The Press.
London, England, 1858-02-06 00:00:00

THE PRESS, FEBItUARY 6, 1858.

have it from his own lips—directed them to
raise another 5,0001., of which they could only
spare him 3001. This last stroke seems to
have awakened him. He insisted on an
account. At last he got one, showing the firm
to be his debtors for 22,800/. The debit side
of this account was correct enough ; on the
cre:lit side a few trifling items, one of 12,0001.,
had been " overlooked." The sum really due
is now admitted to have been 83,4001. !
In the presence of folly such as this, com-
ment becomes unskilful. What can be said of
a man of ripe age, recently engaged in trade,
who from sheer indolence and credulity lets
himself be robbed under his very nose after
this fashion ! As the Commissioner well said,
it is indiscretion, which amounts to a tempta-
tion to do wrong. Of course, this makes the
bankrupts' case none the better. But pity
would be misplaced where misfortune has been
courted. Sir CHARLES, between the brothers
HALL, must have looked like King Lear be-
tween Goneril and Began. He has " pared
" his wit o' both sides, and left nothing in the
" middle," and his two attorney-bankers, like
the King's daughters, represent the parings.
Dupes of this stamp are sent to us for
warnings.
The next client is of another order. Mrs.
ALEXANDER DALOLEISH is the wife of a gentle-
man who is insane. Almost her sole support
was a sum of 2,0001. Consols, settled to her
separate use, and standing in the name of
her trustee, Mr. Jowl TRAIN. Recommended
to the bankrupts, those gentlemen express the
utmost sympathy for her unhappy situation.
" Poor ALEX,' says CHESLYN, who is the actor
in this last brilliant drama, " I will do any-
" thing for his poor wife." Five per cent. is
dangled judiciously before her eyes. The
trustee is induced to send up a power of
attorney. Mrs. DALOLEISH is taken to the
Bank ; she signs the bank-book. The broker
says that everything has been arranged by
Mr. HALL; he would not be justified in telling
her anything. CHESLYN just steps with her
into the cab, as he wants to tell her what has
been done. "He then immediately began to
" talk about other matters ; and when they
" arrived at Temple-bar, he suddenly stopped
" the carriage, and got out, as he had just
"recollected a pressing engagement; but he
" would call upon her next morning to explain
Othe whole thing." The farce was played out.
ur readers can imagine for themselves the
frequent importunities of the victim, the
shuffling lies of the spoilers, the hope against
hope, the protracted misery, the sickening
delay. Of course she never saw a sixpence of
her money. The decree even which she ob-
tained against the firm is defeated by their
bankruptcy, and she is saddled with the costs
of the suits against them to add a sort of com-
pleteness to her ruin.
Yet even this case, cruel, heartless as it is,
has yet its ridiculous aspect. Mrs. DALOLEISH
is described as " evidently a lady of superior
" mind," and as giving " her evidence with
" remarkable clearness and propriety." She
knew that, there was something wrong the
moment after she was deserted at Temple•
bar; nor did she ever cease to follow up the
bankrupts till at last she brought them to bay
before Mr. Commissioner FANE. She was
clearly no clay to be moulded in an attorney's
hands. She was no Sir Charles Rushout. Nor
had any precaution been omitted to save her
from herself. There was both settlement and
trustee. What, then, was tho potent spell, the
fatal charm, which lured her to her ruin ? Let
her answer for herself :—" I was led to em-
" ploy the bankrupts, and take the course I
" did, on being informed that they were per-
" sons in good position, riding in their car-
" riaYe." It is the old story—" that nameless
" touch of vulgarity"—that shopkeeper wor-
ship of wealth and gig-respectability, with
which we are so often reproached, and which
is the most fruitful source of folly, crime, and
misery in English civilisation. Only let a man
wear the externals of wealth, and he received
in higher than ordinary circles, and there is
nothing which we have the courage to deny
him, no prudent rule that we will not break at
Iris bidding, and no unreasonable confidence
that we will not offer at his shrine.

For the bankrupts it is difficult to speak
With patience, but, so far as they have offended

against the bankrupt laws, they aro still sub
jwlice. We gladly leave them to the authorised
tribunal. But as they admit the truth of the
facts we have detailed, we may at least con-
gratulate them on the good fortune or the
prudence which closed their operations before
the passing of the Act " for the punishment
"of frauds committed by trustees, bankers,
" and other persons intrusted with property."

"DRIFTING" REFORM DANGERS.
Is politics, as in war, there can be no greater
fault than neglecting to anticipate the con-
junctures which are possible, and which may
be set down as probable, on the occurrence of
certain contingencies. It is absolutely neces-
sary to think beforehand, to view rising cases
with circumspective scrutiny, and to be pre-
pared against difficulties. The Russian war
was mainly brought about because, by a
strange mixture of vacillation and duplicity,
Europe was allowed to " drift " into a military
struggle. The word " drifting " exactly de-
scribes the temper of a large portion of society
upon the question of " Reform." The coun-
try at large is confessedly apathetic on the
subject; all the galvanic attempts to get up
agitation have ended in spasms of mere con•
tortion, and the chief persons who take an habi-
tual and constant interest in it are the profes-
sional electioneerers of the Liberal connection.
A great leading organ does its best to damp
all discussion of the subject. It assumes a
retrospective tone, and indulges in historical
parallels between the old and present Houses
of Commons, and amuses itself with literary
illustrations of a kind more interesting than
useful, and in rhetorical manoeuvres, which
leave the reader's mind at the end of a long
article exactly as at the beginning ; in short,
such " drifting" composition only indicates
the absence of profound views and solid con-
victions.

But, unquestionably, such a mode of dealing
with the discussion of " Reform " is tolerably
calculated to represent the wavering, crude,
and cloudy conceptions of a large class of the
Liberals " out of doors," and even of a con-
siderable number of Parliamentary Whigs
and " something more." We are told that
" Reform is to be brought on the stage, and,
"if possible, settled." Here we have the
" possibility" of any " settlement" questioned
at the outset. And then we are told that even
if time should fail, " some understanding may
" be come to as to the principles on which the
" Reform is to be based." As if that was not
plain enough to reveal the doubts and diffi-
culties in a certain quarter, we aro advised
that it is " just as well to have some oppor-
" tunity of hearing definite opinions and
" learning the views of its chief politicians."
In other words, the House of Commons should
be turned: into a mere debating society, and
her Majesty's Ministers are to bring forward
measures for the opportunity of hearing a con-
stitutional argument from Lord JoHN RUSSELL,
a brilliant display of eloquence from Mr
DisRAELI, and a well prepared digest of facts
from Sir JAMES GRAHAM.

Now, we must caution our readers against
being deceived by that sort of political writing.
In a period not long gone by the public mind
was completely cajoled by affected moderation
of a similar kind. The Pal►nerston measure
of Reform will, beyond a doubt, be menacing,
dangerous, and reckless. It will include
destruction of boroughs on a large scale, it
will vastly reduce the franchise in counties, it
will vitally affect the balance of party, and it
will most seriously assail those great territorial
interests which even Mr. HALLAM has recog-
nised as original and vital parts of the social
elements of the British Constitution. Whatever
may be the belief of the Premier as to the
feasibility of his measure, or as to the number
of chances of its ever becoming law, it is
positively certain that tho scheme to be
offered to Parliament will be of a distinctively
sweeping character. Lord PALMERSTON, pos-
sibly, thinks on the question, not as a
legislator, but as a diplomatist. Time, and
the experience of so many political vicissitudes,

has made him insensible to the value of fixed
principles ; he calculates that by tossing a
reckless measure to Parliament, the chances of
its becoming law will be lost in the strife of
factions, and the discords of contentious
reformers disputing amongst themselves.
Whether such a system of policy be worthy of
a Prime Minister is a point on which the
versatile Viscount never troubles himself.
Such a plan will serve his turn ; it will help
him to sail around Lord Joni( RUSSELL, and to
breast the rising opposition of Mr. BRIGHT,
and other distinguished performers on the
democratic platform.
Against this policy of the Primo Minister
it is our duty to warn the Conservatives
throughout the country. Let them be assured
that there is real danger in the " drifting
character of the Liberals. Let the contin
gency bo studied and closely marked. The
Premier will propose a Bill of a bold and dan-
gerous nature, and after a short time (as was
the case in 1831-2), the scheme may be
snatched out of the parental hands, to be dis-
figured and defaced by the violent action of
popular opinion. A great pretext for " agita-
tion" will be afforded, and much excitement
may be caused. For some time past the
Liberals want "a cry," and the Palmerston
scheme will help to give them one. A plat-
form will be established, and a race of new
agitators may come before the public. It was
so twenty years, and later. The country was
excited from end to end by a whole race of
men whose names were not even known in the

month of March, 1831. The same thing to a
considerable extent might occur again.
Although the novelty of " Reform " has worn
out, and although the passions of the populace
cannot be so inflamed to such a pitch as
twenty-five years ago, still in the most im-
portant question of " the balance of party,"
there is a field for " the jobbery of Liberalism "
to work upon ; and the history of the last
general election has proved, beyond a doubt,
that there is a great organised machinery
throughout the country, which on occasions
can be artfully employed for the furtherance
of Liberal ascendancy.
Even since we last addressed the public on
this great subject circumstantial proofs have
been given that the intelligence communicated
by us was sound. One of the best informed
of the leading provincial journals of the
empire has stated that " twenty-six English
" seats (exclusively of Irish and Scotch ones)
" will be affected in the disfranchising direo-
" tion." And let our readers observe the
exact way in which these " disfranchising "
intentions may be carried out. There are,
firstly, fifty boroughs in England and Wales,
whose constituencies are under 400 electors,
and they return between them seventy-three
members. There are, secondly, twenty-three
boroughs, whose constituencies are over 400
and under 600 electors, and they return
twenty-three members of Parliament. There
are, thirdly, twenty-two boroughs, whose con-
stituencies are over 600 and under 800 electors,
and these return forty-one members. It is
upon those classes of the present borough
representation of the country that the dis-
franchising operations will be most vigorously
executed. Some boroughs will he completely
extinguished, and the representation of them
will be distributed amongst the great centres
of Radicalism and democratic energy ; and,
on the other hand, a great number of impor-
tant towns, now returning two members, will
be clipped of a member, whose seat will be
transferred to overgrown constituencies,
where, without a Radical popularity, it will be
impossible for any independent gentleman to
look for the representation. By this means,
and by deteriorating the county franchise, a
complete ascendancy for Official Liberalism
will be established. In order to achieve that
consummation, no means will be left untried
by those who have the resources for popular
agitation at their command, and who have a
subterranean connection with a portion of the
Cabinet.

And let us beg of our readers to observe
that whatever were the mistakes of the Grey
Cabinet in 1831, that Ministry included several
statesmen who were not hostile to the institu-
tions of the country or to the fair working of
the balance of party. The Conservative party

, .
• _
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THE PRESS, FEBRUARY 6, 1858.
123
have it from his own lips—directed thorn to against the bankrupt laws, they aro still s'tb has made him insensible to the value of fixed
raise another 5,0001., of which they could only jadice. We gladly leave them to the authorised principles ;he calculates that by tossing a
spare him 3001. This last stroke seems to tribunal. But as they admit the truth of the reckless measure to Parliament, the chances of
have awakened him. He insisted on au facts we have detailed, we may at least con- its becoming law will be lost in the strife of
account. At last he got one, showing the firm gettulate them on the good fortune or the factions, and the discords of contentious
to be his debtors for 22,8001. The debit side prudence which closed their operations before reformers disputing amongst themselves.
of this account was correct enough ; on the the passing of the Act " for the punishment Whether such a system of policy be worthy of
credit side a few trifling items, one of 12,0001., "of frauds committed by trustees, bankers, a Prime Minister is a point on which the
had been " overlooked." The sum really due " and other persons intrusted with property." versatile Viscount never troubles himself.
is now admitted to have been 63,4001. ! Such a plan will serve his turn ; it will help
In the presence of folly such as this, com-
"DRIFTING" REFORM DANGERS. him to sail around Lord Jour; Rosszee, and to
ment becomes unskilful. What can be said of breast the rising opposition of Mr. BRIGHT,
a man of ripe age, recently engaged in trade, IN politics, as in war, there can be no greater and other distinguished performers on the
who from sheer indolence and credulity lets fault than neglecting to anticipate the con- democratic platform.
himself be robbed under his very nose after Against this policy of the Primo Minister
junctures which are possible, and which mey
this fashion ! As the Commissioner well said, it is our duty to warn the Conservatives
it is indiscretion, which amounts to a tempta- be sot down as probable, on the occurrence of throughout the country. Let them be assured
tion to do wrong. Of course, this makes the certain contingencies. It is absolutely neces- that there is real danger in the " drifting
bankrupts' case none the better. But pity nary to think beforehand, to view rising cases character of the Liberals. Let the coritin
would be misplaced where misfortune has been with circumspective scrutiny, and to be pre- gency bo studied and closely marked. The
courted. Sir CHARLES, between the brothers Premier will propose a Bill of a bold and pared against difficulties. The Russian war
dan-
HALL, must have looked like King Lear be- gerous nature, and after a short time (as was
tween Goneril and Began. He has " pared was mainly brought about because, by a the case in 1831-2), the scheme may be
" his wit o' both sides, and left nothing in the strange mixture of vacillation and duplicity, snatched out of the parental hands, to be dis-
" middle," and his two attorney-bankers, like Europe was allowed to " drift " into a military figured and defaced by the violent action of
the King's daughters, represent the parings. "
popular opinion. A great pretext for " agita-
struggle. The word " drifting exactly de. tion" will be afforded; and much excitement
Dupes of this stamp are sent to us for
warnings. scribes the temper of a large portion of society may be caused. For some time past the
The next client is of another order. Mrs. upon the question of " Reform." The coon- Liberals want "a cry," and the Palmerston
ALEXANDER DALOLEISH is the wife of a gentle- try at large is confessedly apathetic on the scheme will help to give them one. A plat-
man who is insane. Almost her sole support . form will be established, and a race of new
subject; all the galvanic attempts to get up
was a sum of 2,0001. Consols, settled to her agitators may come before the public. It was
separate use, and standing in the name of agitation have ended in spasms of mere con- so twenty years, and later. The country was
her trustee, Mr. JOHN TRAIN. Recommended tortion, and the chief persons who take an habi- excited from end to end by a whole race of
to the bankrupts, those gentlemen express the tual and constant interest in it are the profea- men whose names were not even known in the
utmost sympathy for her unhappy situation. sional electioneerers of the Liberal connection. month of March, 1831. The same thing to a
" Poor ALEX,' says CHESLYN, who is the actor A great leading organ does its best to damp considerable extent might occur again.
in this last brilliant drama, " I will do any- all discussion of the subject. It assumes a Although the novelty of " Reform " has worn
" thing for his poor wife." Five per cent. is retrospective tone, and indulges in historical out, and although the passions of the populace
dangled judiciously before her eyes. The parallels between the old and present Houses cannot be so inflamed to such a pitch as
trustee is induced to send up a power of of Commons, and amuses itself with literary twenty-five years ago, still in the most im-
attorney. Mrs. DALOLEISH is taken to the illustrations of a kind more interesting than portant question of " the balance of party,"
Bank ; she signs the bank-book. The broker useful, and in rhetorical manoeuvres, which there is a field for " the jobbery of Liberalism "
says that everything has been arranged by leave the reader's mind at the end of a long to work upon ; and the history of the last
Mr. HALL; he would not be justified in telling article exactly as at the beginning ;in short, general election has proved, beyond a doubt,
her anything. CHEaLYN just steps with her such " drifting" composition only indicates that there is a great organised machinery
into the cab, as he wants to tell her what has the absence of profound views and solid con- throughout the country, which on occasions
been done. "Ho then immediately began to victions. can be artfully employed for the furtherance
" talk about other matters ; and when they But, unquestionably, such a mode of dealing of Liberal ascendancy.
" arrived at Temple-bar, he suddenly stopped with the discussion of " Reform "is tolerably Even since we last addressed the public on
" the carriage, and got out, as he had just calculated to represent the wavering, crude, this great subject circumstantial proofs have
" recollected a pressing engagement ; but he and cloudy conceptions of a large class of the been given that the intelligence communicated
" would call upon her next morning to explain Liberals out of doors," and even of a con- by us was sound. One of the best informed
" the whole thing." The farce was played out. siderable number of Parliamentary Whigs of the leading provincial journals of the
Our readers can imagine for themselves the and " something more." We are told that empire has stated that " twenty-six English
frequent importunities of the victim, the " Reform is to be brought on the stage, and, " seats (exclusively of Irish and Scotch ones)
shuffling lies of the spoilers, the hope against "if possible, settled." Here we have the " will be affected in the disfranchising direo-
hope, the protracted misery, the sickening " possibility" of any " settlement" questioned " tion." And let our readers observe the
delay. Of course she never saw a sixpence of at the outset. And then we are told that even exact way in which these " disfranchising "
her money. The decree even which she ob- if time should fail, " some understanding may intentions may be carried out. There are,
tamed against the firm is defeated by their "be come to as to the principles on which the firstly, fifty boroughs in England and Wales,
bankruptcy, and she is saddled with the costs " Reform is to be based." As if that was not whose constituencies are under 400 electors,
of the suits against them to add a sort of corn- plain enough to reveal the doubts and diffi- and they return between them seventy-three
pleteness to her ruin. culties in a certain quarter, we aro advised members. There are, secondly, twenty-three
Yet even this case, cruel, heartless as it is, that it is " just as well to have some
.oppor- boroughs, whose constituencies are over 400
has yet its ridiculous aspect. Mrs. DALOLEISH. " tunity of hearing definite opinions and and under 600 electors, and they return
is described as "evidently a lady of superior " learning the views of its chief politicians." twenty-three members of Parliament. There
" mind," and as giving " her evidence with In other words. the House of Commons should are, thirdly, twenty-two boroughs, whose con-
" remarkable clearness and propriety." She be turned: into a mere debating society, and stituencies are over 600 and under Boo electors,
knew that, there was something wrong the her Majesty's Ministers are to bring forward and these return forty-one members. It is
moment after she was deserted at Temple• measures for the opportunity of hearing a con- upon those classes of the present borough
bar; nor did she ever cease to follow up the stitutional argument from Lord JOHN RUSSELL, representation of the country that the dis-
bankrupts till at last she brought them to bay a brilliant display of eloquence from Mr franchising operations will be most vigorously
before Mr. Commissioner FANE. She was DISRAELI, and a well.prepared digest of facts executed. Some boroughs will he completely
clearly no clay to be moulded in an attorney's from Sir JAMES GRAHAM. extinguished, and the representation of them
hands. She was no Sir Charles Rushout. Nor Now, we must caution our readers against will be distributed amongst the great centres
had any precaution been omitted to save her being deceived by that sort of political writing. of Radicalism and democratic energy ; and,
from herself. There was both settlement and In a period not long gone by the public mind on the other hand, a great number of impor-
trustee. What, then, was tho potent spell, the was completely cajoled by affected moderation tent towns, now returning two members, will
fatal charm, which lured her to her ruin ? Let of a similar kind. The Palmerston measure be clipped of a member, whose seat will be
her answer for herself :—" I was led to em- of Reform will, beyond a doubt, be menacing, transferred to overgrown constituencies,
" ploy the bankrupts, and take the course I dangerons, and reckless. It will include where, without a Radical popularity, it will be
" did, on being informed that they were per- destruction of boroughs on a large scale, it impossible for any independent gentleman to
" sons in good position, riding in their car- will vastly reduce the franchise in counties, it look for the representation. By this means,
" ridge." It is the old story—" that nameless will vitally affect the balance of party, and it and by deteriorating the county franchise, a
" touch of vulgarity"—that shopkeeper war- will most seriously assail those great territorial complete ascendancy for Official Liberalism
ship of wealth and gig-respectability, with interests which even Mr. HALLAA has recog- will be established. In order to achieve that
which we are so often reproached, and which nised as original and vital parts of the social consummation, no means will be left untried
is the most fruitful source of folly, crime, and elementsof the British Constitution. Whatever by those who have the resources for popular
misery in English civilisation. Only let a man may be the belief of the Premier as to the agitation at their command, and who have a
Wear the externals of wealth, and he received feasibility of his measure, or as to the number subterranean connection with a portion of the
in higher than ordinary circles, and there is of chances of its ever becoming law, it is Cabinet.
nothing which we have the courage to deny positively certain that tho scheme to be And let us beg of our readers to observe
him, no prudent rule that we will not break at offered to Parliament will be of a distinctively that whatever were the mistakes of the Grey
his bidding, and no unreasonable confidence sweeping character. Lord PALMERSTON, pos- Cabinet in 1831, that Ministry included several
that we will not offer at his shrine. sibly, thinks on the question, not as a statesmen who were not hostile to the institu-
,
For the bankrupts it is difficult to speak legislator, but as a diplomatist. Time, and tions of the country or to the fair working of
with patience, but, so far as they have offended the experience of so many political vicissitudes, , the balance of party. The Conservative party
•,

lb