The Press.
London, England, 1857-08-29 00:00:00

THE PRESS, AUGUST 29, 1857.

spirit. But history and experience would
seem to show that commerce can never be the
basis of national stability,— the converse
is nearer to the truth; and while we aro in-
cessantly engaged in endeavours to diminish
crimes of violence, we should bear in mind the
still greater mischief effected by those classes
who rob the country of its moral character.

members do not carry out the intentions of the great
Cardinal or their royal proprietors ; that, instead of
aiding and instructing the unenlightened, their time
is solely occupied at their meetings, in the distri-
buting of prizes for the best pieces of poetry and
prize essays.

The speech of M. de Montalembert at ihe Institute
has been greatly criticised. It is generally consi-
dered weak and illogical, and has received the
sobriquet of " Sursum Cortla."
M. Ferdinand de Lesseps, notwithstanding the
opposition of Lord Palmerston, seems confident of
being able to carry out his project of the Suez canal.
This gentleman is now visiting all the Conseils
Genereux of France, endeavouring to obtain a general
manifestation in favour of his views.

It would appear that the young Emperor of Austria
is not only a good, but a courageous horseman.
Lately at Kesber, a spirited horse whilst being shown
to the Emperor madly seized the groom by the arm
with his teeth, and would have torn him to pieces
had not his Majesty jumped on the back of the
furious animal, and seizing him by the throat almost
choked him.

Notwithstanding the want of rain, the grapes
throughout the south are looking most healthy. The
vintage will be abundant, and the wine excellent.
Such has been the dryness of the season, that the
Loire at Fonts-de Ce is completely dried up. This
has not occurred for centuries.

THE DIVORCE BILL AS AMENDED.
Os referring to the clauses of this bill, we find from
the amendments finally carried that Lord Granville
gave up the jurisdiction in cases of divorce conferred
by the House of Commons on courts of quarter
sessions. In clause 25, the word "rape," as another
ground for divorce from the husband, was retained.
And then, on clause 28, which provides for
the dismissal of a petition for the dissolution of
a marriage if the court shall find that the peti-
tioner has during the marriage been accessory to or
conniving at the adultery of the other party, &c., the
Bishop of Oxford moved to reinstate the words
(struck out in the Commons) "guilty of adultery,"
thus making the commission of adultery at any time
during the marriage a cause for the dismissal of
the petition, or, in other words, the refusal of
the relief of divorce. The Commons' amend-
ment, which expunged the words in question, was
affirmed. Clause F (added by 1.113 Commons), allow-
ing husbands to claim damages from the adulterous
seducers of their late wives, was ordered to be retained.
Clause 53, containing the famous proviso about the
refusal of the clergy to remarry divorced adulterers
and adulteresses, was left as amended by the Com•
mons. It follows from this explanation that in only
two cases were the amendments of the Commons
disagreed to—first, as regards the jurisdiction of the
courts of quarter sessions; and, secondly, as regards
the "adultery committed in the conjugal residence"
as a ground of divorce for the husband. The rest. of
the bill remains intact and inviolate as it went up
from the House of Commons, and received the royal
assent.

TILE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY select !committee
have agreed to their report. The following are its
more important portions :—The territory over which
the compsny exercise rights is of threedescriptions ;
the land held by charter, or Rupert's Lind ; the land
held by licence, or the Indian territory ; Vancouver's
Hand. The committee are of opinion that it
will be proper to terminate the connection of the
Hudson's Bay Company with Vancouver's Island as
soon as it can conveniently be done, as the best
means of favouring the development of the great
natural advantages of that important colony. Means
should also be provided for the ultimate extension of
the colony over any portion of the adjoing continent,
to the west of the Rocky Mountains, on which per-
manent settlement may be found practicable. As to
those extensive regions, whether in Rupert's Land or
in the Indian territory, in which, for the present at
least, there can be no prospect of permanent settle-
ment to any extent by the European race for the
purposes of colonisation, the opinion at which the
committee have arrived is mainly founded on the
following considerations :

I. The great importance to the more peopled pprtions
of British North America that lay and order should, u far
as possible, be. maintained in those territories. 2. The
fatal effects which they believe would infallibly result to
the Indian population from a system of open competition
in the fur trade, and the consequent introduction of spirits
in a far greater degree than is the case at present; and.
3. The probability of the indiscriminate destruction of
the more valuable furbearing animals in the course of a
few years.

For these reasons the committee are of opinion that
whatever may be the valid►ty or otherwise of the
rights claimed by the Hudson's Bay Company under
the charter, it is desirable that they should continue
to enjoy the privilege of exclusive trade which they
tynv possess, except so far as those privileges are
limited by the foregoing recommendations.