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¦ _ jjfo. 440, Augtjst 28, 1858. j THE L...
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COUNT PERSIGNY'S SPEECH. "The political ...
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The Indian CoirsrciTi.—Some of our conte...
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COU3ESPONI)ENGE. " THE FRUITS OF IG^ORA^...
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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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The American Link And The Russian Chain....
we can already mark the tracks which will connect India with Australia , Australia with-New Zealand , sad the completion , of the line of steamers , which are to the submarine cable what the railway is to iihe land telegraph , only awaits final settlement . By another side , therefore , the telegraph is gradually enclosing China ; and again , the date -cannot be far distant when Hong-Kong will be conjiected with London , Canton with Hong-Kong , Pow-choo-foo , arid Pekin . Aud the new line has foeen consecrated to the uses of affection by the messages interchanged between Victoria R . and . James Buchanan . The President has expressed a < wislx that' jk should henceforward be kept neutral , and consecrated to the uses of peace . The Emperor Nicholas of Russia can tell Mr . Buchanan that this
great engine of intercommunication can only be constructed or maintained in accordance with the conditions of commerce , which are those of peace .
¦ _ Jjfo. 440, Augtjst 28, 1858. J The L...
¦ _ jjfo . 440 , Augtjst 28 , 1858 . j THE LEIDEB . 871
Count Persigny's Speech. "The Political ...
COUNT PERSIGNY'S SPEECH . "The political speeches of public men in this country arc Spbynx-like—they are to be read as riddles—the speeches of public men in Prance are equally oracular . We profess to be unable to understand them , to put them into English , and to -draw a plain meaning from them . Such speeches usually have one aspect for the audience , another for the world ; it is with the latter aspect that we have to deal in considering Count Persigny's Seecb to the Council-General of the Loire on onday last .
We will not stop to analyse that portion of the speech which concerns IVancc alone— we will not stop to discuss with Count Persigny the question whether he is perfectly accurate in stating publicly that the " great powers in Europe all now congratulate themselves in seeing in France a strong and powerful Government , respected and ¦ wise , which , after a glorious war has been able to make a no less glorious peace . " We may content ourselves with the remark that " one" of the great powers at least sees only in the present dynastic arrangements of Prance one of two evils , -and that one the least . They see possible " anarchy " looming in the distance , " and they ave content to accept arrangements which have at least the
external approbation of a seeming majority of ' the French nation . But this is all—they by no means regard the Government of France as a ' - . " . strong . and . powerful Government , respected and wise , " they regard it as a necessity justified only "by the apprehension ' . of greater evils , depending for its " strength" on the material force of the military , for its " respect" on the instant exercise of despotic -will , and for its " * ' wisdom" on the repression of written and spoken liberty . But the portion of the speech which touches us more nearly , and which , 1 hough directed to Prench was intended for English ears , is that which refers to the existing relations between the two nations . Count Persigny says , " the interests -of the two nations are now so closelv united that it
would be difficult even for the blindest passions to bring them to a complete rupture . " It is true Iliat the interests of the two nations are closely iutcr" \ voven , but it is hardly correct to affirm that it would be " difficult to bring them < o a complete rupture . " On the contrary , it would be very cusy . 'The difficulty would , however , be ( ill on our side ; ¦ we are not a quarrelsome people , we are bclligcxent only upon compulsion ; we go into war reluctantly , we fear we must add , we come out of it reluctantly . The French nation cannot claim the same characterist ics .
. If a rupture should occur , we dare venture to affirm that the cause will have originated wit h our neighbours : so . much , ' we think , we can venture 1 o predict . Count Pcrsigny did not , forget to allude to the imminent vupturc after the aitonlnt . lie attributed the pacification of both nations to the " elevated reason mid . spirit of justice of the Emperpr . " Be it so—we could assign other causes , possibly nearer the truth , but we are willing to allow Count Pcrsigny ' s ornate pliiusoology 1 o work all the good it can on both sides of the Channal . Again , we say ^ we ( pule ngrec with Count Pcrsigny in thinking thai , the interests of the two countries arc closely united . The way to keep them , united is not clillieult . The '' alliance "
is , perhaps , more intimate between the Sovereigns than , tho peoples ; but it may bo made equally cordial between the nations , provided common precautions arc used , and conmion dmmoios insisted upon . There is an old adage , but full of good truth , "Soft words butter no parsnips . " We muy
forgive , but we do not forget . VVe do not shut our eyes upon " Cherbourg ; we do not forget there is a paper termed the Univers constantly employed te calumniate the religion , the morality , and the motives of the English nation , and to foment the worst passions of the unreasoning French people against this country , the editor of which is the known friend of Louis Napoleon ; we do not forget the menaces of thrasonic French colonels ; we do not forget that other journals denounced us as " out of the pale of civilised nations" because we refused to close our shores against the political refugee ; we keep these and other matters in inind , but we recollect them only as mementoes , only as reminders that a rapture may possibly ensue , and that we will not be taken unprepared for it .
Regarding the speech as a whole , we confess to more satisfaction than we usually derive from French orations . As far as it is intelligible , it is more sensible in tone—more temperate and conciliatory than , common , and , therefore , not unlikely to make a favourable impression in that quarter to which it is directed—the English nation .
The Indian Coirsrciti.—Some Of Our Conte...
The Indian CoirsrciTi . —Some of our contemporaries have given a seat in the Indian Council to Air . G . A . Hamilton , but we are in a position to state that this is incorrect . Certainly the lion . member is not one of the new Council , nor do we very well see ^ how the present Government could afford to deprive itself of the activ e services of one of the few practical men of business included in the present Administration . . .
Cou3esponi)Enge. " The Fruits Of Ig^Ora^...
COU 3 ESPONI ) ENGE . " THE FRUITS OF IG ^ ORA ^ CE . " ( Tothe Editor of ' the Leader . ") fJWe can only make room for the following extracts from a letter we havereceived on this subject . ] Sib ,: —I have been a steady subscriber to the header from its commencement , and if you were to see its . eightportly-volumes in - > v . ell bound calf on my library shelves you - . would < -. conclude . that I dp not rank it as a mere ephemeral newspaper . I have ' read nearly all its leading articles . I think the one in your last number , headed " The Fruits of Ignorance , " is incomparably the best . The truths it contains are profound , of
worldwide import , and calculated , when known arid felt in their full force , to effect the greatest possible good for humanity , livery one wlio feels them and makes them his own must be cosmopolitan , and whilst waging eternal and energetic war against oppression and wrong in all their Protean shapes , must have unbounded charity for the convictions and feelings of others—however widely opposed to his own—especially when the result of earnest , honest inquiry . And hence his mode of attack and defence in , this holy war against all which his experience teaches lilm . is evil will be of a very different character to that which is ordinarily displayed , -and will be . infinitely more successful .
lc is indeed true , anil deserves to be painted coasjiicnously on . every church and school door , tiiat " iyuorance is the source of ull the wrong that ever is or ever lias been done in the world , " and that even now , " the greater part qfvutnkind -intend tvcll , but don ' t Imoio how to do well . " If , instead of the repulsive railing , abuse , threats , denunciations , ami anathema ? , nud the equally abortive prayers mid exhortations which arc now daily and hourly indulged in , these glorious truths were loyally proclaimed from the Scnato-houRP , the Judgment-sent , and the Pulpit —not to say the Market-place and the Exchange—lor one short year , we might rationally hope for , nay , should I certainly soon see , the reign of " peaice on earth and
good-will to man , " which , for thousands of years , the good and true of all n # es , clinics , - colours , and creeds of men have been fortelliiiy ; and yearning for . But , sir , although we cannot , at all times , and to it . s fallout extent , seo tho elicits of our own teachings in word and deed , they nevertheless lake place , and maybe , and probably arc , of more consequence than we deem , for good or for ill ; and in tliis sense how important it is Mint not an idle word should'escape us ! But however small limy be the influence of n single word or deed , yet us , by tho constant dropping of water , stones even are
worn away , so by the constant iteration of great truth * they become fixed in the mind , and « t length bring forth good results . I pray 3 ' 0 lI i s ' i ' t ! t no 1 y 1 '" ' urst article , oil " Tlie Fruitri of Ignorance , " ho happily suggested by the misguided conduct of my adopted countrymen in this rapidly improving isle , bo the last . On the contrary , let other examples , which aro over and anon occurring before our eyes , bo incentives for repeating your words oi wiudoni . 1 am , sir , yours respectfully , Wll . l-. IA 1 H P . AMS . SeviMo Iron Worlca , Dublin , August 23 , 1858 .
Duelling Extkaobdinaey . - —An incident highly characteristic of French manners occurred a few days since at Nantes , Two first-rate masters of fence , once warm friends , subsequently jealous rivals , and finally deadly enemies , determined to settle their differences by a . combat it outrance . The duel opened with an elaborate and formal salute on both sides that lasted some ten minutes . The serious part of the business then began . Such , however , was the skill of the two antagonists that it was only after a protracted engagement that one succeeded in slightly wounding his opponent ' s arm . The seconds here interposed , an ! sought to bring about a reconciliation . The wounded man . mildly observed , ' * Je ne demande pas mieux . " Whereupon hia adversary , springing at him with a loud shout , gave him a tremendous box on either ear . In a moment they were of
course at work again , each resolved to take the other ' s life . The -wounded man avenged his insult by passing his sword through his antagonist ' s right arm . The seconds again interpose , and now induce the two men to shake hands and promise forgiveness . " Now it ' s all over , ' said the one whose ears still tingled , " tell me , what on earth induced you to hit me two such blows ?" " Simply because you said , 'II ne demande pas mieux : quo de ne pas se battre . '" "On the contrary , " replied the other , "I said , ' Que moi , je ne ctemandais pas mieux ! " The party with his arm in a sling here exclaimed , "Ah ! sapristi ! j ' avais compris que tu disais- — II ne demande pas mieux I" Where but in France would a man have sought to take the life of a quondam friend for a mistake in his pronouns?—Correspondent of th * Times .
The First Newspaper on Yancouveb s Island . — The editor of the infant journal gives the following description of journalism under difficulties : —" The present number of the Victoria Gazette is ' prepared for publication in a rooin more remarkable for extent than convenience . Its walls abound in crevices , through which the wind bears with an impartial equality the seeds of catarrh and bronchial afflictions to the editors , proprietors , and typographers . Its floor is of a shaky character , and each passer imparts a tremulousness to its surface which occasions the present writing to assume a character that Champollion , were he one of our cbmpositors . would find it difficult to decipher ;' 'The ' editor ' s desk' is a bundle of printing paper , skilfully poised upon
a leather trunk , vibrating with each movement of the writer ' s hand , and compelling , him to double up his person in the act of preparing ' copy' in a manner more curious than graceful . The ' editor's easy-chair' is a Chinese trunk , -whose top would be on a level with the desk , but for the brilliant idea of increasing the height of the latter by the paper expedient alluded to . The striking thoughts which pervade the brain of the individual favoured with these facilities would find , a much readier expression at the point of hie pen but for the drawback of being compelled to retail copies of this journal , receive items of news , and correct misdirected intruders on the point of their destination , simultaneously with inditing those remarkable conceptions . Two huge
iireplaces , built with a view to convey all the heat as well as the smoke up the chimney , are as little dangerous in the matter of risk of a conflagration as they are but slightly conducive to comfort in modifying the blasts of Boreas . The pleasant sounds of wood sawing , nail hammering , & c , add to the facilities for editorial labour of which we are now in existing enjoyment , and an occasional procession of Indians cheers and invigorates the-writer , by stopping and surrounding his locality of labour , and gazing upon his < Lcds witli the expression of intelligence common to the physiognomy of the intellectual race of which they are the representatives . Under such circumstances , our rentiers will see that making up an'interesting sheet is-but a trifling task . "
A Misek . —A wretched old man , named John Few , has just passed out of the world at Poterne , in Wiltshire , after living for sixty-six years in a s : ite of the most abject parsimony and squalid filth . lie- denied himself common necessaries , under the plea that lie was too poor to buy them . On Saturday week he was taken ill and went to tho house of a relative , about a mile from his own cottage . IIo wns immediately carried to boil , nnd on taking oft" the old cloth which ho wore round his neck , 5 O .- » . were found concealed in it . He lingered on for a day or two , and in the menu time was visited by the vicar of the parish , who , feeling confident that the old man was worth some proper ! v , inquired of
him whether he had made a will V lie replied that lie hi » d not , but that he should get hotter , and that ho might then perhaps think about it . By the following afternoon ho wns a corpse . As the deceased appeared to have no immediate relatives , it was thought ri ^ i lit to go to his house and take possession of any guodri it might contain , until a legal owner could bo found fur them . Tho door ol'hirt cottage bring forced , the pei > ons charged with the duty wore almost overpowered by the stencil nnd filth accumulated within . Tlio search proved tlio old man to have been worth upwards of GOO / ., tlio whole of which will bo divided among persons by -whom lie was loathed during life , ftiul who can have no respect for Ins memory now tlmt lie is gone . Tin : Cauiu Pkkkagk . —Captain James M . Brown , Oilrd Highlanders , commanding tho reserve of thu regiment at Aberdeen , is a claimant for tho title of Earl of Cahir , now in abeyance .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 28, 1858, page 15, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_28081858/page/15/
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