The Press. — London, England, 1856-02-23 00:00:00

172 On the oth and 17th July Austria saw the necessity of repeating to Russia the summons to evacuate the Princi palities, and Prussia did not hesitate to participate in the summons. On the 24th November, in the same year, Austria and Prussia signed an additional article to the protocol of the 20th April, by which Prussia took upon herself the re• sponsibility of the four points, and guaranteed to Austria the occupation of the Principalities. We had not overlooked these facts. They prove incontestably that Prussia has not been indifferent to the Eastern Question, but that, on the contrary, she has constantly endea voured to bring about a pacific settlement of ic. In alluding to her neutrality, we referred, not to her diplomatic, but to her armed atti tude ; and we spoke of her as a neutral Poa er in the sense that she took no part with the belli gerents on either side. That Prussia sincerely loined herself to Austria, France, and Eng and, with the view of accommodating the difference with Russia, before the War com menced, is an e•-idence of the sincerity of her pacific disposition, and adds to the strength of the argument for admitting her to the Con ferences now opened to establish terms of peace IRISH "LIBERAL" M.Ps. THE recent attempt to storm the Irish Judicial Bench, along with some other remarkable cir cumstances, have again directed attention to the Trish popular representatives. It is a painful topic, for, unhappily, the subject is environed with invidious consideration. But it is necessary to consider whether there may not be some practical cure of evils, which must be remedied if we wish to see Ireland raised, or the empire rescued from the portentous evil of a degenerate class of senators, who, in the opinion of Whig Cabinets, are to be sus tained and tolerated as the Lazzaroni of Libe ralism. That the " popular" representatives of Ire land in the last twenty years have fallen vastly below their previous social status, is a fact on which there is no difference amongst poli tical observers. While the Coliser‘ative Members from the sister country sustain favorable comparison with the representatives from other portions of the empire, it is certain that a large class of Members have been re turned by the Irish " popular " party who reflect no credit on Ireland, and who inflict great evil on the empire. It is, perhaps, too hasty to assume that there is any necessary connection between this particular class of Irish M.Ps. and the change which was called " Catholic Emancipation," because, in point of precedence and social pretension, the M.Ps. to whom we refer grossly misrepresent the Roman Catholic gentry. They are only the nominees of the priests, and in Parliament they are little more than political attornics. They do not display any of the brighter qualities of their countrymen. They have neither the versatile power of O'CONNELL, nor the vivid rhetoric of SH:EL. They are coarse, not witty; loquacious, not eloquent; wrangling in words, not vigorous in deeds. As politicians, they have no system ; as public characters, the.) have no genuine mission. Both parties alike regard them as adventurers, whose aims and ends are purely selfish. What is equally remarkable about them is, that they do not represent the historic names of Izoland, though many Irish families, en dowed with high blood and considerable fortunc, exhibit " popular" tendencies. They are, in the lowest sense of the phrase, " new men," and they have not the personal genius, nor brilliant powers, which often mark the first founders of a name. There are none of the Butlers amongst them, nor of the Ponsonbies, nor the Boyles, nor the Grattans, nor the Floods. It may be said that those are Pro testant names and families. 'Well; take the Roman Catholic nobility and gentry of Ire land, and let it be m ar k e d h ow stu di ous l y t h e electional powers of the Catholic community avoid choosing from amongst the old Coin molten of their body. It is thus that Lord Ck4TLERO , •sE, the son of the Earl of KENMARE, Sits for Kerry ; but the families of Viscount 00101,A14510N, Lord TRJMLxBTON, Lord BELLOW THE PRESS. —so identified with Roman Catholic history— have no M.Ps. amongst them. Nor have the old Catholic commoners found favour in the eyes of the Roman Catholic democracy. They prefer to select either upstarts pushing, noisy, and unscrupulous ; or else perverts to the Roman Catholic faith, whom they have rewarded for their apostacy from Pro testantism. The consequence of this painful state of facts is, that Irish popular members are not respected either in England or Ireland. " Al " ways try and be looked up to," was the advice of the late Lord METCALFE to a young man of parts, commencing his career. Who "looks up to " the titular representatives of the popu lar party in Ireland? Their squabbles vex, weary, and interrupt business. Their speeches prove them to be counterfeit Irish " orators." Their want of talent is not compensated for by high social standing, the inheritance of an eminent name, or the possession of indepen dent fortune. It is notorious that many of them are deficient in the means required for sustaining the rank of Members of the Legis lature. The social representation of Ireland in the Court, and the circles of high life, falls entirely to members of the Conservative con nection. These are facts that cannot be denied. Nay, they are admitted even in the Roman Catholic journals. Some of the most derisive strictures we have ever seen on the state of the Irish popular representation have ap peared in Roman Catholic newspapers. We have read most galling comments made on the want of social figure amongst Irish Liberal M Ps. We shall not follow these censors into those detailed statements about the want of town residences and personal equipage suit able for London life manifested by those Members of Parliament. But we may insist upon the undeniable fact that the gentry of Ireland, and that the public spirit of Ireland iLelf, is miserably misrepresented by a certain class of senators, who are entirely unsuited for their responsible trusts. We believe that a reaction is likely to take place in Irish society, and that the best men of the Roman Catholic community are every day becoming more inclined to secede from supporting a class of members from whom they derive no social credit. The days of the ostracism of the Irish Protestant gentry from their proper political rank in Munster and Connaught are drawing to a close. There are twenty seven members for Munster in the Irish representation, and of these only five are Protestants, and but two Conservatives. Yet the peerage, the gentry, the magisterial order, and the property of the district, are Protestant in an overwhelming proportion. There is but one Roman Catholic Peer (the Earl of KEN MARE) in that part of Ireland, and all the great landowners aro Protestants. But platform influences, priestly arts, the ambition of ad venturers, have all combined to oust the legi timate social representatives from their pro per position. The Whigs in England patro nise the system, and end arse it with their ap probation. They shower down place, pay, and patronage on the nominees of the Catholic priesthood, and they orgapise a confederacy o' representatives, who upon critical occasions are able to extort an undue proportion of influence for themselves and their servile dependants. Hence we have Tenant League Agitators turned into placemen, and assailing (hum be hind a screen) the Judges on the Bench. Hence we have—but there are other and for midable evils arising from a low class of Irish Members which would require more detailed exposition than we can now present. We may return to the subject, which is of grave im portance in the working of the representative system The army estimates for the years 1856-7 amount to 34,998,5041., being an increase of 6,3280071. over those of last year. The land forces number 246,176 men, 30,378 over those tor 1855.6. Parliamentary returns, published this week, show that the balance of the Russian Dutch loan, due on January 1, amounted to 15,000,000 florins, and of the Greek loan the balance due amounted to 507,6491., while of the Sardinian loan there remained yet to be paid to Sardinia 887,500/. SATURDAY, Comspouttuct. ItOGE RS'S "TABLE-TALK." TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir,—ln your review of Mr. Rogers's "Table-talk" in last Saturday's PuEss, you mention an instance in which that gentleman has been guilty of plagiarism. I do not write 'o defend Mr. Rogers, but I cannot help remarking that in this case he has at least sinned in respectable company. It has often struck me as being somewhat remarkable that a sentiment origin ated by Horace should be echoed by poets so dissimilar in many respects as Shakspeare, Byron, and Tennyson, but I was not previously aware that the name of Mr. Rogers was to be added to these. As it is interesting to notice the way in which an idea may be varied, 1 subjoin the passages in which these poets have seve rally expressed the sentiment of Horace, that good once enjoyed can never be entirely effaced. The passage quoted from Air. Rogers ran thus : But can the wiles of art, the grasp of power, Snatch the rich relics of a well-spent hour ? There is much energy in the words of Shakspeare : Come what sorrow cal., It cannot countervail the exchange of jay That one short minute gives me in her sight. Then love-devouring Death do what he dare— It is enough I may tut call her mine. Romeo and Juliet, act ii., ac. 6. Byron, in the " Giaour," utters the sentiment with characteristic force :- 1 die—but first I have possessed, And, come what may, 1 have been blessed. And in the following lines from "In Memoriam" it seems to harmonise sweetly with the tone of that poem : I bold it true whate'er befal, I feel it when I sorrow most, 'Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all. After all, I do not think that any of these are equal to the passage in Horace; there is something very noble in his words : Ille poteus sui Lsetusque deget, cui licet in diem Dixisse ; eras vel atra Nube polum pater occupato Vel sole puro; non tarnen irritum Quodeunque retrO est etficiet ; neque Dittiuget, intectumque reddet, Quod ingiens semel hors vexit. Cur., lib. in., ode 29. But perhaps Horace himself only imitated some other poet.—l am, sir, your obedient servant, Livetpor,l, Feb. 19th, 1856. B. THE BISHOP OF LICHFIELD AND PEACE; THE Lord Bishop of Lichfield has lately published the following earnest address to his clergy upon the Proposals of Peace, and their duty under the circum stances of the approaching Conference : TO THE THE CLERGY DE TIIE DIOCESS OF' LICHFIELD. • Eccleshall, February 18. My reverend brethren,—We arc at a crisis of no little importance in our national state. The war, for the blIC• cessful issue of which we not long ago implored the pro tection of Almighty God, has more than realised the anti cipations of difficulty and danger and loss with which we entered upon it. While, therefore, we look Mick upon its events we have much cause to be humbled. But we have much cause to be thankful, also, for the signal deliverances and successes with which our arms have been blessed, and yet wore for the unparalleled ministrations of mercy which the sufferings of our sick and wounded soldiers hate called forth. The war still continues, but the Peace t.:on ference now about to be held at Paris opens a prospect of its termination. To the issue of that conference we cannot but look with no common anxiety, involving as it must the best interests, not of this nation alone, but of Europe and the world. It will not then, I trust, be regarded otherwise than as " a word spoken in due season' if I now ask you to " beseech and exhort " the people under your pastoral care to be earnest in their supplications to Hi.n who disposes the minds and hearts of men, that He will be pleased to give such a spirit of moderation and wisdom to those who are appointed to take a part in the conference as may lead to a peace concluded upon right principles, and therefore honourable and beneficial to conducive to the security and prosperity of nations, and to , the extension of Christ's kingdom of " grace and truth upon earth. There is no need to enlarge upon the sub. ject. It speaks for itself to the thoughtful and the patriotic, to the benevolent and the religious. Earnestly comin end ing it to your consideration, I remain your affecuonate brother and faithful servant, J. Lice• The official notification and list of French officers of the Imperial army and marine appointed by lier MNesty Honorary Members of the Military Di‘ision of the First, Second, and Third Classes of the Order of the Bath, appeared in last ni'ht's Gazette. The Speaker of the House cf Commons will hold levees at his house in Eaton-square, on Saturday, the Ist, and Saturday ) the Bth of March, each night at 10 o'clock.