The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-20 00:00:00

I,0111.)0N, FRIDAY, ,^,IARCII 20, L'l7.

Grumbling, we believe, is pretty generally,
and, for that matter, too, pretty accurately,
regarded among us as, .of all, about the Na-
tional Characteristic. A witty epigrammatist
" has led off a whole catalogue of similar definitions
by observing that—" An Englishman is never
• Happy unless he is Miserable !" Candidly, let
us say at once, That is really after all to our mind
a very just definition.. We are—there is no pos-
sibility of blinking the matter—unmistakeably and
undeniably a Nation of Grumblers. It is in some
respects about the sweetest privilege accruing to
us from our Constitutional Government—the pri-
vilege of Grumbling. And we Grumble, as a matte:
of course, for this one, obvious, unanswerable,
and all-sufficient reason, that we have incessant
cause for Grumbling ! It is the same whether, in
regard to our Ciimate or in regard to our Politico.
The changes in each are in themselves so wanton,
so fitful, so perversely and provokingly unex-
pected, that it is' really and truly, while noting
them, next to impossible to preserve one's equa-
nimity. Look, in testimony of all this, to the
actual situation of affairs at the present moment
immediately prior to the dissolution of Parlia-
ment ! Look at the relative plight of the various
Candidats and of the various Constituenciea! Look
at the position of Parties—at the medley of Factions
—at the "confusion worso confoundefl" among
Tories and Whigs, Radicals and flatrogrades,
Reformers and Conservatives ! A confusion so
dire aryl bewildering that we have 'been every
now and then liable to have revealed to us pal-
fectly novel and hitherto unheard-of combinations
—some startling and "fortuitous concurrence
of atoms," certainly never before " dreamt of in
our philosophy !" So utterly indeed, of late, have
the heterogeneous Parties in the House of CUM-
mons been jumbled together, jostling each other,
and distracting themselves in a perfect maza of
cross-purposes, that when at list the popular re-
presentatives are actually dismissed, they are
presented to view as trooping out, collectively,
for the purpose of Appealing to the Country, in a
strange sort of a wild Political Country-
dance ! Change partners, hands across, right
and left, down the middle and up again ! With
a result, in fact, all things considered, very nearly
identical with that facetiously described by Mr.
DICRENB in his Christmas Carol, at the close
of the grand Terpsichorean demonstration on a
famous winter's night, at Old FIIZZIWIG'S :—" Old
top couples always turning up in the wrong place;
new top couples starting- off again as soon as they
p
couples' at last, and not a
had got there ; all to
bottom one to help them r, It is the actual posi-
tion just now of
Political Paities--the veritable
state of things arrived at by the present parlia-
ment.

It becomes, consequently, an absolute
nowadays to find a few at least among our chief
public characters—a select few of our principal
Politicians and leading Statesmen—explaining, at
any rate in a slight manner, what it is they
really do think upon most things in general,
and upon some things in particular—doing
this either through written or through oral Ad-
dresses to their Constituents. Yesterday, while
again enforcing our demand—our urgent and
reiterated demand--fora categorical explanation
of his opinions and principles from Lord PALMER-
STON, we took occasion to commend, as we con'
ceive we were in simple justice bound to do, the
very explicit Manifesto addressed to the country
at large by Mr. DISRAELI, through the medium
of his own individual constituents, the Electors of
the county of Buckingham. We are today

afforded the opportunity of directing popular at-
!ention in a very particular manner to the no less
explicitly enunciated views of two others
among our more conspicuous Members of Par-
liament. Mr. COBDEN and my Lord JOHN
RUSSELL. The Premier that was and that
may be—the Tribune that has been, and that
never will be again ! The veteran Chief of the
Reformers, and the successful Champion of the Free-
Trade Princielev. The Noble Lord and the Hon-
ourable Gentleman were yesterday speaking at
different parts of the country, alrne,t simultane-
ously—Lord JOHN in the City of London, plead-
ing in his own cause before his old constituents ;
Mr. COBDEN advocating the interest; of an invalid
and absent friend in the hearing of sundry
of the " free and independent " Electors of the
city of Manchester. Be it here observed at once,
that to our thinking nothing could well have been
more noble or more generous in its way, hardly
anything, to our mind, could be more in,tantane-
ously entitled to the utmost
.possible degree of
respect and consideration, then the earnest and ob-
viously heart-born tribute of affection and admira-
t. on offered by Mr. COBDEN to the genius of
JOHN BRIGHT in the hearing of the men
of Manchester ! Allowance must ' here at
least, we conceive, be made for any vitupe-
rative epithets accidentally wrung from the speaker
by the very intensity of his emotions
while uttering an indignant denunciation of the
depreciators of his distinguished political associate.
" I feel humiliated," exclaimed Mr. COBDEN, at
that point, in a generous outburst of enthusiasm,
the unaffected sincerity of which cannot fail t
command the respectful attention of the whole
community, "I feel humiliated—l feel disgusted
to see the daily personal attacks—the diatribes
that are made against this man, with his health
impaired for the moment—his health impaired,
too, ha that organ which excites feelings of awe,
and of the utmost commiseration for him on
the part of all right-minded men. Yes,
while this man is not able to use those
great intellectual powers with which GOD has
gifted him, while their full activity is suspended
for the day, the vermin of your Manchester press
—the ghouls of the Guardian—the ghoul; of the
Guardian are preying upon this splendid being,
and trying to make a martyr of him in the midst
of his sufferings." Apart, however, from such
impassioned allusions to his absent friend—Mr.
CiODDEN'3 speech of yesterday at Manchester, we
cannot but think, "pales its ineffectual fires" be-
fore the manly and, in many respects, luminous
oration delivered about the same time in the City
of London by Lord JOHN RUSSELL.
Recollect, Lord JOHN spoke as a Reformer
with a prestige and an authority certainly not
second to that of the great Free-Trade Champion.
If Mr. COBDEN addresses himself, if Mr. COBDEN
can never fail to addreEs himself to any audi-
ence otherwise than in the light of his al-
ready historical character as the Destroyer
(par excellence) of Menopaly—Lord JOHN never
;peaks before any English audience whatever, save
in the much loftier and nobler capacity of one of
the very First and Fore:nost among the living
Champions of Civil and Religious Liberty. In
this respect he stands before us upon the elevation
of no ordinary rostrum—he talks in reference to
great national questions from a tribune of no
common material or elevation—he speaks as from a
political tripod of his own construction : as the
introducer into the House of Commons of the
Parliamentary Reform Bull, as the author of the
Test and Corpora* ion Act, and as one 'of the most
energetic and high-minded promoters of that ether
grand palladium of our religious liberties, the
memorable Act of Catholic E:nancipation. And
in this eminent capacity, as the Leader of a Great
Party, as a -Veteran Reformer, as ono who for
five years held in his own grasp the reins of
supreme Government—how is it that Lord JOHN
has spoken ? What (precisely, briefly,, and to
the point) may have been the gist of Lord JOHN'S
views as to the present Situation ? He said yes ierday
in the City of London, disfuctly fuel deliberately,
that it appears to him, The vary First Qae,tion
nor put to the Country is—" Wheyier Lord PAL-
AIERSTON'S Government should be supported, or
whether it shoul I be replaced by any other Go-
vernment." That Lord JOHN maintains candidly
THE Question just now put to the Country. An I
in explicit reply to that question, he immediately
adds—" My candid opinion is that Lord PALMERS-
TON'S Government ought to be snpported ; and if I
had to choose between Lord PALMERSTON at the
he td of the Liberal party, and Lord DERBY at the
head of the Conservative party, I should think it
lily duty to give my adhesion to the former."
Now this, to our thinking, is true patriotifon—it

have done with him as a politician called to I
anything more than a merely curious considera-
tion. We have done with him as a man of fla-
grant inconsistency : an inconsistency sufficiently
visible iu that speech of yesterday, where we find
him—quite oblivious apparently of what he had
already said so elegantly about the folly of ex-
pecing people to " lie on their bellies"
before Lord P&LNERSTON—cooIIy insisting that
4,000 of the electors of Mancbster in a lump
should put their Votes (and with them, of course,
their Reason and their Cmiscirice) into the pocket
of Mr. BRIGHT. Vide the Speech it ;elf towards
its close--a Speech iu which the BOANEISGES of
the Peace-Mania cries out with stentorian energy
against " the newspipers who are bawling for
War." Observe : those who differ from him in
opinion bawl—he h imself argues! It matters nothing
in the literal fact of the thing that the newspapers
that have the audacity to think differently from
Mr. COBDEN, print —whil3 ha spealo. They
" bawi"—aud he "argues." And so we leave
Mr. COBDEN to console himself for the egregious
exhibition made by himself in to-day's newspapers
through the reprint of his very singular harangue
—we leave him to console himself with the recol-
lection of the clacqueurs who cheered his vulgari-
ties to the echo yesterday at Manchester.

" The usual half-yearly Court of Proprietors of
Bank Stock was held yesterday in the Bank Par-
lour !" This stereotyped article cf intelligence,
which requires only a change of date to answer
twice in every year, which may be calculated on with
as much certainty as a lunar eclipse, or a planet's
transit, has just made its appearance. We are
told, in addition, that the Meeting " was not
numerously attended," and that4the Court sepa-
rated, the proceedings having occupied but a very
short time." They, however, contrived to de-
clare a dividend of 4i per cent, for the half year,
free of Income Tax--and, in answer to some not
very convenient inquiries, it appeared that no
less than 64,9701. was carried over, which was
but 8,0001. short of a 5 per cent, dividend. It
might possibly have been made up under different
circumstances—but at present it is the Old Lady's
game not to show too large profits, a considerable
portion whereof may be regarded as a gratuitous
donation by the national Exchequer. Had it
been declared subject to Income Tax the desired
5 per cent, might easily have been granted, and
there would still have remained a surplus of
nearly 40,0001. carried over, or the additional
quarter per cent, might have been given free from
Income Tax with nearly 33,0001. carried over.
There is, however, an amiable weakness, which
prohibits the division of mere quarters. Nothing
under a half per cent. can be tendered to the pro-
prietors, and there must be no drawback of any
kind, nothing that can allay the satisfaction 'of
the fortunate individuals I They " take the
goods the gods provide them," with unexception-
able grace, and are quite contented that a con
siderable surplus remain to fructify in the hands
of the Directors.
If the Bank could be considered in the light of
a private establishment of course nothing could
be said against the exercise of a " proper disores
tion," as it may be termed. But it has a quasi
national position—a virtual monopoly that takes
far more from the community at large than finds
its way to the pockets of the proprietors. For
every shilling they receive, not one, but many,
pounds are abstracted from the resources of the
trading population of the country. " Unrestricted
competition," or, to use the Saxon appellative—
" Free Trade," is no less- required in currency
than in corn. Indeed we believe that far greater
injury has been occasioned by the restriction on
money than on bread, and that a reform of the
monetary code is no less required than on that
relating to cerealq, which was happily carried in
134 G!

We do not Ilish to deprive the propria-
t irs of any legitimate profits. As we
have repeatedly pointed out, they might, with
judicious man agement realise even larger
dividends than those which have recently
been distributed. If we look to the re-
turns of any of the great Joint-Stock Banks now in
operation, we shall find that, notwithstanding the
disadvantages to which they are subjected, they
show even larger gains in proportion to their
means than " the Old Lady" herself. They are
enab!ed to allow interest on deposit 4, and to give
their customers a decided interest in their pros-
perity ; and consequently we find one at least of
these establishtnents pressing closely in the amount
of " private deposits" on the Leviathan itself
—and others promise to achieve a similar position.
A comparatively private station would be more
beneficial for the Bank itself, and glieatly so for
the community at large ; and the sooner it can be
brought t) that condition the better for all par-
ties concerned ; that is to say, for the British
people of all classes, from the Peer to the
Peasant !

is true consistency. It is civisin. It is mag-
nanimity-. Very different, indeed, the stAtesman-
like view thus taken of the existing Crisis by Lord
J. RUSSELL—very different, indeed, from the
poor,' miseral de, little, contracted, peddling, h ux-
tering, mean-spirited, narrow-minded view taken
of the self-same Crisis by King Calico !
Why, look at the two Speeches—compare them
—contrast Mr. COBDEN'S speech with the speech
of Lord JOHN RUSSELL. The Noble Lord's speech
is the speech of a Statesman, and, let us repeat it
again to his honour, the speech of a Patriotic and
of a Consistent Statesman. That of Mr. COBDEN
—is precisely for all the world what we might
only in reason have expected to hear from the
lips of the Political Bagman. Common sense gone
s'ean mad. Sophistry affecting sincerity. Disin-
genuousness affecting candour. An oration woz thy
of the man wh.o had the effrontery the other day
in the Reuse of Commons to talk of giving over
the destinies of the country into the hands of the
Tories for the sake of a dirty 2,000,0001. ! Look
at the Speech ! See how ingenuous it is ! Observe
how this noble-hearted. Politician raises a laugh
of ridicule against Lord PA LUERSTON—for What ?
For being seventy-three years of age ! Mirk the
convincing logic as well as the captivating decency
of his arguments ! Ho rejects one opinion as the
result of "downright quackery." He repudiates
another as " insulting chiNishnesa." He finds a
view different from his own—and he tells you
"It is all moonshine." Fellow-citizens in the
same free state dissent from his own infallible
Judgment in the estimate of a particular
Minister, and he brands them at once as
" toadies." He goes far beyond this, however,
in the bespattering about him of his coarse and
vulgar scurrilities—Speaking of Lord PALMER-
STON'S claim just now upon popular consideration,
he asks : " Well, what other title does he present
to our confidence that the people of this country
should be called upon by the impudence of three or
four metropolitan journals, which for reasons
best kiloton to themselves, which, I hope will be
their bellies
ex-
Posed some day,
callingare
u
c
upon
to lie down upuponinththeedEusntglbefore this people
man ?"
Au insinuated, but sufficiently apparent
calumny, which we, for oiae, should scarce
t ly have
man, high or low, good, bad
iiught any
public
or indifferent, would have had the hardihood to
cast from him in these days of ours, even in a
moment of the most extreme exacerbation.
Yet
.one which Mr. COBDEN blushes not to
fling from him with an idle and careless
hand, and in a tone of indecent flippancy.
We have now done with Mr Cc:OWEN, We

It is the undoubted prerogative of the SOYE-
REIGN to issue money, or what shall be received
as the measure and representative thereof. But
that great and very profitable privilege has been
delegated to a considerable extent t) a trading
corporation. The Bank of England now issues
notes to the nominal value of 14,475,0001.
against public securities. In other word; it re-
ceives the interest on that large amount--which,
taken at only 3 per cent., amounts to 446,0001.
per annum, while it has the profits on its paper
issues, declared to be legal tenders everywhere
bu':, at the offices of the Bank, which may
be set down at least at an equal amount.
A. really National Bank, issuing really na-
tional notes, secured on all the accumula-
tive wealth and industry of the nation,
would save nearly half a million sterling per an-
nual in the matter of interest alone, to say nothing
of the different sums paid for deficiency bills,
when the Chancellor of the Exchequer is com-
pelled to apply for temporary assistance at
Leadenhall street. There are also the payments

for the management of the National Debt, a large
portion whereof might be saved by the creation
of a National Bank of Issue under the exclusive
control and direction-of a department responsible
to Parliament. But at this moment, unless
the unaccountable apathy that has so
long prevailed be shaken off; a re-
newal of the charter for a further term
of ten years will be granted. Five millions at
least will be abstracted from the National Exche-
quer, and more than one hundred millions of
damage inflicted on the manufacturing, and com•
mercial, and industrial interests. This exceeds
the costs of the Russian War, and should not
lightly be sacrificed. A decided demonstration
may avert the impending evil. But if the people
are silent, if the golden opportunity be neglected
or misapplied, they will only have themselves to
thank for the misery that must inevitably arise.
Even five millions would be worth saving, and
that can be effected by a timely exhibition of pub-
lic feeling.

MAIL FOR THE CAPE,---The Poet-office authorities
have given notice that they will make up a mail for the
Cape of Good Hope on the evening of the 24th for de-
spatch by her Majesty's steamer Transit, to sail on th•
25th inet., for China, (kiting at the. Cape.

fliE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY
__MTA...R.CI-.1 20, 1857

TIIE CONTINEATAL COURT.'.

A letter from Vienna of the 15th, in the Nerd, rays :
—"The Emperor and Empress appeared the (by be-
fare y:sterday for the first time since their return at the
theatre of flofburg, and were received with the warmest
acclamations. Wonderful stories are related here of
t!le visit which their Maj sties male, in returning
from Italy, to the celebrated grottos of Adelsberg.
The interior of this vast subterranean labyrirr,h,
even to its most distant passages, wag illuminated by
16,000 torches and Bengal lights. The entrance
to the grotto was ornamented with a transparency
bearing the following insoription :—‘The love of their
subjects accompanies sovereigns further than the rays •'
the sun.' A military band awakened the echoes of the
cavern. In the part of the grotto called the ' Ball-
room,' were ranged 50 couples of peasants of the Cat.
niola in their national costume. The august visitors
remained in the grotto two hours.

• ROYA 617I?REY GARDEN f.

A concert, under the direction cf M. Jul
was given at tis se gar.lens last night, in aid of the
furels of tl;e Early Closing Aesocation. Tbe can
cert, a 3 r. ganled both its selection and performauce,
might have b,en given to the most polished and
fastidious audience in London. It included \Veber's
overture to " Euryanthe ;" the pie:ste movements
of Beethewn's seventh symphony ; ..I\Lnd, lssohn's
pianoforte cont'ette in G in:ller, played by Miss
Arablle, Goddard ; the whole of Menlel•sebn's
symphony in A (the Italian symphony) ; the allegro
and storm movements fran the Past .ael symphony
of BoAhoven ; and Thalberg'sfant,sia from "Moth
in Eeiqo," performed by Miss Goddard. For
vocal V music—Miss Dolby sang Meudelsohe's
" First Violet," Bilfe's "Green Trees," and a
prety Scottish ballad ; and Mies Louisa Vinning
sang the Pages song in "Figaro," "Voi the
sapete," and "Verdi's cavativa, "Tacea la Not' e."
The orchestra was complete and powerful, and the
various performances v ere admirable iu ever y re-
spect. We were parlicu'arly struck with the re-
markable acoustical properties of the hall. Not-
withstanding its vast dimensions, every note of the
music was as well heard as it could hive been even
in a private drawing-room ; letter, indeed, for the
sounds we, e softened and freed from everything
liko noise or harshness by the vest space through
which they wore diffused. The sounds of the voices,
and t' e tones of elory instrument were char, full,
and resonant ; and, in particular, Miss Arabella
Goddard's splen& d execution of Mendelssolm's Con-
certo was probably never heard to gueateradvantage.
Throughout the evening the audience were loud
and enthusiastic in their applause ; and there was
even something grand in the bursts which rever-
berated through the building like prolonged peals
of thunder. In addition to the pieces which we
have mentioned, some specimens of Jullien's bril-
liant dance-music were introduced between the first
and second parts of the conceit. From the ap-
pearance of the hall wo trust it will be found that
the concert has been of substantial benefit to the
excellent association in whose aid it was given.

Tim Archduke Albert, the Vienna journals state, sent
in on the 13th to the Emperor of Austria a long report
on the situation of Hungary, Particularly as regards the
finances. They add the, the propositions which his
Imperial Highness has made, based on the results of tbo
conferences of the five Vice-Preidents of the Govern•
ments of Hungary, are expected to obtain the Imperial
sanction.

The Princess Luitpold of 13avaea has been indisposed
for some days. The last bulletin says :—" Eler Royal
Highness passed an agitated night ; the cough has been
less tormenting than during the day, and towards even-
ing the fever diminished." A letter from Dresden, of
the 14th, states that a grand dinner, which was to have
been given at court on that day, was postponed in con•
sequence of the intelligence of the illness of the princess,
who is a niece of his Saxon Majesty.

A Cabinet Council was held yesterday afternoon at
the official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury
in Downing-street. The Ministers present were :
Viscount Palmerston, the Lord Chancellor, Earl Gran-
ville, the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Earl of Harrowby,
Sir George Grey, the Earl of Clarendon, Lord Patirnure,
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Charles Wood, the
Right Hon. R. Vernon Smith, Lord Stanley of Alderlty,
the Duke of Argyll, and the Right lion. M. T. Baines.
Despatches were sent from the Colonial-office yester-
day to the Governors of Hong Kong and Ce3l.m.
ARRIVAL 01 TILE PERSIAN ENVOY.—His Exzeil,ncy
Feruk Khan, Envoy Extraordinary from the Shah of
Persia, attended by a numerous retinue, arrived in town
last evening from Dover. His Exaellency proceeded direct
from the London bridge railway station to C!aridge's
Hotel, in Brook-street, the state apartments of whioh
magnificent establishment had been prepared fur his re-
ception.

Her Royal Highness the Princess Mary of Cambridge
visited the Duchess of Kent, yesterday, at Clarence
Howe, St. James's.
The Countess of Clarendon has issued cards for an as.
sembly to-morrow evening.
The Earl of Donoughtuore has arrived at Claridge's
Hotel, hoer, Ireland.
The Count Zabielo (Ittach6 to the Legation of Russia)
has arrived at the Brunswick Hotel, Jermyn-street, from
St. Petersburg.
The Hon. Julian Pane arrived in to wn, a few days
since, from Russia.
Sir Brook and Lady Bridges and Miss Charlotte
Knight have left the Clarendon for Gooduestone Park,
Kent.

M. Pontiloff (Conseiller to the Emperor of Russia),
accompanied by his family and seite, have left the Bruns-
wick Hotal, Jermyrestreet, for Paris.
Lady Molesworth received at dinner, on Wednesday
evening, the Marquis of Breadalbane, the Earl and
Countess of Stanhope, his Excellency the Serlinian
Minister, the Earl and Countess Grey, Viscount Tor-
rington, Viscount and Viscountess Sydney, Sir Anthony
and Lady de Rothschild, Baroness Lionel de Roilecleild,
the Riaht Hon. R. Vernon Smith, M.P., and Mrs.
Vernon Smith, and Mr. Delane.
The Earl of Burlington has been appointed Lord
Lieutenant of Lancashire, in room of the late Earl of
Ellesmere.
PAPER MILLS AND PAPER DUTY.—In 1856 there were
393 paper mils and the duty lathe year ended March
was 1,047,430 e.
The Dublin papers announce the death of Mr. Kem-
rnis, Q.O , who for several years has filled the office of
eairmen at Kilmainham. The deceased was milled to
the bar in Easter Term, 1795, and must have been con-
siderably over fourscore years. The chairmanship is
w th 1,2001. a-year.
ACCIDENT AT A. PUBLIC MEETING.—EfUDDEREVIELD,
Thursday.--Mr. Cobden having aidressed an audience
if two thr wand persons, in the theatre, in exposition of
his political views, was interrupted by a tremendoni
crash. The ride gallery gave way, precipitating forty
persons into the pt; several of them were injured, and
the meeting was abruptly terminated.
THE RECTORSHIP OF KING'S COLTIEGE.—The Aberdeen
Journal say; : —The graduates, it will be seen, are cal rd
to a meeting to be held within the college on Wednes-
day, April 15, to nominate a rector to succeed the Earl
of Ellesmere. The meeting has been fixed for the above
day, we have reason to believe, in order to accommodate
members of the synods. We have not, as yet, heard
any name mentioned as likely to be brought forward.,
NEWLY DISCOVERED Banz.---Capt. D. Moore; of the
Russell-Ellice, arrived at the Falkland Islands, reports
having found soundings in 45 fathoms water in lat. 30,50
S. long. 35.50 W., by chronometer, or 36 W. by lunar
observation. Hie attention had been directed to it by
the change in the appearance of the water, but the we. -
ther and a heavy sea prevented his 1 itvt ring a boat and
taking soundings around it carefully as he was disposed
to do.
EMIGRATION TO AUSTRALIA.—LITERPOOL, Thursday.
—The celebrated clipper ship Red Jacket, Capt. P.I. H.
O'Halloran, below :jog to Messrs. H. T. Wilson and
Cietinbers, White Star line of Australian packets, will
sail from the Mersey for Melbourne at noon so-morrow,
?jou out instant42o (theappointed (lily tliis line). She
passengers, her full complement, every
berth having been engaged a number of ea) s ago,
and a very large and valuable oargo of merchandise on
freight.
It has transpired that Russia has taken more active
steps than England to establish telegraphic ceminunica-
tion with India. According to private and reliable ad-
vices just received, she made a contract previously to
the termination of the late war for a line from Nicolniefl
via the Caspian Sea -to Ispelian and Herat. It ha:4
since been in progress, and although, under the secrecy
enforced in that country, no conjecture can be formed
as to the probable period of its completion, the contin-
gency is not impossible of our finding before long that
she Is in regular receipt of news from our possessions
weeks previously to its arrival in London.
According to some impressions, the recent treaty
between Mexico and the United States is not I:kely
to come into effect. At the last advises the session
of Congress at Washington was within a few hours
of its termination, and the treaty had not been sub-
mitted. Mr. Buchanan, the new President, will
immediately, upon assuming office, call together the
Senate, which, as an executive branch of the Govern.
meet, roust act upon all his appointments, and to which
he could subsoil:, for ratification a treaty strictly so called.
But, as that said to have been concluded with,
Mexico contemplates a loan of money, it seems
doubtful whether under the carstitution it would
be valid without the sanction of Congress. The
latter body unless they are specially called
together, will not meet until December next, and the
prospect, therefore, with regard to the adjustment of the
question is uncertain. The treaty was negotiated with-
out instructions, and from the betiattion of the expiring
Cabinet to bring it forward for completion an nssump-
Lion is entertained that it is regarded by them with dis-
satisfaction.
THE CAMP AT COLCHESTER.—The wretched condition
of the soldiers' wives at the Colchester camp has led to
some correspondence between the War Department
appears that in the middle of last
and Major-General Gascoigne, which was published
yesterday. It
month the scenes of destitution as to the wives and
children of soldiers in Colchester, from causes connected
with the army regulations and the dearness of food, were
truly deplorable, and
" there were not so few as 2EO
wives and 350 children next to houseless." The
wives of soldi ra married without the command-
ing officer's leave, and who bad no children, re-
ceived 2d , and many only a penny a day to live
on, and it was feared that they would fall into habits cf
prostitution. The Secretary of State for War wrote to
Major-Gen. Gascoigne on the 2d inst. to the effect that he
(Lord Paurnure)could not sanction the application to the
cases of women who had married soldiers without the con-
sent of the commanding officer of the Circular, No. 1,235
(July 15, 1856), inasmuch as it contemplated the cases of
women who had been left behind at the stations at which
their husbands were serving previous to their rear:vat to a
camp, and not to worsen above the regulated number who
belong to corps situated as the depots of Colchester are.
Lord Panmure, however, agreed to grant free passages or
travell'n,g expenses hack to their parishes to the wives
and families of soldiers who had married without consent,
and whose wives were in excess of the regulated numbers,
prov led they were willing to return. Lord Panmure
at the same time expressed his surprise that soldiers who
had married without eonsent, and whose wives and
families bad been allowed to accompany them from Ire-
land to Colchester, bad been placed under stoppages of
pay to refund the expense of transit, and his Lordship
gave orders that such stoppages should be for the future
discontinued.—Times.
A SERIOUS JOKE.--The Following is an extract lam a
private letter dated Hong Kong, the 29th of January :
"A capital tale is told of campradcre. On the
morning the bread was
poisoned 's boy ran into his
room, telling him not to eat any, as it was poisoned.
rang for the cainpradore to ask him about, it, and
the man promised to investigate the matter. Half an
hour elapsed, and the oampradore did not return. His
master walked down stairs, and asked hies if lie Lel d:s.
covered any trace of poison. Yes,' was the, reply.
' Indeed ! and how did you find it out ?' Oh, I have
given one half loaf to the small boy, and another half to
that coolie.' 'And why have you done that ?' 'Ohs
that small boy has no father, mother, sister, or wife. If
lie do die, what matter ? Coolie all the same.",