The Press.
London, England, 1854-03-04 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

THE NEW REFORM Bus, was discussed on Monday
at a meeting of Messrs. Gibson and Bright's election
committee, held at the League Rooms in Manchester,
as a preliminary to mo►e public meetings on the
subject. Mr. Bright was the chief speaker, and
urged numerous objections to the measure
" He complained that, whereas a ten-pound householder
need only have been in possession for a year, the term
was three years in the case of a six-pound householder;
that a man drawing 31. out of his MM. deposit in a
savings-bank to apprentice his child, for instance, was to
lose his right to vote; that it would rest with employers
whether their men, receiving 21. a week, should have votes,
because it would be for them to choose whether they would
make advances for current necessities, and pay the balance
quarterly ; and that the different franchises were too com-
plex, and no one would know to whom he ought to object.
He observed that some of the disfranchised boroughs are
perfectly pure, and some perfectly free ; and you might
give members to larger bodies under such circumstances
that a very few sitting at a private dinner-table shall decide
who are to be members. The bill, he insisted, shows an
inuate hostility to popular representation, and a distrust
of the people. Seats are to be given to the inns of court,
he said, not because lawyers are wanted, but to prevent
more seats being bestowed on the large towns. Though
counties with a few more than 100,000 people were to have
an additional member, Lancashire was not to have an in-
crease proportioned to its vast numbers. A man accepting
office ought to go before his constituents; a Minister ought
to have their confidence as well as the confidence of
the Crown. The object of the minority-representation
clause, he said, was to give the Whigs some of the forty-six
new county seats ; but Whig county members were of a
class that only put a drag on a Liberal Government, as
much so as if they were Tories. Why, again, were eight or
nine great towns to send a member to Parliament to vote
in opposition to their opinions? It was most ungrateful
to those eight or nine towns, which had been mainly in
strunental in doing everything on which Lord J. Russell
now defended the passing of the Reform Bill of 1832.
Minorities were already so well represented that a Govern-
ment could get but a narrow majority. But this clause
was the pivot of the bill, and without it the bill would en-
sure a TOI y majority. The truth was, that the distribution
of members was so arranged in the bill as to give power to
the territorial interest. The bill would not give a repre-
sentation in accordance with the opinions of the great bulk
of the people ; and he had no wish to see the measure pass
into a law."

THE EMPEROR AND THE QUAKERS.—The following
official reply to the address presented to the Czar
by the deputation from the Society of Friends was
transmitted to Messrs. Pease and Sturge before their
departure from St. Petersburg :
" Se Majeste l'Empereur a men l'adresse presents par
la deputation de la Societe des Amis avec une vive satis-
faction, comme l'expression de sentimens entierement
conformes a ceux dont il est anime Sa
Majeste a horreur, comme eux, de la guerre, et desire
sincerement le maintien de la pain. Pour y arriver, elle
eat prete a oublier insulter et offenses personnelles,
tendre le premier la main a ses ennemis, et a faire toutes
les concessions compatibles avec l'honneur. Sa Majeste
n'attaquera pas ; elle ne fera que se defendre, et sera
toujours disposee a entendre des offres de pain.
" L'Empereur regrette vivement l'etat actuel des chores,
et il en rejette loin de lui la responsabilite. Il a constam-
ment desire vivre en bonne entente avec l'Angleterre ; it
a nne sincere affection pour la Reine, estime comme
Souveraine, femme, epouse, et mere, et il lui a donne
des preuves non equivoques de confiance et d'egardes.
Sa Majeste repudie touts idee ambitiense de conquete on
d'ingerence injuste dans les affaires de la Turquie. Elle
n'y reclame que ce qu'elle a le droit de demander en
vertu des traites explicites conclus par sea devanciers
et par elle-meme. Le lien pni unit la Ilussie a ses
co-religionaires en Orient date d'il y a 900 ans ; c'est
de l'ancien empire Grec que lui est venu le Chris-
tianisme, et depuis ce teens une communaute constants
d'interets rehgieux a ete maintenue entre la Rnssie et
l'empire de Byzance jusqu'a sa chute. Debarrassee elle-
mime du joug des Tartares, la Russie s'est depuis ce terns
constamment appliquee a ameliorer le sort de see co-
religionaires ; elle y a travaille avec succes. Elle ne saurait
recuser ses sympathies religieuses pour eux et renoncer
une influence legitime acquise au prix de son sang. Msis
l'Empereur ne vent rien audell. II n'en vent nullement
aux Tures, et il serait henreux de voir l'Angleterre rendre
meillenre justice an mobile qui a guide ses actions.
II ne croit pas lui avoir jamais donne le moindre motif
de plainte, et il en appelle au temoignage de tons les
Anglais etablis dans ce pays, qui n'hesiteront pas, Sa
Majeste en est convaincue, a declarer qu'ils n'ont eu
toujours qu'a se loner de l'accueil qu'ils ont trouve en
Russie. " NESSELRODE.

" St. Petersbourg, le 1 (13) Fevrier, 1854."

LORD RAGLAN AND THE HON. COLONEL DE Rolls
arrived in Paris on Saturday night, for the purpose
of coming to an understanding with the French
authorities with respect to the plans to be adopted by
the forces of the two powers in their joint expedition
to Turkey. On Sunday his lordship was received by
the Emperor in a private audience, in the evening he
visited the Emperor and Empress at the Palace of
the Tuileries, and left Paris for London on Wednesday
morning. It is understood that the present hurried
visit of the commander-in-chief of the English expe-
ditionary army will not prevent his again visiting the
French capital along with the Duke of Cambridge, on
their way to the East.

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THE MASTER•GENERALSHIP OF THE ORDNANCE will
not be filled up during Lord Raglan's absence, but be
held in commission until his lordship returns from
the East.

THE MEMBERS OF BROOKES'S CLUB, following the
example of White's, will give a grand banquet this
eN • ling (Saturday) to his Royal Highness the Dul a
of Cambridge. It is hoped that Lord Raglan will lio
present at the entertainment.

- THE GOVERNMENTS OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE (ac-
cording to the Times) have addressed to the Emperor
of Russia a formal summons, calling upon him to
give within six days from the receipt of that commu-
nication a solemn promise and engagement that he
will cause his troops to evacuate the principalities of
the Danube on or before the 30th of April. The
couriers who are the bearers of this despatch from
London and Paris started on their journey on Monday
morning. They were to pass through Berlin and
Vienna, whence it is understood that similar demands
will be forwarded at the same time by the Cabinets of
Prussia and Austria. The refusal on the part of
Russia to comply with this just demand or to return
a fitting answer will be regarded by the powers as a
declaration of war. It is calculated that this com-
munication would reach St. Petersburg in nine or
ten days.

THERE IS ♦ CURIOUS STORY in circulation in Paris
regarding the different manner in which the Czar
treated the English and French Ambassadors prior
to their leaving. While his Imperial Majesty behaved
with the most studied courtesy to General Castelbajac,
he caused to be intimated to Sir Horace Seymour that
his passports were ready, conveying the message in
such a way as to imply a wish for him to leave as
soon as possible, and without further interview. The
French Amhassador was, on the contrary, invited to
Court, and complimented. The latter had the good
taste to tell the Czar, who was trying to excite division
in so clumsy a fashion, that he begged to be treated
in the same way as Sir Horace Seymour, both being
on the like footing, and with identical instructions;
nevertheless, the Czar would, with his own hand, de
corate the gallant general with the order of Alexander
N ewsky.
ON THE APPLICATION OF THE COMMITTEE OF SPANISH
BONDHOLDERS, the Earl of Clarendon, the Minister
for Foreign Affairs, has again consented to instruct
Lord Howden, her Majesty's representative at the
Court of Madrid, to take any opportunity which he
may judge favourable to support the interests of the
bondholders, and induce the Spanish Government to
pay that portion of the coupons of interest which
were not provided for in the settlement of 1851.

AT THE MEETING OF THE CRYSTAL PALACE COMPANY
held on Tuesday it was agreed to raise 250,0001. more
capital, to complete the undertaking.
THE DEATHS REGISTERED IN LONDON last week
exhibit a considerable increase, having risen from
1,154 in the previous week to 1,334. This return
shows an excess above the estimated amount of nearly
100. The number of births registered in the week
was great, amounting to 1,795. In the corresponding
weeks of the nine years 1645-53 the average number
was 1,477.
THE SUBJECT OF PRrVATEERINO and the rights of
neutrals during the pending war has been frequently
mentioned in the House, and excites much interest in
the City and at Lloyd's, in connection with the in-
surances of vessels from war risks. With regard to
privateers, it is the general belief amongst the mari-
time interest that the English Government will not
only give no licence for such piratical practices, but
that they will discourage the system amongst the
maritime nations of Europe with whom they have any
influence, and at the same time adopt most stringent
measures to suppress the practice. A reform in the
old laws relating to this system of warfare is impera-
tively called for ly the enlightened spirit of the age.
As regards neutral vessels, although in the last war
the flag was no protection to the cargo, it is hoped
that the just discrimination which distinguishes the
administration of the present generation will not be
wanting in the settlement of this important question.
With respect to war risks, there is very little business
of this class done at Lloyd's at present. Shipowners,
under the belief that war would eventually be
averted, or delayed very considerably, have under-
taken such risks on their own account. It is not until
a declaration of war is made that such policies will be
asked for at Lloyd's.
A Commission has been appointed for inquiring into
several modes of promotion and retirement in the
army. The commissioners were nominated in
Tuesday's Gazette. The list comprises Viscount
Hardinge, Lord Raglan, Earl Grey, Earl Cathcart,
Lord Panmure, Lord Seaton, Hon. Sidney Herbert,
Sir John Pakington, Bart., the Right Hon. Edward
Ellice, Colonel G. nner, and Colonel W. T. Knollys.

A PARLIAMENTARY PAPER shows the amounts which
have been spent on native education in India in each
year since 1834. It appears that in 1834-35 the total
amount so expended was 4,16,417 Rs. • in 1839-40, it
was 5.71,543 Rs. ; in 1844 45, it had increased to
8,23,345 Rs.; and in 1848-49, to 10,36,095R5. In
1852-53 it stood at 10,02,133 Rs.

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