Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-12-12 00:00:00

THE COMING SESSION OF 1860.

Within the last three or four weeks, says the Observer,
the programme of the coming session, has been rendered
clearer ; and although there are still some clouds in the
political sky denoting approaching difficulties, the gene-
ral aspect of affairs is sufficiently distinct to
_portray,
with something like probability, what may be expected.
For the last two or three months it has been in every
one's mouth that there would be a Congress, to deter-
mine the future of Italy. It was at one time most stre-
nuously denied, but now it is an admitted fact. On the
sth of January, 1860, the plenipotentiaries of all -the
principal powers in Europe will meet in Paris, to decide
whether Italy—or, at all events, Central Italy—shall
ba a free and independent state, or whether it shall be
brought back again under the dominioa of its, former
tyrannical rulers. Whatever may be the result, there
is at least one question settled, and that, is, that England
will take part in the discussion, and will lend her
authority and influence to secure freedom to Central
Italy. England may fail in this attempt, but it may
be taken for granted that the Government, of which
Lord Palmerston is the head, will, if outvoted at the
Congress, leave such a protest as will in effect prevent the
designs of the despotic powers of Europe from being
earned into effect. The fact of the Congress being held
while the British Parliament is sitting, will of itself pro-
duce the most beneficial results. The thousand and one
discussions that will inevitably arise, week after week, as
fresh intelligence arrives of what is going on in Paris, must
have a material effect in influencing the decision ; and
it may be that this is one of the reasons why Parliament
is announced somewhat earlier thin usual. The real
business of the Congress will net, in fact, begin until
Parliament has assembled, as the preliminaries will
alone take two or three weeks, if not more, to arrange
and settle. As far as the Congress is concerned it is now
a settled affair, and England must get out of it as she
best can ; still it cannot be expected but that the fact of
this country having given in her acquiescence to a con-
gress will lead to a very animated debate when Parlia-
ment meets.

With respect to the question of our national defences
and the volunteer movement, whatever may be the
opinion of the party attached to peace at any price, it is
not anticipated that there will be much difference on that
score. In fact, the feeling is now strong and universal ,
throughout the country that there will be few, if any,
who will have the foolhardiness to protest against it.
Votes will be asked by the Government, and will be as
readily conceded by all sides of the House, and the
movement will continue, as all Englishmen wish it
should, until the English nation will present a front so
bold that it will deter even the most reckless of princes
from making any attempt to invade what may almost
now be considered as a virgin soil.
The question of internal and social reform next arises,
and here it is a matter of congratulation that the clouds
which dimmed the horizon at the close of last session are
rapidly dispersing. Mr. Bright, as the leader of the In-
dependent party, by his speech, has pretty clearly indi-
cated that he is prepared to support the Reform Bill of
Lord John Russell, and from his political connections he
must be pretty well aware that the programme of the noble
lord, previous to the dissolution, is the one that will be
adopted by the Cabinet. Indeed, it is ruivi• well under-
stood that those members of the Cabinet who were not
in the first instance. prepared to go so far as Lord John
Russell, have given in; and, therefore, the forthcoming
Reform Bill of the present Administration will be very
nearly identical with that proposed by the noble member
for the city of London. Mr. Bright has done himself
Much honour, and showed much discretion, by the manner
in which he has treated this very difficult question. He
admits at once that the measure falls very far short of
what he could wish ; but his political experience has
taught him (he says) that in this country reform must
be progressive, not absolute. For instance, as regards
the ballot, he feels that it cannot be carried at present,
and, therefore,. although an ardent supporter of the
principle, he is willing to sink it for the moment,
because, constituted as the House of Commons is, he
knows that it would be impossible to carry a Reform
Bill with this clause in it. It is devoutly to be hoped
that the partial sacrifice of Mr. Bright's principles,
owing to the exigencies of the times, will meet with
that approval from his supporters which it so richly
deserves • but it is to be . feared that there are some,
who, with less enlarged minds, are so pledged to extreme
measures, that they will not accept the opportunity of
the honourable compromise proposed by the member for
Birmingham.
Foreign affairs will, of course, be the chief subject
of discussion when Parliament meets. But there will
also be many questions of social reform which will not
be overlooked. Among these is the reform of the cor-
poration of the city of London, the amendment of the
Metropolis Local Management Act, the Divorce Act,
the concentration of the law offices of the Crown, the
public parks, the settlement, if possible, of the educa-
tional question, the amendment of the bankruptcy laws,
&c. ; these are some of the questions that most pressingly
demand investigation ; but there are others, " whose
name is legion," affecting the internal policy of the
country, which must be met, so that Parliament will
have plenty to attend to.

• , •
THE GOVERNOR OF VrcroßrA.—By letters received
iroiiilfelbourne or the 17th 0-deiber, welearn that it
was the intention of his Excellency Sir Henry Barkly,
the governoi of Victoria, to return to England on twelve
months' leave, and during which period General Pratt,
the Commander of the forces, would be acting governor
of that important colony.—Australian and New Zealand
Gazette,

TRAGIC SCENE IN A SWISS BALLROOM.—We read in
the Journal de Geneve :—" On Wednesda evening a
deplorable accident_ occurred .at Lancy,,B,La
_held at
the house of a gentleman in the town. Be ore the
dancing commenced the fire in the saloon had been
carefully covered over with cinders. The first dance
was over, and the secOndabout- to begin, when a young
lady, in passing before the fireplace, swept some cinders
from the firegrato with the hem of her dress. Instantly,
the texture being of the lightest description, the whole
dress was in flames. Rushing into the middle of the
room; she was quickly surrounded by several other
young ladies, who, without dreaming of the danger
they encountered, threw themselves on her, in order to
extinguish the flames. The fire was thus communicated
from one, to the other, and very speedily- five other
youngpersons were on fire._ In the midst of the inde-
scribable confUsion the &Mei-were promptly extin-
guished in three eases, the injury not extending_beyond
a few burns ; unhappily the three other 3,01. g ladies
suffered dreadfully, though not to the absolute cost of
their lives."
VACANCIES, APPOINTMENTS, AND PROMfYrIONS IN
TILE CIVIL SERVICE.—War Office.—Mr. Edwaed George
Pellew Mayers and Mr. Clement Bayly Griffith have
been appointed temporary clerks, and passed their
examinations. The Admiralty.—Mr. '.Philip ' Basden
Smith as, been appointed a temporary, ,clerk, and passed
his examination. Law Department.—A puisne judge-
ship in the Court of Common Pleas has become vacant
by:the death of Mro Zustice Crowder. Charity Com-
--missiou.—Mr. 1-..oPPlnt_Shadivell_has_leea_appainted
a third-class clerk in London, and passed his examina-
tion: General Post-office.=Mrt Richard Corser Owen has
been appointed clerk at Chester, and passeillis examina-
tion. Customs.—Mr. E. A. West has been promoted from
fourth to third class clerk in the London Docks ;;Mr.
has been appointed
George Marshall, from -fifth to fourth class elerkg and
Mr. R. .'• Lacon, from. sixth ,to fifth Class clerk ;', Mr.
John Kilbride has been. promoted from third to second
1-;cYlktidewaiter in londoft.—lnland Revenue Depart-
-1:pdo, mat
ne dd
Depart-
ment : Mr. Edward Allan Robertseson_hilias.,...bsecenoula
a ilamcic!rlkv passediu i
ai n the
Ili:
tCHxoaemran
Henry
1 ityraotßlileaenird.
:GI
sset
ont
senmreaprss
his examination. Mr. Thomas Moore; assistant
surveyor of taxes, for St. George's, Hanovhr-square,
London, has been promoted to be survey:.,%iof taxes at
B.etford, Nottinghamshire. Excise Bra —Messrs.
apasssuepdernumerary surveyor of tax
Rainsfard,, Davis, and Birtchnell, examiners have been
selected to, officiate temporarily in the Inland Revenue
Laboratory., Somerst-house, Mr. James Vine, second
clerk in Salop collection, has . been appointed officer
of Salop third division, at his own request., Ireland.—
The following gentlemen have been appointee!
relerks
in the Registry of Deeds Office, Dublin, and
,slicess-
fully passed their' examinations :----Mr. James ma gee,
Alr-Daniel-O'Connell-Ray Mr. Joseph Ramsay, -Mr.
Daniel O'Connell, Mr: James Francis Swaine, Mr. John
Rollin Wilby, Mr. Bernar Connor, Mr. Benjamin Dow-
ning, Mr. Sampson Courtenay WWatters, Mr. Thomas
`-.•
George Marsh, Mr. John Joseph Costello, Mr. Francis
Alex. Fanning, Mr. Albert Nicholson, Mr. ,
. eamuearant
- McCarthy, Mr. William NicholasT-Mr. David Rogers,
Mr. Ward WalSb, ••Mr. William Ward, and Mr. Daniel
,Kirk. Ceylon.—The Chief Justicpship of Ceylon has
become vacant by the death of Sir 'William Carpenter
Rowe.--Civil Service Gazette. . , _.

ttom Inertial

riflS DAT,

This Day (Ilonday,) the 12th instant, at Twelve o'c:ock, at the,
Brokers'- ()dice, 2, Dale-street,-
3,420 Pieces SAPANWOOD,
ex Granville, in Albert Dock. Apply to
BROWNE, &, CO., .Brokers.

• On account of whom it may concern.
This Day, {Monday,) the 12th instant, at One o'clock, .at the
- Brokers' Office, 10, Exchange-buildings,
A Qtlant:ty of Wet PICiIINGS,
taken off Cotton, per Mont Blanc, from Savannah; lying in
Birkett's, Burton-Arcet. Apply to
THOMPSON & BRADBURY, Broker,-,..

i This Day (31orulay,) the 12th instant, at. Twelve o'clock-; at the
Commercial Saleruom,d'emple-court,
• 622 Large Boxes St. Michael's ORANGES,. ) ex Stork.
. „
56 Sinai! „ • Do. • ' Do.
'
.800.Holf-eltests Aveiro ORANGES, ex Hercules.
409 Large Boxes St. Michael's ORANGES,)
ex Clio.
17 Sunni „ Do. Do. i
248 Large Doses St. Michael's ORANGES, 1 ex Lotus.'
9 Snn..ll „ Do. • Do.
: - 186 Large Boxes St. ,Michael's ORANGES, ex Zig• Zag.
~ .362 Half-chests Lisbon ORANGES, ex Bragain,a. •
i... • 101 Half-chests Lisbon ORANGES ex Arno.
•' • 795 Half-chests Aveiro ORANGES,) ex Aurora.
-.. 110 Flat Boxe.s Do. Do.
589 Boxes Palerno ORANGES, • • .es
29 Cases .1):). Po. . .
51 Boxes Messina Do.. I
ex Corinthian (s).
• - 26 Cases. Naples Do.
22 ~ • Do. •LEMONS,
215 „ Messina Do.
'2OO Boxes Messina ORANGES, ex Robert Cottle.
' • 37 Half-chests !'nrl ONIONS,
.48 Bags French CHESNITTS.
6.
,„ Naples WALNUTS.
. lO- ~ ATessina. NUT,3.
100 „ Spar.is:i. Do.-
.
' Apply to JAMES ADAM, SON, and. CO., Brokers.

FOR •BALE, BY PRIVATE TREATY,
i. The Vine British-built Barque
' CONRAD, A 1.
Atve: 323 tons N.N.M. Now lying in the West India
Export Dock, London. For further particulars
apply to 'Swart and Simpson, 9, Clement's-lane, Lombard-
street, London; or to
CHARLES C_ALLIS, 2, New, Wapping, Liverpool.,