The Press. — London, England, 1855-08-18 00:00:00

786 In Florence streets and Naples bowers He'll send his genial edicts round, Denouncing constituted powers Who on his pleasant plans have frown'd; Or crowns of living laurel weave For those who prowl about at eve. The weltering corse at break of day, The bravo in the twilight glade, The plot or dark conspiracy Concocted in the greenwood shade, — These simple joys that never fail Shall bind me to my native vale. But still more plaintive, more personally touching, is the version of Cunningham's pastoral, " Content." This happy choice of a calm and peaceful poem shows us how entirely the Noble Lord has given up all ideas of ambition, and is content to abide in the obscurity he has courted. _ _ A PASTORAL. (sLio WILT ALTERED.) With Turks and with Russians, rude, barren, and bare, As in languages foreign I roam, An Austrian Shepherdess sees my despair, And leads me o'er lawns to her home. Grand Crosses from Monarchs her cottage had crown'd, Conventions were strew'd on the floor ; Limitation, like woodbine, crept wantonly round, While Counterpoise watched at the door. With Plcnipos pleasant the sittings were past — Great plans ! and I gave them my best ; Though my French is not fluent, the glances they cast Show'd my meaning was neatly exprest. I told my soft wishes, she sweetly replied (Ye Quakers ! her voice was divine !), " I've Miff rejected and Aali denied, Yet take me, fond Shepherd, I'm thine." As I listened, I thought that her pleading was weak, Yet the flow of her flattery had charms ; As she proved Turkey safe and show'd Russia was meek, Ultimatum I snatch'd to my arms. Now jocund at Richmond I tend a few sheep ; And if by the Thames' flowing stream I think on my speeches and sink into sleep, Her image still softens my dream. No more I shall watch the dull, slow•passing bills, Delighted with pastoral views ; But I'll rest on a rook whence the streamlet distils, And mark out new themes for my muse, To political pomps I no longer aspire, The damsel possesses my soul ; The cottager Peace is well known for her sire, And she's named by Diplomatists B-1. MONSTER MEETING OF THE PEACE PARTY. A MONSTER meeting of the Peace Party, convened by special circular, was held in Carlton-gardens, on Wednesday evening last, to take into consideration the steps which the destruction of S weaborg has ren dered it expedient should be taken by the fraternity. There were up wards of thirteen members of the association present, exclusive of the female domestics belonging to Mr. Gladstone's establishment. The conference was intended to be strictly secret, but its pro ceedings having been communicated, in a moment of credulous candour, by Mr. Bright in confidence to Sir Benjamin Hall, we are enabled, through the courtesy of the Right Hon. Baronet, to present our readers with the leading features of the evening's discussion. At eight o'clock precisely it was moved by Sir James Graham that Lord Aberdeen do take the chair. This proposition was duly seconded by Mr. Hamilton, lately a candidate for Southwark, in a speech of considerable length, in the course of which he said that he stood there, as the representative of the Empire, to denounce the tyranny of the French despot and predict the triumph of the philanthropical ruler of Russia, who, he was happy to say, was one of those who knew how to distinguish between the free and hireling organs of intelligence. A long and warm debate ensued. Mr. BRIGHT said he was astounded at the course taken by Sir J. Graham. He should have thought that the Right Hon. Baronet could Lave seen that it was his colleague, Mr. Milner Gibson, who had the best right to preside over their deliberations, considering that from the outset he had been opposed to this inhuman war. His Right Hon. friend was not like some people he could mention, if he did not object to personalities, whose peace tendencies were only coincident with the loss of their offices. He did not think, however glad he might be of the co-operation of the Peelite party, that any one ought to take the chair at such a meeting as that who had only declared peace to be politic when place becaine impracticable. He should oppose the motion, (Loud cheers from Mr, Milner Gibson.) THE PRESS. SATURDAY, Mr. GLADSTONE commenced by observing that the argument of the Hon. Gentleman was antagonistic to the first principles of political morality. (" Hear, hear," from Sir J. Graham.) The post of Chairman, so far as he had been able to investigate the question in its complicated variety of aspects, could only be regarded as an honour conferred in a righteous recognition of distinguished services. It was from that point of view that he advocated the motion of his Right Hon. friend. (Sir J. Graham.) The Noble Earl had entitled himself to the grati tude of the country by the firm and vigorous manner in which he prevented the prosecution of the war. If it had not been for his Noble friend where would the honour and power of Russia have been now? He shuddered when he thought of the consequences which would have ensued had the benevolent policy of the Coalition Cabinet been un timely frustrated ! (A thrill of sympathetic horror was here seen to convulse Lord Aberdeen's frame.) It was perfectly true they had been parties to the declaration of the war. But, he would ask, had his Noble friend failed to prove himself worthy of that lively regard and generous confidence which that great man, now gone from amongst us—(here the Right Hon. Gentleman became deeply affected, and wept freely in Mr. Hamilton's pocket-handkerchief)—the sainted Nicholas, had shown him ! " Palmain qui Meruit ferat !" The Peelite party, he felt in his conscience, had entitled themselves to hold a foremost place among the apostolic champions of peace. There was not a thoroughfare in the metropolis, from Whitechapel to Padding ton, from Covent-garden through Oxendon-street to Carlton-gardens, where the services of his Noble friend were not publicly acknowledged and extolled. He should support the proposition of the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir J. Graham), that being the only one of twenty-six courses open t.) him. Miss Hamm= MARTINEAU, as the chosen delegate of the women of England, should support the presidency of the Noble Earl, for whose character and career, as a woman, she felt the deepest sympathy. (The fair speaker sat down amid the waving of Mr. Hamilton's pocket handkerchief.) Sir Jamas GRAHAM then said a word or two in explanation of his motives, and in vindication of his character. He had nothing to fear, and nothing to conceal. Deceit was abhorrent to his nature. He would tell that great meeting the whole truth. He had the highest respect for his Right Hon. friend (Mr. M. Gibson). He had known him when he was a promising member of the Conservative party, and it was pleasing to find they were once more in camp together. But he must speak without reserve, and say, that to the distinction of taking the chair on that occasion no one could have such claims, such superlative claims, as the Noble Earl who was at the head of the late Government. The war had been effectually starved. They knew the reason why. Sir Charles Napier had returned from the Baltic with his fleet and without his temper, and they knew the reason why. Sweaborg had been most barbarously demolished, as they had heard that day, by gun-boats. It did not suffer that fate last year, and they knew the reason why. In conjunction with his Noble friend, now First Minister of the Crown, they had worked very harmoniously to preserve the honour of Russia inviolate, and her resources unimpaired. It construed they had consented to serve under the Noble Viscount; but it was on the distinct understanding that the foreign policy of the Coalition would be faithfully adhered to. He should persist in putting his motion Lord Jon); RUSSELL then rose, and after a prefatory allusion to the constitutional liberties of the subject, as guaranteed by Magna Charta, and a biographical sketch, which occupied forty minutes, of his own humble services in the cause of civil and religious liberty, so dear to the heart of his lamented friend Lord Somers, said that having recently returned from Vienna, he flattered himself he knew what diplomacy was. There was a great deal to be done by caution and reserve. The most effective mode of damaging a cause, or injuring a rival, was to profess to support the one, and venerate the other His noble friend (Lord Aberdeen) would not fail to allow that he had consistently acted on that principle. Unmitigated peaceism was a mistake. It made Downing-street a sort of political Sebastopol, impossible to be taken. (This allusion to the strength of Sebastopol was received with great enthusiasm.) The wisest course was to be ready for office whenever an opportunity might occur. if he knew anything of French—(lronical cries of " Hear, hear," from Lord Aberdeen).—He really did not understand the Noble Earl's cheer. If he knew any thing of French character, the war would become unpopular, and then he should be at the service of his Sovereign. He should not vote either way. (The Noble Lord sat down amid general snoring.) Mr. COBDEN then spoke for two hours. In the course of his address he traced the history of Russia from its earliest annals, and in an elaborate argument satisfactorily proved that cotton and civili sation were inseparable. Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT, in a speech full of smile and sentiment, supported the original proposition. As two o'clock had now arrived, it was moved and carried that the meeting adjourn till that day week. The great assemblage then dispersed without any confusion or accident. Miss Martineau was kindly offered Lord Aberdeen's carriage by Sir James Graham, which she availed herself of. Mr. HAMILTON having stated he was bound for Poland•street, Mr. Gladstone said he had got to go into St. James's street, and would, therefore, be glad to accompany him as far as Panton-street. Sir B. Hall has kindly promised us any information Of the further proceedings of the Society which he may be able to collect from private letters and confidential conversations. A CRITICISM, COMPREHENSIVE AND SUGGESTIVE. Dismally dull and dolefully dawdlin% Unnyson's Maud should be Tennyson's Maudlin'. J. 1-1, ■