The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-02-25 00:00:00

Our it'onbon torrtspithent.

rWe deem it right to state. that We flu not at all times
itentify ourselves mall our elrieveoVidvot's opiniousj
The debate in the Henze of Commons on the foreign
-policy of Governmstit brought out those very op!tsiona
which may be sail es divide the country at tbn present
time, and to either ..ide full expres ion was given. On
the one hand V nisten are charged with hosing
adopted& policy s lb has tended to the lumina:ion
,if the country ant lower our influence abroad; on ths
other it is m oit aimed that the Government have done
all in their power to exert a peacvsfol Influence on the
belligerents, and that Ministers Cll the part of England
will be ready, at the first opporttutity, to aid in the pacific
solutton of existing difficulties. This important d hate
WA3 founded on an abstract rem'ution, that it is the
-duty of the Government to act in concert with other
neutral Powers to atain moderate terms of peace ;
but I think those who carefully read this debate can
scarcely assert that this propositiin was maintained,
even in theory, while practically khaki to be withdrawn,
allude to this debate, however, because it ham tended
to clear up tuany points in dispute and tee' ,rt a calming
influence on the public mind. The prig nt Govern-
ment will doubtleiw do cat what a Conservative
lowtrnment would Jo were it in power—it will aid in
the arrangement ot terms between victor mid van-
lui•hed the moment that this can be done; aid mean.
while we have the $ Aid eatisfaction of knowing that
atfaWs in Franca are every day tending towards a
settled pt:ace—a lasting peace would perhaps be too
thuds to say. But let us not mett troubles halt. way.
•. • • • •

It is but ach 'ding a well.worn phrase to say that the
eyes of all Europe are now turned to one poin'.—to
Versailles. The awful position of France, her present
helplessness, her priee even in her fall, her hatred of
her corquerors, on the one hand ; and the remoraelese,
pitile.s, determined Attitude of Prusiia, on the other—
these form the subject of public and private comment,
and the development of the painful relations of these
two rowers is eigerly watched. That peace nay
result from the negotiatiers now in progresi is the
prevailing hope and belief, but mingled with this there
te certainly the fear that the ambition and revenge a
I 'made may carry her too far for the permanent peace
.lf Europe. I merely note this as an cdsting fact
which no observer of current events and cotemporary
opinion can fail to see. But still the most cheering
fact of the time is that tie morning of peace is dasniug
at last, after the long night of war.

The directors of the Meteor litan Association for
Improving the Dwellings of the Industrial Classes, are
now endeavouring to buy up a number of houses in
populous districts here—such houses as at present are
mareely fit for animals, and certainly not fit Iv. human
Iheinge—and intend to put them in thorough sanitary
repair, or even pull 'own and rebuild if necessary.
This sort of thing is not an exteriment; it has been
done before, and has been found to pay. But the im-
portant fact for the consideration of the community,
is that in this wa-- the health of the people is im-
proved, and ever dens cleared away. The good that
has alteady been effected by such means is very gnat,
but alas ! how much more remains to be done!

An unpleasant mut ject claims attention—the spread
st encallspoz. The raging of this terrible diee.use
has produced a commotion among the vestries, boards
tit guardians, the medical officers, the boards of
health, eke., and an unwonted attention is being
paid to sanitary matters. This must have a most bene-
ficial rt suit generally and spec:ally. Meanwhile the
desire for re.vaccie &ion on the one hand and its
enforeement on the ether are remarkable. The metro.
politan police have been ordered to be re-vaccinated,
and in default of coaipliance they are to be "invited
to resign," a very significant phrase ; volunteer rec.,i-
meats are also undergoing this unpleasant hut salutary
,31- oration ; large city eltablishinenta, factories, schools,
avorkhousee, &c.—. re also submitting to it for priva,e
and public good; whie the anti-vaccination people
with all their demonstrations and proc'amations, fail
to make any way at all. Ly the way it is an ili
wind," tie., and Kraus of the London bezgros are said
t be taking advattsk;e of the fear caused by this drt rid-
flu! 'Kornis.. They run after ladies and gentlemen, and
*ay they are in diatre:s and have just come out of a
eroalbpos. hospital, whereupon a trifle is readily given
—moat probably thrown down for the applicant to pick
up--nod the wayfarer steps out as rapidly as poss:ble.
That lotteries in this country are prohidited (the Art
'Union, which is an exception, Laving a special Act of
Pcrliernert) is well known, and even raffles and
goose dui- a are included in the prohibition. A good
j sic, too, the reader may ray, and no say I ; but the
temptations to join in a lottery have not cased. I lave
received by post from abroad a circular in which my
'name is minted, inttiming me that the directors have
reserved forms a (es shares in a ce:t sin loan allot-
ment, and very tempting allusion to possible prizes is
also made. I suppose this sort of thing is found to pay,
fee such lotteries as this have Leen for years past urged
sin the attention of the British public. It need scarcely
I to said that if you yield to the temptation, you have
to tend some money, and the chances are ' long odds"
azainet you that you will ever receive a "prize."
Nor need it be ad lel that, shotild you thick you
ierAht to have a prize, you have no means ii en-
forcing your view. 'fne law of your cormry is
against you, and fro 11 (reign law, as a British subject,
you can gain no redress. As such circulars as that to
which I have referred are at intervals largely sent out,
it rf ay be well to in ntion the matter.

I wonder when milway directors will seriously turn
their attention to a reform which would undoubtedly
boot great public benefit —cheaper annual tickets for
long distances. Of c ,urse they now issue euch tickets
--for such places as Brighton, Eouthampton, Pr s-
aeon% and Manchester for example; but then the
rates are unconscionably high, and as a natural con,e-
quence very few people take them. But if cheap
tickets were iamed—not unreasonably, but reasonaLly
cheap—numbers of people would take them who now
object to pay unfairly high rates, and who only once or
twice a year COMO up to London on by. iness. This
would be a mutual advantage; it would benefit the
public and the railways, and would, I thick, exert
a more favourable induence on the divider.dsithan would
generally be soppix.ed.

Whatever may be thought or said about the opinions
..1 the Rev. C. Vo3 spy, it must be generally admitted
that the sentence of deprivaticn is just in one reepect
that his published opinions are directly at variance
with the fundamental teachings of the Church of Eng-
land; and in fact Mr. Voysey's friends and supporters
in the main must taite this view of the matter. Whetter
the rev. gen'leman's opinions are ight or wrong is not
the question; whether they are diameterically opposed
s.o the teachings of the Church is the question. But
the matter will not end here. I hear of a rubscription
to pay the enormous expenses to which he will have
been put, a !name lion that may probably result in
something more.
When one reale that the President of the Il,ard of
Trade intends to introduce a measu-e with regard to
short we Lihts and measures—no pun intended—a ques.
tion is naturally au-Nested. When are we to have the
report of the commiesioners on standard weights aud
measures? In fact it ha been selionsly argued that
the very standards now in existence are not accurate,
that indeed they are not, strictly speaking, standards
at all. How then are the shortcomiegs of dishonest
tradeemen to be bet d and verified? But let us stay
till the details of Mr. Fortescue's bill can be examined;
he may possibly, as I hope he will, deal with the evil
of false weights in a rigorous and severely just way.
Certainly this aid not be before the time for ouch treat-
ment will have arrived.

A rather curious item of mws appear 3 in the Choir
—that Dr. Spark is devoting his energies to a new and
apparently very desirable work, the provision of suit-
able music for all the special festival gatherings of the
Vreetuarons. It would be interesting to know how, and
why, and what music, could be specially suitable for
the craft.

The Cornhill Magerzine is under new editorship, the
gentleman tow having the editorial control being Mr.
Leslie Stephen, the son-indaw of the late Mr.
Thackeray, the &it editor of the magazine.
All politics ayart, the country generally must
heartily approve of Mr. Cardwell's achtme if Army
it,yorm, in one inc,ortant particular at least—the pro-
asial toabolish the syab ni of promotion by purchase. The
vitality of this tre quently attacked abuse would be mar-
flout, did we not bear in naiad that both in the am%
of Lords and in th 3 /louse of Commons, there have
always been many who have been interested in the
perpetuation of this abuse. Many attempts to abolish
the purchase system have been made from time to time,
but over with the slightest success. Whether the
pr.:Rent effort is to have a diff,rint result remains to
be seen, but if the purchase sy atem survives the pre.
tent onslaught, why positively its opponents may begin
to despair of its reurovah
It is said that Meters. Harper, of New York and
other American cisies, have agreed to rive £BOO a year
for the right of reprinting "Dark Blue," the new
Orford Cnivermity Magazine. How true it may be
I cannot say, but it is curious if it is, because, al I
understand, the alsence of copyright law between
Amer:ca and England, this payment would merely
give Meters. Harper a day or two in advance, by the,
earliest dispatch of the nagrite Le. t, ; efore it was
tub! did here, and then American putdiaht re could
have ths t ower of reprinting, as well as the firm
named. The statement, however, is interesting, as
sh Wing how Leith ol it an Anglos American copyright
law. It is etrance that no thong is made to t ffecttbie,
English aml American anthers are perhaps to a man in

favour of it, and many pnblishere on either aide of the At-
lantic. When we have settled the Alabama claims,
and the Canadian Fisheries dispute —I say when —it
would Le wal for an it.r.glc•American comtni>eion to
be apprinted tn drew lip a scheme of international
co:,!: t.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
In t‘te Rune of foes, rub. 20, the West African Settle
men a Rill eta: reed a second time, after a short explanation
by c :al Kimberley.
The Bishop of Wincheffer moved the second reading of the
Benefices liasignati m hill, cabling incemhents Leaped.
tatal by age or bodily infirmity toretire, alth the content of
the it ..hop and patron, upon a pcuslon not exceeding one-
third the value of the living Explaining that the bill would
only restore the ancient mw of the Church, he defended it as
an wet of charity and justice to the Clergy.
Lord Romilly opposed the bill as Injurious to the interests
of the Church Itself. It was not a matter at justice at all,
but simply a matter 01 finance, and he weed that It would
seriously affect the Independence of the Clergy and the
efficiency of the lay element of the church, lie moved that
the bill be read again that day six month..
Lord Salisbury, reminding their lordships that this was a
purely permissive anti voluntuy bill, Bahl that the principle
of tuperannuati n, as applied to Judges and all ether nubile.
Is, had been not leu extensively then beneficially
adopted. It had also been applied to the Bishops, and it
would now be a wise and re,..esenty reform to extend the
principle to the in'effor clergy.
Lard lisrroarhy aCcepted the bill as jut in pfixclple and
benel,fal to its operation.
Lerd Cairns said that his ohj, client' to the bCI of last year
Were greatly modified by the elteratiJus now made in regard
to the rights ef patrons, .21.
Lotd Stantode contended that Lord Readily had by no
meant nude out Lis tau that thin was solely a matter of

lhobl!I was read a arc did time w 'Mout a division, and
nide Vrtlsh'pa IJurned
In the [tonsil of t,llllllOlll, seventy- ono private huh were
mati a second time.

Sir Robert Peel gave notice that In consequence of the
statement made hy the Fite; Lord of the Treasury on Friday
last, that Lord Lyons left P ri on the 17th of Kepteml,er In
accord rice whir the strict ii Junctions of the Government,
whirl Injunctions do not sinner In the Blue Book laid before
Parliament, he would ask the First L' rd of the Treatury
whether ins 0 tverrmant had any objectim to lay upon the
taltle the deepatch contalnii g those Injunctions.
_ .

Mr. Stackpeolo asked the First Lord of t`le Trerrury
whether the Government °ill propose to Parliament Una
ltflion a grant to purchase° ropi,l reattence In Ireland.
Mr. Gladstmie replied that the sul j a had been under
the c ,uslderatlon of the Government, but be was Oct yet
able to make any positive answer.
Mr W. E. Forster, in reply to lir. lark said that It was
net the intention of the Government to icing in a bill for
the amendment of the Me cal Act; during the present
etstion.

Mr Mae asked es to the truth f a statr meat that a pro
posal to purchase Canada was contemplated b., the American
(~tt.erutuent ?

-tii-:-G-ikli-erone replied that the Government had not re-
eds...l any in.b proposal, and were not aware of siGthing
of the kind being lu tiOstence.
The Princess Lou Le's Annuity Bill was read a third I;me
and pasted.

The Home then spent some time In Committee on the
University Tests Bill. The first Mot iltecusied was a pro-
posal by Mr. I.ltOTeMOll, to ewe t p away fr.,. Ch.n., 3 the
exCeption in favour of Divinity threes which the Mil pro-
poses shell still be accompanied hy a test. Ile was supported
by Dr Playfair, Mr C. PuVen, Mr. San n Ilion, and Mr.
tiorsman. Mr. Gladstone rezliiied to accept the amendment.
31, liaresford Hope also opposed It, arid On a dleteiou it WM
nj?ctsd by Irs to ltd.

- Mr. Fawcett next proposed to sirlke out the first proviso
to the MPG clause, the effect of which would be that the
taking ol Holy Orders shall no longer be a con titian of
g the headships or fellowahme of a College. Mr. Gabon°
Ilorgatu Lord E Fitz naurice, Mr. Bonnie°, ant Mr
Ael ,nt Simon spoke in favour of the amendment, but
Sr Goldsmid, though favourable to the abolition of
tbis condition, urged that, as the Goverommt had taken
charge of the bill, to press this amendment Into it
ruight, be fatal to it. The Solicitor Heron' and Mr. Glad-
stone admitted that the whole subject of College Fellowships
required to be dealt it ith, but this amendment only touched
frognient of it. On a diViSi •n it was rejected by 1.2 to
la This merlons reduction of the majority was loudly
cheered on the Liberal tide, and Mr. Fawcett bade the Prime
Minister ponder carefully the algulficance of a victory ob-
tained over his own party by the aid of Conservative votes
Mr (Ladd°ne retorted that the Government had already
Pondered the matter, and their decition was Irrevocable.
Mr. ti Bentiuck moved to add • proviso to the clause,
SbViDg the rights of members of the Church of England to
°Muss specially intelided for them by the foanders and
donors; but it was opposed by Mr. Gladstone, and, after •
brief conversation, it was Lot pressed.
Mr. W. E. Forster, In bringing in the BPlnt Bill, taking it
for granted that the main features of the scheme of last sear
Were fresh In the mind of the House, Molt on to explain
toe changes i.e ititor.'ed to propose In it • and, first,
municipal election., as well as Parliamentary, are to
be included In Ore bill. In the machinery for voting
two principal conditions would be kept in vie
simplicity Sal c and lett, secrecy—and by secrecy Mr.
Forster mount- th tt the voter shoat not he aids to prove
to any one how he had voted, because that would defeat the
object of the ballot, To obtain this the bill liroeldes that
tione but official voting papers shall he toed, that they shall
tiot be given to the voter until he enters the polling booth,
and that the voter shall not put any mark on the paper except
what is necessary to show how he has voted. In like manner
three lAngtra more or leas peculiar to the Ballot are guarded
alt tinat in the bill—tamperiog with the voting papers, forging
tnent, and personation. Taking the last first Mr Ironton, alter
arvlng that a scrutiny Is useless for the detection of per-
sonation and bribed votes, stated that the machinery of
caunterfoils, die , contained in hut year's bill, bad been
ab.w.loned, and that no provision for a scrutiny would be
made in this hilt But there will ba a clause putting at-
tempts to procure personation on the same footing as at-
tempts at trete Lig and also, wherever iii. proved that a
canntdate or his agent has attempted to bribe or procure
personation. In every case a vote ahall be struck off that c an-
didate's poll The possibdity of tampering with the ballot
papers is met by minute precautions for locking the papers up
awl goviding them, sod to prevent forgery the returning officer
When he delivers the ballot paper is to stamp it with a some
stamp. The mantes of treating at of briUery as in lost
year's bill) are imposed one candt late w ha does not Include
It tile t spans. in the reborn, end who pays personally that
watch ought to be paid by an agent. Among other minor
char's- s Mr. Forster mention ed that public-houses mint no
longer be aired for committeemen.. Nomination Dots and
Declared-ins of the Poll are abolished; but all there details
are to be open to the fullert consideration and amendment
in Committee. Finally, he announced that the legal
elpenses of the candidates are thrown en the local Rates,
expatiating at length on the oljactions cot principle to the
present system, and on the practical hardships it lutists on
poor candidates, and he concluded by an urgent appeal to
the Conervatives to lay mite party feeling In dealing with
a measure which, while it destroyed improper influence,
would give strength to the legitimate Influence of property,
atation, and blameless discharge of 'while duti-e.
A t. r excretal°r,s of opinion from several hon, members,
the bill seas read a first time, and the second reading fixed for
Monday next; and the House adjmumed.