The Press.
London, England, 1856-03-29 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

MARCH 29, 1856•

hanes in the popular opinion of the • Irish. The Whigs are detente
the Sadleirites are ruined, and the Repealers are defunct.
Th,.. Globe, of Friday, unsuccessfully attempts to turn these facts.
Sligo, forsooth, is " capricious," and has " changed its Members some
" half-dozen times in little more than the same number of years." But
when, during the last twenty years, did Sligo choose a Conservative?
The defeat was more striking on account of the lengths went to by the
Premier's own supporters and tenantry. The absurd charge of the
Globe, also, about Mr. TOTTENHAM being a "Young Irelander," shows
how sore the Miuisterialists are upon the subject of these significant
defeats. These last changes count four on a division, and it is not
unlikely that the Conservatives will gain further victories in the seats
to be vacated by the relatives of SAMAR&

Lord SHAFTESBURY has received the thanks of the Manchester
operatives feu• his exertions in shortening the hours of labour. The
success of the Ten Hours' Bill is a striking contradiction to those who
predicted that it would ruin the manufacturing interest. We now see
a practical proof of the futility of those economic theories which
cotton-spinners .could ram down our throats. The self-adjustment
of labour, about which they talked with such tedious solemnity, turns
out to be mere rubbish. It crumbles into dust like a preserved corpse,
when the light of day is thrown upon it. This may teach us a whole-
some lesson,—not to trust too blindly to theorists. A theory is some-
times the expression of abstract truth, of which copious practical
illustrations are at hand. But it is sometimes merely the figment of
a sect or a class, wh -) register their private views in some cut-and-
dried formula, and boldly call it a theory. Against such beware.
The economic school of politicians are specially prone to this kind of
imposture.

301

['off to Germany, and deliberately exposed himself to the severest
diplomatic weather, returning so damaged that his best friends gave
up all hope of him. He had, fortunately, assured iu this society, and
has been again upon his legs, and going about the House as well
as ever."

J. 8., a member of the Society of Friends, and of strong pugi-
listic propensities, went into a state of raving frenzy, at the idea of a
war which would interfere with certain Manchester exports. His
political condition was one of utter ruin, but by the aid of the society,
concurrently with the restoration of peace, he has become about as
vigorous as before, and has set up a newspaper."
"H. J. P., an elderly tatesman, who has recklessly encountered
during the course of a long life every gale which could meet him
upon every conceivable tack, and whose political life had been sup-
posed to be all but extinct, had effected au assurance %with the
society ; and the support rendered to him, when from circumstances
and the behaviour of ungrateful friends he was cast, like Lear, upon
the wide world, enabled him to regain his political health, and, with
the aid of war stimulants, to take a prominent if temporary position
in the political hemisphere."
Numerous other cases can be cited, and in the detailed prospectus .
about to be furnished these will be recorded. But as the immediate
object of this announcement is to induce political men to join the
society as speedily as possible, and as many persons are deterred from
joining such associations from a reluctance to submit to the investiga-
tions which are preliminarily required, the society begs tc, state that,
except in very extreme cases (such as those of Papist applicants from
Ireland, and other suspicious instances), very few questions, besides
the following, will be put to a proposer for assurance :-
1. Are you a Whig, Whig-Radical, Liberal, Independent politician,
or under what class do you desire to rank yourself?
2. Have you ever been afflicted with Conservatism, hereditary
respectability, or other disqualifying complaint?
3. Have you ever had a touch of patriotism, and how long (lid
it last?

4. Are your politics temperate?
5. In what elections have you meddled, and have you ever been
prosecuted for your conduct thereat?
6. Have you ever been infected with the ballot?
7. Are you a genteel person, or a man of the people ; and can you
affect to he either as may be necessary ?
8. Were you, or any of your family, or any friend, or any acquaint-
ance of whatever remoteness, ever connected, in any way, with a
member of the Irish Brigade ? This must be stated, as, though no
disqualification, the frightful risk involves extra premium.
9. Can you weep pretty freely in the course of a speech?
10. Are you married, and, if so, was your wife's maiden name Grey,
or Elliott, or anything akin to either?

11. Are yotia peer, and, if so, are you willing to place your proxy,
withotm resOtve, in the hands of a Liberal Premier?
12. you want to be a peer, and, if so, are you willing to make
yourself generally useful?
13. Have you any religious tenets of any kind. and, if so, would
they interfere u ith your supporting any possible measure which your
party might advocate?
14. Have you any brothers, fathers, nephews, cousins, uncles, or
grandsons, and do you want to provide for any or all of them at the
expense (if the public?
15. Have you any objection to attend Mr. Hayter, and be per-
sonally examined?
References must be given to somebody who has heard the
applicant speak in public, to a professional reporter who has taken
dpivp.one or more of his speeches, and to two member* of Parliament
(if Irishmen, six), who can vouch for the eligibility of the applicant.
Further particulars may be obtained by addressing a private note
to the Secretary, at the Reform Club.
N.ll.—Policy not subject to any demand of duty.

AFLOAT AND ASHORE.
On the 13th September. in a letter dated "At Sea," I solicited instructions as to lodging and
provisiouing the troops.— Mr. Fader's Remarks.
The more that the matter is sifted
Who doubts into War that w•e drifted?
Mr. Filder, you see,
Dated letters "At &a"
Before ever a finger was lifted !

But there's Clarendon writing despatches,
Ten to one he's met more than his match is;
If he dates his " .IJ:hors "
We'd best know it before,
And not wait till we're all under hatches.