The Press. — London, England, 1856-06-21 00:00:00

THE WEEK. Mx Government, whi : •h seemed in danger of being overthrown at the close of last week, has saved itself by its announcement on Monday that it did not intend to dismiss Mr. DALLAS. In its case it cannot be said, "All is lost, save honour," but rather, "All is lost, save place." It refused to recal Mr. CRAMPTON and the incriminated Consuls at the request of the United States Government, but it accepts their dis missal as an act not calling for retaliation. It made common cause with them up to the time of their• dismissal, but it now practically disowns them, and, at the suggestion of Mr. MARCY, frees itself from responsibility by casting the whole blame of the recruiting business on the agents whose conduct they had previously approved. The fiction that our Envoy at Washington, and the other officials con cerned, acted without instructions from home, is too transparent for belief. Did they contribute the funds from their own pockets ? For what purpose was money placed at their disposal except for that pur pose to which they applied it ? From the language of the Ministerial organs at the close of last week it was supposed that the Premier had made up his mind to dis miss Mr. DALLAS. The Times, the Post, and the Daily News loudly called for that. act of vigour. The long Cabinet Council on Saturday e'aanged their tine. Last week went out like a lion, this week came in as a lamb. We have not far to look for the influence which decided the Council. Mr. BAILLIE'S skilfully worded motion would have com manded the support of the Conservative party, which has consistently opposed the Enlistment Act, and, in the event of the dismissal of Mr. DALLAS, would have received the votes of a number of the Liberal party, sincerely desirous of avoiding the calamity of a war with the United States. The chances were closely counted, and, through fear of an adverse majority, the Government determined to shrink from the responsibility of its acts. Unfortunately the concession does nothing to settle the dispute with the Washington Cabinet. In common honesty only two courses were open to the Ministry. They might have insisted that the dis missal of their officers was undeserved, and have suspended diplo matic intercourse ; or they might have frankly acknowledged that an error had been committed, that they were prepared to accept its con sequences, and to send a fresh envoy to Washington. They have done neither. Mr. DALLAS will represent the United States in London, but England will be unrepresented at Washington. It is not likely that diplomatic relations can go smoothly on while this system continues ; and meanwhile the critical points involved . in the Central American question urgently require settlement. It is not true that. the United States Government consents to refer• the whole matter to arbitration. Mr. MARCY says that it is first neces sary to define what are the points requiring arbitration ; and, with great subtlety, he lays down certain principles on which his Govern• ment can submit to no arbitration. Then he argues that the two Governments had much better settle their• differences themselves, than call in any third party. Next, he politiely insinuates that the States of Europe must be too much occupied with their own affairs to care to mix themselves up with the delicate questions to be decided ; and, lastly, he suggests that a scientific commission would be the best tribunal for disposing of so much of the points in dispute as related to boundaries, that the issues raised might, as far as possible, be simpli fied. But on the most material points—as the occupation of the Bay Islands and the protectorate of the Mosquito country—Mr. MARCY plainly declares that his Government will submit to no arbitration or compromise whatever ; and that the Bulwer••Clayton Treaty must be annulled, as wholly different from the treaty contemplated by the United States Government, if its construction on those particular points be not submitted to. The treaty declared to be void, each party would, of course, have to fight for supremacy in the region which it was intended should be independent of both. While the difference continues, we all know what our Government will do. The Premier will insist on our North American fleet being" strengthened," and will vapour that the Yankees must be crushed ; and Lord CLARENDON, solely anxious to postpone the challenge of the Washington Cabinet as long as possible, will write long despatches, without the slightest idea of what is to result from them. We are not accustomed to think in this country that reading the Bible should be visited with a penalty. But our Government, through its Chief, has declared that it must and shall be so visited in Ireland, and he calls on the House of Commons to support him in his determi nation. Is it possible that the House will reverse its vote of Tues day night? The whole question is this :—The State supports schools from which the Bible is systematically excluded; ought it not, in common fairness, to support schools in which the Bible is systemati cally introduced ? The Protestants of Ireland do not want to break up the National system, but they do want to increase its usefulness. They say this—and surely it is plain and just—if you enable a Roman Catholic patron to have a school supported by the State grant, from which he can at his will and pleasure exclude the Bible, irre• spective of the wishes or demands of the parents of the children, should you not in common justice allow the Protestant patron to require the children who choose to attend the school to be daily instructed in the Bible? The rule of the National Board is thoroughly one-sided--it is an anti-Bible rule ; and hence the system fails to com mand that support of the clergy and gentry of the Establishment which would otherwise be liberally accorded to it. It is not possible that their just and righteous claim can long be resisted. On this question it is to be hoped that the Conservative part) will he com. pletely united and act with spirit. They will certainly have the feel- THE PRESS. ing of the country on their side. The advocacy of " the leading journal" on the Ministerial side will not be thought entitled to much weight when it is remembered that, a few years ago, it was loud L i i ts exclamations against the special injustice done to the Church in Ireland by excluding its members from all share in the educational grant. While the general accounts from India are full of congratulation on the quietude of Oude, and the submission with which the change of Government has been received, private letters warn us not to place too much reliance on this apparent tranquillity. A communication from Lucknow of the 25th of April, written by a gentleman of high character and with excellent opportunities of observation, says that the change is viewed with universal dissatisfaction ; and that the ex- King, with all his faults, is greatly regretted. It was probable that the spring crop (Rubbee) would be collected quietly by our revenue officers, but the autumn crop (Kurrecf) might not be got in so easily : " I think this quietness is only the forerunner of something that is to " come hereafter—Cabul fashion. Our Government is not popular, " and the men in office are not of the cast of Phere, people that would " mollify the change of governments. According to my idea the coun " try will not be settled for three years to come." Fiom the tenor of the above, and similar communications, we are satisfied that there it urgent need of vigilance ; and that though the present tranquillity may last for some months longer, yet that the elements of resistance. are gathering, and will probably break out with all the greater tvio- t lence from having befit for a time suppressed. It will be the first duty of Lord CANNING to look narrowly into the actual state of Oude. • His Government, with opportunities of gaining correct information, and with full time for preparation, will be inexcusable should it be . caught unawares. General 'WILLIAMS arrived in England on Monday, and was entertained by the Corporation of Dover on the same day. In the speech which he made on this occasion, he bore testimony to the noble character of General NIOURAVIEFF, whom he described as a man " of the olden time," as well as to the uniform politeness and kind ness of every private circle in Russia to which he was introduced. In describing the achievements of his brave companions in arms, General WILLIAMS dwelt with manly pathos on the loss which be him self had sustained in the melancholy death of Captain THOMPSON, who had never flinched in the moments of severest trial, nor even, when reduced to a skeleton from disease and famine, consented to relinquish his duty for one instant either by day or night. Lord NIAL MESBURY made a suggestiun in the House of Lords on Thursday to which we can feel very little d übt that her Majesty's Government will warmly respond. Under no circumstances would the grant of a pension to the surviving relatives of so distinguished an officer, who had died in his country's service, have excited any other feeling than approbation But Lord MALMESBURY has made it known to the Go vernment that there are peculiar reasons in the present case which would make the bestow al of a pension ou Mrs. THOMPSON, his widowed mother, an act of more than usual grace. A pension is an honourable reward, which may be offered and accepted without any injury to those feelings of delicacy which might prompt the refusal of assist ance in any other shape. Kindness and sympathy towards the victims of war may, on the other hand, well be reckoned one of the " cheap defences " of nations ; and we most sincerely hope her Majesty's ad visers will not be backward in laying before her a case in which, both as a Sovereign and a woman, she must necessarily feel so warm an interest. To the defenders of Kars the Government has been some what niggardly in the distribution of rewards. All the world knows how great were the services rendered by Dr. SANDWITH in the hospital department. It has been usual to reward medical officers who de served decoration with the military order of the Bath ; but Lord PANMURE, for some unexplained reason, conferred on Dr. SANDWITH the civil order only ; nor could this brave and distinguished medical officer induce his Lordship to rectify what he conceived might he a mistake, but which the result moved was somewhat nearer a studied indignity. The trial and conviction this week of the widow of an Indian officer for fraudulently receiving her pension after remarriage is calcu lated to raise the question whether such pensions ought to be depen dent on a continuance of widowhood. The evils resulting from the regulation are obvious. It operates as a penalty on morality, and, in the event of her possessing children, it deprives them of all provision for their maintenance and education The restriction is conceived in a harsh and illiberal spirit, and certainly has not the merit of being just. We think the widow's pension is absolutely due to her in con sideration of her husband's services, and that she has as fair a claim to it in the event of remarriage as a pensioned officer has to his stipend in the event of his contracting a wealthy alliance. There is not a more instructive exhibition in the House of Com mons than to see Sir JAMES Hone rise to defend the nets of his Com pany. The meaner and more discreditable the act, the greater the virtuous indignation of Sir JAMES. With a traditional and placid suavity of manner, he appeals to the honour of the House and to the unsullied character of the Company, and takes upon himself, with an air of such disinterested purity, to explain the merits of the case, that one wonders how the House can carry a motion against him. "He " cannot understand why the Honourable Member, Si. 0 1 1 401 00 " House does not know the merits of the case;" " this is a questibn of " State policy, which should be left to the Executive ; " then if the Executive did n6t do their duty, "an address to the Crown might "be moved, or reference made to a select committee." Such are the phrases of milk and honey which melt from this excellent man's lips on most occasions of inquiry into the conduct of the Company; and iU ■