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    [ E alreadmark the tracks which will con...

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    COUNT PERSIGKY'S SPEECH. ^The political ...

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    The Indian Cotjxcid.—Some of our contemp...

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    CCXftRESPONDEJST CE. " THE FRUITS OF IGN...

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    The American Link Ant) The Russian Chain...

    we can y India with Australia , Australia with'New Zealand , and the completion ^ of the line of steamers , which axe to the submarine cable what the railway is to the 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 connected with London , Canton with Hong-Kong , J 5 W-choq-foo , and Pekin . And the new line has been consecrated to the uses of affection by the messages interchanged between Victoria R . and James Buchanan . The President ' has expressed . a wish that it 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 .

    [ E Alreadmark The Tracks Which Will Con...

    [ E alreadmark the tracks which will connect g o . 440 , August 28 , lggg ^_____ TH LEADER . 87 ! t ^^**^* i ^ m * ^ ^^*^ *^ ^ ^ ^^ ^* ' ^ *^*^ ^*^* * mmamm ^^ ammK ^^*^*** ' *****^ mBmmmmm mmM ^ m ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ --J—!— -J---JJZ ^ . " -. -.. —— . ..,, . ' ¦ ¦ a 1 111 i t -m » . . " ¦ ¦ ' - -.- ,.., m

    Count Persigky's Speech. ^The Political ...

    COUNT PERSIGKY'S SPEECH . ^ The political speeches of public men in this country are Sphynx-like—they are to be read as rid-< lfes—the speeches of public men in Frsince 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 tsnally 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 speech to the Council-General of the Loire on Monday last .

    We will not stop to analyse that portion of the speech which concerns France alone — we will not stop to discuss with Count Pcrsigny the question , whether he is perfectly accurate in stating publicly that the " great powers in Europe all now congratulate themselves hi seeing in France a strong and powerful Government , respected and wise , which after a glorious war has been able to make a no less g lorious peace , " We may Content ourselves with the remark that " one" of the great . powers at least sees only in the present dynastic arrangements of France one of two evils , -and that one the least . They seepossible " anarchy " looming in the distance , and they are 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 wijil , and for its ' " wisdom" on the repression of written and spoken liberty . But tlie portion of the speech which "touches us more nearly , and which , though directed to French was intended for English ears , is that which refers to the existing relations between the twx > nations . Count Persigny suys , " the interests of the two nations arc now so closelv united t hat it

    would be difficult even for the blindest ; passions to bring them to a complete rupture . " It . is ( rue that the interests of the two nations are closely interwoven , but . it is hardly correct to atlirm that it would be " difficult to bring them to a complete rupture . " On the contrary / it would be very easy . The difficulty would , however , be all on our side ; we are not a , quarrelsome people , we arc belligereiit only upon compulsion ; we go into war reluctantly , we fear we must add , wo come out of it reluctantly . The French nation cannot claim the name characteristics .

    If a rupture should occur , we dare venture to affirm that the cause will have originated with our neighbours : so much , we 'think , \ vc can venture to predict . Count Pcrsigny did not forget to allude to the imminent rupture after the offciihri . lie attributed thepacillcutkm of both nations to the " elevated reason and spirit of - justice of the . Emperor . " Be it so —\ ro could assign other causes , possibly nearer thctruih , but we are willing to nllow Count Pcrsigny ' s ornate phraseology Io work nil the . good it can on both sides of the Chniuml .

    Again , we suy , we quite agree with Count Pcrsigny in thinking that , the interests of tho two countries arc closely united . The wny . to keep tliein united is not , dinieult . The " alliance " is » perhaps , more intimate between the Sovereigns than tho peoples ; but . it nuiy be made equally cordial between the nations , provided common precautions are used , and common decencies insisted jpon . fhero is an old mlnge , but full of good truth , "Soft words butter no parsnips . " Wo may

    Count Persigky's Speech. ^The Political ...

    forgive , bat we do not forget . We do not shut our eyes upon Cherbourg ; we do not forget there is a paper termed tlie Univers constantly employed to calumniate the religion , the morality , and tlie motives of . the English nation , and to foment the worst passions of the unreasoning'French ' people against this country , tlie editor of which - is the k » o \ vu 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 mind , bat we recollect them only as mementoes , only as reminders that a rupture may possibly ensue , and that we will not be taken unprepared ibr 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 iu that quarter to which it is directed : —the English nation .

    The Indian Cotjxcid.—Some Of Our Contemp...

    The Indian Cotjxcid . —Some of our contemporaries have given a seat in tlie Indian Council to Mr . 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 active services of one of the few practical men of business included hi the present Administration ..

    Ccxftrespondejst Ce. " The Fruits Of Ign...

    CCXftRESPONDEJST CE . " THE FRUITS OF IGNORANCE . " XTo the Editor of the Leader . ) [ We can only make room for the following extracts from a letter -we-have received' on this subject . ]] Sik , —I have been a steady- subscriber to the Leader from its commencement , and if you were to see its eight portly volumes in well bound calf on my library shelves you would conclude that I do 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

    worldvide import , and calculated , when known and " felt in ' their full force , to effect tlie greatest possible good for humanity . Every one who feels them and makes them Ms own must be cosmopolitan , and whilst waging eternal and energetic war against oppression and "wrong in all their Protean shape ' s , 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 lioly war against all winch his experience teaches him is evil will be of a very different character to that which is ordinurily displayed , and will be iniinitelv more successful .

    If is indeed true , and deserves to be painted conspicuously on every church and school door , that " iynorance is the source of all the wrong that cccr is or ever has been done in t / ie world , " and that even now , " the greater part a / "manUnd intend well , but don ' t know how to do ice // . " If , instead of tlie repulsive railing-, abuse , threat ? , denunciations , and anathema ? , and tho equally abortive prayers and exhortations which are now daily and hourty indulged in , these glorious truths were loyally proclaimed from the Senate-house , the Judgment-seat , and the Pulpit —not to say the ^ Inrkct-plnce nnd the Exchange—for one short year , wo might rationally hopo fur , nny , should certainly soon see , the reign of "ponce on earth and good-will to iiuui , '' which , for thousands of years , the good and true of all . a ^ cs , climes , colours , and creeds of men have been fondling nnd yearning for .

    Hut , sir , although wo cannot , at all time ? , nnd to its fullest extent , sec the effects of our own teachings in word and dectl , they nevertheless take place , and may be , and nmbably are , of more consequence thaw we deem , for good or for ill ; and in this sense liow important it is that not an idle word should cscni'C us ! 15 nt however small way he the influence ! of a single word or deed , yet as , by tho constant dropping of water , stones even arc worn away , so by the constant iteration of great truths they bci'Dino lbcod in the mind , unil nt length bring forth goo . l results . I pmy you , . sir , let not your first article , on " The Fruits of I : > nornnce , " so happily . suggested by the misguided conduct of 1113 ' adopted countrymen iu this rapidly improving isle , be tlie last . On the contrary , let other exniniilen , which arc over and nnon occurring before our eyes , bo incentives for repeating your words ol wisdom . 1 am , sir , yours respectfully , "NVim-iam Taius . Sovino Iron Works , Dublin , August 23 , 1858 .

    Duelling Extraordinary . — An incident highly characteristic of French manners occurred a few days since at Nantes . Two fir 3 t-rate masters of fence , once warm friends , subsequently jealous rivals , and finally deadly enemies , determined to settle their differences by a combat a 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 hi 3 opponent ' s arm . The seconds here interposed , and sought to bring about a reconciliation . The wounded man mildly observed , " Je ne demande pas mieux . " "Whereupon his adversary , springing at him with a load 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 hi 8 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 que de ne pas se battre . '" " On the contrary , " replied the other , "I said , ' Que moi , je ne demandais 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 ! " "Where but in France would a man have sought to take the life of a quondam friend for a mistake in bis pronouns?—Correspondent of ike Times .: ¦

    The First Newspaper on Vancouver ' 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 room 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 toils surface which occasions the present writing to assume a character that Champollion , were he one of pur compositors , would find it difficult to decipher . The ' editor ' s desk' is a bundle of printing paper , skilfnllv 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 tlie 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 his pen but ibr 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

    fireplaces , 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 . JUoreas . The pleasant sounds of wood sawing , nail luinunering , & 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 liis deeds with the expression of intelligence common to the physiognomy of the intellectual race of which they are the representatives . Under such circumstances , our readers -will see tliat making up an interesting sheet is but a trifling task . "

    A Miser —A wretched old man , named John Few , has just-passed out of the world ( it Potcrne , in Wiltshire , after living for sixty-six years in a sate of tho most nlyoct parsimony and squalid filth . He denied , himself common necessaries , under the pica that ho was too poor to buy them . On" Saturday week he was taken , ill and went to the house of n relative , about a mile from his own cottage . He wiw immediately carried to hud , and on taking oft' the old cloth which he wore round his neck , 50 * . were found concealed in it . Ho lingered on for n . day or two , nnd in the mean time was visited by the vicar of the parish , who , feeling confident that the old man was worth some property , inquired of

    lim whether bo had made a will * 3 lc replied that ho had not , but that ho should get better , and that ho might then perhaps think about it . Uy tlie following afternoon he was a corpse . As the deceased appeared to have no immediate relatives , it was thought ri ^ ht to go to his house and take possession of nny goods it might contain , until a logal « o \ vnor could bo found for them . The door of his cottage being forced , tho persons charged with the duty wore almost overpowered by the stench and tilth accumulated within . Tho search proved tho old mun to have been worth upwards of fiOt )/ ., tlie wliolo of which will hv divided among persons by whom he was loathed during lire , nnd who can have no respect for hia memory now that ho i . s gone .

    Tun Cuim lV : i : n . \< iK . —Captain . Tames M . Brown , ttJJrd Highlanders , commanding tho reserve of the , regiment at Aberdeen , ia u claimant for tho title of Earl of Cahir , now in abeyance .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 28, 1858, page 871, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/ldr_28081858/page/15/