MEETING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 5, Issue 268, 14 November 1861, Page 4

MEETING

or THE SOCIAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION .IS DUBLIN,

The opening meeting was Held onf the 3-'.th-August, and the inaugural'address - . *• ';:s delivered by; Lard Bropghaia." About 2 ■ KM 'Were pres&nfe, J among Whoin were u;.i ilxceilency the Lord Lieutenant, the ; :e of- Wellington, Several other-Peers, stud other persons.eminent in various dek I:- 1 -irtmenfca offscience. ■■ The following ai;e' a ; n-acts from Lord, Brougham’s address \ -INTHOPUCTORV RF.MARKS, In opening the fifth' Congress of the d'ltional Association,; I need hardly ob- , yya that it would ‘ill deserve’its_name -*■ ii 40-4 id heft 1 embrace the-important'part «;i the empire in which we have now the , 'hitppiness to assemble. ; We are in the . %?«atr capital of Ireland, renowned for ._ -m udng given to the world men illustrious b. * all i the departments of science and art, ; r,... well .as.of-arms. 1! Butitistomeindj- ' v ; ) 1 uajjy a painful reflection that the most >l-. uiubht of these, and whose" friendship v ;«s tpy comfort and my honour, I cannot in this my first 5 visit to the country ;■ l 'jr-ned by their transcendftfrt i; rattan, Plunket, Wellington, Wellesley : great "patriot; 1 the' consummate . i,i-.vfcp.r, the first of warriors) foremast, too,, t; ;jqng- statesmen, and the illustrious head t ; by house, the greatest of all who ever i ded over Ireland—-all of 'these I have " } ican doomed ta oiitlivo, and to the disj <.insations; of Providence, it is fit We, • t .-VVO.ld be But the loss of such ua'n to their country is. grievous, and more .pccially of one whom- I' have named, '♦.-ic others had accomplished the high >,rk to which they were severally called, ••i-j,d left their bright example to guide.us, id their success to cheer .j- but of the - "i_ - eat. 'D.uke, whether: in' peace or- in war, v. tether we look abroad or at home, while cherish the immo.rtkl-memory,■ we feel lossnotto be repaired. •-> - PROGRESS DURING ' THE PAST .' YEAR. . W.e are met ‘ again - by the. complaint ■- x :;it few of the plans proposed by us.have ' Won accomplished, and 1 that’ qf tl\e mea- ■ - :res originating- 1 : in our- labours, many h :ve failed to pass through the legislature. ■ - lab the -progress of ( all the scienies and -i . t-3 is slow, because their improvement h necessarily gradual. Our limited faauK ■ can, never reach at oriefe the Utmost '.ceellence-.of which' are capable, a»A / dveir exercise ( can never complete : sudv.;nly any .great : work, but.must.propeed ?/steps [towards, its; accomplishment. In ■ . :• :e whida'. circle i of; science • you) find gravinal -progress to. he the . rule. - Thus the -;t. change-wMcih Newton made in the . . .lathematics r and in physical spience.)were v. .beted’after others had made'k near ap- % roach to the. same poifit.--The great ■ le of gradual progress governs the moral; . ‘.onces as - well .'.as the-natural.' [Befo”u 4m foundation's ;of political economy Were; , laid ; by-Hume and."(Smith', the French , t oupinfsts had niade a great step j'oWards .y und Turgot-had himself worked, and, ;. a. Minister,'- had.patroUisbd' 'the labours‘ s v- others in the- same direction. Again,: : > constitutional-policy,'sefe by What slow t o grees the great yiiscovery of represent-, i - iye government, has been 1 made from) its ikvsb -rude .element'3—-the attendance of i racial tenants' at- their -lord’s- courts 1 be summons of burghers to grant supi lies, of,money: -: Far from being impailent- at ; -this slow progress, We ought v vfcher- to. reflect that the sure advance of ; :1 the sciences depends in a; groat ikeaire on its being gradual. But the common law of our nature, which forbids the . idden-and rapid leaping forward, and u iclarcs that each successive-step prepared; by; .the last; shall facilitate the next,, is in .«va e3peciah manner of ixnptntance and of value in the social sciences,' which so nearly affect the highest interests pf mauhind. Here our course, to.be safe; m,ust bo guided by the result of and .must always of a-tentative kind. We Hust even be prepared; to change our direction and.our pace, aiL.dM;o retrace our i;e.ps .when we ; find r we 'have gone too : far in a wrong He is no friendto the. advancement social science in any of its branches who. hastens forward with beedfess, unreflecting sp/sed, - despising all t hat, is gained , because it»is dess than all he desires, and looking do,wn : with con-. . tempt,.uj)pn-those whom he passes in his impatiept course... This' spirit; so inimical to, real, solid improvement^-sometimes- is thp -fruit of zeal -without knowledge, but not unfrequently arises irbm, a- mere selfish' de-sire of distinction, -when a man j sacrific-; r. lg a great cause to. his personal ambition,) l becomes a .public:enemy l -” ! f • ! i yainglorious. v.’hp through infamy seelcs.. fame.” * . • - her this is one of those o.ccasions in whiph : )- vanity, from bping,-as-it, commphly: is, a -Imrmless foUy,- ; caily<ridiculpiis,' rises.iuto.avriine, becoming selfish, unprincipled, perpicious, and disgi*acefuL - ...It.. is, tho.wevGr, : fit that )w.e now; consider the progress : whi-ch has been actually :: made:; aiaoe our last Congress ; -and. here;l would:first of ij-llmark the;very gi'atifying change that; lias taken place, of;late years, ahd-towhieh (.tur labours have materially: contributed —the change in the., economy- pnd management of their /estates,, by.the owners of-property.... The improvements ip agriculture have obliged landlords to, ipakc & - great. outlay upon . draining and J&rm V.uildings, highly beneficial, no doubt,' to themselves, and.therefore well besto-wed ; but in'most cases so-difficult as to require' tihe 'lxelp of loans. Yet, at the same time, they )Kayc .'generally contributed in a do- ’ gree formerly unkrjov/n to what could nQ. pecuniary bpnefit, -the., building juid support of),.schools, improving the. dwellings qf tlie poor, and ■ the ; building r nd) repair of churches, thus spending' .juosii upon -thesjei excellent, objepts-when ’ i tiey. had , least t;o spare.. A.s a learned and“reverencl iiiend.of mine, Mr.. Eiwyn, ];as observed,—“ It.is. one ,of the happy effects of advancement-in any-.path,-tliat io begets a zeal for other

directions, and he who begins by improving, his estate, ends in wishing to-im-prove the people upon it and near it..” , : No.thing can be.more'delightful than to contemplate ,this;progi:ess in classes, generally speaking thp.;most reluctant to approve changes, becaiise the slowest to believe.in . tlieir expediency;, or- eyen safeitj; ;fand iti affdids the’strongest reason-.fpr; extending to the agricultural labourers and their children the benefit of those -wholesome restraints of late year's imposedupon the improper employment of Jabour in other branch es. It, is a ; -ifipst, consolatory circumstance to - all t friends of social im-. provement, apd of the sound and liberal ' principlGs which; insure its, progress, that the reign of these principles seems to be established universally; We cannot, indeed, say with.' 1 the great, poet, when ex-‘ pressing lus. thanks for the Restoration,— ‘d At home the hatefid names: of parties cease, : And factious wearied into peacej’ Eluiat least they are tired of resisting the truth, and thus we find that; upon the most important questions there- is mow little to distinguish conflicting parties, all being i alike -the professors of opinions which but a few years ago formed the main ground, or it might b.e, the chief pretext of their differences.; Thus, the stoutest advocates of secret voting- (per--haps well advised, in their opjxisition) have lately - insisted upon introducing it at cuio of our universities, with an intimation that it ought to. be generally, ap r : plied; for. the voting by signed'papers, though its proposed, object, be to save the voter’s journey,; of necessity insures his' escape ffrorn, qbseiwation. The most important of all our departments, unquestionably is) the first—that. of Jurispru-' ■deuce; and here we. have, not to report a' : great number of measures reoommended . at our- foxiner meeting, and adopted by the legislature, but those which happily h,ave been approved and passed are of very great ipomeht. An elaborate report, with suggestiojis eff thd'-’iPateiit Law aiid re- • ports on the. Briyate Bill legislation, h as yet borne g\o fruit. But the irdport-' ant - propisitidns respecting Charitable Trusts,' : m.ade by .'our ; learne L. and dis-. finguishedv colleague Sir W. Vage W’ood, have tpa great extent be r ;n adopted >y 'the. Education Commis . iindei' the Buke.of N ewcastle a'ad the aniendments of .the Bankruptcy-a-ad insolvency Laws, .which,, after ;the fullest investigations, are so, strongly reco’ jimended, have almost all been introduced into the new act, the eareful ; frariing < of whioli* reflects the greatest c;;edit, upoin the Lord Chancellor. It has r .ot passed through/ the ‘ordeal of the .I withoht. material changes ; ' but it i'. an important amendment of the law.; Great complaints: Were'made at the last .Congress; of the 1 , manner ini which; the time of the Legislature Was consumed, almost to waste, by endless and useless debate in one ;of the Rouses ; and the) worst consequence: ; of tliis was felt and deplored in the loss of'the Bills for the Consolidation of the Crimiiial Law. Although it caiinot be with truth affirmed that the grounds of the complaint are removed, yet they have been somewhat lessened during the last session ; [and certainly there- has been the most satisfactory change in the manner of dealing with these important Consolidation Bills —a change which nnay, in part at least, be nscribed to, the effect of our remonstrances. : The. wise rC'iolution which we strongly urged, supported by the high authority off my esteemed friend Lord Iyndhurst,: has been adopted, of taking upon trust the project framed by learned and skilful persons, and examined by a Committee of the. Li nds j and thus five Acts have; been pass ed containing a digest of [ the main body of the criminal statute h\W. That-there is ino other conceivable means of at ;aining tliis. great ob-= j.epfc lms long been tl.ie opinion of practical lawyers, and, after, it had been so long rejected by the Le pelature, it is gratify-* ing to reflect that 1 , he labours of. this Association' have coi tributed to its adoptipm-, • ■■■■ ■ .'■ " l: OF THJ: PAPER DUTY THE ' ' [ ' . CHE IP PRESS; - We can no lon be charged. with, at one and the sam* s time, paying for schools; to-teach and rais Ing. the price of the books; taught of enc ouraging .the. .people, to ; read; off patronis ing authors and multiplying readers, while we make it unprofitable ffof the former to write and hard for the' latter tb read. The effect of this most, salutary -change has. been immediate, and it lias been great.- ; Over, what ail ample, field its operation may be aeesi by : this— that one daily ; penny paper has a circula don of SO,OOO, (and,a halfpenny [weekly journal, with excellent cuts, has beer i established, and already is-; sues above 180,000. My complaints at the Liverpool- meeting[can therefore ; no longer be urged, and a benefit) lias bef :n conferred: upon all the departments of knowledge - by the steady perseverahe e of M r. Gladstone in cany?" ing'this great nleasrure against the most formidable resistanc e both in .Parliament and'beybiid its* walls- [ Of that benefit we: of the National Asst tciation Have our ffulff share, along with gr: itifying reflection on the part we took;' in obtaining it. The good thus bestowed sieems to be free from all admixture of evil ; for the alarm felt by some, affected 1 by more, at the cheap newspaper press -'is rc all y gi’bundless. The bulk of readers,* always influenced by the more rational and bet ter informed part of the community, entirely discountenance and prevent; these outrages upon all .taste 1 as well as truth ,and decency;which we have geen;in tlie press of some coun-tries-A°l one so gross as almost to pass belief. But the character of the people must not' be judged as if they couffl approve of such- things. W.e might W well charge the French country-: men of ffayoisier'and Lafayette wfltl; bejng robbers ap4 ; murderers because tj>e daily papers of' and) Herbert, preached

wholesale pillage, and „ Jis hold the countrymen of Washingtoniarid Franklin-answerable for the sins of., their ‘press-^A'compound r of (and ; bluster. So the incompaialily lighter ' excesses with which may be chargeable in -the; heat of factious controversy : are i never' more than passing and teinporary, givihg way to the 'predominant'good sense and good taste of the community) The. sdlid ! benefit qbtained\ by the TrLultiplication of cheap papers, and works of all kinds,ds real and permanent, and a subject of just congratulation;; if it ' were for nothing more than their ten-; deriey to free the public from the njonopoly of the established papers, and the ; : domination which that monopoly has its wonted efibotin producing. . PROGRESS OP POPULAR INSTRUCTION-—“ DB? ') ;pomNArth?Aii ’.; Aj ihvthef and an important advantage has been gained by the last Congress forthe interests at* education..’ .Theqp-ogress of popular instruction had been, grievously obstructed .by the separate and-oftentimes conflicting - pi’oceedings, of its promoters, attached, and conscientiously attached, to 1 different* sects of religion, acting in opposition to eaoh, other, though; if brought and .to a . clear underthey might,[from their , honest zeal fop h' Qommon object, have been led to co-roperate, or' at least not to[ conflict. This great step was made iu tlie Congress at Glasgow. For the first time the leaders, of the Established Church party, of the Free Church party, and of the United Presbyterians,. met together and ? 'maintained their respective views before the xnembeis of the Association. The result was' the ; forr .ation of a rapresentatiye : conimittee 'of the chief denominations), whose labours, there was eveiy reason to expect, would lead to ' a raductioh of the poin.es of difference;nnd a' rembval of the tr ain obstacles-to progress: [ Both at' that meeting,.and tiveiinportant advantage was' gained of bringing the ecclesiastical schbol teachers' in more full communication 'With the .laity,n n< i with the professors of sanitary soience. It would be impropei’, to leave the great subject of education in the country,where we are now assembled, without mentioning a fact- that has been reported to us oh good authority,- and; even under the -influence of prejudices: which-it rather: thwarted. In Scotland it is found that; the Irishmen educated at the. larger { national schools arc, in consequence of their greater steadi; ness, sobriety, ? and general trustworthiness, preferred to, ill-educated Scotchmen for the places of foremen in the manufactories';, good. , countrymen ? off Scotland [have, a; similar complaint of the greater number of .Irish educated at the colleges being successful candidates for Indian Civil. Service appointments. ;

vy-fU COOPERATIVE SYSTEM—-THE TEM-

BERANCE QUESTION.

In the; great department of Social Economy much attention : was at the last) Congress given to the important introduction into the. r manufacturing districts of the co-operative system—the establishment of unions by, the' working-classes, for the purpose; of sharing, (in the profits on the goods consumed , or used by them, as well as of preventing adulteration of those goods, and for the other purpose of carrying .on, branches of manufacture. In both these kinds of union the progress has been very great, since last year, and in the latter; those doubts which seemed to , exist of the. scheme’s ..practicabilityhave been . almost altogether removed. Above fifty, companies for manufacture have been established since, last Congress, besides many of mere stores. In these lqst a capital of <£500,000 is invested ; but in the former the manufacturing concerns represent a capital of nearly £2,000,000, exclusive off the Manchester Cotton Company (limited), whose capital is £1,000,000. " The returns ofMr. Tidd Pratt show the creation of above 250 co-operative societies within the last twelve months; all. enrolled under the ; Friendly Societies act. The effect of cooperation in preventing those strikes, so pernicious to the working classes,- and so dangerous to [the peace of tlie community, has been everywhere felt. The late strike at Colne may be ascribed to the want of co-operative unions. in that district; but the mischiefs occasioned* and which left their 4 ee P traces behind, opened the people’s eyes to. their error, and the consequence has been ...the .establishment in that district, within tlie last few Weeks, of a shed, with 7)00 looms upon the cooperative plan; It is important, to observe' that, with another subject anxiously dwelt upon ,ns weji as) sti’ikes, at all our , former meetings, the ’ great cause of temperance has been: intimately ancl most naturally connected. Not only are such, of tlie contributors as - had before been subject to intemperance weaned from their .habits, but it is mainly to temperate : habits that the formation of those, nniops may be trAcbd; [ Exceptiohs there may, no doubt, be, f . blit,) as a .rule, co-operative societies are composed of sober and industrious men. ’ It is equally consolatory to ;find that the improvement^’’of health, the extirpation or mitigation, of disease, everywhere keeps pace (with, the increased habits of temperance. But in no respect is it more gratifying;: than to observe the connection of temperance with the diminution of orime. In France, it appears, , from our colle^aguel-M, Quetelet’s statement, ithat no less than a fifth of all the murdersrduring the last-four yeai’s had their origin; in ; tavern bi’awls. s In six English counties having the fewest public houses we find that where ..they were as I to 109 of the popjilatiqmltlie offeiices): [are as one to 591; but where the, public houses are, as only 1 to 235, ! the offences are as one to .762,;- In Ireland* the:con-, neetipn of . intemperance With' crime is even pipre marked. Between , the years 1838. and; 13,41 the consumption of wlfiskey.hafl fallen offs above one-haJff'and we

find in the latter year judges congratulating the counties on the small number of prisonei’s.to, be,,.tried, and,.ascribing this happy change ta the growth of temperance. 'lt is remarkable, though certainly not- surprising, that the [prudence 1 which leads to efconomy kept paee With the pru 3 ; denoe r which leads tft : sobriety. ; (In, the former year the Dublin Sayings’ Bank had 7264 contributors; : in 1 the latter, 9585.; Source of disease, of poverty, of crime, how‘long shall that heavy)purse be. suffered to afflict us ?; How long shall we submit to [k conqueror more cruel than the, armed ihvader-Ato a tyraxit [the most; inexorable of all, whichhas subdued rational, men, and-avenged the world of unreasoning creatures for the wrongs, received at his hands? • • *

“ Saivior arinia Idixuria iaculiuit; yictumque ulcisciturorbem.” The little we have done - to. shake his dominion has only been enough: to let us know and feel how galling- is s t-he yoke, and. how much the fault;is ours.who bear it. - The people have but to will it, and they at once are free. All honour to Father Matthew in' Ireland? and to thegrand Alliance in England,; its learned secretary, and his able coadjutors ! I have said that the-community r have but to will it, and their chains fall ofl*. The progress of the grand Alliapce siuce: our last Congress has been my encouragement to say so. The Permissive Bill, allowing every distript, by a majority in number and value of rated iuhabitants, .to prevent the opening of new public.. houses >or to continue licences for old, has,.on; a careful canvass pf many great [towns—rManchester, Liverpool, Birmingham; Plymouth, Leeds, Sheffield —been ...accepted- by veiy great majorities. Let j :us. hope .that (the public 'opinion, generally improved upon the most important question , of social' science which can occupy the country,' may prepare the way for legislation, which,to be efficacious must be cautiously introduced, and-under appropriate guards.; ; EMPLOYMENT FOR WOMEN. Our attention was engaged at the last , Congress to the employment of* Women., and papers were read by Miss B. Parkes, and others upon this important subject. ;Th|pre has been np,relaxation bp the part of these ladies since that time; and the; printing • establishment opened [by Miss Faithfull has gone on with ipereksing suqt cess. The volume of transactions fofflast [year was printed at the Victoria Press, and Miss Faithfull; is now engaged in publishing a volume, under lier Majesty’s sanction, containing original[contributions from the leading writers.of the day. ts Be 5 - sides these exertions, Miss ? Parkes originated a scheme for encouraging'the. emigration of educated women , who cannot find employment in tliis country.. But for the inferior cast of women,' tli.e .exertions now making to, reclaim, the fallen and prevent the : fall of others ai’e above all praise: The loss off Lord ?Herbert’s Strenuous assistance is in this, as in other parts off his mofet useful services, deeply to be deplored; ‘Who cap move along the jess frequented streets off London, and not have his heart' wrung by such accents, too often coming from female lips, “ I have not had a morsel .of food this day ? ?’, PROGRESS OF SOCIAL .SCIENCE ABROAD.

■ At; the two last Congresses! we had the satisfaction of observing .that social science was making considerable progress in other countries. This, indeed, wak testified by the attendance of import a;# persons from thence at our meetings;; but it was peculiai-ly gratifying; to. see' thq adoption of enlightened and liberal 1 yibWs by Governments which we shouid. little have expected to find pursuing this, course. The last year affords further eyidehce of their happy improvements, aud in quarters we should least of all look for traces off it. Tlie decease of. the Sultan, has brought upon the-Qttoman tlirone a Prince who begins his as a i’eformor both : in his own practice and iri, the ; scheme of his administration—nay, evenfifo the sys-. tern which he is resolvecl fa infroducej. Let it be further-noted that k Social Science Committee has been established; at Constantinople, aud many lectures have been delivered, among others, very interesting discourses by Mr. A. [Fry.; In Russia, the fixed determination , of the Emperor to complete the great Pleasure of serf emancipation met with .powerful opposition, and even disturbed pkrtial'iy the peace of the country j but the chief mischief has arisen less from the obstinacy of the landowners ; than the ignorance of the serfs, to inform whom upon the exact amount of the* change ? in their cohditiou sufficient pains had not been taken y and; there is every reason., to hope ' that ffhe' l vast measure, off bestowing independence 1 upon the bulk off tlie community, the la-' bociiring classes, iwill be effected withilittle further; obstruction. It must be confessed that, eyen, if we lament some error in the made of proceeding,/the Emperor is en-: titled to)),the ; .warmest; sympathykinrhis' great work,) and to the highest admiratiop.' /for the wisdom, and the virtue of his conduct. "If to) such, ia sovereign' his own people iqay .well be grateful, let us hope ■ that his Polish dominions are destined to owe him equal thanks.; It . would be an act of magnanimity “ beyond all . Greek, all Roman fame,” were he to re-establish’ a kingdom af Poland* with its admirable Constitution of 1793, under a Prince of his own house. , If, from contemplating tho very probable, though ndt immediate;pi’ospeet of Russian freedom, we turn to the Austrian empire, we. have less reason to be surprised at the constitutional coui-se taken, because the elements of a constitiitional government have existed there run all times. ’They possess that especially which elsewhere ia wanting, [ev en ih France sinoe 1790, and which is abs olutely necessaiy to the permanent existence *of a free ghyernment, an affisfo cratfc body independent of the Sovereign aud t'f the multitude-—a class of wealthy landiV'Vners, riot like .the pro':

prietors, needy and looking to place and patronage. The agricultural class is also respectable" and’desciwihg/ ‘With element? of a really good’government, progress was making towards 'it/until the Emperor Francis checked it, perverting the traditions - of; the -monarchy, centralising all authority, and takihg’everythmg into- his own hands. At present the plan is pursued'of leaving their internal concerns torthe Provincial Diets/but ruling ,the f Monarchy ! from the capital, through, the representatives of the Diets in the /ReichSrath. In- 'Hungary the' ancient Constitution as it existed before restored, and tlie establishment of that which- was' formed in a season of civil war is alpoe refused.; Tt earnestly to be, desired, for Hlie. ; sake of the general peace, so intimately : connected with the integrity of the Austrian empire, that the discontent of Hungary "may' not be fomented, by foreign intrigue and foreign agitators-/ for as. yet the power of Aus/ tria has not been- materially impaired by her losses in Italy. . Put the Sovereign, yielding. T al!, that he can, must : continue to be, T as: .lie -always was, entitled when opening, the Diet; as King of Hungary, “His Sacred Majesty; thb- Hereditary ,Emperor of Austria.” ! , The condition of Italy has in one practical respect been greatly improved by the general acknowledgment of the new. kingdom ; but. the internal- state 6f ‘the* southern portion is still most unsatisfactory, affording daily proofs ,of /what all experience has proved in other countries, that there is ho possibility/ unless by main force,, of establishing; a government for, which ’the people are; not prepared. eiecrable tyranny., of; the Bourbon Prince’s had-, reduced their subj Cots to a condition that render them incapable of . being, governed except T by constant recourse to violent measures'; and 'these princes have, even in their exile* clone all iu .their .power to keep the people in a state of lawless anarchy, .which •; may almost make them regret, the loss of the worst of 1 tyrants. In, all, other parts of ’tlie Italian kingdom great and, solid progress has been made in popular improvement, and the blessings of a freo constitution are already, - felt, in, its/influence; upon the instructions,. and generally , ; in.. the circumstances of the, community.. In Belgium the. most entire support is id- ; ways'given to sound views of agriculture and trade. There is ; still a further step made in France by the Imperial] policy, arid in a direction little expected when we last met. 1 /An important relaxation, has beenjgiveh to .the restraints imposed 'upon political discussion. An absolute freedom in this respect ,is allowed, to both Chambers of Legislature, and to publishing the reports of their debates, through the press. There . really is. no difference whatever in this particular between the French- parliament and our own: . All political topics are. fully .and;freely.dis- , bussed s 6 that the. country receives, and receives immediately, .whatever, impression the'Ministers, or the Opposition, ormen belonging to, no. regular party, wish to make upon the public opinions or feelings on any subject. whatever. 'The press, however, is still njader; the most absolute" control of tlie Government, and, except to report the debates, 1 it has.' no. kind of liberty,' not even to make a remark upon apy proceeding of the Government, or, indeed, any; subject whateyer. The ,administration of justice, too, is still,in a most unhiappy state as regards politicaloffences, 'Tlie /interference of the- government with elections is another, great evil in the system of our neighbours, and impairs incalculably the salutary' tendency' of discussioii in the chambers to check the action of the Executive power, or to’correct ife'errors'.. . . ... .1 .

The state of. the judicature, .the control over the press, and the interference of the prefects with elections,' render the government nearly; absolute; in. fact as well. as in the theory of the constitution. But after tire important, concessions to freedom of discussion, which* have so recently ; been madej ‘we have reason to hope that .fartthen relaxation will .follow, It 4s : the unquestionable tendency of the portion of ;liberty 1 which has'heen granted, both to stimulate the desire for a grant, of more land, to, increase the difficulty.of refusing it. Such must be the earnest wish of all friends of the great cause to. which, we arff- devoted;, •’ both bwfc of 1 the, good will that we heartily-bear to our-justly-cele--brated neighbours, and from the intimate conviction we ‘ must all have*, that, the, great interests of peace 'cannot be- more effectually served. . , r jr , . The noble lord at; the conclusion. of ,Ins.address was loudly cheered, and* a vote of thanks to him was moved 'by the LordLieutenant-, seconded , by. - Judge, ~ Fitz-. gel-aid,' supported bythe Duke of \\ ehlington, and caiTied by acclamation.

Bain; has fallen iii great abundance all over India. The preseht r seasoh bids fair in, this, respect to form a parallel to that which succeeded the.! famine of. In some places the young ric& plants, the sugar cane, and the indigo • plants- have suffered severely. The total fall of rain in Bombay’amounts to about 45 inches.* : The famine relief Committees are doling their work well in the' North-West Provinces. Nearly 10,000 persons are being fed with cooked food in Delhi alone, and fully<that. number in; the district are relieved in the same way. > About 1000 poor widows obtain weekly relief in money at the Delhi- gate.. 1000- rupees a month are distributed to families of-res-pectability now reduced to: poverty; but ashamed to be seen seeking charity. A.baut- 10,000 persons are employed daily in same, kind of work; by. the Relief Society,and Government. At Agra 2000, and on the Futtehgur branch of the Ganges ,cahal .4000 "arejdaily: employed ; so, in other, places. Great and increasing distress

prevails in Peshawur; villages are being f|/ depopulated. Famine, is said-to exist in Cabul.”- /- . .... Ho less than .£104,000 /has been sent .-out from Great Britain to mitigate the evils of the famine: • -.-

- PUNCH’S , “MQTHEn’S CATECHISM” . Designed ■ for the instruction' of tlteris- \ in# generation,.and,corrected up to the ~ .latest authorities,'. . Q.My child/com fe here and listen to me. iAllCeome,- deari mamma but I do not recognise the propriety of- your calling me gour child. T belong to. the state, to which you are responsible for my education; J ! " . - ‘ [ '• f Qt I admit that/my/dearj and therefore I propose to question, you upon some of the branches of knowledge. What is history'? ./'_//"//// ~,b /■-'ff-’s/’i' //. A mass 1 of dubious traditions coloxiredby individual prejudices. Q. What, then, is the use of studying it ?. /■ . , , / ;:■/

A. That we may be . able, to contradict, by ’the aid of one writer, -any statement sought to-be forced- upon us by another.

: Qt Giye ime some instances of this contradictory process'. - r A. With pleasure, dearest mamma. Q. Have you, then, more than one-mam-ma ? , *‘Dearest”- implies comparison, y A. I admit the inaccuracy, ' for which affection must be my apology. Q. A sufficing one. We will now proceed with our, lesson/ Why : was-William tlie'Second called Rufus V /r : //. Hot,: as ignorantly - believed, from the ; cplour of lps hair, which is/kiiowri to have be,en bJaok, noy because in,his reign a roof was put upon Westminster, Hall.. * Q. How-was he kilfed ? . , !

. A-. Hot by /Walter Tyi-ell, who was never near the part of the forest where the %lg fell, r ... ... r fj - . ■. .. :-1 ’ Q. Has riot .the story of Ilichard. -tearing but the lion’s heart long been exploded ?" : ' • :

; A . -Yes'* but improperly. Popular tradition was partially, accurate, but the anmal was a tiger, which had escaped from a travelling collection, and had devoured a favourite. • whited deer; 'belonging 'to Queen Berengafia. / ./.*: . 1

Q. JDid John murder his nephew Arthur?/ ’/;■ / .;/ ? t p-'-"'■'A:' Ho ; they were most affectionately ■ attached; and the king had sent ’Arthur a. basket pf nectarines,on tlie dayhedied, probably from a fall out of ; a window.; y Q. Is the celebrated scene of John • signing the’ Great Oharfca fictitious ? A. Entirely -1 The copies were' sent' to his - hotel in a till box, and he affixed tho signatures, while’being shaved by his vallet. Marks of lather are .stiff found-on two of them. , ; ... ,- t - Q: Was the r youth of Henry thh'Fijfth as .gay,as.has; beeadescribedr:J *’ y- '■ A.'. On the contrary he was' remarkably holy and austere, and/Ms nightly visits .-to theliospitals to relibve the sick have been perverted into the-revellirigs described in the/volume ascribed to Shakespeare) Q. You say ‘/ascribed'”4-why ? *'■ A. Because the, of the plays and pooms, so long/believed to. have; /been Shakespeare’s/t were /written J by' Lord ._wff;h4;he aid of Sir Christopher- Hatton,, and theyfused as,:a -nom de plume the riairie-pf.an obscure actor. Q. ,Did QuecA Elisabeth?order tho execution of the Queen; of Scots;? ' ; //. t Mury was neyeh executed at ; allElisabeth’s love- for her cousin: forbad it —ai sh>wwas, made to deceive the/publio and/ discourage the Mary,,’under the, name,of Tsahel Fontanges, lived, for many years afterwards, and died at Rouen. . ■,/ ...

Q. Had James the First-an antipathy to the sight of a sword ? : . A. No. it is a slander. He was a good swordsman, and \ypunded the ; Chevalier St. George, in a dnel, in which; the king was incog. ... : ‘ Q. What was the meaning; of Charles the-Fii’sfc’s celebratedi'^Remember A. He used. no. such ; word, i He said “December,” thereby' predicting the month in which .Cromwell, like : himself, should appear at the place; of execution; ; ■Q/ Good child! ; Will you like to ; go and play?.. - - A . I thank-you, _dear mamma, ;for tlie, expression of. your . approbation ‘but I; would, with your sanction; prefer to.de-* ivote an hour:to.the study.of Mr-. Buckle on “the History of Civilisation.”— Punch K

'CALENDAR.

Mood ( Full Moon Nov. 18t!i 12 45 a.m 1 \ L ist Quarter. oy. ,25 th 10.15^ •UK-. Nov. S. rises*. ‘s*. sets. Hiwater at. Heads 11 4 *45; :".6' 42 .. :7 M 7: 15 4 .456 *43 , 8 ; 4-. b '£{ 16 V 4 44 6 44, 8 52 .: 9. 17 4. 44 .6 45.. 9 .40 .; 10 4. - 18' 4 43' 6 .46. .: 10. 28 > ,. lo 52 19 4 43 *6. ■47 11.16 11, 40. 2) 4 42 : 6 48 12 4 ., 12 28 : '21 , 4 -.426 .. 12.52,.. i; 17