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1420 THf LEADE1 [No/457, December 24 T«f...
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THOUGHTS, PACTS, AND SUGGESTIONS OK PARL...
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BIOGRAPHIES OF GERMAN PRINCES. No. VII. ...
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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.
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Statistical Society. The Increased'numbe...
learned societies are in almost all cases nearly the same . The great and signal efforts of the human mind , and by the results of which in after years society has thought itself honoured , have shown themselves in so unobtrusive shapes as to occasion wonder that men so signally gifted should not have attracted more attention in their own times . It is the operation of the same principle which accounts for the breaking up of societies formed originally for the development of results on a grand scale into sectional bbdies confining their attention to questions having only a limited range of
observation . The business of the meeting-rooms of too many societies has assumed more the character of a lecture in which effect is aimed at rather than sound scientific disquisition ; the consequence is , that severe and accurate thinkers are driven away and disgusted , finding important subjects handled so loosely and often their own more p hilosophical labours thrown into the shade by the gilded gingerbread made for the market throng , they are eventually driven to the unwise expedient of forming an independent institution to embrace more genial spirits than they can discover in the parent society .
It is here the mischief , first engendered before the dismemberment took place , now shows itself in its worst forms . Every scientific body needs subscriptions to support it , a canvas for members becomes immediately necessary , the scientific standard or test of membership lias to be lowered , the promoters soon exhaust their own stock of genuine discoveries and valuable papers , still , as flie new society must keep up its meetings in imitation of the old , whatever offers itself must be read , to entertain the audience in the best way possible . Instead , therefore , of having well-digested scientific papers at these meetings , they are too often of but a crude and fragmentary character . Taylor ' s Calendar contains a list of
no less than thirty-seven scientific societies in the metropolis . It is utterly impossible for all of them to acquire sufficient funds , after providing for ordinary expenses , to leave a surplus which shall be adequate to vigorously prosecute original inquiries . The evil originated in the parent societies themselves . If proper care had been taken to bring forward for reading—whatever else may be done by way of publication—only such communications as were of decided worth and ability , the best men-would have been proud of such a distinction , and even membership itself would have been more prized , greater financial strength gained , and the cause of science would have been more effectually promoted .
1420 Thf Leade1 [No/457, December 24 T«F...
1420 THf LEADE 1 [ No / 457 , December 24 T « fi «
Thoughts, Pacts, And Suggestions Ok Parl...
THOUGHTS , PACTS , AND SUGGESTIONS OK PARLIAMENTARY REFORM . No . VII . The question of redistribution of seats is confessedly that which presents the greatest amount of difficulty in the settlement of the Reform question . From all we hear of late we are disposed to believe that Ministers are ready to propose a great extension of the franchise ; and although two-thirds of the Liberal opposition may recommend the insertion of the ballot in the bill , they will not venture to refuse the measure after their
recommendation has been rejected . The most protracted struggle will be in committee on the boroughs enumerated in the schedules . To schedule A , which , will , we presume , consist of an enumeration of the places no longer deemed worthy of ? separate or distinct representation , there may not be much resistance . But when we come to ( Schedule B , which -will probably contain the list of new constituencies , all the selfish interests and passions of family and of class will be palled into action ; and we may consequently prepare to witness a long and doubtful struggle , It will , indeed , be a struggle
within the walls of Parliament , but one in whose issue far less concern than Some persons imagine will be manifested out of doors . To the Duke of Norfolk and Earl de Grey nothing of course will be so interesting as tho new appropriation of the seats for Arundel and Ripon ; and if , as some sup-Soae , Lord Derby means to 3 uggest that the four or ye nearest country towns to each shall with it constitute the electoral wards of a now incorporate borough , every owner or occupant of property in the ^ c will , of course , be full of new-born ambition and anxiety until the fatal clause in their behalf shall have been decided , Should Mr . Bright move as an amendment that the sequestrated seats be
given to some particular parish of Birmingham , or the Tower Hamlets , excited meetings will , no doubt , be held in the localities he happens to favour , and unanimous resolutions in favour of petitioning in support of the amendment will be passed amidst " tremendous cheering , " not unaccompanied , probably , with a supplementary vote that in case it be rejected Messrs . Scholefield and Bright , Messrs . Ayrton and Butler , be earnestly requested to throw out the Bill on the third reading . But the rest of the nation will look on at the fierce local contention with far
different feelings . They will simply laugh at the vehemence of the conflict , and quietly pooh-pooh the indignant threat to kill the cow if she does not yield the additional p int . of milk . Nor will the repetition some forty times over of similar coutro versy tend to generate national indignation , or even co-operative zeal , among widely scattered localities . The obtaining of special privileges by a certain number of isolated and politically unorganised fragments of great towns is not a matter in which national sympathy will " ever be vigorously moved , and still less is it likely to be called forth ,
when clusters of hamlets and villages , whose very names are unknown beyond the boundaries of their respective shires , are the claimants of representative prerogatives . Nor can it be reasonably anticipated that Government would be so unwise as to advise that all the transfers of seats shall be made either to new segments of counties , or new confederacies of hamlets , or new fractions of great cities . We may take for granted that they will recommend a little of each ; first , because that is plainly the right thing to do ; and next , because it is the only course that would have any show of fairness about it . The metropolis will , we presume , be awarded some ' six or eight additional members .
Kensington and Chelsea would have constituted a new borough had the billof 1 S 54 been allowed to pass , and had not its author been bullied and hustled by the anti-Reformers , who then as now would have no Bill at all . An equally strong case exists for the division of Marylebone , Finsbury , Tower Hamlets , and Southwark . Perhaps , on the whole , the best thing to be done would be to lay down anew the whole of the boundaries of metropolitan boroughs without regard to the map , already grown obsolete , of 1832 . It were simply absurd to suppose that a House of Commons like that now existing would ever seriously entertain the idea of giving London anything like the proportion of members it might
claim on the strictly arithmetical rules of property and population . The capital is , and will always be , regarded with too much jealous . y by the country at large to render such a concession obtainable ; and there is no doubt something to be said on the ground that proximity to the seat of Government , aiid still more the tribunitian power exorcised by the press of the metropolis , render it less dependent on its parliamentary representatives for the protection ol its local interests . Let it be frankly owned , however , that there is too much truth in the plea so often urged against increasing the number of metropolitan members , namely , that those already sent to Parliament are
not , as a body , entitled to be regarded as true or fitting representatives of the greatest city in the world . Without singling out individuals as examples , one may safely assert that the metropolis has never of late years g iven satisfactory proof that it really valued the privileges it already possesses . It is notorious that with two or three exceptions its delegates to the Imperial Legislature have no weight there ; and it is painful to be obliged to add that , having regard to the -wealth , skill , learning , moral energy , and intellectual refinement they affect to represent , they do not , as a class , deserve it . A habit has grown up during tho last ten or fifteen years , whenever a vacancy occurs in any of the metropolitan boroughs , of privately hawking
about the scat from one reckless or prodigal candidate to another . The scandalous sums , worso than wastefully spent in contests , tell but too plainly the Curpose of these preliminary negotiations . Uhe orough is virtually put up to auction without its knowledge or consent by some half-dozen individuals , who , though personally above the imputation of desiring to share the plunder they exact , are not above the weakness of desiring to have tUe scattering of it among , their hangers-on and retainers . IPew men of political mark or worth will listen to their terms . They go to one after another of tho class whose names are inscribed iu the books of the wholesale member . makors of the West-end , aud lower their intellectual and
moral standard of requirements as they raise tfo figure of election cost . It is truly deDlorah ) P + th nk that While Manchester , Sh ^ W ^^ other places far less populous and wealthy , insist uS paying by voluntary subscriptions the expenses ft the candidates of popular choice , the elections for the metropolis should have become a b y-wordforshamPfnl exaction . It is perfectly clear that soCS present system continues , and that men are t > rou"hfc forward not for their proven merit or service nof for their talents or worth , not for their wisdom or eloquence , but simply and merely because thev are supposed to be rich and squeezable , London can never hope to be efficiently represented . A handful of noisv and short-sifrhted husv . hrwline „« . „ .. *
themselves the right of selecting candidates aud the mass of independent electors of every rank and station culpably surrender their equal rights in the ' matter . Good and able men , who might and would become candidates , are discouraged by the prevailing apathy , or deterred by the extravagant expense ; a contest ensues between two or more incompetent but prodigal men ; and then thousands who , if they had chosen to take but a little thought in the matter betimes , might have directed the whole affair other ? wise , mutter in private their unavailing disgust , and flatter themselves they can wash their hands of all blame by not voting at all .
Biographies Of German Princes. No. Vii. ...
BIOGRAPHIES OF GERMAN PRINCES . No . VII . LOUIS III-, GUAND-DUKE OF HESSEDARMSTADT . The reigning Grand-Duke of Hesse-Darmstadt—at present in his fifty-third year—first - assumed power in March , IS 48 , as co-llegent with his father * A few mouths afterwards he succeeded him , aud becaine sole sovereign . Before the revolutionary y ear , lie scarcely exercised any influence whatever in governmental affairs ; and this is , indeed , the greatest eulogy that we are able to pass on his life previous to 1848—for iu the epoch preceding that year of popular movements the Grand-Duchy of irlesse-Darmstadt , similar in this respect to its neighbour , Hcsse-. Cassel , was the chosen spot of the most infamous exercise of princely rule in Germany . . The education given to young Louis was not ot a character to impress on him any very sacred obligatious of morality . His father led a life which was far from serving " to point a moral , or adorn a talc ; " and the consequences of the parental courses had been an enormous accumulation of debt , requiring frequent application to the Legislature for the means of liquidating —applications which , however , met with a refusal . The political examples held before the eyes of the young Prince equally badThe old Grand-Duke , from the
were . very first year of his rule , pursued a course of policy whicii necessarily ended in the most flagrant crimes . In fact , no sooner had he mounted the throne than he rendered himself odious tat e Chamber by his insolent demands of public money for the payment of his private excesses , and 1 teful to the people by the ferocious and sanguinary manner £ which U quelled , in 1330 , some . insg uflcant outbreaks of dissatisfaction among the lnlin bitants of ft few small frontier pluccs . The whole rciirn of the former Grand-Duke *" » oi iu
indeed , spent in the carrying out measures »» against the Liberal and Democratic party . But low GTcnnan principalities afforded examp les of ojn any victims icing offered up-of so many W * J prisoned or driven forth to death ^ ^^ l cruel proceedings against tho rosjrtcUwhurt ; nomc minded Weidigf the Protestant n » " »^ ^ g c gleen , aud his associates , form one ol the i osi w b episodes of criminal justice . WcjH aeggj "J high treason py tbo Grand-Duke or havii g W » J » ( in the great cause of the unity a djj ^ Germany on a democratic basis , was Iwndcu ov that hywna in human form , the Oouuc lor at 11 ^ Upper Tribunal , Gcorgi , a man ^ V waS further feiooioua disposition , anu whose ferocity w «« « , increased by fits of insanity , brought ' ^ ^ d delirium tromons . To t (» is man *« 3 c 0 " 1 * iscd
W « CUSbOUy OI I . IIU | IU « lb > uw * |/»— . "A u 8 | , nUH upon them tortures , unknown owj * tho dungeons , and which can only bo comparou i capo di silauio of Neapolitan I ? " * " ; . ^ ° idig J , Germany was horrified at hearing that "ft unable Any longer to boar up W » V ' He w » inflioted on him , put an end to h a lilo , » J > . found dead iu his cell , drenched iu his blood , nw
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 24, 1858, page 20, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_24121858/page/20/
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