The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-04 00:00:00

CHINA.

Our Hong Kong advices are to the 12th of Aug.
The Governor-General of the province of Canton,
whose malignant proclamations and addresses to
the " braves " were brought to England by the last
mail, had received news of the concision of a treaty
of peace, and had immediately announced it to the
Cantonese.

The immediate effect of this notification was a
cessation of the rocketing and gun-firing at night,
so that the garrison at Canton was able once more
to sleep in peace. It was hoped that the first fruits
of the Treaty would be permanent, and that the
kidnapping and similar dastardly modes of war-
fare practised by the braves would cease. Great dis-
satisfaction was felt. at Hong Kong because the
Earl of I;k;ia hat.:. a iyJin Lod Slianghae as the place for
adjusting the rate of
.the tariffs, and also for not
making known the terms of the treaty. The Friend
of China of the 10th of August states that " doubts
have been disseminated as to whether the Emperor
knows of the terms of the treaty," and that such
iuncertainty- was injuring our prestige with the
Chinese. Hwang's proclamation, however, should
dispose (if these doubts. The Friend continues :
'" Doubtless the Earl has carried reserve too far.
.For instance, mischief must ensue from the circum-
stance of Sir John Bowring on one occasion pro-
claiming to the Chinese, of Ijong Kong that the
new treaty was signed on the 20th of June, and on
another that it was on the 3d of July. As regards
the Emperor's assent to the terms of the treaty,
there appears no for believing but that his
Majesty has dealt with this business as his predeces-
sor did with that of Nankin, and issued an edict
directing its provisions to be carried into effect:"
The Earl of Elgin and Sir Michael Seymour both
left Shanghae together, on the 30th July, for Japan
direct. The Earl, according to the North China
Herald, expected to be back there to meet the Im-
perial Commissioners, in order to consider the new
tariff, within a fortnight. It was thought probable
that in about the same period Sir Michael Seymour
would return to Hong Kong.
.That .the Admiral
did not intend a long stay at Japan was inferred
from the return of his tender the Coromandel to
Hong Kong.
•
The Russian envoy remained at Tien-tsin. A
large number of Russian ships and steamers were
in the vicinity of, or on their way to, the Pei-ho.
Respecting the settlement of the tariffs, the North
China Herald says :
" It has taken everyone somewhat by surprise to
learn that Kweiliang and Hivashana, the com-
missioners who negotiated the foreign treaties, are
on their way south, ostensibly to assist in revising
the tariff.' We should have thought such
a task would hardly have devolved upon officials of
so high a position in the empire. .Associated with
them are Kifu, formerly hoppo at Canton, and now
a vice-presiderit of the Board of Revenue, and
Mingshen, of whom as yet we have learned nothing
more. They are to consult with Ho KNirei4Sing,
governor-general of these provinces. The decree,
we are informed, was issued on the 15th inst., and

Deferring to the considerations tVus detailed,
Sir John Bowring issued a proclamation, dated.
30th June, in which, after announcing the conclu-
sion of peace, he thus refers to the causes of the
departure of the Chinese :
" But in disregard of the obligations of treaties,
and of the will of his Imperial Majesty, menacing
proclamations :have been issued, compelling the
peaceful residents of this colony to quit their
abodes, to violate their obligations, to neglect their
thities, and to flee to the mainland of China ; and
these menaces have-proceeded. principally from the
ditricts of Heang-shan .and Sun-on.. Now, be it
known to those_ who have"_issued, or who shall seek
to give 'effect to such menaces; and especially to-the
authorities and gentrs_of Heang:shan and San-on,.
that these acts of hostility-be:telerated by' -
14; and that, unless the /proclamations and orders
compelling the -Chinese people to leave this etolouy
be immediately withdrawn, and the people .who
have 'left the colony allowed without delay to
return to their business, and to the service
ofi, those with whom they have been en-
giigect- the places'and persons to which these hos-
ti acts are traceable will render themselves liable
to signal punishment..-;:zAioreover, attempts- have
b n made to stop the supply of provisions to this
c o
ny ; and it is-hereby,proelaimed that every
p 'son who shall' arrest-ler attempt to arrest the
sae and regular transport of articles intended for
th markets of •Hong,; Kong
.does,by such act, de-
clitre himself an enemy of Great Britain, and a
lalwless subject of the- Emperor -Of 'China, and will
b severely visited for his offence."
The first attempt to distribute this proclamation
t
i.
eatening the Chinese authorities ended some-
m ; hat disastrously. -Mr. ' Mongan, who speaks •
Mandarin, and Mr. Lobschied, who is acquainted
trith the local dialects, went in the gun-boat
Starling, to assist in the work; and some difficulty
having been experienced in communicating with
the. Chinese authorities, five persons ventured on
the hazardous,_ almost. suicidal, expedient, of post-
ing up copies of the proclamation in the seaboard
suburbs of Namtow. ' The people- were,' Or pro- .
fessed.to be, very friendly, but hundreds of Chinese
soldiers. soon rushed to tjie attack, and a speedy
retreat had to be made to the Starling's gig, which
had landed the bold adventurers.; _Beforethis boat
could get out of range one-sailorwas shot dead and
another wounded. . The result might have • been
different had the' marines who accompanied the
expedition been landed, but it seems that the
officer in charge had no power to do anything
Of the kind. The conduct of the Chinese autho-
rities or soldiers was barbarouS and inexcusable, but
the Daily Press has received advices from Nam-
tow, which lessen the responsibility of the people.
The garrison were militia in the employ of govern-
ment, not of the Shunkmn. The district magistrate,
whose name is Wongtoongyen, was absent. Chu .
Acqui, the notorious. pirate, was there in command.
He wanted to attack the boats as they landed, but
the people would not allow him. The foreigners,
when they went to the Joss house, were in the lion's
mouth, and the people could not avert, the attack
which was made. That same night the people held
a COnsoo, and wanted to capture Chu 'Aqui, and
surrender him to the Hong Kong authorities. This
rash project was abandoned on grounds of ille-
gality. Aqui, however, got Wind of it and escaped
with his family to Shatseang.
The foregoing intelligence is taken .from letters
and papers which left Hong Kong in the mail
packet Singapore. The steamer Ligntning, which
left Hong Kong two days after the mail, carried the
following additional particulars to Singapore:—
. The Friend of China of the 11th inst. inciden- _
tally mentions that Gen. Straubenzee and a large
force from Canton, with several gunboats from
Hong Kong, had proceeded to Namtow, it was re-
ported, to inflict punishment on the authorities of
that place for firing upon one of our boa 6 with a
flag of truce. The Daily Press of the same date
says that the landing party would muster 1,200
strong. The • same journal notices • that advices
from Canton were by no means pacific, but that as
the Iloppo had sent for the linguists, it was
thought that an attempt will be made to open
trade. The subjoined items are from the Shipping
List of the 11th inst.,:—
" The Fury will sail for the Bogue on Saturday,
to relieve the Cambrian, which vessel -is to remain
in Hong Kong harbour in place of the Nankin,
which proceeds home.
" Her Majesty's ship Pique arrived last . night
from Shanghai, and anchored this morning by the
Fury, to take in a supply of provisions preparotory
to leaving for England.
" The gunboat Staunch, on her passage down
from Shanghai, put into the Island of Tawopung
for shelter, intending to get under weigh imme-
diately after the weather moderated. The villagers
came off to visit the ship, and seemed to be very
greatly interested, taking particular notice of
everything
The
having
following. morning, as she was steaming cut to sea,
plundered Tlley9
four junks were observed rounding one of the
islands, and, bearing down upon th steamer,
opened a smart fire. The large gun unfortunately
had been removed to one of the large ships
coming to. Hong Kong. Lieutenant Wildman,
finding he could do nothing with the small howit-
zers, steamed up alongside, intending to board, on
which a shower of stinkpots were sent on board,
setting fire to the sails, awning, rigging, &c. After
a desperate struggle, -she succeeded in capturing
her with two others, and the fourth ran ashore, the
greater portion of their crews made their escape
over the hills. During the engagement one seaman
was killed
.and nine wounded. One junk had Eng-
lish colours, one Portuguese, and two Chinese.
Three of the junks were burned, and the other' was
proved to be a captured junk belonging- to Ningpo.
In this gallant little affair, Lieutenant Wildman
succeeded in securing two of the pirates, and
brought them on to- Hong Kong. They were -
handed over to the police, and - will be - examined
to-morrow at the police-court."

The following is a passage from the Trade Report of the
North China Herald of July 31:—" After a long intermis-
sion, business has again resumed its activty at this port
(Shanghai). The retirement of the allied forces from the
Pei-ho and the Gulf of Pecheli, and the coming of the Im-
perial Commissioners to Shanghai to carry out some of the
provisions of the new treaties, have given the Chinese
,assurance in the integrity of the late arrangement of poli-
tical affairs at Tien-tsin. The departure of the rebels, also,
from parts of the country through which foreign goods pass
has tended greatly to restore confidence in mercantile opera-
tions." •
The China Mail of August 5 has reports from Fnnchau
and Amoy. Teas were cheap and plentiful at Ftmehau.
At Amoy cotton yarn was .in
'good demand at 36 dols. per
picul for Nos. 16 and 24; Bombay cotton in demand at
15 dole; 50c. ; Patna opium, 690 dole. ; Benares, ,
695; and
,
Thrkey, 500 dols. • common rice, 2 dols. Trade. in the
river is obstructed by pirates. ,
EXCHANGE AND BULLION.—Hong Kong, -Aug. 9.
Oriental Bank Corporation. On London, six months' sight
4s. 30. ; on Calcutta, three days' sight, 214 Its: per 'lOO
dole. ; on Bombay, three days' sight, 214 Rs. per 100 dols.. ;
gold leaves, 23:60 dols. per tael ; -gold bar, 22 dols. per -
-
tael ;. Syeee silver, 84 per cent, preimum.,, Other Bills,—
On ;London,- six months' sight, 4s.'4d,' to -4s. 4fd. ; -err 'Cal- ''''-
eutta, three days' sight, 215 per 100 dols. ; on Bombay,
dime days sight, 215 per 100 dole

THE WEATHER.-SUN OFFICE, OCT. 4.

THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
67—highest since noon yesterday.
52—lowest this morning and during the night.
68—this day at noon.

BAROMETER-29.94.
WIND, North-Esterly; light, with dull weather. I

THE SUN.

MONDAY. OCTOBER 4, 1858.

The scattered remnants of the rebel forces in
India may now be properly termed " flying
columns," not in the ordinary, although in the
literal sense, of the term. They are only brave
against those who have no means offensive or de-
fensive at their disposal ; and any body of the
dreaded " Feringhees" assembled together are suffi-
cient to induce ten times their number to seek
safety in flight. They have, when too late, disco-
vered the grave mistake into which they suffered
themselves to be betrayed. They have, by sad ex-
perience, discovered the extraordinary energy,
vigour, and unflinching determination of the Bri-
tish soldiers ; and after the fashion of the disap-
pointed bully in the old. play, each is tempted to
exclaim, " An' I had known he was so cunning of
fence, I'd have seen him d—d before I meddled
with him." How gladly would they now retrace
their footsteps ! How fervently would they rejoice,
one and all, if they could discern the slightest
prospect of regaining the position which they
forfeited, and once more becoming " pets of the
Company." Alas, that chance has for ever departed.
Their gross misconduct, their vile treachery, their
want of " fidelity to their salt," has not only re-
duced themselves- to the character of houseless and
despairing fugitives, but has terminated the rule
of those who were their over-kind patrons. To
use the Hindoo idiom, the "raj" of the Company
has been overthrown, and henceforward Queen
VICTORIA, really as well as nominally, rules over
the Anglo-Indian Empire.
They now are merely striving to prolong their
miserable existences to the last moment, without
hope of eventual success ; they are merely striving
for escape. They are too well aware that the tem-
porary respite which has been accorded to some of
the detached parties is ascribable to the state
of the weather. The incessant rain is their
only preserver ; and when that terminates, and
weather fit for campaigning is restored, the period
of retribution will have arrived, and those who
who have sinned too deeply to admit of any lenient
consideration of their eases—towards whom cle-
mency would be crime—will have to expiate their
manifold and fearful crimes.

Notwithstanding the rainy season, they only find
safety in incessant motion. No sooner do they
assume a position than some of their indefatigable
pursuers certainly approach, and they as certainly
fly, distancing for the moment the "avengers of
blood," by whom they are unceasingly followed.
The myth of " Orestes pursued by the Furies," has
been powerfully illustrated. There are thousands,
aye, tens of thousands, for whom there is no longer
the slightest hope of rest, or shelterrwhose toil is as
enduring as that of Sysiphus or the Danaides, and
who cannot for a moment enjoy the smallest portion
of the plunder for which they have so deeply sinned,
thus adding the tortures of Tantalus to that of
the other chief criminals of the Heathen
Mythology.
But this scampering to and fro cannot long
continue. In a few weeks Lord CLYDE will
again take the field with an overwhelming
force, sufficient not merely to defeat, but
to surround and destroy the despairing brigands !
It only requires that force to induce the
native population to assist actively in the destruc-
tion of those by whom they have been more
annoyed and inconvenienced within a few months
than by the legitimate authorities within as many
years. At present these parties are afraid to join
us. They are intimidated by the strength of the
rebels, which, although inadequate to meet even a
British police force, are yet sufficiently powerful
to plunder and destroy an unprotected village,
to butcher the men, and expose the women to a still
more terrible fate. It is but lately that MAUN
SINGH was relieved from those who besieged him
in his own stronghold, because he refused to go
further with them in their reckless career, and had
earned an ample amnesty for any past misdeeds, by
the protection which he afforded, in the dark hour
of danger and distress, to those who sought shelter
at his hands. There are many other Zemindars
and Talookdars who held aloof while the struggle
was still imminent, And the result of the =tot

had been, as yet, undecided, who would now gladly
come forward with all their power on our side, but
who await the coming of Lord CLYDE to be
assured of sufficient strength to overcome the
rebels. It may be that these men are trimmers,
that they have exhibited neither chivalry nor
nobility of conduct ; but, when the British supre-
macy has been completely re-established, they will
not prove less useful allies, in crushing the
scattered remnants of the insurrection. Every-
thing predicts a speedy termination to the
existing state of affairs. It only requires
the co-operation of the inhabitants of the several
districts to ensure it, and that co-opera-
tion we shall speedily and effectually obtain
when " the Ilieland pibroch" is heard floating on
the breeze, and Lord CLYDE is once more at the
head of his invincible columns, hurling destruction
against all who resist, and showing mercy when-
ever the slightest claim can be exhibited to a
lenient consideration.

The unanimity of all parties in approbat ion of
the appointment of Lord STANLEY as Minister for
India has been as remarkable as it has been,
hitherto, justified by his Lordship's conduct of the
heavy and important business which was thus on
a sudden placed in his hands. One passing and
equivocal sneer, at his first appointment, intended
to be interpreted by the event, is all that we re-
member of a hostile kind ; indeed, there was time
for nothing more. From the hour of his appoint-
ment, Lord STANLEY applied himself with such
diligence to the Resolutions and the Bill, the press-
ing business of the hour, that they were curtailed
and moulded, respectively, to the results of the
best judgments of the time, and without truckling
to any party ; and the noble lord had the honour of
seeing a bill passed by both houses, embodying, as
nearly as possible, his own conceptions of what the
change ought to be. He was not, indeed, thought
to be himself desirous of change at all in the form
of Indian Government this year, but his decided
opinion was that any change ought to be as little as
possible of an entire revolution, and should re-
tain all the better elements of the old Board of
Directors. Whatever may be thought of his Lord-
ship's opinions, he has at least succeeded in giving
effect to them ; and probably few will affirm that
we should have procured, at least for the present,
by any other means a better working council than
that which has now been constituted. The election of
part of the councillors by the old Board is perhaps
the most objectionable of the arrangements; the
mistake about time of service, salaries, and pen-
sions may be corrected at any time within ten years.
In one opinion all parties appeared to concur—
that while Lord STANLEY was President of the new
Council everything would be looked to as carefully
and as honestly as it could be by any human vigi-
lance, and a thoroughly upright policy would be
pursued while he was responsible for it.

The Indian Minister has now completed his ap-
pointments, and has got fairly to work. The nomi-
nations by the Government were, we believe, en-
tirely unchallenged, and one which, though
declined, was amongst the first offered, has been
justly commended on all sides. We wonder
whether Mr. SMITH and the Whigs would have
offered a councillor's post to a philosopher of such
acknowledged merit, but of such an entirely oppo-
site school, as Mr. JOHN STUART MILL. We
cannot believe that the family party would have
departed so far from their wont, unless, indeed, as
in the case of Sir W. MOLESWORTH, from the
necessity of purchasing support ; but Sir WILLIAM,
after all, was a kind of aristocratic Radical. On
the whole, we imagine that both Anglo-Indians
and Englishmen at home congratulate themselves
on the result of the Indian measures of last session,
in so far as it has not placed the nomination of the
new Council in the hands of Mr. SMITH and his
titled superior.

Last week the new Indian Government showed
itself in one further stage of its existence—that of
being toasted at a civic dinner—a stage essential
to every English institution. Indeed, we may
designate the dinner at the Fishmongers'-hall as
the christening of the new-born Indian Govern-
ment—from this time it is registered as among the
dinner-honoured institutions of the land. The
Prime Warden of the company was, of course, the
officiating minister, and Lord STANLEY avowedly
acknowledged himself as father of the new Council.
His speech was altogether worthy of his reputation,
and showed that he was fully alive to the diffi-
culties and duties of his post, yet by no means dis-
posed to shrink or evade them. It was concilia-
tory towards all parties both in England and in
India, both Europeans and natives ; such,
indeed, is the temperament of Lord STANLEY him-
self : a temperament in him, happily associated
with a perfectly independent judgment, and with
firmness in acting on his judgment. His Lord-
ship is a happy union of tolerance and indepen-
dence, and we believe it will be seen that he can
influence as well as be influenced.

He justly observed that we had " to protect India
from the fluctuations of Parliamentary politics ;"
and, though we are sure nothing was further from
his Lordship's intentions than to intimate any such
thing, we hope that, whatever changes may occur
next year in the Government of the country, he
will be invited and will be content to remain at his
post. Of course, it is a possible, almost a probable
thing, that Reform Bill battles may end in a resig-
nation of the present Ministry, or a dissolution, or
both, and nothing, we are sure, would be more
objectionable to the whole country than to see
India again placed in the hands of Mr. SMITH, or
even Sir CHARLES WOOD. If the Whigs, under
any arrangement should accede to office as the
whole or part of a Cabinet, they could not do a
more popular thing than to offer Lord STANLET
the retention of his present office wholly unfettered
by any party considerations. The public would not
fear Lord STANLEY'S opposition to any political
reforms that were desired by the nation, and there
could be no reason, that we can conceive of, why,
for the sake of India, his perfectly independent
support or opposition should not be cordially
accepted or willingly tolertited. The party to
which Lord STANLEY nominally belongs could not
feel aggrieved by his compliance ; it would be not
deserting his party, but saving his country, and
India. There ought not to be a Whig and a Tory
policy for India ; on Indian questions, therefore,
Lord STANLEY would always have a united Cabi-
net, or at least a majority; and even on questions
of home policy, the only danger would be that
Whigs would find his Lordship too liberal a col-
league for them.

This general view of our relation to the natives
of India is so well expressed that, though the
passage is rather long, we reprint it entire :

" We regard, and undoubtedly we ought to regard, the
natives of India as persons towards whom it is our duty to
have a good will, and for whom it, is our duty to labour.
But that is not enough. It is not enough that we should
regard them as objects on which our benevolence may be
exercised—as persons as to whom it is in our power to make
important changes for good. We must look at them also
as being men with whom, and not against whom, we have
to work—men with feelings of their own—men, though
politically subject to us, with a sense of their own rights,
and with a respect for their own independence—(cheers)—
men who are apt to be all the more tenacious of their intel-
lectual independence and national customs because of the
political subjection in which they are held. (Cheers.) Un-
doubtedly the position of a conquering and governing raec

,sits regards the influence which
confersmay
be
exercised many
over advantage
a cctnquered people ; but that posi-
tion has also its disae Nantakl-es, for the position of a con-
quering race- is one iv hich almost inevitably tends to pro-
duce a certain sense of •superiority, a certain arrogance, if
that be not too har: ill a vi ord to use, a certain disregard to-
wards feelings, in vhich, not being placed in similar circum-
stances, it is utterly imps ssible for us to share; and I do
not hesitate to say that u: a.less we modify and keep within
proper bounds that fee ling of national superiority—unless
we remember carefully , and. even jealously respect, the very
prejudices of those vv hora we have to rule ; above all
things, if we attempt t' a introduce the force and influence of
government into that - which ought to be a matter of private
conviction between mai a .•t and his own conscience—(cheers)—
if we do this, or even Lf we are suspected upon plausible
grounds of attempting : or desiring to do it, we shall have
our efforts at improvenn not thrown back in our face as in-
sults, and shall end in d oing more harm than good."

Of course, we do n ot interpret such language in
the spirit of the mei i who could repair and orna-
ment the bloody car of Juggernaut, and throw the
Bible and the cros:. beneath its wheels. Lord
STANLEY means the .t religious liberty should be
complete, that the Government should aid the
missionary only by I )rotecting him equally with
the Hindoo priest an d the Mahommedan moolah,
and discourage nothing but overt immorality and
crime. He is not the rnan who through fear of the
natives would go out ot his way to pander to super-
stition, but he is the man who would candidly
appreciate the effect of education, of the traditions
of ages, and of habit, on the minds of natives, and
who would no t employ compulsion, or Government
patronage, wl sere education and the preaching of a
better faith can alone effect a permanent and
bloodless chat tge.

Already we hear of Reform Associations being
constituted in. the provinces, and commencing
vigorous actioi t. The Northern Reform Associa
tion is organising itself for work, and even in a
county, North :Hants, a local Ballot Society has
been formed ! We hear, also, of other similar
movements. It; is not at all too soon. The three
or four months before Parliament meets will be all
needed. Some lix' tle time is required for Reformers
in each district to come to an understanding with
each other, then fem. committees of Reformers all
over the country to know each other's minds, and
to come to some definite agreement as to the points
on which they shall insist. The time before us will
certainly be not at BR too long for a steady, busi-
nesslike movement on the part of the country, for a
movement which shall effect two desirable objects :
First, and chiefly, the securing of a satisfactory Re-
form Bill ; one which will last us, with the good-
will of all parties, for another quarter of a century
—and why not for a century ?
Secondly, for securing that object in the most
quiet and time-saving manner. There will be no
need for long and exciting agitation, no need for
two or three resignations, and a dissolution or two,
if the country will but take up its work betimes,
and steadily attend to it.
We trust our readers will bear with us, if even
at this dull season we suggest to them what we
think so exceedingly desirable. In every town
and county there are certain active persons who
well know each other, and on whose bestirring
themselves all depends. What seems to us both
easily practicable and of great importance is, that
these gentlemen should not defer till the eleventh
hour, and for an extemporised agitation, what they
could effect so much better by merely taking a
little more time. The Northern Reform Associa-
tion has already held some thirty public meetings in
the northern towns of England, wisely confining
itself to its own district, and leaving Midland,
South, East, and West, to follow its example.
Hitherto the Association has found that its meet-
ings have been about equally composed of the
middle and working classes, and that the
best understanding has prevailed. Indeed it is an
object of no little consequence, to promote this
kind of goodwill between the two classes, who,
together, can vanquish all the Peers and the Peers'
sons in Parliament, but whom the aristocracy,
when the hour of trial comes, will endeavour to
divide and conquer if they can. They prolonged
the battle on the Corn Laws by this unworthy
device, and they will, perhaps, " try it on" with
the new Reform Bill. The middle classes must, too,
in fairness, remember that we gained the suffrage
for ourselves by the aid of the working men, and,
beyond all contradiction, with the understanding
that, when the latter had got us a vote, we should
put our shoulders to the wheel to get them one.
We all know how this promise has been kept—we
should rather say, forgotten or evaded ; and it is
most desirable that no ill-will between operatives
and the classes next above them should be a result
of the new Reform Bill.

We appeal to our friends in the country, because
we think that the practice of leaving everything
to metropolitan associations is in every way un-
desirable. They are useful as the centres of move-
ment, but the life must exist and the pulse be
quick in every part, if the nation is to act with
vigour and effect. Our rulers care little, and ought
to care but little, for a merely metropolitan com-
mittee, which has got up, perhaps, a few local com-
mittees ; what really tells on the Government and
on the Houses of Parliament is to find the country
awake and acting from one end to the other, and
to know that the • London organisation is a mere
necessity or convenience to give effect to the deter-
mination of the kingdom. A London political com-
mittee, not originated to concentrate the political
action of the country, may be compared to a Lon-
don warehouse erected before the provincial towns
had produced the manufacture which should fill it.
We may tell our country friends this great secret,
if it be one, that they are our political strength,
and that we here are merely in the central position
to give effect to their exertions. They are the
power, and we but the axle to impart their motion
to the Government and the Legislature.
Timely and well-considered action on the part
of the country will not only unite all classes of Re-
formers, and conciliate the working men, but
will also prepare our Members of Parliament
and the Government to concede what they would
otherwise resist. These worthies, the greater part
of them at least, require some time to convince
them that the people are in earnest, and even to
appreciate their demands. But a small proportion
of them belong to the people. Though elected by
them, they associate but little with them, and in
their own circles, though they occasionally whisper
their fears as to what the troublesome Radicals may
strive for, they persuade themselves that the coun-
try is very well satisfied with its representatives
and their conduct. Members of Parliament want
to know that everywhere bodies of electors, the loss
of whose votes would be the loss of the next elec-
tion, are stirring on the-question of Reform, and
they will then talk over the thing a little earnestly
when the ladies have retired.

As to the course of the Government; no one can
doubt that its conduct wholly depends on the course
taken by the country. It is quite possible, nay, we
think it is easy for the people, to induce the pre-
sent Ministry to give us a thorough Reform Bill—
a Bill which should induce the country in gratitude
to give Lord DERBY a decided majority at the dis-
solution which must follow it. How stand the facts ?
Tories and Whigs are equally opposed to any really
liberal measure—to any reform which places more
power in the hands of the electors. Of their own
goodwill, therefore, neither party will grant this.

But, if the nation show that more electoral power
it will have—if the Whigs and Tories both see that
the concession cannot be avoided—then most cer-
tainly we shall have the two parties bidding for
office through concessions to the public. A few of
the more determined Tories might quit the present
Cabinet, and there might be additions from unex-
pected quarters, or there might be equally unex-
pected conversions, but a DERBY Mintstry might
still carxy a People's Reform Bill. As to old doings
of the Tories, why, they are done and over, and few
of the Whigs could use them as stones to pelt with
without being pelted in like manner in return.
Has not Mr. HENLEY told us that " Conservative"
is now an antiquated name ? and has he not done
his best to name his party "The Progressives ?" To
be sure he tried his hand at definition, but when
even he felt it expedient to claim the word, he must
have known that definitions are but the weakest of
political cobwebs ; the slightest urgency will
hurt them. The truth is, any party, to be in
office, must take up with the nation's policy. It
is absurd to speak of a stable Govern-
ment as having any other ; and if the nation
does but indicate its policy unmistakeably
Lord DERBY and his colleagues will not make the
political mistake of leaving to the Whigs the popu-
larity of carrying out that policy, and also the long
lease of office consequent on having done so.
We hope it will not be found difficult for the
leading reformers in every part of the country to
settle the main points of their programme. They
have not a party object but a national one.
They should band together to serve neither Whigs
"tor Tories, neither Liberals nor Conservatives.
Their object is simply to give the people of the
United Kingdom the power of fairly and truthfully
representing their Opinions in the House of Com-
mons. One man in seven is not the people of Eng-
land—that must be set right first. That one man's
vote in one place should be able to neutralise eighty
men's votes in another is not fair representation—
that account must be next made square. That
any man should vote under the fear of what his
landlord, or banker, or lawyer, or creditor, or cus-
tomer, or patron, or master, or even of what his
friend will say or do to him, is not allowing that
man to be represented—the Ballot-box must make
the voters independent. On these points all re-
formers, if they discuss matters, are sure to agree ;
let them at once meet, discuss, agree, act, memo-
rialise, and petition, and " they'll not fail," no, not
with even the Lords, the Whigs, the Tories, the
POPE himself, and the almighty Times too, against
them.

A pictorial abomination of a very different and
of a far more pernicious character has followed
immediately upon the sweeping away of the literary
garbage of Holy-well-street. Cannot Lord CAMr-
BELL early in the next session of Parliament revise
that wholesome and beneficent enactment of his
which has already done so much good ? We would
put it to the noble and learned Lord as earnestly
as possible for unless something of this kind
can be done, and that speedily, a worse abomina-
tion—an abomination immeasurably worse than
that of which Lord CAMPBELL'S Act so very
recently relieved the metropolis, will have grown
into very hideous proportions. It blazons itself
forth already in the shop windows, not in obscure
byeways like Holy-well-street, but in some of our
most crowded thoroughfares. It is a villany not
requiring to be ferreted out, but glaring upon itA
vividly as we jostle each other upon the thronged
pavements. It is as villanous an evil, in its way, as
though those frightful Penny Gaffs, described by Mr.
HENRY MAYHEW, in his " London Labour and the
London Poor," were displayed gratuitously for
every passer-by. Our contemporary the Morning
Post but very lately drew attention to this new
and most lamentable scandal, urging upon the
authorities the necessity for its instant suppression,
and its thorough extirpation. And the nature of
this scandal ? It is nothing less than the
wholesale display of licentious photographs, taken
from nature and formed into stereoscopic slides.
Enough if the mere fact is here alluded to—the fact
of these detestable productions being conspicuously
placed in many of the London shop windows. If
Lord CAMPBELL'S Act, as it is, does not already em-
power the police to interfere here, in GOD'S name
let it be carefully revised next session, so that the
strong grasp of the law may at once strangle this
new iniquity, and make a clean sweep of this more
flagrant outrage upon public decency than any
the noble and learned author of the bill contem-
plated would require removal from the borders of
our great thoroughfares.

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