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LOUIS NAPOLEON'S BEST FRIEND. "I have lo...
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INDICATIONS OF lttiFOUM IN DOCTORS' COMM...
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HINTS TO NEW M.P.'S. BY AN EXPERIENCED "...
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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.
The Clouded Sky. Tiie Sky Is Overcast, A...
tion in Nottingham , employment is good , the labour-m arket being thinned ; in Perth , farmers are consulting about the dreaded rise of wages ; in London itself , common porters have a commission to find clerks , in lieu of the " gents" who are " off to the diggins , " and masters assume an u nwonted civility . The despised classes are beginning to be valued . Dangers abroad will rouse us from our morbid -apathy . Adverse seasons at home will restore a healthier sternness . And when we have felt the want enough , we shall insist on having a Government that deserves our confidence , for its ability , strength , and public virtue—a Government that would make us feel confident even in the face of cholera , war , and a deluged harvest .
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Louis Napoleon's Best Friend. "I Have Lo...
LOUIS _NAPOLEON'S BEST FRIEND . "I have lost my best friend ! " is said to have been the exclamation of Louis Napoleon , on learning the death of Alfred d'Orsay . Whether said or not , the phrase points to a truth . Alfred d'Orsay had been the best friend of Louis Napoleon ; but friendships are not always reciprocal , and the motive is often worthier than the object . D'Orsay was a genial man , who put a generous
construction upon all that sought it ; and it may be said that his friendship for Louis Napoleon was too great to be thoroughl y welcome . The last and greatest duty which a friend can perform he did perform , in keeping the truth before the rising adventurer ; but that duty of a friend could probably have been spared by him to whom it was given without reward . D'Orsay became in himself the standard and measure of Louis
Napoleon ' s bad spirit . An adventurer in the most liberal sense of the term , d'Orsay had violated many of the conventional laws of society , —had erred even under higher tests ; but he retained the best qualities of an adventurer , —courage and generosity . In London he always took the most lively interest in the republican refugees . He raised subscriptions for them , and gave towards those subscriptions sums by no means inconsiderable , even at a time when he was much harassed . His political notions were a bizarre mixture of republicanism
and imperialism . By early habit he was an aristocrat ; by the circumstances of his life , his ardent temperament , and his disregard of restraint , he was trained to sympathize with democracy ; by the bent of his genius , he was artist , in every sense of the word , and thus he sought the more refined and dramatic developments of either political doctrine . Socialism pleased him by its daring aspect , and he was far from judging it , as men of his position in England so commonly do , according to the calumnies propagated by ignorance and timidity .
With Louis Napoleon ho had been intimately allied , in great part by services which he had . rendered to that companion in knight-errantry ; and when it became a question of raising Napoleon to the Presidency , Count d'Orsay employed himself with prodigious activity , writing letter upon letter to all parts of France , in tho sincere conviction that nis friend , when in power , would bo tho same man that ho appeared in his writings when a prisoner . Moreover , d'Orsay had tho most
profound contempt and aversion for Cavaignac , mainly , we believe , _becauso that prejudiced and half-sighted man had permitted himself to treat an illustrious member of tho Socialist party with _tfross injustice . After Louis Napoleon had been nominated to tho Presidency , d'Orsay did not eeaso to write to him , until his departure from England , urging the honour which ho would attain by an amnesty . Wo may say that these letters have come within our own perusal ; and they
were very urgent—most elevated in their sentiments , almost imperious . Summoned to Paris , ho was received at the Elysee more coldly than he might havo expected ; tor those who feared his influence had represented to Louis Napoleon that the questionable reputo <> ' his friend would render tho intercourse _disasfiouH . Louis Napoleon might have replied that il
injury wore to bo done by such a consideration 'twould be mutual : but in his prosperity the selfish man forgot the friend of his adversity _, _-lossibl y his coldness was increased by tho fact that d'Orsay obliged him to hear a republican _Imie of language little to be relished by a prince" whom the _Baroches , and other people <> ' that sort , were then intoxicating with tho grossest flattorieg . Nevertheless there was a talk of giving to tho Count tho direction of tho
Louis Napoleon's Best Friend. "I Have Lo...
Fine Arts ; an idea which he repulsed with energy , since he would not displace M . Charles Blanc . D'Orsay declared , with generous indignation , that to displace the brother of the man , to whom in fact Louis Napoleon owed it that the jortals of his country had been opened to limself , would be an act of baseness . Other _Napoleonic ideas found in d'Orsay the most energetic and sincere disapproval , notably the Roman expedition , which he openly assailed . " as an " infamy . " The following letter , addressed to a distinguished friend in London , will show the feeling that he entertained at the time : — . " April 19 , 1849 .
" Ah ! my dear friend , if you did but know how illblooded I have become in this cursed country ! Such a collection of rabble , intriguers , fools , simpletons , and cowardly recreants I I feel France within me , and look for her around me in vain . And you have been fancying that I also should contract the political gangrene ! Why , I am twenty times more what I was in London , instead of having deviated one hair ' s breadth , as you seemed to fear .
" Yes , I quite agree with you in all you say in your letter . I have seen your brave and worthy brother : we are sincere friends ; for sympathy is as swift as the electric telegraph . I was almost jealous at his having taken Nieuwekerke for his second rather than myself . It was an infidelity to me , who am now _acknowledged as your bosom friend . " I have dined at _Lamartine's , and he told me that you would be pleased with what be had written about you . I told Girardlh what you wished . "I hope to see you again soon , for this long-desired amnesty . is coming ; much too late , indeed , but better late than never . I look for it on the 4 th of May , full and entire . [ With what result we now know . l
" What do you think of the amazing imbecility of the Italian expedition ? This time , the geese of the Capitol will laugh at the Gauls . The Republic constituting itself first soldier to the Pope ! I said to Lamartine that the Revolution would lose its virginity by tbis intervention ; for it was , historically speaking , really a fine thing to have been so moderate . Either the whole of Europe should have been overrun by the Republican flag , or France should have made it a matter of coquetry not to stir at all . In fact , blunders are being heaped on blunders . Que le Didble emporte Ies imbecilles J and he will have a precious task ! Au revoir J A thousand friendly recollections from the ladies .
" Believe me ever your affectionate "A . d'Ohsay . " D'Orsay was too stout a friend , and Louis Napoleon could not stand the strain put upon the better part of his nature . All intercourse between them ceased . At that time d'Orsay was placed in circumstances the most unfortunate , —so much so , that he accepted an asylum from a friend . Tho accomplished and fortunate painter , Gudin , offered him a small lodging in a house which belonged to him ; and d'Orsay fitted up the humble
apartment with the taste that characterized him . He hung its walls with pictures , which artists sent him from all parts ; and thus ho formed it into a truo sanctuary of the arts . Hero ho was visited by all that Paris contained of the intellectual and the amiable . Here , however , he was seized with that malady which brought him to death . When ho _coneontod to accept the pluoe ho tardily found
for him , and so long repelled , he was literally in a dying condition ; broken down in strength , in spirit , perhaps even dimmed as to his insight . Louis Napoleon had avenged himself for d'Orsay ' _s too courageous friendship , by seducing tho dying man into a position which ho had refused so long as he retained his faculties . But d'Orsay ' _s friends remember him as ho was ; and they judge of Louis Napoleon by the manner in which he appreciated his " best friend . "
Indications Of Lttifoum In Doctors' Comm...
INDICATIONS OF lttiFOUM IN DOCTORS ' COMMONS . Numerous articles have lately appeared in the journals having a similar object to that in our Inst number on the Ecclesiastical Courts . Public ? feeling on this topic ia setting in stiffly against these timo-hon < 9 in * od abominations . The pressure has boon felt in high quarters , and instances are plentiful" as blackberries of tho tendencies towards reform which are being forced from without upon people in pow cr . The verdict of tho nation is so decided , that there can bo no doubt Ministers will try to monopolise tho popular cry for their own use . And although the Morning _Tlwoild tells us in its _eomi-cQnlidcntial \ ybispcr
Indications Of Lttifoum In Doctors' Comm...
that— " The Chancellor will apply himself to reduce the expenses of proceedings under commissions de lunatico inquirendo ; " "that the able and learned Queen ' s Advocate is applying his mind to the amendment of the Ecclesiastical Courts ; " and " that never in the memory of man was there a body of gentlemen so bent on law reform as the members of the present Cabinet ;" we are not so sure that they will succeed ; because ho trust _ean be placed in them to work any reforms which are not dictated to , and forced on them . But we are willing to take these officious admissions as evidence how strongly Ministers feel the breeze , and how keenly desirous they are to snatch at popularity somewhere .
To be successful , the movement must rely on other propelling agencies . And these are not wanting . It is well known that Lord Chief Justice Knight Bruce is alive to the necessity of reform ; and when the tide of wholesome innovation has surged up to him , we may be sure of its depth and power . Next session , we are enabled to state , Sir Benjamin Hall will bring the whole question before the House of Commons . This will test the
earnestness of Lord Derby—if he be in officeand of Lord Any-body-else , if he be not . It is truly amazing how even the long - suffering British public can have so long endured these sinks of official laziness , legal corruption , and judicial plundering , favourabl y known to the tutelar Deities of Fraud and Delay by the title of Ecclesiastical Courts .
Hints To New M.P.'S. By An Experienced "...
HINTS TO NEW M . P . _'S . BY AN EXPERIENCED " STRANGER /' I . Gentlemen , —An argument invariably used hy our great statesmen against the proposition of annual Parliaments and of triennial Parliaments is , that it takes , at the very least , two sessions to acclimate a new member to the moral atmosphere of the House . Perhaps the argument is a very silly one , since the atmosphere of the House may be very deficient in moral oxygen , from too much using up , and since the rough vigour of new brooms , provided the supply of new brooms can be kept up , may be worth more
than the symmetrical and leisurel y sweeping of practised and somewhat scrubby besoms . But the argument , at least , shows that there is an understood supposition that the new member is but a " _Fuchs , " or " Freshman , " for a year or two after taking the oaths : that a Peel , if a Fuchs , is a less desirable legislator than a Sib thorp , if a seasoned "Bursch "; and with the sense thatyou are all , therefore , in everybody ' s estimation , a set of rather ridiculous greenhorns , you may be disposed , havinghad a week or two to recover from tho
intoxication of your senatorial glories , to listen deferentially to the hints of a " stranger , " who , as one of the public , and privately , is interested in your good / behaviour . Doubtless there is a species of wisdom to bo learned only by repeatedly playing tho fool ; and a perfect " Uuido to tho House of Commons" would no more turn a raw Jones at once into a Tom Duncombe ( the greatest tactician who ever sat in the House ) , or an unknown Smith into a Ralph Rernal , _suavest and keenest of all chairmen of Committees , than
a map of Paris would teach an Alderman French . But the House of Commons has its esoteric and exoteric faiths and faces ; and if the lieophiles get a few " wrinkles" as they approach the threshold , they may be able to pass muster very much sooner than they or their constituents could reasonably havo expected among tho venerable priests in the adytum who havo blundered their own way to initiation . People who study tho " Reports" have no more idea of the House of Commons than an Adelphi pit has of the Adelphi troupe . The House is a great theatre , with its green-room as well as its stage . It is a great
club , all in all , in itself and fo itself , with its own heroes , its own way of thought , and its own way of talk . Cut off' from the mass of the nation by the restricted suffrage whence it proceeds , and compelled , by its forms , and the presence of Ministers of the Crown , te > follow ollicial ends , the English House of Commons is in no respect a "popular assembly ; " and no man will succeed in it who does not remember that fact . Ah ! but , says Jones , I como from threo hundred thousand people , and I'll talk at the nation over the head of the Speaker . Anterior . Joneses havo tried ; and havo not only collapsed in tho Houso , but havo failed altogether 01 publio good . Reform
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 14, 1852, page 13, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_14081852/page/13/
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