The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-04-25 00:00:00

Eiberpoot tanbarb,

FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.

MONDAY MORNING.

THE Easter holidays are -generally less productive of
incidents suited to illustrate the sober realities of life than
other seasons, and the past week has formed no exception
to the rule. Pleasure seekers were to be met with in
abundance, and in all cases, where frivolity and mere pas-
time were wanted, there was no lack of means for their
amusement. Speaking of pleasure seeking, sets one to
think of the very conflicting means by which enjoyment
is sought by different individuals, and the absence of what
is generally called public business suggests the reflection
that, in some instances at least, the most laborious exertion
is that of trifling. If any of your numerous and intelli-
gent readers is inclined to doubt such an assertion, let
him take the trouble of perusing the solemn and tedious
farce enacted at the Manchester Corn-exchange, on Wed-
nesday last, by Mr. DAVID URQUHART and some few of
his infatuated coadjutors. For several years past this
gentleman has freely wagged a privileged tongue upon all
matters directly or indirectly pertaining to Russia and
its affairs, but most particularly have its relations to the
Turkish empire and the state of Oriental affairs enjoyed
his special attention. The perverse ingenuity with which
he has discovered the motives for now one course of
action, now another, and invested the proceedings of
Russia with them, must, I think, have materially aided in
extending the views and developing the policy of that
state. The strongest symptom of his Russo-phobia is the
most recently declared one. He has discovered that all
our movements, ostensibly to check the aggressions of
the CZAR, are only so many secret means of forwarding
his views. According to Mr. URQUHART'S opinion, the
English Ministry are sold and wedded to the Russian
policy, and our movement of troops and fleets is only a
cunningly-devised means to aid the Russians in their
conquest and partition of Turkey. Time was when Mr.
URQUHART appeared a formidable antagonist, and his
onslaughts upon public men and public measures were
looked on as of consequence; but, alas ! how has he fallen
now ! See what a following he has got ! The ragged
regiment which FALSTAFF declared his resolution not to
march through Coventry with, is obviously the model of
his corps; and, from brother BRIGHT to Colonel CHESNEY,
all recruits are heartily welcome, the only condition of
their enrolment being that they shall not contradict their

chief. The family of this Caledonian spouter has long
been remarkable for the oddity of its whims. Two cen-
turies ago, a bewildered Knight of this same family,

burning with a patriotism as pure as that which animates

the present orator, devolved upon himself the national
task of proving the gentility of the URQIIHA.RT breed,
and enlightening the world as to the antiquity of the said
tribe. In this operation he did not go quite so far as
another Celtic authority, who, in tracing the genealogy of
some breechless 111Acnursuw,t, or MACDONA.WA, set down
as a remarkable feature in the middle of his chart " about
this time ADAM was created." Sir something (I forget
his Christian patronymic) URQUHART modestly starts
with our common parent, from whom he distinctly deduces

his own descent, arguing from time to time upon the na-

tional importance of the event, and insisting with grave

earnestness upon the purity of blood which marks the
URQUHART race. Our modern purist tells us " there is

not a country where our government is not suspected of a
treacherous bias, and that we have not an organ which is
not suspected of being the recipient of Russian gold. In
this latter suspicion he was somewhat countenanced by a

letter from JOHN BRIGHT, who, sadly out of favour even
with the mob, appeals to "posterity" for justice against

dishonest ministers and hirelingnewspapers ; the illustrious

couple, it would seem, being a good deal out at elbows
with " a discerning public."

Among the remarkable features of the holiday festivi-
ties, not the least remarkable was the banquet at the
Mansion-House on Easter Monday, given by the Lord

Mayor of London. The company was numerous, and
embraced among the celebrities Sir HAMILTON SEY3fOrE,

our late ambassador at the court of St. Petersburgh.
Lord Jogs RUSSELL, too, having recovered from his

recent attack of pathetics, was likewise present. He em-

braced the opportunity, no doubt much wanted, of making
a public appeal in defence of his ministerial colleagues for

the conduct of the Russo-Turkish quarrel, which has pro-
cured for them the epithet of " the unready coalition."
Sir H. SEYMOUR, in replying to the toast of the diploma-
tic body, adverted to the detention of his ambassadorial
pledges, remarking that those who have experienced the
discomfort of arriving at a station minus an umbrella, or
a carpet bag, would be able to sympathise with him, in the
greater deprivation of having to travel without any lug-
gage at all. His speech was that of an English gentle-
man—frank, manly, and unhesitating. He spoke in

terms of warm commendation respecting the disinterested

conduct of the French in reference to the matter, and
laid particular stress on his individual belief, that the Rus-
sian people are not in reality possessed of feelings of enmity
against England. Of the CzAapersonally, he said hebelieved
that, if he had been correctly informed as to the state of
Paglish feeling in respect to Turkish affairs, the present
rupture would not have occurred. " If," said Sir HAMILTON
SEYMOUR," what had been said to the Emperor in English,
had been said to him in his own language, and if his own
subjects and councillors had had the courage to declare
the truth to him, he would not have embarked on his
present unfortunate course." Perhaps not, but if his
Czarship will not keep honest councillors about him, I see
no reason why, like other culprits, he must not pay the
penalty incurred by keeping bad company.
A propos of the CZAR and his evil councillors, consi-
derable discnssion has arisen in the political and commer-
cial circles of the Metropolis, on the subject of a letter
contained in some of the American newspapers recently
to hand. One passage, which has been much canvassed,
is the following :—" Russia is the best friend America has
at this moment, and America can help her in the way of
regeneration. America has money, and Russia is in want
of it, and no doubt will be glad to contract a debt with
America at the rate of six per cent., not by obtaining
cash, but for cash-worth in ships, and the means of keep-
ing up the war with those who oppose her. America can
build her ships to any extent, large and small: and
American ships can take out Russian seamen for them as
passengers, which neither France nor England can pre-
vent." This passage is looked upon by some, who do not
profess to see further into a mill-stone than their neigh-
bours, as rather significant of JONATHAN'S desire to keep
his weather eye open as to the main chance, while having
a sly, as well as profitable rap at the " Britishers." The
idea of advancing a loan at six per cent., in the shape of
ship-building, savours so much of the Yankee notion of
turning "an honest penny," as to gain for the rum our
a greater amount of attention than it otherwise would
have received.
Now that rumours of war are important items of gene-
ral conversation, it may be readily believed that no small
sensation was created by the receipt of intelligence, in
Loudon, from Portsmouth, intimating that a prize was
towed into the latter port, on Friday evening, by Hsn
MAJESTY'S screw revenue cruiser Argus. The prize is a
fine, clean, well-conditioned craft of 440 tons, laden with
salt and wine for Abo. She had fifteen of a crew, and
left Lisbon on the 25th of last month, and was fallen in
with and boarded off Beachy Head. Being the first prize
which has reached an English port since the outbreak of
hostilities, her captors, Qommander GRANBY and his crew
and officers, were welcomed with hearty congratulations
by a great concourse of spectators, who lined the beach
and the walls, on her arrival. Notwithstanding accounts
of some trivial successes, considerable murmurs as to dill-
toriness, in conducting operations, pass freely, and in dif-
ferent quarters ; and the conduct of the chiefs is com-
mented on in terms more explicit than complimentary. No
one professes to understand what the allied fleets are
doing
in the Black Sea ; and many express themselves
satisfied that Lord RAGLAN is so far on his way to head-
quarters as to have left the fetes and frivolities of the
French capital. Many an old soldier hints that better
preparation for. the opening of a campaign might be
obtained than m such places as ball-rooms and banquet
halls.

The oft-defeated, oft-repeated e
problem of ventilating
and equalising the temperature of
has, once more, engaged the attention
House of Commons
and theorists during the brief recess. of
practical meno
secure the
attendance of zephyrs, arid constrain them
behaviour, has been the object of great mental
to good
la
labour, and has been sought for, as yet in vain, at bodilyt
enor-
mous expense. The House has ordered
and the country
has paid £260,000 in setting up a steam engine above the
members, and erecting two below them, to pump the air
in and out, out and in ; experiments innumerable have
been made with these and other means for securing a
regulated atmosphere of pure fresh air, and all have sig-
nally failed. One honourable member is at zero, while
another complai a s that he is half-stewed and suffocated.
To obtain the objects professedly sought is, I fear, an
impossibility ; a temperature fitted to every taste will be
more difficult to achieve that was the disposal of the ass
in the fable. The effort, however fatiguing, must end in
disappointment ; happy will it be for all concerned, if it
lead to no greater amount of mortification.
The holiday time appears favourable to the display.of new
character, and not a few choppings and changes in that
commodity have beenbrought to light during their continu-
ance. One remarkable case has just been declared. Lord
the -firetting the instincts of his race, and abandoning
predilection of family habits, has become a donor to the
Romish church! Impossible ' must burst from every
mouth. Be not too • .
may, it seems, b •
incredulous • a remier
, Radical ex-p
contribute to the
ad: indeed liberal—a RUSSELL may
The story. donbtle.q an i..-
e11r..9c an ecclesiastical edifice.
'''' —^ -.4s on the a,utho.