Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-02-21
FROM oURLoNDo ON CORRESPONDENT
LONDON, JANUARY 30, 1852.


Before we again commence our weekly communlca-
ton to our American friends the British Parliament
will have assembled in its annual session, the Queen
will bave addressed the representatives Of the people,
and given, in brief detail statement of the gene
raj condition of the affairs of the nation, and the
Prime Minister will have submitted some of his
plans and projects for the future to the attention of
the COLLECTED wisdom" of the Empire There is
much to be done by the Government during the
next six months much which will be pressed upon
its notice. and demand its attention with an unusual
degree of force much which must be attended to,
if those who are in power or may be in power wish
to meet the requirements of the times, aim at the
good of those for whose benefit they are placed in
the possession of power. To say nothing of the
foreign relations of England, and any question
speeding the foreign policy of the country which may
have occasioned the secession of Lord PALMERsToN,
and regarding only the domestic affairs of the British EN-
pireeven shutting Of that view the great
of Parliamentary reform which Lord JOHN RUSSELL is
pledged to attend towe find the following list of Subjects
Of important and almost vital consequence demanding the
best efforts of patriotism and the decided exercise
Of political wisdom and practical good to adjust
during the next session of Parliament Our colonial
atons have all to be discussed consolidated and reaus
ed the state of Ireland ecclesiastical and political as
well social presses for calm and laborious attention
and the East India Company will ask for renewal of
their most important charter The enterprise of law
reform, upon which the Government has only just entered
will require hasty steps, which have been taken in
wrong direction, to be retraced and decided adj
vance on the right road to be made more just and
equitable distribution of taxation will be demanded and
the demand must be met the property tax must be modi
fed or abandoned the Jews emancipation bill must be
attended to, andbut surely here is enough Of business
to employ Parliament without enumerang any questions
relating to economical retrenchment education sanitary
reforms the convict system ana treatment of criminals
the administration of justice, SC.
There is present appearance of any change in the
Cabinet. Lord JOHN RUSSELL will meet the Parliament
Minister and do not think that any thing less than
such continued and systematic defeat as may impair
bis influence damage his reputation, and cripple his
Hacity for effective service will induce him to consider
lhs retirement either desirable patriotic.
We are sorry that the dispute between the en-
gneers and the workmen yet remains unadjusted We
do not hear that any material alteration in the question
has taken place since last wrote. We see no symp
ions Of the spread Of socialism in this bust
iess some of the journals fancy they do 1t is as
nuch combination of the employers, representing capt.
h as 1t is OF the workmen representing labor mere
y question upon two minor points respecting the
mode OF employing that labor not its remuneration
Standing aloof from both parties and possibly com
pretending the arguments of either regard the whole
as very foolish business by which, if persisted in both
parties must be very seriously injured and which both
parties would think very terminate if ridcu-
ous obstnacy of opinion and that pride which prevents
many men from crying out "hold enough" when they
feel they are fairly beaten, did not stand in the way 1t
said last week that of the large firms intended
TO import workmen from Belgium but this would be high
y dsadvantageous in many points of view, particularly
Belgium has workmen to spare, who would visit
England unless under the temptation of high wages and
many of best workmen would be drawn abroad to
i'll the vacancy Our masters would get inferior work
and our laborers would get inferior wages by the
change; both parties would consequently suffer- and the
ountrys reputation would be materially injured by the
production Of an inferior article
The trumpetnote of alarm still rings clearly through
he land The London papers still TEEN with articles
and communications the subject of invasion from
France defenceless condition. the searching
form necessary in army and navy rifle clubs and
volunteer corps the Mimic rife, the Prussian needle
gun, and Colts revolvers forts and martello towers
artillery and menofwar steamers guns and drums
and all the paraphernalia of If this state of feeling
las its origin in any thing real then the late ting of
Frenchmen by Englishmen and Of Engshmen by French
men; all the interchange of courtesies in London and
Paris all the peaceful rivalry in arts science and manu-
lectures, only the prelude to fight boxers" shake
lus Dciore tney Degn 10 batter ana brse each other
We will not cannot think So cannot SO soon forget
The recent and plunge back into the remote The only
reason which be assigned for this extraordinary
hange is that LOUIS NAPOLEON is the sole wieder of
he power of France that he is cunning and ambitious
man, and that he may find it necessary well as agreea
Die, to employ his restless soldery.
If any thing could show the necessity Of reform in
of legal proceedings it would the cruel delay
md runous expense Of late nqustion into the state of
mind and capacity to take of her property of an
I'D lady, (Catharine Cummings which has just closed an
ther of its scenes for the melancholy drama is not vet
inshed The lady in question 70 years of age is pos
essed Of from G400 to E500 per annum, and has for
been the subject of contentious between lawyers
md relations to her sanity from which, had she been
pauper, she would have been entirely Free had her
harmless eccentrctes been ten times as numerous as
hey appear to have been About e. 600 was spent in
S46, under former Commission Of Inquiry without
coming to decision. And lately, what might have been
heaply and satisfactorily done in day two has un-
Ter anew commission employed commissioner Of lunacy
nd nineteen jurors four learned counsel and beyy Of
torneys no less than sixteen days get through Mt
psf of about G350a day, of So GOO in ALL The ury's
terdict is that Mrs. Cummings is of unsound mind The
counsel on the losing sde however satisfied with
bis view of the case and greedy of plumber have
vei an opinion that the verdict is contrary to evidence
md recommend that the should be forthwith submit
I'd o another jury; proceedings to be Immediately
and the poor old lady will most likely be