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

FEBRUARY 2,185 G. For the Past—to describe it exactly— If we bullied, it was but for show meant ; If we quailed, 'twas when matters looked blackly ; If we bragged, 'twas the heat of the moment ; When wo failed, 'twas the fault of the system ; When we lied, but postponing the verity. Then let bygones, however you twist 'cm, Leave no doubt of our " perfect sincerity." For myself, at this Congress selected To play off your initiative, 'Tis because 1 ,.. am highly connected, Or because I spealiK•ench like a native. Pretensions I've none to ability, But I wish to go down to posterity Renowned fin• this one sterling quality, That I acted with " perfect sincerity." OUTRAGE TO MR. BILLY 'WILLIAMS, OF LAMBETH. (Front the Morning Advertiser.) WE hasten to proclaim, and in the same moment to denounce, the cruel mode in which all our daily contemporaries have joined—let us rather write conspired—to suppress the eloquence of one of the most intellectual and fascinating speakers in the House of Commons—we mean Mr. William (otherwise Billy) Williams. whose mellifluous voice is always raised in the cause of patriotism, and never less so than when in the fullness of his historical, social, and statesmanlike wisdom, he lays his chopper (we do not, as ribalds might hint, allude to his hat, which we know quite well should be spelt shappean) to the root of the accursed 'Spas tree of aristocracy. The very first speech of the new session was Mr. Williams's, who refused to permit a hypocri tical Standing Order (which he facetiously said "he could not stand ") to be read without an indignant comment. The order against the in terference of Peers at elections called up the Honourable Billy Williams (as our Yankee friends would describe him), who, even in the meagre and emasculated reports of our contemporaries, is made to show that Peers set that order at defiance, and that it was mockery to lay down a rule which was not enforced. We have endeavoured to do more justice to the Honourable Billy, and we are enabled to present the following verbatim report of his noble protest against the coroneted nuisance : Mr. W. WILLIAMS : Sir, if this order could be enforced like, and Lords hindered from interfering at the elections of the people's repre sentatives, all well and good. But, Sir, how stands the case ? I ask, Sir, how stands the case, Sir? Do them Lords interfere, or do they not? Echo answers in the affirmative. Why, Sir, it is within my own knowledge that they do. (Name, name.) Hurry no man's cattle ; one day Honourable Gentlemen may have a donkey of their own. 1 can state cases in which Peers have interfered. Why, goodness gracious me, don't I see oppersite to me lots of Honourable Members which are the sons of Peers 9 (Hear, hear.) Very well ; if a man has a son, and sends that son into Parliament, isn't that interfering with elections? (Roars of laughter.) You may laugh, but if the Peer didn't have a son he couldn't come into this House. (Renewed laughter.) But that's not all. I was coming along Pall-mall yesterday, and at the door of the Conservative Club I saw three Lords talking. My business is to watch over the interests of the people, and when I see three Lords together I feel like a political policeman. Up I came, and what did I hear these aristocrats saying? "Two to one on Walpole for Cambridge," says one. " Ponies?" says the second. " Halves," says the third; and they wrote down the bet in their little books. Isn't that interfering? (Cheers.) I caught a Lord voting one day, so as soon as lie had done I said to him, " Is that the right thing ?" says I " Well, I think it is," says he. " How do you make that out?'. says I. " Why," says he. " taxes," says he. " Taxes ?" says I ; " that's' our business." " I know it," says he. "We can do nothing about taxation in the Lords ; we are in your hands, and therefore I think we may at least exercise an Englishman's right to choose the men who are to tax him." Such are the sophistries of the aristocracy. (Hear, hear.) And then, Sir, there is another way in which the aristocrats interfere. I don't mean any disrespect to you, Sir—you are not a Lord yet, and when you are one I am sure you will discountenance such practices—but I allude to the habit of the female aristocracy to go about canvassing. lam told that the Duchess of Devonshire does (Roars of laughter.) But I tell you I have read an anecdote—ale honourable member's voice was drowned in laughter, apparently inextin yuishable, amid which his trords—" butcher "—" kiss "—" Charley " could alone be heard don't see what there is to laugh at. I am aware that the Duke of Devonshire is a Whig. but that is no reason why the Duchess—(shouts renewed). Well, there are heaps of other cases. I know a gross case of intimidation. A poor, but independent, dealer in marine stores, residing at Portsmouth—(laughter) —was threatened by a policeman that, if he did not mind what he was about, it would be the worse for him. Now mark. That policeman had been recommended into the force by a marchioness—(Name) — I have forgotten it ; I think it begins with a P or else a li, but the moral is the same. In a fortnight after that caution there was an election . ; and which way did the poor marine store-keeper vote ? (lP inch ?) I don't know, but I should think you might pretty well THE PRESS. 109 guess. (Cheers.) I tell you the aristocracy interfere in all the'', elections. ( Yours?) Yes, mine. (Cheers.) I can tell you that a lady, fashionably dressed, alighted last week from a cab at the door of a worthy grocer in Lambeth, one of my warmest friends, and, alter making some purchases, insisted on paying for the articles. lay friend offered to make out a bill, but she said, with a meaning smile, " No, I hate Williams, and trust never to see one brought in again." Could he misunderstand that? And who do you think it was, going about poisoning the minds of the electors against me ? A gent in the establishment, who gets orders for the Opera, and therefore is painted with the Peerage, stated at once that it was the Viscoun the Viscountess --. I've forgot the name, but it was some 4 thing like Appledaddy—(great laughter)—but the moral's the same. (Cheers.) I have been called a teller of cock-and-bull storieF;, but I can tell the House that, if it does not mind, there will be a tale of a French cock and an English bull that will make it laugh on the wrong side of its mouth. People won't pay war taxes if the aristocracy interfere in elections ; and then what becomes of your blessed alliance ? (Hear, hear.) I consider, therefore, that if this war, or this negotiation, is to be properly carried on, you must take order with the House of Peers ; and I intend, upon an early day, to move, as an addition to the Standing Orders, that "the same rule shall be adopted with peers as with soldiers, and that, at elections, they shall be ordered to move away a certain distance from any borough or county." (Shouts of laughter.) Yes. (A voice, " Where are they to go at a general elec tion? ") That's their business. (Cheers.) To Prance if they like ; they are fond enough of travelling for their own pleasure, let them travel for our profit—" and stop away until the last writ is returned." (Cheers.) Sir, the existence of an aristocracy is so incompatible -- Mr llayter here begged to be allowed to move some new writs, and the Honourable Billy deferred his larger view of the subject until another evening. A NEWS-LETTER TO A COUSIN IN FOREIGN PARTS. The news of the week you are asking, Well, Heaven be praised ! there's nolack, And my memory won't need much tasking As I call the occurrences back. :x;l4 M First, you know there's the Cambridge Election, Where Walpole, the honest and true, Is opposed by a man whose rtjection There's no doubt of between me and you. Have you seen a vile scurrilous letter Mr. Denman's friends put in the Times? You'll not wonder its taste was no better When you learn that epistle was Pryme's. A man—but my Terse I'll not sully With the mention of creatures like that, A low University Bully— We all know what the Fellow is at. Then you've heard of the Parliament's meeting To give ear to the Speech of the Queen, All our cleverest guesses defeating To divine what her Ministers mean. a For of course you are not so disloyal As to deem that our Sovereign could write A discourse so absurd and un-Royal— 'Tis the work of her Ministers quite. 'Tis they who ignore liars' existence, Nor give Williams one word of applause, Nor allude to the Yankees' resistance To our blundering scorn of their laws ; Who don't heed her colonial possessions, And despise their true tilith to the Crown, Nor deplore the disgraceful oppressions Which in India her subjects grind down. General Evans has promised a motion, A daft one as ever I heard, To abolish the sale of promotion, And that merit aloile be preferred. I don't see much sense in this bobbery, And think that one service at least Might be free from political jobbery, And saved front the mark of the beast. Then Lord Derby—l wish he'd the steerage Of our ship in this perilous strait — Denounces the foolish Life Peerage Judge Parke has accepted of late. Then the Times won't allow a fair trial To Palmer, who's tried for his lire, And won't hear of his counsel's denial That he murdered his brother and wife. Now I've finished my news and my paper, And giv'n you the knowledge you seek ; If my Muse has let some things escape her You shall hear than, dear cousin, next we, • / "TIM* • . ._•. • - E S S. 109 ess. (Cheers.) I tell you the aristocracy interfere in all the 'etions. ( Yours?) Yes, mine. (Cheers.) I can tell you that a lady, f••• hionably dressed, alighted last week from a cab at the door of a rthy grocer in Lambeth, one of my warmest friends, and, alter ling some purchases, insisted on paying for the articles. Ility ud offered to make out a bill, but she said, with a meaning smile, Zo, I hate Williams, and trust never to see one brought in again." uld he misunderstand that? And who do you think it was, going out poisoning the minds of the electors against me ? A gent in the :ablishment, who gets orders for the Opera, and therefore is ac- ainted with the Peerage, stated at once that it was the Viscountess the Viscountess --. I've forgot the name, but it was some- ing like Appledaddy—(great laughter)—but the moral's the same. • 'teem) I have been called a teller of cock-and-bull storieF;, but I can 1 the House that, if it does not mind, there will be a tale of a French :!k and an English bull that will make it laugh on the wrong side of • mouth. People won't pay war taxes if the aristocracy interfere in • .ctions ; and then what becomes of your blessed alliance ? (Hear, tr.) I consider, therefore, that if this war, or this negotiation, is to properly carried on, you must take order with the House of Peers ; d I intend, upon an early day, to move, as an addition to the • anding Orders, that "the same rule shall be adopted with peers as th soldiers, and that, at elections, they shall be ordered to move ay a certain distance from any borough or county." (Shouts of vizier.) Yes. (A voice, " Where are they to go at a general elec- n? ") That's their business. (Cheers.) To France if they like ; ' are fond enough of travelling for their own pleasure, let them " • for our profit—" and stop away until the last writ is returned." peers.) Sir, the existence of an aristocracy is so incompatible -- Mr Hayter here begged to be allowed to move some new writs, L.. d the Honourable Billy deferred his larger view of the subject until other evening. A NEWS-LETTER TO A COUSIN IN FOREIGN PARTS. The news of the week you are asking, Well, Heaven be praised ! there's nolack, Aud my memory won't need much tasking As I call the occurrences back. First, you know there's the Cambridge Election, Where Walpole, the honest and true, Is opposed by a man whose rejection There's no doubt of between me and you. • Have you seen a vile scurrilous letter Mr. Denman's friends put in the Times? You'll not wonder its taste teas no better • When you learn that epistle was Pryme's. A man—but my verse I'll not sully With the mention of creatures like that, A low University Bully— We all know what the Fellow is at. Then you're heard of the Parliament's meeting To give ear to the Speech of the Queen, All our cleverest guesses defeating To divine what her Ministers mean. For of course you are not so disloyal As to deem that our Sovereign could write A discourse so absurd and un-Royal— 'Tis the work of her Ministers quite. - !ek.