Punch (32.1857)

[April 4, 1S57.

GENERAL VIEW OF A GENERAL ELECTION.

The Pots accuse the Kettles of Blackness, and the Public goeth at it Hammer and Tonys.

BUCHANAN TO BUNCOMBE.

Mr. Buchanan's Inaugural Address as President of the United States will
be read with much satisfaction, and some amusement. It contains a few funny
things : here is one of them, relative to the evils of disunion :—

" These I shall not attempt to portray, because I feel a humble confidence that the kind Pro-
vidence which inspired our fathers with wisdom to frame the most perfect form of government
and union ever devised by man, will not suffer it to perish until it shall have been peacefully
instrumental by it3 example in the extension of civil and religious liberty throughout the world."

Of course Mr. Buchanan does not mean to say that he expects the American
constitution not to perish till civil and religious liberty shall have been universally
established, and then to perish. The fun of the above passage lies in the idea of
an example of civil liberty set by a constitution which maintains slavery. Certainly
there is no inconsistency in this idea of Mr. Buchanan's, if he considers that
Negroes are not human beings, but brute animals. But then, in another part of
his address, he calls slavery an institution. Now we do not, neither do Americans,
talk of the institution of horse-keeping, and horse-breeding, and horse-driving.
Studs and teams are not termed institutions on either side of the Atlantic.
Marriage is an institution, if Mr. Buchanan likes; and slavery may be denomi-
nated an institution too, if the subjects of the latter yoke, like those of the former,
are to be acknowledged as men and women. But, even by American licence of
speech, the word institution is inapplicable to an arrangement relative to mere
beasts. If slavery is an institution, slaves are men; and when their masters talk
about setting an example of civil liberty they must be understood as addressing
all such discourse to Buncombe.

THE GUILDHALL POEMS;

being epigrams written on hats

By excited Electors of London, at the close of the Poll

on Saturday.
1,

Dictatorial Mister Dillon,

He thought to cast a chill on
The fortunes of our gallant little Lord;

But the plucky little soul

Is third upon the poll,
And Dillon and his clique are floored.

o

In figure no doubt he is dwarfish,

But still he has beaten the pack,
And tiic Duck,1 and the Curry,'1 and Crawfish?

Are less to our taste than the Jack.4
s.

They've learned this lesson in a hurry,

Bullying electors ain't no use,
We've peppered Mr. Dillon's curry,

And likewise cooked Mr. Dillon's goose.
i.

Hurrah, hooray,

Lord John will whop,
And the clique may bray,

And shut up shop!

5.

O Dillt, don't, another time,

Be so uncommon rash :
You thought you'd make a Currie,

But you only made a hash,
fi.

Highty tighty, our man John
Worn't a going to be put upon.

Cast him off or keep him on,
He's a brick is our man John.
7.

In spite of all your blustering placards,

This here "Raikes' Progress" is all backards.

3.

Hooray, hoo-

[No. Everything has a limit. Mr. Punch fully sympa-
thises with his fellow-citizens in their delight at
their old friend's victory over insolent dictation, but
must decline publishing any more of the Hymns of
Triumph pouring in upon him.]

1 This means Sip. James Ddki?.
a This means Mr. Raikes Currie.

3 This means Mr. Crawfurd.

4 Joke on another dish, the pike or jack.

JESUITS ON THE AUSTRIAN STAGE.

During the absence of the Emperor op Austrla. on
his Italian tour, the Jesuits of Vienna resolved to reform
the legs of the dancers. As Lady Lambert bought a piece
of thick muslin, inasmuch as the very sight of Charlotte's
neck offended Doctor Caniwell, so did the Jesuits, out
of self-modesty, thickly clothe the legs of the Viennese
dancers. Since the return, however, of the Emperor, the
"leggings " have been discontinued. It is said that, out of
pure gratitude to the intervention of the patron saint of
the ballet, the young ladies are about to go in solemn pro-
cession to offer up the discontinued "continuations'; at the
shrine of St. Vitus.

A. New Work of Art,

One of the lineal descendants of Mr. Caudle {requiescat
The Bilkv Wa-r in pace!) has written to Mr. Peter Cunningham to say

J ' that he has a wife, who is "a perfect treasure," and that he

We have already alluded to the Lancet's statement that there is something shall be only too happy to send her to the Collection of
serious the matter -with the Cows of London, and may add that the Government j Art Treasures at Manchester, upon the condition of the
has taken measures to prevent further mischief. It is probable that the taking I Committee guaranteeing to take every care of her until
up so many streets has disturbed the wells, but this is merely a temporary incon- j such period as the Exhibition closes. And, even if the
venience, and a commission of respectable ironmongers can speedily repair any- j Exhibition should become a permanent one, Mr. Caudle
thing else that is out of order in the quarter affected. There is no reason to \ begs that the Committee will not think of distressing
suppose that the supply of milk will be diminished. I themselves about sending "the Treasure " home again.