The Press.
London, England, 1856-01-19 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

SATURDAY,

this understanding, or specially mentioned to be renounced?
The uti possedetiB was the basis of the Treaty ; we have not
extended our claims, we are merely consolidating what we held
in the first instance, with the title of ninety-six years' possession.
As to America having any right of guardianship over the Central
States, that is a point which requires further elucidation. The ques•
is a knotty one, and may from the tone of the passage give riso to
peculiar complications. The most notable feature in the message,
apart from the usual topics, is the recommendation for the "gradual
" and systematic increase of the American navy." Lord PALMERSTON'S
late West India demonstration has exposed the naval weakness of the
States, and excited apprehensions which will now never be allayed
till America feels secure in the possession of a powerful naval force ;
and what country in a few years could compete with her in raising and
maintaining that arm?

It is difficult to characterise properly the article on the French
Senate which appeared in the Monitcur this week. It cannot,
however, be denied that it ably sets forth what should be the
functions and sphere of action of that body, as at present constituted.
"An executive power strong enough to do good without being im-
" peded, a legislative power independent enough to be useful without
" being dangerous—such is the double problem which the Constitution
"of 1852 proposed to itself to solve." The great point aimed at is,
that the Senate should recognise and accept as a fact the difference
between itself and the Chamber of Peers. It should acquiesce in the
inability to interfere with the Government imposed by the Constitu-
tion of 1852. It should take up in a liberal spirit the privilege of
initiating laws and social reform, which the same Constitution con-
ceded to it. It should content itself with philosophic legislation, and
not turn the impossibily of doing all it might have wished to do, into
an excuse for doing nothing in that narrower but still wide field of
action secured to it. This would be as shortsighted as it would be
selfish and unpatriotic. Such we take to be a fair exposition of the
spirit of this article. It may, indeed, occur to some of our readers
that the privilege "of being useful without being dangerous," is one
of those untangible attributes which Englishmen do not love, and
that throughout the whole article there runs a kind of vagueness
which is not pleasant, a tone of teaching by implication which to
straightforward people is unacceptable. But on a careful considera-
tion of the existing exigencies of France, where undoubtedly the
renovation of the social fabric is a necessity superseding every other,
we arc able to come to the conclusion that the article is well-timed,
and that the Senate would adopt the course most conducive to its own
honour and utility, by regarding its suggestion in a willing and
f►iendly spirit.

Our Baltic fleet seems nervous of " dark nights and fields of ice."
The sea was hastily left and the blockade raised this year upon the
first approach of winter. What has been the result? A sudden thaw
left that sea open, and neutral ships known to have been lying in the
Scandinavian harbours, laden with arms and ammunition for the
Russians, have safely made their way to Russian ports This is not
creditable to our cruisers. Where one ship can go another can follow.
Yankee liners should not have been permitted the freedom to boast,
that while English cruisers feared the ice and dark nights, they rau
the gauntlet and landed their cargoes.

Sir BENJAMIN HALL was never meant by Nature for a high official.
By his reception of the gentlemen who recently waited on him about
the proposed road across St. James's•park, Sir BENJAMIN showed that
he had neither the nerve of a Minister nor the decorum of a courtier.
He dreaded lest the potboys of Marylebone would be organised
against him; and he was coarse enough to take a silly distinction
between " the parks of her Majesty " and " what might be called the
" people's parks." Thus the Marylebone Radical was at once invidious
and indiscreet. His nervous disclaimers about his "having nothing
" to do with it " were ludicrous, and, recollecting how he wriggled
himself into office, almost offensive. Passing mischief may yet result
to high personages from the awkwardness of the maladroit Member for
Marylebone. With a mob at his heels he can swagger, but he is panic-
struck before opposition, showing neither bravery to his opponents
nor breeding to his superiors. In fact, heis a mere Sir BENJAMIN HALL,
on whom political art is thrown away.

Private assassination seems to be at a premium just now in this
country. This detestable crime is becoming a distinctive national
feature. That it is in some measure due to that insipid humanity
which finds an exculpatory plea for every criminal, and would inflict
the just measure of the law upon none, we fear must be admitted.
If we continue in this path we shall soon rival Italy with her Borgias,
and be able to rid ourselves of persecutors and enemies at the cost of a
trifling bribe. It was but the other day that two trials for child
murder occurred on the same day in the same Court. One woman cut
the throats of the children because she thought they would be better
off in the next world than in this, while the other flung her three
children into the river, and drowned two, in a delusion. Both prisoners
were acquitted on the plea of insanity. Such delusions have a dan-
gerous tendency under such results. In the case of Mr. WAuoH the
prisoner is already described as being under "a delusion." The next
thing we shall hear will be that his sanity has always been doubted by
his friends. This is all very well ; but if a man is permitted by his
friends to go about in that state of insanity which induces him to shoot
the man ho believes to stand between him and fortune, his friends
should in sonic measure be held answerable for his acts. Migh
not some punishment, short of deprivation of life, be provided for Such
criminal lunatics ?

MAftl

COUNCIL.
;NT.

61

• •
--- •
JANUARY 19, 1856.
THE CABINET COUN
A FRAGMENT.
FOUND NEAR TIIE RESIDENCE OF THE RIGHT HON.
The clock strikes two from old St. Paul's, St.
chime,
St. Margaret's repeats the knell that tolls the fl 4
The sentinel in Downing-street is waiting the re
The Cabinet are thronging to the summons of
Attend all ye who list to hoar the muster-roll of 1
Who feel the magic influence of each great Whig
The sons of sires who won their rights from the
Took bribes from Bourbon Sovereigns, and did s
Now gather round a leader who but jeers their cl
And scorns the supple oligarchs he merely deign
First, Bowood's noble master, in blue coat and y(
(He ever wears the decent garb in which Charles
Next comes the Chieftain of the Clan that's "eve
Pert young M'Cullum More, less famed for mod(
Follows Fox Maule—and Lansdowne laughs ai
makes,
" By Jove ! no wonder Scotland's called by Burn
Granville, and Grey, and Labouchere, now near 1
And Vernon Smith, with silly smile upon his pre
And Mr. Baines, who envies Smith his noble Chr
So tags on Talbot to his own, that it may look th
Ho, burgesses of England ! ho, men of ten-pound
Are these the men for whom ye roar with wide di
Are these the sages meet to choose if War shall
What ! is our Britain to be saved like Rome by c
Up, nor be sleeping at your posts, ye Commons (
Arouse ye Peers, nor trust our fate to such a witl
From Cornwall's murky mines of tin to the grey
From Glasgow's tippling citizens to the mild me
Let the whole land be stirring now, and let our v
" Peace if we may with Honour, else War and Vi,
NO ENVOY TO PART
"IT is right that I should mention," said the
Cabinet Council, " that the propriety and advanti
a member of her Majesty's Government in Paris du
of this Council of War have been suggested to m
than one."
" To be ready to give information, and possil
said Lord Clarendon. " Very sensible. But
could. go ? "
That consideration made mo reject the
Palmerston.
" As to that," said Sir Charles Wood, " I coul
" Not more easily than we could spare you, I
the Premier, laughing. " But what good would y,
" If this is to be a naval campaign on the p
turned Sir Charles, " the head of the Admiralty n
to say in the matter."
" Without unduly deprecating the value of E
cari capitis—Charley, replied his Chief ; "it won'
be laughed at. Panmure might, and ought to ha
but for an unlucky word of four letters that keeps
" Gout?" asked Lord Granville.
" Kars," replied Lord Palmerston.
" Yes," said the War Secretary, placidly,
disagreeable to have that Arminian place flung in
" Armenian, Pan," said the Premier, " not Ar
be sure, its defence showed the efficacy of good IN
" How can you ?" said Sir George Grey, deli]
" Why did not Granville go?" asked the Colo
speaks French like a native."
" For that very reason," said Lord Palmerstoi
many questions asked which it might be inconvel
out reflection, and Granville would not be believe
Johnny Russell used to do, "May, mosieu, je ne c
meat.'
" The same objection would apply to me," sai
" That—and some others," replied the Prem
pretended, not real, opacity that ono wants in an
" Thank you," said the Colonial Secretary.
" Pooh, pooh, don't look angry," returned h
much too clever a man to be afraid of a joke. Why
to take the Colonies, the best joke of our whole ca
" I trust the Colonies will not find it ajoke,"
Labouchere.
" I'm afraid they won't," said the Premier, rat
than is his wont; " but sufficient for the day is tl
we say in Scotland."
" Why did you not suggest my going over? "
of the Board of Control, trimming his finger-nail:
strument.
" Because the Frenchmen would have called y
Vernon, and I would not willingly expose a m
about his name to so barbarous an outrage."
" India may be attacked next year, said 119
drawing on his white glove.
" By that time you will be more at home in
Exercises, and able to defend it," said Lord Palm
I can't afford to spare so invaluable a colleague."
" You flatter me," said the pleased Controller.
"By Jove, do I?" returned the Premier. "
salutary. I never bought such good perfumery
until you told me what shop to go to."