The Press. — London, England, 1856-09-13 00:00:00

I • SEPT. 13, 1856. three per cent. return, through inability to gain a decent livelihood. Mrs. JAMESON supposes that girls are driven to prostitution through the failure of honest occupation; and it is a principal object of her essay to point out employments which might be exercised by women with great advantage to themselves and tho community. The essay is as remarkable for good sense as for pure sentiment. Any sugges tions deserve attention which are calculated to diminish the monster vice of our day. WANTED A MINISTER. What ! nobody found for Naples yet ? Have the Government not contrived to get For the post some promising Liberal pet, Some acme of Whig perfection, To go to the land of volcanoes and soap, Fitted with Austrian wiles to cope, To bully the King and to worry the Pope, And give the rebels sufficient hope To send them by scores to the jail and the rope Through relying on Pam's protection? Strange that they can't yet fix on one, With languages few and scruples none, And not with modesty overdone, Jaunty and not judicious! Strange that their papers still insist On putting forth such an awill list Of qualifications that no one w•ist Were required for that land delicious ! He must show (and he'll want both talent and luck) That Clarendon's full of genius and pluck, _ __. And Pam a second Rienzi. As for the King, he'll consider him mad (And tell him so, too) ; when he's very bad He'll see if a good shower-bath's to be had To settle his Majesty's frenzy. He must take 'gainst the " Amorites " each complaint, In the style of Baxter (that restive saint) ; He must coax the mob, and the King he must paint A. few shades blacker than Nero. No doubt 'twill he au amusing affair— But unluckily Europe begins to declare That our Propagandists go everywhere, And our influence down to zero. It appears to us that in the case of the unfortunate man, DAvis Sotomoris, who was found in the river at Hampton-court, the jury exhibited, in their verdict of last Tuesday, a sounder judgment than the Coroner. The latter appeared most anxious that they should bring in a verdict of suicide and temporary insanity. But against this view of the case are to be set—first, the disappearance of his property; secondly, the difficulty of accounting for his being found in the river with a fatal gunshot wound on his person at the same time; and thirdly, the curious fact that the shot which had entered his body had not passed through his clothes. No one of these facts, as the Coroner observed, is irreconcileable with the supposition of suicide, yet all three together may surely be considered to have afforded the jury fair ground for the open verdict which they agreed to. We have also to take into account the revenge ful expressions uttered by the man GRAY, and his father's confused behaviour on the original inquiry. These of course do not amount to any evidence of guilt, but still we think that, in addition to the other suspicious circumstances in the ease, they are enough to make a man hesitate before finding that the deceased died by his own hand. THE PRESS. tM3e SIR BEN AND THE PREACHERS. Is consequence of Sir Benjamin Hall's edict that there shall be play ing in the Parks but no preaching, a deputation from the ministers of religion, who feel aggrieved at the prohibition of their labours, waited upon Lord Palmerston, on his arrival in town a few days ago, to repre sent to him that the Chief Commissioner of Works was interfering very improperly. Sir Benjamin was " requested" by his chief to meet the deputation, which he did, it was understood, with some reluctance, but Lord Palmerston's invitation was of rather too peremptory a cha racter to be disregarded. The Deputation, which consisted of clergymen and ministers of several denominations, briefly stated their case, and explained that although the plea for the general prohibition was that certain profane spouters had also occupied the ground, they saw in that fact an addi tional reason for persevering in the duty of teaching the people. Lord PALMERSTON.—WeII, T don't see, Hall, that there is anything unreasonable in that. If an Opnosition speaker holds forth, a Minister should be allowed to answer him. What was your idea in prevent ing it Sir B. llALL.—Complaints were made to Inc that these gentlemen provoked discussions which had better be avoided. 877 Lord PALM ERSTON.—Upon my soul, I don't know why. If people like to squabble about creeds and doctrines, why the devil shouldn't they? It keeps them out of mischief. Do I understand that there were any disturbances ? Sir B. HALL.—Nono that I know of. But it seems to me that the Park is not a place for preaching. If folks want sermons, let them go to church and chapel. They come to the Parks to hear tho songs of birds, to admire the goodness of Providence, and to -- Lord PALMERSTON.—To listen to the " Ratcateher's Daughter r Sir B. HALT..—The bands play nothing ungenteel, I believe. A MEMBER OF THE DEPUTATION.—We may be permitted to deplore the evident hostility which exists in the worthy baronet's mind to any thing religious. Lord PALM ERSTON.—No, no, you may not, you mustn't say that. Her Majesty's Government is essentially a religious one, and I should be excessively shocked if I thought that any of my colleagues under valued that great and important subject. We never hold a Cabinet Council without singing a hymn. So do not allow any such idea to take possession of your minds. The MEmaga.—Your Lordship's assurance is most gratifying. But we feel that the bands in the Parks were wrong. Lord PALMERSTON.-But, d--n it, I put them down. I felt they were wrong, and I squashed 'em. The MEMBER.—But bands do play, with tho permission of Sir B. Hall. Lord PALMERSTON.—VoIunteor bands, that play nothing but volun taries. I thought, gentlemen, that some of you approved of the voluntary system. _... _ _ ___. . TheMimaen.—Without venturing to imitate your Lordship's wit, all we ask is the permission to speak to the people who are attracted by the music. There seems nu great aggression in that. Lord PALmEasTos.—No, and if there is a serpent in the band, it is clearly your duty to win folks away from the old Serpent. Sir B. HALL.-But if these gentlemen preach, other folks preach also. lam told that some of these persons abuse the most sacred things. Lord PALMERSTON.—DO they abuse her Majesty's Government Tf not, lam inclined to let them go on. I say, do you preach on tubs, like Orator Henley, or how? The MEMBER.—Wre find no difficulty, my Lord, in obtaining an attentive and respectful audience—there. Lord PALMERSTON —Don't be offended. I didn't mean to annoy you. I think you are very good sort of men, and that your exertions do you a devilish deal of credit. Still, there is something in Hall's notion that you induce bad fellows to spout profanely. The MEMBER.—We believe that we can deal with the arguments of such persons, my Lord, and that the population, generally, will soon become disgusted with mere ribaldry. At least, permit us to try. Lord PAuseastori.—What do the Bishops say about it? Sir B. HALL.—What do the Bishops ever say about anything? Lord PALMERSTON.—Come, come, don't sneer. I know a certain Bishop of St. Davids who has had one or two things to say about a certain baronet. I think St. David put your Welsh harp out of tune, my dear fellow. Sir B. HALL (sulkily).—Matter of opinion. But the long and the short of this story is that I wish to be impartial, and I think that a Government that refuses music ought to refuse sermons. Lord PALMERSTON.—But they don't ask us to supply the sermons. I fancy I see you, and Bernal Osborne, and Cockburn, and Charley Wood, composing sermons for the good of the parks. Isn't thero something about " the foolishness of preaching?" By Jove, the Parks would see what it was like, if you were the divines. Sir B. HALL.—Your tone is slightly contradictory of your state ments to these gentlemen about the religious character of the Govern ment. Lord PALMERSTON.—Not a bit—innocent mirth, that's all. Reli gion never was designed—to make our pleasures less, eh? Well, finally and lastly, gentlemen, I don't know what to say to you. My personal opinion is that you ought to be allowed to preach. A MEMBER.—WO are glad to hear that expression of your Lord ship's views. Lord PALMERSTON.—The first duty of a Minister of the Crown is, however, to be consistent. A MEmasa.—Consistency is an important thing, assuredly. Lord PALMERSTON.—WeII, I thought that there ought to be bands in the Park. Sir B. HALL.—And you originally said you thought so. Lord PALMERSTON.—I know it, and you needn't remind me. Well, I thought there ought to he bands—and I put them down. Sir B. HALL —And so— Lord PALMERSTON.—IViII you be quiet? And so, as I must be consistent, I think you ought to preach, and I must prohibit you from doing so. Sir B. HALL.—Just so, gentlemen, and we regret that you have taken and given unnecessary trouble in the matter. And so good day to you. [Exeunt the Deputation. Lord PAT MERSTON.—Confound those Parks ! They have been the cause of one squabble or another ever since you took office. I wish you'd be good enough to let 'em alone. [Exit, disrienserl. Sir B. HALL (tyrter a powge).—Wlirtt light has lie to speak to mo in that manner. D—n him ! I'm as good as he ! He be blowed ! [Exit, with dignity.