The Kenilworth Advertiser. — 1879-03-22 (Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England)

SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 1879.  IT is much to be regretted that a certain print, whose name we need not here particularly specify, should be allowed to vitiate the minds and corrupt the morals of the rising generation. Educated persons no doubt smile in ridicule at the ghastly and the horrible which this print delights to depict, but there cannot be two opinions as to the deleterious nature of the effects of such qlustrations upon the minds of the young and uneducated. We regret to learn that " playing at Peace " has become a popular amusument amongst youths, while "acting Peace" is a favourite expression with a would-be-murderer. It would seem as though Peace is going to do as much harm dead as he did when alive. We have already chronicled more than one instance of death or a narrow escape from it, brought about by the disgraceful illustrations to which we have referred, but we think the saddest and most melancholy of all is to be found in the death of a little boy —at Barrow-on-Soar, a small village in Leicestershire. The poor lad, only eleven years of age, had evidently had his mind so inflamed with the illustrations of Peace's execution, that he resolved to imitate it, and the sequel shows that he carried out his infantile resolution with too much exactitude. The' Coroner and jury, who sat on the poor boy, both expressed a hope that something should be done to put a stop to such publications. In their remarks we entirely concur, and we trust that some member of Parliament may be found bold enough to take the matter up.  WITHour wishing in any way to take the part of the hon. member for Dundee, we cannot help remarking upon the wide-spread feeling which apparently exists in reference to this unfortunate war at the Cape. People are beginning to ask who is to blame for the massacre of over eight hundred whites at Isandula P And, rightly or wrongly, they are beginning to fix the blame on Lord CEELMsFoao. It may be the old story of giving a dog a bad name. We cannot tell, but unless Lord CHELMSFORD speedily retrieves the late disaster by a brilliant victory, he will incur so much odium in this country as to make his supersession absolutely imperative. It is an old saying that nothing succeeds like success, and on the other hand it may be asserted that nothing daunts a commander like defeat There is also a feeling getting abroad that there are too many Princes and Grand Dukes in power in the army, and that modest merit has but little chance of distinguishing itself. We do not altogether endorse this opinion, but we cannot altogether ignore the fact that it exists, and that its existence found vent in the speech of Mr. JENKINS on Friday night. The hon. member may have been, and no doubt was, rather imprudent, but he had at any rate the courage of his opinions with the consciousness that he was being backed up by a large section of the English people. We do not shut our eyes to the fact that there are two sides to the question. It would never do for a General to be re-called for a day's disaster, nor would it be wise to advise scions of Royalty to look coldly on the Army. On the contrary it may be asserted that it is rather a good thing for our land forces that the cream of our aristocracy take a pride in being officers, but at the same time we hope that merit will always command its due reward, though we are far from believing that there is no such thing as patronage.