The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-07
GREAT BRITAIN.

View.
The London Times, of August %, Publishes
the following
very able assistance of Sir Roundell Palmer in
the new and comparatively uniformed House
him before long at the head of his profession;
but we are bound to say that his utterances at
Richmond SAVIOR OF the lawyer rather than of
the statesman. 1t is a very old saying that la W
yers make bad politicians, and they testify
themselves to the truth OF the saying by their
bad lawyers Sir Roundell is politi-
clan, and even liberal politician. so far
fully believe that had he to reconstruct
our electoral, our ecclesiastical, and even
our legal systems, he would do so on the fairest
and most liberal basis. But statesman has to
do more than deal with abstract principles, for
he has not only to carry MS reckontngs very
also to measure the exigencies of the hour.
Every instinct and every habitof lawyer must
be against any comprehensive and summary
treatment of the matter upon the particulars
and peculiarities of which he has spent a life of
Church" Sir Roundeil says. "is not too much;
II is wanted where 1t is; IL Is useful where IL is;
nobody else wants IT. nobody else knows what
make any change? He seems to gaze at the
doomed heritage with fond professional eye.
II he did not quote, "Oh, woodman, spare that
tree" it must nave occurred TO him.
The truth is, all this reasoning pro-
of statesmsnship-of the successes II has to aim
at and be content with. No reasonable being
pretends to hope, or to think 1t possible, to
Catholics generally. Little blame to them that,
as their pretensions are beyond the range of
possibilities, they never can be satisfied. No
the long account between us. Their ambition
ascends to the temporal and spiritual dominion
of the world; and even though they would not
they would find it impossible to point
never aspire. There is not only ground to
be recovered and long arrears to be made
e Se TO os wseh to sas
Europe to Rome. There is no known, no
Imaginable scheme Of peace and amity that
tant power in the world That title twenty-five
millions of us still claim; that title five millions
OF us abhor So long as The course OF politics.
which in this case Is the spontaneous develop
ment of the principles of religious ioerty-is
working for Rome, as 1t cannot but work
need for the Roman Catholics to put them
selves out of the way. It would be
only trying to help the rush OF the cataract
or to accelerate the falling avalanche. They
will reserve their strength for times when 1t
may be wanted. Let all be conceded that can
be conceded next year, and the Irish Catholics
will be neither thankful nor satisfied. What
of that? Who ever said they would be? But
he
great act Of justice, and shall feel comparatively
sponsi6iItty of dseoutent W will rest less npon m
us. We shall be able to open our mouths in
the places where the mutual wrongs of race
State are freely stated ana discussed. 1t will
rest with Ireland to appreciate what we have
done, and If she cannot or will not appreciate 1T,
that will be to her own shame and loss.
The MetOric System of Money, Weights
and Measures.
At the meeting of the British Association for
the Advancement of Science, in Norwich, Au-
gust oath, report was read from a committee
appointed 10 consider the question o. uni
foImity OF moneys, weights, and measures.
The committee expressed their opinion that
the only method of attaining The desired OBJ
iect would be the adoption of the metric sys-
tenn. They We're convinced that they could
present system. Professor Leone Levi read a
paper on the Present State of the Questions of
practical character of the question at issue, and
the importance attached TO 1t by the juries of
crosses. the Chambers OF Commerce, the So.
ciety of Arts, and other public bodies, the pro.
fessor examined the respective advantages of
for all nations, or one OF the
existing units by all of them or a correlation of
all the different units. The first plan. of adopt
ing piece of five or ten grains Of gold as a new
unity, would be impossible because 1t would re-
quiTe a general recoinage of all nations The
second plan that of choosing one from the ex-
isting units, was better, and the choice would
depend on the number of persons among whom
amount of trade regulated by each unit, the
amount OF coinage of the same already issued,
and The relative convenience of the different sys
TENS. AS regarded populatMion, M the pound was
used by England, having 80 900 QUO; the franc by
France am e:o Italy Belgium, Switzerland; having
having 100000; the thaler by Ger,
% aud The Touble @ by European ' Russia, hsying
50 100000. The franc therefore prevailed among
the largest number Of persons. AS regarded
land amounted TO nearly $500, 100000, those of
France Italy segdipnm ad na and s%itzerlapd
United States to flO5 O0O0O0 England here had
preemtnence, aithoughsnot so decided one