New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-08

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Az nstcc 70 her eNoehent un"''s'"Ne"e' io'
,.ry,ras,icn was not without certain feminine
-, and "hcr letters were 20 well expressed that
49,. J.s,ry,d a. be well-spclt' She had taste
g, Inc lighter Minds Of literature and at one time
-, made reading fashionable among Iadioe OF
.n,p,v With high standard oimorals and warm
ss,.tion 10 religious duties, she had no tAlnt oil
.s,soriousncss She hated scandal no loss than
,;ee Fer the sly aud cunning backbiter she had
NO tolerance. In this habit she was iuiIy sus-
tanned by her husband, Both had cordial aver
.on 10 the tac.bcarcr, but they showed their dis
Ma, in different WAYS. William would preserve a
profound silence, giving the slanderer locs
(which made his story 50 back down his throat;
~hile Mary had way of intorrupting the retailers
AZ scandal about clopcmcnts, Guels and debts OF
honor. by inQuiring whether they had ever read
A., s,crite sermon. Or. Tllotson's on Evil
Spcskiug. She made no ostcntatious show OF
charity. but was prompt in relieving cases OF dis
tr,ss rr,rrnchiug her own expenses in order TO
AID the refugee Protestants from France aud Ire
hand. who were starving in the garrets OF London.
The craces of her character would doubtless
have done much to efiace the unfsvorable impress
sious hich were made by the manners Of the king,
Il she had confined To- assemble round her the
A.st society of London. But the state OF bis
health made il impossible for him 10 reside at
Whitshsll The air of Westminster, damp with
the foes OF the river, which sometimes 0verflowed
,he courts of his palace and infected by the fume
ef all the filth which at that day accumulated /
the streets became intOlerabe to his delicate con
st;tasion. His lungs were weak, HE sense of smel
.,ouisitcly Keen. and an asthma TO which he ha
,oue been subject was making rapid progress. Hi
physicians declared that he could not live to tn
end Of the year. and at ali events, twas absoutelj
necessary that he should quit London He accord
iasly took up his residence in the purer air OF
Hampton Court, in the palace begun by the mag
ni6oeut Wolsey. He soon found, however, that
this was too iar from Parliament and the pubic
affairs 10 be the ordinary abode of the sovereign,
and after various plans he at length fixed his choice
upcn the suburban residence of KensingtOn House.
Such was the external condition Of the king upon
assuming the responsibility of the English Govern
mept But whatever the inconvenience OF his
environment they were not TO be compared to the
obstacles which he met with in the degradation OF
the national character. The higher classes OF En-
sfsh society we're essentially corrupt. 1t is true
that those sterling qualities Of the English blood,
yeracity, uprichtness and manly courage, were
still preserved to great extent among the masses
Of the people The popular heart, which is the
last 10 tie corrupted by evil influences was still
sound But this was by 10 means the case with
the classes that surrounded the throne of William
The public men of that day were even more unprn-
ejpled and degraded than those OF the present The
standard of honor and virtue was at the lowest
point. England was every far gone from her orig
jnal righteousness" The court swarmed with
crowd Of corrupt sycOphants who had sprung into
being amid the vices of the Restoration. A man OF
true integrity and public spirit was rare The ma
ehipery of the Government was covered with rust
and rottenness. The efficiency of every department
wac impaired by neglect and fraud. From the time
Of the Restoration to the time of the Revolution,
"tonors and public trusts, peerages, barOnetcies,
regiments, frigates embassies, governments, COM
missonerships, leases of crown lands, contracts
for clothing, for provisions, for ammunition, par
dons for MURDER for robbery, for arson, were sold
at Whitehall scarcely less openly than asparagus at
Covent Garden or behring's atBillingsgate' Brokers
had been necessarily plying for custom in the pur-
liens Of the court and Of these brokers, the most
succcssful had been in the days of Charles, the
harots, and in the days of James the priests" The
pestilence had spread from the palace through
every Office and every rank. Universal feebleness
and Differentiation were the result. The body
polite, which in repose had presented show OF
health and yigor, was found to be unequal 10 any
exerton. The first efforts betrayed an utter re-
taxation Of fiber an entire want Of the manly tone
essential TO success. The religion and liberty OF
England were then exposed TO the most formidable
enemy which had threatened their existence
..since the Hebrides were strOwn with the wrecks
Of the Armada
There was no want of those talents which RAISE
men TO eminence in society torn 10y internal fac
tons. The most skllful party leader, the most
wary parliamentary tactician, the most accom-
plished debater, were assembled at Westminster.
William had no lack of materials, such as they
were. for his choice of ministers. He assigned the
Sour highest offices in the State TO four nobemen,
who Represented four classes ofpohticians'
DANNY, who aspired TO the position of Lord
High Treasurer, was made President Of the frlVy
Council. This did not meet his ambition. he
suenly accepted the appointment and ll'conc 'aied
his anger that il was of so low rank. OF superior
practical ability and official experience, DANDY had
retained the confidence Of no political party He
had been at the head of the Cavaliers, and the
champion of the royal prerogative' Subsequently