The Press.
London, England, 1857-06-06 00:00:00

Mr. GLADSTONE moved the first resolution :

That since the establishment of our parochial system a
great increase has taken place in the number of our people,
and a great change in their circumstances relatively to
their participation in the benefits of its establishment.

The right hon. gentleman, in remarking upon the
circumstances under which the change took place,
observed :

There is something remarkable in the circumstances
under which that great change began. The population
commenced to grow and the demand for religious instruc-
tion began to increase just at a period when, unfortunately,
a spirit of indifference to religion was beginning to rest,
like a deadly nightshade, upon England. The last century
offers to our view a period in which our liberties were
secured and our institutions consolidated ; but it must be
admitted that, towards the commencement of that period,
the guiding and governing class was lower in point of
morality than it had been during any preceding generation,
and that the standard of life and practice among the
clergy was relaxed and degraded. At such a time it was
that human beings began to multiply in the land, and the
neglect of their spiritual wants was continued so lung that
it was at last reared no adequate remedy could be applied.
The last twenty-five or thirty years has been a period of
only comparative activity. If we have kept pace with the
positive increase of spiritual destitution during the same
time, we have done no more; but, at all events, we have
every encouragement to proceed in our efforts. Among
the governing class of the community we should now look
in vain for that indifference to religion which was so pre-
valent in former times, while with respect to the clew
something yet more decided may be said. The late Mr.
Granville, a few days before he completed his ninetieth
year, declared in my presence that the greatest change he
had witnessed during his long life was that which had
taken place in the character of the clergy—a change not
only in the nature of an improvement, hut amounting to a
transformation. Undoubtedly, my Lord Bishop, the con-
siderations connected with the deficiencies of our parochial
system and the increase of our population apply more to
other portions of the country than to this diocese. Yet I
think there is a great deal of fallacy in our treatment of
figures upon these subjects. A clergyman is not able to
minister to more than 1,1)00 persons, and it he is sent
unaided into a parish or district where there are 10,000 or
20,000 he finds himself launched upon a flood of popula-
tion wholly beyond his powers to manage, and he becomes
not their real but their nominal pastor. He would bo
able to do as much, if not more, good ins parish of 1,000
persons. Such is the opinion which was entertained by
the late Dr. Chalmers, and it therefore appears to me that
you are right in proposing t 3 supply the wants of your own
people at home, divided as they are into manageable popu-
lations, rather than to exhaust your energies upon distant
and densely-populated districts.

The right hon. gentleman also approved of the pro-
posal under consideration :

Formerly it was the practice to build churches in new
districts in the hope that they would create congregations
for themselves. It was a great mistake. The erection of
churches alone has nut had that tendency; indeed, in
many instances the result has been the very reverse, and.
now you propose to escape from that vicious course of
proceeding, and contemplate the work of spiritual im-
provement through the medium of additional clergymen.
There is another talse method which I regret to say has
i not yet been fully exploded. The subject of education s
one of vast importance, and there is no person in public
or private life who does not admit that the means of
education should be as rapidly as possible both extended
and improved. Yet I must confess that I sometimes
hear language used upon that subject which fills me with
jealousy and misgivings—language which would give us to
understand that a certain mechanical process of multiply-
ing schools and schoolmasters would cure the whole
moral disease of the community. If such expectations
are entertained I believe they will be disappointed. The

JUNE 6, 1857.

schoolmaster is an essential agent in the work of public
improvement; but, after all, he is a human invention, a
secondary instrument, whose business is, in the first place,
to supply the deficiencies of parents, and, in the second,
to furnish a complement to the ministrations of the
Church. It will be a kid day for England when he usurps
the functions of the Christian minister. Let his hands
be strengthened; let the system of education be more
religious ; but do not let religion stop there. Even in
school the influence of the clergyman must be felt, and it
must continue to be exercised for the benefit of young
persons long after they have left school.

The right hon. gentleman concluded by expressing
his warmest wishes for the success of the proposed
society.
Mr. HARCOURT seconded the resolution, which was
carried with acclamation.
The other resolw ions, which we subjoin, were
moved and seconded in due order :-
2. That in many parishes a population has grown up in
hamlets and places remote from the parish church, and out
of the reach of ministerial superintendence ; and that a
population so circumstanced is too commonly found to fall
away into religious indifference and moral depravity.

:I.„ That the scanty endowments of many of our parr).
chial churches are inadequate to meet this difficulty by the
employment of an additional clergymen.
4. That though. through the piety of liberal benefactors,
much good has been effected by the erection of new
churches and the formation of new parochial districts in
this diucese, yet those districts, though often compre.
bending very large numbers of people, are scarcely ever
sufficiently endowed to maintain one clergyman, much less
to enable him to obtain the assistance of a curate where
necessary.
5. That it is highly desirable to provide for the supply of
curates to assist the incumbents of parishes and districts
where such aid is thus urgently required.
6. That the pressing, though temporary, wants of our
existing parochial system might be supplied, and the
working power of the system might also be greatly in.
creased, if duly qualified persons could be appointed to
assist, under the sanction of the bishop. such parochial
clergymen as might desire their aid for special purposes
or on special occasions.
7. That for these purposes there be now founded a
society, to be called " The Oxford Diocesan Spiritual Help
Society."

THE NAVIGATION OF THE EUPHRATES.
WE have heard much lately about the Euphrates
Valley Railway, and of the navigation of that river.
The commander of the Planet steamer, now attend•
ing the Persian expedition at Niohammeraso, recently,
by desire of Sir James Outram, made au attempt to
ascend the Euphrates. The Planet drew only
8 ft. 8 in. water, and the following was the result :--
We proceeded onward about thirty miles higher up than
Medina, and not one of the villages marked on the map
as existing on the right bank of the river in ltt:lti remains,
with the exception of a few reed huts belonging to the
Haddadiyen, opposite the ground or rather marsh occupied
by the Beni Setid. So far, however, we got on very well,
and realised the soundings as Oven by Chesney. A little
further on the river gradually shoaled, and in a space of
four miles was reduced in depth from three fathoms to
three feet. Here we stuck fast in the mud, and with diffi•
culty turned the steamer (which the channel barely ad-
mitted), and, after several attempts to discover deeper
water, were reluctantly obliged to return. The native
pilots and others had forewarned us that such would be
the result, but we determined to try, and were unfortu•
nately unsuccessful. The whole country hereabouts is
literally under water for miles and miles on both sideq, a
small low islet here and there covered with green rushes
being the only visible sign of existing land. Even the
ruiddling•sized bitumen boats, we were told, are obliged to
transfer their cargoes into canoes, in order to their being
transported over these shallows, which extend to within
fifteen miles of Sook•Esh•Shyiookh, and, beginning again
a little above that town, continue as high up as Diwaniyeh,
taking in the Lamloom marshes. From all accounts col-
lected on the spot, it seems pretty certain that the old
channel of the Euphrates has been destroyed, and the
river now discharges an immense volume of water over
the surrounding country. So much, indeed, is this the
case, that the nearest actual route at this season to Basra
or Zebair from the northward is through the floodings
which extend to those places from about Beni &Rid, which
to some parts are said to be from two to three fathoms in
depth. 1 have it, moreover, on reliable anthcrity that the
old channel of the Euphrates from Diwaniyeh to Sook-
lish Shyiookh is also unnavigable except for very small
boats, the larger craft being obliged to resort to a deeper
and more modern offshoot on the left bank; but even
there much difficulty is experienced in tracking and poling
them to Soak.
As all this has taken place since Colonel Chesney's
survey, and is owing to the destruction of the river
embankments, it becomes rather a grave question
whether it is at present practicable to construct a
railway in the valley of the river. The reconstruc-
tion of the embankments would be a necessary pre-
liminary, and what would be the cost?

Loran BROUGHAM was present on Monday at the
meeting of the scientific section of the French
Institute in Paris, and read a paper of great
research, "On Paradoxes imputed to the Integral
Calculus." The noble and learned lord reappeared
in the House of Lords on Thursday, in the full
onjoymaut of his usual vigour and good spirits,

THE PRESS.

THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE AT BIR-
MINGHAM.

CUTIIORPE-PARK, about a mile and a half out of
Birmingham on the Pershore•road (presented by
Lord Calthorpe as a place of public recreation to
the artisans of Birmingham), was formally inaugu•
rated on Monday by his Royal Highness the Duke
of Cambridge. The day was unusually fine, and
observed as a general holiday in the manufactories,
for whose inmates the grounds are intended as a
place of out-door pleasure and amusement.
His Royal Highness arrived from town about half-
past twelve, and, after a short stay, accompanied the
mayor to the Town-hall, where a brilliant company,
including the Earl of Shaftesbury, Lord Calthorpe,
Lord Leigh, the Bishop of Worcester, Earl Talbot,
Lord logestre, the Earl of Lichfield, Lord Hatherton,
&c., were invited to meet his Royal Highness at
luncheon.

The entertainment being concluded, the Duke of
Cambridge proceeded from the ante-room into the
hall, and received addresses from the Corporation,
the Committee of Small Arms, the Proprietary
School, and the Society of Arts. That from the
Corporation, as a matter of course, tock precedence.
His Royal Highness, replying to the corporation
address, observed:—
The expressions of goodwill towards myself as head of
the army are the highest compliment that, as a soldier,
could be paid to me, and it will ever be my earnest endea-
vour to do justice to the confidence reposed in me by a
gracious Sovereign, and thus to merit the good opinion of
yourselves and the country. But I appear among you to-
day more in my social position in civil life, anxious by my
presence to do honour to a great work judiciously designed,
and, thanks to the liberality of a generous nobleman, suf-
ficiently completed to be inaugurated on the present
occasion. Undertakings of this description must tend to
the improvement and general advancement of all classes
of the community ; and it is a great pleasure and happi-
ness to see so many joining in their various ways towards
furthering so useful and excellent a design. May its
objects be fully and completely attained, and may they
conduce to the happiness of thousands of our fellow-
countrymen who inhabit the important borough in which
we are now assembled. The public are indebted to all of
you, gentlemen, who have assisted in this good work, and
I am happy to be permitted to congratulate you on the
success of such an occasion. Again I thank you for the
honour you have done me in asking me to become your
guest, and for the loyalty of the sentiments expressed in
your address towards her Majesty and her family, and for
the warmth of your reception of myself.
When these presentations were concluded his
Royal Highness proceeded at once to open the park.
A procession of carriages was formed, and made its
way amidst the enthusiastic cheers of the populace
to the New Park. The appearance of the Duke,
Lord Calthorpe, and the mayor, elicited the
most enthusiastic cheering. Every street upon
the whole line was decorated with banners, and
densely crowded with the working classes of the
town. Upwards of 100,000 persons were present.
The arrival of the Duke was announced by a dis-
charge of cannon, and his Royal Highness at once
proceeded, in company with Lord Calthorpe, to
plant "inauguration cedars," and so soon as that
ceremony was concluded his Royal Highness, amidst
the enthusiastic cheers of the multitude, declared
the park "open to the people." In the eveninglhis
Royal Highness was entertained at a banquet by
the mayor at the Deer Hotel. Upwards of 200
noblemen and gentlemen were invited. His Royal
Highness, in replying to his health, said:—

Gentlemen, it may in some respects appear strange that
I, a soldier, should come among you on such an occasion
as that we have this day witnessed. I venture to think
there is nothing very extraordinary in that fact. When
my worthy friend, the mayor, and a deputation from your-
selves, waited upon me, and invited me to attend at so
interesting a ceremony, I did not for one moment hesitate.
Why did 1 not hesitate? Because I conceived that you,
gentlemen, and my noble friend on my right (Lord
Calthorpe), to whose liberality I know you are much
indebted, were engaged in a good work, and I wanted, in
my humble capacity, or in any capacity I could, to bear
my testimony, and the testimony of the many noble friends
I am happy to see around me this day, to so useful, advan-
tageous, and excellent an undertaking. We live, thank
God, in the greatest commercial country of the world. To
you it is owing that this country is the respected and
glorious and great country which England is at this
moment. But to whom, gentlemen, do you look for
assistance in carrying out the great projects you have con-
stantly, hourly, and daily in hand, but to those artisans,
those men we haw in the streets to-day, without whose
assistance you would be unable to carry on your great
undertakings. At the same time they could not live in
the comfort and enjoyment we could wish to see them in
without the reciprocal assistance and mutual support they
receive from you. A great nation, a great empire based on
such principles, founded on the mutual support of all
classes of the community in their proper sphere, a country
so circumstanced cannot but thrive.

The Duke passed Tuesday in inspecting the dif-
ferent factories, and returned to town highly gratified
Wio bje rea43oon at pirmiughtp,

551

THE DUKE OF CLEVELAND ON THE
REFORM BILL.

THE Duke of Cleveland presided at a Conservative
dinner, in Darlington, on Monday, given to Mr.
Ferrer, the late member for South Durham. About
450 electors were present.
In giving the toast of the day, viz., "The health of
Mr. Ferrer," the Duke expressed at some length his
opinions respecting the prospect of a new Reform
Bill. Professing his readiness to give the proposals
of Lord Palmerston his most careful consideration,
the noble duke said :

What most people are anxious for is, an extension of the
franchise. But to begin with, I hope all anomalies will be
got rid of, and that the small constituencies, of which there
are so many, and which I cannot help saying are a dis-
grace to the country, will he done away with, and their
members given to larger bodies of persons. Now, gentle.
men, so far from holding that an extension of the franchise
in counties would be injurious, if extended in the way it
ought to be and amongst those who ought to have it—
those who from their education ani station in life ought,
according to the spirit of the age, to be enfranchised—l
hold that the Constitution would be materially benefited.
What are the classes to which I allude? Well, there are
many with large money qualifications resident in counties,
but who, from various causes, are not qualified now to be on
the register, who ought, in my opinion, to have a vote for
the county in which they reside. I will not only say that
every man that has 1001. a year, but I would even go
lower, and say that those who have 501. a year, no matter
from what it comes, are fully entitled to the franchise in
counties. This would include all curates, almost every
village schoolmaster, clerks in mercantile offices, barks,
and railways, and others; and it cannot be denied that all
these persons are entitle to the franchise and ought to have
it. There is another class of persons whom it has been
attempted to bring in, but who, I hope to God, never will
be brought in, and that is the renters of 101. houses. Rely
upon my words, if that is once done, the landed interest in
every county in England is extinguished for ever. Upon
whet principle, let me ask, is the journeyman mason or
carpenter, who resides in one town in one county this year,
and in another town in another county next year, who has
no permanent residence or stake in any county—upon
what principle is be to claim a county vote?
The noble duke proceeded to remark that with
only one noticeable exception all the great landed
proprietors of the district supported Mr. Farrer,
and then asked, "Is the landed interest to be ex-
tinguished or not, or is it to have its due share in
the representation ?"

Gentlemen, this is 4 question more for you than for me,
but whatever may be your opinion, and whatever your
actions, you may always rely upon my support. We have
heard some talk of coalitions between candidates. I think
them unjustifiable, but they are within the law, and it is
not at present posbible to prevent them. lam not without
hopes, however, that in the new Reform Bill this may be
remedied. Lord John Russell, seeing the hardship of
3,500 out of 6,000, for example, monopolising the whole
representation by split votes, indicated a way in which this
could be obviated. The only way—and though it was not
his own proposition, he hoped it would be adopted—was to
allow electors in counties returning three members to give
only two votes. In Berks, Herta, and other counties, it
had before now happened that by coalescing, three agricul•
tural candidates have kept out their opponent, call him
Whig, Radical, or what you will. Now, a Reform Bill
should not have regard to particular interests, but should
have for its object justice to all, and he therefore hoped it
would be enacted that no county voter should be enabled
to vote for more than two out of three members, or for
more than one out of two. This would be the most
effectual bar to coalitions, and the most popular men would
then be elected.
" The health of the member for North Durham
having been drunk,
Lord A. VANE 'rEmrEsr responded, and ridiculed
the pretensions of the Whigs to be a popular Govern-
ment :

The present Liberal Government was composed of one
duke, one marquis, five earls, four viscounts, three lords,
and nine baronets. He was proud to see the great families
of the country taking their share in the government, but
in what sense could any peerage of this sort be styled the
Government of the people? The time was coming when
people would no longer believe thatthere could be no liberty
or happiness except under Whig oligarchical rule, and
when they would see that men of great Conservative name
were as much actuated by love of country as the few fami-
lies who had long held alethargic monopoly of rule and a
real monopoly of patronage and place.

THE YOUNG AUSTRIAN ARCHDUCHESS SOPHIA, who
died last week, was a great favourite with the ladies
of Vienna, who had always some little story to tell
about her. One of her peculiarities was well known.
She had a great antipathy to her gloves, but never
failed to have them put on before she came to the
gate of the city which leads to the Prater (the Hyde-
park of Vienna), as she had been told that the
guard had received orders not to turn out and beat
the drum when children passed with a pair of un-
covered hands dangling out of the window of the
carriage. _ .

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT have appointed the
Rev. H. I. Swale, M.A., Queen's College, Oxford, to
the office of Chaplain to the British Embassy, Parisi
ygeiglt t 7 09 death Of the gev, Jule, p.p,