The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-02-08 00:00:00

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(We deem it right to state that we do not at all times an easier feeling in moneta
Identify ourselves with our Correspondent's opinions.] months ago the Bank rat
The important political events which have lately mentioned figure. IMMI
happened in France could not but excite a great deal I the City of Glasgow Bar
of uneasiness approachuii
of attention in this country. France is not the no-
take possession of mon'
torious disturber of European peace which she used to
this
be ; still, as our nearest neighbours, her internal affairs of
nis was apparentinon th
7Bank of
must always have a great interest for us. It is now
,ancedgthe the
rate of ace(
exactly ninety years ago, that in 1789 the canaille of
As the usual day of r
Paris rose in insurrection and destroyed the Baetille— that such ame
an engine of tyranny and an embodiment of despotism
tomerY time o 7uroieB
cw
struck into stone, which stood in the very heart of
bank and
shares,c
the French capital—and from that time, for twenty were gas
indications of
years together, France has not possessed a settled
six per cent. bank 1
form of Government. We have all read of the anarchy
which following the execution of King Louis XVI. on the quotation wh'
the 20th January, 1793. France has successiv,ely been 1836; and many
ruled by the First Republic, the First Consulate, the the country to
Fine Empire,the restored Bourbons; the Orleanists, the disastrous collape
f
Second Republic, the Second Empire, and now the away, and the f
2 per cent, in fo
Third Republic. Some of these changes have been
of the removal
accomplished peaceably; others have been attended hope that mon
with violence, which has produced an excitement ex- time to come.
tending far beyond the boundaries of France. The
execution of the King in 1793 banded against France The difficul
the coalesced Powers of Europe, and a war broke out have a chanc
which lasted, with brief intermissions, two-and-twenty for the g
years, being finally terminated by the battle of land from t
Waterloo is 1815. In 1830 the Revolution in Paris, lay once
which is commemorated by the July Column in the head int
Place de la Bastille, now a commanding open space sation in
did not end in driving away Charles X. Its influence Benares ;
was communicated to this country, and resulted in skull in /
the Reform Bill agitation, which none who wit- end of
messed will ever forget. Again, in 1848, when exaggert
King Louis Philippe arrived /at Newhaven in a mutiny
fishing boat as plain Mr. John S.nith, there was a risk
Intense commotion not only in England but all over the at
the Continent. The Emperor of Austria abdicated, and t
the present Emperor of Germany was compelled to in a
fly from Berlin, there were serious disturbances in wher
Rome, and the rising in Nungary was suppressed only COIN
through the agency of Russia. The first Napoleon's twe,
dictum was that when France was satisfied, Europe PH(
was tranquil; and although this is assigning rather too Tr
much importance to one country out of so malty, there ell
can be no question that from her geographical positi )n,
tl
her splendid climate, her fruitful soil, and the energy
and intelligence of her people, France must ever be a 1
mighty Power in Europe. Those who thought
she had been impoverished by paying over to
Germany 200 millions sterling, her own, cost of
the war being equally great, have seen with
some surprise and probably more admiration, that
France, owing to the thrift and industry of her inhabi-
tants; is now without exception the most prosperou
nation in Europe. The people were taught by
terrible lesson to mind their own business, and not
interfere in the affairs of their neighbours, and we
see how they have learnt it.
Marshal MacMahon's retirement Into private
recalls the fact that he was essentially a soldier,
reminds us of the time, nearly twenty years ago,
his name was prominently before the public ir
war between France and Austria. Reepectin
battle of Magenta on the 4th June 1859, the Er
thus wrote to the Empress :—" Our army war
orders to march to Milan across the bridges thro
the Ticino at Turbigo. The eperation was w
cuted, although the enemy, who had repassed ti
In great force, offered a most determined resists
roadways were narrow, and for two hours the
Guard sustained unsupported the shock of t 7
In the meantime, General MacMahon ma
master of Magenta. After sanguinary c
repulsed the enemy at every point, with
side of about 2,000 men placed hors de ci
loss of the enemy is estimated at about
and wounded." For his services on t;
General MacMahon was created a Mars}
with the title of Duke of Magenta. Th
which France was engaged was not equ
As in 1859, so in 1870, the Emperor and
Mahon were together, but this time the
Instead of a victory. Woerth and Se
different tale from Magenta and Soifer;
however, rendered essential service
the Commune in Paris in May, 12
his military career may be said to
Jules Grdvy, his successor as Presid
Republic, is a man of mature an
having attained the age of 65.
Chamber of Deputies, his calm ar
has always been in contrast to
disorder too commonly witneese
assembly.
Parliament will soon again'
lords, spiritual and temporal
citizens, and burgesses will be
the business of the nation.
with two little wars upon its
istan, and the other in South
impression that this parlian
less taken up with disoussio
its predecessor. When in
Commons tell their constit,
hesitated to do, that the 7
last session was the lath S
be obvious to the most
the people look for some
result of seven months o
vast, varied, and comr
empire are scarcely m,
regulating the closing o
Sundays. Unless the
does something bett,
retain its title to
in the world; hen
measures of great
occupy the attentior
merely an adjourn'
not a prorogation,
speech on the 13t
ment is to be ME
the Earl of Beaco
Chancellor of tb
give the usual
pal supporters c
A Royal na'
often take p'
wedding of C
1840, six of
exhaust the 1
Royal, the
Helena and
all aolemnii
Osborne, a
burgh tool
March nel
few days,
George's
was ma:
March,
of Con
Marge'
expect
burgh
Print
prec,
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Edi
fat'
in
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(9

(Our fonbon CorrappAtnt.•

(We deem it right to state that we do not at all times
Identify ourselves with or Correspondent's opinions.]

The important political events which have lately
happened in France could not but excite a great deal
of attention in this country. France is not the no-
torious disturber of European peace which she used to
be ; still, as our nearest neighbours, her internal affairs
must always have a great interest for us. It is now
exactly ninety years ago, that in 1789 the canaille of
Paris rose in insurrection and destroyed the Baetille—
an engine of tyranny and an embodiment of despotism
struck into stone, which stood in the very heart of
the French capital—and from that time, for twenty
years together, France has not possessed a settled
form of Government. We have all read of the anarchy
which following the execution of King Louis XVI. on
the 20th January, 1793. France has successiv,ely been
ruled by the First Republic, the First Consulate, the
First Empire,the restored Bourbons; the Orleanists, the
Second Republic, the Second Empire, and now the
Third Republic. Some of these changes have been
accomplished peaceably; others have been attended
with violence, which has produced an excitement ex-
tending far beyond the boundaries of France. The
execution of the King in 1793 banded against France
the coalesced Powers of Europe, and a war broke out
which lasted, with brief intermissiets, two-and-twenty
years, being finally terminated by the battle of
Waterloo is 1815. In 1830 the Revolution in Paris,
which is commemorated by the July Column in the
Place de la Bastille, now a commanding open space
did not end in driving away Charles X. Its influence
was communicated to this country, and resulted in
the Reform Bill agitation, which none who wit-
nessed will ever forget. Again, in 1848, when
King Louis Philippe arrived /at Newhaven in a
fishing boat as plain Mr. John S.nith, there was
intense commotion not only in England but all over
the Continent. The Emperor of Austria abdicated,
the present Emperor of Germany was compelled to
fly from Berlin, there were serious disturbances in
Rome, and the rising in Nungary was suppressed only
through the agency of Russia. The first Napoleon's
dictum was that when France was satisfied, Europe
was tranquil; and although this is assigning rather too
much importance to one country out of so malty, there
can be no question that from her geographical pusiti )n,
her splendid climate, her fruitful coil, and the energy
and intelligence of her people, France must ever be a
mighty Power in Europe. Those who thought
she had been impoverished by paying over to
Germany 200 millions sterling, her own, cost of
the war being equally great, have seen with
some surprise and probably more admiration, that
France, owing to the thrift and industry of her inhabi-

tants, is now without exception the most prosperous
nation in Europe. The people were taught by a
terrible lesson to mind their own business, and not to
interfere in the affairs of their neighbours, and we all
see how they have learnt it.
Marshal MacMahon's retirement Into private lif3
recalls the fact that he was essentially a soldier, and
reminds us of the time, nearly twenty years ago, when
his name was prominently before the public in the
war between France and Austria. Respecting the
battle of Magenta on the 4th June 1859, the Emperor
thus wrote to the Empress :—" Our army was under
orders to march to Milan across the bridges thrown over
the Ticino at Turbigo. The eperation was well exe-
cuted, although the enemy, who had repassed the Ticino
In great force, offered a most determined resistance. The
roadways were narrow, and for two hours the Imperial
Guard sustained unsupported the shock of the enemy.
In the meantime, General MacMahon made himself
master of Magenta. After sanguinary conflicts we
repulsed the enemy at every point, with loss on our
side of about 2,000 men placed hors de combat. The
loss of the enemy is estimated at about 15,000 killed
and wounded." For his services on that occasion
General MacMahon was created a Marshal of France,
with the title of Duke of Magenta. The next war in
which France was engaged was not equally fortunate.
As in 1859, so in 1870, the Emperor and Marshal Mac-
Mahon were together, but this time there was a defeat
instead of a victory. Woerth and Sedan told a very
different tale from Magenta and Solferino. MacMahon,
however, rendered essential service in stamping out
the Commune in Paris in May, 1871, and with that
his military career may be said to have ended. M.
Jules Grdvy, his successor as President of the French
Republic, is a man of mature and ripe experience,
having attained the age of 65. As President of the
Chamber of Deputies, his calm and dignified bearing
has always been in contrast to those scenes of wild
disorder too commonly witnessed in that turbulent
assembly.

Parliament will soon again be in Session, and the
lords, spiritual and temporal, and the knighte,
citizens, and burgesses will be once more transacting
the business of the nation. Although it will begin
with two little wars upon its hands, one in Afghan-
istan, and the other in South Africa, there is a general
impression that this parliamentary year will be far
less taken up with discussions on foreign affairs than
its predecessor. When members of the House of
Commons tell their constituencies, as many have not
hesitated to do, that the most important measure of
last session was the Irish Sunday Closing Act, it must
be obvious to the most dispassionate observer that
the people look for something more than this as the
result of seven months of labour. The wants of the
vast, varied, and complex interests of the British
empire are scarcely met by the passing of an Act
regulating the closing of public-houses in Ireland on
Sundays. Unless the Imperial Parliament speedily
does something better than this, it will scarcely
retain its title to be the first legislative body
in the world; hence the prevailing belief that
measures of great domestic importance will now
occupy the attention of both Houses. As there was
merely an adjournment on the 17th December, and
not a prorogation, there will be no second Queen's
speech on the 13th instant; but a ministerial state-
ment is to be made in each House—in the Lords by
the Earl of Beaconsfield, and ih-the Commons by the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, who will respectively
give the usual Parliamentary dinners to their princi-
pal supporters on the previous evening.

A Royal marriage is an event which doer's not
often take place in England; indeed, since the
wedding of Queen Victoria on the 10th February,
1840, six of these ceremonies in this country would
exhaust the number. The marriages of the Princess
Royal, the Prince of Wales, Princesses Alice,
Helena and Louise, and of the Princess Mary were
all solemnized. at home, either at St. James's, Windsor,
Osborne, or Kew, while that of the Duke of Edin-
burgh took place in St. Petersburg. On the 13th of
March next, alter an interval of eight years, within a
few days, there is to be another Royal wedding at St.
George's Chapel, Windsor, where the Princess Louise
was married to the Marquis of Lorne on the 21st
March, 1871. When the announcement of the Duke
of Connaught's betrothal to the Princess Louise
Margaret of Prussia was made a few months ago, it was
expected that, as in the case of the Duke of Edin-
burgh, the marriage would take place, abroad. The
Princess Louise Margaret, however, will follow the
precedent of the Princess of Wales, who came over
here to be married, and not that of the Duchess of
Edinburgh, who was united to her husband in her
father's palace. These ceremonies are so rare with us
that when they do happen they create a great deal of
interest, and this was certainly the case on the last of
these occasions, when the Queen herself gave away
her daughter the Princess Louise.

The City of London has often conferred its freedom
upon many a worthy recipient, but seldom has the
honotr been more thoroughly deserved than in the case
of Sir Rowland Hill. A photograph of the illustrious
scroll containing the signatures of those admitted to
this distinguished franchise would be one of the most
interesting collections of autographs ever submitted
for the study of mankind. Crowned heads of foreign
countries, including the late Emperor Napoleon and
VictozEmmanuel ; the princes of our own reigning
house, who, it may be explained, are entitled to the
City freedom and patrimony; men of war like the
Duke of Wellington and General Grant; statesmen
of such opposite political views as Mr. Cobden and
Lord Beaconsfield; philanthropists like Mr. Peabody' •
philosophers like Professor Faraday; administrative
reformers like Sir Rowland Hill—all find a place upsan
that famous list. The last-mentioned name is the
latest addition to it, and when we contrast our postal
organisation now with what it was forty years ago, it
will be seen at a glance how much its enormous de-
velopment is due to the reform carried out by Sir
Rowland HilL It seems difficult to believe that even
within the history of the present reign, the rates of
transmission of letters through these islands were
regulated according to the distance conveyed, the
charges being in some cases so prohibitory that
a large proportion of the letters could not be
taken in by those to whom they were addressed, it
being optional in those days to pay the postage at
either end. And as; forty years ago, mon-y was of
more value than it is now, the payment of tenpence.or
a shilling for a letter was very expensive luxury, and
often an impcsale one. Sir Rowland Hill's proposi-
tion for an uniform penny postage throughout the
rnited Kingdom was a startling innovation at the
time it was made, but four dect.des have amply de-
monstrated its wisdom; and now, in his maturer
years, and long after he has retired from a position he
so well filled, the City of London pays him in the
traditionary gold box of the Value of a hundred
guinea, a compliment wbfc.li de valued alien by
Folipdros a 44 rtifia". 4114 by aal the most illustrious
of our OWflddtintiltaa,