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November 12, 1853] tHE LEADER. 1089
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VILLA VOLPIOELLL Although the charge adv...
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TURKISH DEGENEBACY ! Aghast? at the slig...
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
I)R. Jelf And Professor Maurice. No Man ...
have carefully read Mr . Maurice ' s letters , and we must honestly say that his belief is too Subtle , too refined , for our comprehension . In this Dr . jelf has an advantage over his opponent , -because he sets forth a gross , an inhuman belief , in the existence of a hell of fire . Such , he says , is the doctrine of the Church of England . Which is right ? Mr . Maurice appeals to the formularies and the Scripture ; Dr . Jelf appeals to the same authorities ; and each obtains a different interpretation !
It may be useful here to tell a few plain truths about the Church of England . All men know that « ke has certain documents , art icles , creeds , and what not . These form a fixed standard of belief ; , a fixed test of faith . Every person who subscribes to them , or accepts them , is a member of the . Church . But although the standard is fixed > the interpretation is the chance of the hour : / In the present , case , Mr . Maurice says , this
seems to me to be the interpretation ; Dr . Jelf says , that seems to me to be the interpretation . Is it not obvious that , if Mr . Maurice had been Principal of King ' s College , and Dr . Jelf Theological Professor , Mr . Maurice might have dismissed Dr . Jelf ? Again , Mr . G-orham said , I Relieve this to be the doctrine of baptismal regeneration ; the Bishop of Exeter said , I believe that to be the doctrine . All the time the standard remains the same , and each of the gentlemen is a member of the Church of England .
What is a creed ? A provisional convention , to enable those who agree to declare their sentiments in common . The same rough definition applies to articles and formularies . Those of the Church of England were framed avowedly to comprise the largest possible number of persons . They are the results of an elaborate compromise , therefore as capable now , as when they were adopted , of different interpretations . They assume to be the expression of the whole truth * 'revealed" to man respecting his spiritual relations—all that is necessary to save him from the torments of that hell which Dr . Jelf believes to
exist—yet , as we have shown , four men , all accepting the standard test , shall put incompatible interpretations upon the doctrines embodied in that test ! All these conflicts show that the Church is not content with its creeds , its articles , and its formularies ; and what we really behold is the strife ¦ of a sect to reconcile itself to truth . There is no unity ; tho Act of Uniformity is a mockery ; there 5 s no organization on tho basis of belief in the Church ; only an organization on the basis of property and social convenience . The fleets cast
away unity and consistency when they cast away the Catholic system ; and those struggles are the night-maro evidences of the perturbed conscience of Protestantism .
November 12, 1853] The Leader. 1089
November 12 , 1853 ] tHE LEADER . 1089
Villa Volpioelll Although The Charge Adv...
VILLA VOLPIOELLL Although the charge advanced by Mr . H . B . Hamilton , the director of an English school at JNa , plcs , bears chiefly against Lord ' Malmosbury , the English Government is concerned in tho fact that a great wrong has boon perpetrated upon an ^ ng hah subject ; , who obtains no redress . At Villa volpicolli , on the slope- of tho Vomoro , Mr . Hamilton had established a school , principally intended for tho children of English residents in -INaplca , but open also , it would seem , to the « liildroii of other foreigners . Part of hi * pam-Pl'lot , just published , is devoted to explaining wie character of the instruction given ; ami while 1 •? 'V |) 0 { lr s io navo ^ t'en very am using to the « Hil < lron , while it may hu £# ob 1 ; iiHefnl improvemtjiita upon the common routine of education , it will at the same time provoke a Hinile at tho oddit y of aomo portions , and will , perhaps , ho 'wwomitod an impolitic exhibition of at leant "niiHual proceedings in tho art of schoolnm , Htory . I ) T \/ i ' ' ° youl / B ' < ' '» ' »( li < l , and helps to prove •» at Mr . Hamilton made no attempt a , t proNoly'J ' f | > . . ll 0 wuh confessedly n Protestant , but « i i-oli ^ ioiiH instruction was tf ivon to the pupils y clergymen whom their paronlN selected out of •»« school . Thus , Mr . Hamilton put in force , " » l apparentl y with HueeesN , h plan su'rgosted » public education in this country ; and it is , />• . Hnrj ) riHinKf after tho objection " felt against < i ' vOr < .,, ng instruction from / religion" here , Mint -y *|> icH should exemplif y tlie hiuiic objection in a H r »««» positivo form . It iH true that Mohool in-JluJ « jw ^ jwJ ^ rot eflfam t childre n would 1 >» na llftinE * ' ^'' /''/• ' ^ 7 or , tho Bhnt hcfiool . My iTTjI "imiUon , Into diroclor iherotif .
impossible in Naples under direction of the clergy of that place , as popular education proves to be in this country , under the conflict of our sects . But , somehow , Mr . Hamilton managed to get his school into working order , and then the Government began to oppress him . The clergy set on the Government , and took the lead . Members of the black-robed body called upon him ; and , although there was nothing in his school which could challenge theological objection , they discovered an easy point of attack , in
the plain fact , that he was a Protestant . They could not call him to account for the easy deportment trhich he imparted to his pupils , as preliminary to the more mechanical instruction in dancing-. They could scarcely have Jesuitical , ingenuity enough , although that would go far , to find fault with his teaching geography in an artincialiy Sunned room , by means of card a board mountains and glass oceans , to little Students , who traversed imaginary routes , by drawing little railway cars and toy ships upon the mimic territories . They could scarcely discover anything heretical in the novel course of' whistling , which formed one of the branches of education in his establishment
for young gentlemen . But he was a British subject , and therefore a Protestant , so they attacked him with suggestions , that it would be better for him that he should join their own church ; and here , again , pops out , through Mr . Hamilton ' s naive candour , more of his want of policy . He quoted the Bible to them , and confesses that he " did a little redden them ; " for , perhaps , through their having read the sacred writings only in Latin , their acquaintance with those compositions was " very limited indeed , for clergymen . " A
more effectual means of pursuing the controversy was sought , and a new power intervened . Occasionally a pale servant rushed into his schoolroom , and announced " the police , " to the terror of tutors and pupils . From 1850 to 1853 tliis persecution was carried on ; thus , surrounded by an armed police , tho school was prematurely closed ; and the schoolmaster , after distributing his pupils to their parents , or to some other safe custody , found himself minus 5001 ., for which debtors were clamorous .
He had in fact the sanction ol the British embassy in claiming the right to cany on his business under the international treaty of 1845 , which stipulates that the Neapolitan police shall not enter any British subject ' s domicile unless furnished with a warrant from one of the regularly constituted courts of law . One of the attache ' the Embassy told him that he had an undoubted right to keep in his house and educate English children , and that the police could not interfere
with him for so doing . But they did interfere ; and although he had the assurance from the . " Embassy that nothing was meant , the end proved serious , as wo have seen , He invoked the protection of the Marquis Fortunato , Neapolitan Minister for Foreign Affairs ; hut that statesman was silenced hy the notorious Peccheneda , Director of Police , who avowed orders from the clerical . Ministers of Public Instruction .
The matter advanced from had to worse , n , iid in an unfortunate day for Mr . Hamilton , as well as for some others , Lord Palmers ton , after a brief interval , was succeeded , by the Earl of Malmen-Imry . To tho Earl , Mr . Hamilton addressed himself for compiMi . sa . tion at least , after tho Neapolitan Government had stripped him of Iuh
means . "At tho ond of Hovon or eight inonMm' urgent mid ince , snant . application to hi . s Lordnhip , 1 vv .-im mirpriHud to l ) o calloci ono day to Inn rCxeolloiioy tho Neapolitan Minister for Foreign AilhirM , who mi nested mo to Jicoopt tlio Hum ol' J : ft i / pound a : im ii pmsont from liin MajoHty tho Kin /? , in proof of hin lioynl Hymp ; U , h y and ronpoot for mo pornonally . Wlusii I nl ;; i (; ud that in tho faoo of my ohlig ; itionH Hiioli a mini yvh . m wholly uhoIchh and that 1 had hopou tJiat Lord . Maluu > nbury w . ovilil obtain whorowith ¦ to pay tho » Soh <> ol-cn ; ditoi-, s in full liin ikcollnuy wan ploamsd to kiugh iiumodoratol y ! ' Why , ' Hiiid lie , 'yon nniHt bo dreaming ! You thinly _ a ¦ ¦ ¦ r 1 % JV 1 L J
^ ' ^ ' ^ — porhapH that Mi-lord Malinonbiiry iH lil < o Mi lord I ' nlinorHton , n » uly to linton to ovory complain !; , and obtain rodnwH for ovory ufriovanoo ! lint , thank God ho in not (| iiito ho Quixotic an that . Why , only look at thin lottor whidi wo havo jvint roooivod from ' Priv < v Oaritri , ' our AinhaHnador at London ; «( io what ho Hayn : ' / had a , fan ;/ conversation with . Lord , Malmvxhurt / . I did , not fail to t > nj to inipram on , kits mind the neam . v ' t . t / of hit Uikimj even / opportunity to prove . It is syvipathy with the fiovcrciyns of Italy ' and Austria , more . cKpecialltf by diMotmu / in ;/ tho ' complaints of British , travellers , and other persons who tmt / ltt consider themselves a ;/ y ? icved . Hut Lordship quite agreed
wxtlh me that Lord Palmerston , in seeking to protect individuals , had almost ruined t ? ie nation . And tvhen I . adroitly turned the conversation upon the case of Mr . Hamilton , I had the satisfaction to hear his : Lordship say : 'You can give him anything you like ,- ^ - it does not matter what it is , so long as t can say that you hatic given him something , ' ' " When his Excellency had finished reading this extract , he said emphatically , 'And remember , Sir , that this is a , private letter from the Ambassador , and not an official one ; and I suppose you know that the truth of any subject or sentiment is always contained in the private correspondence . '"
Is this Earl of Malmesbury the same statesman whom the young Tory organ calls the Foreign Minister par excellence , the same of whom that journal boasted that he would have done more for Miss Cunningham © than Lord Clarendon . What lias he done for Hamilton ? But indeed we must not ask only what Lord Malmesbury did ; we may ask what any British Minister has doneP There are some very ugly circumstances connected with this case . Mr . Hamilton points oitti -that *
although the known departure of Lord Palmerston from office gave a new tone to the Neapolitan police , it had already exercised an unjust and lawless oppression upon a British subject by the sufferance of the British minister who has so long adorned the Neapolitan , court . Well may Prance doubt whether England ever means to act . Well may Russia conceive the idea that England is but a scarecrow whom no sparrow of spirit would dread , since subjects of Queen Victoria and subjects of persecution , whom any paltry government may / molest , are synonymous terms . It Mr . Hamilton had been an American citizen !—
But we need not pursue that point . There are two races of men , speaking the English language with a slight diversity in the intonation . Tlie Austrian police well know the distinction . Those who speak it with a more listless smoothness may be molested ; those who speak it with a mord marked accent must go free . Hay , let a man but have a documentary right to be regarded as an American , let him be actually an Austrian subject
bearing an American certificate , and the twobeaked eagle will surrender him to the Bird of Washington . If Mr . Hamilton could have applied to the American Minister , perhaps he would not have been molested ; but if he had been , most certainly Naples would havo seen a vessel enter into her lovely waters with a star spangled banner at her peak . But , alas ! he is only an Englishman .
Turkish Degenebacy ! Aghast? At The Slig...
TURKISH DEGENEBACY ! Aghast ? at the slight , hut not insignificant , successes of the Turks , the Timcn prints an article to show that the ; Russians ought not to be beaten ; and to prove , that if the Ottomans alone can drive the Kussians beyond the Pruth , we may give up the Turkish alliance . The leading journal states this with some bitterness ; and insinuates , that tho Turks , knowing that tho Western Powers must support them , sire merely attacking the llussiaiiH to gratify vindictive and bloodthirsty feelings , with tlie certainty ol' ultimate
defeat before them . For , nays the writer , " rturely all the lessons of experience , all ( lie presumptions of reason , and all tlie proofs of conviction , lead us to believe , that this partial success cannot be nmintn / ined . " Xn proof of the . so assertions , tho writer declares , that though we do not accuratel y know what , the . Russian armies arc , we know that they were powerful in Europe forty years ago ; that , when Turkey was stronger and Russia weaker than they are at present , the latter wero HujMM'ior to ( he former ; that Russia robl > ed Turkey of the Crimea , . ffherson , and Bessarabia , and the months of the Danube , when the 0 / ji . rn
lind fewer resourced than Nicholas has now ; thai tho Russians were at Adrianople twenty-five years ago ; and that , an late as IM ; 5 i ) , the Kisha ' of' . Egypt , ' hut for European interference , would have overrun tho <> ttoman Empire ! All this in to hIiow that Tui'lcey cannot- prove a match for . 'R . i inn ia . Thin in plausible argument ; but what i , s it rcnlly worth P I'Yoin the accession of Peter tlio
( i real , ii ]) to the present time , I . urkey has been eoiiMidored fair game . She worsted tlio founder of the . UuHHUin power in Europe . Oathorino owed hor successes , in 1772 , to the short-si ghted policy of Ijord North , who permitted a Russian fleet to be oflicered by British Hubjoetn , and fitted out in 'British waters . Sho owed her HiicceHu , iii 1787-01 , to tho important alliance of tho
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 12, 1853, page 9, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_12111853/page/9/
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