Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-08-09

I Il -essiOn
political speeches were made by Mr. Matteson of New
YORK, Nj. A. X. Marshall of Kentucky, Mr.. Grow of
Pennsylvania, and Mr. Davis, of Maryland.-Nai. Int
From the London Times, July 81.
We shal have occasion in few days to give history
OF the session which is just closing, and offer opn.
ion how FAR the two Houses of Parliament the Govern
ment have discharged the duties they have undertaken
but We cannot prevail upon ourselves await for that Pc
Rod In order to express wonder the rather
Careless in which business Of the utmo. mpor.
lance is disposed Of and upon which public opn.
ion is nearly unanimous aud which serious opposi
ton is to be apprehended, dropped merely because
the hand OF Government sess hold them auy
longer. THE children to the BIRTH but there
is no strength to bring FORTH" the is laid in the
bow but there il not energy enough draw IT, Our en-.
erprises of great pth and not "sckied DER
with the pale hue of thought but give up avoid the
trouble Of thinking about them ALL II is not irresou.
on tits not cowsrdce it is not stupidity il is list
essness OF which We have to complain. Our measures
fall through because is much trouble pass them
nobody in earnest about anything aud this utter want
OF sincerity takes the form not OF any sham fiction bu,
OF mere Incidence and inaction If passes Is
because II u too much trouble oppose il il fails
- because it too much trouble pass it, Its merits
it, expectancy the popular wish for it, the opportuuty
the injustice Of delay all count for nothing; Parliament
must be prorogued In week. and whatever stands the
way OF this blessed contamination is aside as Of no
moment
No doubt shall be told that all these good things are
only deferred for time and that the seed which is sown
this session will be reaped in iu and rich maturity in the
next This IS but poor consolation il true aud unor-
tunAey it Is not There times when things can
be DONE aud there others when the very things
with the very people, utterly impossible The
speech that day would have the House to en-
thusasm falls Hat and dead another occasion because
spsahng has occurred to prejudice the question the
channel and give an nvdous appearance To the an
in aho
OF clSi ar censure Let suppose that great a..
sembes, any more than the individuals that compose
them are actuated by tppeals and principle
Those may be the grounds upon which pro-
posed but they seldom constitute the machinery by Which
they carried. The the Government therefore.
which has proposed really good and useful measure in.
ours enormous responsibility by drieng TO another
time what can be done 10 day, aud trusting hope that
which might at once be made certainty. Take us an
Instance tine Divorce Bill The had been care.
iuy considered deliberately argued had passed the House
OF Lor in which the strongest oppoSion 10 il w.s tn he
apprehcnded and with the full assent OF the public "a e,
pressed 10y the press and the best wishes OF all wise and
god men, awaited with every prospect Of success the de.
c5on of the House of Commons We really thought that
at last this old rrproich Of our aW-s blot upon our
cvizauon,-the Law of Divorce-was in a fair way for
oeihg removed But just At the when hopes
were at the highest cold fit upon he Gov.
eminent, and the bill is withdrawn merely because it
too late in the session! Who tell what may occur
between this time aud the session Of Parliament TO
blight the fair promise Of this sautary and eouitale
measured Some scandal IN high life some disclosure of
misconduct in which the wife has been the offender and
the husband betrayed and sacrificed the reyTa Of the
illogical controversy the zeal Of popular preacher or two
It los for exciting opcsany Of these things may give
such turn TO the public mind that may wait in vain
Ter before find another occasion ike that which
has been so reckle-sly allowed TO slip from US
This is broadly distinguished from all others by the
fact that the bill originated with the other side of the
House of Lords and might therefore be supposed To h..
free from any chance OF party oppo-i;ion But il
less trouble let it drop than to pass il and il dron
ped accordingly Then there is the bill Tor Furnishing tile
criminal appropriation Of trust funds n measure loudly
called for by public opinion, involving 10 sort Of diff
Guilty or complication, and very req ui-te time when
almost every week reveals % fresh scandal in the
commercial world and when We have given G,sb cx,.
sion to principles which pe the property one man At
the order and disposition Of another
The recent exposure Of city frauds by Mr. LANG tue
case OF the Iipperary Bank aud numerous others MI
show that commercial morality has gradually sunk TO tho
level Of loose aud inconsistent criminal law made for
the punshment OF the crimes Of the DOOR and too coarse
aud simple TO reach the refined and subtle yilan
OF the rich IL Is very true, NriIrnley says that
Is the crime aud not the punishment that makes the dis
grace OF action, but what have to COMPLAIN of i
That actions which involve the gravest violations Of the
Precepts OF morality and are most injurious the public
interest are allowed complete mpuny and that there u
very strong tendency IN the minds Of men who do not
generally think Tor themselves TO coniound impuny with
innocence and TO suppose that what the Law does not bro.
hibit ia lawful, aud what l. lawful il allowable
We are persuaded that nothing Is 40 much needed
! 70 amend our mercantile morality ~ a reform in
those portions OF the criminal Inv which do not ex.
tend A. they ought to mercantile transactions There
/ - general opinion q this effect add goverpu.pt
In introducing such bill has only executed duty
a. faithful gu"'dai " the public Interest aud morality
moreover there symptoms Of the approach of one If
those periods 81 commercial excitement which tends, ,
eheck Of sound pena law peculiarly requisite What
men, hts become OF the Attorney Generals bill for rer..
DYING small portion Of this mischefY IL has been aos
ei 70 stand over FOR months while Government has been
.asuny ums over measures rought In too late ard too
strongly opposed 70 be carried this session. The bin bss
not indeed yet been Withdrawn and this dsy IN, At
heyGehesl y 20 state bis Intentions the House but no
one can doubt considering the prospects IT propagation
ths this most useful measure, against which there has
not been breath Of opposition which l. desired equally
by al sdrr and which " both ght in self and pecu,r
" needed at the present moment s doomed to extinction
We are not speaking now be observed Of measure. viz
nously opposed by small section Of the House bicb
ite energy aud frmness might have carried-o these
There are AZ least ten which might be mentioned bu, of
bills desired on I'll hands, which have fallen through more
ly because IL too much trouble 20 pass them
Nov, may b. that the popular notion that Il l. the
1uy OF Government 20 propO-e every year some cgs,
i've measure Oi grcs weight and significance Is on entire
mistake. sud That Government carry the internal adj
ninistrhon keep us out ol war or fight us through
"hen We Get iuo one II doe al that car reasonably c
required Of H. This has not been the common ,beo,v
sincc TIE Reform Bill but tho Reform Bill il nos nearly
generation on, and IL may not be- right % carry into new
age the ptecepts and habit Of the last Bot If hi. il IN
oe the rule AZ ant rate let II be consistently acted on
" u Il not the duty OF the Government TO Introduce bile
Why dos introduce them and having introduced them
why dos not it, utmost ercrtiona 70 carry them
There not W. admit, At this any very greedy
desire on the part " the public for reform innovation Of
any hndthe greater push forward such atera
lions ~ u " quite clear really and earnestly dcsrcd by
The public. That the session has been more fruitful
OF measures may be much the fault Of tho apathy Of the
public and the dsorganized state Of the House Of Com.
mons a. OF the Government, but that important bills
should be introduced and then thrown aside from in
doenoe or -tlessness is the fsd Of the Government
alone Alter all there serious things w the
bn'ines' Of hic-sOmo things Tor which l. Worth while
To make cserioi-sOne things Tor which wise and
gopd mn s take thr tfoube 10 think aud even L. act
Not every deserves " be thrown into the waste