Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-02-13
which in former times would have produced hurr;.

In second article the Times enumerates the
points in the report of the Secretary of the Navy in
elucidation Of tho amount of information thus sun.
piled to the country. Our own journalists have been
wont sometimes 10 complain of the length OF these
documents and the expense of their publication ami
gratui,ous distribution In countries debarred from
such information, these reports are very differently
regarded. Take England, for example, and vet she
bnasis a free and popular government This depr-
vaion Of knowledge respecting public affairs, is can
didly and forcibly Sc, forth by the Tunes
| Next Tuesday week Parliament will re. assemble,
after six months of important negotiations prepara
tlons and events, whereof many deeply affecting us
are not even yet known. BY that raw theory uf re-
| presentation and self government which every Br
tish child is taught from lie infancy, it might be sup
posed that Immediately on the meeting of our repre-
sen,atives, should bask in the day light of pol,i
cal knowledge, at least regards our own political
affairs. That ID natural belief but il i. about rs
simple MS that of the cockney tourist who
thinks he has only to 60 TO S"!zeand and the Alps
will all show themselves. We shall herr Il speech
from the throne, containing little more than som- no.
torious facts III The fcwest possible words, and
announcements, not all novel studi0usly brief. There
will be debate cn the addresses, which 80 far from
making the Executive more communicative and can
did, will hare the effect of defining within sil
rover limits the ground upon which information may
be expected, and therefore given.
Quiet nob'emen and country gentlemen will move
and second the addresses, and il hns occasionally
happened that movers and seconders have not only
been ignorant Of what going on or Intended but
have afterward turned round upon the Government
aud alleged a deception. There will, nf course be
attacks upon the Government by noble lords and
members who know no more than we do ourselves.
These attacks will be i'll the nature Of indictments
and Ministers will take not 10 travel OF the
record unless it should be particularly convenient TO
do Every succeeding day will give more def
neness, speciality. and circumstantal form to the
matters before Parliament, nud bstore month has
passed shall all be beginning usual lamsn
upon the prominence and and preponderance OF ri-
vial aud temporary over great and permanent ques.
tons.
And it is urged that the British Government ought
to follow the more frank and conAderate course of
the Government of the United States, and by annual
reports from each department Of state, give TO the
people 9 clear and in,ellgble statement OF wha. is
done at home and abroad in the name and on behalf
of the nation. Ths different policy pursued by ito
own Government is severely commented upon by the
Times 1t is remarked that Lord Panerston in
house and Lord Clarendon in the other, will probably
defend the course of tue Government with respect to
the Persian expedition, and for the part taken in the
Russian negotiations, but no substantial information
will be given to Parliament or the country, and
"when the Premier ha, anorsd his antagonists ons
or two points, he will smother al! others under
brilliant pati,ude and 90 off with flying colors,"
leaving the people but little wiser for all that has
been said.
Very different from this, the Times urges, is the
course of the United States Government, and much
more information would be enjoyed by the people of
England if the British government would emulate
our governments example. The language Of the
Times on this point is plain enough to be UNDER
stood -
It would, however be q very different task to
draw up a full account Of our relations with evrry
foreign Power what has been done by the Foreign
Office what left undone, and why. Many an net of
folly, many an oversight, many ridiculous project
might have been averted, or nj least repaired, IT 1t
had only boen confrs-rd in time. An honest sfHtc-
ment Of our wranges with p-rsia last February might
have spared us e costly and possibly sanguinary
war. Then the Chancellor OF the EIchequer might
puhlsh nm ual report, by which everybody might
learn ,t sitting the whole financial condition u Ihe
country. Even ths budget" iails To give us this
know ledge. The Colonial office must have great
deal to tell U.S. for there is always something new 60
ing on in our numerous colonI.s-convicts rejected
or accepted, constitutions adopted, refused or mend
ed the condition OF the settlers, the yield of her Lar
vests the gold6elds and oil we naturally want to
know of regions which have afforded asylum 10 so
many OF our acQuantaRces. The COLONIES never
emerge into parliamentary notice except appr0po, OF
Il particular constitution, or batch OF conv!cts or
some petty misunderstanding regular report Ut
the Secretary for the Colonies would insure that no
subject 10 colony. no interest was forgotten
Al present .h-le ia no such mystery, II" lore 20 re
comdite, knowledge una'tanab!e as ;he state OF
| the British navy. Certain Admiralty returns tri us
all the ships in and out of commission, and where
they are or ought TO be- But, a1 they cay, the chill
dren Of this age are the OF the future, the ves
sels now on the stocks are the future flee: OF Eng
land. So what ships are buiing7 How many "le
viahans OF the deep those pcmpOus three .deckers
ignnrum pccus made for the soe purpose apparently
Of consuming men, coal and money How many
friyates fit 10 show beside the Merrimac, whether in
peace or in war How many OF those ,lo"p: "f war;
and those gun boats, upon which !h1 American re-
port before us dwes with such fondness and com.
pacencyl What improvements have we made and
adopted in our guns What has been done or is TO
be done render the more attractive and the
discipline moro perfect; a general report would com
prise all these points Of info nation.
Such Il report as we describe and as indeed We
have in the American example before US. throws the
burden ON the Admiralty, which mhy be called 10
account for every omission. From thls department.
them at least We hope hear. at an early date, what
we ar. doing TO meet these magnificent frigates and
their tremendous armsnents, those l3o pounders.-
Are va only providing huge targets to be reni' and
raked and sent TO shivers by their nlHoer and more
powerful as.aants or are we preparing me bfltish
sailer to fight upon more equal terms Nhat crhit
have We rot for the in shoals aiid creeks =
What are va pruparingl What further suggestions
has the First Lord Of The Admiralty tn ohcr Inns
is just what We have in the American repor' unu n.'
for the narrow contentious, Parliamentary PRACTICE
we should look for the same from tho inorih or pen
of Sir Charles Wood.