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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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NEWS OF THE WEEK- paoe A Gretna-green Marriage 1187 Extend the Militia ! 1190 Naval Novels 1194 Imperial Parliament 1178 nS ^^*^!* ^™* . ?"' U 87 The Purchase System ... 1191 literature of the War ! :::: ! " : " : 1195 ThSVar . ^ 1184 fecbant y ^ - 1187 OPEN COUNCIL- Books on our Table 1195 SSSnStSSSiSi" ::::::::::::::: Sag- ^ S ^ M ^^™™ "' -- Sf ? Lo ^ nwa HMtoncikaow . the arts- . PaiWMQ in TnHia nioa A Suez Ship Canal .. 1187 ledge , . 1191 _ , ¦ ' lSS& $ i % J 5 m ^ in Iri& '"''" ffi Miscellaneous 1188 Louis Napoleon audthe Coart Theatres 1198 ¦ S ^ & 2 Sffi 2 ™ ™ ..: r : - lS Postscript 1188 of Austria ....... 1191 Our Civilisation 1186 PUBVlC AFFAIRS— LITERATURE— COMMERCIAL AFFAIRSDeath of Lord Frederick Fitz- The Parliament 1189 Foreign Policy .. 1192 CitvIntelligence Market * Ad clarence .. , ¦ .. < . . ..... » .:.......,,... 1187 The Foreign Legion .......... 1190 The ioseandTtheRtag " . "ZZ 1198 wr tffiaoE ? &c 7 _ . !? . ' . _ " 1196-1200
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VOL .-V . No . 247 . ] SATURDAY , DECEMBER 16 , 1854 . [ Price Sixpence
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P ^ ij xj-... . x nas , as yet , become ot any A public benefit : for it submits to being treated by the Government—which it ought to dictate to •—as a constitutional formality not entitled to interrupt the course of the rule of England by Bowning-street . But Parliament may improve in time . Ministers have not- been happy . They have shown no confidence in Parliament ; and TParliament may begin to return the compliment . The defence of ministerial failures made by the
two friends and co-Ministers of War , the Duke of Newcastle and Mr . Sidney Herbert , -were complete in one sense : they proved earnestness of purpose , great desire to do well , and more success in what was attempted than the public have been inclined to suppose . The Duke of Newcastle , copiously precise on all the minute facts of his administration , satisfied his hearers that he was a very highminded man , and a very good man of business . Mr . Sidney Herbert , a great favourite with the House of Commons , and with his class , charmed his audience by a graceful confession of faults , and by an obvious anxiety to "win approval for all
that he had done , and by his genuine eloquence in speaking of the army of which he had sought to make himself worthy . But neither of these Ministers dealt with the general question of the policy pursued during the last twelve months , and , in fact , none of tho Ministers attempt a vindication of the half-and' -half measures which have been the consequence of a Cabinet without a chief—of a Cabinet divided against itself . What Lord Aberdeen said on Tuesday in reference to the Austrian alliance amounted to nothing : it was a statement , and a negative statement , not
a defence , and not an explanation . "What Lord John Russell said on the same evening , would be important coming from any other Minister , but it is of little account as coining from Lord John Russell , who has punctually commenced this Session with one of his habitual displays of utter senility , his declaration about tho insignificance of the Austrian alliance having compromised his colleagues , astonished France , and disgusted Vienna . The Opposition inado a vigorous attempt to force tho Government into the humiliation of being frank for
with the country . But the Opposition failed two reasons ; in tho first place , because the Opposition waa confined to mere talk , and wa \ s made up of talkers of antagonistic intent—for whoro is tho bond between Mr . Layurd and a Colonel Dunne ? —and iu tho next place because tho talk wits of a potty character , personal in allusion , spiteful in £ urposo , and was confined to criticisms on the past . ( OrdDurbysaidnothing which tho newspapers liavu not said : he had no new facts , no now news ; an < l his best point was in the established sneer , that Lord Aberdeen prefers tho Orleans to tho Napoleon
family . Lord Derby is always small in statesmanship : his speech on Tuesday was contemptible . In the other House , Mr . Disraeli was not more successful . Certainly he was very dull—spoke wearisomely and wearied . Like his chief , he seems to have passed the recess in accumulating newspaper paragraphs , —like his chief , he talked his common-place with the utmost coolness , as if it were even fresh conamon-placej—and , like his chief , he so far failed that , competing with the members of the Coalition for the lead of the country , lie objected to their policy without producing a policy of his own . It is true he
objected to an Austrian alliance before he had been informed of the terms of it , hut this was a trick of debate to catch Liberal cheers , and possible Liberal votes ; and it was a trick , suggested by the unmodified Eastern intellect of Mr . Disraeli , unsuited to our political climate , every one knowing well that if Mr . Disraeli were in power he would accept this Austrian alliance . The speech of Mr . Layard was marked by great fullness of knowledge , and some positive propositions , as in his reference to the mevitableness of a campaign in Asia , and doubtless it will be read " out of doors " with more deference than it obtained in the House
and the long siege , of the Crynea . Lord Derby says the maxim of the Government is . . * ' too late ; ' ' but , on the other hand , it is always too little . The debate in the Lords last night damaged the bill , and the narrow majority with which they escaped a defeat in this first week recals to the Government the catastrophes of last Sessions , and warns them to be careful . On its general policy , foreign and home , the Government is secretive . A variety of questions have been asked , and a variety of no answers have been given . The facts ; of thie Austrian treaty are communicated , when they' can be of no use—that is , when the Treaty has heen ratified . Ministers expect to get through the work
they have allotted for the short session by next Thursday . But circumstances may disturb the patriotic inefficiency in which a polite House of Commons has sunk itself . The Austrian Treaty is fixed—but it may be disapproved of , and then at least we shall have debates . The Foreigners ' Enlistment Bill may take time , or bo thrown out . Thus the cry may be raised—and in Parliamentwh y separate for another Recess ? In talking about the war , the war itself seems somewhat overlooked . This is because the war is stationary . But a winter campaign in the Crimea would seem to be intended
—Mr , Layaru not taking the trouble to study House of Commons' elocution , and being too eager to lecture when lie addresses that assembly . Lord Grey was cold and brief , but he said enough to sustain his position as the most statesmanlike man of his class . This was the Opposition ; for Lord Clanricarde was not present—which is a surprising fact , only to bo explained on the assumption that the Czar ' s present to him of Lord Dunkellin has assuaged the vindictiveness of a veteran diplomatist who , had ho been War Minister , would have charged Russia like a true Irish Peer , much after tho fashion of Lord Lucan at Balaklava . Ho appeared last night , but it was very Russian work his abuse of Austria . Parliament has met to deal with two bills : both
by tho contribution of Omar Pacha ' s force of 35 , 000 men to Lord Raglan ' s army . Meanwhile , our troops and those of General Canrobert , reinforced into efficiency , are " hutting" for the winter . The tone of our army will bo greatly improved by the democratic measure of the Government in deciding on rewarding valour and skill in the ranks with commissions . It is a wise and an honest reform ; and we trust the
Government will make it complete by adopting the hint of Lord Grey . There is no use in giving Brown a commission unless you give him the pay that will enable him , without fortune or credit , to compete on equal terms with " officers and gentlemen . " It is , unhappily , notorious that when Brown becomes an adjutant , quarrels with the men and that officer increase , and this may be because Brown is not promoted into a clearly bettor position in point of comfort and ; competence .
of which have been promptly introduced . Tho Militia Bill is safe . Tho Enlistment of Foreigners Bill is not sufe . The tone taken by Lord EHonborough in regard to it bas beon generally echoed . Kvon granting that the principle on which the Government is proceeding in tho matter were a sound one , wo should be disposed to suspect their statesmanship , from the circumstance that their plan is on so small a scale . Lord Aberdeen , melancholy and morose , complained at the
in-Tho duty , and it was not a formal ono , of thanking the army for its great deeds , has beon well done by both Houses . Very properly the French shared in tho compliment ; and Mr . Sid- " *'* noy Herbert took care not to repeat tho distinction , to which ho committed himself on Tuesday , between tho conscript soldier and the volunteer soldier . Some elections uro in progreso ; but , either as to persons or princip les , tho results aro uot likely to bo of any importance . Tho great borough of Marylobono seems liosituting between a dull gentleman who is ii Druggist , and a dull gentleman who is a Lord . Sir C . Napier hoouih to havo decided on not presenting himself . Why ?
terruption tho measure hau met with ; for , asked his lordship , why do you tell us to conduct tho war with vigour , and then oppose our vigorous bills ? The bill may be objected to precisely becauso it is not a vigorous bill . The Queen ' s Speech alludes to a " great war , " and the Ministers face tho grout war with n Foreign Logion of 15 , 000 men . Hero wo recognise , with dismay , tho eamo small conception to which may bo attributed the disastrous victories ,
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 16, 1854, page unpag., in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2069/page/1/
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