The Press.
London, England, 1856-07-26 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

SATURDAY 1

before giving orders that any furtherinquiry should take place. General
BEATSON was privately accused of no less a crime than fomenting a mutiny
among his own troops and against his successor in the cotninand.
For this alleged offence, that officer is not brought to a Court-martial,
or taxed openly with the misconduct imputed to him, but a secret
inquiry is set on foot to ascertain, apparently. what would be the
chance of his conviction if put upon his trial! Lord PALMERSTON'S
argument, that preliminary inquiries were often instituted before
courts-martial were granted to ascertain if there were any ground for
the latter, did not touch the question. There is nothing anonymous
about the information on which such inquiries are based, or, if there
be, it is not wholly withheld from the accused. Mr. PEEL'S red tape
has not in this instance proved strong enough to support him. And
even the off-hand arrogance of the Premier failed to let him down
easy. But the most remarkable part of the whole affair is, that the
day after the debate in which Lord PALMERSTON entreated tho House
"not to interfere pending the result of the inquiry," General BEATSON
receives a letter from Mr. PEEL, informing him that Lord PAtimmtE
has no intention of carrying the inquiry any further. The fact is at
least remarkable, in the face of Lord PALMERSTON entreating the
House to wait till the War-office should have satisfied itself of General
BRATSON'S innocence.

That portion of Mr. VERNON SMITH'S speech upon India which
relates to the examination of candidates for the Civil Service will be
read with interest by many persons to whom India itself is com-
paratively an indifferent topic. The number of candidates for the
examination of 1856 is exactly half what it was in 1855—this year the
numbers being fifty-six, while last year they amounted to as many as
112. Whether the falling off be indicative of a growing want of con-
fidence in the examination system itself, or merely a kind of protest
against the difficulty of the questions proposed last year, we cannot, of
course, determine. It is, perhaps, a little of both. We think, how-
ever, rather too much has been made of the latter objection. Every
young man when he goes in for a competitive examination is
supposed to be at the highest possible pitch of training. If
he cannot answer questions then, when will he ? When a
selection is to he made out of a large number of candidates,
for posts at once so valuable to the gainer, and of such great import-
ance in the administration of a vast empire, something more
must be required than just the ordinary available knowledge of even
a clever and well-educated man. Mr. VERNON SMITH tells us that the
questions set last year "alarmed him for his own ignorance." We
hardly know whether it would have been any proof in our eyes of the
judgment of the examiner if Mr. SMITH bad found himself able to
answer them. More than a certain amount of accurate information
will not remain in anybody's head after he has relinquished his study
for active life. But the advantage of a severe examination is, that it
insures a successful candidate having travelled over a wide extent of
ground, and having registered certain results in his mind, the evidence
for which he can always reproduce with a few days' notice, though not
able to give an extempore answer to sudden interrogations. But this
is all which education can hope to effect; and if the examination system
be intrinsically valuable, we must not permit ourselves to be alarmed
too readily by the formidable aspect of the tests.

Mr. Dova has been found guilty, but recommended to mercy on
account of his defective intellect. Now, we should like to ask the
jury in what they consider this defect to have consisted? Because,
the intellect of every man who does wrong must he defective some-
where. Was the defect such as to bring him within either of the two
classes whom medical sciences pronounce irresponsible for their
actions? Did he reason rightly from fictitious premises, or did he
reason absurdly from true premises? Was he, that is to say, the
victim of delusions or phantasies on the one hand, or was he simply
incapable of going through a reasoning process? There is clearly no
proof that he was either the one or the other. Mere ebullitions of
violence, unless they can be shown to have arisen from some illusion
of the mind, are no argument for the existence of madness. When
AJAX glutted his revenge upon sheep and oxen, believing them to bo
human beings. lie was of course insane. But when WILLIAM Dovx
cuts off a cow's tail, or burns her with vitriol, for the express purpose
of watching her agony, there is nothing, strictly speaking, irrational
in his conduct. It is monstrous, cruel, and malignant, but not idiotic.
It is but the boy's propensity for torturing flies developed to a higher
degree. And a man may easily drink himself into that state in which
self-control is lost, without the knowledge of right and wrong being
destroyed. Whether the frightful prevalence of poisoning cases will
have any effect in neutralising the jury's recommendation, we cannot
tell. If vicious propensities are to constitute valid grounds for recom-
mendation to mercy, it would be difficult to maintain the propriety of
capital punishment in any case.

The Crimean Inquiry Report has at length appeared. The five
officers, the animadversions Oh whose conduct gave rise to the
Inquiry, are wholly or in great part exonerated from all blame. The
exculpation of Lord LucAN is the most complete of the number. In the
matter of hutting, it is shown very clearly that the example of the
Sappers and Miners, on which the Commissioners relied, was worth
nothing, inasmuch as the shelter they provided for their horses was in
a comparatively sheltered locality, in a spot where the three walls of a
house were still standing, and not on the open plateau. Lord CARDIGAN
is exonerated from blame in that, by having sent down horses toßala
klava to convey forage, he would so far have weakened his force that
their occupation of the post assigned to them would have become a
mere farce. Sir RICHARD AIREY and Colonel GORDON, against whom
the principal charges related to the issue of winter clothing, come out
of the investigation with their characters cleared, it being shown that
they made the utmost efforts to supply these articles to the troops as

71

JULY 26, 1b56.

oon as they arrived from England. By Commissary-General FILDER
the same species of defence is urged. The authorities at home had
omitted tl comply with his repeated requisitions, and by "no exer-
tions of his own, or of the Commissariat officers acting under his
" directions, could the deficiencies have been remedied from local
" resources " On this statement of facts, the Board comments,
We are disposed to concur with Mr. FILDER in thinking that
" if the authorities in England are to judge of the expediency of com-
g' plying with the requisitions of a Commissary-General in charge of
" the supply of an army in the field, founded on his personal know-
" ledge, derived on the spot, of his wants and resources, it seems clear
" that the responsibility of that officer must be at an end." The fact
is, the Home Government, during the whole of the late war, wanted
to retain the strings too much in their own hands ; and, when
their blundering was discovered, they were anxious, by the original
Crimean Commission, to get themselves whitewashed by throwing the
blame on their officers.

Lord WENSLEYDALE has been made an hereditary Peer, and took
the oaths and his seat last night. The Times, with astounding com-
posure, expresses its " surprise that so simple a solution of the diffi-
" culty should not have been thought of sooner." Why, the difficulty
has from the very beginning carried its own solution along with it
But all the Government organs were loud in deprecating this solu-
tion as implying a tacit surrender of the point which the Opposition
contended for. As long ago as the 7th of February Lord CAMPBELL
recommended that the Government should adopt this mode of escape
from the difficulty into which they had brought themselves. And we
have all along foreseen that this termination of the difference was
the only one compatible alike with the dignity of Lord WENSLEYDALE
and of the House of Lords. We are glad to see that this consumma-
tion has at length arrived, which, simple and satisfactory as it is, the
Times, by its support of the Government, did its utmost to avert
However, we may as well let " bygones be bygones," and as that organ
has set the example of mentioning the step now taken with approba-
tion, we may hope to look forward to seeing this mischievous agitation
finally concluded.

VERNON SMITH'S SPEECH.
Dear, dear, what can the matter be?
What can the need of such multiplied chatter be ?
Don't you know nothing on earth can the matter be
When India's managed by Smith?

But I promised to bring you my budget of progress,
With all that I know of, as whom we made foe of,
And how we did fight 'em ; in fact, every item
To wind up this precious long year.
But of course nothing on earth can the matter be, &c.

I am sorry to say at Madras there's a crisis,
Money tight, and to be had at no price is;
The consequence is, that all new enterprises
Are ad Graeas Kalendas deferred.
But of course, &c.

There are also alarms, sir, of the Santhals in arms, air !
A tribe that's quite blind, sir, to servitude's charms, sir !
As also the Koles, sir, are out of their holes, sir!
Where we drove them with twenty months' war.
But of course, &c.

We've taken in Oude, sir ! but, not to be proud, sir,
I think ourselves too ; so we'll not talk too loud sir.
There's a Rajah that's vexed at the way we annexed that—
The Rajah of Toolseepoor.
But of course, &c.

It seems this Zemindar threw out of his windar
The collector we sent, sir, to gather his rent, sir !
So, by way of a writ, sir, there's gone an howitzer—
And how it will end I can't say.
But of course nothing on earth can the matter be
When India's managed by Smith.

THE FISH DINNER
The Ministerial party assembled. Dessert on table. The wailers hare just left

the room.

LORD PALMERsTON(knocking the table).—Silence, for one moment,
please. It seems to be wished that though I have had not the honour
of being in the chair, I should propose the toasts of the evening.
(Applause.) The first, of course, needs no recommendation from me.
The Queen, and may she long enjoy the good fortune of being advised
by those who now drink her health! (Applause.)
This toast, and some others, of routine, having been disposed of,

Lord PALMERSTON said.—l shall be very brief in the observations
I have now to make. Accept my hearty congratulations upon our
having found ourselves once more over the whitebait, typical of our
escape from the bite nou, resignation. I confess that I, for one, did
not expect to attend this meeting—at least in this company. Gentle-
men, they say we are " a tough lot." If beating would make a Ministry
as tender as it does a rumpsteak, we should ill deserve the adjective
I h ave mentioned. I think that we have never permitted a week to
pass this session without our receiving a defeat of some kind; from

709

the regular thrashing to the humiliating foi'. We have lost all our
bills—every one that was worth a farthing. Yt here we are, joyous
and gay, " dipping our beaks in the Gascon wine." It would bo pro-
fane—and I hate profanity—to doubt that we have a special mission,
and that cherubim sit up aloft to watch us. I beg, therefore, to pro-
pose the health of her Majesty's Ministers, and I may add that I
believe this is about the only table in the kingdom where the toast
could be safely proposed. And, as the last addition to our party, I
will couple the health with that of young Shelburne. (Cheers.)
Lord SH F RITRNE said that he was flattered by the compliment:
and that he should always be as ready as he bad previously shown
himself to make sacrifices for the good of his party. They had wished
to secure a popular man, the Hero of Kars, to their side, and he, Lore
S , hrd unhesitatingly accepted a place and a peerage, in order tq
made way for that gallant individual. If they wanted his, Lord S's.,
present situation, and had another coronet that would fit him, he
hoped to show that he was earnestly imbued with Whig principled:
He was but forty, but hoped he• had served4tisi ceitut* (Shoup fe
" Good boy.") :TA 4!
Lord, PitptensTow—And now to a toptci. !lave to giv,
you the memories of the dead. (Sensatsqn I 'Yes, let-us in our cups re-
member our martyrs. I phipOse to OW Ibititte Innocents we have
massacred—(laughter)—and I will endeavour to suit each friend around
me with a toast. I will begin with my friend the Home Secretary,
with whose name I will couple London Corporation Reform.
(Laughter.)
Sir G. GREY said that tit& 'bill' Ind ietattinli! kited, and thd lee*
said about it the better. Fitt; q.•

Lord PALMERSTON would propose hin,,,Lowe, and Local Dues
Reform. ,
Mr. LOWE said that the bill had certainly failed, but that he
intended next year to bring in another founded upon the doctrine
that all property was robbery.
Lord PALMERSTON proposed the Solicitor-General, and Ecelesias
tical Courts Reform.
Sir R. BETHEL said that the bill had certainly failed, but next
year he should propose to confiscate the property of the practi-
tioners in those courts, and to endow a new Wills Court with the
produce.
Lord PALMERSTON proposed the' to rd Chancellor, and Divorch
Reform.
Lord CRANWORTH said that the bill had certainly failed, but the
fault was in the neglect of persons in the Lower House, who went
holiday-making.
Lord PALMERSTON proposed the Attorney-General, and Partnership
Reform.
Sir A. COCKBURN said that the bill—no, bills—had certainly failed,
but he had had nothing to do with them. He had hanged Palmer,
and taken the chair at the Kars banquet, and that was enough, ke
thought.
Lord PALMERSTON proposed Mr. Cowper, and the Board of Health
Bills.
Mr. COWPER said that the bills had certainly failed, but it was not
his fault : he could not make the House like the Board against
its will.
Lord PALMERSTON proposed the President of the Council, and
Appellate Jurisdiction. Lot, 1 'lce
Lord GRANVILLE said that the bill had certainly failed, bah' ittssai
too bad to connect him with it. What the deuce did he. 0411.1V611
heard appeals. The blunder WILS old Cranny's. .t )-11/, .nott
Lord PALMERSTON proposed the Chancellor of the Eithequenund
Civil Superannuation. ‘tt-rtioi.) sift 1,,•4••.
Sir C..Ltwis said that the bill had aeitainly Mlles:l4 bat he would
show from the history of the ancieht7}lOrnrinS, who had a civil law,
and therefhiel'iiinst have under Stood vivil service, that the course he
had proposed was a wise onei When :Mutitte Screvola—(great
dissatisfaction).
Lord PALMERSTON (having rung theibeil44-11italter! •
e .
WAITER: My Lord. • ~fr , I ill, )ii •
Lord PALM E ItSTO N.—Take thigidentieuridinto'en empty room, and
let him finish a speech heitl4ll'm there:l Their, if we are still here,
bring him back. ~; i• 1..(
Sir C. LEW I S.—Compttimisekby Upoilhig-his address.
Lord PALMERSTON. —I thiiik. we *eve done homage to the nine
principal victims of the session-;--14-.' •
Sir C. LEwls.—There were nine .Muses. (He is removed by the
waiter.)
Lord PALMERSTON. —T am aware that there are many other minor
casualties to record, and in fact, as we have sat since January, and
passed next to nothing, the only way of accounting for the time is by
recollecting other defeats. And now, my, lords and gentlemen, can
any one refuse to recognise the intervention of Providence in our
favour? Not one function of st Government have we performed, and
vet a Government we are! What have we sent up before the Queen,
this session?

Lord PANDIURE.—The fireworks. (Loud cheers.)
Lord PALMERSTON.—That is true—that is true. And if fireworks
are to be the basis of our eitifeiiiWent, 1 thitilta 'w must strengthen it
next year, by offering Office Mt: impseit;' of tierriorne, and Mr.
Darby, Up ,pyrotechniciati.': tut, really' toy dear friends, a Govern-
ment whose. sole achieVTnent, 'for a session, has been a show
of fireworks, has a right to be proud. 'l3l=-0 it, gentlemen, be proud.
Sir C. LEWIS (suddenly returling).-Prilde"tball have a fill. When
Tarquinius Superbus-- '
[The room is suddentil ckared, at!d there is a rush wpox the deck of
Waterman No. XII.

Sir C. LEWIS.---I don't • eare: -Tarquinius Superb's, NOS _the
son.in-law of Serving Tullittev ant, being expelled— • _
.uriL.. • • ,ill 1 • :4!' 1+1,91 igo is germ, removed by tin joefiews