barber Out of Doors, He knows that noble lives Are lost—that loving wives Are widowed, ay and needlessly, by scores and scores, For want of head and tact In those who should exact Obedience to a system, says the Barber Out of Doors. He has listened to defences, Evasions and pretences, How one official blusters, and another bores ; But neither vaunt nor twaddle Could drive into his noddle Any trust in the Department, says the Barber Out of Doers. His heart is with the brave Whose glorious banners wave, Where, pointed on Sebastopol, the cannon roars ; And he knows they only fear The foemen in their rear— The blunderers at home—says the Barber Out of Doors. This opinion of the friends My Lord just now defends Is rooted in the hearts of the nation, to their cores ; Which fact, if it be news To his Lordship, will excuse This dressing an old Whig by the Barber Out of Doors. CHRISTMAS 1854. Storm or sunshine, smiles or tears, Can they touch the impassive years ? Night and morning, do they feel Human woo or human weal? One more link is on the chain, — Lo ! our Christmas come again! Christmas! wont for many a year Hearth and home to warm and cheer, To our yule-log leading in Laughing troops of kith and kin, Jocund guest with hollied brow, — How hath come our Christmas now? Loud the unsated billows roar On the Euxine's iron shore ! Louder yet the storm of fight Raves on bleak Crimean height, Where the murky war-clouds roll Over doomed Sebastopol ! Balaklava! Inkermann ! Speak the proud names he who can, Where our English tongue is heard, To his inmost soul unstirred I Read who can with measured breath How our bravest rode to death 1 Widow'd wife, and orphan'd son, Sire whose age's stay is gone, Plighted maid whose hope for ever Sank in Alma's crimson river, Hearts that bleed, and eyes that weep— How should these the revel keep" Peace ! oh, peace ! unthinking mirth Mocks our neighbour's lonely hearth ; Not with careless revelry Vex their glorious ghosts, who lie Where Tschernaya runneth red With the blood for England shed ! Thankful quiet, chastened feast, These will keep our Christmas best ; Guerdon free, and liberal aid, Succour, large and undelayed, Hence let Plenty speed and spare. God ! what Christmas-tide is there Veil that picture ! Little wont Is Britannia's lion front To grow red at charge of shame For neglect of kin and name. Hath she too unheeding seemed Well that fault shall be redeemed ! Yet, brave hearts, awhile abide ! England's help is on the tide ! It may be that, overatrong, She hath held her hand too long Touched at last to heart and core Keeps she Christmas, Fifty-four! So, when heart and arm made strong Well have paid the Despot's wrong, Grant, 0 God, that we who live Through the moons of Fifty-five See it's Christmas bring again " Peace on earth ! goodwill to men!" , +, 'W 1 i sit`* ;~ ~~~ ,I MO* HARRY LZROY TZWPLE. [We have been favoured with the following copy of the original draft of the Foreign Enlistment Act, as it was intended to be brought in, with that courageous candour for which Ministers are celebrated. It will be seen that the modifications in the existing measure are in letter only and not in spirit.] A BILL To Permit Foreigners to be Enlisted, and to Serve as Officers and Soldiers in her Majesty's Forces. (The words in italics are intended to be inserted in committee.) WHEREAS a mistaken prejudice has gone abroad amongst divers of her Majesty's Subjects that the English People have heretofore been able to resist aggression and succour Allies in the field without the assistance of the vagabondage of Europe; And Whereas, all our great battles in the page of history, from Crescy, which was won by the Flemish Archers, to Inkermann, which was gained by the Foreign Legion of France,* the contrary has been the fact ; And Whereas, there being no barracks in existence for the lodging of the Militia Force of Great Britain and Ireland, it is therefore expedient that her Majesty, during the continuance of the War, should be enabled to enlist and employ Foreigners in her Army : Be it therefore enacted. &c. I. It shall be lawful for her Majesty to cause to be enlisted into her Service persons being natural born Subjects of any foreign country, and being denaturalised, or having special reasons for quitting the same, who may voluntarily enter themselves for her Service with the free and eager permission of their own Governments. 11. Provided always, That no Foreign Order of Merit, worn round the ankle or otherwise, nor no clasp, badge on the arm, or cordon on the wrist shall be worn by the said Foreigners so enlisted, except by her Majesty's Royal Permission, signified from the Bench of a Criminal Court by one of the Judges of her Majesty's Courts of Law. 111. It shall be lawful for her Majesty to grant Commissions and Letters of Service in such corps to such experienced engineers and men of military science as shall have distinguished themselves by the construction of Infernal Machines" or other ingenious contrivances, intended for the benefit of our Allies abroad, and to direct the said Officers and Soldiers to be formed into separate Battalions, by the title of Ist, 2nd, and 3rd Barricadiers. IV. Provided always, That the men serving under this Act shall not be employed in the United Kingdom, except in case of any considerable meeting called to petition her Majesty to remove from her Councils her present Advisers. V. Every Soldier enlisted under the Authority of this Act shall be attested in such manner as he shall think proper, and not Here there is a marginal note on our copy, signed " S. H." :—" Literally true, u appears by a statement in the Consiiintionnel; for, if a deserter from the Foreign on had not informed the many of oar weak points, the Russian attack would not have been Iliad*, sad, eureqpistiC the bank Kidd not hare been pined by is." DECEMBER 23, 1854. 1221 r ...;.c isi . -; rilt4 i•r •01 14, 441110, VW nL~t► ,~ !ft sue , f` .~.~