DOI Heft:
July 21, 1855
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16616#0035
July 21, 1855.]
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
23
I tell yer what, BlLL, I think the PoLTCE ARE a BaD LOT—AND
I wish thet WAS DONE aw a t with altogether."
PUNCH'S ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.
July 9th, Monday. Lord Derby hinted to the Lords that the season
was Dearly over, and people were going out of town, and therefore that
it would be as well not to bother themselves with more business than
could be helped. On this hint Lord Lyndhurst threw over an Oath
o*" Abjuration Bill, though he thought that the continuing the oath
which he wished to get rid of was "an act of impiety," and Lord
Winchel^ea resigned the pleasure of an ouslaught upon the Roman
Catholic Prelates, who, as he thought, and thought very rightly, had
been most improperly described in the Maynooth report by their
ridiculous ecclesiastical titles. The Accidents on Railways Bill passed,
with a characteristic protest from Lord St. Leonards against viola-
ting the rights of property by protecting people's lives.
In the Commons, Sir Benjamin Hall abandoned the Public Health
Bill, despairing of getting it passed so late in the session. Sir Charles
Wood explained that a certain bomb-irdment of Old Town, at Calabar,
on the African Coast, by Her Majesty's ship Antelope, had been a
sort of Public Health Measu, e for that locality, for the African chiefs ! and thtat-the latt^r sh,ould '°pen fire °*the following Monday,
were in the unpleasant habit of poisoning their■ subjects, so the mission- ! AT°\lll,s same Tuesday there was rather a good debate, originated by
aries had begged for a brief discourse from the mouths of our guns | ^ Yl*CE*T Scully, regarding examination of candidates for pubbc
against the practice. Lord Palmerston promised that all the°cor-; ?£5J£K *££?TFL jftS ft? ?.ZT1?1 ?
the banks of the Thames, and the small unwholesome streets adjacent,
had therefore, better write at, once to their housekeepers to have their
country seats read}7, or desire their agents to secure houses at Brighton
or Ramsgate.
Tuesday. Lord Clarendon said, that the Russian authorities had
made untrue statements in reference to the Hango atrocity, and that
Admiral Dtjndas had been instructed to demand a better explanation,
and also the immediate release of the prisoners. _ _
In the Commons, Sir Bulwer Lytton announced his intention of
moving a resolution, declaring that the conduct of Lord John
Russell at "V'ienna had shaken the confidence of the country in Her
Majesty's Government. This startling notification occasioned con-
siderable sensation, which was increased by Mr. Disraeli's stating
that he meant to ask, whether Lord John Russell had obtained Her
Majesty's leave to reveal state secrets, as he had done. On the fol-
lowing Thursday Lord John was obliged to confess that k? had rn t
had the Queen's leave; and added, with his usual logic, that f-iuh.
leave had not been necessary, and therefore (upon Mr. Disraeli s
hint) he had been and asked for it. Her Majesty "had been
graciously pleased to sanction what he had done." Tins doing a iking
first, and then asking leave to do it, sometimes gets little people into
scrapes, but this time Lord John was lucky, and if Mr. Punch were at
liberty to reveal the words in which the Queen good-naturedly told
j John that he might, do or say just what he liked, it would probably be
! thought that Her Majesty's estimate of his Lordship's importance is
: about that of Mr. Punck&vd the public. Lord John also remarked
: that it was a shame to suppose that, because he thought the Austrian
; proposals just and reasonable in April, he should think so in July ; and
he declared that the war ought to be vigorously prosecuted. This an-
nouncement was received by ihe Commons of England—
" Men whom John has often Led "—
with "shouts of derisive laughter." Evidently, as in Mr. Squeers's
case, "the coat-of-arms of the Russells is tore, and their sun is gone
down into the hocean •wave."
Mr. Punch need not say that Mr. Disraelt came out upon this
matter, and was very felicitous in taunting the Government with
various endeavours which they had made to dodge away, behind the
forms of the House, from Sir Bulwer Lytton's motion. And Ben-
jamin put one point so neatly that it is worthy to be immortalised here.
He said that, the moment Lord Palmerston heard Sir Bulwer's
notice, he changed all the business of the House, and, for the night on
which the baronet proposed to attack John Russell, Palmebston set
down the New Partnership Bill, and the Limited Liability Bill. " Why,"
said Mr. Disraeli, "the New Partnership Bill? "What the people
wanted to know was, what were the conditions of partnership in
Downing-street! — they wanted to know whether the principles of
'limited liability' were prevalent in that locality, or whether the
people were to enjoy the general and collective responsibility of the
ministers of the crown, which had theretofore been the salu'ary and
constitutional course." This was very neat, and if Mr Diskaelt,
instead of feeling gratified that his jokes are transferred to Mr. Punch's
pages, thinks that be is entitled to remuneration for them, Mr. Punch,
who is the soul of honour, will hand the Right Honourable Gentleman
a cheque any day he will call at No. 85.
To complete the story, it should be said, that Mr. Roeruck tried to
get a " call " of the House for his motion of general censure, on the
managers of the Crimean Campaign, but was defeated by 133 to 108,
members contending that it was deuced inconvenient to be called up to
town to attend to the business of the country. And it was finally
arranged that, Mr. Roebuck should give way to Sir Bulwer Lytton,
respondence on the proposal which had been approved by the Austrian
Count John Russell, should be produced, and he fulfilled his promise
on the Thursday following. There was a good deal of talk about the
window-breaking on the previous day. The impression was, that the
police were sulky because complaint had been made of the brutality
displayed bv some of their number in the park, and that they had roor a^ley ±'£LI^TT> W110m 110 snuooing anu counting out wm
abstained from energetic interference with the window-breakers. Sir ; ?onTCfL ^ lie 18 the wrong man in the wrong place tried to be
extending the system, and he begged the House not to interfere, but
on division there was a very small majority with him, 140 to 125 being
the numbers by which Mr. Scully's resolution for examining every-
body, and doing it in public, was got rid of by moving the previous
question—an avoidance of a decision on the subject itself.
Poor Apsley Pellatt, whom no snubbing and counting out will
George Grey promised that " next time" every precaution should be | hef}, about some fmy ^uefT' Y' 6 WaS. *1™yhouted ,dowD>
taken 1 and then ma rage he moved the adjournment ot the House, and tins
Mr. Walter then referred to Professor Faraday's call upon was put and negatived, and then he was squashed, for the moment.
. upon
Father Thames, with whom the eminent philosopher had left his card,
(as set forth in Mr. Punch's cartoon this week), and of whom Mr.
Faraday gave a most hideous account. Mr. Walter asked whether
any plan had been decided on by Government for diverting the sewage
ofthe metropolis away from the river, which it now poisoned. Sir
Benjamin Hall said, that at present there was no plan decided upon,
but several plans were under consideration. By way of further com-
ment, the report ofthe Registiar-Geueral, a day or two later, announced
that the inevitable consequence of leaving the river in its present sta'e
would be an epidemic among the people. The people swarming along
Wednesday. The Church Rates Abolition Bill was debated, and at
last members talked against time, in order to postpone the decision,
and the device succeeded.
Thursday. The most interesting part of the Thursday's work has
been described. The new Turkish loan was explained ; England and
France are to guarantee £5,000,000 borrowed by Turkey, but Turkey is
to spend the money on the war. Perhaps, some day, if she should not
pay up her dividends, a British fleet, like that which went to ''collect "
the Greek money, may--but we will not speak of such things.
There was a final fight on the Scotch Education Bill, as to which a
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
23
I tell yer what, BlLL, I think the PoLTCE ARE a BaD LOT—AND
I wish thet WAS DONE aw a t with altogether."
PUNCH'S ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.
July 9th, Monday. Lord Derby hinted to the Lords that the season
was Dearly over, and people were going out of town, and therefore that
it would be as well not to bother themselves with more business than
could be helped. On this hint Lord Lyndhurst threw over an Oath
o*" Abjuration Bill, though he thought that the continuing the oath
which he wished to get rid of was "an act of impiety," and Lord
Winchel^ea resigned the pleasure of an ouslaught upon the Roman
Catholic Prelates, who, as he thought, and thought very rightly, had
been most improperly described in the Maynooth report by their
ridiculous ecclesiastical titles. The Accidents on Railways Bill passed,
with a characteristic protest from Lord St. Leonards against viola-
ting the rights of property by protecting people's lives.
In the Commons, Sir Benjamin Hall abandoned the Public Health
Bill, despairing of getting it passed so late in the session. Sir Charles
Wood explained that a certain bomb-irdment of Old Town, at Calabar,
on the African Coast, by Her Majesty's ship Antelope, had been a
sort of Public Health Measu, e for that locality, for the African chiefs ! and thtat-the latt^r sh,ould '°pen fire °*the following Monday,
were in the unpleasant habit of poisoning their■ subjects, so the mission- ! AT°\lll,s same Tuesday there was rather a good debate, originated by
aries had begged for a brief discourse from the mouths of our guns | ^ Yl*CE*T Scully, regarding examination of candidates for pubbc
against the practice. Lord Palmerston promised that all the°cor-; ?£5J£K *££?TFL jftS ft? ?.ZT1?1 ?
the banks of the Thames, and the small unwholesome streets adjacent,
had therefore, better write at, once to their housekeepers to have their
country seats read}7, or desire their agents to secure houses at Brighton
or Ramsgate.
Tuesday. Lord Clarendon said, that the Russian authorities had
made untrue statements in reference to the Hango atrocity, and that
Admiral Dtjndas had been instructed to demand a better explanation,
and also the immediate release of the prisoners. _ _
In the Commons, Sir Bulwer Lytton announced his intention of
moving a resolution, declaring that the conduct of Lord John
Russell at "V'ienna had shaken the confidence of the country in Her
Majesty's Government. This startling notification occasioned con-
siderable sensation, which was increased by Mr. Disraeli's stating
that he meant to ask, whether Lord John Russell had obtained Her
Majesty's leave to reveal state secrets, as he had done. On the fol-
lowing Thursday Lord John was obliged to confess that k? had rn t
had the Queen's leave; and added, with his usual logic, that f-iuh.
leave had not been necessary, and therefore (upon Mr. Disraeli s
hint) he had been and asked for it. Her Majesty "had been
graciously pleased to sanction what he had done." Tins doing a iking
first, and then asking leave to do it, sometimes gets little people into
scrapes, but this time Lord John was lucky, and if Mr. Punch were at
liberty to reveal the words in which the Queen good-naturedly told
j John that he might, do or say just what he liked, it would probably be
! thought that Her Majesty's estimate of his Lordship's importance is
: about that of Mr. Punck&vd the public. Lord John also remarked
: that it was a shame to suppose that, because he thought the Austrian
; proposals just and reasonable in April, he should think so in July ; and
he declared that the war ought to be vigorously prosecuted. This an-
nouncement was received by ihe Commons of England—
" Men whom John has often Led "—
with "shouts of derisive laughter." Evidently, as in Mr. Squeers's
case, "the coat-of-arms of the Russells is tore, and their sun is gone
down into the hocean •wave."
Mr. Punch need not say that Mr. Disraelt came out upon this
matter, and was very felicitous in taunting the Government with
various endeavours which they had made to dodge away, behind the
forms of the House, from Sir Bulwer Lytton's motion. And Ben-
jamin put one point so neatly that it is worthy to be immortalised here.
He said that, the moment Lord Palmerston heard Sir Bulwer's
notice, he changed all the business of the House, and, for the night on
which the baronet proposed to attack John Russell, Palmebston set
down the New Partnership Bill, and the Limited Liability Bill. " Why,"
said Mr. Disraeli, "the New Partnership Bill? "What the people
wanted to know was, what were the conditions of partnership in
Downing-street! — they wanted to know whether the principles of
'limited liability' were prevalent in that locality, or whether the
people were to enjoy the general and collective responsibility of the
ministers of the crown, which had theretofore been the salu'ary and
constitutional course." This was very neat, and if Mr Diskaelt,
instead of feeling gratified that his jokes are transferred to Mr. Punch's
pages, thinks that be is entitled to remuneration for them, Mr. Punch,
who is the soul of honour, will hand the Right Honourable Gentleman
a cheque any day he will call at No. 85.
To complete the story, it should be said, that Mr. Roeruck tried to
get a " call " of the House for his motion of general censure, on the
managers of the Crimean Campaign, but was defeated by 133 to 108,
members contending that it was deuced inconvenient to be called up to
town to attend to the business of the country. And it was finally
arranged that, Mr. Roebuck should give way to Sir Bulwer Lytton,
respondence on the proposal which had been approved by the Austrian
Count John Russell, should be produced, and he fulfilled his promise
on the Thursday following. There was a good deal of talk about the
window-breaking on the previous day. The impression was, that the
police were sulky because complaint had been made of the brutality
displayed bv some of their number in the park, and that they had roor a^ley ±'£LI^TT> W110m 110 snuooing anu counting out wm
abstained from energetic interference with the window-breakers. Sir ; ?onTCfL ^ lie 18 the wrong man in the wrong place tried to be
extending the system, and he begged the House not to interfere, but
on division there was a very small majority with him, 140 to 125 being
the numbers by which Mr. Scully's resolution for examining every-
body, and doing it in public, was got rid of by moving the previous
question—an avoidance of a decision on the subject itself.
Poor Apsley Pellatt, whom no snubbing and counting out will
George Grey promised that " next time" every precaution should be | hef}, about some fmy ^uefT' Y' 6 WaS. *1™yhouted ,dowD>
taken 1 and then ma rage he moved the adjournment ot the House, and tins
Mr. Walter then referred to Professor Faraday's call upon was put and negatived, and then he was squashed, for the moment.
. upon
Father Thames, with whom the eminent philosopher had left his card,
(as set forth in Mr. Punch's cartoon this week), and of whom Mr.
Faraday gave a most hideous account. Mr. Walter asked whether
any plan had been decided on by Government for diverting the sewage
ofthe metropolis away from the river, which it now poisoned. Sir
Benjamin Hall said, that at present there was no plan decided upon,
but several plans were under consideration. By way of further com-
ment, the report ofthe Registiar-Geueral, a day or two later, announced
that the inevitable consequence of leaving the river in its present sta'e
would be an epidemic among the people. The people swarming along
Wednesday. The Church Rates Abolition Bill was debated, and at
last members talked against time, in order to postpone the decision,
and the device succeeded.
Thursday. The most interesting part of the Thursday's work has
been described. The new Turkish loan was explained ; England and
France are to guarantee £5,000,000 borrowed by Turkey, but Turkey is
to spend the money on the war. Perhaps, some day, if she should not
pay up her dividends, a British fleet, like that which went to ''collect "
the Greek money, may--but we will not speak of such things.
There was a final fight on the Scotch Education Bill, as to which a