Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-05-11
Prom Oar Regular Correspondent
Our European Letter
LoNpos. Eng. April 2s. 1881

$1,000
LONDON. Eng, April 26, 1881.
The two questions that chiefly excite
public opinion in England just now are the
succession to the tory leadership and the
Irish land bill. The passage or rejection
of the land bill will depend very Hucl
on the man appointed to fill Lord Beacons-
fields place. The chickering's about the
bill have already begun in the house Of
commons, but have not passed beyond the
stage of pickering and badgering. There
is more strange contention over Brad =
laughs admission to the house OF CON-
mons, which is as likely as not to end this
time in the general verdict that Bradlaugh
is becoming public nuisance. A rumor,
not without apparent foundation, is now
atioat concerning the restoration of Cete-
wayo to the Zlu throne-whateve that
may be-as an offset to the Beers. whom
he hates and whom in the days OF his
power he awed The scheme seems not
improbable, for the royal exile-the Zulu
Tbemistocles is now convinced Of the
hopelessness OF contending against the
British power.
The point Of most general interest in
connection with the budget is the reduc-
ton Of the income tax. "a penny off the
income tax" is an announcement which
conveys more qualification to the country
than any other news regarding the yearly
financial statement, for it affects all above
the lowest rank in life, aud the hard
workers more unfairly than any.
At recent fancy dress ball, an Ameri.
can lady appeared in the costume OF the
Duchess of Devonshire, and gained infinite
success for her manner of wearing the
huge hat and plumes which characterize
the dress, but which are not always easy
to carry off. The rest of the toilette, com
posed of white satin trimmed with black
lace, was elegant and becoming. An in-
genious leader of fashion hit on the happy
device of giving soiree TO which no one
over thirty was invited. In point of num-
be desired. Th- mandate of no living
sovereign could have been honured with
greater consideration tnan was the invita-
ton Of this fashionable lady. The enter
tainment was edifyiny in many respects
and could be used to point moral as well
as adorn tale, since it proved the truth OF
the Old adage, that appearances are deceit
full. An eye witness, a youthful de outante
in London society, declared that half of the
guests looked to be eght-and- thirty at
least. OF course this was untrue. for every
assurance to the contrary, short Of dis
play of bsptisnal registers. had been
offered by the candidates of their eligibility
for this particular festivity.
Lord Beaconsfield is at last fast in the
grave, and his final message to the world
is unfolded. Ii is simple and kindly. In
these days Of eager biographers the papers
Of man OF the public importance of Lord
Beaconsfeld would he a rare treas ure.
trove, embracing as they must do so much
Of the secret history Of the time. Mr.
Froud's hasty publication of Carlyle :
"reminiscences, full as they are Of ieers
at almost every person of prominence he
came across, is 9 warning. Lord Beacons.
field leaves his papers to his old secretary
Lord Rowton, with the significant hin,
contained in the confidence that be will
allow nothing to be published calculated
to injure the public service or to infict
needless pain on those who are living OF
the families Of those who are dead =" But
it is Just this portion Of the deceased gentle
mans papers that would enjoy peep al
His estate he leaves to his nephew, Con
ing by Ralph Dsrael of which the world
now hears for the first time. The English
press is now specializing as to whether oil
not We have seen the last OF the Di,raeli>
The dying statesman was much touched Al
the number Of persons OF humber lass
: who called daily to inquire about him.
AUGUST.