The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-09-12 00:00:00

Onr lonbcm t orrespenbtitt.

(We 4eenl it right to state that we to not M all time
identity ourselves with our eorrespouden,'s opinions. j

t

laugh in his

In the world t,f politics tlivre is ample srope and
verge enough for any amount of discussion, but no
essentially political fact stands out with such promi-
nence as to call for remark. The prevaling rule-
which, like every rule, has its exceptions—is that
everybody is minding his own business; or, in other
words, each constituency is concerning itself with it-
own electorial prospects.
The present Government hns been peculiarly unfor-
tunate in its appointment of Lord May to the

Governor-Generalship of Italia. However much the
noble lord may be respected, It is pretty generally
thought "that he is not strong en. m,h for the place."
NVere there not very /droll; objections to the appoint.
ment the renmnstrances would have ceased before
this time; but their continuance is significant.
and it in certain that when P:irliantent meets--
should ciremnstancen not arise to reeler such a
eonrse unnecessary there will be, at the least, a ver3
warm discussion on the subject
The first set speech that has bean mode by Mr.
Ileverly Johnson, the representative of the United
States at our Court, must be generally admired. It is
clear, free, and outspoken, and displays a large heart
and an enlightened mind. Nothing could be mon
generous and friendly than his reinarka on the relations
which now subsist between the two countries, and hi,
aspirations for still closer friendship. Mr. Roebuck's
speech affords many points of contrast, which might
have been expected, perhaps, from a gentleman of 80
antagonistic - 4 was about say, so cantankerous a turn
of mind, In one little sentence he contrived to have
an ill-natured fling at four nations, and to slight
another by omitting to refer to it. Alluding to the
emigration to America, he tells us that "there is
poured into a tide of corruption a feculent torrent of
almost all the vice and turbulence of Europe. We
see the wild Irishman, the fiery Frenchman, the assas-
sinating Italian, and the dnnuh-feunded Spaniard, all
going out in one mass," Pretty strong, that ! but
silty did not Mr. Roebuck add—the sober, serious, and
educated German? The omission is all the niece
curious, inasmuch as America has more emigrants from
Germany than from any other country, unless Great
Britain and Ireland be reckon.' as one country.
What must he the feeling of the large immigrant class
in America, when, after reading the large-hearted
utterances of their ambassader, they find themselves
characterised as "a tide of corruption" destined tO
receive "a feculent torrent .4 almost all the vice and
turbulence of Europe." The calm and dignified
way in which Mr. Beverly Janson, on a subsequent
occasion replied to this unwarrantable language is
generally admired. In memory of certain events of
which Sheffield, as a whole, is es much ashamed as
is the rest of the country, there was peculiar signi-
ficance in one of the remarks made by the American
Ambassador ; " It is no doubt true that had men and
bad women are to be found in the United States, hoth
native and foreign, but I suppose that the hon.
gentleman would admit that such specimens of de-
graded humanity are to be found in London, and
possibly in this borough." Very neatly and signifi-
cantly put. If the public is forced to see the peculiar
impropriety .4 speaking about "the assassinating
Italian'' in a town disgraced by such gentlemen as
Mr. Broadhead, it is Mr. Roebuck alone who is to
blame.

The case of James Bell is attracting much attention,
and commiseration is now being tanlily followed by
help. The rnan was sonic months ago sent to prison
for stealing lambs. About a month since it was proved
that he was entirely innocent, and that another non
was the thief. After a good deal if fuss and formality
Bell was liberated, with a "free panh in'' fir a crime he
did not comnfit ! It seems that durin; his incarcera-
tion he was cruelly treated, and his health suffered
seriously. "I was very badly fed," Inc says, "the
result bring that my chest, which was well and strong
before, is now greatly affected, and I suffer peat pains
from it." When he came out 14 pritson—where,
by the bye, he NV:ls net allowed tin utter a word— tie
fonnil his family utterly ruined by the sacrifice they
had made in their business to pr mt.,. his retinal to
liberty. Surely this is a case for ottlidal compensation,
and the innocent awl deep!, injure 1 man ought not
to have to ha& to private sympathy for stone recom-
pense for his sufferings. Anil what donut Unice three
policemen on whose en 7•¶ sl tis•imony the titan's
liberty nil happinesa ware sworn away? Rey may
have been perfectly sincere in their motives, I sit what-
ever their conviction may have I ,en. Pelt's conviction
was lamentably unjust.
Two men who were to he put 1,10 to fight flit' the
championship having been lound over to keep the
peace, each in two sureties of d.l.len each, with his own ,
reeognizances to the sante amount ; the chief police
magistrate having publicly annonne.el that Coverts-
moll are detennined to put down prize-fighting ; and
with a £5OO iwnalty banging over the heads of railway
directors if they in any way assist I'7l4lllSb, tO carry
out their illenal 1 1 ;Ivith these blebs deride us, we
may congratulate ourselves that the horrid sport it
pugilism will soon become an affair of the past. But
the Home-office and the police must lie still on the qui
vier. A day or two ago the Leeds js dice succeeded in
completely discomfiting some prire-fighters, but fights
Ptill take place here and there. There must be no re-
laxing of effort entirely to crush out what has so long
been a national disgrace.
When Kennington Common was turned into a park,
it was felt to be a great improvement in many respects,
and a pretty little park it now is. But it is earnestly tO
be hoped that we shall he spared the infliction of
Blackheath being similarly treated. The cases are
not parallel. Blackheath is a fine open space in which
the public delight as a heath, and a park is not wanted
there, seeing that one already exists adjoining this
splendid breatlung and playing place. We have not
too many op,, spac where mieket can be played,
and where ch Mires', and children of a larger growth
can thoron_itly enjoy themselves, which no nine
ever seems to do in a London Park, We Lon.b.llerS
are always on the tenter-hooks of alarm lest the few
open spaces we still have left should be taken away
from us. Noissle seems to understand the rights or
len tags connected with such placos as Hampstead heath
or Black'tt ath, and while we every now and then
hear of encroachments on this common or that
heath it seems to be nobody's business to oppose them.
What London requires is, that those places should be
guaranteed to them at, they are ; that some arrangement
should be made fir keeping them as they are, as far
as possible ; and then if anybody must be compensated,
why the metropolis would surely willingly pay for it.
What, for instance, are the tights if Dulwich
College ? They are the possession 14 a large part if the
land in decidedly the must rural suburb in London. I
have often read that the e -set sell the land,
but if I can believe notice-deards and bricks and
mortar, they do sell the land. Certain it is that this
still beautiful district is gradnally loving spoikol.
Trees are being cut down, grass disappearing, and
villas and houses of all kinds making their appearance
on a spot not long ago noted (IT its rustic beauty.
A project is on foot for improving the condition of
the organ-grinders 14 London. P. or fellows ! their
position cannot he much WOrSe than it is. Brought
here under false pretences, compelled to drag about
an instrument .4 torture which act eally drives some of
them mad, barely clothed, wretchedly fast, awl Ms-
eracefully 11011Sed, the lot of them, rOor 11101 is sad
indeed. But with all due deference to the charitable
body who is at the head of this movement, we want
a reform rather in the organs than the men. In hut,
we want an organic change; Organ-grinding is
em mnhaticahly the chief nuisance in London ; it is not a
question of music or no music, because the organs do
not and cannot produce mumic ; and if for no other
reaSl,ll we should desire its abolition, it is enough to
remember that organ-grinding hastened the sleath
John Leach, the inimitable artist.

The extraordinary way in which the French press
misrepresents English institutions and manners, ha,
often us-en asnlijivt of remark ; lint never, pin lint,
was there a noire startling revelation of what (b.'
exist in London than is now gravely nsade hy a firt.t -
clasm l'arim p turn al, the P,,•ri. We or. trill ti.t•• ii I• •
are here 1-01,1 "
leave town fur I suiting. II voout
the day of his snpposed retorts 111-un,•,4 I,f thin-
houses— but I really must quote a elm :rue extract
the exquisite presenting himself, tie. gvo,nn inquires :
From what eounty, sir, do yon w id. to Is. supposed
you have just returned -from Staffordshire, from
Derbyshire ? "No, from the comity of Rent." All
right. Take your seat.' On this the pp. t,nded
sport,man bestrides a wooden automaton pmsy, which
beginm tu rains' his front and hind l,vn. to trot, t'leant-c,
throwing the noul over his rider with the same irregu-
larity as aria! horse would do a.-rots eountry. After
having been well splashed, the than ,tf :adsion pays the
account, casts an eye of approbation towards the
mirror, and then, with a whip in his hand, goes and
inhibits his bespattered costume, in Bond-street,
Piccadilly, or Pall-mall, in order that it may be Mil/-
posed that he has just returned frnm a grand hunt.'
We can, of course, afford to laugh at such a silly con-
coction as this ; but it is impossible to avoid regretting
that a leading Paris jnurriiff should thus ignorantly
po, on the credulity of many among its thousands of
I.
Freneh

GOVernltlent eems to be trying haol to
rbliculons, ant M. I tenet R sthefort must
I sleeve M the strange antics that he makes

' the officials cut. Some time ago the Government
seized a lot of cigarettes because they had on them the
printed represtntation of a red lantern; and now they
have actually seized some pipes "with a bowl in the
form of a lantern and coloured red. A red lantern
in any shape or form seems to have thc same effect on
the French Government as a red rag is said to have on
a bull. Anything more petty or ridiculous than the
—izore of cigarettes and pipes with the obnoxiou
. ..11etu can scarcely be imagined, and that the policy
•.he Government can be promoted by such fo dish
.....edings it is difficult to believe. All this kind of
• • in fact, is so much gratuit,,us aivt rtiszng fir M
,cfort, who must find Red Republicanism pay him
Isomely.