THE MINISTER.
the
of
the cal.
told of
fell, but he who tion, and deduce may have good hope, Peel's especial slady -the the philosopher's stone, place by binding an will freely retorn Captain Rous
THE FRIEND OF CHINA AND HONGKONG GAZET TE.
acting as I have determined to net, I give good cause to those who have hitherto voted with me to bhold their confidence. Its true that I declared
that we never would abandonor right to Oregon but, sir, I am not ashamed to say that the expe. rience of the last three hours has made & material obange in ray opinions on the subject Hear hear from the Opposition) There are three courses open to me. I might bring the matter to an issue with America. This might maintain our hamour, but it would be expensive. I might ar brate it, if the Americans would allow my but they will not. Now, sir, there is nothing left me but the third course, and that is to yield to them whatever they may desire; reserving the fact, that I pledge myself (laughter)-that I never will agree to the proposition of the gentleman who mured, a few days ago, the anexation of Ireland in the American Sebate.".
Who will be intrepid enough to say that this speech will not be delivered --Britannia, March 7
THE POLISH OUTBREAK - The Intelligence which has reached England of the state and objects of the Polish insurrection is yet too imperfect to enable the public mind to form
But the immediate
IRISH POVERTY AND CRIME.
to that impression, it was manly, intelligent, and formalities in place of the living energy of the cou friendly. We can have no right to impute acts of psl. But other men ought to be riad. Talent
man without knowing the of the highest rank, temperament of the most vigu everity to such a grounds of those acts; and his whole conduct inous energy, zeal of the purest sincerity, and Chris Ruses, where he is best known, bas rendered him tian courage of the most generous and self-denying the most popular monarch who ever sat upen the perseverance ought to be the sole qualines for the
tire throne. It is simost impossible to believe service of the church
It must not be dissembled that the uncorrupted that a sovereign of this rank of mind would valan- tarily tuflict measures of harshness on an unfortu portion of the English cleepy look with squat asto- nate people. The insurrection cannot succeed; it ishraent at the apathy of the Irish Church, and has so support among the grest European powers; terror as its inevitable catastrophe. That there sre and it only fate must be, to spread more widely excellent individuals in the church of the sister coun
But single efforts are no. than ever the confiscations and banishments which try no one can doubt,
We look for combined activity. An antus have characterised all the former enterprises of's thing. gallant people. But we must hope that in the hour remonstrance with corrects nothing; a feeble de of hs unwilling victory the Czar will remember precation of some desperate experiment of political mercy, and devote his mind rather to subdue the stuffing; a speech from the bishops' bench in be Seaute, which not one in fifty of the audience coa causes of revolt than to extinguish the revolters.
hear, and which not one of the Big thanks worth Ibid, March 14,
hearing such are not the anchors by which the Irish Church will be kept in her stain in such depend on the damned poet's
sullen times as those which are now darkening orking for posterity. Posterity
A letter from Lord Slourton declaims on the en-round the horizon of both countries. In the whole uzzled by the present age quiet as it benge of war that preceded it. Bonaparte
lamities of Ireland, and wonders why Ireland is course of the last twenty-five years of insuh and ra rostly decide about, and the Duke of
always calamitous, There is no cause of wonder juries hosped by faction on the church in Ireland,
But Lord Stourton is a Roman Ca. ington. Even George IV. will give little
in the matter.
we do not recollect a single pamphlet of the slight- Bar Beau Brummell; hut how to settle
tholic, and his church will not suffer his comma est distinction proceeding from any quarter ended any satisfactory conclusions.
sense to see the facts which lie open to the eyes of to respect Yet it is on the church that the stere nk of Sir Robot Pell or Joseph Ady, Sir Graham, or Pecules M'Kenzie, what future result has been severe loss of life, and we can dis every other man. If tive sixth of the population of in Ireland wholly depends. Other interests may James will be able to find out? Ady, for cover no hope of Polish independence, Poland has any country under heaven shall profess a religion be mutilated yet survive; but a blow on the church sianco, is continually brought up at the Mansion. been for the Inst hundred years the most calamitons which gives them abenlution for every crime, every is a dagger in the heart of the constitution-Ibud ouse on charges of obtaining money suspiciously country of Europe.
day in the week, thero will be crime, public and pei-March", Peel arraigned for getting place on false pre From the beginning of the eighteenth century itvale, political and personal If that religion em- fences Auy is always within the law, and Peel was the scene of perpetual distractions. The reli- powers its priests to become the depositaries of the ready to pleail ao Irish rebellion as in29, or angious struggle between the Protestants and Papists. secrets of crime, and prohibits them from divulging Irish potato-ral as in 46 for Pee! has disproved, which had began almost with the Reformation, had those secrets, there will be even a degree of sime. along with all his other stateinents, that one that finally turned into a political conflict. The disturity annexed to the crime from its communications Ireland is his chief difficulty. The moment he bances of the Polish provinces next gave the sort to the confessional And furally, if that religion intends to whirl, Ireland is his chief auxiliary of pretext which ambition and raping desire for shall be supposed to have the power of conveying When Ady makes an strompt on public credulity controlling them by a hostile force. And about the the blackest criminal instily to happiness in he takes care to inform the victim that he is about middle of the eighteenth century Prussia formed heaven, or relieving hits from ab the penalties of Jo do "something for bis advantage. When Peel compact with Austria and Russie for the seizure of humen guilt, by masses, plenary indulgences. the emancipates the Roman Catholics it is for the ad- the provinces adjoining their territories. The sei prayers of the living or the merits of the dead, all of the Church. When be endows May. zure was partially made, to the astonishment of all the restraints of crime, except the gallows itself, are Footh it is to prevent the priests from agitating against Europe, to the infinite disgust of all justice, and to extinguished; and the commina propensities of man The Establishment, and when he destroys protection the boundless indignation of Poland. But the pol- to evd must have their full fling. There are but he does it for no other reason than that the farmers icians slept. The palpable hazard of this seizure to three countries in Europe where assassination, the mey be spurred into activity by the "stimulus of the general balance of European power, and its basest shape of the basest crime, is common, and foreign competition. He discovers new interests dangerous advance of the colossal strength of Res those three are pre-eminently Popish-Italy, Spain, tobe considered as Ady discovers heirs at low; sin im Western Europe, were disregarded in the and Ireland. In the other Popish countries of and the interests, like the heirs, generally suffer by general indolence, corruption, and shortsightedness the Continent a strict police and a military govern- their new friend. As the Mansion-house "financier,
of a dis-olato period; might was subsiitused for ment combine to keep the ponlard in the sheath. ton, persists referring for character to Sir Peter right without a remonstrance, and the rain of But the freedom of the British constitution, unfor. Laurie, much to the indignation of that shrewd great European kingdom was forgotten in the bold-tunately giving freedom alike to the desperado and koight, so Peel continues to fix himself on the nese of its surpatirin. Conservative side of the House, and to walk of the #gentlemen on this side" as if they really entertain- ed the least respect for him. Between these two great scholars of expediency it thus seems that there are many marks of agreement, and the parallel is The nearest that history will afford to the Minister Among his predecessors in office one looks in vain for any personage who will afford points of simila rity to Peel. He is the founder of a school, and, we hope and believe, its first and last follower. Yet he is
Not one but all placemen's epitume." Like Bulingbroke, he is a philosopher, as he showed himself in the Glasgow University speech. Like Bolinghooke, he has often played two games, and is at this mument in the fair way to cite to the ground by his own "sagacity." And when he docs retire into private life. and laid in his grave, after serene age undisturbed by agitators and postung by Mr Disraeli, who will dare to refuse him under his son of marble (imported duty free) the epitaph of Belinghroke -
Here lice Henry St. John, in the reign of Queen Anne Secretary of State, Secretary-al-War, and Viscount Bolingbroke. Is the reigns ol' George 1. and I, something more and better?"
Peel has been, as he told us a few nights ago, the servant of four Sovereigns." He has been a greater (official) man then St. John; and, when he Tetires, who can deny that he may easily become something more and better" than he has ever hitherto been!
Peel, too, is like Bolingbroke's great friend and great enemy, Harley. Peet has made a great fuss aboal being in danger of assassination, and, same how, nobody believed in his peri. Barley did the same; and even though Swift condescended to beco- De a penny-a-liner of the examination of Gaiscard, and to issue volleys of squibs and sarcasm, yet, somehow, the story of the penkwife, like that of the Cubden assassination, was never fully credited. To be sure, Perl magnanimously forgave the inem- her for Starkport as Leo forgave Soderini and Cornet, but Harley had no epportunity of exhi biting such melodramatic magnanimity. Who That has seen the great mental emotion which Feel hus exhibited when called upon to betray all who
have trusted him for years can doubt that be wit in one particular like Walpole, by the description
of Swift
He never meant us ill; We suffer sore against his will, Oh! if we could but see his heart, He would bave chose a milder part: We rather should lament his case; Who must beteg, or lose his place. Pechua like Fox in one particular. He acts on the principio that "the greatest innovation of the constitution is to say that there shall be no innova- tion therefore he is continually making changes. Lip like Enix, too, 10 another. Those members
dragged with him in his shameless cast out like the apostates of 1784. was then said by the punters, have ev fattion at hoz's luntura.
Chiar to which Peel outdoer
carrying on an inti
eleon does not so as Peel changes
|
!
I
the honest man, allows the fury, fouiness, and vin- dictiveness of popular vice to have its full range Ireland is the only country in Europe which Ex- hibits a "class" of assassins, an organization of murder, a regular system by which death is decreed in gecret, and executed by assassins equally ready to destroy any man to whose murder they are ap- pointed.
men "
Bat the Poles were not subdued. Though sur. Tocaded by the armies of the three great military pemers of the Continent-fr France at that line had bust all military name, and seemed to have ful
en into national decrep cadethe Polish armies took the field under Kosclaske, a gallant patrisi who led them with the skill of a general and the interpidity of a hero. But the force of the Russian We fully agree with those who say that for evils empire was irresistible by a scattered population of this atrocity laws are made in vain. What, and an army of volunteers Warsaw was taken by then, is to be done? Poverty say the Irish ad skorn, and Russi. became the sovereign of Poland vocates, "is the cause, give the population employ.
Yet, never was there an act of public gaila more
But how is this to be done? How are five rpadly unexpectedly, and more condignly pushed millions of people to be employed by the State? What than the seizure of this numpy and helpless king. pablie porse would be equal to the supply of theic dum, France, which had almost sunk into Euro wages and on what public works could they be pean scorn--Frauce, the bankrupt of Europa-employed? The railroads of Ireland might have France, which had lost its military name ni Res. barb, and had lam under the stigma for almost 6fy years, suddenly started up into a strength ard. bition, and & fury of congest, of which the world had seen no extraph slice the Gothic iurasion. The French armies first baffled and broke the Prus- sian and Autrian armies of invasion. The then pursued them isso their own territories. In the most destructive of all ware, France was the exe- culoner, Austris, Prussin, and Russia were the criminals Vienna, Berlin, and Moscow witoogted the retribution; and the portion of Poland was avenged in the presence of the world.
been supposed to pour wealth and employment into the craniry. But the outery is that the people are poorer day by day. A quarter of a million sterling has just been sent expressly to supply theas with sonjething to do Brill the outcry is heard. For the last hendred years the same outcry has been heard, and the same donations have been made by the British people. But all their effects seem destined to wanish. The English millions of pounds might as w-B have been fang into the Irish Channel, The mosey is employed in making harbours, build. ing docks, forming fisheries, &c. In balf a dozen years nobody hears more of them than if they had But Poland still remained a sufferer. Whr the been sank in the Atlantic. Why is this? The fact restoration of this disastrous kingdom was not is that the population do not want them, do not among the fruits of the embution is beyond our wish for them, and will not make use of them. Send knowledge. Whether it was a pashment for the them money, and they will take it to any amount; deep superstitions of the people. for their long per- but take it as a tribute to their threats, not as ar secution of Protealants, for their barbaric habits. effort of English liberality. But the money flies, of for the corruptions of social life, their hopes of no one knows what has become of it, it produces no- national independence have never been created but thing, and the population are as poor, as claroor to be extinguished in some increased calamities of ous, as a craving, and as hostile as ever. This is the people."
The march of NarouBox in 1812 offered a hope of deliverance; but the spirit of the Corsican was too selfish for a magnanimous policy. probably stading only to purchase the reluctant He was services of Austria, when a nobler feeling would have taught him to restore its name to Poland At the head of an army of 500,000 men he had but to speak the word. In a Polish throne he would have raised an impregnable barrier against Russia; and have secured for himself a ferres to which retreat, was.secure if he failed as arenoit on Russia. From that fortress he might have overawed the whole north of Germany, and from its population have cerulled his armies with 100,000 cavalry. This policy was so obvious that to account for its neglect we can only look to the infatuation which seems to have bewildered him during the whole Russian campaign.
Still, though Poland was governed by Russia, the Poles were not subdued. They took the field once more, amily unaided by Eurupe: fought a succession of daring battles with the Russian; and yielded only when crusted by absolute weight of umbers. But the result was ruinous to thousands. Confiscations, banishments to Siberia, exiles to va rious parts of Europe, and geantal severity of
go. vernment, were the consequences, until the Pole, like the fallen race of Israel, carry the evidence of national calamities through every ragion of the globe
spect of The present insurrection will probably have the priests same fate the people have no power, the leader dozen no plan blood and muery meat follow their defent 1846 B they have followed as many of their bold at pence tempts to recover the national name. Seeming to redolin
dated in the her
by the late
Popish Ireland.
requires no troops, scarcely a policeman, utters no The contrast is in the Protestant province. Ulster
loans, makes capital ont of the labour of its hands, cry for the English charity, craves for no English and, while the follower of the Agitator and the slate of the priest is bowling at the Saxon or preparing his musket for the assassination of his landlord, the Protestant pensant of Ulster singing the fruit of his own industry in his comfortable cottage, nr training his children to "Fear Goo and honour the King."
Yet what is the natural distinction between these provinces? None. The same soil, climate, laws, constitution, qelong to all. The religious distinction solves the problem. In Switzerland the traveller instantly knows that he has passed from a Popish canton into a Protestant one, by the superior culti vation, industry, and comfort which meet his eye. in Ireland the contrast is alike complete and irre sistible.
Make all Ireland Protestant, and all will be like its northern province. Bot"this" we are told, is difficult" Certainly it never will be accomplished if it be never attempted. But have we not the truth, scripture, and experience, on our side here we do the same means which converted heathen Roma? have we not the highest promise of the highest help 1-have not our fathers seen the Reformation in Germany sweep before it the whole power of Rome ?-do we not see a new tide of that Reform ation egato rising over a new space of Popery are we not convinced of the immortal verities of and craft of Rome with eyes of public fact and scriptare, and do we got see the whole evil, folly, spiritual demonstration? Superstition is stubborn poly where its slaves are ignorans and is not the jepis kilman being with faculties es capable of
prove the
By sumitted that.
Dosa softruthe
and substitute frigid
THE TARIFF IN THE LORDS. The discusssion on the tariff bas now, we pre- sume, closed in the Commous The articles of timber was disposed of last night, and orders have already been issued far the admission of the seve ral commodities included in the tariff either wholy free or at the reduced rate of duties.
The decision of the House of Lords, so for se regards the tariff, has therefore been anticipated. There are doubtless precedents for this; yet the matter is not the less effectually taken out of their lordships hands before they have had a voice in he The tarif is a part-and a very impor decision. tont part-of the comprehensive scheme;" it in comes to effect, the Corn law Bill can hardly be rejected. The whole schane. we believe, must pass, or must fail, together Protection to one in- terest is connected with protection to another; The duties on wheat can hardly be maintained when the duties on manufactures are lowered or gons.
Their lordships are the guardians of their own, privileges and powers. If they do not care to aa- sert them no one else can. Through their indo- lence, or indifference, all real and effectual share in the public business and legislation of the coun- try is vanishing from them. In so great a measure as the present, the greatest and most minilent change in the commercial code of this kingdom ever at- tempted, the decision of the House of Peers is con- temptuously anticipated by a Treasury order, the pretence being that French brandy and American
maize may be admitted a fortnight earlier than if the decent formality had been observed of waiting for the Lords registration of the Commons' decree.
We see this course of action with sorrow. If the House of Peers it to be more than a chamber in
the Rolls Court for engrossing documents, their lordships must take a lead in pablic affairs, and vindrose their independent action by energy and vigilance. If they originate no debele, bring for. ward no measure, but remain me siste of sleepy inaction session after session, unul bills are brought up to them in hatches to be read and passed, their functions will cease to be respected and, 88 8 component part of the British constitution—us one of the three great estates of the realm-they will slip altogether out of existence, unpsicolved and uncared for.-Ibid.
**
Singular Ceremony.-Among the doings of the Carnival time on the continent, there is one with which we have been sufficiently amused, as well as interested, to think it worth reporting-partly be. cause of the fogenuity of the performance itsel but more because it testifies of a people who are thoughtful even in play, and bove a meaning their very minth. This was a grand procession, onder shelter of the admitted licence of the time, to the Square of Guttenberg, st Mayence, for the pur- pose of executing an auto-da-fé of the Censorship, personified in the figure of Henneberg, the man who first introduced the Censorship of Books into ed-the mask pleasantly got up. Germany, in 1486. The thought was well sustain the representative of enlightenment-the inrenkor In presence of of printing-the allegorical figures of the Arts and Sciences, accompanied by allegorical represent tions of all sorts of trammels and restrictions upea thought, headed the procession. Then came a cen sor riding on a crab, the emblem of retrogradation, and rejoicing in his children. Next followed a press, loaded with chains; and in its train the results of the Emprisonment of thought were indicated s groups of Chinese, with all their accessorice of staguption and feebleness. These were followed by the German corporations-with their emblems of immobility or backward movement. Then ther this procession might not stand too prominently out of the season which was its warrant--that it wight pot its satire safely under the protection of the oc- casion came the real festive groups-Father Jocu with his eleven daughters, and the Prince and Princess Carnival, with a shop of fashions and at- cles of luxury in their train. Arrived at the Squar of Guttenberg, the statute of Henneberg, or the Censorship, was set on fire, and consomed amid the plaudits of the crowd. almost wholly of numbers of prohibited journals-
Its body wes formed the hands and feet were bound with chains, and the face had the look of Mephistopheles. As the flamer consumed the outer covering of the figure, they exposed the Seisure which were its carcass. and then rushed away to pay their homage to the The crowd waited till scissors and all were gone: -- King of Folly, throned in the market place-R merrily es if they bad not been uttering a deep-se
sentiment giving expression to the eightfeger, or incalcating a significant frath, – Athenasa.
Edited Printer and Published by Joms Carr,
The Friend of China and Hongkong
Franing Uphice, GODGE STREET, VICTORIA, HOEGKORS, 1846,
TH
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