DOI issue:
December 14, 1867
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16880#0251
240
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
[December 14, 18H7.
A REPRESENTATIVE BOGY.
ill Beloved! An
Icelandic legend
sets forth, how a
ghost was accus-
tomed to annoy a
certain family by
appearing in the
form, and appa-1
rently the bodily
substance also, of!
a seal. It used to
thrust its head and
neck up from below,
through the floor,
and there remain
staring at the be-
holders with its
great black eyes.
No adjurations were
of any avail to make
it descend, and the
only thing which
proved at all effec-
tual was whacking
it on the head, and
battering it for-!
cibly down with j
an oar. Notwith-
standing that, for
a long time, it continually came up again. May there not possibly be
something prophetic m some of these old mythical narratives ? The
irrepressible seal, that would keep coming up as often as it was ham- i
mered down, appears to have been a typical image of the Compound |
Householder.
PUNCH'S ESSENCE OE PARLIAMENT.
Monday, December 2nd.—The Earl Russell redeemed his promise
to explain to the Lords and the Nation his own views on Education.
He enunciated a series of propositions, to the effect that every child
has a right to be educated, t: at religious differences ought not to
hinder this, that charitable endowments should be overhauled with a
view to making them useful for educational purposes, that the Uni-
versities should be thrown open, and a Commission appointed to
administer their revenues, and that there ought to be a Minister of
Education with a Seat in the Cabinet. He made a long speech,
dwelling much upon thp ignorance of those to whom we have trans-
ferred so large a share of power.
The Duke of Marlborough, President of the Council, was put up
to answer Lord Russell. It is not generally considered that the
present Duke would have gained the battle of Blenheim and the
estate. But he is a worthy kind of person ; and though Lord Derby
or Mr. Disraeli told him to treat Lord Russell’s venturing on
Education as a personal attack on the Cabinet, which had promised
something in the same line, this was less in the Duke’s way than a
gentle sort of humdrum defence, the sort of thing well-meaning folk
like to purr over at tea-time. We were not so very much behind-hand
with Education, the scruples of religious persons must be respected,
and they did much good—he must uphold the denominational system—
many institutions, especially the Universities, were improving them-:
selves, inquiries were being made on other subjects referred to, and
really—on the whole—suppose we resorted to the previous question.
Which being done, the resolutions “ fell to the ground.” They may
be followed by some other things, if we don’t attend to this subject.
The Commons sat for a short time, and talked miscellaneously. The
only thing worth note was a natural and sensible question by Mr.
Darby Griffith, who asked Mr. Hardy whether he was aware that
the cabmen were going to strike next day when the clock had struck
four, and whether there were any means of preventing this inconve-
nience. Mr. Hardy, of course, knew nothing about it. So, next
day, the cabmen did strike, and no public vehicle was to be had for
visit, dinner, ball, theatre, railway station, or anything else. The cab-
men met in their thousands at Exeter Hall, and proclaimed their
grievances, of which the Lamp, under the new Act, was but the
emblem, over-taxation being the real oppression. Lord Elcho went
to the meeting, addressed it, was frantically cheered, and next day took
a deputation to the Home Secretary, and got things made smooth.
On Wednesday evening the cabs were all out again. Lord Elcho
ought to be free of every cab for the rest of his life, only, having a car-
nage, he might not value the boon, Mr. Punch will add, that though
the cab-folk will obtain a relief which was due to them, there must be
reform on their side. A great mass of vile cabs and low drivers must
be got rid of, and the others must not speak of ladies who simply pay
the fares ordained b v law in the way a speaker at the meeting spoke aud
call them Mrs. Skinflints. Why is a cabman to ask more than his fare P
Would he pay half-a-crown for an article ticketed two shillings ? Let
us have no nonsense about this, and if cab-owners are not satisfied with
their incomes, let them take to some other trade, and not improve
their condition by bullying and cheating. As regards the strike, they
behaved properly, with a few exceptions, and Mr. Punch trusts that
the licences granted to the ruffians who perpetrated outrages will at
once be cancelled. So for the present ends the cab-quarrel.
Tuesday. Lord Dufferin made a very proper speech on some idiotic
processions which have been got up in Ireland in honour of the Fenians
who murdered poor Brett, the policeman, and were hanged for that
“political crime.” Lord Derby took the opportunity of stating,
needlessly, that no vindictive spirit had prompted the punishment iu
question, and that previous lenity had caused a belief that any outrage
might be committed with impunity. The law officers did not consider
that these “regrettable” processions violated the law.
Mr. Darby Griffith asked the Government whether they were
going to give a gentleman a title for having made a vacancy at
Andover for the Attorney-General. Of course Lord Stanley replied
that such a gift for such a reason would be highly improper.
One of the clevernesses of the last Reform Act was the disfran-
chising certain boroughs for their wickedness, but not providing that
if vacancies should occur before the Act comes into operation new
elections should not take place. Mr Otway pointed out the blunder,
and a Bill has been galloped through Parliament for preventing such
an absurdity as new elections by condemned electors.
Mr. Maguire then made a very righteous complaint against the
Middles'ex Magistrates, who do nearly all they can to prevent Catholic
priests from attending Catholic prisoners in Tothill Fields House of
Correction. The only thing to be said is that if one sort of religion
has failed in keeping persons from doing things that bring them to
gaol, it may not be unscientific to try another. But Parliament meant
that Catholic culprits should see their priests, and the justices are
allowed by Mr. Hardy to be pigheadediy setting themselves against
the spirit of the law.
Mr. Newdegate moved for a return that should throw light upon
the reasons why sentences on criminals are remitted. There is no
doubt that our present system is objectionable. For some criminals
great influence is used, while others surfer without much intercession
being made. Moreover there is a set of persons who manufacture-
petitions in all cases of capital sentence. Mr. Hardy gave some
curious details in reply, and mentioned that the memorials presented
to him are often most libellous, and that the regular thing is to impute
perjury, point-blank, to the principal witnesses He objected to give-
the return, or to interfere in any way with the Prerogative of Mercy.
Wednesday. The time that Wisdom wasted in its
Remarks to-day was very small:
My Lords they sat for twenty minutes,
My Lords, the Commons, not at all.
Thursday. On the penultimate night of the Abyssinian Session both
Houses worked themselves up to debating pitch, and went at the
subject like men. This is very English, Mrs. Grundy, is it not?—this
putting off debate until it can be of no use.
Lord Derby moved the confirmation of the Indian arrangement
as to pay.
Lord Ellenborough did not think that the Duke of Wellington
would have approved of this expedition. He feared that the Army
would get into difficulties. And in the present state of affairs in
Europe, we were unwise to do aught to interfere with our freedom
of action at home.
Lord Russell spoke out strongly in favour of the expedition, which
some persons consider would have been needless if his Lordship had
been good enough, when Foreign Secretary, to answer the letter from
the Abyssinian Xing.
Lord Denbigh, who is, he says, a Catholic and nothing more (we
could tell him better, only it might be thought rude) abused the war,
and with Denbighian politeness (he said at a meeting that there was a
lie in the Queen’s Speech) charged Lord Russell to his face with
incapable meddling, and remarked that his Lordship ought to have been
sent to Abyssinia to explain his own dispatches. The fact is, that
Lord Denbigh and a lot of other Catholics are just now so elated
because Louis Napoleon’s Chassepots have kept his Holiness in
Rome, that they hardly know whether they stand on their heads or
their heels. They had a Meeting in St. James’s Hall about it, and
danced a frantic war-dance of joy. All quite fair—but Lord Denbigh,
amid his wildest joy at the slaughter of the Garibaldini, should remember
the courtesies of society. Noblesse oblige.
Lord Lyveden took a good point. We have got a list, at last, of
the prisoners in Abyssinia. There are Eight, including Cameron aud
Rassam, whom we avowedly go out to fight for, but there are many
others whose case is specially recommended to the Commander-In-
Chief. What does this mean ? Are we to save these only if we can
do so easily ?
>
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
[December 14, 18H7.
A REPRESENTATIVE BOGY.
ill Beloved! An
Icelandic legend
sets forth, how a
ghost was accus-
tomed to annoy a
certain family by
appearing in the
form, and appa-1
rently the bodily
substance also, of!
a seal. It used to
thrust its head and
neck up from below,
through the floor,
and there remain
staring at the be-
holders with its
great black eyes.
No adjurations were
of any avail to make
it descend, and the
only thing which
proved at all effec-
tual was whacking
it on the head, and
battering it for-!
cibly down with j
an oar. Notwith-
standing that, for
a long time, it continually came up again. May there not possibly be
something prophetic m some of these old mythical narratives ? The
irrepressible seal, that would keep coming up as often as it was ham- i
mered down, appears to have been a typical image of the Compound |
Householder.
PUNCH'S ESSENCE OE PARLIAMENT.
Monday, December 2nd.—The Earl Russell redeemed his promise
to explain to the Lords and the Nation his own views on Education.
He enunciated a series of propositions, to the effect that every child
has a right to be educated, t: at religious differences ought not to
hinder this, that charitable endowments should be overhauled with a
view to making them useful for educational purposes, that the Uni-
versities should be thrown open, and a Commission appointed to
administer their revenues, and that there ought to be a Minister of
Education with a Seat in the Cabinet. He made a long speech,
dwelling much upon thp ignorance of those to whom we have trans-
ferred so large a share of power.
The Duke of Marlborough, President of the Council, was put up
to answer Lord Russell. It is not generally considered that the
present Duke would have gained the battle of Blenheim and the
estate. But he is a worthy kind of person ; and though Lord Derby
or Mr. Disraeli told him to treat Lord Russell’s venturing on
Education as a personal attack on the Cabinet, which had promised
something in the same line, this was less in the Duke’s way than a
gentle sort of humdrum defence, the sort of thing well-meaning folk
like to purr over at tea-time. We were not so very much behind-hand
with Education, the scruples of religious persons must be respected,
and they did much good—he must uphold the denominational system—
many institutions, especially the Universities, were improving them-:
selves, inquiries were being made on other subjects referred to, and
really—on the whole—suppose we resorted to the previous question.
Which being done, the resolutions “ fell to the ground.” They may
be followed by some other things, if we don’t attend to this subject.
The Commons sat for a short time, and talked miscellaneously. The
only thing worth note was a natural and sensible question by Mr.
Darby Griffith, who asked Mr. Hardy whether he was aware that
the cabmen were going to strike next day when the clock had struck
four, and whether there were any means of preventing this inconve-
nience. Mr. Hardy, of course, knew nothing about it. So, next
day, the cabmen did strike, and no public vehicle was to be had for
visit, dinner, ball, theatre, railway station, or anything else. The cab-
men met in their thousands at Exeter Hall, and proclaimed their
grievances, of which the Lamp, under the new Act, was but the
emblem, over-taxation being the real oppression. Lord Elcho went
to the meeting, addressed it, was frantically cheered, and next day took
a deputation to the Home Secretary, and got things made smooth.
On Wednesday evening the cabs were all out again. Lord Elcho
ought to be free of every cab for the rest of his life, only, having a car-
nage, he might not value the boon, Mr. Punch will add, that though
the cab-folk will obtain a relief which was due to them, there must be
reform on their side. A great mass of vile cabs and low drivers must
be got rid of, and the others must not speak of ladies who simply pay
the fares ordained b v law in the way a speaker at the meeting spoke aud
call them Mrs. Skinflints. Why is a cabman to ask more than his fare P
Would he pay half-a-crown for an article ticketed two shillings ? Let
us have no nonsense about this, and if cab-owners are not satisfied with
their incomes, let them take to some other trade, and not improve
their condition by bullying and cheating. As regards the strike, they
behaved properly, with a few exceptions, and Mr. Punch trusts that
the licences granted to the ruffians who perpetrated outrages will at
once be cancelled. So for the present ends the cab-quarrel.
Tuesday. Lord Dufferin made a very proper speech on some idiotic
processions which have been got up in Ireland in honour of the Fenians
who murdered poor Brett, the policeman, and were hanged for that
“political crime.” Lord Derby took the opportunity of stating,
needlessly, that no vindictive spirit had prompted the punishment iu
question, and that previous lenity had caused a belief that any outrage
might be committed with impunity. The law officers did not consider
that these “regrettable” processions violated the law.
Mr. Darby Griffith asked the Government whether they were
going to give a gentleman a title for having made a vacancy at
Andover for the Attorney-General. Of course Lord Stanley replied
that such a gift for such a reason would be highly improper.
One of the clevernesses of the last Reform Act was the disfran-
chising certain boroughs for their wickedness, but not providing that
if vacancies should occur before the Act comes into operation new
elections should not take place. Mr Otway pointed out the blunder,
and a Bill has been galloped through Parliament for preventing such
an absurdity as new elections by condemned electors.
Mr. Maguire then made a very righteous complaint against the
Middles'ex Magistrates, who do nearly all they can to prevent Catholic
priests from attending Catholic prisoners in Tothill Fields House of
Correction. The only thing to be said is that if one sort of religion
has failed in keeping persons from doing things that bring them to
gaol, it may not be unscientific to try another. But Parliament meant
that Catholic culprits should see their priests, and the justices are
allowed by Mr. Hardy to be pigheadediy setting themselves against
the spirit of the law.
Mr. Newdegate moved for a return that should throw light upon
the reasons why sentences on criminals are remitted. There is no
doubt that our present system is objectionable. For some criminals
great influence is used, while others surfer without much intercession
being made. Moreover there is a set of persons who manufacture-
petitions in all cases of capital sentence. Mr. Hardy gave some
curious details in reply, and mentioned that the memorials presented
to him are often most libellous, and that the regular thing is to impute
perjury, point-blank, to the principal witnesses He objected to give-
the return, or to interfere in any way with the Prerogative of Mercy.
Wednesday. The time that Wisdom wasted in its
Remarks to-day was very small:
My Lords they sat for twenty minutes,
My Lords, the Commons, not at all.
Thursday. On the penultimate night of the Abyssinian Session both
Houses worked themselves up to debating pitch, and went at the
subject like men. This is very English, Mrs. Grundy, is it not?—this
putting off debate until it can be of no use.
Lord Derby moved the confirmation of the Indian arrangement
as to pay.
Lord Ellenborough did not think that the Duke of Wellington
would have approved of this expedition. He feared that the Army
would get into difficulties. And in the present state of affairs in
Europe, we were unwise to do aught to interfere with our freedom
of action at home.
Lord Russell spoke out strongly in favour of the expedition, which
some persons consider would have been needless if his Lordship had
been good enough, when Foreign Secretary, to answer the letter from
the Abyssinian Xing.
Lord Denbigh, who is, he says, a Catholic and nothing more (we
could tell him better, only it might be thought rude) abused the war,
and with Denbighian politeness (he said at a meeting that there was a
lie in the Queen’s Speech) charged Lord Russell to his face with
incapable meddling, and remarked that his Lordship ought to have been
sent to Abyssinia to explain his own dispatches. The fact is, that
Lord Denbigh and a lot of other Catholics are just now so elated
because Louis Napoleon’s Chassepots have kept his Holiness in
Rome, that they hardly know whether they stand on their heads or
their heels. They had a Meeting in St. James’s Hall about it, and
danced a frantic war-dance of joy. All quite fair—but Lord Denbigh,
amid his wildest joy at the slaughter of the Garibaldini, should remember
the courtesies of society. Noblesse oblige.
Lord Lyveden took a good point. We have got a list, at last, of
the prisoners in Abyssinia. There are Eight, including Cameron aud
Rassam, whom we avowedly go out to fight for, but there are many
others whose case is specially recommended to the Commander-In-
Chief. What does this mean ? Are we to save these only if we can
do so easily ?
>