Miscellaneous.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 513, 3 October 1857, Page 5

Miscellaneous.

An " Owdhamite 1' at the Manchester Exhibition. —On Tuesday last a native oijOldham went to the Art Treasures Exhibition, at Manchester, and seated himself on one of the settees, where he sat patiently for a length of time. At last he beckoned a policeman to him, and thus addressed that functionary:— a Aw say, owd chap, when's this exhibition gooin'to begin"; aw've sat here an heawr and a hauf on't.— Preston Chronicle. The celebrated conclave which sat at Paris early in the year 1856 has been made a subject of a historical picture. It was painted by the French artist, M. Dubufe, for the Emperor of the French. The dimensions of the picture are 17 feet by 10 feet € inches, and it contains fifteen portraits—amongst which are conspicuous Orloff, Clarendon, Cowley, Walewski, Buol, Cavour, and Brunow. All are the size of life. ITALY. Boyal visits are in the fashion. Before the Empress-Dowager of Russia quitted Turin, on the 25th May, the King of Saxony and his daughter the D uchess of Genoa arrived on a visit to the King of Sardinia. The EmpressDowager has left many a souvenir behind her in Piedmont in the shape of ribands, stars, and presents of every kind ; the usual practice of the Imperial Family of Russia in the Continental states. Free trade has been introduced into Piedmont with more rapidity than it was in England. In the sitting of the Senate on the 26th. May, Signor Sclopis and Signor Gallina expressed surprise that Count Cavour had not followed the example of Sir Robert Peel and introduced the reform gradually. Count Cavour replied, that the statesmen of Piedmont ought to study English institutions not only to profit by them hut to avoid the errors committed by Englishmen. . The Pope is making a progress through the xvoman States. He has hitherto, according to accounts from all quarters, been pretty well received. They made much of him at Spoleto. At Smigaglia, where he was born, he was to lodge in the house of his family the Mastai. Thence he would proceed by Ravenna to Bologna, where it is thought he will remain through the summer. One thing is stated which if well founded might account for his friendly reception. " The people of the provinces seem convinced that the object of his journey is to examine in person their condition, and ascertain their wants and wishes, with the view of decreeing at Bologna the reforms which he may consider the most urgent." The Emperor of Russia has conferred the Grand Cross of St. Alexander Newski, in diamonds, on Count Cavour, the Sardinian Minister ; the same order, without diamonds, on General La Marmorea; the order of St, Ann, first class, upon M. Paleocapa, the Minister of Public Works; and the order of the White Eagle on Count Nigra. The Sardinian Government have sent the Cavaliere Boncompagni, its Minister at Florence, Modena, and Parma, to compliment the Pope on his arrival at Bologna. SPAIN. A telegraphic despatch from Cadiz announces that "the squadron which has been fitting out for v the last three months at Cadiz has set sail for the West Indies. It is composed of six ships. They carry 2450 troops thoroughly equipped. • This force

is commanded by Generals Mendimata, Santiago, and Parrido.'' It is supposed to be directed against Mexico.

Scenes of violent personal altercation took place in the Spanish Senate on the 16th, 18th, ;uid 19th of June. General Calonge, an insurgent of 1843, denounced " the exalted corrupters and seducers " of the army in 1854. On this occasion, Narvaez justified the revolution, assailed the Government which was then expelled, and reminded Calonge that they had both shared in the insurrection of 1843. On tbe 18th, Marshal O'Donnell defended his own conduct, and clearly implicated Narvaez in the conspiracy of 1854. Both Narvaez and O'Donnell laboured to show that they had worked for the Moderado party.

The sitting of the 19th was also of an exciting character. After some explanations of a personal nature from O'Donnel, and a few words from Narvaez, who still gave the name of ' most worthy Generals' to the rebels of 1854, and who implored them to bring the exposure to a close—a prayer which was not attended to—General Lara stood up to defend one of the Governments which had been censured by Narvaez, namely, that of the late Count of Alcoy ; and to express his astonishment that General Narvaez, though he praised the conduct of the insurgent chiefs, had not a word of sympathy or approval for the Generals (of whom Lara was one) and the army who remained faithful to the constituted Government. This hit told.

The Marquis of Miraflores denounced all insurrections, from that of 1759 downwards, and declared that he who recognises revolutions must also recognize "the disgusting principle of the sovereignty of the people." In this censure of course O'Donnell and Narvaez were both comprised. Pidal, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, took a wide sweep: he denounced O'Donnell as a traitor to the Moderado party; denounced the insurrection of 1854; denounced its head as a Dictator ; denounced all who admitted having been conspirators. These debates are naturally regarded as scandalous ; but- they must be " meat and drink" to the Progresistas. BELGIUM. Serious disturbances have taken place in Brussels, Ghent, Liege, and Antwerp, in consequence of the attempt on the part of the Government to pass a bill altering ihe law affecting charitable institutions in a manner calculated to increase the power of the Roman Catholic clergy. There has always been a smart struggle for power between the Liberals and the i'riest party. Before 184-8, these parties were evenly balanced, but the extension of the suffrage in 1848 called into existence a large number of voters, particularly in the country districts, who are under the control of the priests. The reaction that followed the political fever of 1848, brought the Parti-Pretre, or " Ultramontanes" as they are also called, into power with a decided majority, and King Leopold accepted a Ministry formed of the leaders of that.party. This seems to have been the signal for new exertions on both sides. Some of the Bishops excommunicated the Liberal press, and placed the State Universities of Ghent and Liege under the ban. The Government protected its Professors, and some of, the Professors retorted sharply enough on the Bishops. About two months ago, the priest party made a further move, and induced the Ministry to bring in a bill dealing with charitable institutions in the measure described by a correspondent of the 'Times.'

. " The administration of charity in Belgium since 1830 has been completely secularised and concentrated in the hands of. the civil power. Religious congregations and members of the clergy of every denomination are legally incapable of receiving or distributing alms and bequests destined for the poor. This distribution is made by two institutions specially appointed for the purpose—the Administrations Hospitalieres and the Bureaux de Bienfaisance. All bequests to religious congregations are null and void, and all donations in favour of. the •poor are: remitted to the above-named institutions. It will thus be seen that Belgium enjoys a law more limited in its application than our law of mortmain, but still affording a protection against the priest to the dying citizen and his family. The Ministerial bill proposes that the Government shall have the power, by a simple decree under the King's hand, of conferring on religious congregations the rights of citizens, with all the privileges attaching thereto, including those of possessing, inheriting, and receiving all donations and legacies given or bequeathed to them. On the other hand, they who wish to dispose of their fortune in favour of the poor, or for charitable purposes, will have the right to name special administrators of such property as they shall devote to that end. In fact, the proposed bill practically repeals the.existing laws, and withdraws all protection from the dying man, whom it leave-; in the hands and at the mercy of his spiritual attendant."

The bill underwent a fierce discussion. The public of Brussels attended the debates in the places set apart for them, and, not content with being spectators, applauded and hissed the speakers, as is the practice of continental countries. The debates lasted a month, before, on the 19th of May, the principle of the bill was voted by 66 to 44. The Liberals, led by Roger, Orts, Tesch, FrereOrban, and Professor Verhaegen, fought the bill inch by inch, hut were continuously defeated. Three times the " tribunes" or galleries were cleared of the people by force. On the 27th May, M. Frere-Orban was called to order for accusing the Government of playing an " indigne comedie" before the country; and he replied by saying that a deputy who had applied to him the word "infame" had not been, called to order; a sally, that brought down tumultuous cheers from the galleries, and led to the third expulsion of the malcontents. Thrust outside, the crowd hooted the Papal Nuncio; hissed the Ministers, cheered the Opposition, and paraded the town in considerable force. On Thursday the people gathered in greater numbers, broke the windows of the offices of the 'Emancipation' and 'Journal de Bruxelles,' two newspapers devoted to the Priest party. They also inflicted similar damage on the establishments of the Jesuits, to the cry of "abas les couvents." But in passing the palace they cheered the King; and at the Opera the audience received the Duke and Duchess of Brabant with especial favour. The Government met these riotous proceedings with an instant display of sufficient force of arms to compel submission, and retained the cannon and troops in position at different points of the town during the whole of Friday. The Chamber met on that day, and' appointed a commission to address the King. On Saturday all assemblages of more than five persons were forbidden, and the soldiers still occupied the

streets. At the sitting of the Chamber, the Minister of the Interior read a mandate from the King pro roguing the Senate and Chamber sine die. The reading of th's order was received with cries of " Vive le Roi!" and the Chamber dispersed.' Everything was tranquil on Sunday, but a force ! remained under arms until Monday. At Liege and Antwerp similar scenes took place The windows of the palace of the Bishop of Liege and those of the Jesuits' College were broken. At Antwerp the mob could not be controlled, and here again the establishments" of the Jesuits suffeied considerable damage. Demonstrations, without violence, took place at Ghent, Verviers, Mons, and other towns.

Miss Mary Macnaghten, a young woman of 25, eldest daughter of Sir Edward Macnaghten, has met with a frightful death, at her father's house in Upper Brook street. While she was writing, alone, in the drawing room, she discovered that the lower part of her dress was in flames ; she rushed from the, room, the flames now ascending above her head ; a butler heard her screams, and he extinguished the flames by wrapping a table cover round the lady— too late: she had been fearfully burnt from foot to head; and all that surgical aid could do was to alleviate her sufferings for the few hours she lived. Miss Macnaghten explained how the calamity occurred : a lucifer match had fallen from a box on to the floor; this she had unconsciously trod upon ;, it ignited, ana her dress was blazing 'before she discovered the accident.

The 'Banner of Ulster' glorifies 'Fifty-seven' ns it is in Ireland. "What a change in ten years ! In January 1849, there were 620,000 paupers in the workhouses and on the poor-books. In 1857, the total was but 05,000. In 18-19, the note circulation of Irish batiks was 3,840,450, and the stock of bulliou £1,625,000: in 1857, the figures have swelled to £7,150,000 and £2,492,000. This year, large tracts of land have been broken up for the first time by plough and spade. Potatoes, oats, wheat, all promise well. While labour is scarce and costly, the ruined agriculturists obtain for their produce 100 percent, above the prices of 1832. The heart of the Queen of Westphalia, second wife of Jerome Bonaparte, has been placed in an urn and deposited in the tomb of the First Napoleon, —"the heart of a noble woman," who did not desert her husband in.his hour of adversity, though entreated to do so by her father the King of Wurtemburg.

At the sitting of the Jury on the six persons who were killed by the fall of houses in Tottenham Court Road, not much new-light on the cause of the calamity was obtained. The District Surveyor had condemned the wall which gave way, declaring it to be rotten; and the Police Surveyor had given notice that it must be repaired orremoved—fourteen days' notice. 'Why so long an interval for the removal of a dangerous wall V inquired a Juror: the Surveyor.explained that such is the. law. It seems that Maple and Hunter could not agree about removing the party-wall: Maple said that his side of the wall was sound, and Hunter ought to rebuild the wall. Apparently, Maple's premises had been weakened by making communications from house to house for the purposes of business. .Mr. Johnson, Hunter's builder,' did not hear that the wall was to be under-pinned till the "Saturday morning; when he heard of it he instantly drove to the works—on his arrival lie found only a heap of ruins.