The Press.
London, England, 1853-10-29 00:00:00

Volitual anb Count.

THE ADDRESS ON THE TURKISH QUESTION adopted
at the Finsbury meeting, on the Isith inst., was on
the list presented to the Foreign Secretary. Mr. T.
Duneombe headed the deputation whieh waited upon
Lord Clarendon in Downing-street. The doettment
halving been read, the following conversation en-
soils! :

The Earl of 4 'Lem NPON : Vivre is 011 e portion of your
aoldreaa in which I am sure you will not expect MC to Con•
ear, and that is the passage m which it is alleged that the
character of this country for fair dealing has been damaged,
and is in danger of being lost. Now, that assertion, in as
far as this Goat 'at is concerned, I am prepared
wilier to deny. You will not expect 111 e at this iteuttent to
enter into any details as to the pulley a the I inveremeet
but when the time comes tior BO doing 1 trust that the
people Of England will consider t hat Ibe Guveniuent hue e
thaw their duty, that they have flinched from no ololigetion.
mid that the dattiodal honour hunt remained untarnished in
tiwir hawk. ‘Vitli respect to the question MOM •
411atuly ut issue, 1 lisve no hesitation in telling you that a
proteeful solution of this question has been the object of
her Majesty's Government. It would be highly criminal
if the tloteminent sought any other solution. Those who
know idea are the calamities of war do not rush lightly
into it, and it is our object. if possible, to guard ourselves.
but more especially Turkey, from those calamities. blot,
ton the other hand, 1 consider that them is one calamity
greater than tear, tend that is national dishonou r, a price at
which I can assure you peace will owl be pretwrved by her
Majesty's Government. (" Hear, hear," and elieerx.) As
I stud at that, I will not enter at any length into the details
of the policy we are pursuing, but content myself with
saying that we are too fully alive to the Itritish and Euro-
pean importance of maintaining the Ottoman empire that
the deputation nosy rest assured that theta is not the
slightest intentiou en the part of her Majesty's (invent-
anent of abandoning Turkey. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. I b.sco may observed that the passage in the address
to which his lordship had taken exception it fined nut par-
tieulariv to the present ()oven nu but to the general 'nue-
tier eg ilritish t tovernments of late years.
The Earl of l'i.tarNDoN : I took it as referring tl the
present liovennieit.
Mr. ( 'ort.trtr : The public judged of the present from the
past. They haul formerly supposed that all the negotia-
twits of onr tiovenoment were carried on in aid of the
cause of liberty, but when the facts were disclosed it turned
out that they had been on the opposite side.
Mr. In Normal.: : The meeting expressed no 00111011 on
the voluble'. of the present Goo ermuent. What they vow-
plaints' of was that they were etaitpletel) in the dark., while
the foreign papers constantly contained pieces of informa-
tion) respecting the Turkish question.
The Earl of I'LetwsooN: lI never saw two words of
truth in the foreign papers en that subject.
Mr. SIREN said that what made a strong impression on
the people of England was, that foreign Govermuents pub-
fished documents on the subject when it answered their
ends, while we only saw them throoNli the medium of
thonslatioms from foreign newspapent.

The Earl of ClAttiooN: gs *most of those documents
are written by me, I regret these translations more than
any one else. In the ease+ of one of which I was obliged to
palish a correct version, I Is it was thst translated
from English into Greek, from Greek into Frenrii, and
then from French into English. (.4 laugh.)
kIINEY wished to obtain from his lordship a pledge
that limier no possible combination of circumstances
would the British fleet be employed iu coercing the Turk-
ish people.
The Earl of CLARENDON declined to discuss impro•
liable a contingency.
The deputation th ‘‘itlitlrew.

SATURDAY,

THE RELEASE OF MISS CUNNINGHAME.
A DErurrrioN, consisting chiefly of clergymen, but
headed by Sir E. Culling Eardley, Bart., waited upon
Lord Clarendon on Thursday, to express their grati.
tude for the promptitude of his lordship's interference
with the Grand Duke of Tuscany on behalf of iNliss
Cutininghame. Also they wished to acquaint the
Foreign Secretary with some circumstance% relating
to the religious persecution now prevailing in Sweden.
An address of thanks having been duly communi-
cated by Sir E. C. Eardley,
Lord CLAttENnos modestly denied having had any
official share in the final release, that is to say, the
release, of Miss Cunninghame. A despatch had,
indeed, been transmitted to Tuscany, but before its
arrival the lady was released through the representa-
tions of Mr. Scarlett. The Tuscan Ministry had been
told that Miss Cunningham acted in ignorance of
their laws. So far as Mr. Scarlett's reports went, the
conduct. of the ministers of the Grand Duke was
highly creditable ; and, except in the privation of
liberty, there was nothing of which Miss Cunning-
lame herself had to complain. She had even been
allowed to remain in Tuscany for a while, on account
of the,illness of her mother, who was in that country.
Some conversation afterwards ensued touching
the laws and practices of nations towards proselytising
foreigners.
The Earl of Crew:Nilo?: pronounced his opinion that no
British subject had a right to go into another country and
• not observe the hews in force in that country. Those lows
might be ar cruel and as barbiwous as possible, but if
British subjects went of their own accord, and lived under
them, they could not disobey those laws altogether.
Sir C. EAtuarier suggested that there was a difference
between expelling from a territory people who disobeyed
the laws of the country, and putting them in taison.
The Earl of ('LAILENDoN thought it was not quite apposite
to be discussing these points now. The question was,
whether the law existed. and whether the law could make
exceptions in favour of foreigners. We should not do it,
for instance ; and whoever was in this country was expected
to obey the law. Ile had said to the Tuscan liovernment
that it was nielanclail) to think that persons in high places
should conscientiously bring themselves to believe that
such persecutions could be acceptable to the Almighty or
in harmony with the mild deetrinem of Christianity.
The deputation then inquired whether it was cempetei t
for the tiovemment to make a representation by way of
petit. or otherwise to the Diet of Sweden which was
aloeut to meet in the course of the ensuing month, with
reference to the religious persecutions carried on by the
iovernenent of that country against all persons not pio-
fessing the religion of the State, sclera] instances ofwhich
were mentioned, the Swedish law bearing very hanl upon
all persona professing another religion than that of the
State.

The Earl of CLARENTAIN could not on the instant gi% e
an answer to the question whether her Majesty's tim em-
inent could approach the Swedish I fur the purpose,
since it dejoendel upon the regulations as to whether foi eign•
cm could come before the Diet by way of petition. If they-
would give him time to consider the question, as he bail
the means of making the inquiry, he would give them the
best advice in his power.
The 'levitation thanked the noble earl for his courtesy,
and retired.

AT THE PRIVY et li*NrlT. held on Monday by her
Majesty, at Windsor, Parliament was ordered to be
further prorogued until the '29th of November. The
official ceremony of rrorogation took place on Thurs-
day in the House of Lords.
THE JUBILEE OF TILE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE
Soctury was celebrated at the Mansion-house. on
Tuesday, by a public meeting. The chair was taken
by the Lord Mayor; and the Earl of Shaftesbury,
with Mr. Spooner, M.P., Messrs. Gurney, Bevan,
Mills, the Hon. and Rev. G. Brown, and a numis r
of clergymen, assisted in the proceedings. The
general audience, which was very numerous, con-
sisted chiefly of ladies. In his opening speech the
Lord Mayor stated that during the fifty years of its
existence the society had established or formed a
nucleus for no fewer than 5,33:2 branches. When
the association began its labours the translations of
the Bible were not more than fifty; there were now
one hundred and fifty languages in which the society
had promoted the distribution, printing, and transla-
tion of the Scriptures. By its means also an im-
mense increase had taken place in the circulation of
the Bible, not less than 45,000,000 copies having
been distributed, a number equal to eleven times the
whole quantity which were supposed to be in exist
(lice at the time of the formation of the society.
The Rev. Mr. Frost afterwards read a report showing
the past exertions and present state of the society :

" It appeared that the total aunt expended by the soviety
.inee its formation had been 3,9541,9;41i., and 4,70011,01
copies of the Setiptut es hail been circulated. of whieh num-
1r4,4010,t w.O had been distributed in t;teat Ittitain and
Ireland, 17.01Wystl1 in Europe, P 4,000.0011 in America. and
'2.111001,0041 among Jews, 1141allonietana, and heathens in
other yetis of the world. The itoeiety proposed to estal
limit a ' Jubilee Fund ' for special objects. towards
Hii aggregate bUill of 3.2,0c0i. bad been already sul•suritt d.
The objects contemplated by this fund were, the aduptit u.
as far as practicable, of an extensive and t fficient t• stem
of colportaikr throughout Great Britain, in the year of
jubilee; the supply of emigrants, together with special

OCTOBER 29, 1853.

grants of Bibles and Tesuanents to prisons, schools, miss
sles. and other charitable and benevolent institutions in
this eouutry ; and special grants to Ireland, in such ways
as might hereafter be determined upon. They also Iwo.
p to make special efforts in India, Australia, and
other British colonies, by agencies. grants, and otherwise
rid special grants to Chins, and such other parts of the
world as might appear open to special operations. Lastly,
they proposed the establishment of a special and separate
fund, from the annual produce of which pecuniary aid nuiy
bt granted, at the discretion of the committee, to persons
in the employ of the society, including the colporteurs
abroad. and to their widows and children when in eireutu-
stances to repute such aid."
The Earl of Shaftesbury, in addressing the assembly.
remarked that the existence of the Bible Society
hail conferred the greatest possible honour on this
country-, and had produced results which the boldest
man in former days would not have conceived
possible. lie considered that the founders of this
society had a greater claim to the honour and grati
tulle of mankind titan any who had ever existed. It
was a great thing to have invented the electric tele-
graph, the steam-engine, or the railway ; but the
idea of sending the Bible into every land, and to ob
tain for that purpose the active co-operation and
assistance of all sects of professing Christians, differ-
ing as they did in minor details, was a tar greater
conception, with a view to its moral and spiritual
results, than all the material and physical inventions
which hail ever contributed to the contfort and ad,
vancement of man. The labours of the society had
also been the means of vastly increasing the intellee-
tual power of the nation. For, while the number of
languages in which the Bible hail been printed by
the society amounted to 170. not less than 100 of
them had never before been reduced to print, while
23 had not previously a written language, and the
society was therefore compelled in those cases to
compound not only an alphabet, but a written
language. The circulation of the Scriptures had
also been attended with many valuable political
results, for the Bible invariably brought with it
order, peace, self-control, free institutions, and civil
and religions liberty ; and he might add that the
Bible also was the chief defence of nations.
THE NORTH SHIELDS SHIPOWNERS' SOCIETY lately
addressed a letter to the Foreign-office calling atten
tion to the nnmber of British vessels trading with
ports in the Baltic and Black Sea; and requesting to
he informed whether, in the event of hostilities be-
tween this country and Russia, sufficient notice would
be given to enable British vessels to clear out of
Russian ports in time to avoid capture ; and also
inquiring whether Lord Clarendon considered the
present state of affairs so critical as to render it.
expedient for the Society of Underwriters to prohibit
the chartering and sailing of vessels for Russian
ports. To this letter an official reply, signed H. A.
Addington, has been transmitted to Shields on the
part of the Foreign Secretary. The writer says
" 1 am to state to you in reply that there does not exist any
treaty or stipulation between this cuttutry and Russia by which
the giving such a notice as that to which you refer is made obli.
gatory on either Govennuout ; and that, with respect to the
general questions, whilst it is of course impossible for her
Majesty's Government to answer for future contingencies. which
might depend on the conduct of others, her Majesty's Govern-
ment will neglect no step in their power which way conduce to
the security of the trade of this country.
" With regard to the last point referred to in your letter.
namely, the question of the amount awarded to ltritialt ships of
war in cases of recapture of a British vessel from an enemy,
tin' to state to von that this is a grave question of law and
apse which Lord Clarendon does not feel called upon to express
ally opiniou."

IlEsrEcriNo the forthcoming inquiry into the state
of the London Corporation, Mr. Coleridge, Secretary
to the Commissioners, has written a letter to the
Lord Mayor, giving the following programme of the
investigation :
" Downing-street, Oct. 22.
" Nly Lord.--T am directed by the commiasiuners fur inquiring
ito the state of the corporation of the city of London to inform
your lordship that at their first meeting, which they have held
this day at the official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury,
they have taken into consideration the course of their future
proceeding.
" As full documentary evidence with regard to the constitution
of the city of London, up to a very recent period, already exists
hi an authentic form, the commissioners pttrpo:,e to commence
their investigation with receiving the evidence of persons who
may have complaints to make, or alterations to suggest, with
respect to the present Mate of the corporation. At a future
stage of the itvphry the commissioners will be prepared to
examine the officers of the corporation.
" With a view to afford the requisite information as speedily as
possible to the persons more particularly interested in the pro.
(Testi:mg of the commission, the commissioners will take steps
to communicate to them printed copies of the evidence tnkeu
before them from time to time."

On Thursday the commissioners assembled in
Downing-street, and held a preliminary meeting, to
arrange the course of proceedings for the inquiry,
which will commence on Tuesday next.

THE MST SMY RNA DvspArcnEs state that Martin
Kossta had at length actually left for Boston.
Thrust)Ay lust was observed in Gateshead as a
day of solemn thanksgiving for the deliverance of
that town from the devastating effects of cholera,
which has laid so many of its townspeople with the
dead. Considerable subscriptions have been rained
for the widows and orphans left by the pestilence.