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

THE PRESS, FEB

122

shown that they thoroughly understood the
subject in all its beatings long before this out-
break occurred. Indeed, the outbreak had
been predicted as the necessary issue of the
course that Ministers were pursuing, in the
pages of THE PRESS. The Conservatives have
not been, like these, the accomplices of the
Directors ; they have Hot been participators ih
the measures which have been productive of
the present diaastrone events. On the con-
trary, they had protested against them with
all their might. To them, then, we should see
with confidence legislation upon India in-
trusted, because we are sure that it would
be exercised Judiciously and simply with
reference to the proved necessities of the case.
It would not be used as the Government is
using it, to mask a retreat from a policy that
has broken down, and to provide a scapegoat
for errors that can neither be defended nor
concealed. Still less would it be turned to
the worst and most fatal use of all, that of
serving as an engine alternately of bribes and
of threats, now employed to deter from Parlia-
mentary opposition, and now employed to
purchase Parliamentary support; converting
India. in fact, by anticipation to the purpose
to which many hal predicted it would be con-
verted by Lord PALMERSTON, namely, that of
bolstering up Ministerial power and further-
ing Ministerial jobs, at the expense of every
consideration connected with the welfare or
permanence of our empire in the East.
It is this, we confess, that leads us so
strongly to doubt the safety of leaving legisla-
tion on India to the hands of the present Pre-
mier, notwithstanding the conviction we have
long since avowed of the advisability of trans-
ferring the entire government of it to the
Crown. The powers already possessed by him
have been so greatly misused that we cannot
with any confidence see additional powers
confided to his bends. Indeed, he has over
awl over again informed us through his organs
tint those he already possesses are ample, and
• that the idea of the Company having ever been
au obstruction to him is absurd. Nor has his
conduct since he has professed to become a
convert to the opposite opinion been less un-
befitting a Minister entitled to be trusted than
before. Instead of coming forward frankly
and honestly and boldly, he has twice put
forth intimations as to an intended abolition
of the Company, and as often withdrawn
them; and twice has he caused to be published
diametrically opposite statements as to the
course which, if the Company were abolished,
le would pursue. To show, indeed, how com-
pletely he has been trifling with the question,
we have only to add that in last Sunday's
Observer it was distinctly stated that the
Cabinet had not then finally decided on the
nature of the measure to be introduced.

If this is to be the style in which India is to
be legislated for by the Ministers, we confess
that we see very little prospect of benefit
from any measure they may bring in. Sound
legislation is not to be looked for from men
who show by their vacillation that they know
little of the subject they have undertaken, or
that they care for it less. If the Indian
question is to be dealt with successfully, it
must be dealt with by a Minister possessing
knowledge, and firmness, and consistency as
well. It is not a subject to he made a shuttle-
cock of as the Minister has been making it,
who seems himself to be a weathercock that
turns with every change in the popular breath.
It is a question to be decided on principles of
anited sagacity and solidity, that appear to be
wholly foreign to our Premier; and we confess,
therefore, that we shall view with considerable
anxiety the power of disposing of it intrusted
by Parliament to his hands.

-MR. BRIGHT, AND REVELATIONS OF
RADICALISM

,4111aDtc.tt.s, painted by themselves," would
give an interesting subject to a political author
"for An amusing volume. Mr. ROEBUCK'S
opinion of Mr. COBDEN, Mr. COBDEN'S estimate
of Sir DE LACY EVANg, General THomPsos's
philosophical criticism on Mr. Cox of pins-
bury, and Mr. THOMAS DUNCOMBE'S lively satire
on tie whole party, might make an agreeable

•
..,,

and trenchant series of curious cro!
Tho materials might easily be

tikic north o
lies..Wra?tita a
and capital Radicalism can boast. A
considerable number of " factory lords at
present sit in the Rouse of Commons, and it
appeats from Mt. iituoirr's letter that those
who declaim idly *lid insolently against " the
" tyranny of agricultural iandlords " take, even
in 11th. Ilftiont's opittiotto an extremely one-
sided view of facts.
Wilh.tt3gard to the Pailot itself, there could
not be a more damaging argument against it
than the view put forward by the Honourable
Member for Birmingham. For how does the
case stand ? At present, even supporters of
the Ballot as a mere abstract question would
decline to press for it, because they say—
" With small constituencies it would cause
" greater facilities for increased corruption,"
as it undoubtedly would ; but, on the other
hand, even if the suffrage be widely extended,
such a change (unless accompanied by the
Ballot) would be dangerous, according to
Mr. BRIGHT, to the freedom of the working
classes iu larger towns. One party of the
Radicals assert—" We must not look for the
" Ballot, unless we have large constituencies,
" and a wide suffrage ; ' and another
party among them cry—" We must not look
" for the suffrage, unless we get the Ballot
" also," and thus by a logical process the cry
for secret suffrage becomes the shibboleth of
democracy.

FAMILY SOLICITORS AND FATHER
CONFESSORS.

THE Times has discovered in the family soli-
citor of modern times a certain likeness to the
medieval father confessor. This comparison
is somewhat exaggerated, but is not altogether
without truth. Each is commonly placed in a
situation of almost unbounded trust, and each
occasionally affords us an example of
about the grossest abuse of confidence of
which humanity is capable. No doubt,
such cases are highly exceptional; and
in both instances, perhaps, the class has suf-
fered for the faults of individuals. But it is,
probably, to such exceptional cases that we in
no slight degree owe our deeply-rooted Eng-
lish mistrust of the Confessional; and we
confess to thinking that the public will have
learned only a useful lesson from the ghastly
revelations of fraud and folly which are occa-
sionally disclosed in the daily journals, if they
do no more than check the excessive confi-
dence which indolence is too apt to repose in
the family solicitor.
Only last week we had a notable instance.
HENRY HALL and CHESLYN HALL, of New Bos-
well-court, Lincoln's-inn, solicitors, who were
gazetted bankrupts as long ago as June 27
1856, came up for their certificate. Their lia-
bilities are 150,0001., while their assets will
not realise oue-sixth of that amount. On the
death of their father they succeeded to " an
" excellent professional connection," but, in
an evil hour for themselves and their clients,
took to horse-breeding, at a place called Neas-
don.. Their own property disappeared—ruin
had to be staved off somehow—their clients'
money fora time choked the gulf—till at last
they appear before Mr. Commissioner FANE,
and reveal to us some little professional secrets
as to their relations with their clients, which,
in two cases at least, seem to us not unworthy
of attention.

The largest creditor is Sir CHARLES RUSH-
OUT Rus lIOUT. The bankrupts' father had been
his father's solicitor. With the bankrupts
themselves Sir CHARLES was "on extremely
" confidential and friendly terms." "He
" occasionally advised them as to the pur-
" chase of a horse, and interested himself in

" their breeding establishment." Not content
with having them for his solicitors, about ten
years ago he made them his bankers besides.
They seem to have been asked no questions.
They sold and mortgaged Sir CHARLES'S pro-
perty at their own sweet will, and did not
credit him with the proceeds. On one occa-
sion 20,0001. was raised. Owing to the
" frightful state of the Money Market," the
brothers were compelled to intercept 8,0001.
Sir CIILRLES then—it seems incredible, but we

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)f England. In that particular
considerable portion of whatever
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