The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-12 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, FEBIIUARY 12, 1869.

The afflicted class, which includes the blind, the
deaf and dumb, and the incurable and idiot, takes
£70,000, while Class G, for general assistance,
demands £Bl,OOO, of which £32,000 is for Food
Relief.
Mr. HICKS argues, with considerable force, that
the very names of some of our charities seem to speak
for themselves of the inefficiency of the:Poor-law or its
administrators. A Poor-law:ought to be so administer-
ed as to make charities for the hous4ess and homeless,
refuges for the destitute, and associations of the kind,
totally unnecessary. Outside the area of the Poor-
law there must always be, as Mr. llrcK reminds us,
large scope for the action of individual charity ; but
at present the public, instead of supplementing the
relief by the Poor-law, is, and has been doing for
years past, the work of the Poor-law itself.

00JARBOONDERCE PRE PARIS.

(mom OUR OWN CORRESPRDENT.)

PARIS, THURSDZ, February 11.
Greece has accepted the decision of to Conference, but
we are as yet entirely without details f the terms upon
which the agreement has been mad, or whether the
acceptance is unreserved. The pauc.y of news from
the East during the last few days is inexplicable.
It has caused the semi-official ppers to abate
some of their confidence even then the issue
seems now to be assured. They as much afraid that
the acceptance by Greece will be acompanied by some
very awkward reservation. In other !expects the aspect
of political affairs was never more aeerless. There is
absolutely nothing doing. The Corps7Agislatif will meet
on Friday to discuss the City of Paris ;oan, but of general
interest there is nothing on the cards.
Three chairs are now vacant in th French Academy.
Such a thing has not been known fo a century. Who
will fill them is still an open queeion, fur there are
several candidates, not one of whom; I believe, is in all
respects satisfactory.
Public curiosity is not to be gratifies by a cause célèbre
in the shape of the bonbon poisoning cse. It is not to be
tried. The affair has become more iysterious, but less
tragical. It was at first thought that 3ertain authorities
in high places, fearing revelations whip would be painful
to the distinguished family involved had managed to
arrange that the Polish count shouldnot be brought to
trial. His punishment would be lit poor compen-
sation for the injury and disgrace of the exposure.
Whether this be the true explanation omot, it is certainly
not the one given. It is now stated tht the bonbons con-
tained no poison, and that there is theriore no ground for
a trial. But if there is no ground fora trial, why has
Count ICzidniakowaki been ordered to leave France ? If
there were no ground for an accusatioi, the Government
would not be justified in ordering he Count out of
the country. There is ranch reasoi to believe that
the former version of the story is the .rue one ; that the
Beauffremont family have found it t( their interest to
hush up the affair, and the Count has been banished to
avoid exposure. Comment on such a mole of administering
justice is n :edless. Arbitrary proceedings of this kind are
the rule now in France.
The Berryer subscription has produced 24,000. The
question now is, what is to be done with it. A pair of
statues is contemplated, but surely the money might be
better employed.
At the ball given by the Minister of the Interior and
Madame Forcade de la Moquette, the lanes' dresses were
nearly all in the style of Louis the Fifteenth's reign, high
headdresses and powder being worn. We are told that
"the success of the powder was completv," whatever may
be the signification of such a triumph.
A day or two ago an exciting balloon ascent was mane
by two aeronauts of great skill. They went up to a great
height and met with a tremendous south-west gale, which
carried them forward with unparalleled rapidity. In
thirty-five minutes after setting out they were obliged to
cast anchor, having made no less than fifty-six miles in
that space of time. Casting anchor, however, was one
thing, and getting out another. The wind
was still extremely powerful in the lower strata
of the atmosphere, and the balbon was dragged
over the ground for a space of about three miles. The
inhabitants gave chase, and at length the two travellers

It is quite evident that the whole question needs a
thorough examination. There is money enough spent
in London every year to render deaths from starva-
tion impossible, and yet how many persons, especially
women and children, do annually sink from long-
continued want it would be hazardous to guess. Far
too large a proportion of the money raised is absorbed
iu the machinery of the societies. Salaries, rent, fur-
niture, and other similar expenses consume much of it.

It has been estimated that a fourth of the money
collected is spent in this manner, and the returns
favour this impression. There are many small insti-
tutions for the same object, which might, with
advantage, be amalgamated ; there are others
which might be more economically and efficiently
administered. Our charities, like our other time-hon-
oured institutions, need reform, and the opportunity
has now come for reforming them with full advan-
tage. The amount is large, but not excessive. Lon-
don can very well afford two millions, or twice two
millions, annually out of her enormous wealth for the
relief and the succour of those who at the best must
be content with the crumbs which fall from the rich
man's table ; but the question is not how much is
spent, but how it is spent, and whether the desired
end is fully attained with the greatest degree of
efficiency and the minimum of expense.

WHILE the air is thick with rumours of difficulties
among the political leaders of the nation, there is an
unusual outburst of loquaciousness on the part of less
prominent politicians. Conservatives have been feasting
at Birmingham, Liberals at Croydon, a Cardinal
has been the guest of the new Lord-Lieutenant of
Ireland, and seven bishops have been—not to the
Tower—but to Fishmongers' Hall, on the other side
of London Bridge, where they were feasted by
the Prime Warden. Out of all this talk it
ought to be possible to extract something like
definite statements and a clear policy. Yet we
find it hard to do so. Conservative eloquence was
confined for the most part to mild sarcasms at the
expense of Mr. BRIGHT, justifications of the leap in
the dark, and prophecies of a repetition of the Reform
drama, in which the Liberals would again prove
bunglers, and have to hand over the settlement of
the Irish Church to their opponents. No doubt these
will be quite willing to undertake that or any other
measure which they have hitherto denounced,
The
Dublinif tiieybancqatillet Itvhaesreabyverydisshpletihidieidr
affriaviarl,s but Earl
SPENCER had to avoid party politics, and in doing
so, dosed his fellow-diners with statistics so dry that
it must have taken a good deal of wine to wash them
down. The chief event of the evening was the
marked deference shewn by the Viceroy to "that
illustrious Prince of the Catholic Church, his
Eminence Cardinal CULLEN."
We must turn to the Liberal dinner at Guildford
for anything like a definite expression of Liberal
ideas and intentions. Mr. ONsLow, who has been
offered office in the present Administration, and who
refused it, we believe solely because of the uncer-
tainty of his re-election, has great hopes from the
commercial policy of the present Government. lle
said that we could well afford to rest on the laurels
we had already won, and he hoped that " the th'n
red line," of which Englishmen had always been so
proud, would never be found fighting again the
battles of continental Powers, from whom we
gained but little thanks." Sir WENTWORTII DILKE
mentioned that his experience at Wallingford had she wn
him the necessity of adopting the Ballot, for in that
agricultural constituency, miscalled a borough, he got
from at least one-third of the voters the answer, "I votes
as master votes." We commend this fact to the
notice of the Reform League, and all persons who
think that the Liberal cause would be strengthened
by the assimilation of the county to the borough
franchise. Lord HOUGHTON, who as Mr. MoNeKToN
MILNES was a follower of that most Conservative of
Ministers, Lord PAIXERSTON, frankly avowed that
noh
ife
dhaea
rdca
.1
to bez eepenon
tlyvi
eo
ar
ao r
sl
cg ha,
agi
g. se os
pf
Forra
or p a
os s hels
tbhayna
tdc
e,au
opposedßeformerspartiesthe
are Reformers now, and there is no statesmanship in
being so. But Mr. Loehr: KING was a Reformer years
ago, and he used to advocate Reform when it seemed
a hopeless cause, and when his perseverance was
GllTaoreN
wio•ernthlarakedd,ozeinvhovisicoannary forecast
statesmen—
thethe
rewarded only by defeat. Men like these, as Lord
ifuture,°lT
consciousnessunootihlsetoirtiuetsioonfaltheactCs.onsiNtiirt.utixonD,i,nG ordergot
statesmen who evolve out of their own
to
a reception which his firm adherence to Reform,
through evil report, deserved. He it was who won
the Liberal battle in East Surrey twenty years ago,
and won it so thoroughly that it has been main-
tained ever since. He contended that Mr. GLAD-
STONE had shewn himself an admirable tactician in
taking the sense of Parliament upon the Irish Church
last year, instead of waiting until after the general
election—a delay that would have involved another
appeal to the nation. Mr. BUXTON'S speech was the
speech of the evening. He pointed out that the present
Cabinet differed from preceding Liberal Cabinets,
because while these were confined almost exclusively
to men of the highest aristocratic position, the present
has the popular element paramount. In fact we have
a Government borne to power by the irresistible will
of the people a Government imbued with the spirit
of the people, and determined to carry out the popu-
lar will. Evidently Mr. BUXTON considers that the
first work which the Government will have to accom-
plish is one of great difficulty. Disestablishment is
no easy task, but the appropriation of the funds will
prove the real crux that will try the quality of the
Ministry. Ile would have it remembered that Irish
Church property was left originally by Irishmen for
Irish purposes, and would have that principle
respected in the distribution of the Church property.
That done, and he had no fear of opposition from the
Lords, who were too wise a body to follow the
example of the Ceylon elephant which charged a rail-
way train. He gave great praise to the Ministry for
their reductions in the public expenditure. He praised
them because they were acting as trustees of the nation,
bound to account to them for the money spent,
instead of being at liberty to use it in promoting the
interests ofrfomtheirdisozargpianr
gty
u;
solbound,ess
officialstoo , nobtectaoubsee
Governmenteven
n 0 t ht a r
es
been
(etiaNsi,
in doing so they might have to inflict pain, and
point
eft upon
llithert
Ns,
eu sufficiently \*Nfril: oes
only so
nation desirA it and insisted upon it. To economise
on principle is a new feature in statesmanship, most
welcome, most commendable.

managed to arrest the progress of tie dangerous convey-
ance, which fifty stout arms straightway placed in safety.
One aeronaut was unhurt,:the other dightly injured on the
head and foot. It is noteworthy that the temperature in

the upper regions was much higher than on the group,
Perhaps the south-west wind accounts for this.

A most singular attempt at murder is reported from
Fontenay-aux-Roses, a pretty village in the neighbourhood
of Paris. It appears that some dais ago a worthy shoe•
maker of the village, who always paid his rent regularly,
carried the periodical sum to his landlord—an individual
not in the enjoyment of any great renown for
liberality. He presented his mmey, and demanded a
receipt. "It is not ready," was the reply ;"I w:II give
you the receipt to-morrow." But the shoemaker would

not give up his money until he got the acknowledgment,
and so the landlord grumblingly made it out. The
exchange Was then cautiously made, the shoemaker
• •

giving up the money with one hand and receiving the
paper with the other. But no sooner bad the land-

lord got the money than he snatched away the receipt.
A portion of it remained, however, in the hand
of the shoemaker, who, observing this, astutely went away.
Soon he was sued for the rent again. The portion of the
receipt was produced in court, and the shoemaker came off
triumphant. The exasperated landlord, foiled and
degraded, took the first opportunity of firing a double-
barrelled gun at his tenant, He missed his fire, and is
now in custody.

Three persons confined in the Castle of Thun, in Swit-
zerland, have made a very determined attempt to escat e.
They had made a hole in the wall of their cell, and, by

„ -
tearing their bed clothing into strips, had formed a rope.
The first man who attempted to descend bad scarcely
launched hhuself into the open space when a knot of the

cord slipped and the man fell from a height of seventy

Feet on to the pavement of the courtyard. He was killed.
gis companions, as was to be expected, then abandoned

their project.

THE WEATHER TABLE.-THIS DAY.

METEOROLOGICAL RETORTS.

But, after all has been:said, we are still in the dark
as to the attitude of the Government with regard to
the Irish Church question. There is reason to think
that the Cabinet is not so entirely of one mind on
this' subject as the Liberal party could desire. If this
be so, we are scarcely likely to have a very definite
statement of policy from Ministers at the banquet
which comes off to night at Fishmongers' Hall.
Rarely has a Minister had to speak under more
critical circumstances than those under which Mr.
GLADSTONE will address to-night's illustrious gather-
ing.

Extreme Sea
Friday, ''''?' F. 0
Feb. 12, B. T. W. W. Ito F. D. WR. to
8 a.m. 12 9
---_ _
------ ------ I---
Nairn - ....
1 5 Kw, o.rb o'os 1
Aberdeen
Leith
iihields . 29 9.1. 43 N.W.
42 S.W. 1 4 c.f. 2
Scarborough 29'95f. 39 a W.N.W. 1 3 W. c.f. 2
Yarmouth 291.6f. 44 43 S. 2 3 W.N.W. o. 2
Helder - --— —:
Milt Srell - _
Skild CISMS —'—
Ardrossau
Green castle 29151. 38 a N.W. 2
1 4 W.N.W. rhc o'oB—
Liverpool
Valentia 29'9a. 44 42 Z. 0 2 N.W. mro,o'os 0
Cape Clear -
Roche a FL 2919 f. 40 ,
~.N.E. 4 4 N.E. r. 0'62 2
Penzance
Plymouth
Weymouth 29"92f. 52 50 S.W. 1 1 S.W. r.o. o'2l 2
Portsmouth 29911. 51 50 W.8.1v. 6 6 W.S.W. 0. (Pm 5
London ,
Brest ...... 33'041. 52 50 S.W.
L'Orient.... 3018 f. 52 50 S.W. I '7' —B..—W.. o.
-- 44
Roch e fox t.. 30'35f. 52 50 W. 5 g m_iy.
.. 2
Biarritz .... 30'41f. 50 48 N.N.W. 3 n el'. _ 3
Corunna....
--
Brussels.... '——
Paris
3trasbourB —
-- -- --
TLoYu"loan—:,
--i isz--.w. i.c.
__-- —5
Heart's Con-
tent (9 a.m.
local time) — --
'—

=PLANATION
Barometer corrected and reduced to
32 deg, at sea level. The
letter r,rising ; f, falling ; 5, steady—lndicates direction of motion
of the mercury within last 14 hours Thermometer exposed in,
shade. Extreme Force with its Direction during last 24 hours
Z.—calm. Weather : b.—blue sky c•—clouds, detached ; f.-- fog
h.—hail : I. lightning hazy: o.—overcast, dull ;
rain ; s.—snow ; t.—thunder. Rain-fall, snow or hail (melted)
daring last 24 hours. Sea disturbance.

THE MINISTERIAL BANQUET.

ingly ; and if we are true to ourselves, the House ol
Commons will be true to us, and the country will be true
Mr. Gladstone has become a Fishmonger, and enrolled S to them.
his name after Mr. Peabody's and Mr. Cobden's in the Mr. BRIGHT responded to the "Trade and Commerce
roll-book of the famous Liberal corporation—the same of the United Kingdom." Ho was received with specially
which had, two days previously, entertained "the seven long and demonstrative cheering, and spoke with much of
bishops" at their " grand old hall." Great interest was his usual frankness. Alluding to the great change in the
naturally felt in the proceedings at the banquet which I House of Commons, he remarked that the only injury
followed the "swearing in " of the Premier, seeing that which the " great revolution " had done was the slaying
this was the first time the new Ministry had presented of certain reputations. After some general remarks on
itself as a body in public. Mr. Gladstone's speech con- his department, the President of the Board of Trade passed
tained as much as anyone could expect at a banquet. It at once into very precise details of policy. He said : The
did not forestall the Queen's Speech, but it contained i other day at Glasgow an address was presented to the
quite sufficient pledges as to the policy of the Government, I Minister of the United States, and many good things were
He began by denying the rumours that he was about to I said, and there was one piece of good advice given, in the
depart from the policy laid down by him during the elec- hope and expression that the principles of free trade would
tions. "It is sometimes said and thought— perhaps take root and spring up and extend in the United •
lightly, though occasionally with a degree of truth— States. Well, we all say that ; but we no great right
that the changes of parties are but changes of Ito lecture other people. As far al we are concerned
men, and that with the transition from one side of the in this country, we have no protective duties ;
House of Commons to the other, pledges, opinions, and I all men are equal in regard to their industry
principles are compromised or forgotten. It can hardly iin its sale to any other country in the world, and we
be feared that on this occasion such is likely to be the case. are all equal in our right to reoeive back from every
I look to the characters, experience, and ability of the country what every country can offer. But if we were
friends with whom I have the honour to be associated ; i Americans, and were discussing the conduct of England,
and I believe that such an appeal, if it were made, would we could not say that England has established free trade
be effectual. But the nation has other guarantees for our i because protective duties are abolished, but we should say
fulfilment, to the best of our abilities, of the purpose for England is far from having established free trade, beca.u.se
which we have been called. Never in our history— she still receives more than twenty millions sterling per
certainly not within the history of living man, annum at her custom-houses, and prohibits the natural
has there been an occasion upon which the issue extension of trade with many articles which aro of first
raised at a general election was more intelligibly and I necessity to her people. I will not say that wine is an
distinctly raised than when the late House of Commons, article of first necessity. Some say it is; but at any rate
condemned by the Government of the day, was summoned we may say that sugar, tea, and coffee are articles of the
to the bar of popular opinion, there to receive its final first necessity, and yet upon them we levy a duty still of
acquittal or condemnation. Every man who bad to give 50 per cent. ; and an American might say that, especially
his 'suffrage throughout the country knew for or against i if he came fr omtmheanSytapteeopolfe
tVhiinrkginnoiat,aovnerythNevhpolreosdounicee
what that suffrage was to be given ; and if the issue was of his State, which
distinct, the verdict also has been distinct—for upon no thing, we levy a dutyof something like 300 per cent. Now
occasion has the nation made its meaning more clearly if I am not absolutely silenced by entrance into the
known, or laid down alike for those who are the objects Government, I shall take repeated opportunities of bring-
of its preference, and for those whose opinions it tug my colleagues before the bar of public opinion. I
was disposed to put aside—laid down with greater shall say that lam at the head of a department which
clearance the lines of public policy and of action." is permitted to advise ; that we have in our department
Nearly every sentence of this declaration was received men of remarkable ability in connection with commercial
with cheers, and "applause" was very loud when the affairs ; that in all questions submitted to them—and
right hon. gentleman went on to say—" lam not about to many are almost daily, from the Foreign Office and else-
anticipate that sketch or outline of the policy and where—they give good advice, but very little of it,
measures of the session which must, within a few days, be unfortunately, is accepted or followed. My right
communicated to Parliament and to the world, but with- hon. friend opposite, who spoke just now about the
out telling any secrets, those who have taken part in the House of Commons, says, with a most absolute air,
struggles of last autumn, and especially those who watched " This thing cannot be done ; the Abyssinian expe-
the determining issues of the last session of Parliament dition must be paid ; the estimates are so and so ; the
may well judge that we, who took upon ourselves the surplus is so small ; the proposition is so unreasonable, the
heavy responsibility of raising and submitting to thing cannot for a moment be entertained." And then the
the judgment of the Legislature such a question as the i unfortunate Board of Trade finds itself shut up for giving
continuance of the religious establishment in one of the
.advice which cannot be acted upon. The new Parliament,
three kingdoms, may well judge that we, having been I hope—and I cannot agree with the
.Chancellor of the
permitted thus far to make good our ground—to make I Exchequer that there is positive uncertainty as to what
good, in the first instance, by repeated divisions in the it will do—will do something positive and intelligent on
House of Ccmmons after due discussion, and to make it this question of economy. When the majority in the
good, above all, in that which our opponents are careful to House of Commons is so small as it has been for many
tell us, and not unjustly to tell us, was the final meaning years back, there is a great temptation on the part of the
of the deed ; that baying, proceeded thus far, having thus Ministry and leader of the House of Commons to adopt
set our hands to the plough, we are not likely to look various foolish propositions leading to an increased expen-
back, but to face it—to go steadily onwards, and to perse. diture in order, as it were, to buy the support of various sec-
rete, with prudence, indeed, and with consideration, but tions in the House, but with the majority which has been re-
without hesitation, and without delay, to the end we have f turned to this Parliament, a majority so large—it may be
in view." Mr. Gladstone then went on to say that he nominal, as somebody has called it, or it may turn out to
was encouraged in the task he had commenced by the con. ibe real—l say with such a majority as that returned by
stitutional knowledge and character of thesovereign, by the real constituencies throughout the country, the country
character and abilities of those who had determined to co- has a right to expect from the Government a stronger
operate with him in forming an administration, by the hand in dealing with the national expenditure than we
concurrence of the public judgment in the policy he was have hitherto seen. I apologise for saying all this. Perhaps
about to propose, and by the deep conviction that that it is not considered right. It is not, however, very common,
policy was one of justice, and for the public weal. "If I find, at public dinners for public speakers to be very
there be curiosity as to the course which the Government i much in earnest, but the fact is that with me these things
is endeavouring to follow, and will pursue shortly after the are, and have always been, very serious things. If I
opening of the session, lam afraid I must not attempt at have given my life to them, and have sacrificed any
this moment to gratify that most natural and intelligible interests-of my family to them, so it is because I believed
sentiment; but I do venture to give a pledge that not a they were serious; and there is no walk in life,
moment will be lost in the maturing of those measures none whatever, to which a man is more bound to
which, when produced and explained, will, 'believe, alluvia bring serious convictions and serious conduct than
a full gratification," The Premier then went on to con. in the management and advocacy of public affairs.
gratulate himself and 'the meeting on the great Liberal Mr. Bright was then "down upon" the bishops. I might
victory gained at the elections. But such a great victory I ask the Prime Warden, and his predecessor in his digni-
was not without dangers. It might produce slackness of fled office, whether they have ever had here so jolly a
mind, and no great force would overcome errors of general. company as that of the other night. (Loud laughter ; the
ship. " But if it shall be our happy lot to avoid these reference being to the banquet to the bishops.) I almost
dangers, then I will venture to say that never were public envy those right rev. gentlemen, so light and airy were
men more happy in the nature of the tasks which they they. What an extraordinary point of imagination that
have been called upon to take in hand. For what cane be man must have arrived at who could say that life peerages,
an object dearer either to the understanding or to the the ecclesiastical peers, were really the only liberal
heart of man than an endeavour to bring about element in the House of Lords. (Roars of laughter,)
throughout the whole of this vast community that That may be true, but if it be, I very much pity all the
union of feeling and interest which, even in the degree rest of the House of Lords. (Renewed laughter.) There
we have hitherto possessed it, has been the source of was an old Syrian monk I read of many years ago
our strength, but which still presents to view here and named Ephraim Cyrus, and when they wanted to make
there some points on which it is fatally defective, and him a bishop he was terrified at the idea of undertaking
which we wish to bring up to that condition in which that then laborious and perilous office, and he feigned
every man will almost forget whether he is a Scotchman, madness and absconded, that he might avoid it. When
an Englishman, or an Irishman in the sense of conscious- my right hon, friend at the head of the Government asked
ness of his belonging to a common country ? For cen. me to become one of his colleagues, I did not for a
tunics we have been associated together in political wrongs; moment think of feigning ma,dne:is, but I was on the
for centuries our policy, so successful in most respects, point of absconding by an express train on the North-
has failed to attain the great and paramount purpose of Western DuhtetilfwEr iihieraNiinrolueldyriuisav leiadprli:f-eedrreidn
carrying that sense of brotherhood throughout theour day, whether
three kingdoms associated under the rule of her Majesty, madness or absconded if they had asked him to be made
We are now called upon to make a great and supreme a bishop. My hon. friends around me laugh, as if such
eirnt for that purpose. In a day it cannot be done. By a thing as that was absolutely impossible. But, judging
a single measure it cannot be done : nay, it may be that from the men, some of whom we have known as
by many measures the whole result cannot be produced as bishops, Ido not think that anything need to be wou-
an immediate consequence of acts of legislation. But we dered at; and if I had been a bishop, with an income of
have to deal with a people certainly not less susceptible from £5,000 to 215,000 a year, why, it is very likely I
than ourselves, not less capable of gratitude, attachment, might have been as full of humour as those right rev.
and affection— not less inspired with a true and genuine gentlemen were. I might have been as merry as any of
love of justice. I have faith in a policy which is founded them, because I should have had an inexhaustible source
upon justice. This is the opinions with which I of rejoicing and merriment, certainly in the generosity, if
and all the colleagues with whom I am associated not in the credulity, of my countrymen. I trust to your
desire to approach the consideration of the Irish Church forgiveness for making this little speech. To speak as a
-question. We well know that there is nothing we can do Cabinet Minister is a thing so strange to me—as strange
in any other department of the public interest or of public at one time as it would have been if I had been made a
affairs which can possibly compensate for failure with bishop—that I hope I may be pardoned for anything I
regard to the Irish question. But I won't ask you— may have said or left unsaid. I thank you very heartily
or, if I may so say, allow you for one moment—to sup-
for your kindness in the new and strange position in which
pose that because we are in heart and mind to make this lam placed. (Loud cheers.)
OUT first and paramount object, we shall therefore be
forgetful of the other great interests of this country.
In truth, sir, there is but one consideration that tends, I
think, to depress and sadden the mind of public men, and
that is, the consideration how the demands of those inte-
rests in this vast and diversified empire, multiplied far
beyond the powers of human time, intelligence, and
strength, are to be met. In every department of the
State it has been endeavoured so to distribute the strength
that we may possess as to secure the efficient discharge of
public duty.
Mr. LOWE responded for the House of Commons.
After remarking. that one of the great blessings of the
country—undisputed succession—was not extended to the
House of Commons, the Chancellor of the Exchequer at
once proceeded to the question of economy. He said :
The House of Commons comes in pledged, as the Govern-
ment is pledged, to rigid economy in the public expendi-
ture. Here we get rather into difficulties—because
though I have remarked that no man ever objected to
economy in the abstract, no man ever saw abstract
economy practised in this world. As soon as it
ceases to be the abstraction, and decends into
the region of 'concrete, economy becomes one of the
most distasteful matters in the world. If it is economy
of public stores and munitions—shall I say pens, for
instance ?—it is meanness and it is cheeseparing unworthy
.of a great nation. Every man mends his own pens when
they won't write any more, but it seems intolerable that a
Government clerk should be asked to mend his. Is it
public politics where millions have to be employed—where
millions have been befOre lavished with very doubtful
results? Then we are told that a thing of beauty is a joy
for ever. Is it the most painful act of economy, the
economy of reducing the staff of offices, which is recom-
mended? Then the sympathies of the public—and, I fear,
the sympathies of the House of Commons—go with the
small minority, and there is necessarily suffering for the
public good. Now, I hope better things for the House
of Commons. I hope it will show among the virtues
which belong to its station public spirit, and that when
there is a question, and there is nearly always, between
the public and some class of individuals, it will array
itself on its own side—on the side of the public, and not
on the side of individuals; and I hope, moreover, we shall
no longer have that strange inversion of functions we
now witness in the theory that the House of Commons
is the guardian of the purse of the people, and
that the parsons who are to be dreaded as likely
to invade that purse are the Ministers of the Crown.
People think the [louse of Commons represents.
the economy of the public, and that the Ministers of the
Crown represent the desire to spend, and are, in fact, -a
profligate executive. 'rho fact is exactly contrary. The
House of Commons, instead of being the guardian of the
public purse, is the source of increased expenditure, and
the department whic'i the Mouse of Commons ought to
chce!:, being saddled %% WI the responsibility- of the matter,
is most s'nnuous and :no it uuceasing in its exertions to
retrench. I Lope that these things wi:l be altered, not
that the department over which I have the honour to
preside will become anxious for extravagance, but that the
House of Commons will be so kind as to give us a little
assistance in reducing the expenditure, or at least pre-
venting its increase. After a few remarks to the same effect,
the right hon. gentleman concluded by saying : Yoe
know that the country has lately been divided on the
most momentous question of modern days. On that
question it has answered in no doubtful or ambiguous
voice. The present Government is backed by a majority
unexampled in history. That majority throws upon us
great obligations, and I trust we shall be equal to the
occasion. and shall discharge those obligations

The Echo understands that a Bankruptcy Bill
will be among the announcements in the Speech from the
Throne.

THE SIAMESE TWINS.—Sir W. Fergusson has
carefully examined the twins, and, we understand,
concurs in the general opinions of surgeons, that any
surgical separation would be most likely attended with
fatal consequences, not so much on account of any
obstacle presented by the structure of the uniting band
of flesh, as the moral effect of the disunion on the two
brothers.

THE LATE MR. KEBLE AND THE IRISH ESTA-
BLISHMENT.—In his "Memoir of the Rev. John Keble,
M.A.," Sir J. T. Coleridge publishes a letter from Father
Newman, describing an interview with Keble in 1865, from
which we extract the following passage :—" Mr. Gladstone's
rejection at Oxford was talked of, and I said that I really
thought that had I still been a member of the university
I must have voted against him, because he was giving up
the Irish Establishment. On this Keble gave me one of
his remarkable looks, so earnest and so sweet, came close
to me, and whispered in my ear (I cannot recollect the
exact words, but I took them to be), `And is not that
just ?' It left the impression on my mind that he had no
great sympathy with the Establishment in Ireland as an
establishment, and was favourable to the Church of the
Irish."

THREE PERSONS DROWNED. —A shocking acci-
dent happened on Wednesday evening, on the quay by the
side of the River Severn,- at Worcester, where at the time
was a menagerie of wild beasts, and the music attracted a
crowd of people. Among them were a young girl named
Priscilla Clarke, aged 18, and a youth named Francis
Glover, employed at an iron foundry. These two young
people were larking together, when the girl ran backwards
and fell off the quay into the river, which happens to be
much swollen with flood waters, and is very deep. Glover,
seeing the accident that had befallen his companion,
jumped into the water to save her, and caught the young
woman by the clothes. He called loudly for help ; but
although the accident was witnessed by a considerable
number of psrsons, no help was afforded, and both sank.
A boy, aged 10 years, is also supposed to have been
drowned about the same time, within sixty yards of the
same spot.

THE UNEMPLOYED. —The London Mechanics
Institution is taking lip the question of the unemployed
poor, and is about to convene a public meeting to consider
the following resolution :—" In the opinion of this meeting
the enforced idleness of enormous numbers of the
people, their compulsory residence in the filthy slums
of large towns, elbowing the professional thief and
mendicant; the rearing of children in these slums in igno-
rance, idleness, and dirt, with the ever-present examples
of immorality, drunkenness, and a hatred of work, are th:
chief causes of crime, pauperism, and disease, and that
Parliament be at once petitioned to consider the following
remedies for these evils and the present scarcity of em-
ployment, viz. :-1. An Act authorising the Government
to establish factories and start, public works in all
parts of the United Kingdom. 2. An Act authorising
the Government to establish schools in all parts of the
United Kingdom for the housing, feeding, clothing, and
educating the children of the poor and working classes
between the ages of three and 12 years. 3. An Act
authorising the Government to make life assurance com-
pulsory on every man and woman on attaining the age
of 21 years, no matter what their state of health may
be. 4. An Act for a national rate on property of
£lOO and upwards for
,the halraediatp exigencies of the
Dom!