The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-06-19 00:00:00

HONESTE AUDAX.

Tux desire of the Conservative party to pass a
Reform Bill of their own—not their real aversion
to the measure of Lord JOHN RUSSELL—has, in a
great degree, frustrated the efforts of the Liberal
party in this direction. It is true that the pres-
sure of business at this advanced period of the
session will also in part account for the delay
which is inevitable in obtaining the sanction of
Parliament to the extension of the franchise;
but the failure of the Government is mainly due
to the ambitious Liberalism of Lord DEasv's
party. Undoubtedly that party has found their
course in the late debates a very difficult one—
because it was one of a singularly mongrel cha-
racter, neither approving nor condemning the
Government measure, and yet jostling against it
with sufficient force and dexterity to impede its
onward progress, and ultimately to throw it alto-
gether out of gear. That we should find in a
course of action like this much disingenerousness,
many sophistries and inconsistencies, is not to be
wondered at; and if it be true, as Mr. DISRAELI
said, that the withdrawal of the Bill was "a
"wise and not an undignified course" on the
part of the Government, it is much to be feared
that the same compliment can hardly be paid to
the Opposition in respect of the manner in which
they have, for purposes of their own, dealt with
this measure. The difference between the £6
and £8 franchise affords, of itself, but little stand-
ing ground for effective opposition, even supposing
the dislike to the six-pounders to be real and
well-grounded, which, however, can hardly be
said to be the case, since Mr. DISRAELI him-
self has already given us to understand that be
is not indisposed to go to that length. The
defeat of the Bill was necessarily, therefore, a
very delicate operation, and it clearly did not
suit the Opposition to turn the Government out
upon it, and their Bill is suffered to drop with
the best grace imaginable.

There are other matters—the foreign policy of
the Government, and all the multifarious ramifi-
cations of the French treaty, which in the eyes
of the Opposition promise, no doubt, to be more
fruitful in political triumphs. in this latter
field of contention, principles are involved to
which the anent of parties has not been given to
so great an extent as in the case of Reform.

The French treaty will naturally be viewed
with all the aversion which is left in the old
spirit of protection, and the difficulties insepar-
able from the nice adjustment of so great an in.
teniational compact, will of course be so much
gain to the Opporitiou when they come seriously
to take their stand against the Government. It
may be observed that this Treaty is most unfairly
dealt with; it is assailed because of the alleged
partial benefits which it is capable of imparting
to this country in comparison with France, and
with other countries of Europe. We cannot do
everything at once. It seems to be the business
of this great country to set an example to the
world in the liberty and freedom which mark
its policy, and which, if emulated by other
nations, would tend to the advancement of their
happiness and well-being. If we are to claim
this great honour, some sacrifices must no doubt
be made. We lead the way in the right path;
if we are not followed so closely as we could
wish, we must put up with it; if we fail to reap
all the advantages derivable from a more ex-
tended adoption of our principles, we must
for the present remain content. Hereafter the
principles of free trade will come to be still
better understood than they now are; and at
some future day such a thing as reciprocity will
give us our full share in all the advantages de-
sirable from the extended and successful opera-
tion of these great principles.
In the meantime, the virulence with which
the Treaty is attacked by certain restless and dis-
contented politicians, and the disingenious and
indefensible manner which it pleases the Times
to deal with it—aiding thereby in an indirect
manner the efforts of the Opposition in Path._
ment, who are bent on embarasaing the Govern.
moot in considering the important details of this
measure—is only too demonstrative of the fickle-
ness and the capricious tergiversations of this
great journal. Having first decried, then
strenuously advocated, free trade, that paper now
exhausts all its resources of satire and ridicule in
condemning what may be called the first fruits
of the triumph of the great principles involved
in that policy, namely, the formation of the
union of other countries with us in the mutual
carrying out of those principles. And what
country is better able to enter into the compact,
and in a better position to reciprocate solid ad-
vantages than France 1 The objection to free
trade originally was, that it was all op one side
—that we gave the foreigner all the benefits of
that policy, while he in return gave us no corres•
pending advantages. Now that the great and
neighbouring country of France is willing to give
and take, but does not in the outset go to those
lengths which certain persons pretend to think
she should rush to immediately, this instalment
of the good which free trade was expressly de-

signed to afford, is condemned on the ground of
insufficiency ; and such insincere and fickle free
traders as the Times would, from perverseness or
from certain secret motives of their own, lop off
the healthy offshoots of this good tree, and
would care but little if they saw the axe laid to
its roots, so that some darling fantaisic, or the
emotions of hate or jealousy might be gratified.
As to the feeling in France relative to the
French Treaty, we feel certain, from the oppor-
tunities of personal inquiry and observation
which we have had in the capital of that country,
that, notwithstanding what the Times may
choose to say to the contrary, the feeling there,
amongst those best able to appreciate a compact
of this nature, is generally and most decidedly
in its favour; and we are among those who are
of opinion that the several important details of
this international arrangement will inevitably be
carried out, not withstanding the genius and efforts
of resuscitated Protection, whose aid is likely to
be invoked for party purposes, when those details
shall come regularly before the House.

DORCHESTER PITCH E (O UN AR K ET, Saturday.
—There was a fair suiply of wheat at market to-day,
and in consequence of the unsettled state of tile
weather, farmers were 'enabled to obtain a further
advance of 2s. per qr. Barky, oats, and beaus as
last.

THE WILSTEiIt CIRCUIT. The Judges on the
Western Circuit at the ensuing Summer Assist* will
be Mr. Baron Channel! and Mr. Justice Keating.
Assizes will be held for the county of Southampton
—Wednesday, July 11, at Winchester. Wiltshire—
Wednesday, July IS, at Salisbury. Dorsetshire—
Saturday, July 21, at Dorchester. Devonshire—
Thursday. July 26, at the Castle. Exeter. City of
Exeter—The urns day, at the 11ni1dha11 of the city.
Cornwall—Thursday, Aug. 2. at Bodmin. Somerset-
shire—Tuesday, Aug. 7, at Wells. City of Bristol
—Saturday, Aug. 11, at the Guildhall of the city.
At Messrs. Baker and Ensor's sale on Saturday
last, there was a short supply of beasts; all sold
readily at las. to 14s. per score. Nearly S4lO sheep
and lambs were sold at the following prices: —Mut-
ton, 841. to 8441. ; lambs, 255. to 32a. per head;
cows and calves, I:12 to Xl4.

Tile Lave S'itow.—We perceive, OD referring to
the prize hat that class 27, for South-clown rams, the
name of Mr. James Harding, Higher Waterson, was
accidentally omitted as having taken the second
prize. . . . .

Flax WEATIIER.—On Sunday morning Lut, the
appointed prayer for line weather was read in all the
churches in Diouliestor.

DORCULSTER 1:IYLI VOLUNTICERS. —Six cast-iron
targets have arrived for the use of the corps, and
have been fixed at the butts near Maiden Castle.
On Monday evening, • ball tired by Sergeant Davis,
entered one of the targets and embedded itself to a
level with the face of the iron.
INSPEATIOX OP THE 9TH LANCS.—The detach-
ment of the 9th Lancers, stationed at Dorchester,
under the command of Lieut-Colonel Little, C. B.
were inspected on Wednesday last by Major-General
Lawn:Amon, Inspector-General of Cavalry. After
the men had gone through various manreuvres, the
inspecting officer briefly addressed them, expressing
himself pleased with the manner in which they had
gone through their movements, thtir clean and
soldier-like appearance, and the good condition of
the horses and appointments. Major-Genera
Lawrenson then returned to the barracks, which he
inspectel, and paid a visit to the riding school to
witness the drill of the recruits. We understand
that he expressaml his perfect satisfaction with the
efficiency of the officers anil men.

CoMMITTKD 'DI TRY. D.PIiCIIPATER o.lol..—Hard
Listomr : Mary Jane Tucker, va;:r.they at Dorchester,
3 calendar months ; G. Taylor, a.sault on • female child
at Ilampreston. 6 calendar months ; W. Gould,
vagrancy at Weymouth, 1 calendar n th ; John
Hume, vagrancy at Weymouth, 1 calendar month ;
George poaching at West Lulivorth, 2 calendar
months ; Francis Sribb, leaving service at Ever-hot,
1 calendar month; Edward Buggy, vagrancy at Shaftme
bury, 1 csloolir month ; Stephen Stevens, stealing a
flag at Fordington, 14 days; Frances Ilerridge, stealing
cloth mantle at Gillingham, 1 cAleso!ar th ; Mary
Juno Turner, stealing Drury. itc., at Lyme Ibgis, 14
days, awl 4 years in a Reformatory luiprisoa-
went : Ellen Herridge, assault At Gillingham, 2 calendar
months ; Maria Lear, assault at Gillingham, 14 days ;
Joseph Davy, breach of the peace at Hook, 3 calendar
mouths; John Gundry, drunk, &c., at Fordingtou, 7
days.