The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-05-30 00:00:00

RtrTonbon Corrtsponbent.

_
tv:deco ~t,ht to state that we to not ati all urns
0111,(47, WTLI I, • ,11,4.-•i,••11•... 'EL, Ptflto

'the political situation for some time past has been
critical, and, DS Mr. Bright expressed it, there had
been a crisis once or twice a week, which was almost
too much for his nerves. Politicians on both sides
)nive lately been living in an atmosphere of emit, -
merit; but excitement cannot always be kept up, and is
frequently followed by prostration. It seems to be so
in the present case. Parliament is showing itself
weary of these protracted party fights„and the country
generally is showing itself weary of Parliantett.. The
Reform Bill has produced such a; gredt ittference in
the representative power of the people that people
an, so to speak, fidgetty to see how the new con-
stituencies will act, and therefore feel inclined to look
upon the present Parliament as a bit of a bore. By
general consent, Bill after Bill has been abandoned,
and now the majority of people, of whatever polities,
seem to think that if the Irish and Scotch Ref 'em Bills
be but settled, the sooner we can hove a dissvlution
and a general election the better.
The Duke of Edinburgh, whom jimile naturally call
Prince Alfred —the popular notion being that a Prince is
higher than a duke --appears to have had quite a mar-
vellous recovery, as marvellous as the fact that he was
led, killed outright by the assassin. He may be expected
to arrive in England early next month, and there can
Is' no doubt of the reception he will meet with if there
be any opportunity of manifesting popular feeling. Ni
Prince could be more popular than is the Prince if
Wales; but his younger brother will be equally is polar
on his return amongst us.

Mr. Reardeu has gained for. himself an unenviable
notoriety, which will last for a time; but his ridiculous
question, which he has not been allowed to put, having
fallen stilborn, will soon doulAless be forgotten. The
and substance of it was Whether the First Lord of
the Treasury intended to advise her Majesty to
ab-
dkate ! When this foolish gentleman rose to give
notice of his intention to put this question, he was met
by such a storm of "Oh, oh !" and such excitement
mol indignation, as perhaps the oldest member of the
use could not have ever seen parallelled. Not only
wire there shouts of laughter, and sharp, loud cries of
" Oh, oh!" but two or three of the gentlemen who
sat near him actually pulled him down. When tin
Speaker commenced to speak in condenmation of
the terms of the motion, the right loin. gentleman
was loudly cheered ; while on the other hand, when
Rearden attempted to apologise, the members
would not hear him beyond a few words.
Altogether, there never, perhaps, was a stronger
manifestation of feeling throughout the House, and
her Majesty cannot but regard this as an additional
proof of the loyalty and affection of the country towards
her. The Queen was never more popular than she is
at the present time, having shown herself desirous of
noir mingling freely with her people. What could
more clearly manifest this than the crowds which
re-ently gathered in the streets, and in the vicinity id
Stangate, to catch a glimpse i$ her? The some thing
Mill be manifested on a larger sciel when her Majesty
holds a review of the volunteers in WinolNor-park.
This review is' likely to be a grand affair. and the
volunteers are already entering with spirit into the
preliminary preparations.
-

- -
An important decision has been given by. a London
police magistrates. A tradesman had advertised " a
great Derby sweep," 1,000 members, at 2s. Ccl. earl,
awl the Commissioners of Police prosecuted him mule.
the 10th and 17th of 'Victoria, for the repressin in of
betting offices. There WWI no imputation of unfair-
ness; it was simply a prosecution against Derby sweeps.
Tine magistrate decided that the case dint not come
under the act of parliament More's the pity, and us
scuds the worse for the act. But will the Commis-
sioners of Police have the goodness tn, try whether
" Ilerby sweeps" come within the Lottery Act ? If a
" sweep - be not a lottery, I am at a loss t.n know what
a t.ttery is. This system of gambling has new struck
its r. sits so deeply that people do in it like to appose
it. One influential journal, which usually has a large
stock of virtuous indignation on bawl, says, " a sys-
tem of perpetual half-crown sweeps would lie neither
more nor less than the revival of the forbidden lotteries."
Se that it seen's the offence is not to be decided as a
scatter of principle, lint as one of degree ! 'The truth
is, however, that the evil is wide-spread and very
serious, although it may be the fashion tin shut sine's
eyes to it. It fasters the love for, and facilitates the
practice of, gambling, and brings it down tin " the
cleanest capacity." It is a great pity that the Lottery
Ant and the Betting Houses Act are not amalgamated
awl unslified so as ti, reach the evil that effects s.
ciety MOTO widely awl deeply than

.1 I

teries did.
Mr. Home, the spiritualist, the medium, the—(the
paler will supply the word), has, it is tail, a second
series of " Incidents of my Life" in hand. Will he
among these incidents, include the • extraordinary
enalulity of Mrs. Lyon, and the Vice-Chancellor's
caustic judgment on the whole 'affair? I hear
that sonic believers in spirituaiism are abmd
to subscribe to carry an appeal to the Huse of Lords
front the decision of Vice-Chancellor llitraM. I do Ind
for a moment believe it. That those who believe in
spiritualism feel so bitterly annoyed at the exposure
of Mr. Home's trickery, and see that spiritualism so
ninth suffers at the hands of the Vice-Chancellor
that they would be willing to subscribe for anything
that would counteract this blow, it is easy to believe ;
but that the appeal from so sound a judgment as that
of the Vice-Chancellor would be futile is equally easy
belief. We have probably heard the last of the
legal phrase of the questions in dispute ; but be this
as it may, it is quite refreshing to have a solemn
legal judgment on spiritualism, which is pronounced to
lie "mischievous nonsense, well calculated on the one
hand to delude the vain, the weak, the foolish. :aul the
superstituous, and on the other to assist the projects
of the needy and the adventurer.- We have several
men and women amongst us who used to instruct and
delLrlit us by their writings—whose names could be
endly mentioned—but who have now ceased to do so,
for no other reason that I can discover but that
their minds have become enfeebled by a belief

In the trickery which has now been so mercile,sly ex-
e:ed during this celebrated trial. Would that they,
and the many less notable people who believe in
. .

. .
spiritualiimb would lay to heart the calm jonLiment of
the Vice-Chancellor, who had judicially and with rigid
Wife dealt a heavy blow and sore discouragement to !
the doings of these spiritualists.
(one of our coroners, a day or two ago. field three
inquests on children supposed to have been noirdered,
'the three inquests were all over in an how or two;
in two cases verdicts of wilful murder were returned,
and in the third there was an open verdivt. But who ,
(sores about such matters? Three children more or !
loss in the world, or sent out of it by violent
hands, what does it matter? Really this would
appear to be the careless way in which such
filets are regarded. Unhappily the murdvr if a
child creates little sensation. No sooner is one
nine sowed. to create a little passing intere,t, than
ais.ther child tunnier is reconled„ and still another. (One
iiior coroners not long sine said that the is.live
think no more of finding a dead child than a dead
Th,re is some exaggeration there, no doubt, but not
much, perhaps. But what of the children who are not
found ? For one child murder discovered, perhaps
there is at least one that never will be discovered in
this world. Can nothing be done to prevent this cruel
national custiom, as it may sorrowfully be called ?—as
much a national custom as espousing infants Olt the
bank. of the I langes, or throwing them beneath the
I Juggernaut. The establishment of f: milling
and an alteration of the law of affiliation
have lien proposed, and maintained by sound argu-
noel over and over again hut still the " Massacre of
thi• 13,nocente "goes on, and their blood cries aloud, if
Snot b,I. vengeance, for mervy to the children who are to

em...•. And yet Ere; land shamefully apathetic. They
Are .I,ly infants who ar, burned, drowned, stiang,led, or

»tllt

The Marquis Townshend conies in for a large share
ii!lhint!, and not a small share of abuse. With the
millings of the London press he appears to be re-
ganied as fair game ; but, if anyone will take the
trodie to compare facts with comments, it will he
sees that this peripatetic .Slarquis really ilwea an
immen:e ,kal of psel in warring against ;wok:den:a
Irs and the cruel practice of sending out childreo
to I; avid that he does not act thus without pointing
Mt him these people can have legitimate relief instead
of preying upon society, or how children can be sent
to on lustrial schools in place of bring trained a:
But where, may I ask, is the Mindicity
f4isiwty ? Is the Mr. Horsford, whose name we us&
. fre•piently to see, dead or alive? This Society must
now Inc rich, and perhaps it has become lazy, an is
often the case where riches are acquired. It is too bad
to throw all the work on Lord Ilainham. You may
work a willing horse to death.
Sonic sensation has been created by the report it
hair-breadth 'scape that M. Leotarti has had. For-
taerly he jumped, or flew, or made a flying leap from
one trapeze to another, which, at the moment he ws,
about to seize it, was swinging towards him ; but lat-
terly he has also apparently tried to leap Lem
'ow which was swinging to another thid w
stationary, and therefore at It greatly ineeense.l
• ;Mee iron him. Twice he lititskisi tie Lre-
laritory awing towards the stationary trapez.e. iii
I situ i times hesitates to make the desperate lenw. It
Is. perhaps, a "ham in the dark," for it illsnot
appear that he has ever effected it. lint, as if g 0.1,1,1
.41 ny the large assembly, he ultimately essays it, and
fills. One of the reporters of our daily press,
thhi for the first time, describes it an a fall; but NI.
boot:wit himself writes to say that it was nothing b•lt
the perilous leap from Is great height which he nr,' -
viers evening to terminate his performances. ':

which I rejoin, more's the pity, and shame on assem-
blies that encourage such horribly dangerous tricks.
It is strange to what a pitch these sensational and
dangerous performances have now arrive.L We have
a Japanese troupe who risk their lives nightly ; at the
Royal Amphitheatre a nmnber kf persons go through
such "daring" feats as may well make the blood run
cold ; and there is scarcely a music-hall without
its " daring female gymnast." If we could ascer-
thin the numerous more or less serious falls,
some of which have been fatal, that have occurred
during the last few yean to this class of performers,
who play at suicide for the amusement of our gaping
ovds, it would perhaps give us a sensation that we
had not bargained for. And perhaps if the Lord
Chmnberlain would study ouch a list, it might occur to
him that he would do the public better service by
using his influence against such perfonnalices than by
prohibiting the performance of Dickens's. "Oliver
Twist,- Which he-did for some time.