The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-02-13
WHOLE NO. 215.
LETTER FROM LONDON.


Lord John Russell has addressed his customary
letter to his supporters in the House Of Commons,
asking their attendance on the 9Th of February
next, the day for the opening Of the Parliament,
when he will at once proceed to business Of i'm
pOrtance. There are those who anticipate great
excitement on the POpish question: but think
there will not be a revival Of that wild agitation.
1t seems that, in Rome all those English families
which have become "perverts7 TO the Catholic
creed are treated with the greatest honors, while
Protestant families Of renown are neglected. A
son Of the Earl Of Gsinsborough has passed over
to the embraces of the Catholic church quite
recently. lie has been residing at Rome for some
time
The Reform members Of the House Of Com
mons will bring up the old question of electoral
reform with unusual rigor this year while the
advocates Of Observation-Disclosures will not
alloV the session to pass of without obligsg
Parh 'ment to listen to some Of their unpleasant
truthi
There will also be powerful attempt made to
repeal the odious window tax or at least to com
mute it, as its present effect is TO promote dark
ness, aud consequent ill-health aud bad morals
The people OF Manchester will try to obtain a
bill for improvement Of the means of local educa-
ton in that great town. This is an experiment,
which, il successful it is thought, will pave the
way for q grand national educational scheme
Church. England men, Catholics, Dissenters,
and all are united in peiitioning for the bill,
which shall grant the power to the authorities to
Law fax for a,fucafion uh;ch shau e. .n,;.o1x.
secular and fair to all parties IL the bill is grant
ed, it will establish the right to tax property for
the purposes Of education, and if the plan be sue
cessful, it will go great way towards relieving
the great body of Disorders of their fears as to
State education. They have, without any reason,
COMPOUNDED State religion with State education.
One thing is very certain-the great masses of
English men and women are in gross state of
ignorance and vcluntaryism does not give them
the light they need and should have.
IL il be not within the province Of Govern
ment to furnish the people with the means of
education, through local taxation, then | am at
loss to know what are the uses of a Government
IL can tax TO do harm-to raise armies and wage
wars, but not to give light to the ignoranti
The Duke of Newcastle expired last Sunday, at
his residence in the country. He was one Of the
wealthiest men in the Kingdom, aud has ever been
a most bigoted member of the Tory party, and
was, perhaps the most unpopular man in England
In the times of the Reform Bill in 1890 his course
was 80 extremely odious that the popuace at
tackled one of his most highly priced and ancient
seats, and burned it down to the ground, and il
haa oA...l.
also much injured by the mob He was for some
time Lord Lieutenant of his native country but
refusing to appoint officers under him to suit the
Ministry, he was informed by the Prime Minis
ter that the Queen had no further occasion for his
services. In early life he was ms-educated, or in
fact had no real education at all, and through his
whole life he has been bitterly opposed to the
spirit Of the age. By the Reform Bill in 1882,
he lost several rotten boroughs.n The borough
property which he lost, The Times estimates at
nearly a million of dollars But, although so Bit
terly opposed to the spirit of progress, he was
obliged to bow before it, And although for years he
has held himself entirely aoof from anything
popular, and clung almost with desperation to the
usages of ancient times, it was all of no use-ho
was obliged to witness the triumphs of the popu-
lar party in the downfall of the corn laws
The laboring people Of England are getting
wide awake about the exhibition next spring In
the western or northwestern part of London
building Is going up expressly as lodging house
for mechanics next season. will contain 900
rooms, of course each one Merry small, but we'll
ventilated, and the charge peE night will be only
about thirty cents Of American money An
omnibus will run TO and from the Crystal Palace,
at charge of one penny. Agents are in several of
the manufacturing towns making arrangements
with the working men already. The Railways
will run mammoth trains om at night, 30 ns TO al
low those who come in to take the places Of those
who have gone
The town Of Liverpool alone will furnish over
two thousand different articles for the exhibition
The Prussian Minister Of Commerce is making
arrangements with the German railways, to carry
people TO London during next summer, at cheap
fares. News has been received here, from the
distinguished Mr.. Layard, author OF " Nineveh,"
up TO the Goth Of last November. lie was then
at Bagdad, but was waiting for proper papers,
which would allow him to commence in safety his
excavations. He represents the state Of the
country as exceedingly confused and unsafe, and
says that, were he TO 70 outside the gates Of the
city without tho necessary passports and protec-
ton, II would be at the imminent risk Of having
his throat cut, or making triumphant resntry
In his shirtD lie was daily expecting the de-
sired papers from the Sublime Porte
Some Of the Scotch newspapers, in noticing tho
recent pensions which have been awarded to lite
rary persons In England, suggest that II would
be attering to the feelings of the people of Scot
land, II her Majesty should see fl to select n
Scottish subject as recipient Of her bounty, end
that no more suitable person could be found
than Mrs BeRg, the surviving sister Of the great
poet, Robert Burns. As the Queen Of late has
conceived quite fondness for Scotland, certainly
u paltry hundred pounds year would not be
misbestowed II given to the aged sister Of Scot
lands great national poet.
notice in the news from ireland the death Of
the brilliant writer and novelist, Mr. Maxwell.
Last Thursday week, in France, the ministerial
crisis came to head, and a new Cabinet was
formed. General Changarnier is superseded by
General paraguay d,IIilliers In the command Of
the army. M, Ducos is the new Minister Of the
Marine, M. Magne, Minister Of Public Works,
and M. Drouyn de Lhuys, Minister Of Foreign
Affairs. Several members Of the new Cabinet are
known to be opposed TO republicanism, but that Ia
no more than was expected.
Emile de Girsrdn appauds tho President for
bis frmness, and only wishes that he would now
throw himself into the hands Of the sincere re-
publicans Is it not singular that the Mountain
does not sympathze with Chang irner. As 1t Is,
Its members enjoy the quarrel between the Bona
partists and Legitmists with great relish. As
soon as General Changarnier's removal took place,
an agitated session Of the Assembly occurred, and
q warm discussion In which Lamnrtine and others
participated. M do Remusat demanded that tho
Ministry should make explanations to the As
sembly, and the consideration Of his proposition
has caused great excitement On Saturday, while
1t was being discussed, M. Theirs and M Duprat,