The Press. — London, England, 1857-11-21 00:00:00

THE PRESS, NOVEMBER 21,1857. the different classes in the community compared with their position twenty or even ten years ago. Such untiring exertions, such real ability, and such genuine kindness, as the people of England have of late years witnessed on the part of our social reformers, must have gone far to convince them that if ever the poor were an object of indiffe rence to the rich, they aro so no longer. The sufferings of our mecha• Ides must now be bitter indeed before Chartism could again rear its head. Sedition has been put to the blush in the face of schools, refuges, and libraries ; and our upper classes may now reap the reward of their conduct in the feeling of security with which they ma y contemplate a crisis that a few years ago would have been held to portend insurrection. The sincere regret for the untimely death of Mr. AUGUSTUS STAFFORD is not confined to any circle of society, or to one party of politicians. Whoever knew the man must have loved him. He had all the graces which mark a finished gentleman, and had many of the accomplishments that can rarely be found except in the brightest literary character. Amiable in demeanour, unthinking for himself, he was ardent and sincere in friendship; and when enmity stopped his path he had a Christian heart that forgot his provocations and forgave his persecutors. It was his chief peculiarity of character that, though few men could be more playful or witty, still there was a deep vein in his nature of Christian humility, and that true philanthropy which can be learned only at the foot of the Cross. He could be the delight of the drawing-room, but, when affliction visited the humble and lowly, Anal:lms STAFFORD, unseen by the crowd, would perform many of the generous acts that involve much trouble, and are attended with no small risk to life. His conversation was graceful and engaging ; his humour was easy and unlaboured ; and in graceful literary raillery his light and sparkling pen often delighted and never offended. He would scribble off on the back of a letter a chanson, full of arch humour and piquant allusions ; and in the sportive effusions of the Muse few could he happier, as certainly none could be readier. He had not the curious felicity of language shown by MACKWORTH PRAED, but for verses on society Mr. STAFFORD had uncommon talents, and if he had been compelled by necessity to follow the literary profession he would have won a most distinguished station as a writer. But it was not his wit nor his pleasing qualities that did most honour to AUGUSTUS STAFFORD. He had a noble heart and a perennial spring within his gallant breast of the purest social affections. His courtly manners and personal graces were outshone by the generous zeal that sought, to relieve misery and assuage pain. AUGUSTUS STAFFORD was not A fireside philanthropist, great at—the pen. When Death was mowing down his horrid harvest of victims in the hos • Otitis at Scutari. when the plague-tainted air was laden with disease, then was AUGUSTUS STAFFORD to be found seated on the bed of the departing soldier, and taking down the last touching words of the dying brave. It is not too much to say that his volunteer services at Scutari probably sowed the seeds of the insidious disorder which undermined his strength. His exertions were second in disinterestedness to those only of Miss NIGHTINGALE, and all who met him in the East will cordially testify to the risk and toil undergone by the generous being whose death we deplore. His courage and self-devotion amongst the French troops in the French steamer in the Mediterranean, when the vessel was attacked with cholera, excited the enthusiastic admiration of the officers and men on board, and drew forth a letter of thanks and praise from the French Emperor At the late general election, Auousrus STAFFORD in a manly tone alluded to some of his indiscretions while he was in office. No one ever supposed that lie had personal ends to serve, and Mr. STAFFORD was not the only politician who " went too far'' for a party ; but what ever was the measure of his errors, he was too cruelly assailed, and " capital" was meanly sought to be acquired in the ruin of his reputa tion. The dogged malice and the interested clamour with which he was then attacked may have also contributed to shorten his days, for AUGUSTUS STAFFORD was keenly sensitive to pain. Of the vulgar bit terness with which he was assailed by one person in particular we would say much, but words of anger must not escape from our pen while we think how A eousTus STAFFORD forgave those who sought to trade in politics upon his attempted destruction. It is to the honour of many of the leading Liberal politicians that they declined to join in the brutal crusade against a man whose main error had sprung from the indiscretion of an inexperienced official. Those things are now forgotten, while his friends of alt political parties wail over his untimely bier. They shall never again i❑ this .;arthly scene enjoy his most attractive society ; and for many a year to come the voice and the eye of some of the manliest spirits in England will falter and grow slim as tender and affecting associations come thronging to the memory at the name of the loved and lamented AunesTus STAFFORD. The present crisis in Belgium derives its source from the muni cipal elections during the last summer. The Jesuit party had sought covertly on former occasions to turn these civic elections to their own profit by using the Required influence in the representative elections ; but the intrigue having been unmasked, a reaction took place, and the Jesuits were discomfited by the Liberals everywhere. To hold office after such a signal defeat was impossible ; and the Catholic Ministry resigned. M. H. BROECKERE, to whom the construction of a juste milieu labinet was assigned, annexed terms which were impossible of accepta tion by the King; and n Ministry, radical, (pawl mime, under the pi esi deney of M. CHARLES ROGTER, has been duly installed. The presence of M FRERE ORBAS at the Ministerial Council is alone lisufficient guarantee 1133 of the ultra.democratic views of the Belgian Cabinet And be it observed that these ultra-democrats are in closest and personal association with General CHANGARNIER, LAMORICIEM Colonel CHARRAS, and the Republicans of France—that they are anti Imperialists in the extreme, and that they are fully capable from a want of discretion to make the relations of Belgium and France extremely complicated and critical. The forthcoming elections will solve the question whether the Liberals can have the power of untrammelling themselves from the dictation of the Extreme Left This is not the time for the adoption of exaggerated principles in the deed ; and one of the greatest benefits of extended education is a general mistrust of those who advance extreme principles of action. Fortunately for the country, it has the advantage of possessing, in the person of its King, one of the wisest statesmen in Europe, and whose clearsighted ness and moderation has been made available to control difficulties even beyond the limits of his own dominions. The retirement of M. VILAIN late Minister of Foreign Affairs, is the subject of general regret. Endowed with an ample share of sound common sense, he possessed the rare faculty—superlatively rare in Belgium—of thinking for himself and of being truly independent. Belonging to the Catholic party, yet he was thoroughly free from prejudice, aithou,gh uncom promisin., in the assertion of his principles; and iie was always au ni veau des eireonstances, which is a sure guarantee for courage and de termination. Of this his conduct on a late occasion connected with the Congress of Paris will ever afford an honourable and memorable example. The Telegraph Convention concluded by her IslajesLy's Govern ment with Austria, and by which" her Britannic Majesty's Government" gives the assurance that their telegraphic correspondence, and that of the East India Company, shall only he "exclusively carried on" by the line between Alexandria and Corfu, and through Austria and Ragusa, is sufficiently astonishing, but that the Government should bind themselves " never to open a line in competition in that " direction," is really so remarkable that we do trust the matter will be well sifted in Parliament. This is not, the age of monopolies, and what influence can be at work which should induce a Cabinet to revive such a monstrous monopoly? It is alt:/gether antagonistic to the interests of commerce, and to the interests of administration. Why should our communication with India he limited? For no other line can ever be laid down so long as this convention is maintained intact. One effect, of course, will be, that the tariff of charges will be in proportion to the value of the monopoly which practical experience will soon determine. Now we are not inclined to regard a telegraph to India as a new commer cial speculation. The single consideration ought now to be, how the in terval of time between Great Britain and India can be annihilated at the earliest possible moment, and we really see no reason against our having a telegraph of our own. A direct telegraphic communication could be established from London to Bombay, by a chain of sub marine lines from Falmouth, via Gibraltar, Malta, Alexandria, Suez, Aden, and Bombay. By a continuous and independent system such as this, the cost of a message between the termini would not only ho reduced to a minimum comparatively, but the expense, delays, and espionage of the foreign lines of telegraph across the Continent of Europe would be entirely avoided. These, of themselves, render any telegraphic system of communication with India, based on their co operation, practically valueless to the commercial community, and certainly of inferior consequence to Government. Such a plan we believe to be perfectly practicable, and if it could be carried out, we think it would prove a great gain to the nation. A NICE OLD MAN. Tho' I'm a British Minister, I'm not devoid of fun— As thoe may see who read my speech Last Monday all but one. The people over whom I rule, Like citizens of Rome, Are safe where'er they go, so long As they remain at home. If upstarts like King Otho, or The vendors of bohea, Begin to talk, right soon they find Britannia rules the sea. But when the Yankee's dander's up, And bowie knives are bright, I recollect the Christian rule That cousins should not fight. And when the King of Naples, whoa' To rile is not my game, Claps Britons into jail, I say " We don't know who's to blame." What the' no more in Europe's courts Old England's voice is heard, I'm all serene—'tis too well known I am an ancient bird. Then let us sing " Long live the King !" The King of Naples, since I've taken many a jolly rise Out of that noble prince. And here's to all who love to bawl tin 'Bout " England fair and free," Likewise all lioin4n citizens Who do not bother me. um eye 01 some Ot LOC Itoutoust. 01311/1.0 am I.A.asacba...• •••••• ••••....,• se••a• ba •.•• CLAM WIICU Luc nAng 01 1-tapes, wawa dim as tender and affecting associations come thronging to the To rile is not my game, memory at the name of the loved and lamented AtionsTus STAFFORD. Claps Britons into jail, I say " We don't know who's to blame." The present crisis in Belgium derives its source from the muni- What tho' no more in Europe's courts cipal elections during the last summer. The Jesuit party had sought Old England's voice is heard, covertly on former occasions to turn these civic elections to their own I'm all serene—'tis too well known profit by using the acquired influence in the representative elections ; I am an ancient bird. but the intrigue having been unmasked, a reaction took place, and the Then let us sing " Long live the King !" Jesuits were discomfited by the Liberals everywhere. To hold offiec The King of Naples, since after such a signal defeat was impossible; and the Catholic Ministry I've taken many a jolly rise resigned. M. H. BROUCKERE, to whom the construction of a juste milieu Out of that noble prince. Cabinet was assigned, annexed terms which were impossible of aceepta- And here's to all who love to bawl lion by the King; and n Ministry, radical, qualal income, under the pi esi- 'Bout " England fair and free," dency of M. CHARLES ROGTER, has been duly installed. The presence of Likewise all limmin citizens M FRERE Oasis at the Ministerial Council is alone asufficient guarantee I Who do not bother me. ...••=rs wmc•T,