The Press. — London, England, 1856-09-20 00:00:00

806 Mr. MOWBRAY, M.P., addressed his constituents last week in the Town-ball, Durham. The hon. member, alluding to the change in European affairs since last year, observed, with respect to the peace, that although it was perhaps not so satisfactory as the country desired, yet he believed that it the Government were satisfied, it was the duty of the House, without criticising the terms of peace too narrowly, to give their support to the Crown. The lose of Kars, however, was a serious alloy to the blessings of peace. He thought Lord Stratford answerable for the circumstances which led to the fall, and her Majesty's Ministers answerable for the fall of that fortress : The question was brought forward in a speech of dis tinguished ability—a speech which remains to this moment unanswered, and, I believe, unanswerable ; but so reluc tant was I on that occasion to give what niight be construed into a factious or party vote, that I joined some seventy - three members in the louse of Commons in saying that we were anxious no resolution of that house should be taken on the fall of Kars till we had an opportunity of considering the papers relative to the treaty of peace. The Ministry refused to accept that mode of getting rid of the question, and they called for the opinion of the house. I was not anxious to express my opinion ; yet when I found the Ministry insisted, I felt 'bound to record that opinion, which I believed was the opinion of the people of Eng land, and which, I believe, will be the opinion of most in this room—that whatever energy they may have thrown into the ear in other pans—whatever zeal they may have shown at Sebastopol—in Asia Minor the Government had neglected the war, and had, through their own neglect, or the neglect on the part of the ambassador, caused the enemy to gain possession of that part of the Sultan's do minions to which they ought to have given their greatest and most anxious attention. Upon the American enlistment question he voted for the Government; and he did so, not because he thought the Government were free from blame— But because I thought under circumstances, consi• dering the danger that threatened the country, it would not be a fair occasion on which to call them to account. Looking at affairs at home, seeing the Government were the responsible advisers of the Crown, seeing that differ ences had grown up between Great Britain and the United States, and not knowing how far it was possible such differences might lead to hostilities, I thought that it was the duty of Englishmen to sink all minor opinions which they might entertain, and assure the Crown of Great Britain that in any struggle with a foreign power they would speak with one vob.:e and support the Government. Mr. Mowbray then alluded to questions of domestic legislation, supporting agricultural statistics, ex pressing an earnest hope that Mr. Spooner may ultimately succeed in repealing the Maynooth grant, and anticipating that the Government would next session bring in a bill to settle the question of Chun•h rates. The future of Europe Mr. Mowbray thought so doubtful that we should be prepared for eventualities : We know not how long France may remain in her pre• sent state; Italy we may be sure is ready to rise; we don't know the eondition of Spain, we don't know the future of Hungary, but we know this, that a great nation must be prepared for any contingencies that may arise ; we most not again allow ourselves to be in the unprepared state we were in the year 18.54. THE HON. F. H. F. BERKELEY, M.P. FOR BRISTOL, is about to be presented by his constituents with a handsome casket containing 1,000 sovereigns, as a testimonial for his exertions to obtain the repeal of the Sunday Beer Bill. Stu Ozonou Ciasy relieves the Earl of Clarendon as Secretary of State in attendance upon her Majesty. Vttrouplitan. MR. JOHN FROST, upon the occasion of his visiting London, on Monday, was given a public reception by the London Chartists. The programme for the day's proceedings fixed Finsbury F quare as the rendezvous of the democrats. Some thousands of persons assembled, and shortly after twelve o'clock an open carriage, containing Mr. Frost, Mr. Ernest Jones, Mr. James Finlen, Mr. J. Cooper, of Bristol, and two others, and drawn by four greys, with outriders, entered the square. A round of cheering from the people waiting to fall into the procession ensued, and as Mr. Frost became recog nised, was agaiu and again renewed, while many of them ran by the side of the vehicle and grasped him cordially by the hand. Mr. Frost is a man rather above the middle height, slightly corpulent, with grey hair and a pale face, marked a little with the smallpox, and a person young looking and straight. A short interval was spent in marshalling the procession. The cortege was composed, first of three equestrians wearing party-coloured silk scarfs ; then came the carnage and four, followed by a long line of pedestrians, including a considerable number of women, who walked generally f our a b reas t, w ith banners float ing overhead, some surmounted with a cap of liberty, and bearing characteristic inscrip- THE PRESS. Lions, such as " The alliance of the peoples; " " The Archangel is here ; his name is Democracy; " " Frost. Williams, and Jones, the victims of tyranny, restored to their homes;" "The sovereignty of the people ;" " Hail, brother victim !" " The political victims of 1848 ;" " God speed our cause ! " and " Disobedience to a tyrant is honour to God." The rear was brought up by several pleasure-vans, laden with women and children, and an immense number of the roughs of London. The procession, thus made up, started from Finsburysquare at half-past twelve, passing along Moorgate street to the Man sion-house, and so on through Cheapside, up the Strand, Regent-street, and Portland place to Prim rose-hill. With but few incidents to relieve its tedium, the cortege, which had swelled to some 20,000 persons, reached Primrose-hill about thr-e o'clock. Here a struggle and a row ensued for some time, till at length, for a brief interval, order was restored, and Mr. Ernest Jones availed himself of it to address the crowd. He said that men desiring to be free had come to pay homage to a tyrant's victim, and never were they met on a nobler occa sion. There (pointing to Mr. Frost) stood a man who united the energy of youth with the experience of age, after spending fifteen years of villainous op pression in a colony of England. He had worked in the chain gang during those long years, and was now ready to break the chains that bound the work ing men of his native country. Mr. Ernest Jones continued much in this strain, and asserting that the rights of labour• had been for years shamefully confiscated, was interrupted by the question " whether lie lab mred." This gave rise to great up roar. Mr. Jones replied that he laboured with his brain and pen, that he had ruined himself for the cause, and was now ready to offer up his life. After a short time he read a congratulatory address to Mr. Frost:— We congratulate you that yon were able to sustain the trials and indignities of that exile with such exalted and dignified composure—such composure, indeed, whtch it is seldom the lot of humanity to witness. The heroic vindi cation of your deeds, the exposure of the misdeeds of the people's enemies, of those who became your enemies be cause you championed the interests of those whom they oppressed, are acts which still hold a prominent place in the memory of your countrymen. It is refreshing, sir, in this day of blasphemy and reproach, in this day of political apostacy and compromise, to know that while we have had men who publicly recognised our cause, and who have since succumbed before the fiery blast of persecution, or forfeited the future greatness of being true for the present advantage of being rich, that we have you among the number who have bravely endured the cross, desptsed the shame, and still foster fealty to that faith which our doc trines, the doctrines of the poor, have engendered, and which, sir, the sufferirge of all have sanctified. Permit us, then, to bid you welcome. Mr. Frost replied : Forty ' , cars ago I became convinced that the miserable state of our country, and of its industrious inhabitants, was occasioned by the lawgiver—by the corruption of the House of Commons—and I did all in my power to point out to my neighbours the cause of the evil and the remedy. The only remedy, as it then appeared to we, was to recur to the principles of our ancient Constitution, which prin• ciples are embodied in what is now called the Charter. saw in tny native town the demoralising effects of the pre- sent mode of electing members of the House of Commons. In the year 11487, on the accession of Queen Victoria, 1 was the mayor of our borough, and therefc re the returning officer. At that election I believe that 20,0001. were spent, principally in bribing the electors, he corrupting society at its very foundation, and I was obliged to receive the votes of those whom 1, with good reason, suspected had received money from both candidates. During the agitation for the Reform Bill I warned my countrymen thut the thing was a humbug ; that it would put the same sort of men into the house as those who occupied the seats under the boroughmongering system, and 1 have lived to see the day vilifni the ablest writers in England have declared that since the Reform Bill became the law of the land the members elected under it were greater imbeciles and more dishonest than any elected under the whole system. His hatred against the oppressors of his country had been stimulated by his visit to the Antipodes : Bitter as was the hatred which I formerly felt for the men who oppressed and impoverished my country, it was nothing in intensity compared to what I feel at present; and base indeed must I he if, after witnessing the suffer ings and depravity of my countrymen in Van Diemen's Land—those, too, the work of the lawgiver—l did not ezett every power I possessed to change a system which, unless altered, and speedily ton, will bring down on the nation the vengeance of that God who, for crimes of a similar kind, destroyed the fairest spot in the world. For the future the Chartist organisation was to be revived : We play for a great stake, life or death ; let that game be played kkilfully. Let us be cool, but determined; pru dent, but fearless; giving up no principle, satiated with nothing less than our doe, and we may yet live to see oar country once more bearing and deserving the name of " Merry England." Previous to the address being read a parody on the National Anthem, written for the occasion by Ernest Jones, was circulated among the crowd and sung by them. It was entitled "The Workmen's Song to the Rich," and contained the following stanza:— SATURDAY, With bloodstained despots' shame You link our country's name, And aid their crime; God! hear thy people pray, if there's no other way, Give us one glorious day Of Cromwell's time. The demonstration was protracted until nearly six o'clock, and at its conclusion the immense concourse of people gradually dispersed. A French writer in the Union, M. Fontaine, after detailing the circumstances of the meeting, makes the entertaining reflection : Although these Saturnalia, for the present at least, have no great political aignificance, they cannot but disclose in its nudity a bleeding, and perhaps mortal wound of English society! THE NATIONAL SUNDAY LEAGUE held a meeting on Monday evening at St. Martin's-hall. Sir Joshua Walinsley, M.P., occupied the chair, and in opening the proceedings repeated the usual phrases in favour of innocent recreations on Sundays. The Sunday League believed that the best method of providing this recreation was " to obtain the opening of the various museums, gardens, and public institutions throughout the kingdom on the Sunday." A resolu tion accordingly was proposed, but a Mr. Sindon, amidst tremendous uproar, moved an amendment, to the effect that the meeting, thankfully accepting the late derision of the House of Commons on the sub ject of opening places of public amusement on Sunday, pledged itself to promote the more frequent opening of those places at times on week days, whin those who had to work for their bread could fully avail themselves of the benefits those places afford. The amendment was negatived by a large majority, and after a second resolution, that the Sunday bands bad been productive of great moral good, had ken proposed and passed, the meeting separated. THE FINSBURY-PARY COMMITTEE having been Ili quested by Lord Palmerston to furnish a plan and estimate of the proposed undertaking, have cora menced a survey of the land near Highbery station The Islington vestry voted 1001. to cover the exper sea . CHRIST'S HOSPITAL will be attended by the Lord Mayor and Al letmen, according to annual custom, on Monday next, Sunday being St. Mattliew's-day The four orations will be delivered in Latin by William Foster, in English by Ernest Montague, in Greek by Mark Shattock, and in French by Thomas Pullett. Five poems will also oa recited by other senior scholars. A Mn. ARMSWORTH, who had lately purchased some land in the Lea Mar-dies between Temple. mills and Bow, drove over to visit his property last week. Ou his way back, while driving along the banks of the Lea, he upset his tax cart into the river and drowned himself. THE revision of the lists of voters for the city of Westminster will take place before John Fraser Macqueen, Esq., at the Lords Justices' Court, West minster-ball, commencing Thursday, the 9th day of October, at eleven o'clock. A PRELIMINARY MEETING to protest ag,ainst Sir Benjamin Hall's prevention of park preaching, was held at Freemason's hall, on Tuesday night. The Rev. Mr. Crybbace explained the object of the meet ing : They wished to do everything in peace, and with this view they proposed to address a memorial to Lord Pal merston, fur the purpose of getting all the parks opened for public preaching on the Sabbath, wit'. the exception of St. James's and the Green parks. They proposed tc erect pulpits where the platforms for the bands now stood, and hom them to preach God's Word. He should have ell them that the clergymen preached the Word of God at the gates of Victoria-park, and that their preaching was at' tended by thousands of persons who never attended church or chapel. A rather strong discussion ensued upon the terms of the letter of September 2nd addressed to Sir Ben jamin Hall, and of a memorial to Lord Pahnerston, the first of which was declared to be withdrawn and the second to be reconsidered. Resolutions in sup port of opening the parks for public preaching, and nominating a deputation to present the memo rial to Lord Palmerston, were unanimously adopted and the meeting separated. THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL'S RETURNS for the week show a rate of mortality below the average, 1,087 deaths only being registered. The births annunted to 1,553. DR. LETHEBY, in his report to the City Commis sion of Sewers, on Tuesday, called attention to the great nuisance, especially to the boys at Merchant Taylor's School, resulting from the constant escape of naptha vapours from a warehouse in Suffolk lane. This nuisance, however, was not the only evil—there was the imminent danger of fire from so inflammable a spirit. The spirit is stored in wooden vats, two with a capacity of 1,100 gallons each, and a third of 1,700 gallons. The naptha is usually received in . puncheons and hogsheads, and from these it is met cured off into tin cans of twelve gallons each. 'flies operations, together with the leakages from the vessels in which the naptha is kept, cause a large