MR. WILSON has imposed an Income-Tax upon India. The mutiny appears to degraded position, and regain the proud eminence they have been crushed, indeed!

1

LIBEL ON THE BISHOP OF LONDON.

of yelp and bray. Afraid to speak in the terms which they felt most befitting the subject, were the anonymous HE other day, which, it prelate? Afraid to speak their mind, were they, lest they maligners who composed that stupid abuse of a judicious may be necessary to should appear to "overstep the bounds of propriety? state, was the 30th On which side of the bounds of propriety do they imagine of March, because themselves to stand, in accusing the BISHOF OF LONDON of perhaps some people authorising an act of desecration? What do they call will suppose it to have such language as that? A respectable jury would call it been the 1st of April, libellous. The BISHOP OF LONDON would have a good there appeared in a ground of action against his virulent detractors if he could daily contemporary a discover their names-those which are appended to the paragraph headed, The document are of course fictitious. He might not, to be Durham Clergy and the Bishop of London, and sure, get a verdict, because the jury might not be respectable, and twelve fools in a box, though they might award comprising a declaraa dirty quack, or a puffing humbug, heavy damages for the tion to which those exposure inflicted on him by an honest journalist, would very probably refuse justice to an exemplary bishop, defamed by scurrilous fellows. As they would be actuated by sympathy with the quack and the puffer, so they would be influenced by antipathy to the prelate, he being a gentlemanifesto, which re- man. Moreover, the jury might contain some papists, lates to the riots at St. who would really consider desecration involved in any act George's-in-the-East, implying negation of the sacrosanctity of the symbols, concluding with the wooden or textile, which are adored or venerated by following piece of im- themselves and their apes of St. George's-in-the-East. pertinence:

reverend gentlemen are
alleged to have busied
themselves in obtaining
clerical signatures; the

"Of a more recent act of aggression purporting to be perpetrated with the

express sanction of the bishop (but this we can scarcely credit) we dare not speak in the terms which we feel most befitting the subject, lest we should appear to overstep the bounds of propriety. We are most anxious to uphold and maintain the respect and reverence due to the office of a spiritual father, but we cannot forbear the expression of our unfeigned regret and surprise that, in the exercise of his office, the Bishop of London should have authorised an act of desecration in removing from the church, in deference to a godless clamour, such ecclesiastical ornaments and symbols as are sanctioned as well by the canons of the Church as by the decisions of the highest courts of law."

Represented as emanating from the Durham clergy, this insolent and officious censure of the BISHOP OF LONDON must be a hoax. Those reverend men are neither curs nor jackasses, and the foregoing vituperation is, as it were, a mixture

PUNCH'S ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

described MR. BRIGHT as a "man" who believed in nobody but himself, and had no good grounds for that faith. And then the discussion ended; but its echoes are rolling over Europe. Touching the present views of the other powers, it may be convenient to remark that, according to LORD JOHN, they may be said to be eminently Sulky. Austria will not stir, and says that the annexing Savoy to France is no worse than the annexing Tuscany to Sardinia. Russia takes the high Anointed tone, and says that a King has a perfect right to give away, and another King to accept, a province; but both at Berlin and Vienna there seems a feeling that Switzerland is being placed in a false position. There is a small piece of land, bounded on one side by France, and on the other by Holland and Prussia; and we get a great many rabbits from it. One of these days we may have to consider whether the rabbits would not be just as good if they were French subjects. If we decide that we do not care whose rabbits they are, so that they are cheap and tender, a policy worthy of Clare-market will restore a master to Claremont.

MARCH 26, Monday. It is not impossible that the very important debate of this day (already a day memorable to the universe for all time to come, being the birthday of the DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE) may be referred to hereafter, when the relations between certain Powers are not so sweetly amicable as at present. LORD JOHN RUSSELL, Foreign Secretary, had, hitherto, as Mr. Punch hath recorded, rather objected to being talked to on the subject of Savoy. But as the esteemed Classics remark, De quibus certus es, loquere opportune, and LORD JOHN, being now perfectly certain as to the intentions of our friend ELECTUS, did speak out with manful utterance touching that potentate. Replying to MR. HORSMAN, who delivered a fierce Philippic (fillip, as the Wiscount pronounces it) against LOUIS NAPOLEON, and denounced him as a Deceiver, Insolent, and Perfidious (HORSMAN's constituents have been sitting upon him and resolving that he is not representing them) LORD JOHN RUSSELL declined to adopt that sort of language, but used some of his own, which, coming from a gentleman of habitual An Income-Tax Debate followed. The fiery GLADSTONE defended moderation and self-respect, and from a Minister of England's and his calculations. Non sine Diz animosus infans, as our friend Q. H. F. Mr. Punch's QUEEN, descended like a thunderbolt upon the Spoiler of says; and the brave boy was sternly pitched into by MR. DISRAELI, the Slopes. LORD JOHN said, that in July and in January, he had who charged him with laying down abominable principles of warned the EMPEROR OF THE FRENCH, that if he began with one act taxation, and being party to a Reform Bill which was to enable the of aggression, his subjects, who were of a warlike" character, would masses to carry such principles out. In discussion on the duty on call on him to commit other unrighteous acts, and that now that the Contract Notes, MR. BENTINCK abused the Stock Exchange as PandeSavoy business had been perpetrated, it was impossible to regard monium, and objected to the legalisation of its time-bargains, which ELECTUS in the way we had endeavoured to do. We must keep on tempted people to gamble. MR. GLADSTONE said that there were very good terms with other strong nations, and be prepared "if future respectable Stockbrokers, that there was nothing wrong in stockjobbing, and it might arise"- to unite with those and that if fools chose to ruin themselves it was not the business of nations, and declare that the settlement and peace of Europe should the House of Commons. Then, on the Wine Licences, the indefatigable not be disturbed. So spoke JOHN RUSSELL, and the cheers that GLADSTONE had to make another long speech, and in the course of it rang loud from the Liberal benches were as loudly echoed by the Con- expressed very plainly his contempt for the present licensing system, servatives, for utterance had at last been given to the sentiments of as administered by the Magistrates (a contempt in which most persons England and of Mr. Punch. who understand the subject share); and he pronounced his hostility to the monopolies that grew out of "vested rights" in licences. The Witlers have much influence in the House, owing to their familiarity with masses of the lower class of electors, and, being aided by the Brewers, the Bungs made a good fight.

occasion should arise

LORD JOHN MANNERS said, that the Foreign Minister's words would vibrate from one end of England to the other. MR. BRIGHT, of course, protested against them, called Savoy politically worthless, and thought that we had nothing to do with the question. He introduced a pleasant reference to the Morning Advertiser, which has been writing strongly against L. N., and said that the paper in question was notorious for an unequalled mixture of piety and ruffianism. (The editor's just fury, next day, foamed over like a pot of porter with a splendid head to it.) LORD CLAUDE HAMILTON expressed Tory pleasure that we were likely to become better friends with the despotic powers. MR. KINGLAKE

The Reform Bill was to have been discussed, but was once more thrown over, till the Friday, and much scorn and derision of it was expressed by MR. DISRAELI and others, the Leader of Opposition hoping that. the Ministers were not going to insult the country by again bringing such a measure before the House. The Lords had a good talk about Harbours; and it appears that scientific people consider many of

those recesses, upon which we have laid out large sums, as Ship-traps hearing that MR. WHITWORTH's awful gun was to have the fullest and Wreck-pools, which it is very pleasant to hear, whether one is a and fairest trials by the Government, who had been duly impressed tax-payer on land or a voyager by sea.

Tuesday. The Spaniards have had enough of fighting with the Moors, and a telegram announcing a peace had arrived, but Government knew nothing more than the newspapers. They seldom know as much, as was signally exemplified in the case of MR. WILSON, and the all-important Indian budget, which the Times had got when the Ministry had not. The Fourth Estate is better served than the Second.

The Commons amused themselves with one of those debates in which duty to one's country is made pleasant by a flavour of personal scandal. The affair lasted all night, but Mr. Punch has a juster notion of what is due to the world and to The Ages than to waste proportionate space upon the squabble. MR. CHURCHWARD, mail-packet owner, had served the late Government, by corruption, at an election, so the present Government refuse to ratify a mail contract thought to have been given him on account of such service. After an acrimonious debate, 162 to 117 decided in favour of Government.

Wednesday. TRELAWNEY on Church Rates. His Bill for their total abolition made some further progress in the House of Commons towards its doom in the House of Lords. There was a row in the Conservative camp, and MR. NEWDEGATE, to the wrath of less uncompromising friends, made what he thought was a fight for the Church, and found himself in a splendid minority of 49 to 222, whereat he blew

up uncommon.

Thursday. LORD ELLENBOROUGH did not approve either of MR. WILSON'S Indian Army Abolition scheme, or of his Taxation scheme. The DUKE OF ARGYLL insisted on the absolute necessity and wisdom of both, and something of the same sort took place in the Commons, and in both Houses the papers were refused. LORD PALMERSTON said that the affair was an Imperial question, which was probably his reason for an Imperious answer. Præbet odoratas discolor India messes, remarked Mr. Punch to the Wiscount, to which the latter promptly responded, "Yes, indeed, India is always in messes of one kind or another." In the course of the debate COLONEL NORTH termed something said by MR. BRIGHT as "wilfully erroneous "-in (scarcely) other words charged him with a deliberate lie. Now, the gallant Colonel is one of the Swell Soldiers of the House, who are always awfully bumptious when a civilian ventures an opinion on the conduct of any of the people whom we pay to fight for us, and of whom we seem to have a sort of right to expect that they shall earn their money in a proper manner. Now we own that when a man or a gamecock is in high fighting condition, he is apt to be a little owdacious, and we should be sorry to damp the spirits of Valour. But we think, and LORD PALMERSTON (who reproved NORTH) thought, that charging a gentleman with telling a wilful lie is un peu trop fort. COLONEL NORTH signs himself D.C.L.-we should be sorry to write in our DoD that this means Dealer in Coarse Language. MR. LINDSAY carried an address to ask the Queen to ask ELECTUS to ask his shipowners to agree to the abolition of all discriminating duties upon vessels and cargoes of either nation in the ports of the other. MR. MILNER GIBSON gravely promised to try to obtain this object, at a proper time.

Some Bills for improving Ireland in some way or other were then discussed, as was a Pawnbroker Bill. It seems that our Uncles don't find it pay to advance very small loans, because they get nothing for the Duplicate, and warehousing is expensive, so they send away the poor to unlicensed Mounts of Piety, where the pious mountaineers charge the unfortunate creatures about 800 per cent. in their need and famish. So Uncle is to be tempted to advance, by leave to charge a Halfpenny on his tickets for small amounts. MR. EDWIN JAMES spoke up for the unlicensed mountaineers, but could get only 32 supporters against 178. The debate was very brief, Members being rather in a hurry to get away from conversation on the subject of the redemption of pledges.

"By that huge cannon's earthquake shout."

unfortunate Reform Bill was once more postponed, and Government The Commons discussed Most Things-but not one thing. The would not at first even say on what day after Easter they intended to bring it forth to the House, but finally named the 20th April. Whereat there was much jeering. As for the Conversazione, there was a squabble about the appointment of an Irish Lord-Lieutenant, a MR. LYLE (a descendant of ANNOT LYLE for aught we know, or care) and LORD FERMOY announced that Ireland was disaffected, and might soon like to be transferred to somebody else than QUEEN VICTORIA, after the fashion of an Italian state. Do the Irish want to take another leaf out of a Cabbage Garden? We hope they will not drive Mr. Punch into sending over half a dozen of the above-bridge Thames steamers to keep them in order. After some equally unimportant matter, SIR ROBERT PEEL,-upon whom Mr. Punch's paternal castigation has worked in the happiest manner,-delivered a very dashing speech, decidedly not in honour of ELECTUS. It was full of good hits, and among them was his likening the behaviour of L. N., in re Savoy, that, though the gentle and beautiful wife of ELECTUS is entirely "out to that of AHAB, in re NABOTH's vineyard. He might have added, of the cast," as actors say, there is an abominable JEZEBEL who "stirs up" French rulers to crime, and that painted fiend is the greedy, profane, and cruel Traviata whom the French call LA GLOIRE. There is no window so high that Civilisation would not like to see her thrown down from, to her own war-hounds.

A spirited Budget Debate ended the week, a formal Saturday sitting excepted. Our Wiscount tried to exempt incomes under £150 from taxation. Very right in itself; but we do not want little bits of injustice corrected while the grand injustice remains, and the more this is felt the better. Therefore, and therefore only, Mr. Punch is glad that the W. was defeated by 174 to 24. MR. DISRAELI gave MR. GLADSTONE a severe lecture on his Immorality, in enforcing a tax he had himself bitterly abused; and the time-bargains business coming up again, MR. GLADSTONE saw fit to withdraw his clause, but threatened a Bill for the same purpose. What in the world did the LORD ADVOCATE mean by introducing a Bill "to amend the relationship of Scotch husbands and wives?" Mr. Punch was so astounded, that he rushed from the House to drown his perplexity in a glass of whuskey.

EVIL EXCOMMUNICATIONS IMPROVE GOOD MANNERS.

SHOULD the POPE persist in driving his Bull against VICTOR EMMANUEL, there will only be this difference between him and Louis NAPOLEON-the one will be MONSIEUR COMMUNIQUÉ, and the other MONSIEUR EXCOMMUNIQUÉ.

A GREAT GUN AND A LITTLE ONE.

The first is not a Whit-worth,
The second is not Worth-a-whit.

Friday. A Chinese debate in the Lords, begun by EARL GREY, who has strong convictions that we are going the wrong way to work with the Pig-Tails. The DUKE OF SOMERSET, as Minister, denied this, and declared that we were bound to avenge insults. LORD MALMESBURY thought it absurd to be one day treating a Chinaman as a savage and the next as a civilised party. LORD ELGIN took a sort of leave of his aristocratic friends, and said that he was going off to do his best in THE main difference between SIR W. ARMSTRONG's twelve-pounder China, and rather hoped to be able to obtain terms without fighting. and LORD JOHN RUSSELL's six-pounder is that— He was determined, however, that we should have an Ambassador in Pekin, and Mr. Punch inclines to suggest that when the BENICIAN has been polished off by SIR THOMAS DE SAYERS (if the police do not grab them), these two gentlemen had better be established in Pekin, as the most effective representatives of America and England. LORD ELLENBOROUGH laid all the blame of China troubles to Mammon, as personified by our merchants and traders, and said that he had not, when Governor-General of India, dared to publish the accounts he had received of the sufferings of the Chinese by our war of 1812. LORD GREY then took the opportunity of blushing for the conduct of Englishmen in Japan, and the matter ended. The Lords rose after

VIOLETS FOR VOLUNTEERS.

EXPOSED for sale in a window the other day, we observed a scent-i bottle, labelled "Rifle Corps Bouquet." Surely the odour of this compound can be no other than the smell of gunpowder.

THE GREAT Revival of the DAY.-Italy.

Boy (to distinguished Volunteer). "Now, CAPTING! CLEAN YER BOOTS, AND LET YER 'AVE A SHOT AT ME FOR A PENNY!"

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.-APRIL 7, 1860.