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Emperor of Russia endeavours to raise a loan in Europe for the purpose of killing your soldiers and sailors , of destroying your commerce , and of frustrating all your national policy , at least Englishmen shall not contribute to such loan . { Cheers . ) Why , all the arguments I have heard against this bill go to the root of the whole question . Th « arguments of the hon . gentleman the Secretary to the Treasury amount to this—that you ought to abolish your law of high treason—that you ought to permit your merchants and manufacturers to supply the Emperor of Russia with gunpowder and ball , witii snips of war , and with all the implemeats by which war may be carried on . ( Cheersfrom the Opposition . ') I consider that it is sheer nonsense to say so . ciieers i
[ jxenewea ana laughter . ) nese arguments are founded upon the principle on which we are told the Dutch admiral proceeded when , in the interval or lull of a naTal action , he sold gunpowder to his enemies in order that the engagement might be renewed in the afternoon . { Laughter and cheers . ) I am as desirous as any man can be to encourage the commercial enterprise of this country , lut , for Heaven ' s sake , don't let us adopt a system which places pocket against honour , wlich sets the turn of your balance-sheet against the national interests ( cheers ) , and which lowers the whole feeling of the country to a mere question of pounds , shillings , and pence . ( Cheers . ) I say that is a system which : is disgraceful and fatal to a country , and that if we mertn to maintain our national independence we must have regard to those gr « at principles upon -which nations act , and by which alone national independence and honour can be secured . ( Cheers . )
It may be said by some persons that this bill will be nugatory , but it cannot be nugatory , because it establishes a principle . It may be said that the provisions of the measure will be evaded . Why , there are men who would evade every law , however high the sanction maybe by which that law is enforced . You cannot guard against the bad and evil passions of men , and the courses they may be induced to adopt by motives of private interest . All you can do is to lay down your principle ; honest men will conform themselves to it , and those who choose to evade it must settle the matter with th « ir own consciences . J would , therefore , strongly recommend the House not to reject this bill . I think its rejection would really tend to encourage Russia , and to make , as it were , a general advertisement that all British subjects are at liberty to assist our enemies with their money as'much as they please . " '
The House went into committee ; but when the clauses came to be discussed , Lord Palmerston was found in a scrape : the bill was such utter nonsense , tbat it had to be postponed until the law officers of the crown ( who had given a rather blundering pledge that it was all right ) had looked into it to see if they could do anything -with it .
LORD B » OTJCHA ? 1 ON EDUCATION . On Monday , Lord Brougiia . 31 delivered an essay on " National Education , " describing what hti'i been done , dogmatising on what should be done ; in neither respect saying anything new . Lord Gxjanville paid some just compliments to the career of his noble friend as an Educationist , and some very unjust compliments to the Privy Council Committee of Education . The Earl of Habrowby said the metropolis was in a peculiar position as regarded its educational wants , and required specific action . The poorer districts could not subscribe , and could not , therefore , under the present regulation , receive Government aid . Aa regarded the country generally nothing effectual could be done until the employers of children afforded facilities for sending them to school .
Xord Campbell , said the question introduced by his noble and learned friend had a most important bearing on the present state of crime . Within the last two or three years the number of juvenile offences in the metropolis had multiplied to a most appalling extent , and there was a crying necessity or the interference of the State .
VENTILATION OP THE HOUSE OF COMMON'S . In answer to Lord Dudley Stuart , about" noxious effluvia" in the House of Commons , Sir William Mojleswortu said , on Monday , —He > vns in the House on Thursday night and Friday morning , and ho perceived the stench to which the nobUi lord referred . ( A laut / fi . ) He immediately caused inquiries to bo instituted by the gentlemen who had charge of the ventilation of the Ilouae , Mr ? . GqUlsworthy Gurney and an officer of the Board of Worlcs , who wore in attendance . Ho was assured by tlxoix * roport tlmt the stencli came in witli tho air from -without the House , and did not in any way arise within the House . ( Much laughter . ) The stonch , ho was informed , proceeded from tho Star Chamber Court
outside the House , and was traced to a sower which emptied itself by Westminster-bridge , and from an adjoining privy which was ueed by tho workmen employed in tho Houses of Parliament . The uscending tide disturbed tho masses of sewage wliich , in consequence of tho heat of tho weather , were in a state of decomposition , and the gases which were evolved made tlieir way into tho House , lie was informed that similar inconvenience hud been experienced previously , and that about a week u [ ro tho etonch was excessively offensiv e , not only pervading tho House , but hIbo tho adjacent courts of law . Indeed , ho was told , that in consequence of the disa-KTceablo stench , tho Judge of tho Court of Queen ' s Bonch had adjourned his court . Ho wn « informed ulso that a ainilUr stench hnd lecn perceived in tho
House on Saturday and that morning . He could only say that he would do all in his power to prevent this annoyance , but he feared all he could do would have very little effect so long aa the Thames continued to be the cloaca maxima of this great city . ( " Hear , " and a laugh . ) The smells came into the House with the external air . The only way of excluding them would be by preventing the admission of the external air , and if such a remedy were adopted , he feared that during the present weather its effect would be to stifle all the members . ( Laughter . ) There could be no doubt that these odours were very injurious to health , and the most effectual remedy he could recommend was that the sitting of Parliament should be brought to aclose as speeuily as possible . ( " Hear , " and laughter . )
BRIBERY BII . L . This bill has been greatly delayed , by the analytical discussion , in the Commons . On Monday and Tuesday it engaged the House in the morning sittings ; and the bill has not been improved—taking it merely as a technical bill , which , morally and politically will be resultless . To sum up the injury done— " expenses for travelling" are to remain legal ; and , under this cloak , » direct bribery can still go on . An Anti-Cholera Bill thrown o ^ t . — The Nuisances Removal and Diseases Prevention bill ( consolidation of bills )—a measure to give the Board of Health and municipal authorities new powers to cleanse towns—was thrown out ( abandoned ) in the Commons on Monday because of a junction between the enemies of Mr . Chad wick and the advocates of local self-neglect ; Lord ¦ " Palmerston , as a managing man , weakly giving . way . '
Sale of Beer , &c . Bill . —This bill ( providing the new regulations for the opening of public-houses on Sundays ) was read a third time and passed in the House of Commons last Saturday . Mr . H . Berkeley' objected that this bill would interfere with the comfort of the working classes when taking recreation by excursion trains on Sundays , thus legislating for t ! ie poor and not for the rich . Mr . Pattex said , the bill dealt equally with all classes ; but an alteration had been made in it to accommodate passengers by excursion trains . Tlie bill was supported by Mr . Heyworth , Lord D . Stuart , Mr . Ba 2 JK . es , and Mr . Henley ; while Mr . W * . J . Fox and Mr . Craufurp objected to this legislation .
" When the bill got into the Lords , on Thursday , the Earl of Hakrowbv announced , amid expressions of assent , that he would , on the next stage , propose amendments by which the hours during which public-houses might be kept open on Sunday were extended from 1 to half-past 2 , and from 5 to 11 p . m ., with the provision that no liquor should be furnished after 10 p . m . Lord Bro . ugk . vm asked why west-end clubs were not to be brought under the provisions of this bill ? Hq answer . Oxford University Bill . —The Lords' amendments on this bill were discussed in the House of Commons on Thursday ; there being a long debate and several divisions . Generally the improved character of the bill was maintained .
I-Lam ^ stead Heath . —The bill ( Sir T . Wilson ' s ) whicli endangered , though only prospective !}" , the public possession of Ilampstcad Heath , was thrown out of tho Commons on Thursday , and by a very large majority . Tlio Middlesex members , Lord Kqbbkt Gkosvexor and Mr . Bbuxax . Oseorse , did tins . Communication in IIaimvay Trai . vs . —The Lords ha \ e had a debate , on the invitation of Lord Fitziiardinge , on the necessity of railway guards and drivers of engines being put into communication in trains ; and Lord Stan us-y of Alderley , of the Board of Trade , has mentioned that the Government is " seriously considering the matter . " It is absurd in a . Senate to deal in such topics ; but it is adding to the absurdity by not insisting on the Government doing moi'e than " consider . "
Medical Graduates of London University Bill . —Tliis bill , which had passed tho House of Commons safely , has been greatly modified iii tho Lords—tho Duke of AuciYi . K interposing and insisting that tho same rights which London University graduates claimed ought to bo extended to Dublin and tho Scotch Colleges . Accordingly , tho 4 t largo question of medical reform" ia to include this point , and for tho present the graduates of London University iu-0 , by this bill , to bo relieved , meroly of tho penalties attaching unintentionally to thorn under certain recent bundling measures . Tho Dulco of Argyle , in making tho objection did not seem to bo awaro that u second bill stool in tho Commons for doing what ho wanted .
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OUR CIVILISATION . French j-nosmuriis and their , ueepbks . A . Frbnoii girl ( taking advantage of tho recent decision of Chief Justice Jcrvis ) , has brought an action ngainafc Marmaysce ( who was tho defendant iu tho former case ) fur balance of an account j nnd tho action w as tried thi s week at tho Mnidstouc Asalzoe . She was a prostitute " employed" at n House in Newman-street kept by tho defendant . Tlia evidence wns disgustingly siniplo ; sho made a bargain with him aa to vhat eho wns to bo allowed
out of the money paid by " gentlemen . " for the use of her ; and this bargain he had not kept . Some documents were put in , by which it was made to appear that during a period of four weeks the plaintiff had " earned" something like 80 / ., and it appeared that she now sought to obtain the half of this sum as her share . The case being thus completed , on the plaintiffs side , the Judge ( Pollock ) interposed , and was " shocked" at the facts , and expressed his regret that such cases should be forced upon his attention in court . lie advised ( this was odd in a judge ) that the defendant should plead the illegality of the bargain , and so escape . But defendant's counsel ( Mr . Parry ) refused—relying on the "justice of his cause ; " and , the Judge being obliged to give way , Mr . Parry addressed the jury for the defence , being very candid about his functions .
" He said he should not for a moment attempt to deny that he stood in a most disgraceful and degraded position ; that he was , in fact , a male brothel-keeper ; but he was sure the jury would still feel that he was entitled to their protection , and that persons ought not to be allowed to take advantage of his degraded condition to make claims upon him for money without any ground . " The defendant , Germain Marmaysee , a stylishly-dressed Frenchman , was then sworn , and he detailed with the utmost composure the nature of the agreement entered into befoyeen him and the unfortunate women who occupied his house . He produced his books to show that he had paid the plaintiff all the money to wliich she yvas entitled , and he declared that , when she left the establishment , she was indebted to him in the sum of 181 ., for which she gave him a bill of exchange , which'he produced . He also declared
that the plaintiff went away on the 2 nd or April , and that consequently she could not have been entitled to any further earning ? up to the month of May . * " Upon being cross-examined , the defendant said he considered himself a gentleman . Since the former action lie had sold the house in Neivtnan-street , bat it was still carried on by his sister-in-law , although he had nothing to do with it , and had no share whatever in the profits . He said , he sometimes slept in the house , but did not keep the book ? . Formerly , he was the clerk and kept the books , but he had now ceased to do so . He did not keep any other houses of the same kind . When he kept the house there were sometimes five or six , and sometimes as many as twelve ¦ women living there . They paid 25 s . a week each for their lodging , and all their expenses beside were , deducted from the money they received . " The jury after deliberating about half-an-hour , returned a verdict for . the rilaintifFfor the full amount claimed . "
At the Lambeth Police Court , an . old man , about whom evidence was offered to be tendered that lie was respectable , " has been charged with infamous conduct to several little girls ( some as old as twelve ) , whom he had enticed , from " low" neighbourhoods in Lambeth , under the railway arches . He escaped punishment for want of completer evidence . Tlie curious part of this case was , that there vvas a competition among the girls of the neighbourhood to be led away by him : —for he always gave each girl a shilling or two !
Two girls gave themselves up to the police at Liverpool this week , demanding " protection . " Their story was , that they had been inveigled from their native town ( Nottingham ) by a "lady , " who promised them engagements as milliners in Liverpool . The house at Liverpool was , however , they found , a mere brothel ; and they refused her offers . The Liverpool magistrate sent them back to their friends , but it does not appear that he has ordered a prosecution of the "lady . " Half these stories are untrue ; and they ought to be tested in each case by a searching inquiry .
Last Sunday afternoon a child , out walking and picking up flowers , fell into a canal ( in Lancashire ) . The child's brother , also a child , screamed for help , and appealed to a man who was passing . The man said ho had his Sunday clothes on , and wasn ' t going to wet them—tho child was drowned . Tho coroner has " reprimanded" the nan ! A AVestminster jury lias sat this week upon tho body of a young man , a commercial clerk in good employment , who was killed in a prostitute ' s night brawl—killed , when very d runk , by a woman's blow on his head . Ho had accompanied one of the prostitutes from Cremorne-gardens .
Tho Colncy-IIatch Lunatic Asylum was tho scouo of ti / Uo last Saturday ; 1000 of the patients dining together under tho stewardly supervision of tho visiting Middlesex magistrates . The demeanour of iho diners wns \ inoxceptionable—only ono circumstance suggesting that they were not of tho ordinary-world class—for not one lunatic got drunk ! A labourer , living in Monmouth-stroot ( wcst-eiul ) , got drunk last Saturday night , and , of course , immediately commenced assaulting women . Ho toro the hair out of tho head of Catharine Jones—literally scalped her ; and being dragged away from her ho got a log of timber and smashed tho skull of one Moody , whoso wife , coming to her husband ' s aid , vvas also droudfully wounded . Both lio dangerously ill ; nnd tlio case stands remanded .
At a village near Heading , a woman , married , ia " taken -with convulsion ilta ; " her husband rushes out and scours tlio country for doctors . He calls on
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I > n . Pkithman's Oasis . —Mr . Otway Irought this cnac before tho House of Commons on Wednesday . Lord l ' nlmcTston oft ' ored elaborate explanations ; nn < l tho House pronounced decisively that the man was a hinsitio , and that Uo hatl had ovory indulgence ; nnd consideration ahown to him .
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July 29 , 1854 . ] THE LEADER , 701
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Leader (1850-1860), July 29, 1854, page 701, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2049/page/5/
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