The Press.
London, England, 1855-05-12 00:00:00

THE WEEK.

THE retirement of M. DROUYN DE LHUYB from the Foreign Ministry of
France marks the commencement of a new phase in the Eastern
Question. The Minister's views appear to have been more pacific than
those of his Court. He received the proposals of Austria favorably,
and, finding that he was discountenanced by the Tuilieries, he instantly
withdrew from the Government.

The proceedings of the Vienna Conference after the last meeting,
of which an account is given in the papers presented to Parliament,
require explanation. We cannot understand why M. DROUYN DE

LHUYS remained after Lord JOHN RusszLL withdrew, nor are we yet
informed whether the French Minister in the course he took acted in

concert with the views expressed or implied of Lord JOHN RUSSELL, of
whose ideas it is to be supposed that he was thoroughly
cognisant. The frequent Cabinet Councils held within the *at few
days point to the conclusion that the Russian and Austrian proposals
have been debated by the Cabinet.
The papers published give as full and apparently as fair a view
of the proceedings at the Conferences as could be desired up to the
close of the 26th of April. For authentic details of what subsequently
occurred, leading to the retirement of the French Minister, we are still
left to conjecture.
The first two points—one abandoning the exclusive protectorate
of Russia over the Danubian principalities (certainly au important
concession in itself), the other, securing by new provisions the free
navigation of the Danube—were agreed to without difficulty. The
third point embraced two distinct objects—the first to admit Turkey
more completely into the family of European nations, and to guarantee
the integrity of her territory by a common arrangement; the second,
to put an end to the preponderance of Russia in the Black Sea.
When the third point was first opened at the sitting of the
Conference on the 26th of March, the Russian Plenipotentiaries

• -
demanded a period of delay to receive further instructions from their
Court. Meantime M. DROUYN DE LHUYS and AALI PACHA arrived at
Vienna. The Conferences were renewed on the 17th of April, when
the Russian Ministers declined to take the initiative in submitting
any proposals to the Conference. In answer, however, to a direct
question from M. DROUYN DE LHUYS, Prince GOTSCHAKOFF stated
positively that Russia would not consent to the ships of her navy
being limited to any fixed number either by treaty or otherwise.
At the meeting of the 19th April, AALI PACHA submitted that the
first object of the third point might be attained by a stipulation,
declaring that the Ottoman empire should form henceforward an
integral part of the uropean system, and that the contracting Powers
should " mutually undertake to respect its territorial integrity and
." independence." This stipulation was in substance adopted in the
articles drawn up by M. DROUYN DE LHUYS and COUNT BUOL.
The question of the limitation of the Russian fleet was then again
brought forward. M. DROUYN DE LHUYS read his project, which was
to the effect that Russia and Turkey should each limit its fleet in the
Black Sea to five ships of war and four frigates, with a proportionate
number of light vessels, the Dardanelles to remain closed as before,
the Sultan reserving to himself the right, in case of war, of opening
them,and of calling the fleets of his allies to his assistance. Count Bum.
expressed himself favourable to the terms proposed, but on being asked
by Prince:CroasseHattoFF whether, if Russia refused to concur spow.
taneously in the proposed limitation, coercion should be employed
to compel her assent, the Count replied :
That Austria, for the present, supports the project under discussion, by recommend-
ing it to the adoption of Russia, but that in other respects he must reserve for the Em-
peror his master full liberty as to the choice of means by which he may consider it ex-
pedient eventually to give his support to his proposition.

For the consideration of this proposal the Russian Ministers re-
quired forty-eight days' delay. Prince GORTSCHAKOFF then said that the
proposed conditions were, in the opinion of himself and his col-
_ league, incompatible with the dignity of the Russian empire, and
proposed that the Dardanelles should be open to the ships of war of all
nations, giving to the Porte liberty to close the Strait to the ships of
any Power with which she might be at war. In making this proposi-
tion he insisted that Russia had redeemed her word by having proposed
means to re-establish the equilibrium of forces in the Black Sea. The
British, French, and Turkish Plenipotentiaries instantly declared that
they had uo powers to treat on such a basis, and Lord JOHN RUSSELL
left Vienna. At a subsequent Conference held on the 26th of April,
at the request of the Russian Minister, Prince GORTSCHAKOFF submitted
a new proposal ; first, that the Dardanelles should remain closed as at
present ; secondly, that the Sultan should
Reserve to himself the power to open, by way of temporary exception, the Straits of
the Dardanelles and of the Bosphorus to the fleets of foreign Powers which the Sublime
Porte should think it necessary to summon, whenever she should consider her security
menaced.

M. DROUYN DE LHUYS and Lord WESTMORLAND still held that
their instructions were exhausted, and the last Conference of which
account is given in these papers broke up with an expression of
opinion by Count BUOL that the proposals of the Allies contained
a complete and efficacious system, while those of the Russian
Plenipotentiaries only indicated principles which might be included
in a system.
From this analysis of the official protocals it appears, then, that as
far as the Conferences proceeded the Protectorate of Russia over the
principalities was abandoned, the free navigation of the Danube was
insured, and Turkey was admitted iitg the family of uropeah

SATURDAY,

nations, the contracting Powers guaranteeing the integrity of her
ternary.
It now remains to be seen what view our public men will take of
these conditions—whether they will conceive that in themselves they
afforded a fair basis of pacification, and whether the limitation of the
Russian fleet is alone an object worth a continuance of the war.
Lord GREY in one House, and Mr. MILNER GIBBON in the other, have
given notice of resolutions that peace might have been concluded on
these terms.
The protocols are remarkable as evincing the keen, cool, practised
diplomatic art of the Russian Ministers, and their vast superiority in
intellectual sleight over their opponents. On one point our public
will expect explanation. As the whole matter of peace or war turned
on this proposed limitation of the Russian fleet, why was not the
question asked by M. DROUYN DE LIMO on the 17th of April, addressed
to the Russian Plenipotentiaries, in some shape or other before the
Conference met? Had this been done we should at least have been
spared the pain of witnessing the fruitless return of Lord JOHN
RUSSELL after it was supposed that conditions of peace had been prac-
tically settled.

We have now almost daily bulletins from the seat of war. In the
evening papers of yesterday a despatch was published from Lord
RAGLAN, announcing that, on the morning of Thursday last, a sortie of
the Russians had been successfully repulsed, with great loss to the
enemy We are thus enabled to read on one day reports of what took
place in the Crimea the day previous ! Science has never previously
achieved so signal and astonishing a result.
The War-office system, we are sorry to hear, is literally breaking
down through the incompetency of Lord PANMURE either to transact
the business himself or to agree with his subordinates. The facts of
the disgraceful state of this now all important Ministry cannot much
longer be kept from the public.

That there is " something rotten in the state"—not of " Den-
mark," but of the "Liberal party "—appears to be acknowledged by
some of its most distinguished supporters. The Examiner of last
week pathetically deplored how, in " pulling up the tares at the time
" of the Reform Bill, we also plucked up some wheat," and it alludes
with retrospective regret to the facility with which men of talent
entered the House of Commons in the days of rotten boroughs. It
calls for a " Reform of the Reform Bill," and actually suggests that
the Crown should have a certain number of nominative seats! The
geniuses returned by the ten-pounders do not seem to have particu-
larly dazzled our contemporary. In other literary quarters we see
signs of an altered tone in discussing the public character of some
distinguished ornaments of the Conservative cause. The star of
Whiggery is evidently beginning t 9 `pale its,inelectual fires."

Debating in the House of Commons has been much abbreviated
this week by the accident, so rare as to appear almost phenomenal, of
the Sneaker's illness. Mr. HEYWOOD'S Bill for legalising unions with
a deceased wife's sister passed its second reading by a majority so
small—only 8, in a house of 320—as to secure its rejection at a.
future stage by the Peers. Last night the Newspaper-Stamp Bill
went through its last stage in the Commons, and the CHANCELLOR of
the EXCHEQUER afterwards resigned another 200,0001. of income by
abandoning his projected measure for stamps on bankers' drafts.
The most interesting incidents in the Parliamentary proceedings
have, however, consisted not so much in the business done as the
notices given for future debates. Lord ELLENBOROUGH'S motion will
lead to a great debate on Monday. Lord PALMERSTON, with much
display of generosity, offered to give up Monday night in the
Commons to Mr. LAYARD. The Member for Aylesbury was, however,
wise enough to decline bringing forward his motion at a moment
when interest would be absorbed " elsewhere" in the discussion of
Lord ELLEssoaouott's resolutions, and will accordingly take his chance
of finding a day for himself.

The Royal Academy opened on Monday with an average quantity
of good works, but the only one which has excited great attention is Mr.
LEIGHTON'S picture of " Cimabue's Procession." It is quite an event in
She artistic season. The youth of the artist, the absence of any special
antecedents, the popular admiration of the picture, and the manifest
patronage of her Majesty, invest so sudden a burst into distinction
with much peculiarity. BYRON said, after he read the reviews on
" Childe Harold," and the private letters recording opinions on it :7
" I woke one morning and found myself famous." But in his case his
personal notoriety in London, and the proofs of abilities in " English
" Bards and Scotch Reviewers," to some extent paved the way for the
effect of " Childe Harolde." But nothing has heralded the instanta-
neous reputation of Mr. LEIGHTON, whose name has suddenly flashed
forth upon the world with electric power.

The amateur performance at Drury-lane Theatre last night
attracted even a more brilliant and crowded audience than was pre-
sent at the Italian Opera on the occasion of the Imperial visit. The
Queen and Royal Family honoured tho performance with their pre-
sence. The first piece, A Romantic Idea, went off flatly, nor did the
prologue to the Pantomime, in spite of the effective elocution and
admirable make-up of the Spirit of Shakespeare, improve on a second
hearing. But the Pantomime was really glorious. So much wit and
humour, both in speech and gesture, has not been witnessed on the
stage for many a long year. The amateurs were more perfect than on
their first performance, and to the very close of the piece the crowded
audience were kept in a transport of inittn and ecetacy of delight,

MAY 12, 1855.

HEIGH JOHN, HO JOHN.
" Have you been to Austria, heigh John, ho John ?
Have you been to Austria, ho ?"
" To Austria I've been to a city they call Wien,
Where we sat down a dozen in a row,
We sat down a dozen in a row."

" And who wore the company, heigh John, ho John ?
Who were the company, ho ?"
" There were Drouyn de Lhuys, Prince Gortschakott and me—
My grammar here for rhyme's sake I forego,
My grammar here for rhyme's sake I forego."

" But you were not the only ones, John, heigh John, ho John?
You were not the only ones, ho?"
" No, surely 'twould be cruel if I shuuld forget Count Buol
And De Titoff (which we English call Tito),
De Titoff (which we English call Tito)."

" Go on with the list, Johnny, heigh John, ho John—
Go on with the list, Johnny, ho."
" Well of course I musn't Lurks all mention of the Turk,
Who in long•tail'd coat and fez look'd rather low,
Who in long-tail'd coat and fez look'd rather low."

" But tell U 3 what you did, Johnny, heigh John, ho John—
Tell us what you did, Johnny, ho."
"Well, I tried to make some speeches in the tongue de Porquot teaches,
But my colleagues seem'd to think them rather slow,
My colleagues seem'd to think them rather slow."

" But speeches don't make treaties, Johnny, heigh John, ho John,
Speeches don't make treaties, Johnny, ho."
" No, for when I spoke of Somers to those wretched German dummera,
They only shrugged their shoulders and said
They only shrugged their shoulders and said' So; "

" Is it true you went to mass, Johnny, heigh John, ho John ?
Is it true you went to mass, Johnny, ho ?"
" Yes, I went to mass and knuckled; some will say I basely truckled,
And great Cumming will denounce me as a foe,
Dr. Cumming will denounce me as a foe."

" Don't you think 'twas rather mean, Johnny, heigh John, ho John?
Don't you think 'twas rather mean, Johnny, ho ?
For a man of your connections to be making genuflexions
And performing iu a Popish puppet-show,
Performing ia a Popish inippet-ahow?

" You have done us little credit, Johnny, heigh John, ho John,
You have done us little credit, Johnny, ho—
With your meek compliant graces, and your affable grimaces,
Such as Enfiland's statesmen were not wont to show,
Such as England's statesmen were not wont to show.

" And now you have come back to us, heigh John, ho John,
Now you have come back to us, ho—
Having miserably failed and nought at all availed,
Oh, I fear, John, you're a sorry Plenipo,
I fear, John, you're a sorry Plenipo."

THE JAUNTY JESTER;
OR, COMPLETE HANDBOOK TO PARLIAMENTARY FLIPPANCY.
BY THE PREMIER OF ENGLAND.
Wen.

WAR is a serious thing, and one which tends to make people unhappy.
Therefore, if you are a true patriot, you will try to raise their spirits by
dealing lightly with the subject. Therefore, for instance, if anybody
asks you whether it be true that the 205th Regiment lost three hun-
dred men during the last month, answer that it is possible, but hardly
probable, because at the beginning of the last month that regiment
had been killed down to two hundred and fifty.
_

.....
If you are asked whether another regiment has ample supply of
medicines, say you really don't know, but you should think so, from
the way they physicked the Russians in the last encounter.
If you are asked whether the port wine sent out was not very bad,
say that it is very likely, but that people are glad of any port in a
storm.
If an inquisitive member inquires whether you have any !tidings
from the Crimea, reply that Lord Raglan reminded you of the news-
paper editor who wrote that he " had stopped the press to say that
there was no news."
If anybody asks what had become of the Sardinian Contingent—
see if he is a lawyer, and, if so, answer that some of them were
drowned, but you don't know what had become of the Contingent
Remainders.
If any remark is made about the behaviour of the Scotch regiments,
say that they were always eager to come to the scratch.
If you are asked as to the climate, and its effects upon the
troops, say that they have had a good deal of weather, of one kind
and another, but that you doubt not they will do their duty weather
pr no,

THE PRESS.

RELIGION.

FINANCE.

AN OLD SONG.
(TO THE PROPER TUNE.)

If England's old system was bad, was bad,
If our system was thoroughly bad—
All Europe it shook,
'Neath the hand of " the Duke";
But " Dukes " aro not now to be had, be had,
They're not every day to be had !
One foolish Phaeton, they say, they say,
One foolish Phaeton, they say—
Like a Pelham, so bold,
Of the Sun's reins took hold,
And then let the steeds take their way, their way,
And in fear let the steeds take their way.

But more like to th© picture we've seen, we've seen,
The print of two ploughboys we've seen,
Who knew not its use,
But raised the mill-sluice,
Are Newcastle and Herbert, we ween, we ween,
Are the two Secretaries, we ween.

If you have sent out orders to the fleet, say that you have
issued a certain instruction to the Admiral, and bade him tell that to
the Marines.

THIS is a mutter about which some people think differently, and wiser
folks don't think at all. You must not actually shock people's
prejudices by laughing at the topic outright, but you should show that
you are only tolerant of it, because it is proper to be polite. Answers
upon this subject must depend upon the questions and the place. In
the House of Commons you had better treat the thing gently.
If a Fast is spoken of you can he amusing upon the advantage
of an empty stomach for relieving the conscience, and ring the
changes on irreligion and indigestion, with a pleasant fling at the
Fast• school.

If a Bishop is referred to, say that the country must be much in-
debted to the right reverend prelate for his well-meant exertions in
the matter in question, though you cannot think, with King Richard,
that " for this, among the rest, was he ordained."
But in the country you may be more free and easy, for it is a
doctrine of mine, and you should adopt it. that it does not matter
what one says "out of the House." So there you may make any fun
you like—talk of the article of Pedestrinariasm, and any jokes about
Original Sin will have a good effect. I could tell you a few good
things of this kind, but jokes on religion are so easy that they will
readily occur to you. I would, however, remind you that you must
not joke against Roman Catholic absurdities. The priests and the
rabble won't stand it, and you may do mischief at elections.

THE joke of my speaking on this subject at all is so good that it is
hardly necessary for me to go into smaller fun. But there is always
something to be said about a loan having been favorably taken—in
fact, " letting well &Loan," about its being easier to convert the Stocks
than the Jews who job them, and—l need hardly add—about John
" Bull," and the Russian " Bear." But on the whole I have found
out that Englishmen think money matters too serious a subject for
jest. They are like the clerk in the India-house, who sat near some
ribald people in a coffee-house in Leadenhall-street, and, after enduring
much profanity and disloyalty, he found his companions beginning on
the Company, so he interposed—" Gentlemen, I have sat quietly by,
and have heard my King insulted, and my GOD blasphemed, but when
you attack the Honourable East India Company, you become personal,
and I must leave the place." That's the English notion of the sacred•
ness of money, so take care how you speak lightly of it. By the way,
I mean to tell that story in the House.

With regard to our military system. I think the manner In which It lire been worked In peace
has rendered it not expansive enough for a tune of war. A ha 4 syskon with yood men, however,
is better than a good system wit\ badmen.—Mr. Sidney Herbert'xamination.
If you meet a bad system, what then? what then?
If you've got a had system, what then?
When its faults are all tried,
Why then throw it aside,
And rest, if you can, on THE MEN ! THE MEN !
And rest, if you can, on THE MEN !

Then if we've bad system, what then ? what then ?
If we've got a bad system, what then?
When its faults are all tried,
Why then east it aside,
And LET ENGLAND LOOK OUT FOR GOOD MEN! GOOD MEN!
LET ENGLAND LOOK Our FOR GOOD MEN!

THE GREAT WANT OF THE AGE---
ILL-DRESSED GOVERNMENT CLERKS.
The aspiring young fry of gooseqiiille, with acyf collars, who' never condescend to answer •
question.—(Mr. Francis flennoch's Speech at the Meeting of the Society for AdmiuistraUve
Reform) Time*, May 7th, 1843.
The " Great Topsy. Turvy Association,
For effecting a general alteration
In every part of our Administration,"
WANTS some ill-lookirg youths, of dirty complexions,
With good business habits, and bad conuectioa,

troops, say that they nave uau a goou ueill V/ Tv Gablr/al.)/
and another, but that you doubt not they will do their duty weather WANTS some ill-lookirg youths, of dirty complexions,
Qt. no, With good business habits► and bad conuectiopa,