News and Miscellany

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 2, 1867

News and Miscellany.

Can ye not discern the Signs of the Times? Matt. xvi, 3.

—In England and Wales there are nearly a million of paupers. The number of parishes supporting them is 14,886.

—We are in a fair way to become the naval armorers of the world. The Dunderberg has ceased to be an American institution; and workmen are now engaged in putting in fighting trim the ex-rebel ram Stonewall for the use of his Oriental majesty, the Emperor of Japan. It seems that the terms of sale not only bind our Government to put this naval craft in seaworthy condition, but to furnish her with better guns than she was equipped with when she fell into our hands; and an American naval officer is to navigate the vessel to the domains of the Tycoon. It is expected that the Stonewall will be ready to leave our shores about the middle of August. She will, no doubt, create an unprecedented excitement in the Oriental waters, and may cause the Emperor to make a bid for the Atlanta.

—The Legislature of New York, at its last session, passed an act amendatory to the game law, making it a misdemeanor for any person who shall, except on his own premises, carry any gun or other fire arms, or any fishing rod, on the first day of the week.

—The secular papers report that during the year ending September 30th, 1866, the State of New York appropriated some $50,000 for the support of denominational institutions. No less than nine-tenths of this sum were given to Roman Catholics. Comment on such a fact is superfluous. It is time that the candidates for the State Legislature should be more closely questioned on this point.—Methodist.

—The diplomatic correspondence on the Luxemburg question has been published in England, and shows that war was fully as imminent between France and Prussia as reported at the time. In fact all the nations believed that peace was hopeless, and it was only by the persistent efforts of England, though Lord Stanley, minister for foreign affairs, that the conference assembled and peace was finally assured. Some of the English papers assert that Lord Stanley brought peace by guaranteeing the neutrality of Luxemburg, or in other words obligating England to take part in a war between France and Prussia if one should arise hereafter; and in parliament the other night, the opposition undertook to worry the minister for giving the guarantee. But they made sorry work of it, and Lord Stanley's excuse, the vastness of the interests at stake, is ample vindication for his course in England as well as everywhere else. It was in every sense the act of a first class statesman. Where a man of less breadth and courage would have hesitated, he acted promptly, and by thus becoming the instrument of procuring peace in Europe, he has done much toward restoring to England her prestige and influence in continental affairs, which had become weakened and almost dead through the blunders and timidity of a long line of second class men.

The Coming Festival at Rome.—A special says there are already assembled in Rome 400 prelates and some thousand priests who have come from all parts of the world to celebrate the 1800th anniversary of St. Peter's martyrdom. Crowds are still coming. The bishops from the United States are lodged in different convents within the city. St. Peter's Church will be illuminated Sunday evening.

Peru.—A revolution has been started in Peru by Castello. The number of his forces is unknown, but it was confidently believed that the troops from all parts of the republic were likely to join him. The government had sent large forces to meet him, and if the soldiers remained faithful, it is said there is nothing to fear.

A Truth for Money-Makers to Think of.—Gerard Hallock, for many years editor of the New York Journal of Commerce, a wealthy and benevolent man, once said: “From my boyhood I have observed that every man grew covetous in proportion as he grew rich, if he did not keep giving.”

The Situation of France, as summed up by Girardin, who continues florescent, is not highly promising. It has now been five months, according to him, since the Emperor, in a solemn document addressed to the country very encouraging words, promising liberal laws with regard to the press, at the same time that he should replace the discussion of the address by the right of interpellation. Four months have passed since the Corps Legislatif began its labors, and the resume is as follows: The address is to be no longer discussed; the right of interpellation is applied in a manner altogether illusory; the report on the press law is not made (not even Emile Ollivier's project having been considered); and the law on the right of reunion is less advanced even than the press law. Girardin thinks also that the treaty of London is worse than useless; and frantically asks his compatriots to “look at it in its antecedents and consequences.” The antecedents were bad enough, God knows; and the consequences—the dismantling of the finest fortress in the world, and an inevitable war next year, or perhaps even at the end of '67, are as ill-judged and foolish in his estimation as anything in the whole political history of Europe.—Paris Cor. Detroit Tribune, May 20.

Free Religion in America. We learn from the Daily Missouri Republican that a Convention of radical religionists of all denominations was held in Boston, Mass., May 30, 1867. Spiritualists, Universalists, Unitarians, Quakers, Shakers, No-name religionists, believers and unbelievers, and Radical Reformers of every color and phase, sat in council. Their object is to establish a universal religion in the United States free from all the limits and boundaries of sects and creeds. The reporter closed by saying, “It is probable that from this initiatory movement, other meetings will come, and other plans be suggested, or these amended and perhaps executed.”

—Fashion is an imperious mistress. Many fashionable ladies think it no hardship to have their dark locks bleached to a golden (?) hue. Not long ago a brown-haired beauty resolutely submitted to the process of having her head entirely shaved, and now contentedly sports a fashionable wig. Another young lady to whom beauty must have been a pearl of great price, with wonderful fortitude had all her own teeth—which were, to be sure, uneven and not so white as might be—extracted, that she might have a handsomer set put in her mouth. A short time since the papers recorded the death of a lady who had been accustomed to draw her corsets together by the aid of a rope, fastened to the ceiling of her room. One day she drew herself a little too close, and burst a blood-vessel. The death of such a foolish creature can be no great loss to the world; but it does seem hard that she should have sacrificed herself ignorantly. Could not somebody have told her that tight lacing was old style since gymnastics, skating, croquet, and similar athletic sports have come into vogue?