The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-06-20 00:00:00

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OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.

The sittings of the House of Commons are now
Almost a farce, considering that SW hon. gentlemen
nominally compose that assembly. So few members
attend, except on rare occasions, that the House might
almost any night and any tithe of the night bt &hinted
out; but ttier ii no disposition to count it out.
There Is but one prevailing idea in the minds of
hon. gentlemen apparently, and that is to get threngh
what business remains and get away as soon as possible
"to the country," in whatever sense that phrase may
be used. It is not expected that Parliament will hold
together more than another month, and it is not at all
surprising; therefoim that US membera shduld think far
More of their prospects in reference to the next Parlia-
ment than of their duties in this. Meanwhile the
public are singularly apathetic as to what the dying
Parliament may say or do, and do not even take the
trouble to listen to its moribund utterances.

Lord Palmerston's health is now in a measure restored,
but he is still very unwell, In spite of the, semi-official
denials of the rumour It to hit intended retirement, the
report still riiviverl in some form or other. There is
too much probability in it to be "snuffed out by an
article," and whether it be verified by the retirement of
the Premier at the end of this passion or not, the public
will look forward to a resignation which may come any
day. The Premier's long continuance in office cannot,
in fact, be expected. Not, howeVer, to venture to
anticipate the oounse of events; I *ill Merely add that
apeettlittinni ire An as to the next premiership. Earl
Kussell's name has been put forward, and no has Earl
Granville's, and so has Mr. Gladdone's ; but all such
speculations are premature.
Mr. Gladstone's speech and vote on the Oxford
University Tests Abolition Bill have given such dissatis-
faction both to his Liberal supporters and to his
Conservatire dppenents ; perhaps it *duld have
13eien better for the right bon. gentleman had he not
voted at all, and oertairdy it is difficult to reconcile his
course of action with that of last year. Mr. Gladstone
tells us that last year he voted for this very same bill, not
because h eap proved of it as it stood,but because he thought
the principle was good, and it might be amended in com-
mittee; but that this year Mr. (losehen's Speech wu to
alarming, and his detorminatidn to hare the *hole Bill
en decided, that he thin elladstone) found it necessary to
vote sgainvt it. Cautious and deliberative examination
of the matter may lead to acceptance of this statement;
but the public, who hastily judge from one main fact,
will be only too ready to charge the Chancellor of the
Exchequer with inconsistency, while the Conservatives
generally, and especially those who Interest themselves
in the (Ilford thiireraity eledtion, heel), charge Mr.
Gladstone with voting against the Bill of this year with
a view to curry favour with his University sionstituents.
He has certainly laid himself oPen to this suspicion; but
it must be Contested tbit whit he hat done has been
dthils lb i Veiy noble and manly way.
I do not pretend to understand the niceties of inter-
national law, and could not, if I would, discourse
learnedly on the rights of individuals when affected by
those of Governments ; bet looking at the matter in •
merely commonaenss point CU viS* I confess I cannot
undOrsiand how our Government is so quieseent is re-
feremee to Mr. hiliens,, whii has been ciptilred by the
Italian brigandi tinder Ike tee+ ;lois; at ma* mr; of
victor Eiuuiailuel.Mad this capture and the impudent
demand of £lO,OOO ransom occurred under Francis of
Naples, commonly called King Bombs, there surely
would have been an outcry before this. Strange, too,
that the people of this country are so quiescent; and
diigraoeful its it is strange that King Victor Emmanuel
allows his feeble Government to become the by- wprd of
the world. It ittaf be—and IShould Mit be at all stir: 1
Prised to find this Is the case—that our Government
have addressed remonstrances to the Italian Govern-
ment on the fact of a British subject being captured and
held in bondage till £lO,OOO is paid, but nothing to this
effect has yet transpired publicly. If Mr. Moans be a
member of the Stook Exchange, I wonder the city men
do not stir in the matter. What is Mr. Moons' fate to-
day,, emit hitiietsiSeosistietikr.
The isliuit df an appiication id reply to an advertise-
ment is worth mentioning. A friend asked me to go
with him to answer one Which wee headed "Adoption."
The adreriiser WU:abed to adopt a giri Of light dr ten
yeark Old paiente wiie to he piepafeit to pirt
with her entirely ; and the girl was to receive a good
musical education and be kindly treated. Applicants
were requested to take the child toe certain address.
We went, and found it to be the etodio Cr office of •
phrenologist. We Vire inforined that the advertise-
tient eibindieti &lift an Anabriiiati ghistlieten Vho
ietended to bring out in New York, ko., a troop of
singing girls on the plan of " Dr. Mark and his little
men," who have performed with AMAMI INHIC46II in
England and America, that in.tead of one girl at least
• dam were required; bat that som,. fifty applications
had been recitited (the ddyertisemeni having appeared
iwi ok thin tiniesh AK the tehrentilogist hating
reported on their cerebral development., the requisite
number of girls had been "adopted." I leave your
readers to draw their own conclusions.

I see that a grooer M Liverpool has been fined ESO
for adulterating coffee with burnt sugar and gelatine.
Whether this fine is too heavy I shall not attempt to
decide, but I only wish that each prosecutions as that
which led to this were mere trainee% for I find that
the defendatit stated that "the practice was very
common amongst grams, especially in Leaden." The

truth ix that
mercy of

elsewhere,

tradesmen