The Press. — London, England, 1857-01-24 00:00:00

THE WEEK. THE situation in the East is certainly becoming complex. The Persian and Chinese disputes are rapidly assuming extensive proportions. The last intelligence from the Persian Gulf assures us of the capture of Bushire, the occupation of Karrak, and the determination of the shah not to submit to terms. The anticipation we ventured last week to express, that this unfortunate dispute would be amicably settled by tlii) good offices of the Emperor of the FRENCH, we have reason to fear will nut be fulfilled. It then remains for us, in the probable case of the Shah declining to submit to the dictation of the British Govern ment, either to content ourselves with possession of the barren coasts of the Persian Gulf, or to enter upon a war at once the most gigantic and costly this country has ever ventured to undertake in the East. It is useless for the Ministerial papers to assert that the war v.lis inevitable, and to throw the blame of it upon the intrigues of Russia. Russia has had nothing to do with the present quarrel. The friendly mediation of an ally could, if asked for, have at any moment prevented this result ; but the dictatorial tone of Lord PALMERSTON'S Government, and the attempt to impose upon the Shah the most immoderate conditions, rendered mediation impossible, hurried 'us into a war to sustain a false position, and lost to us the influence and prestige of years of able diplomacy. Let us consider for a moment, in voncert with whom, and in opposition to whom, we must carry on hts vast undertaking. We must ferment a revolt in and about Herat; Itte must subsidise the Aftglians ; we must push a campaign on our own frontier, and maintain the diversion on the shores of the Persian Gulf. Should the Shah prove obstinate, and decline to admit the necessity of surrendering possession of Herat, because a British squadron has appeared in the Persian Gulf, and captured Barrack, these great combinations must bes carried out if we desire to bring matters to a settlement. But can it be doubted that such preparations would not give rise to the most serious complications between this country and Russia? Our whole policy on this occasion towards Persia has been false to a degree. We permitted the siege of Herat to be carried on for months without an effort in its favour, and from our slow councils and slower execution of them produced oppor tunities which the sagacity and vigour of Persia improved to our dis advantage, and her own benefit. We then sought to impose upon her the most inordinate conditions, declined all attempts at a friendly arrangement, and so inevitably brought about the existing complica tion. The occupation of Astrabad by the Russians is reported, but Vints confirmation. _ _ If we turn to China, the most serious results have ensued from the measures adopted by Sir Jour; BOWRING. The foreign banks and factories, though protected by a strong force of seamen and marines, and under cover of the guns of the squadron, have been burnt to the ground by the Chinese ; and the destruction of Canton will, of course, as a matt.m of retaliation, be carried out by Admiral SEYMOUR, probably in conjunction with the French and American ships of war then in the river. It is to be hoped that the result of this unhappy collision between the Foreign Powers and China will even tually lead to the establishment of such definite relations upon so solid a foundation, as will prevent any chance of a repetition of such measures as Sir JOHN BOWRING so unjustifiably authorised upon the seizure of the lorcha. The despatches detailing the events at Canton in December are looked for with some little anxiety. The liberation of the Neufchatel prisoners, as we anticipated last week, has led to the entire discontinuation of all warlike measures on both sides. The King of PRUSSIA has expressed his willingness to abandon his rights of sovereignty over Neufchatel, but desires to efer the question for settlement to a Congress, which may possibly assemble in London. If ever a man heartily deserved a pungent epithet or two, it is Sir ROBERT PEEL. The un-worthy Baronet, the Member for Tamworth, without much regard for truth or honour, in his late speech at Bir mingham railed his Billingsgate pretty freely at all the representatives of the European Sovereigns present at Moscow. Those enjoying the least knowledge of facts, or the least impartiality of judgment, have pronounced many of Sir ROBERT PEEL'S statements to be absolutely false,—all of them to be disgracefully scandalous. The direct and vulgar personal allusion Sir ROBERT PEEL made to the Prince DE LIONE has, we are glad to see, so far influenced the leading British residents in Belgium, that a numerous deputation last Monday waited upon the Prince to express their regret and disgust at the vulgar per sonalities indulged in by Sir ROBERT PEEL, and to explain fully to the Prince that the insult was scouted by every gentleman in England, and universally condemned by the public press of the country. We must refer the reader to the letter of our Brussels correspondent for full details. To His Excellency's reply to this address we invite espe cial attention ; and for this reason—that when such terms as the Prince DE LIGNE coupled with Sir ROBERT PEEL'S name are publicly applied to any person holding office under Government, it is the duty of the Government either to clear the character of its servant, or to dismiss him from his post. In no branch of the public service is any man permitted to commit with impunity the slightest violation of the rules of honour; so gross a breach of honour, decorum, and confidence as that committed by Sir ROBERT PEEL, shot - ad have scarcely passed unnoticed. Tho remarks of the Prince DE LUISE this week give increased prominence to the ease, and demand that the Governmout ;akc some step ig the mattcp r• • • ih, THE PRESS. SATURDAY ; I do not (said the Prince) suffer the displeasure I may experience at this low bred indignity to affect, for one instant, the high respect and sincere regard long and cordially entertained by me for England and the English. Ho then characterises the expressions used by Sir RoDRIvr PEEL in terms quite as just as forcible . The coarse verbiage adopted by Sir Robert Peel to revile me belongs only to a sot (ivrogne) and a blackguard ( gamin), and as such I regard it with proper contempt. A sot and a blackguard ! These are the terms by which our late Secretary of Legation to the Special Embassy appointed to congra tulate the Emperor of RUSSIA upon his coronation Ivi,ll henceforth be known upon the Continent. Sir ROBERT PEEL—Sot and Blackguard ! Alas ! to what base uses may we not come, Horatio 7 The Prince de LINGE continues : Without seeking that personage, should chance ever place me in unpalatable contact with him, I shall not hesitate to say that his conduct has baen that of an underbred guppy No one can complain of the strong terms in which the Prince vents his very reasonable indignation ; but clearly the matter requires expla nation. If the terms, " sot and blackguard," now sticking to Sir ROBERT PEEL, had been applied and submitted to in a private quarrel, the question, though within the province of a Club Committee, would have been, to some extent, beneath the notice of the Government. But the present case is exceptional. Sir ROBERT PEEr„ taking advan tage of his situation, puts on public insults, among others, upon the Representative of the King of the BELGIANS. The Prince Du LIONE has flung back the insult upon Sir ROBERT PEEL, and publicly brands him as a "sot and a blackguard." Sir ROBERT PEEL is still a Lord of the Admiralty. His continuance iu office is, of course, in compliance with the Premier's inviolable rule of the " right man in the right " place." The just epithets of the Prince DE Dorm rather promi nently put the question, whether Sir ROBERT PEEL exactly meets the indispensable requirements of this rule. The retention in office of a man who possesses so feeble a sense of honour or decency, and who has been publicly branded as " a sot and a blackguard," is an insult to the nation. It is impossible that the Government can permit the Prince DE LIGNE'S reply to be passed over, and retain Sir ROBERT PEEL in office. The gaol committee appointed by the city of London have sent in a report relative to the present condition of Whitecross-street Prison. The management of this establishment has long been a disgrace to a nation in which publicity for abuses is so readily obtained. But there has always been a difficulty iu dealing with the whole qr:rstion of arrest for debt, owing to the not, unnatural reluctance felt by the sufferers to give evidence on the subject. It is shameful that a man who has committed no crime should be incarcerated among a set of ruffians over whose conduct the prison authorities exercise no con trol, and who, unless the victim submits to their system of extortion, and consents to become one of themselves, aro permitted to torment end insult him with impunity. A heavy fee is extorted on entrance for admission to the privilege of their society, for which the new comer has daily to pay a still further price in the shape of living in an atmosphere of blasphemy, filth, and low debauchery of every kind, to say nothing of swindling or theft, provided he has anything to lose. Anything like privacy in this den of horror is, of course, out of the question. Day and night the unfortunate debtor is surrounded by the same companions. Friends cannot visit him without running the gauntlet of all the blackguards in the prison. Beds are huddled toge ther in close and dirty wards ; and the tricks upon sleepers are such as would have made Messrs. Mivins and Smangle appear angels of light. That in such a realm as this the process server should be an object of peculiar hostility, and the butt of the most aggravated con tumely, is not to be wondered at. With the sufferings of this class of wretches we have small sympathy, no more, indeed, than we have with their employers, the low solicitors and attorneys who are the pests of humanity, and the scorn of their own profession. But we protest loudly against the neglect which has ignored the growth of an abuse so contrary to our notions of justice, and so detrimental both to the moral character and worldly prospects of the unfortunate. Who can be the better for the existence of such a place as this except the jackals of the law, we are at a loss to imagine. The sponging-house is doubtless the principal gainer—for many a man will rather be stripped of the last farthing he possesses by the harpies of these last-men• tioned institutions, than be thrown among the herd of scamps above described. But those who cannot afford to pay for their board and lodging at a rate which would make the most expensive hotel keeper in London open his eyes wide with mingled envy and incredu lity, have no other alternative. Why a man cannot be taken to some decent and reasonable place of confinement as soon as he is arrested, or what prevents his taking up his quarters in the Queen's Bench at once without either the delays or the expensive formalities which at present laccompany that process, we cannot comprehend. But so it is ; and so, unless some vigorous reformer arises, it will long continue to be. Opinions differ as to the judiciousness of the choice of the new Bishop of Cork (Archdeacon FITZGERALD), made by the Earl of CAR LISLE. We are personally unacquainted with the Bishop Elect ; but Ye have long known him by his scholarly reputation as au editor of BUTLER'S " Analogy," and of a portion of ARISTOTLE'S "Ethics." It is stated by the correspondent of the Times, that Archdeacon FITZ• GERALD'S " cold and reserved temperament made him unpopular with " the junior clergy," and such a drawback (if it exists) would inteif re with 'his utility in the triple diocese of " Cork, Cloyne, and Ross," which has suffered from the delicate health of the deceased Bishop (Dr. WILSON). We give Lord CARLISLE credit for worthy motives making this appointment, but we could desire that many clergymen in silo Churc4 Iroltuul, of grog oloquem and loaßin, roome4 *O4 ~- .