Punch (31.1856)

July 26, 1856.]

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

31

!pay for lunch for the Members, and he only regretted
PUNCH'S ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT. |^at their wives could not very well be taken down also.

! .Really this is rather too strong. Or course we do not
ULY 14 Monday-' &ructee a Member the price of a couple of return tickets
Both Houses vouch- t0 ^e Camp, or a sandwich and bitter beer for himself,
or some cold fowl and Madeira for Lady Maria, but
the system of holidays whenever anything is going on is
growing upon the House. The Derby, Spithead, Alder-
shott, the Guards, the Fireworks, all offered an excuse
for neglecting duty. However, the arrangement was made,
know^whether" we aDC^ cari"ie(l ou*> a,1d Frederick Peed says that the bill
were goin°- to have w^ not excee(* -£260. The Irish row about James Sadleir
anv Italian irons in Icame on aoa'n> aiw ^e Attorney-General for Ireland

y- ..... showed that he himself was not to blame for letting

that delinquent escape, but the impression that his great
political friends do not regret that escape, is not exactly
obliterated. Mr. Oliveiba made another laudable but
ineffectual attempt to get us cheap foreign wines, and
Mr. Punch would like to hear the seniiments of Mr.
Villiers, upon Mr. Oliveira's propositions.

safed attention to
Foreign Affairs.
Lord Lyndhubst
and Lord John
Russell wished to

the fire now lighting.
The former dis-
claimed the slightest
belief in the honest
intentions of Aus-
tria, and denounced
Bomb a. with honour-
able indignation.
To him replied Cla-
rendon in certain
general phrases,
which announced
non-interference, but
which meant that
we must be guided
by circumstances.
Lord John Bus-
sell spoke up for Sardinia, aTid for a declaration to Austria that she should
no longer interfere in Italy. Palmerston could but answer as the Foreign
Minister had done: he expressed hopes that though Bomba had returned an
impertinent reply to the remo.'.strances of England, he might listen to lectures
from Russia and Austria; and Pam added, that Sardinia would be ass;sted by
England and Prance against any unprovoked attack. Disraeli professed his
inability to comprehend the intentions of Government, but believed that they
intended to do nothing. Mr. Bowyeb, speaking for his constituent the Pope,
stated that Cardinal Antonelli had declared to the French and Austrian
Governments that he should soon be able to manage without foreign armies,
and Bowyer abused the Sardinian Government, and especially Cavour, for allow-
ing attacks to be made on the Church. The crisis, of course, is most interesting.
It is the declared fear of the Manchester School that Sardinia will be encouraged
to get herself into the approaching fray, and then that Lokd Palmerston means
to engage England in the battle for Italian liberty. Mr. Punch wishes lie could
think his friend the Bottleholder half so much in earnest.

The Lords did some damage to the Scotch Education Bill, (afterwards passed) by
striking out the clause abolishing the religious test for Schoolmasters. The
Commons did still more damage to the Partnership Bill, by inserting a clause making
it necessary publicly to advertise loans made to a trader. The hatred of the great
capitalists to the small ones has been triumphant; they carried this proposal,
which destroys the whole object of the measure, by 108 to 102, and the Government
threw up a now useless bill. Mr. Lowe, however, stated that the existing law
was not generally understood, and that all loans to a trader did not necessarily
create a partnership. The bill for the abolition of Gretna Green went through
another stage. Why has not the blacksmith clamoured for compensation?
If the Black beetles of Doctors' Commons can claim it, surely the priest of
Hymen may.

Wednesday. Lord Palmerston. the new Knight of the
Garter, was, according to the Globe, beheld about the
middle of the day on horseback, at Aldershott, leading a
procession of ten omnibuses, crammed with Lords and
Commons, clamorous for lunch and the spectacle—panem
et Circsnses. Decidedly Mr. Punch thinks that the whole
party ought to have been utterly ashamed of themselves,
especially the Premier and the Commons, who, instead
of hurrying off, like a lot of nurserymaids, to stare at the
soldiers, should have stayed in town, and discussed the
Divorce Bill, which Palmerston threw over on Thursday
on account of " the lateness of the Session."

Thursday. The Lords had another fight upon the
Bishops' Retirement Bill, against which the Bishop of
Exeter has protested very feebly, and the Bishop of
Bangor very vigorously, as will be seen in another of
Mr. Punch's pages. Lord Campbell applied to the
Bishop of Oxeord the word "Brute," and declared
that the Bill,was not simouiacal. Lord Shaftesbury
advised its being passed lest the Public, seeing that
dioceses could be left in charge of inefficient bishops,
should draw <he conclusion that bishops were useless
articles. The Chancellor states, and Mr. Punch is only
too happy to give world-wide publicity to the tact, that
the Bishop of London bestows in charity £15,000 a-year,
Tne Bill passed through Committee.

In the Commons, on the Corrupt Practices at Elections
Bill, Mr. Henry Berkeley made a Ballot demonstration,
which came to nothing, but in the course of his speech he
introduced, by wholesale, charges of corruption against
various places, whose representatives rose and contradicted
him. Mr. Tite stood up for Bath, and Mr. Herbert
Ingram defended Boston, against which borough a person
calling himself "Colonel" Sleigh, who has* somewhat
suddenly ceased to be acceptable at a Pall-Mali Club of
officers and gentlemen, brought a charge of which Sir
George Grey significantly said " It might be true."

Friday. Lord Lucan has found out that the Chelsea

Tuesday. The appointment of the Duke of Cambridge to the head of the Army,
in place of Lord Hardinge resigned, occasioned some complimentary tributes j Board has let him down easy, so he is in a violent hurry
to the latter, of whom Mr. Punch has always said that he wa3 all bravery and | for the report, and abuses Mr. Villiers for delay. The
kindness, except when exposed to Court influences, and then he could neither snub Lords could not help laughing, and Campbell mildly
great people nor stand up for the interests of the Army. May many years of rebuked the blundering Cavalryman. On the Scotch

happiness and honour await the gallant old hero of the Peninsula, Waterloo, and
the Sutlej. The Bishops' Bill then came on for second reading, and an edifying
debate ensued. Lord Redesdale opposed it, remarking severely upon Bishops
who promised to resign if provision were made for them, a bargain which he
unhesitatingly cha-acterised as Simony. The Bishop of Exeter opposed it,
because he considered that a Bishop could not surrender his charge except to
an Archbishop, who hai conferred it. Lord Derby opposed it, as violating
Church principles, and the Conservative leader contrasted the conduct of the
soldier, Hardinge, who at once resigned his office, on feeling that he was unfit
for it, with that of the priests, Blomfield and Maltby, who would not resign
until they had bargained for allowances. Soapy Sam took the same view. The
Archbishop of Canterbury supported the Bill, and stated that the Bishop of
London would have been a much richer man had he not been profusely charitable.
The second reading was carried by 47 to 35.

In the Commons, the First Lord of the Admiralty explained the new Government
plan for providing better Naval defences for the country. He proposes to enlarge
and improve the Coast Guard, from which we shall be able on emergency to draw
from 5000 to 7000 of the best class of men, who will be trained to the duties of the
Queen's service. The plan met the approbation of the House, including that of
Mr. Punch. Lord Palmerston proposed that a holiday should be taken on
Wednesday, that the House might go to Aldershott at the public expense, and
see the Queen review the troops. He also explained that the Public was to

Schools Bill, Lord Breadalbane came out with such a
good bit of English sense, as threw poor Lord Dungannon
into hysterics. " Pie hoped," said the Marquis, " that if
the clergy should persist in depriving the people of educa-
tion, by their differences on nice religious questions,
Parliament would pass some measure by which the inter-
ference of the clergy of any religious denomination in the
education of the people would be rendered impossible."
Lord Breadalbane deserves better than to be a Lord
Chamberlain.

In the Commons it was announced that the Dulwich
College Bill is to be abandoned, so the Poor Players
have another opportunity of asking to share in the Rich
Player's bequest. Lord Palmerston, on some questions
being asked, waxed wroth, and haughtily told the House
that he would not be catechised, that the advisers of the
Crown were responsible for their acts, but would not take
the Commons into counsel about every small matter. The
salary of the new Minister of Education was fixed at
£2000 and the Civil Service Robbery and Oppression
Bill wa3 withdrawn. Finally, the Leases of Settled Estates
Bill (better known as Tommy Wilson's Bill) came on.