SUMMARY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume VII, Issue 343, 26 February 1859, Page 1 (Supplement)

SUMMARY.

[From the Home News, December 10.]. The intelligence of " important changes. " in the Indian Executive, brought by the last mail, has produced some severe strictures in quarters favorable to the policy of clemency, and desirous of seeing the spirit of the proclamation faithfully carried out. We give the substance of these objections as matters of record, with which, we think, our readers in the East ought to be acquainted ; but we must not be understood to endorse them, for several reasons, one of which is that we wait for a confirmation of the appointments, before we express any opinion. The nominntion to the Lieutenant-Governorship of Bengal of Mr J. P. Grant, who was a strenuous supporter of the annexation view of Lord Dalbousie is considered to be in direct opposition to the express declaration against territorial aggression and the infringement ot native lights contained in the Pro. clamation. It is argued that if Government be sincere in their determination to respect native rights, and not to extend their territory in the future, they should not have nominsted to a high trust of great power and responsibility a gentleman who is so notoriously indentified with a policy of aggrandisement

and aggression. The nomination of MrEdmonston to the government of the North-West Provinces is objected to on the ground that it cannot fail to be obnoxious to the natives, Mr Edmonston having been the " adviser" of what is called by the objectors the " confiscation "of the soil of Oude. The appointment of Colonel Edwardes to the government ofthePunjaub is still more strongly denounced; the public course taken by that officer on the subject of Christianity being diametrically opposed not only to the whole intention of the Proclamation, but to the most essential of all its explicit declarations. Mr Montgomery's removal to the Council is objected to on different grounds — that his services are more valuable in the disturbed districts. In such commentaries the influence of particular theories must be expected to be present, our moderate and thinking men of all parties will know how to silt the grains of intiinsically sound opinion from the doctrinal prejudicts with which they are mixed up. That 'theie should exist any occasion for criticisms of this nature brings us back to the observations we made in our last number, as to the vital importance of stiictly maintaining the principles laid down in the Proclamation. The slightest deviation from them, even in appearance, will be fraught with danger; and there is no exercise of our governmental power which calls for greater vigilance than that of appointing to situations of trust and responsibility men who possess, or are likely to secure, the confidence of the natives. It is not enough that we should profess toleration and even-handed justice ; we must also ghe satisfactory evidence that we intend to carry our profession into execution ; and, above all, we must be careful not to do anything calculated to throw a suspicion upon our sincerity. Loid Stanley's addiess at Addicombe inaugurates the new regime veiy happily. The main point enforced is that of the duty of setting example Of justice andjmmanity, and of preserving the dignity and self-respect of the European character throughout all our relations with the native population. Remembering with what emphasis and distinctness the Queen is made to declare in the Proclamation that "we hold ourselves bound to the natives of our Indian territories by the same obligations of duty which bind us to all our other subjects," and that " our subjects, of whatever race or creed, shall be freely and impartially admitted to offices in our service," &c, the passage in which his lordship reminds the students that every European in India is "one of the ruling race," although meant to inculcate a sense of responsibility, is liable to serious misconstiuction. The propriety, not to say anything of the wisdom, of keeping the distinctions of race out of view as much as possible, is obviously a corollary from the whole tenor of his lordship's speech, and is clearly laid down in those sentences of the Proclamation to which we have referred. The fact that we are the ruling race constitutes the principal danger of our position, and the whole tendency of our rule should be to associate with ourselves in all functions and powers of government the races that we rule, so as to diminish the distance between us, and abolish the distinction of races as speedily as we can. The 21st of December is appointed for the hearing of M. Montalembert's appeal against the sentence of the Tribunal of Correctional Police._ The most singular incident connected with the history of this case is the course taken upon it by the Times newspaper. After having lashed public indignation in this country into a state of fury at the tyranny to which M. Montalembeit had been subjected, after having counselled M. Montalembert to persevere in his resistance to it, and after having denounced the emperor's pardon as an attempt to degrade the victim of oppression— or, in other words, adding insult to injury — the Times suddenly turns around, and, without a single change in the circumstances, or a new argument of any kind to advance, urges M. Montalembert to -withdraw his appeal, and accept the pardon which the Times itself had previously scouted as a degradation ! It is quite impossible to explain the grounds of this remarkable example of tergiversation. There are various reasons assigned for it by the gossips of the clubs, and none are creditable to the journal ; but, without attaching credit to any of them, there is no doubt that whatever may have been the motive, the effect, not only on the action of the Press, but upon public opinion in this particular case, is equally demoralising. Few people are willing to admit that they dress their judgment, or borrow their thunder from the Times ; but the fact is nevertheless patent that the thermometer of popular feeling, in matters of this description, and sometimes, in matters of graver import, very frequently rises or falls, according as the mercury rises or falls in the columns of the Times. The effect in this instance is unmistakeable. A few days ago, when the Times was almost inciting to a national protest against the imperial despotism, 51. Montalembeit was an object of universal enthusiasm, and hardly anything else was talked about but subscriptions, and testimonials, and public resolutions to no end ; but now that the Times had dropped M. Montalembert's cause, and recommended the champion of freedom to submit to the incarnation of tyranny, the popular fever has gone down, and M. Montalembert is very nearly consigned to oblivion. The fact is that the whole affair was exaggerated from the beginning, or even the Times could not so easily sentence it to oblivion. Montalembert's antecedents did not entitle him to the extravagant amount of interest which the Times insisted upon our taking in his case ; his case itself was nnt so specially distinguished from a hundred other caEes, as to justify such exorbitant demands on our feelings ; and the affair, whatever may have been its merits, did not so directly concern us as to warrant the manner in which it was dealt with by the Times. The English people are always sure to come to a practical judgment on public questions in the end, however they may be carried away by a fit of generosity in the beginning ; and now that the Times has ceased to encumber M. Montalembert with its help, they will wait for his appeal -with calmness, and form their opinion dispassionately upon its result.

The chief joint of interest :n European politics concerns the increasing probability of a convulsion of some kind, arising out of the affairs of Italy, or having some dim connection with them. Neither the cause, nor the course of this expected war is made out very clearly. Everybody body seems to look for it, although nobody «eems to know why' or where. The only clue we have to the misty future is only to be found in a kind of muffled controversy going on between the handcuffed journals of Vienna and Paris, in the angry progress of which they freely exchange significant menace, and to quote Mr

Peachum, " be-rogue one another." It appears that the encroachments of Austria upon Italy, and the continued gathering of Austrian forces on the frontier of Piedmont, have given alarm and offence not only to Sardinia, who is directly interested in these operations, but to France, in her capacity of protector of Rome. It is curious enough that the French official organ disclaims all discussion on the prospects of a war, and that this method of treating the subject has led to a demand of explanations on the part of the Austrian Minister in Paris. In the meanwhile, the Vienna papers, under the control of a strict censorship, are permitted to open fire upon the Fiench journals, and to stigmatise " the unexampled shamolessness with which they attack Austria the moment when the Montalembeit diama is taking place at Paris." In England, where the newspapers arc perfectly free to express any opinions they choose, such language as this would excite no notice, and deserve none j but in Austria it is utterly under a responsibility which attaches to the government itself. It is all the more surprising that Austria should run the risk of provoking hostilities at a conjecture so unfavourable to her capability of carrying them on with success ; for with Sardinia ready to bear down on her fiontier, Fiance with a strong force already in Italy, Hungary watching ,her oppoitunity through every loophole or accident, and Lombardy in flames, Austria is certainly not in the best condition to rush into a war.

There can no longer he any doubt that the Reform movement is the absorbing domestic business of the day, and that upon this question, and not upon India, or the lonian Isles, or any other matter of policy abioad or at home, the fate of Ministers hangs on the next session. The journals teem with accounts of public meetings held with a special view to the discussion of Reform, and with nanatives of interviews between members, and their^ constituents, or banquets, or other gatherings in literal y institutes, or elsewheie, at which Reform was the uppermost thought and leading topic. When this agitation began, the Times declared that it was all moonshine, and that there was not a man, woman, or child in England who cared onefaithingabout'Refonn; and no doubt, one consequence of this very senseless way of disposing of a subject which never can die out in a countiy of free and adaptive institutions, has given a greater stimulus to the movements than it might otherwise have had. Be this as it may, the demand for certain changes in our system of representation has become all but universal and no Minister can continue to resist it, and keep office. We do not remember any period when the current chronicle of events contained so many revolting crimes, and so many hideous cases at the assizes and in the courts of law, as the present. There generally accumulates a crowd of such horrors whenever our public morals begin to exhibit symptons of disease ; and during the last few weeks we have exemplified this fact in a very icmaikable way. These matters affect our social state ; nor as that been the only direction in which the body politic has shown itself out of health. In Ireland, crime has taken one of its old shapes, and, with a tinge of political or agrarian resentment in it, has manifested a disposition to break out as treasonably as it did in the days of the O'Brien insurrection. Happily, however, the GoTernment has been early on the track of the incipient revolution, and interposing in time to save the countiy from the fires pieparing for it by an association of youthful legeneiatois, which, with cunous appiopriateuess, they call the Phoenix, has seized the ringleaders in the north and south, and committed them to gaol, where they will have ample opportunity for leflecting on the fallen condition of Irish patriotism.

There is no event of magnitude to recoid amongst our articles of " Latest Intelligence," but theio are two or three items of minor interest. Prominent among these is a rumour of the resignation of Sir John Young, a result which might h.ive been anticipated fiom the course adopted by the Government iin the appointment of Mr Gladstone. The resignation of the Lord Commissioner at this moment will gieatly embarass the action of Ministers in leference to the Protectorates. Connected almost directly ■with the piesent state of affaiis in the lonian Islands is the trial of Mr Wellington Guernsey, for stealing and publibhing the despatches which led to all the mischief. Contraiy to everybody's expectation, and, it may bo picsumed, much to the astonishment of Mr Guernsey himself, that gentleman was acquitted of a theft which he did not attempt to deny. The verdict has been received with unqualified amazement ; but although the pioseoution failed to leach the delinquent, it fully answeied the pmpose of the Government, by enabling them to state, thiough the Attorney- General, that they had nothing to do with the publication of the despatches, and that they entirely disapprove of the recommendation they contain. The trial, therefore, has been of some use as the vehicle of an assurance to the lonians that England does not intend to appropiiate to herself any of their islands.

The Shipping interest is making a vigorous movement, not to obtain aieturn to the Navigation laws, which they admit to he impracticable, but to induce the Queen to issue an Order in Council for depriving the ships of non-reciprocating countries of the unrestricted intercourse extended to them under our present system. We apprehend that the Queen must decline to comply with this request, not only because the principle upon which it is based is incompatible with the doctrine of tree-tiade, but because the nou-ieciprocating countries are to numerous and important that her Majesty might as well at once undertake to re-establish the Navigation Laws. A great meeting on this subject, at the London Tavern, on the 15th December, brought forward Mr P. G. Young, the very dreaiy and once famous Piotectionist, after a slumber of seven years.

There seems to be little hope at present of a remedy for the calamity that has befallen the Atlantic Telegraph Company. It appears that the cable is injured at both ends, and that it will bo necessary .either to raise it, or under -run it, processes involving considerable cost and delay, and insuring no certain result in the end. Such, however, is the resiliency of the commercial spirit in London, that this conspicuous failure has not weakened the determination to persevere in the undei taking. A new company has already be,en formed, one-half of its capital is already subscribed, anil Mr Whitehouse, the electrician, has been employed to negotiate an .alliance with the old company on terms beneficial to both.

The following diplomatic announcements were made in the Gazette of December 11 : — Lord Napier to bo her Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and

Minister Plenipotentiary to the King of the Netherlands; Lord Lyons to succeed to Lord Napier's post at Washington j the lion. Peter Campbell Scarlett, C.8., now her Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Empeior of Brazil, to take Lord Lyon's former post in Tus . cany j the hon. Francis Reginald Forbes, now her Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the King of Saxony, to be successor to the hon. P. C. Scarlet : and Augustus Berkeley Paget, Esq., now Secretaiy to her Majesty's Lega- 1 tion at Berlin, to be hey Majesty's Envoy and Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the 1 King of Saxony. IRELAND. The Government seems to have commenced an organised attack on the secret societies. A Riband Lodge htu> now been captured in Belfast. At six o'clock on Sunday a party of constabulary, fully aimed, surrounded a puhlic house in Cromac street,' kept by a woman named M'Kee, and ariested some fifteen persons who were there assembled, on the chaige of being membeis of an illegal society. The prisoners were immediately marched to the policeoffice, where Mr Tracey, resident magistrate, and the inspector and sub-inspector of constabulary were in attendance. The committal was made out, and the men weie at once marched oft) under a strong escort, and lodged in the county of Antrim gaol. The men who have been ariested are believed to be all Roman Catholics, and, of course, the leport goes that they weie rnembeis of a Riband Lodge. They are of the class of woiking men, and of ages raging from mere lads to giey -haired men. Whether the arrest"! be expedient or justifiable, or not, theie can he no question as to the piomptness and dexteiity with which they have been effected. There is considerable excitement in the pait of the town adjoining Ciomac-stieet, but no appiehension of any distuibance. The following are more minute particulars of the persons ariested in Skibbereen : — Jeremiah Donovan shopkeeper, aged about 25, maified, and has four children ; James Stack, a near relative to Donovan, aged 25 — he is a shopkeeper, and unmarried ; Moity Downing, 27, is a shoemaker, and has two children ; Patrick Downing, 24, is of no employment and unmarried i Dennis Downing, 19, draper's asbistant, unmarried; Thomas Shea, 24, cleik to a corn-merchant, and unmarried ; Eugene M'Carthy, 30, clerk to Mr M'Carthy Downing, solicitor, married, and has two children ; Morty Moynehane, 21, clerk to Mr M'Carthy Downing, solicitor, and said to be secretary to the club, single ; Jeremiah Driscoll, 21, clerk to Mr M'Carthy Downing, solicitor, single; William O'Brien, 33, national teacher of the first class, has four children ; Timothy Duggan, 27, drapei's assistant, single; Dan M'Cartie, 24, biewer in Mr M'Carthy's establishment, single.