The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-10-03 00:00:00

Ulttropolitan 6ossip.

Oilt ORE CORRKOPONDENT

'The remarks under this head are to he regarded as the me
Oen A Independent upinion, from the Feu of a gym film.
vve Store the crt ;WA confidenct. but ter which we
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A medical journal, which ufasumee to speak with
,une authority, tells us that although her Nlajesty
as received some benefit fnqn change of air and scene, !
hits she will continue, as heretofore, to regulate pub-
c business, "the Queen will not, we fear, be able to
ear the fatiguing excitement of a lengthened resi-
eller in London, and 14 the continvd receptions
ttendant on s,iohi eirctunstances." Everylssly will
; our this with sorrow, but it is 110 t likely that every-
ire will readily agree to it. Most people perhaps will
'link that it residence ill the metrop,lis - it need not
e a "lengthened " one—would be a beneficial change
'OM the round of Balmoral, Windsor, and Osborne.
ler Majesty must suffer fr.on brooding over her
rrow, and to relieve this there is nothing like OCCLI.
a tit, !I. The inhabitants of the Metropolis, failing to
?t, any sufficient cause for so protracted an absence
n the part of the Court, cannot but feel themselves
iglited, however great may be their affection towards
Throne. . _ .

.•
" The battle of the Constitution," said the late Sir
Robert Peel. " is fought in the Registration Courts
(nd he called on the people to "register, register,
!" This battle has now for some time been
;iereely waged, and it is still being fought. Which
nolitieal party is winning would be very difficult to
determine; awl nothing very definite will be known
ill the actual election of candidates. Meanwhile,
.•leetion movements are everywhere being vigorously
...writs( on, and most of those who hope to get into the
:(ew Parliament have issued their addresses and are
bidding for the premise id support. There are
present about 650 Liberals and 400 Conservatives
In the field. At the first glance this is symptomatic of
c. considerable Liberal majority in the new House ; but
we must not judge too hastily, for in many cases the
).reponderance of Liberal candidates makes the Con-
, • rvative candidates' chances all the greater. A good
.teal has yet to be done before the election of candidates
eAll be actually proceeded with. It is understood that
he van us points which the Revising Barristers have
'oft undecided will be determined by the Court of
Common Pleas before any election is proceeded with.
When this Court comes to decide the knotty points
hat will be sent up to it from the Registration Courts,
•so subject will attract anything like the attention, or,
'eked, be of anything like the importance, as the ques-
bon whether woven have a right to be placed on the
(ate of voters. The pro aml eon of the question has
',en pretty well argued already, but all this argument
Is merely preliminary, and the decision of the judges
will be awaited with anxiety. Mr. Sidney Smith asks,
"if spinsters or widows are freeholders or copyholders;
.1 they are lords (? ladies) of manors, in the name of
wonder upon what principle has it been discovered
that women cannot vote for members of Parliament?"
This is just the question that the Court of Common
Pleas will have to answer ; and, perhaps, not one
arson out of ten believes that the Court will decide in
lavour of the ladies.
In foreign affairs there is nothing that excites any-
like the interest that the news from Spain
prlxffices. No country in the world is naturally
:nom fertile, awl it has splendid resources of
,11.1.1011 S kinds, but centuries of misgovernment
b Ave brought her down below the level of all other
luropean countries. She has been torn by successive
evolutions, but popular liberty is still a dream, and
he Press of Spain is perhaps as low as the Press can be
.viwn it is crippled, cabined, and confined by official re-
.crictione. The intelligence we are now receiving, and
which is nest eagerly looked for, gives good ground
I or hope that a brighter day is dawning for this M-
used country. It is worthy of note, however, that as
yet the people of Spain do not take that part in the in-
erreetienary movement that we might naturally have
•• spocted. Spain seems doomed to suffer from (nieces-
ive military revolution, and such revolutions, in the
•istury of the world, have often resulted in the mere
.schange of one despotism for another. What Europe
eons to desire—the enlightened opinion 14 Europe

Quite a relief must have been felt by most persons
on hearing that the "Rachel" trial was over. While it
lasted it excited immense interest, chiefly among the
fair sex, and the number .if lady visitors to the Central
Criminal Court each day, was something remarkable

The heaviness of the sentence on the cheating process
seems to astonish most people, but when the nature of
her offense is fully considered, few persons can think'
that the punishment is out of proportion to the offence.
Her misdoings had many aspects, but one part of her
crime was unquestionably robbery —as much robbery aei
if she hail broken open a banker's safe and stolen the
same amount. To a woman wits, like her, haa been
accustomed to luxuries, the punislunent will be an
awful one, but it is richly deserved. Society, too, will
be the gainer by it. When trickery and deception art
exposed, it becomes a moral and a caution for the
future, and never was there greater deception than in
the soaps, washes, baths, and nostrums of Madame
Rachel.