The Press.
London, England, 1856-02-16 00:00:00

THE WEEK.

THE period rapidly approaches when all doubts and uncertainties
must be dispelled on the great question of Peace or War. The Paris
Congress will, it is believed, assemble on Saturday next, the 23rd
instant, and the Plenipotentiaries may be expected to show their
hands as soon as the opening formularies have been accomplished.
Baron BRUNOW arrived in Paris on Tuesday last. He was warmly
cheered by the Parisians when his equipage was recognised, while the
confidence reposed in his pacific mission and intentions makes him
popular in all circles. We are assured that he has expressed himself
averse to any kind of unnecessary delay, and that his own belief is that
all substantial points may be settled in a week or ten days from the
date of the Congress being constituted. Count ORLOFF arrived at
Berlin on Thursday last, and is most likely now in Paris. Count
BUOL and Count CAVOUR were expected last night, and Baron
BOURQUENEY has arrived. Lord CI.ARENDON leaves London for the
French capital this morning; AALI PACHA is not expected from Con-
stantinople till the 22nd instant. As matter of fact, we may notice
that the article in THE PRESS of last Saturday on the admission of
Prussia to the Congress, has excited much attention in continental
circles. The Globe of last evening, in its Paris correspondence, sup-
poses that Prussia will be admitted. It is probable, however, that she
will not be invited to send a Plenipotentiary until after Preliminaries
of Peace have been settled and signed.

The discussion in the Commons last night, on the difference
with America, produced an uneasy feeling, and was remarkable for the
change in the tone and manner of Lord PALMERSTON, as contrasted
with his address a week previously. Then he was spirited, sanguine,
and confident in the goodness of his cause, and succeeded in carry-
ing the House with him. Last night he was troubled and confused,
and spoke with evident constraint. Mr. ROEBUCK showed that the
dispute was really serious, and, so far as American documents could
be relied on, he established a strong case against our authorities in
America. The Government at Washington have demanded the recal
of Mr. CRAMPTON and two of our Consuls. The correspondence be-
tween the two Governments is proceeding, but there seems reason
to apprehend that a diplomatic rupture will take place. Mr. DISRAELI
spoke on the question with reserve, and helped the Government out
of its difficulty by recommending Mr. ROEBUCK to withdraw his motion
for papers. It is singular to remark how exactly the predictions
made when the Foreign Enlistment Bill was urged through the
Legislature, more than a year ago, have been fulfilled by the results.
One of the strongest objections to it was, that it would tend to
embroil us with neutral States. The objection was overborne, and the
caution it should have suggested was disregarded. The Foreign
Legion has up to this time been of not the slightest service to us,
though it has involved us in a serious difficulty with America, and
has unfortunately placed us primarily in the wrong.
The Londoners were stirred by a spectacle on Wednesday which
appeared inconsistent with the prospects of peace now generally
entertained. At daybreak, reinforcements for the Coldstream and
Fusileer Guards in the Crimea marched to the Waterloo-bridge station
of the South-Western Railway, with their band at their head playing
the airs now so familiar to our ears of "Cheer, boys, cheer," and the
" Girls we leave behind us." They arrived at Portsmouth the same
afternoon, and embarked at once on board the Indian steam transport
for their destination. In other respects the preparation for war goes
regularly on, and the Stock Exchange was yesterday startled by a
notification—which ought surely to have been foreseen—that a new
loan would be immediately required. The PREMIER and the CHAN-
CELLOR of the EXCHEQUER will attend at the Treasury on Monday next
to explain particulars as to the amount of the loan, and the time and
manner of the bidding. It is supposed that the loan will be for
15,000,0001., and as at the same time toffers will be received for the
funding of Exchequer Bills, it is supposed that 5,000,0001. of these
Securities at least will be added to the Permanent Debt. The effect
of this announcement was to cause a decline in the price of Public
Securities to the extent of two per cent.

Sir JOHN SHELLEY'S motion concerning the Irish Bench, on Thurs-
day last, did not receive the cordial support even of his own party. It is
indeed difficult to conjecture what the motive for such a motion could
have been. The report of the Lord Lieutenant last year was to the
effect that Barons. PENNEFATHER, LEFROY, and TORRENS performed
their duties in a perfectly satisfactory manner. There is a large
retiring pension attached to the Judgeships, so that any suspicion of
these eminent men being actuated by unworthy motives is clearly
impossible. And we have the testimony of competent members of the
legal profession, that even blindness does not necessarily incapacitate
a judge for the discharge of his functions. But the most remarkable
speech in the whole debate was Lord PALMERSTON'S. He admitted he
did not believe the charges adduced against the Irish Judges, but still
he voted for the motion because it was " constitutional." It is consti-
tutional then to institute an inquiry upon false grounds into the con-
duct of a class of men whom there ought to be the greatest delicacy
about calling to account, even upon true ones ! At all events it must
be admitted this is not, to use Mr. Disaarr.i's words, "one of those
"irresistible cases which renders it the duty of the House to interfere."
Anything more disheartening to men who have borne the toil and
heat of the day we cannot conceive, than the motion of the Honourable
Member for Westminster. To assume, A priori, that men of eighty
S►nd upwards are ineeirpetent, is absurd, in the face of such instances