The Press.
London, England, 1854-05-27 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

MAY 27, 1854.

Mr. GIADSTONE : If you undertake the bill again, and make it a
Cabinet question, I am unable to see that you can justify the exclusion
of the Roman Catholic element.

Sir C. WOOD : What's that ? Fire I suppose you mean, because
Papists used to burn Protestants. But I thought the elements were
abolished. _ _

Lord J. RUSSELL : Do be quiet. I cannot think with you, Glad-
stone. One does not want to be beaten twice running. Let the Lords
do the work next year.
Lord PALMERSTON : You don't see, my dear friends, that you are
begging one very important question.
Lord J. RUSSELL: Whether the Lords will throw the bill out?
Lord PALMERSTON: Whether the Commons won't throw the
Ministry out?
[Great disgust, and the company recollect that it is time to go down
to their respective Houses of Parliament.)

THE GORDIAN KNOT.
It was fourteen Councillors of State sate sighing in a row,
For telegraphs brought messages of Russian overthrow ;
And for want of cash and credit they sate in sad divan,
When up arose their Chancellor and thus his tale began :
" Oh ! friends who in the stormy talk of many a well-fought night
Have watched my daring in the fray, my valour in the fight,
Who still have stuck beside me in many an awkward fix,
Anti cheered my fearless logic while I showed them five was six,

" Bear with me now, the while I vow I've lost mine ancient cheek ;
I can't bear Dizzy's taunting sneer another awful week;
He won't be still while time I kill in my own graceful way,
But makes my splendid speeches ' vox, et nil prEeterea.'

course of next week, when it would appear that there
was ample ground for the line of conduct which had
lately been adopted towards that country. With
respect to Persia, the Government was there repre-
sented by a man of great experience and zeal, whom
the Government had no intention of displacing.
Persia had given no reason for distrusting her pro-
fessions of neutrality, or suspecting any leaning
towards Russia ; in fact, she had postponed several
claims, some of them just ones, against Turkey, on
account of existing circumstances.
On the motion thatthe Landlord and Tenant (Ire•
land) Bill be read a third time,
The Earl of CLANCARTY moved the omission of the
clause giving compensation to tenants for past im-
provements. The amendment underwent consider-
able discussion, and was negatived upon a division
by 41 votes to 10.
The bill was then read a third time and passed.
The Leasing Powers (Ireland) Bill was also read
a third time and passed. An amendment proposed
by Lord MONTEAOLE, for limiting to twenty-one
years the term for which life-tenants were em-
powered to grant loans, was, after discussion,
adopted by a mejmity of 20 to 17.
The Manning the Navy Bill went through com-
mittee. Lords ElLinborough, Hardwicke, and other
peers, offered some objections on points of detail, but
the bill ultimately passed the committee, on the
understanding that the amendments were to be pro-
posed on bringing up the report.
The Navy Pay Bill passed through committee.
The Church Building Acts Amendment Bill was
read a third time and passed.
The house adjourned at tive minutes to eleven.

VIVO

• -

" (That's Latin, Wood ! but never mind) ; so, if we're to keep in,
Perhaps some gentleman will say where I'm to find the tin ;
New taxes, or Exchequer Bills ! the problem you may see,—
We must get money, and we can't—wanted, a Q. E. 1).
" I've essayed all I know, my friends, to borrow, beg, or rob,
Telling John Bull I meant no harm with both hands in his fob;
The honest man might find me out, but, to make sure he can't,
Our friend has docked the schoolmaster and stopped the royal grant.
" Five years must see the bills unpaid, and what's else to be done."
Then with a smile unpleasant spake the Lord of Tiverton :
" Speak fair to Bull, 0 Gladstone, and pat his hundred backs;
If your obliged to tax his beer, of course he'll bear your tax."
" Oh! don't be funny, Palmerston ! what say you, gentles grave?"
And the thirteen Councillors of State thirteen opinions gave.
Some were for selling Nicholas, and some the Baltic fleet,
Until a strange Scotch gentleman rose on his hinder feet :
" Pit out your bills, my 'addle, and get the siller in ;
Dinna ye fash ! I'se warrant ye I ken the side maun win ;
Ye needna trow ye'll come to pay—'gin we hand anither year,
Ther'll be nae bonds to bore ye, and no bill-holders to swear."
Oh ! first the thirteen Councillors were silent for a while,
And next those thirteen Councillors they smiled a meaning smile ;
But when the thirteen " took it " they cried at the same minute,
" Lord Burleigh shakes his head, and, by St. George, there's something
in it."

That day the Exchequer Bills came out on the devoted town,—
That day over his rum chuckled th' unconscious Brown ;
And Gladstone dreamed that night he saw in motley triumph go
The Pope along Westminster, and the Czar down Rotten•row.
E. A.

prehension had been entertained, had been made
with perfect ease ; indeed the difficulty had been so
small that the Government had made important
reductions in the staff.
The house went into committee on the Oxford
University Bill.
Clauses 20 and the following, giving to the Congre-
gation the power of discussing its amendments to
the propositions of the Hebdomadal Board, gave rise
to a lengthened discussion. Both were ultimately
agreed to.
The omission of clause 22, which permits of the
debates in Congregation being carried on in English,
was moved by Mr. WALPOLE. On a division the
clause was ordered to stand part of the bill, by a
majority of 134 to 70-64.
An amendment was subsequently moved to clause
24, for the purpose of extending to Convocation the
privileges granted to the Congregation of debating in
the vernacular tongue. This amendment was carried
to a division, and negatived by 140 votes to 00-41.
Clause 25, relating to college oaths, was agreed to.
The Chairman was then ordered to report pro-
gress, and the house resumed.
The Gaming-houses Bill was read a third time
and passed.
The Valuation of Land (Scotland) Bill passed
through committee.

RESUSCITATION OF THE VIENNA
CONFERENCE.

THE intelligence that the Vienna Conference had
been roused to new activity, and that a protocol had
been signed by the representatives of the four ;rest
Powers at Vienna, on the 23rd inst., by which the
separate treaties of England, France, and Turkey on
one side, and of Austria and Prussia on the other, are
recognised, seems to have taken our press by sur-
prise. Even the Ministerial journals hesitate to
pronounce a decided opinion on this unlooked-for
occurrence, and are divided u to the effect it will
probably have on the conduct of the war. The
Times of yesterday, while endeavouring to show that
the consequence of this protocol will be to isolate
Russia, admits "that the result is somewhat anoma
" lous, and that it would not be easy to find any
" precedent of so direct an engagement between four
" Powers, two of which are at war with a fifth Power,
" while the two others are at peace."
The Morning Chronicle, with a juster perception
of the effect which this protocol is likely to produce
on our public mind, endeavours to disarm apprehen-
sion by intimating that this diplomatic movement is
not likely to arrest the activity of the armed allies :
" Some surprise will have been excited by the statement
that diplomatic measures have been taken to connect the
open and plain-spoken engagement between France and
England with the ambiguous compact which has been
formed by Austria and Prussia. It is not in general con-
venient to put four horses in harness, unless they are to
move at the same pace, and in the same direction. In
the present instance, however one is standing still or
backing— a second is expected to start in a short time—
and two only are already in motion and pulling steadily
together. • • • •