The Press. — London, England, 1855-08-04 00:00:00

738 oblige. We'll have a correction put in—what shall Ibe said to have said ? Perhaps it might be our fate— Lord P : Don't say " fate "—there are no fates. The PREMIER : Yes there are, fetes champitres, and deuced pleasant they are if the women are pretty and the grass isn't damp. But we'll say what you like. "It might be our luck "—no, that's familiar; " our destiny "—that's a good word, eh? Sir G. G.: Rather heathenish. What prevents your saying that we might be permitted by Providence ? The PREMIER: Because that's John Russell's way of perorating. I'm not going to imitate Johnny. I'll say we " may be permitted " that's enough. Well, down to " human knowledge is all orthodox, I suppose? But it's not to be done in time, that's the grievance. When is it to be done? After time's too late. The DUKE : " Left to the hands of time " is most objectionable. The PREMIER : Well, I don't stand upon his hands—say his scythe, or his forelock, if you like —or, stop—his hour-glass, that'll be an impressive image. SATURDAY, - • - The DUKE : It is sad to see how little you understand the real objection to your Gallio-like phraseology. Don't you know that Christian society has missionary duties to perform ? The PREMIER : Yes, the Church Missionary Society. I know all about it. Ah! I see. They send missionaries to India ; and you wanted me to give them a puff. Why didn't you mention it sooner? I dont see how to hitch it in now. The DUKE (in despair): It's of no use. I wish you would let one of us shape the corrections, and send it to the papers for you. The PREMIER : I'm agreeable; but mind what you are about— don't come it too strong, you known, or people will not believe in it. When I see what you've written I shall, perhaps, understand which of the Thirty-nine Articles I've been violating this time ; at present, I'm in nubibus. The correction, however, has not appeared ; and it may be surmised that the three colleagues 'of the Premier despaired of con verting his heterodoxy into anything which should be at once correct and sufficiently like the style of that eminent religionist to be accepted as his utterances. good chances of peace, he proceeded to argue in favour of the last proposals, which, he said, it was un fair to characterise as Austrian, and which, sup ported by all the plenipotentiaries, themselves Minir: , ters of high rank in their respective countries, was entitled to better consideration than that they had received. No treaty would be efficient which would not command the approval of Europe, without the firm union of which no real check could be imposed upon Russia; and yet the European combi nation was broken for a stipulation of secondary importance. He feared that the result would be a wider breach with Austria, of which the consequences—espe- cially in the occupation of the principalities—no one could foresee. He asserted that in France itself the enthusiasm for the war, if it existed, would ere long be cooled for financial reasons, while there was no reason to count upon the exhaustion or dishearten ing of Russia, many instances of the spirit of whose population he quoted. He concluded by vindicating his present peace opinions, after having sanctioned the war, and pointed out the danger of continuing a gigantic contest for small differences, whereby we were exposed to have new and perilous objects forced upon us. Mr. LAYARD said that it was likely enough that great contractors and men of business would be dis satisfied with a war which interfered with their gains. He proceeded to object to the manner in which the two first points were settled at Vienna, complained of our treatment of the principalitie ,, , and said that, 1 y consenting to the interference of all the powers with the Greek population of Turkey, Russia in, reality made no concession. Mr. COBDEN called Sir William Molesworth to account for his speech on the hustings at South wark, whom he taxed with gross dereliction of his former principles and professions. Sir W. MOLESWORTH would not retract the senti ments he had uttered, and which the conduct of the peace party in uniting with others to surprise the Government at such a juncture fairly deserved. Sir J. GRAHAM entered into some explanation to disprove the assertion that there had been a combination of parties to surprise the Government, and called on Sir W. Molesworth to retract his asser• tion. Sir W. MOLESWORTH had only used the words to express his impression of the attack upon the Go• vernment. Mr. R. PHILLTMORE and Mr. WAI.POLE expressed great indignation at the abusive language of the right hon. baronet, and Mr. GLADSTONE demanded a further explanation. Lord PALM . EASTON declared that his own impres sion of a combination had been precisely the same, and thought his right hon. friend justified in stating his opinions. Sir W. MOLERWORTH was ready to believe, upon the professions made, that there was no preconcerted combination. Mr. DISRAELI was astonished that Lord Pal merston should have defended his colleague on a verbal quibble rather than by advising a frank apology. The motion for the adjournment was then agreed to, and the house adjourned at a quarter past one o'clock. REAR-ADMIRAL SIR WILLIAM CARROT., K.C.8., has been appointed to succeed the late Admiral Parry in the lieutenant-governorship of Greenwich Hospital. The oppointment is worth 8001. a year, with a suite of apartments, the gallant officer being, in addition, entitled to retain his half pay. GOVERNMENT contemplates converting the Isle of Wight into a depot for all the troops detachments of which are to be sent to the Crimea. The object of this is to prevent desertion, as the only outlets from the island are at Cowes and Ryde, which could be easily watched to prevent deserters leaving the Isle of Wight. THE PRESS. At the evening sitting, in reply to Mr. M. GIBSON, who complained that the instructions given to the commanders in the Baltic to destroy Russian vessels too small to be wurth sending home, was giving those commanders the power of deciding if the vessels really belonged to the enemy, Sir C. Wool) said that the orders given were to "take and destroy ;" small vessels, however, were often permitted to pass. The question of property must be left to the judgment of the commanders. In reply to Mr. BRIOHT, _ . . . Lord PALXERSTON said that the Government would make due inquiries as to the conflict which had oc curred on the coast of Africa. On the bringing up the report of ways and means, Mr. WILSON, replying to Sir J. PAKINOTON, ex plained the negotiations now in progress for postal communication with Australia. Mr. LAING brought under the notice of the house the objects and policy of the war, and moved for the correspondence with the French Government relative to the last propositions of Austna. The re jection by the Governments of the unanimous opinion of their plenipotentiaries was a fact unprecedented in history, and all previous discussion had taken place in ignorance of this great fact, and the deci sion in consequence was founded on a misconcep tion of the real state of things. He was now obliged to say that the conduct of the Government was un certain, and its language ambiguous. The state of public opinion in Europe up to a certain point had supported this country, but it had altered now, and it was thought that we had committed a great mis take in rejecting peace, in which opinion he was obliged to concur. He then entered into the first objects of the war, and the general policy of Europe, contending that the war was caused by the coolness between ourselves and Germany. Proceeding to the four points, he replied in detail to the objections urged against their interpretation by the Austrian pro posals, and argued that the interest of the sums now spent in the war would enable us to keep up a con stant protective force in the Black Sea, and pointed out the practical advantages of the system of counter poise over that of limitation. He deprecated placing Russia in a position of perpetual antagonism to the other powers of Europe, and defended Austria from the charges brought against her; observing on the importance of peace to a nation under pecuniary embarassments, and engaged in internal reform of vital importance to its prosperity. Sir G. GREY objected to the form of the motion for papers of which the Government were compelled to resist the production, and said that the reasons which had influenced the allies in the rejection of the pro posal were fully known to the public. The papers were of a private and confidential nature, and their production would materially embarrass the future communications of the allies. In defence of the rejection of the proposal he alleged the approval of the house, expressed or implied, and argued at some length in favour of the principle of limitation. He did not mean, on the other hand, that limitation afforded the only solution to the existing entangle ments. Arguing on the admission that the war was at the outset a just one, he contended that no man could expect its termination in the course of a single year. Mr. GLADSTONE contrasted the peaceful profes sions and ill-defined objects of the Ministers with the gigantic sacrifices which they were demanding from the country. He declaimed against the rejection of a proposal recommended by authorities so high, contending that such rejection was due in the first place to our own Cabinet, and adverting again to the false impressions under which the question was first debated—placed from all these circumstances the undivided responsibility of the continuation of the war on the heads of the Ministry. He admitted the merit of Lord Clarendon's despatches, but regretted the total absence from them of any real desire for peace. Detailing the various plans of pacification, and repeating that the second Russian plan offered NOTICE. An Unstamped Edition of THE PRESS is now pub lished, price sd. A Stamped Edition of THE PRESS, far convenience of transmission by post, is also published, price (id. The Stamped PRESS Will have the privilege of being transmitted and re transmitted by post fifteen days after date of pub lication, instead of seven days, as heretofore, care being taken to exhibit the stamp. Oar subscribers are requested to give orders to their newsmen which Edition they desire to have sent them. The Unstamped Edition of THE PRESS will, under the new postal regulations, be allowed to pass through the post if an ordinary postage-stamp be affixed to the direction. 15 be Press: (STAMPED.) TERM OP Per Annum .., TOR .. 41 6 0 .. 0 19 () .. 0 6 6 Half• Yearly Quarterly Payable in advance. Subscribers are requested to send their Orders through their News Agent; if direct to the Office, accompanied by a remit tance. Advertisements also must have &reference or remittance. Money Orders to be made payable to Mr. ALFRED Iva, 110, Strand. London. TO CORRESPONDENTS. It Is Impossible to acknowledge the mass of letters we receive. Their insertion is often delayed, owing to a press of matter, and when omitted, it is frequently from reasons quite inde pendent of the merits of the communication. We cannot undertake to return communications of which we do not avail ourselves. Ociarsunioations should always be legibly written, and on one side of the paper only. If long it increases the difficulty of finding space for them. Whatever is intended for insertion must be authenticated by the name and address of the writer, not necessarily for publica tion, but as a guarantee of his good faith. Advertisements sent from the country must be accompanied by a remittance or a reference for payment in town. 1n LONDON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 1855 POSTSCRIPT. HOUSE OF LORDS.—Fnmsr. In reply to questions, Lord PANMURE contradicted the report of the assassination of General Beatson, and stated that the recruiting for the Foreign Legion was progress ing with success at Heligoland, and now numbered 10,000 infantry, and 2,000 cavalry. On the motion for the second reading of the Turkish Loan Bill, The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH objected to the principle of the guarantee, preferring a direct subsidy. He took the opportunity of criticising the conduct of the war, and the change that had been introduced into the administration of the War-office. Lord PANMURE replied to these last strictures, and Earl GiAtivit.LE to those on the Turkish guarantee, after which the bill was read a second time. Adjourned at a quarter to eight o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS—FRIDAY. The business of the morning sitting was confined to passing several bills through their respective stages.