The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-02-27 00:00:00

I From the Allgemeine Zeitung of Feb. IR.]

ODEAAA, I.
It is confirmed that Lord Strangford has received freshFrn. instrue.
taus from his Court, empowering him to continue the negoeiations
far the arrangement of the diffrtenees between the l'orte and
Russia. We are anxious to see what part 111. Minciacky will take
in those negoe'ations, as it is reported here that his mission is
Purely of a mercantile nature. M. V. Minziacky, we suppose,
must bare arrived at Constantinople.
According to the last accounts Goan St. Petersburgh, of the 21th
January, nowt ferences bad yet been held respecting the affairs of
4;Treee, thoJgh the English Minister, Sir C. Begot, had received
instructions on the subject. It seems intended to await the result
Mbuiacky's mission. M. V. Tatisehef, however, will re-
' in at the beginning of March to Vienna, intrusted with a mission,
which ;erhaps may be connected with those affairs.
The .11torra Alkroary states that two tesehrty in an academy in

that town had been wetted at the initwiee of a foreign power.
Their arrest is said to be connected with' those at llalle and
Bielefeld.

Mt ntcn, Fzs. 17.
Yesterday, being the twenty-fifth anniversary of his Majesty's
accession to the throne, was celebrated throughout the kingdom of
Bavaria with extraordinary solemnity, and with every possible de-
monstration of attachment of his subjects. A great promotion in
the army took place a few days before.
His Royal Highness Prince Frederick of the Netherland. arrived
here to-day, and will proceed immediately to Italy.

AMSTERDA, Ix,. 24.
Exchange on London-413 6 ; two months, 314.

Mr. Abercrombie, one of the most sensible and useful
members in the House, last night brought forwari his
motion to extend the elective franchise among the in-
habitants of Edinburgh. The population of that fine city,
the Honourable Member stated, now amounted to one
hundred thousand. The number of householders, who
paid above al. rates, was ten thousand anti upwards, out of
which more than 7,000 had signed the Petition on which
his motion was founded. Mr. Abercrombie contended
that the most influential individuals through Scotland—that
those who possessed the guidance of public opinion in that
country, were all anxious for a reform of the represents.
lion, in which the people had now no share whatever. In ;
fact (the Hon. Member stated), nineteen persons, compos-
I
ing the Town Council, elected the Member for Edinburgh,
of whom the inhabitants at la-?e knew nothing until they
saw his name in the Geeette. The lion. Gentleman con-
eluded
an able and impressive speech, by moving for leave
to bring in a Bill to extend the elective franchise in Edin- 1
burgh. Lord Binning, in a long and discursive address., I
thought proper to oppose the motion, and on very weak
and insufficient grounds. Ile de:elided the antiquated
monopoly of the Burghs of Scotland, anti referred to the
' Articles of Union between the two countries, which, he
said, guaranteed their present privileges to the corporate
towns, as held by them, at the period of the Union. The
Noble Lord repeated the stale anti hackneyed assertion, so
often bandied from the benches where he sits, that the
motion of Mr. Abercrombie was an endeavour to bring about
a piecemeal reformation of the other towns anti cities
through the empire. lie very teiettg appealed to the in-
creasing prosperity of Edinburgh, as a proof of the happy
state of its inhabitants, and deprecated in consequence any
political interference with their existing situation. This
was a very sage argument, no doubt, that in proportion as
the inhabitants of Edinburgh, or any other large city, are
numerous, wealthy, and enlightened, their privileges ought
to be diminished, and all political rights denied them.
They arc largely taxed, and assessed by local Acts and
otherwise, but are to have no power to choose or reject
their representative. Thus, on any constitutional change in
the representation being proposed to-morrow, or a motion
made to extend the right of election to Manchester, Bir-
mingham, Sheffield, Leeds, awl other wealthy manufac-
turing towns, the argument in opposition to it, according
to Lord Binning's precious theory, would be, " Deny all
political privileges to these places, because they have grown
rich and populous without them, while a number of the
wretched boroughs, returning Members to Parliament,
arc in poverty and decay. We arc no advocates for
any violent change in the representation, though we
arc convinced that a moderate and coustitutional re-
form must yet take place. But it is impossible to
defend the unjust and antiquated monopoly of the
Scotch Burghs, on any one principle of political justice;
anti the Scotch representation, with few exceptions, is a
striking example of the effects ar:sieg from it. Sir John
Newport, in speaking of the question, said that all the eu-
logittms be heard in the House of Commons were, with
few exceptions, the same as were heard in the Irish Par-
liament previous to the surrender of the independent legis-
lature of that country. A eulogy on that Parliament
indeed told well. There were some pure and excellent
men who sat within its walls, but, with few exceptions,
it was a most corrupt assembly, anti those who shared the
corruption praised it loudly. Mr. Kennedy supported Mr.
Abercrombie's motion : he contended that the articles of
union referred solely to corporate rights, but not to the
right of monopoly in sending Members to Parliament.
On a division the question was lost by a comparatively
small majority, anti the announcement was received with
cheers on the Opposition benches. The Member for Eshin-
burgh said nothing in defence of his nineteen constituent
electors. If in the House, he was Orator Mum ! Mr.
Canning was expected to speak on the general qucsticn of
Reform, and the House in consequence was very full at
the commencement of the debate. The Foreibm Secretary,
however, committed the whole peril of the war to his
friend Lord Binning, and reserved his triumphant elo-
quence for the general question, when brought forward
later in the Session.

Mr. Martin was unsuccessful in his second attempt at
legislation last night. Ile brought his bear unmuzzled
into the House, but he could not make him dance, or tie
the bull to the stale:'. His bill to prevent the classic and
humane sports of bull and bear baiting, with a touch of
sympathy also for his friends the badgers, was unfortu-
nately lost; and the th:g " Billy," and the combative mon-
key " Jaco Macaco," will thus again appear in " Charley
Eastup's" crowded arena, applauded by butchers, knights of
the fancy, and the light-fingered artists commonly called
pickpockets. The Member for Galway will, in consequence
of this disaster, have all his sympathies limited to Smith-
field, where he has already been really useful ; anti there his
attention may still do much good. Sir Robert Heron was
humorously severe upon Mr. Martin's philanthropy, which,
to say the truth, was not quite a subject for British legisla-
tion, though Acts of Parliament had hitherto passed
unopposed, the spirit of which was nothing near so humane,
and the objects of them much more unworthy. We would
direct Mr. Martin's hone3i zeal to the Landlord and Tenant
Act of Ireland, and to the remedy of many of the miseries
to which his own conitituents anal the peasantry of Ireland
are now subject : these are evils with which he must be
well acquainted, and an attention to which would be
honourable to hint, and too serious to be followed with
ridicule. Why will he pals these by—scenes of real,
heartfelt sufFering—and consume his own time and that of
the House with the farce of "bulls and bears?" lie
might leave them to the speculators of Change-alley. .fed
de get:tabus non rst dispulandum—there is no accounting
for tastes; and Mr. Martin seems to have a peculiar guilt)
for this outrc, legislation.

If the cause of the Catholics of Ireland could suffer
from the wretched folly and intemperance of individuals
connected with it. the weekly harangues that have appcartsi
frown that conclave of half-a-dosen barristers' and boys,
called an Awociation, in Dublin, must have brought utter,
hopelessness in their dull train long since. Dui the claims,
of the people of Ireland to equal liberty, rest cu the basis of
eternal justice; they are too powerful to be weakened by
the wickedness or infatuation of bail conspirators among
themselves. While thi, pressure of distress existed in this'
country, the street dceamation of such menu llunt, Wat-

son, Thistlewoocl, and others, was swallowed by hungry
mobs : with the return of employment and plenty, discon-
tent and the demagogues' plans soon fled their memory ;
and the same hearers, who, but a few months before, drank
in the calumnies poured upon them, with greedy ears,
at once turned from the authors with hatred and contempt.
The parallel is the same in Ireland, only that the influence
of the agitators there never was so great. They find a few
partisans among the lowest orders of the great towns, be-
cause discontent and poverty always herd together: but if
the mechanics and labourers of Ireland were employed, end
the peasantry enabled to live in their cottages with hope or
comfort, Mr. O'Connel might roar till the "track of doom,'•
and Mr. Mkt talk ten times the amount of the tragic trash he
has written, without a solitary hearer to listen or app:auil
either. But it is the Dublin Papers, after all, that arc to,
blame for the mischiefs produced : they give publicity to
the infatuated nonsense spoken for an hour or two each Sa-
lturday, by three or four individuals of this association,
and add a consequence to it, it could not otherwise possess.
The frothy speeches of any obscure debating society, if
reported, would be just as interesting and important. The
Dublin Journals record these harangues, for want of local
matter beside to fill their columns; and thus all the pur-
poses of the junta are accomplished ; we should otherwise
hear no more of theirs : their council-room would soon be
I empty, if they but for one week Gassed Ka' ppear in print.
' Notoriety, no matter how acquired, is ad Mr. O'Connell
looks for; but his recollections might make Lim somewhat
more attentive to troth, when he chooses to introduce the
name of this paper in his harangues; and a moment's re-
flection ought to have whispered to him that such a sub-
! ject was the very last that should have dwelt on his lips.
We cannot descend to the level of his coarse calumnies;
the hint will be sufficient to awaken Iris remembrance, and
any further cxp!anation, we hope from us, unnecessary.
The report prepared and read by him, in that Association,
would have disgraced even Cromwell's fanatics ; its bigotry
was only equalled by its folly ; the grossness of both
rendered it utterly harmless: such a composition might
go forth at any time—it could do no harm. The rant
about a Member of the Royal Family was of the same
character. We regret sincerely the erroneous impressions
adopted by his Royal Highness the Duke of York, on the
important subject of the Catholic claims : we do so un-
feignedly, from the Duke's high station and influence, and
the many excellent qualities he is known to possess beside.
But can such offensive unbecoming language as that re-
potted in the Dublin papers, disarm prejudice, or conciliate
a powerful opponent ? Is it not, cn the contrary, calcu-
lated to confirm political hostility beyond all hopes of
change, and thus make the next reign one of decided ex-
clusion to the Catholics? Is it thus any rational or well-
meaning man would reason ? But Mr. O'Connell's mouth
is a crater, from whence the lava of violence and folly
flows in an uninterrupted tide. His brain is a volcano that
is never tranquil. We fear the discussion of the Catholic
Question this Session will receive little accession from such
vituperation. Between the Orange Divans on one hand,
and the Capel-street Association on the other, the Marquis
Wellesley cannot find his Government quite a bed of roses.