The Press. — London, England, 1856-02-09 00:00:00

130 the smallest trifle might bring us into great difficulties with that country : If the negotiations were open and we knew what was doing, he pe. haps need not have had to come there or any where else to talk about the matter, because lie believed public opinion would snuff out a great many of these things: but, he would ask, what would be the result if the merchants of Manchester confided the management of their affairs, the buying of their cotton and goods, and the c.nduct of their export and import trade, to some con cealed conspiracy almost among their servants? Why, they would have no safety whatever in their various transactions. In the words of the present head of our Foreign•office, we had " drilled" into the war in which we had been engaged, which showed the incapacity and feebleness that had been at the helm ; and who knew that we might not be "drifting " into a war now? With reference to the Bulwer-Clayton Treaty, he did not deny that the words of the treaty inclined more to favour the position claimed by the English than the interpretation put upon them by the American Government; but he egreed with the view of the Times, that it would be better that we held no terri tory there than have an interruption of a day in our amicable relations with America. As to the other item of disagreement, the foreign enlistment pro ceeding, he thought we bad not only infringed the 19.W4 of the country, but that the whole thing was a stupid blunder in every point of view:— It was most incredible that the Government of an economical country—a country that had adopted free trade and contained an association called a Chamber of Com merce within its dominions—should go 3,000 miles to the westward, where the labour of a common labourer on a farm was worth 4s. a day, to enlist men and to take them 3,000 miles to the eastward to fight men whose labour was not worth more than (hi. a day. As far as our atonement for the offence went, he understood we had made an apology but denied the offence, which was not considered sufficient by the American Government. He believed the English Go- vernment was entirely wrong in this matter. In con clusion, he much regretted to see the serious tone adopted by the press of both countries with respect to the disagreement, and called upon the Chamber to pass a resolution on the subject. After some slight discussion, Mr. Bright drew up a resolution for pre sentation to Parliament, expressing the deep regret. of the Chamber at the state of our relations with America, and calling upon her Majesty's Govern ment to consider the question in a conciliatory spirit, with a determination to avoid any interruption of _ friendly relations. The resolution was unanimously agroed to. Itlttrzgolitan. AT THE JURIDICAL SOCIETY'S MEETING OR Mon- day, a paper on life peerages was read by Mr. W. D. Lewis. Mr. Lewis commenced by adverting to the defects in the constitution of the Upper House, as to its being a final court of appeal and error, and the occasional questionable legality of its decisions, and admitted that, if life peerages were created only with a view of strengthenirg the judicial power of the house, as had been asserted, nothing could be said against it. But the peerage was a political and social, and not merely a judicial institution, and it was far from clear that the mere strengthening of the judicial staff of the House of Lords could not be accomplished by resort to old forms in the Constitu tion, without creating new peers to sit and vote. As to the prerogative of the Crown to create life peerages, it must he remembered that the title and political function of that dignity had not always been concur rent and united as at present; in the time of the Plantagenets, the right to sit in Parliament did not necessarily accompany a life petrage : The exercise of a power in the Crown to nominate members of the Upper House for life only would put in jeopardy the very existence and continuance of the house, ant be destruct've to the Constitution itself in all those relations which the House of Lords bears to other powers in the State. Such attempts might more frequently be expected, and more readily attempted, when the Minister finis that he may bring his nominees into the house with- out the embarrassment of a permanent addition to its numbers, or the risk of support being denied to him by their successors. Such a composition of the Upper House, or an infusion into it of such an element to any considerable extent, would defeat the very design and purpose, and destroy the whole utility of establishing an Independent aristocratic section of the Legislature. if the Crown or the Minister of the day nominated a considerable number of life occupants to the Upper House, they would reflect only the influence which placed them there ; and that influence would be nothing more than the majo rity of the House of Commons for the time being. arguments in favour of life peerages, ejected that if the precedent were once a was no security that it would not be unworthy purposes, and in cases where learning, nor services sanctioned the conclusion, Mr. Lewis argued that the permitted, would create discord in the Jid p ractically destroy the influence of body in the State, and leave the Crown In reply to the Mr. Lewis obje allowed there followed for un ; neither lalent, sieved( a In new system, if peerage, would the middle bed THE PRESS. and the Commons as the two sole powers, when the conflict that must inevitably ensue would as certainly result in the substitution of a democracy and entire subjecti , m of the Constitution. - - - - LIEUT.-GENERAI , SIR PATRICK GRAWT, H.E.LC.S., was entertained at a grand banquet on Saturday last by the Directors of the East India Company, pre vious to his departure to take the command-in-chief of the Madras Presidency. The interest of the event was unusually heightened by this being the first occasion upon which an officer of the East India Company's service had been appointed to so high a command, and in the speeches delivered on the occa sion every allusion was made to the justice and policy of the principle involved in the appointment of Sir Patrick Grant by the Crown. Lord Gough, Sir G. Pollock, Sir Willoughby Cotton, the Duke of Argyll, Lord Stanley of Alderley, Mr. Vernon Smith, and the Hon. Robert Lowe, were among the guests, who numbered upwards of 150. In returning thanks for his health, Sir Patrick Grant, alluding to the honour conferred upon him, said . These are, indeed, memorable times for the Indian army. Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to assure to us our military rank all over the world. Our rank is no longer, as heretofore, merely local ; it extends to every por tion of her Majesty's dominions, at home as well as abroad ; and we have now in my appointment a practical acknowledgment that we are deemed eligible for the high est military commands. I take upon myself to assure all who have aided in bringing about these resul.s that their generous exertions in the cause—( may I not say ?)—of common sense and sound polity are gratefully appreciated by every member of the vast army of India, whose loyalty, fidelity, and attachment to their Sovereign and their country never have been, and I firmly believe never can, justly be called in question. I shall go to India unfettered by pledge or promise of any kind, resolved to devote every energy I possess to the discharge of the important duties devolved upon me, and with a single eye to the efficiency and wellbeing of the public service. 1 feel that I am undertaking what would be a very grave responsibility for any one, but for me it is peculiarly so; and I can only pray God to enable me to acquit myself to the satisfaction of the high authorities who have done me the honour of selecting me for the proud position of Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Madras, the promotion being additionally gratifying to me from the circumstance of my being the first officer in the Company's service upon whom that high distinction has ever been conferred. The Duke of Argyll, Mr. Vernon Smith, and Mr. Lowe, also spoke in return for the usual toasts. Lord Campbell also returned thanks for " The Lords " in a brief speech, and alluded with much humour to a recent event in that chamber•— . He was nut ashamed to belong to that distinguished body, which had ever been the friend of freedom, and which, although it had been held to be a little backward at times, had yet, under the influence of a gentle stimulus, always responded in the long run to the healthy impulses of public opinion. It was now said, however, that the Upper Chamber of the Legislature must be reformed, and a new batch of peers was about to be created. That was not a fitting occasion for him to discuss whether or not such a measure was legal and constitutional. On that subject they would probably hear more on Thursday next —(alaugh)—but, fur his own part, he entertained no ap prehension of the result of the contemplated proceeding ; and he could only say that if it. was really legal, and also if any of the gentlemen present were destined to be made peers for life, they would be sure of a courteous reception from the House of Lords—(laughter)—where it was to be hoped they would show as devoted a zeal or the honour of the Crown and for the liberties and the prosperity of the people as had been displayed by the hereditary members of that assembly. THE REMOVAL OF THE NEWOATE AND LEADNE HALL MARKETS was considered at a public meeting at the London Coffee house on Wednesday. Sir James Duke, in explaining the object of the meeting, said he believed that a great central market could be erected at Smithfield without detriment to St. Bartholomew's hospital. The corporation were willing to purchase and pull down houses on the north west side, so as to allow free ventilation to the hospi tal, while accomplishing their own objects. Mr. Ross denied that any material advantages had been gained by the removal of the live-stock market from Smith field; and as to Smithfield itself, trade had dwindled, shopkeepers had left the neighbourhood, and every thing was in a state of stagnation. He denied that the establishment of a meat market would create pestilence or disease, and quoted the opinion of Mr. Lawrence that decaying animal matter was not so injurious to health as commonly supposed. In con clusion, he moved a resolution expressive of the eli gibility of Smithfield as a locale for the present markets of Newgate and Leadenhall-street. Several salesmen and other persons connected with the trade addressed the meeting, when the resolution was unanimously passed, and a memorial and deputation to Sir George Grey agreed upon. THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL'S RETURNS FOR LAST WEEK show a mortality of 949—a singularly low rate, the deaths in the corresponding week of the preceding year being 1,604, and the average for the last ten years 1,270. The births show a marked increase over the usual average, 1,728 being registered last week, against an average of 1,580. SATUhDAY, The state of the public health may therefore be con sidered as remarkably good. THE CORPORATION REFORM BILL, about to be introduced by the Home Secretary, will, it is said, confer a new charter, preserving only such customs as are expedient. Among the prominent changes mentioned, the election of Lord Mayor will, it is re ported, be henceforth by Common Council—alder men will he elected for only six years—the wards to be reduced to sixteen—the City police will be incor porated with the metropolitan force—the conservancy of the Thames will be transferred to a special board, while the Courts of Hustings and St. Martin's-le- Grand will be abolished. THE METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS held a meeting on Monday, at the Council Chamber, Guild ball, and proceeded with the election of a superin tending architect, at a fixed salary of 800/. a year. After some discussion the election was proceeded with in the usual form, and Mr. Marrable, a young assistant, formerly in the service of Mr. Blore, was declared duly elected. A regular meeting-day for the board was brought under consideration, but not fixed. THE COAL-WHIPPERS OF LONDON held a crowded meeting last week, to consider the propriety of petiti oning Parliament for a renewal of the act which ex • pires in August next. The meeting was addressed by Mr. W. Deering, and several coal-whippers, and a petition, embodying the object of the meeting, was unanimously agreed upon for immediate presentation to Parliament. V robintial. A PUBLIC MEETING, to memorialise the Govern•• ment for a full and public inquiry into Lie cause of the fall of Kars, was held at Worcester last week. A deputation from the London Administrative Re formers attended, and addressed the meeting. Mr. Bennoch, in a speech of some length, explained the objects of the reform association of which he was a member, and, quoting largely from the current num ber of " Little Dorrit," concluded by stating that the Administrative Reformers were about to clear the barnacles which so impeded the progress of the good ship Britannia. Mr. Moore, who followed, spoke rather more to the point. A motion was about to ho moved in the House, he explained, by Mr. J. L. Ri• cardo for a committee to inquire into the whole sys tem of Government contracts, and for a committee to investigate in public every circumstance connected with the fall of Kars : It was in many quarters boldly asserted, that it had been predetermined Kars should fall, as an offering to the wounded pride of Russia, and to open the way to peace. He could not bring himself to believe there had been such a design. He could not credit it that that garrison, with its long endurance, its glorious repulse of the Russians, and victory—the fame of which had run throughout the world—had been deliberately left to starve until, under stress of a famine by which a hundred died daily, and the half rotten carcases of dead horses were dug up and eaten, they were driven to surrender two months after that victory. But that these things are said, is itself of sufficient ground for demanding a full, public, impartial inquiry. The mere production of papers promised by Lord Clarendon to Lord Derby will not do ; it is difficult to have faith in papers ; impossible to know how many might be witheld—it was customary to furnish them with blanks and stars, and the excuse that reasons of policy obliged the omissions. No pretences of policy must be allowed in this case to stand in the way ; we must have the testimony of the living witnesses. General Williams must be heard. Dr. Sandwith must be heard. Lord Strat ford must be brought before the committee to give his account of the matter. Lord Clarendon himself must he examined, if there should appear any blank in the detail of facts that it properly belongs to him to fill. The matter must be sifted to the bottom. It must be discovered 4.11 whom rested the responsibility to relieve Kars. We must know, so as to lease no discovery to be made by some future historian, all the facts, all the influences that were at work. -- Resolutions, approving the course the association had taken, pledging the support of the meeting to the London committee, adopting a petition to the House of Commons in favour of Administrative Reform, and the memorial agreed to at the London Tavern for an inquiry into the circumstances connected with the the iall of Kars, were adopted unanimously. SIR JOHN M'NEIL presided lately at a meeting of the Nightingale Fund held at Edinburgh. In the course of his address Sir John spoke with no little authority upon the personal and religious character of Miss Nightingale : Statements have gone forth attributing or describing Miss Nightingale u belonging to almost every imaginable denomination of Christians. The truth I believe to be, the - , Protestant in her opinions, firm in her Protestant belief, she is yet of too large and catholic a mind to regard mere sectarian differences, or to attach much importance to forms. I believe that she is capable of acting with persons of every denomination who are influenced by pions and Christian motives. Her own opinions are not recently formed. Long before this war was thought of, while Awes yet doubtful whether any such institution as we sie now