On this page
- Departments (2)
-
Text (7)
-
/ . / •5fP *(l A POLITICAL AND LITERARY ...
-
"The one Idea-which History exhibits as ...
-
Contents :
-
«^w.^«f rtc- rue va/ppk- vaok Accidents ...
-
VOL. VIII. No. 373.] " SATURDAY " MAY 16...
-
'3P t>tttt>ttt it"F "fltt> '3VltVi>! < ' /LXlUltlU lit lljv -vT'itlX* ?
-
p- fTlHE postponement of Reform until 1S...
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.
-
-
Transcript
-
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.
/ . / •5fp *(L A Political And Literary ...
/ . / 5 fP *( l A POLITICAL AND LITERARY REVIEW .
"The One Idea-Which History Exhibits As ...
"The one Idea-which History exhibits as evermore developing itself into greater distinctness is the Idea of Humanity—the noble endeavour to throw down all the barriers erected between men by prejudiceand one-sided views ; and , by setting aside the distinctions of Religion , Country , and Colour , to treat the whole Human race as one brotherhood , having one great object—the free development of our spiritual nature . "—Humholdt ' s Cosmos .
Contents :
Contents :
«^W.^«F Rtc- Rue Va/Ppk- Vaok Accidents ...
«^ w . ^« f rtc- rue va / ppk- vaok Accidents and Sudden Deaths 464 PUBLIC AFFAIRS- Londoners at Ease 475 REVIEW OF THE WEEK- UOL Pall of Houses 464 Co-operation of England and Amc- A Batch of Books ... 47 G Imperial Parliament 458 Our Civilization 404 rica 470 Three Visits to the Manchester Art Gatherings from the Law and Po- The Duchy of Lancaster 470 THE ARTSTreasures Exhibition 460 lice Courts 466 Reform Procrastinations 471 Royal Academy 476 Stateof Trade 401 Naval and Military 4 G 6 Women and Work 471 The Operas 477 Ireland 4 H 1 Miscellaneous 467 To Marry or not to Marry ? 472 Theatrical Notes 477 TheOrient 402 Postscript 408 iitfraxure— America 462 * LITERATURE . The Gazette 477 g 5 S & 2 JNS 2 aptor St NeW Y ° to 3 ° COUNC . L- fKry ^ f PhiU £ > phy ' . — . — " 478 COMMERCIAL AFFAIRSObituary .. .... " ... ;!!!!! " ;; . " . . ' . ' . ' . ' . ' . ' . " . ' . ' . ' . ' . ' 401 "Candido" onScotland 409 Dr . Barth ' s Travels and Discoveries 475 City Intelligence , Markets , & c 478
Vol. Viii. No. 373.] " Saturday " May 16...
VOL . VIII . No . 373 . ] " SATURDAY " MAY 16 , 1857 . " Price { , Vg ? I lrj 3 . :: J & I 5 -
'3p T≫Tttt≫Ttt It"F "Fltt≫ '3vltvi≫! ≪ ' /Lxlultlu Lit Lljv -Vt'itlx* ?
% tmnn nf fyt Wn \{ .
P- Ftlhe Postponement Of Reform Until 1s...
p- fTlHE postponement of Reform until 1 S 5 S has not J . prevented the introduction of several bills and propositions for effecting particular reforms in our representative system , and this week we have had additions to the list . The conduct of the Government in the matter is remarkable , but is perfectly intelligible ; the conduct of the people at present is not so intelligible . The Morning Star notices the extraordinary manner , in which the Government permits all kind of bills to be introduced , with every prospect , however , that they will be thrown out on the second reading . Lord Palmerston has avowed this course . He permits bills to be laid on the table as a subject of ' consideration , ' and calls upon the House to support him in deferring every question of Parliament ary Reform until the session of 1858 . Mr . IiOCKE King has introduced a bill to abolish the qualification of members of Parliamenta measure which would , indeed , assimilate the law to the fact . It is not requisite that a member should possess a property qualification , but he \ wwsX pretend to do so . Mr . Locke King ' s bill , therefore , repeals the law for obliging members to pretend that they have a property qualification ; and how there can be any danger in removing a mere pretence we cannot understand ; but the subject is treated as one of grave deliberation . Lord Robert Guosvenok has brought in a bill to remedy two defects in the present system . Candidates at elections must , bear the expenses for the erection of hustings and polling-booths , as if the members themselves had a private interest in procuring their own election ; as if , in fuel , the election wore a process for tho sake of the candidate , and not for tho sake of the country . Lord lloDisav Gbosvjsnor ' s proposal , therefore , is simply straightforward and just . It ; is met with various objections , most especially that if the candidates were not answerable for tho expenses , all kinds of persons would be able to present themselves to the electors , and to hinder the election by a pretended candidaturo when they really did not ; intend to stand . But this objection only shows that there should bo some effectual check upon trifling with the business o . f an election ; it dooa not hIiow thai ) tho charging oxpousos of hustings and polling-booths upon candidates is h propor check . Lord itoiuaix GnosvENoxi ulso proposed to innko tho payment for carriage hire of voters illegal in tho same manner as treating and bribing . We are inclined to doubt the whole of
this class of prohibitory enactments . They arc inconsistent with the principle of free trade , a principle which may be applied to almost every relation of life , but certainly to every form of exchange . In this instance , complete freedom would be its own protection . If the franchise were extended to every man indicated by the constitution , that is , to every man not in bond , it would be very
difficult for the candidate to carry the electors to the poll ; since what set of candidates is rich enough to pay the cab-hire of the million—nay , of the seven millions ? With regard to this portion of Lord Robert Grosvenor ' s bill we have no confidence ; but it is obviously intended that the whole of these measures shall stand over till next year , with Mr . Locke King ' s bill for extending the franchise to ten-pound occupants in counties .
In the meanwhile , however , -Lord Palmerston brings forward his measure for altering the oaths to be taken by Members of Parliament so as to admit Jews . He is going to settle the long-standing question in which Lord John has worked so sedulously without success . This seems to ' cut out ' Lord John ; but we very much'doubt whether the
public will not remember how he remained faithful to that measure through the poriods of adversity , and kept it alive to the present day , when it becomes an easy triumph for tho Elected of 800 , 000 . For our English head man cannot boast that he is elected by seven millions—tho Seven Millions in England being disfranchised , and not able to vote ' yes' or no !'
Another little instalment is also permitted for the sake of Scotland ; the Lord Advocate having introduced a , bill to amend the law for the registration of persons entitled to vote in the election of members to serve in Parliament for counties in Scotland ; and although challenged by members to observe the previous rule , of deferring these mere clauses until the great Reform Bill of 1858 , the Lord Advocate threatened obstinately to defend his measure on the second reading .
Government , therefore , is treating Reform exactly as it pleases—proceeding with it bit by bit , at the same timo that it , is obliging everybody else to defer Heparatc instalments until the grand measure . The House of Commons offers no resistance to this course ; indeed , there appears at present to bo no section of tho House strong enough to resist , and the country has absolutely acquiesced . Hawick comes forward , and Slxoud has shown signs of life ; but tho Million are asleep on their arms . Two advantages for the Conservative classes might bo
anticipated from ^ ihe delay : they may be able to construct such a measure as will appear to satisfy clamorous demands on particular points , while avoiding every concession which can be prevented by setting one opinion against another ; and they obtain all the advantage to be jlerived from the chance of any disturbauce which may absolve them from the responsibility of proceeding . The delay also furnishes an opportunity for the people , or at least for those sincere Reformers who are
really anxious to render the bill of 1858 such a measure as they would design . It will enable them to consult together , to organise , and to render the Reform Bill of 1858 a national measure . In the meanwhile the minor reforms commenced arc very numerous indeed . The bills for altering the law with reference to matrimonial causes and testamentary jurisdiction have been into the House
of Lords , and the second reading of the former is fixed for Tuesday next . The bill comprises a change of the law with respect to the control of women separated from their husbands over their property . In the other House , Sir Erskine Perry has introduced a bill giving married women rights which they do not possess at present over their property and earnings , at least requiring their consent for the disposal of the same . This bill is honoured with much
favour from the Attorney-General , who criticizes it but supports it ; Sir Richard Bet-hem , being the most learned of lawyers , and one of the most sincere . Still there is no prospect of its passing . The very principle is repugnant to the commonplace dogma * of the day , and if commonplace dogma is not represented in the House of Commons , where it has at least great influence , it resides in the majority of the House of fjords . Still a beginning is made .
The ClIANCELLOU OF THE EXCHEQUER has llltroduccd a Bill to alter the relations of savings banks to the State , with a view of extending savings banks throughout the country . Gentlemen undertaking the oflicc of trustees were , by an Act in 1814 , released from pecuniary liability . On the failure of banks more recently , it was discovered that nobody was really liable . The depositor lodges his money- —probably his small savings—simply on the faith of the honesty of servants employed by trustees who have no responsibility at all—sorvunt .-i of masters who do not look after tho business , JU
is natural that poor persons should hesitajjiJ-aJLtii ^ their wages to such custody . The injrfjatfrify- -ficU . ^ . . ^ tratos tho very object of sHWj ^ w - ^ ykk & r " ipty '" George Lewis ' s bill give * tlio ^ ia )^ ofcdf : jt , f ) l , | i £ State for deposits , and , in volurfa a ^ olftt QpA y ;
-
-
Citation
-
Leader (1850-1860), May 16, 1857, page 1, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_16051857/page/1/
-