The Express. — London, England, 1853-03-31 00:00:00

HC!►UEHSFIELD ELECTION. SPEECH OF LORD GODERICH. important, • with, MA s sets remedy for the many and peat evils of intiothifillien, corruption, and violence, in re sorting to the mode adopted is some countries of taking the votes by ballot. (Ore nt 'leering.) It so happens, gentlemen, that with regard to my opinions on the ballot I can tell you a little story. I wrote an address to my late constituents of Hull. I sent that address down to some of my friends, and put my advocacy of the ballot forward among the promi nent portions of that address. (Hear, hear.) There were amongst my friends there some timid gentlemen of the old whig school, who thought the ballot a very horrid thing, and objected to its retention in the address. I believe they struck it out; at least I believe the address was printed without it. But at the very first meeting I addressed I took the opportunity of supplying the omission—if it were one—and said frankly to them—" Gentle men, you must take me as a ballot man, or you mast net take me at all." (Cheers.) Now, gentlemen, having, I think. touched upon all the points of most importance in imenexion with the question of parliamentary reform, V there is any other matters in connexion with it gm which you wish to aek me any questions, I shall be perfectly willing to answer you. I shall come next to the question which I believe is engaging much of the public attention throughout the country, and especially in this your town. Gentlemen, I am going to tread upon some what delicate ground. I am going to speak of matters that are more or less bound up with men's most sacred and most solemn feelings; and when I have to address people on questions connecte directly or indirectly with religious subjects, I have always been most desirous to do so in that spirit of calmness, of dignity, and of fairness, which I think alone becouris those discussions. (Applause.) Gentlemen, you may be aware thst I am "myself a member of the church of England." (Hear, hear.) You would not re spect me, those of you who are not members of that church would not respect me mere, but I imagine less, if I were not to say I have for that institution a sincere and well-founded regard. (Applause.) If I were to come before you in a spirit of hostility to that institution you would tell me, I think, gentle men, t'..at I was talking clap-trap. (lerini. applause.) It is my belief that no Institution, and least of all en insti tution founded on and connected with the Christian reli gion, is likely to prosper if supported by any means incon sistent with the most perfect justice and the most entire truth. (Loud applause.) I believe to that institution, of all others, artificial props or unjust appliances are most utterly destructive, and therefbre I should be the last man to support anything which seemed to me to be of that na ture. (Loud theirs.) Gentlemen, I will briefly state the principle by which my parliamentary conduct in thin re spect has hitherto been guided, and by which I have also been guided in those discussions upon those topics in which I have been otherwise publicly engaged, and by which I will be guided in the future, whether in or out of parlia ment. I shall object to any further endowment by the state of any religious bodies whatever. (applause.) When I look at the religious condition of this country, and see the manner in which it is divided in opinion, I believe that such a course would be unwise, unjust, and destructive. (Cheers.) I ant also opposed, not merely to any further state endowment, but to ail grants out of the public r for religious and ecclesiastical purposes. (Cheers.) And as a proof that I am so, I voted fur the motion in the House of Commons brought forward by my friend—as I am sure he would allow me to call him—Mr. Szholeficld, the member for Birmingham—fur the abolition of all such grants. (Ap plause.) I believe that the taxes which are now levied on people of all religious opinions under the name and title of church rates, and other similar taxes, are ant for the sup port, but rather for the destruction—not for the advantage, but rather for the serious disadvantage, of the church to which I belong—(loud cheers)—and I believe, whether fur her advantage, or for her disadvantage, they are unjust and unwise. (Cheers.) I shall, therefore , vote for, and support their total and entire abolition. (Much cheering.) Gentlemen, I now propose as a further exemplification of my principles to recal to your mind one circumstance which took place the ether night in the House of Commons, in which, after having brought in a very wise bill on the subject of the clergy reserves in Canada, Lord J. Russell, fur whom I wish to profess great respect, and whose personal and parliamentary conduct has ever been such as to entitle him to the honour and re spect of his country—(applause)—but whom I am not prepared to profess an intention of blindly fullowing—(loud cheers)—because I will not, acil I dare not, tie myself to any minister or party—(cheers)—l shall go to the House of Commons the advocate of the cause of the people, and by that motive alone I will be governed—(loud cheers)—l my, gentlemen, that Lord Johu Russell, as the leader of the House of Commons, proposed to make en alteration in the bill which he had himself brought in, by which he would have saddled that colony with the payment of a certain annual sum of money, not actually a larger amount, but that matters nothing to the principle involved in it— (ebeers)—a sum of 10,0001. a year for supporting the Church Establishment in Canada. Gentlemen, had I been hi the House of Commons upon that occasion, I should have divided with those gentlemen who opposed that Altera deo. (Applause.) I should have done so on' Mee principle which I have stated to you sires*. I should have done so too on the still further pri m' em which perhaps I may take the liberty now of toll =my opinion, that the colonies ought to be left as fax en to govern, defend, and manage themselves. (hp pisses.) Gentlemen, one portion of the duty of the man Dinunon., and one which perhaps is in some respects etallarly its own, is to vote away the taxes and to decide Its amount of the public expenditure ; and when I look at dm condition of this country—w hen I see we have saddled it in purposes it is not now for me to criticise—that we have sods died it with an amount of debt which is equal to 800,000,000 E —I confess I do feel, although I have no desire to be nig iprdly nor any desire to act in a too parsimonious spirit— I 'do feel that It is the bounden duty of the House of s most closely to watch that expenditure, and MUM it to the utmost possible amount ; but still further, when I see that the proportion of that expenditure which Its spent for civil purposes and for the general benefit of this community, is so trivially small when compared with what is spent for military and naval establish ments, I am desirous of advocating the utmoss reduction in those establishments which can be mud, with safety to our A, slatd in the Expreu of yesterday, Lord ~ casul liberal candidate, addressed the liberal he Phileeephical Hall, on Tureday night. v e t e .,„'" 7n el, crowded and most enthasintic meet •••••• " a hip eel. rieneed • =unflattering reception. pag. leiv pis •presided. Mr tley, Wi a ; .- Mi e els, the retiring candidate, introduced Lord ~ade '". ree in r ti• t t e ring eulogy upon his character, prin. opal , • e ir at one a rose, and his rising was the 's burst of cheering, which was pro nto.' me some time. When silence had been restored, his lar d utli men, I should hardly hove fought of litelle h T... a t e . ee —( 7• fore you in this town for the purpose tw "ur a utfrages, at the coming election, or 'itiu even in a mere preliminary manner. 7,...,1' 7 ' I t:il.lr:ami principles which have hitherto r •h I trust will always guide, my public )—if it had not been that I had tunev —(h " . ' hasr b two gentlemen who I believe are to d o y whom 1 cannot doubt aro justly pnisessed -%, i al it ne e and weight among you. (A voice,— , 1 ""'"f, •P d . he CIETII of "Turn that drunken man sad I••ud ivielause.) And also, if tee, had not on behalf of • still larger portion of your eeme me to accompany them to your town for mating to you that statement of my opi nion 'AI, tai f f no w about to do. (Hear, hear.) % g. , ntlenien, to what I trust was • :s a r t e, • ,e m en s. !; ; end when these gentlemen did asks Lome that APT, and that propositios, I gladly acceded Le .e roottiT 1E1: I do seek •.he honour of • Peat it ' - otl'erliament. (Applause.) And I felt, sal gal. le• • tae Pe"r.-*%—thsa7 that s at woull be doubly honourable, ends ~1 I nd allow me to say so, doubl e ), dear to me.. if I .. % . , e 'sg, teat teen by the b election o my fellow - 1 ork ma end are especially y men of revown county, V . ir es " ; (Hear, hear.) By theseons I was an b,:dssed to came to your y town last night, for the pun m political opinions, and any pc; of 'rashly exPlerpirrll my past conduct of which you may desire -pla t n . Gentlemen, I am 11111i0U% to he frank and open er a you , and give you -• the means ofjadging whether you g o ad scup) me a caadidate ; and I now offer myself More ercparnl to bow to the decision come to by the te en, awt am only anxious to go on to • contest, g i t lie your will that I seould do so. (" liege, bear," and sr pe,eo..) Although I tear I may have, among the nume roe. te;nei that arc of public interest at the present day, to mumble you at some let.gth before 1 have finished my state ment I must crate your indulgeeee while I speak of what eimt .'ens ieitieeloally. (Hear, hear.) And, gen• if t h,, were no other reason why I should desire to tlit els ee; sigh an suiticace as thee I should not be sorry to have the opeortunity of doiee so, is order that I might— as I believe leffectually can—viud.eate myself from any ob jection that may lie spinet my character at the result of th , p. ,:ion presented against my late return for the borough of la!u-steampon•Hull. I do so, in the first place, as a duty I owe to yon no less than to myself. I know that you are desirous of promoting the utmost purity of election. I know that the desire was the foundation of the steps re cestil token by your town ; and I should nut venture to off, r spelt as a ceitilidate if I did not feel honestly and in my comeieuct that I was clear of any guilt on that score. (Apelause sad uproar, caused by a drunken man, who was 'me d i a with huotines, and cries of "Turn him out.") Geetlemen, in the tint place, 1 can give you—if you are willmg to accept it as of any value—on my honour, the most deci-ed anal pesitive assurance that I was in no way a party to my itupreer practices at that election; but, on the con• teary. 1 told the two gentlemen—holding a high position sad et es•icuble character in the town—to whom this mat ,,, am e ntrusted, that I would not and could not sanction styling of the kind, and that I must first care for my become, and oral second for my success. (Cheering.) And I can ap pear to a yet further testimony, which I donut tot ii have some weight with you, and that is the testimony of the whole liberal party in the town that returned nee at the late election—a testi wocy %huh you, as burgesses of • town of whom so mist a mijority protege liberal principles, will be we:ing to :Men to. Gentlemen, I am in • position to tall yea teat a. a full meeting of that body, they came to an =minima. usolution pledging themselves and stating that they had tee same unshaken confidence in my late col kanee, Mr. Clay, and myself, and that they would at the ant *Melon. at which time we should be eligible to be come candidates, unanimously support us; and further, which !either.' is • circumstance very rarely heard of in the swish of eh esioneering, that they would not support any bleral candidates ate this neat election who would not *dee themselves to make way for us, if we should choose beee - after to stand. (Hear, hear, and loud applause.) I latiLt ep•pesl—if 1 were not anxious not to weary —to thaw wen with whom I stood in the House el Cam:none—to the testimony of your county re• peeseotauve, Mr. Cobden—(laud cheers)—to th ) testi story of Mr. Bright to the testimony of other men of weil•known character, and of all parties who would give the same testimony from what they know of ter case, and what they heard of the evidence, that I was ix no way a participator in these practices. (Applause.) And I think you are not likely to pot much confidence in the eeidenee of the witnesses of • party whose chief witness arkrowledged that he had received not less a sum than 50/. for his evidence. (Hear, hear.) Gentlemen, upon het peon I shall now leave myself in your hands. I am willing to gave you nay further satisfaction, information, or explana tion, after I bare finished my address, if you ask fur it, and evh,da 1 ran give consistently with my duty to my late col league and myself. I will now, gentlemen, witmont fur ther preface, explain those principles which I have de fended, and ever will defend, whether in or out of par- Imment—(hear, bear)—principles which I have not espoused tor the sake of getting into parliament—(cheers) —luaus then are not many persons who know me that are ignorant of the fact, that if I had been willing to profess opposite principles—if I hod been willing to profess prmeiples which are regarded u more in consonance with the position which I bold, and which Mr. Willans has told yes se my misfortune and my fade—(laughter and cheers) l had the misfortune not only to be •`a live lord," but bad as many live lords have acted—and which I believe they will yet repent of—if I had so acted I might have *h alal,* a seat in parliament with no trouble, no expense, sad no inconvenience. (Loud applause.) But I only sought a seat there to advocate those principles which in my heart I believe to be true, and therefore I at once ap pealed to tarp constituencies as an independent candidate. (Bear, hear.) These principles are those of enlightened sad steady progress of reform, rapid but not hasty— u mewing, but not violent—of reform,which is the great and only mhgeard against revelution—of that reform which is in feet the truest conservatism, and which his never, so far as I hose yet leerat, been the rennet empires, while the opposite polsey has been so soastantly. (Loud applause.) I will net detain yea upon that peat question which now we may look upon as settled for ever—the question of free Mode. (" lieu, hear," and applause.) I voted for the melba it my friend the Hos. Charles alleys in the Has, of taw ; at least I did not vote first for that modes awl eller muds against it, as some who call thyme inn allarbele thought themselves justified in doing; bosom I lbswilst the policy of 1846, the policy of the repeal of the COTO WON wee "wise, jut, and beneficial "—(loud applause)--bu TOW I believed that this crowning act of the life of the late P r Robert Peel would remove from the mind of pem tardy the recollection of any portion of his public came wskt might be thought of a less wise character, end would hand down his name—in spits of the rapsassi insults of the protectionist party—as one of the best sad most illustrious statesmen of modern times. (•• Hear, heat," and applause.) Anil, gentlemen, so far as you will open me to speak upon the subject of free trade, yea solid, I believe, be inclined to think with me, that although we have settled the principle, there are further extensions of that principle for which we have • right to look. (Hear, hear) Large extensions of the policy of • free and unfet tered commerce and trade will have my hearty support; for wboe I believe that that 'milky, so far as it has gone, has been most successful, I believe, also, that it has been founded in right and justice. (Cheers.) One of the souses which ;ed me most to rejoice at the final settlement of this free trade policy was, that it would open the way to the con eelnet,on of another question in which I feel permnally the deepest interest—that which I believe concerns the interest of cm: country—l mean the question of parliamentary re form. (" lieu, hear," and loud applause.) It is the M ischa of the present government—and a pledge to the effect has been given by them—ia the course of .the neat maim of parliament to introduce • measure for parliamen tary reform. To that measure, if it be consonant with the principles which I hold upon the subject, I shall be moos *axiom and desirous to give my support. (" Hear, lieu." and applause.) My principles upon that matter go what it is the fashion to consider and describe as " very far" —(lieen)—and it is hardly possible that we shall get in the present parliament • measure as large and cosaprekonsivo is I maid desire to see. (Applause.) The only priedpie upon which I would rest the representation is, that we 'Mudd extend it to the utmost possible point, and I shall be willing to advance in that direction by all the moans which the circumstances of the country will allow. (Applause.) I have no sympathy with the principle of duality. (Hear.) I am nbt arrant of my countrymen. (Applause. ) I cannot Do beer that this dense meeting is compos e d of men any one of wheal is unfit for the suffrage. There.ore you wilt find my °preens upon that point accord with the opinions I have ever understood the non of Huddersfield to hold ; you will , I beatve, find my opinions satisfactory upon that point. (Rem, hear, and applause.) But if you extend the suf. _lnge ever so far, you would outproduce uoni if a good House of you d id not alter the present distribution of the electoral districts. (Applause.) The present distribu tion is fundamentally vicious. It is founded upon no prin '4 except that of attempting to silence the voice of the pvti•: , and therefore I shall advocate a vast and most comprehensive alteration in this respect. (Applause.) I am eta in a town, a large and important town, tilled with . Iml. due:hetet, industrious , frmgal, and sober—with men iving every clai m to a share in the councils of their fta entry, and yet I find that you are of less importance toto1;610if nt ouseof Comm ons than each of fifty small worth or importance at all in the country. pplaine.) I confess that whether or not I sew from tats moment to be connected with this borough—that what ever may be . year wed conxrning me—l must always look r... l •l!__lerheinien_tar . piisition of your borough as • very ;7.7; of injwttee and believe me, I do net hold rt, guar because I happen to be talking to Rudders 7:7;_ri. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, having got rid of these •t• • I name to anetler which 1 consider m - ist need le, ...i % ,P • • • 14 e'.untry pro,nrly ea.re,,e t „.. _ • iy ri...ce Juan is ;; which I Lave gone through in a borough, and tc which I hare witnee•til in counties—has tang "•-•lt iyi, ai to a decided opinion that we should find • most conatry, mad with security to our independence. (Loud cheers.) And now, gentlemen, before I sit down I will briefly advert to a topic on which I confer I feel a very deep interest. To that class of measures which cores occa sionally before the houses of parliament, and which are conceived for the purpose of bessettiog the great masses of the people, and especially the working classes, I have always taken an interest in all matters concerning their welfare and improvement ; I have always evinced the greatest in terim—(cheers)—and I shall aleap be desirous to pi's $e to the utmost, in the soundest manner, and in the mesons most consistent with the consolidating and binding together all classes of men that may be consistent with the purest maintenance of religions freedom, and the freedom of one countrymen—those 'measures for their education and improvement which it may be within the power of meat to carry out. (Hear, and loud cheers.) Gen I have learnt, and it is true, thr.t it is not very greatly Is the power of legislation to benefit large masses of men. (Hear, hear.) I believe it is much more in the power of legislation to injure them. (Applause.) I believe that most of the present condition of this country, and much of the past worst condition of this country in former times, has been the remit far more of over-legislation than eves of mis-legislation; but still I am far from putting myself up in narrow limits. lam far from saying it is not In the power of pariiameat, and I am still farther from saying it is not the bounden duty of the legisla ture, to do all they can for promoting the elevation, the well-being, happiness, and independence of all classes of the) people, and to raise by every means in their {pewee ell t hes e eimme thee ars now meet depressed in the sus stalk mill liss day shall essee when all shall be IMlltelteseallet fa misipeat and use heed, and when, if you ar111)111mr ass te use Ohs word, we shall be one great and anneenisy—(basce ibe ad shall have mered ell clue Is a 1 of union as Englishmen and : fterti F d men, so thug me may be able to go on in an min stream of proems, founded upon those sacred "dimples of truth and Justice which ars inculcated by our sematon religion. (Loud and protrasted cheers.) Gentle men, I do am know that I have anything more which occurs to me at this moment which I should say to you. If I shield be selected by you as a fit person to become a candi date at this election, I will pledge myself to conduct it spin the strictest principles of purity. (Applause.) If ye. take any objection to me because it may have been said I have been connected with an election that was net wholly pure, you will remember at the same time that I went to that election an utterly inexperiensed man ; that I knew nothing of election matters—nothing of the manner la which they were conducted, or of the dangers which beset the.; sad that I new have the advantage of a bitter ex panellise, an expertenes which cost me a mat in parliament, end a molest whisk has been to me a humiliation, because It may have seemed to some persons to involve my diameter. (Hear, bear.) I shall also conduct this contest on perfect principles of fairness and of gentleman-like feel ing towards any person or persons who may be my oppo nents. (Applause.) If lam to fight still under the cir cumstances which I understand the town is in, I coniess it is not a battle I should have chosen to fight. I would rather fight a battle with a tory than with a man who calls himself a liberal, but still be the battle with whom it may, I am lure, on my part, and I may almost say onthe part of those by whom I shall be supported, that the battle will he conducted in all fairness and purity, and I hops also with good feeling. (Applause.) And now, gentlemen, but ass task wee remains fur me to do, that task is a peculi. arty pleasing and gratifying one to me—a task which, what ever may be your decision to-night, the mere fret of my having to de that which I am about to do, will ever be to me a real gratification. I have to thank you heartily for the kindness and attention with which you have listened tome. (Cheers.) Gentlemen, I have ever met with such kindness and attention from a Yorkshire audience. (Applause.) It has been a great pleasure to me to be enabled to have this op portunity of addressing you, and to meet with so much kindness and so much sympathy. I have, therefore, only most sincerely to thank you. (Loud and continued sheering.) After an invitation from the Chairman to any elector to pat que•tions to the noble lord, Mr. C.tittrit (an indomitable supporter of the opposite gamy) then came forward amid dismal and deafening s . When order was with difficulty restored, he said he t i bed to ask the noble lord whether he had any objec• tin to state the amount of the cost of the last Hull election ill Ws lordship ? Lord Chinziticit replied—My answer to the gentleman's question is this—That at the last Hull election I stood ha tradition, united and entire coalition, with another gentleman, who is ant here present, and tlmt as • man of bonier I canon answer the Ski geut,suirti has put to me, unless 1 have the leave of my colieague so to do. (Applause.) If the gen tleman will have the goodness to put his question to my col- Wive, I will leave that matter in his hands, and on getting THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING MARCH 31, 1853 his permission to answer the question, I shall be at liberty to state the...gigot the last Hull election. (Cheers.) Mr. C —I wish next to as—(loud laughter, and cries of "Axe him—axe him, Carter ")—oh, you all know lwhat "ax " mean s . W e ll, I w i s h neat to ask, " Are you ' aware that • considerable number of Hull electors, say from SOO to 1.000, were bribed by the candidates by money payments of 30s. each at the late eleethin there ?" (I%p -roar, and cries of "That comes well from you, Carter. ") Lord GODERICII—i am perfect!.' certain that they were not. (Loud cheers ; shouts of " Wkat do you think of that, Carter ?"—" Axe away," hisses and applause.) Mr. CARTER—My lord, there is a report that your lord ship has guaranteed 2,000 f. fur the legal expenses of the coming- election. Is that true or false / (Laughter and applause.) Lord GODIRICIL—My answer is, that I have done nothing of the sort—(applause)—and if the gentleman who asks the question will give me good security, I will pay into his hands all the money th a t I may expen d at the coming election. (Shouts of laughter and vehement cheering.) Mr. W. Dagwertm.o, solicitor—Are you for separation of church and state ? Lord 0013 0 611tCH—No. (Applause.) No other questions being proposed, Mr. WiIIGHT BITLLOY, in • short speech, indignantly repudiating the nomination of Mr. Caner, that money had ever been spoken of by the deputation or Lerd Goderich, proposed the following resolution :—" That in the opinion of this meeting Lord Goderich is a fit and proper person I. represent this borough in parliament, and in the event of his consenting to offer himself as a candidate, we under take to give him our earnest support." (Loud cheering.) Mr. Jamas HANSON, in seconding the resolution, met the objection that had been made to Lord Goderich that he was not a townsman, be saying that if two candidates of equal claims and equal talents for the otfice presented them selves, and one was a townsman and the other a stranger, I then he would at once prefer the townsman. But in the present instance this question did not arise ; for in the two candidates before the burgesses the one was in every way fully qualified, whilst the other was meet unfitted for the office; therefore it was absurd to say that they must take the wait man merely because he was • townsman. (Ap plate•e.) Mr. G. S. PHILLIPS begged to say a word at this point. In • communication which he had received from Lord Goderich, before he thought of being solicited to offer him- self for Huddersfield, his lordship distinctly stated that he would never stand for any borough where he was required to pay more than the absolute legal expenses. (Cheering.) The resolution was then put from the chair, and earned with only four dissentients, and followed by vehement plaudits. The CHAIRMAN, addressing Lord Goderich, said—l have to announce to your lordship, that this resolution has been carried anion with unanimity ; anal I beg to add that the men whom you see before you and around you are earnest, hard-working tun, upon whom you may rely in the event of a contest. I trust your lordship, from what you have seen of the spirit and temper of the meeting, may accept the invitation I have now the pleasure of presenting to you. (Cheering.) Lord Gougatelt again rose, amid applause, and said— Gentlemen, in rising to thank you for the resolution which you have passed tonight, and which has testified to me your all but unman:lona confidence that you will not find me an unfit person to aspire to the honour of representing you in the House of Commons, I confess I feel somewhat proud of the p osition in which you have so placed me, and it would be very unnatural in me—and certainly I am not at all inclined to do so—if I were to refloat to accede to the se guest that that resolution conveys to me. (Loud cheers.) I feel that, as you have accepted mc, I owe it to you that I should accept this resolution. Three times three cheers for his lordship followed this de claration, with which the proceedings terminated, at half put nine o'clock. THE BLACKBURN ELECTION AND RIOTS. The disgraceful proceedings at and subeeqnent to the Blackburn election deserve • thorough exposure, and the following additional scraps of information will no doubt be read with interest. It was evident on Monday that the revengeful feeling which led to the outbreak of Saturday evening, had not yet been fully gratified, and we find that on Tuesday morning, as Mr. Alexander of No. 31, John-street (whose windows had been smashed on Saturday night, as before described), was passing along the district called Brookhouse, in pursuit of his usual avocation, selling drapery goods, he was seized by two ruffians, who felt his pocket. , ,.held • brick over him in a threatening attitude, and swore, if he resisted, to take his life. They, however, allowed him to go without doing him any injury. To-day, Kr. James Johnston was pronounced out of danger, and Mese me entertained by his family and friends that he will son sicever. Mr. Oeo. Wrigley, whose house, in Wrigley street, Blackburn, was attacked on Saturday night by the mob and the windows hrokLn , had been mobbed also on the day of election. Mr. Wrigley is infirm, and usually 011. from home in a vehicle of his own. On Thursday he isik his house, with the intention of voting, but he had not onnneeded above • few yards, before his phaeton was Ilieffelk and an attempt made to pull the wheels off it. He was obliged to return home. A short time afterwards, two inaviduals and Mr. Wrigley left the house in a cab, but they were also obliged to wend their way back to the place whence they came, and there they were detained by an infuriated mob, till a picquet of soldiers relieved them, sad this allowed Mr. Wrigley to record his vote as he whised—for Mr. Fielden. During Monday evening and night, the 600 newly sworn special constables paraded moat of the streets in the distrbt above described and in other parts of the town, where riots were most likely to take place. The soldiers are rill in the town. The Manche:ler Guardian gives the following account of the weapons used by the ru ffi ans employed to intimidate voters, and which had been taken from them on Thurs day during the poll, and on Saturday night during the riots, by the police : " Our reporter, on Monday, had an opportunity of exa mining a unique collection of these weapons, at the Black burn police office, and he declares that he sever saw any assortment, not really implements of war, so certain to be of deadly effect, if used with any moderate degree of force, as this extraordinary collection. The first thing that struck him respecting them was, that they were mostly formed of pieces of metal obtained in cotton mills and factories ; the next, that • blow on the head, with even the lightest and least formidable of them, would be almost certain to frac ture the skull. One was a piece of polished iron rod, about inch diameter, and 18 inches long, which was picked up, after a riotous affray in the street on the NVednesday night. Another weapon was formed, by sur rounding one end of a hazel stick with a quantity of lead nearly an inch in thickness and three inches in length. A third was formed by fitting upon the end of a walking stick a large octangular iron nut, which was wedged fast with a small iron wedge. A fourth was an iron wheel or pinion, about two inches in diameter, securely mounted on the end of a shaped piece of wood, which might be the rail of a chair, but which had quite es aims • seemblmale to the picking peg of • loons. A Ma eauskted et • *see! lead, with a globular head (said to be a maim helmet) mounted upon a stick. A sixth was a regular Mel sad w " life preserver,"— which • learned judge OMB said swift rather to be es/led • life destroyer—which was takes Ma ems with lismtimin on Thursday shimmy bat stew the Wield &dwell= had been muds. Two we three other weapons wars, It sible, of a still sore hausidabls character. One of a heavy iron ant, fastened at one extremity of a buirelo leather strap, a slit being made at the other end of the strap, large enough to insert the hand, and secure the strap round the wrist. The flexibility of this weapon, and the ems with which it could be wielded, so as to inflict • seri ous wound with the heavy iron nut, while it Gould be readily concealed up the sleeve till used, rendsred it altogether a very dangerous weapon ; though perhaps scarcely so murderous as another of a similar owlet:action, mounted in the same way at the end of • elf buffalo leather strap, but which, besides a large iron auk bad an other piece of iron, of diamond form, or like wee of the double-pointed pick-hammers—even a moderate blew from either point of which, aided by the swing of the strap and the weight of the metal loading, would doubtless treetar• • skull. When it is borne in egad Ike% avast masa thus armed, in a large and popular' lowa Me repass dis trict including no fewer thin 90,000 seals la 111151), the whole available civil force of the place somidelod but of thirteen men with short wooden staves, it sums et but be felt that some measure is imperatively called fix which will provide for the inhabitants of large towns more substantial security than this miserable handful of peaos-adbme—this mere shadow of protection." Mr. WKie and Mr. Wrigley ars not the only puma who have been subjected to repeated attacks, but we men tioned on Wednesday several instances in whisk mesas, after having their house-fronts demolished, were waylaid and ill-used themeless. Others have been threatened, and unless the police are vigilant it is probable that some more startling atrocity than any yet committed will have to be recorded. EXPENSIVE CONVERSION.—We read in the Akhbar of Algiers In the reign of Braham-ben-Mamlouk, in 1819, a Jew became a llussulman, under the name of Abd- Allah. Some years after he married an Arab woman, who died without leaving him any children. He afterwards married another Muesnlman woman, by whom he has a daughter two years old. Every one thought this man sincerely converted to Islamism, when a few days back a rumour was current that he had again returned to the religion of Moses. This news turned out to be true, is the following strange ceremonies, we are informed, took place on hie reception. The Rabbis commenced by cut ting the nails of his hands and feet as close as possible to the flesh ; they then had his head shaved, only two locks of hair being left, one at each side of the head. He next was made to take a cold bath in a veneer' kept in the synagogue, and if he is really converted, he is to proceed there for six months at least, and take a similar bath every morning at break of day. During this bath some eggs were broken on his head, which was then carefully washed. On his leaving the bath a shirt was placed on him, and forty blows if a stick were administered to him on the back. He was then placed in a hole, and every one present threw a small stone at him. This opera tion being terminated, new clothes were given him, and the old ones were burned. lie was, in addition, ordered to fast for a certain length of time. Finally, he has been di rect: a to whit-welt his sho,i in the Rue Combos, and to perlunie it, and sa the int rc:,andise which it contains, with incense. During a period of steen days ht is to cat ashes, to purify his body. The Jews are tormenting him to make his daughter also change her religion, declaring that without that act nothing will hare been done." EQUALISATION OF THE POOR RATE. Yesterday evening a public meeting of the rate payers of the City of Loudon was held at the Sessions-house, Old Bailey," for the purpose of considering the propriety of adopting a petition to parliament in favour of repealing the existing laws of settlement ja.id removal, and for the more equitable distribution of the charge for the relief and maintenance of the poor." The chair was taken by Mr. Ald. SIDNEY, M.P., who was surrounded by the following common-councilmen :—Mr. Deputy Bedford, Mr. Deputy Holt, Mr. Whiteside, Mr. Pitcher, Mr. Abraham, Mr. Patten, Mr. Blake, Mr. Barber, Mr. Barnard, and Mr: Hawkins. The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, said the subject they were met to consider was not second in impel.- tanee to anyconneeted with the fiscal system of the country. The act of Elisabeth had had the effect of levying more money than any other ststute which had been passed, and there had been no essential alteration in the mode of taxation since 1601. At the time when the poor law was first enacted parishes were natural divisions for the purposes of eelief ; but in the present day it was clear that all parishes ought to be united. The greatest ineqmli. ties prevailed ; apd in London, for example, while some parishes were burdened immensely, others paid nothing at all. In the country generally the rates were in some cases 20s. in the pound, and in others not more than a farthing. (Hear.) The support of the poor was clearly a national affair; and there was nothing more injurious to society generally,and espeMally to labouring men, than the existing law of settlement. We were no longer burdened with surplus poor; and, whatever might have been the case formerly, there was no neces-ity now for shackling the liberty of the labourer. The petition which had been prepared shelved the operation of the poor laws in the City of London. Some persons thought that by equalising the poor rate the legis lature would do injustice to those who had become pos sessed of property in parishes where the rates were low. He maintained, however, that simple justice required that the tax should be adjusted rateably to the amount of property all over the euuntry. (Hear, hear.) The following exhibited the decrease which had taken place in several parishes in the City withia a very few years: In the parish of St. Christopher-le-Stocks, which was occu pied by the Bank of Ragland, the cost of the poor in 1838 was 2661., in 1850 it had diminished to 741. 10s. Ild. ; St. Margaret Fattens, 1838, 3121.; 1850, 1091. 14s. ed. : St. Martin Pouiroy, 163.1, 3221. ; 1850, 1721. 01. Ad.: St. Michael Bassishaw, 1838, 904 g.; 1850, 6181. 13.. ftd. ; St. Lawrence Jewry, 1834, 7751. ; 1830, 4531. 17s. 6d.: St. Michael, Crooked-lane, 1838, 7901. ; 1830, 6261. Its. 63. : Christchurch, Newgate street, 1839, 2,4991.; 1850, 2,0071. Bs. Ild. These were the wealthier parishes, in which the poor-rate had decreased. Simultaneously with this de crease there had occurred the following increase in the sub joined parishes :—St. Nicholas Olave, 1838,2181.; 1850, 5811. Is. tkl. St. Ann, Blackfriars, 1838, 1.7371. ; 1830. 2,7931. 15e. 93. St. Benet, Paul's-wharf, 1839, 4171.; 1859, 9261.35. 81. St. James, Garlick Hithe, 1834, 4461. ; 18.50, ' 1,0061. 103. 106. Holy Trinity, 184 4291. ; 1850, 8041. 6.. 9d. St. Mary Magdalen, Old Fish-street, 1838, 6061. ; MO, 8111. 16s. N. St. Gregory by St. Paul's, 1838, 8861. ; 1850, 1,5901. 4e. 6d. The result of the operation of the present system was, that the poor had' been swept out of the wealthier parishes ; and ether parishes had been proportionately burdened. (Hear, hear.) Many noblemen and gentlemen who were the sole proprietors of a parish had reduced the poor-rate to a nul lity ; and at the same time the rate in adjoining parishes had been doubled and trebled. Under such a state of things rich men were led to abide by themselves, and poor men were forced to starve by themselves. (Hear, hear.) He had for the last three years been co-operating with a large body of gentlemen on this question, and he was happy to state that much progress had already been male. The late Mr. Charles Buller was in favour of the proposed alteration, and one of his last acts was to introduce into parliament a measure founded on the proper principle. Mr. Barnes and Bir G. Nicholl had taken the same view ; and before the dissolution of Lord John Russell's ministry, the latter had prepared a measure of amendment. As regarded Lord Derby's government, Sir John Trollops stated to him (the chairman) that !if Lord Derby remained in power a measure would be introduced in eoaformity with the pre vious recommendations of the Poor Law Board. He could not say what counts would be pursued by the present go vernment ; bet, in 184.5, Sir J. Graham, when Home Secre tary, said be thought it would be an immense advan tage to the poor man, and no disadvantage to the rich, te reduce the present restrictions as regarded settlement; aad Sir James further advocated the reduction of the number of poor law districts from 14,600 to 620. At that period, in fact, a measure was passed enabling guardians, if unanimous, to utite several parishes; but if a single guardian, belo nging to a parish where the rate was only a farthing in the pound, objected, no anion could be formed. (Hear, hear.) He then In ferred to a destruction of cottages in the vicinity of Nor wich, described by Mr. Pete, to prevent the poor from obtaining a settlement ; and quoted an extract from a speech of Mr. Gladstone on Mr. Disraeli's motion in 1850, to the effect that the duty of maintaining thu poor was equally incumbent on all kinds of property. The present inequalities of the poor -rate were not confined to large towns. In the year 1850, the highest amount paid in Lon don was 6s. 5d., the lowest 7d. la the town of Banbury, which was in the midst of an agricultural population, the highest amount was 65., the lowest 24d. They had no wish to see any interference with local jurisdiction ; all that they asked the legislature to do was to make the area of taxation co extensive with the poor-law unions. However just • na tional rate might be, at present the country was not pre pared for such a change; and they should therefore confine themselves to the object which he had just stated. Mr. WHITESIDZ, poor-law guardian of St. Catherine Cree, moved the first resolution, to the effect that the exist ing laws of settlement and removal are unjust and oppres sive to the ratepayers and injurious to the poor. In the City of London, the poor-law expenses of the past year amounted to 43 , 0001., and of this amount one-third con sisted of common charges, three-fourths of which were paid by the poorer parishes. He then entered into a number of details with regard to the operation of the law of settle ment. Mr. PRITCHARD (High Bailiff of Southwark) seconded the resolution. One of the great objections to the present state of the law was that it stereotyped the poor in the place to which they originally belonged, and presented obstacles to their advancement in life. The evils of the system were universally acknowledged; and if any doubts existed with regard to the necessity of change, the facts stated, with regard to the removal of the poor from the wealthier parishes, should suffice to extinguish them. Great as the inequalities had been, they were daily increasing ; and a law which combined two such evils as the forcible removal of the poor and a gross inequality of burdens, could not be suffered to remain. (Hear, hear.) Mr. HINGE& supported the resolution. Mr. FINLAY thought that what the meeting advocated would have the effect of saddling the out districts of the metropolis with the charge of the poor, who ought to be, and who were at present, supported by the City of London. (" No, no.") The City wee now doing precisely what was said to have been done in rural districts ; ft was pulling down the houses of the poor, and very soon tkere would be none left. If, therefore, the law of settlement were abo lished, the City of London would NISI (" No, no.") Mr. C. COCHRANE moved an addition to the resolution, to the effect that the common nseemaries of life were at Went often refund. The rseadinent was seconded by Mr. Biwoaa, but was negatived ea a show of hands. resolution was then adopted. Mn, I ll ri .tra l itz moved a rumbation manning the injustice of the present system to the ratepayers of the poorer pa rishes after its condemnation by committees of both houses of parliament, the reports of the Poor-Lew authorities, the votes of the Court of Common Council, and many b oards of guardians throughout the country. He said the only opposition which they could anticipate was that of owners of property in low-rated parishes. Such peisons had taken their property subject to all the incidents of property; and what they saved by the present system was diverted from the fund for the relief of the poor. (Hear, hew.) Mr. HAWKINS seconded the resolution. He said he had that morning seen vast numbers of young persons coming to the City warehouses with work, upon which their em ployers might be presumed to obtain • considerable pro fit. Nearly all these persons resided in distant parishes, and in their old age or sickness they would have no legal claim on those who had benefited by their labours. The resolution was carried unantmously. On the motion of Mr. HowaLL, seconded by Mr. Classic, it was resolved that petitions should be presented in accordance with the foregoing resolutions, and that Lord John Russell should be requested to present that to the House of Commons. and the other City members to sup port the same. Mr. Deputy BIDTORD moved that a deputation should wait upon the Home Secretary . and the Poor-law Board for the purpose of urging them to introduce a bill for the more equitable distribution of the charges for the relief and maintenance of the poor. The motion was seconded by Mr. Hannan, and agreed to. On the motion of Mr. BARNARD, vice-chairman of the Local London Union, it was resolved that the petition and resolutions should be distributed at the discretion of the committee. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the pro ceedings. RESISTANCE TO TITRES IN ST. ANDREW'S, HOL DOM.—The Rev. Dr. Worthington, the incumbent of Trinity district, in the parish of St. Andrew, Holborn above-Bars, and the Rev. George Mansfield, the incumbent of St. Peter's district, having caused summonses to be' issued against several hundred parishioner, for non-pay ment of tithes, a meeting of inhabitants was held en Twee day evening at the Yorkshire Grey Tavern, King's-road, to ' consider the propriety of opposing such legal proceedings, Mr. John Lloyd in the chair. From the statements made it appeared that many of the persons summoned had not paid tithes, nor had they ever been demanded from them, for upwards of 20 years. In the year 1712 proceedings were commenced in the Court of Exchequer against the in habitants for tithes, and it was decided that tithes were due from 4S houses only, though they were now demanded, from a larger ;.ortion of the parish. A strong opinion was expressed that the demand was made without legal au thority, in the expectation that the claims would be coin• plied with, in orili.r to prevent litigation. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr. Low, " That in the event of proceed• lugs being taken against any of the parishioners, measures of resistance should be adopted." GEE 1T .NOItTIiERN litiLwAT.—Return of traffic for caeca M.tr,': 20. '661 parcel., car riage;, i, dog.. 11114 i utul*, Intretandise and minerals, 8,3741. 41. 6d. ; cattle, 1814 10s. 44. Total. 11,1s-il. Os. 54. Correspundiug week, 1852, 10,8671. 31. 101. IRELAND. DUBLIN, MARCH 30. The spring cattle show of the Royal Dublin So eiety---one of the important events of the year with us—was opened yesterday, and both in point of numbers, and in the quality of the animals in the principal classes, presented a decided superiority over last year's show, which, in its turn, greatly excelled the shows of the two o r th ree preceding years. The general feeling, indeed, is, that it is altogether the the best ever held in Dublin ; and the evidence which it thus affords of a degree of progress among our agriculturists equal to the advance made else. where, cannot fail to be observed with satisfaction. The list of exhibitors contains the names of several front England and Scotland, and embraces a large number of our resident nobility and gentry. The 1 lawn of the society, on which the show has hitherto been held, beiag at present occupied with the vast works of the Great Exhibi tion building, a new arrangement was necessary, and the southern or fine arts hall of the Exhibition building having been given by Mr. Dargan for the purpose, some of the principal classes of cattle were displayed under its spacious roof, whil e th e o th er animals were arranged in the agricultural yard and other parts of the premises. The Lord-Lieutenant, with the Countess of St. Germans and suite, visited the show about three o'clock, and remained for nearly two hours inspecting the various departments. In the evening the usual meeting of the Royal Dublin Society was held for the adjudication of prizes, his Excellency the Lord-Lieutenant, as presi dent of the society, taking the chair. Addressing the meeting on the occasion, Professor Harrison took occasion to say— It was right to mention that while that Eniety was thus labouring for the improvement of the agriculture of Ire land, that important interest was not wholly dependent upon it for sustentation. The It.,yal Agricultural Society of Ireland had similar objects to theirs, although no rivairy existed between them, and in like manner its cause was greatly served by the rapid diffusion of general education, and the teaching of the model schools and the agricultural schools established under the National Board of Eucation, together with the agricultural instructions, the last being an institution in which the Earl of Clarendon took the greatest interest, as indeed he slid in all others that were calculated to promote the industrial knowledge of the people of Ireland. His Excellency, in reply to the vote of thanks which concluded the proceedings, said : I have listened to the very eloquent speech of Dr. Harri son, in which he has most gracefully alluded to the exer tions of my noble predecessor, Lord Clarendon, to encou rage every industrial enterprise in this country. (Rear.) I rejoice that my task is a far easier one, because Ireland is no longer paralysed by the effects of the depression caused by the adverse circumstances of former times, and that there is now no longer any occasion to stimulate or arouse into action the energies and industry of the landed proprie tors and farmers of this country. They appear to me dis posed of themselves to make every effort in their power to advance its prosperity. I have likewise heard the very interesting and curious paper just read by Dr. Toler. 1 do not profess to be a judge of that subject; but I re joice that he has called the attention of the landed pro prietors and farmers to MA most important question, and 1 have no doubt that they will be able to throe, greater light upon the mode of dealing with the disasxs to which he has alluded. I do not think it neces eery to address any further remarks on this occasion. I can only say, that the climate and soil of Ireland appear to me peculiarly calculated to fit this country for a great breeding and feeding country, and it does seem to me to be of the utmost importance that the best blood and the best description of animals should be brought into this country. I have listened, as I have already stated, with very great satisfaction to the list of prizes, showing as it does, that some of them have been carried off by English breeders, and I rejoice in that as an indication of a disposition to frater nise and amalgamate with this country. I hope—l will not use the expression that the table may be soon turned—but that there may be a reciprocity, and that in the course of a few years the Irish agriculturists, breeders, and feeders, will send over to England and carry off some of the prises from the great cattle shows in that country. I am quite sure—judging from the excellent show that I this day witnessed—that many of the animals therein wou'd be qualified to compete on advantageous terms with the cattle exhibited at Smithfield, or at any other show in England. I hope the example set by Mr. Towoley and other English breeders will be followed by the Irish breeders and feeders, and that they will send over to the shows at the other side of the water, and bring back as dis tioguished prises from thence as have been carried off from this country by the English gentlemen. (Hear, hear.) L will, in conclusion, merely give expression to my hope that the efforts of the Royal Dublin Society—which I must ray could net be employed in any mere useful direction than the promotion of the agriculture of this country—will be seconded by the landed proprietors and agriculturists of ' Ireland, and that we may, for many years to come, see a continuance of shows such as wo have attended this day ; and that the breeds of those cattle will make the same match in advance as all the other branches of industry in this country, and 1 am happy to say are likely to make. Another consignment of goods for the Great In dustrial Exhibition arrived yesterday, and was de posited in the temporary store-room off the southern hall. These consisted of a quantity of raw iron sent by the Monkland Iron Steam Company of Glasgow ; retorts and articles manufactured from fire-clay by the Garnkirk Coal Company, Glasgow; threshing and winnowing machines from Mr. James Mason, of Navan; machinery from Mr. James Dawson, Lin lithgow; books, &c., from Mr. B. B. Flemming and Co., Leith; and specimens of English rhubarb from Messrs. Fustian and Usher, of Banbury, Oxfordshire. The committee have just received a communication from the Collector of Customs, Mr. Price Edwards, intimating that the Customs will permit all articles coming from France for the Exhibition to pass through Liverpool to Dublin without examination, thereby avoiding all risk of injury which might re sult from unpacaing, and the annoyance of vexatious surveillance to which they might otherwise have been subjected. A General Court Martial assembled at the Royal Barracks, Dublin, yesterday, for the trial of Second Captain William Conyngham Lynch Blosse, of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, who was arraigned, by order of the Master-General of the Ordnance, upon a charge for having made use of insubordinate, insulting, and indecent language, at the Royal Artil ' lery mess table, Portobello Barracks, Dublin, on the night of the 2d March, 1833, in the presence of his superior and other officers who had dined at the mess on that day. Lieutenant-Colonel Shuttleworth, ' Royal Artillery, from Woolwich, conducted the pro ' secution. The following officers composed the Court Martial :—President, Colonel the Hon. James Yorke Scarlett, sth Dragoon Guards; members, Lieut.- ' Colonel M'Pherson, C. 8., 17th Regiment; Lieut.- ' Colonel Sweeting, Royal Artillery ; Lieut.-Colonel Rawneley, Royal Artillery; Lieut.-Colonel Hodge,4th Dragoon Guards ; Major Stuart, 46th Regiment ; Major the Hon. IL A. G. Dalzell, 81st Regiment ; I Major Allan, 63rd Regiment ; Captains A. G. W. Hamilton, F. 1). Cleaveland, and 0. A. Maude,Royal ' Artillery ; Corbett, 32nd ; Fairtlough, 63rd ; Grove, 90th ; and Colthurst, 17th Regiment ; Major Mills, 32nd Regiment, officiating judge-advocate. The half-yearly meeting of the Dublin Alliance and Consumers' Gas Company was held yesterday, when a dividend at the rate of 7 per cent. per annum on the paid-up capital was adopted. GALWAY HARBOUR IMPROVEMENT BILL. Ballinasloe, Monday. A highly important meeting was held in the Court-house here on Satu rda y, to consider a resolution passed by the grand jury of the county of Galway at the late assizes, by which they agreed to tax the county in a rats of 2s. in the pound on Griffith's valuation, as a security for the payment of interest on • loan of 130,0001., to be borrowed for the construction of a pier and breakwater at Galway. The principal gentry of the noighboourhood were in attendance Lord CLANCAUTY presided, and opened the proceedings 'in along speech, wherein he dwelt on the injustice of placing a heavy rate on the occupiers of lead, who were un able to bear additional burdens, and who would derive no benefit frem the contemplated improvement of the harbour. Mr. Cowan, J. Stratford Eyre, Captain Gascoyne, Captain Bell, Mr. Pat Blake, and others, severally addressed the meeting, and passed a series of resolutions condemnatory of the project. A committee was also appointed to draw up a petition to both houses of parliament, praying the legislature not to sanction the imposition of any additional tax on the county of Galway. Mr. STEVENS, a member of the Galway Harbour Board, attended, and begged of the chairman to adjourn the meet ing until the ltev. Peter Daly could be in attendance. Mr. Stevens also strongly enforced the claims of the town of Galway upon the county, and advised the noble chairman to reconsider the matter, and not to persist in opposing a work calculated to confer so many advantages on the coun try at large. Lord CLANCARTY, however, would not accede to the request. Mr. Itodux, of the Galway Packet, also epoke in favour of taxation in aid of the harbour, and assured the meeting that one plumy would never be asked, as it was only nominal security that was wanted, to enable them to go with advantage into the money market. There was tint a large attendance of the farming class, but there was an imp teing arr of and Iran ltiw guardians. It is to he Immei.:e4l tat "bile every une fee!, the greatest anxiety m the inninvement of the harbour of Galway, in order that the packet station may eventually be established there, the inhabitants are really unable to pay for it. if Lord .3xucarly continues to oppose the taxation clause in the bill now before the legis lature, there is little 2robshility of any improvement being effected in the harbour. Mr. Dargan at one time offered to build the pier now talked of fur some 80,0001., provided he got a certain amount in hand, and got liberty to exact dues on the shipping until he was repaid. This proposal was not acceded to. WATERFORD AND TRAMORE RAILWAY.—The or dinary half-yearly general meeting of the shareholders of this undertaking was held in Dublin on Tuesday. The chair was taken by Sir James Drumbrain, the chairman of the company. The directors' repent stated that in the month of December last they entered into arrangements with Mr. Dargan for the execution of all the works, by which he agreed to purchase the land, and leave the entire line, including station-houses, sleepers, rails, dm, and in fact everything, complete and ready for the working of the line, for tine sum of 41,5001., the purchase of the neceseary rolling stock to he mad- by the company. The whole of the land required i 4 now in the possession of the company, and the capital stock of the company consists of 4,800 shares of 101. each, of which Mr. Dargan holds a large number. The remainder have all been disposed of. Mr. Dargan having consented to receive the bends of the V7M. pany for any balance that may be due to him upon the com pleti,n of his contract, it consequently follows that the amount required from the shareholder's will be mei, ly what may be necessary fur the payment of the ti..rlia mentary and other incidental expenses, as well as the pur chase of the rolling stock. The report was unardinouily adopted. THE TERRIBLE COLLIERY EXPLOSION AT WIGAN. In addition to the forty bodies recovered up to Saturday last from the Ince flail Colliery, near Wigan, one of the men recovered alive, named Robert Ainscough, who appearnl to be suffi.ring from asphyxia, has since died. end nine more budieb have been recovered from the wofdisgs, soaking the total ascertained nuniber of fifty death,. Irvin an examination of the appearance of the workings, we aid informed that Mr. James Darlinaton, the manager, has formed an opinion that the explosion originated neither at the furnace beneath the up-cast shalt, nor at the further portion of the No. 4, or north dis trict, about 1,400 )ords from the shaft, but at a point nearly midway between those two, or about SOO yards from the furnace, where it was tint thought the damp had been tired. From this he is led to conclude the ezphision must have keen caused by the carelessness of some of the collier,, in leaving open one of the air-doors immediately adjoining the seat of the explosion, so as to change the c. one of the ventilation, and allow the gas to accumul a t e ; ot h erw i se i t is believed that the immense ventilating power in the mine would have been sufficient to prevent such a disaster ori ginating at that point. This accumulation of gas was probably set on tire by its being rapidly drawn over the lamps, or by a naked lamp having been ex p ose d i n i ts v i c i n it y ; fur al though the lamps are kept locked, some of the colliers, with more dexterity than prudence, contrive to open them, with a view to obtain a better light. The damage done to the pit is by no means so great as was at first supposed ; three of the four districts are in a state which would admit the men to resume work almost immediately, but it is un li,,ely that the ordinary work will be re-commenced for several days. With the furnace put out, the natural ven tilation of the mine has proved to be sufficient to prevent any dangerous accumulation of gat, but still there are WM luted portions of the workings by no means free from it ; and it will probably be two or three days longer before the whole of the north dis trict can be explored, the stench arising from which leads to the suspicion that several bodies are still concealed by the earth which has fallen Irons the roof of the work ings. On Sunday Inst, twenty-one of the deceased were in terred in the burial-ground of the pariah church, and some four or five others were buried in the graveyards of the catholic chapels. An inquest was held on the body of Ainscough, on Monday, before Mr. Grimshaw, the borough coroner, and adjourned till Monday next, to wait the result of the inquiry before Mr. Driffield and his jury. A sick and burial fund exists among the Ince Hall Company's col liers, to which every man employed contributes 3d. weekly, and, notwithstanding the extraordinary and extensive de mand upon this fund which the late catastrophe has occa sioned, 31. will he paid from it towards the funeral of each individual who has tl.us lost his life, and the company have supplied the coffins gr.ttuitously. THE ORPHAN WORKING SCHOOL, HAVERSTOCK-11ILL. Yesterday the 95th anniversary festival of this charity was held at the Landan Tavern, and was very fully attended. The Loan DIATou. was in the chair. After the weal loyal and patriotic iciest', his lordship proposed " Prosperity to the Orphan Working School;" and, in the course of a very earnest address on behalf of the charity, took occasion to state that the charity was founded in May, 1755, for the support of 20 boys, to whom were soon added 20 girls. In 1773 a new school was opened in tho City-read for 70 children, and continued there until 1547, when the present building at Haverstock-hid was opened, and received 153 children, The present number of reci pients of the charity was 241, and 2.5 are to be elected next month, making a total of 260. lie also stated that children wero . eceived front all denominations, and from every part of the - United Kingdom. Children were now in the schools born in the South Seas, Jamaica, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and in nearly every part of the United Kingdom. It was never asked of what religious denomination were their parents, but simply were the children Or phans? Were they objects of compassion? Chil dren were received from 7 until 11 years of age. They remained until 14 or 1.5, and then, as far as was practicable, they were placed out as apprentices or servants, with suita ble outfits, to the boys of the value of 51., to the girls of the value of 31. co., and for the seven following years they were encouraged by rewards of from ss. to 215., if their employers certified their conduct to be satisfattory. The education was upon the plea of the British and Foreign School So ciety, with such improvements as were to he found in any or every other system. The elder girls took their rotation in the house and is the laundry to fit them for service. By the fundamental rule of the charity the children must attend a place of warship among protestant dissenters, but beyond that there was nothing in the school or the education by which you would understand anything of sectarianism. No catechism of any denomination wee allowed to be used in the schools. Tae committee took care to select pious and well qualified teachers. The Bible was their companion and their catechism, and the ruling was by love. It appeared that the receipts in the list year were 4,8111. 2s. 4d., and the expenditure 4,9911.145. 5d., leaving a deficiency of 1801. 12s. Id. His lordship stated that 1,0001. was wanted, and lie hoped it would be obtained on the present occasion. The receipts amounted to about 7001., and the earnest ness with which the claims of the charity were advocmed by the several speakers who proposed or responded to the different touts, was fully reciprocated by the company as sembled. ST. MARY, ISLINGTON. Yesterday the ratepayers of the parish of St. Mary, Islington, assembled at Islington Church, for the purpose of procee dingi to elect, by poll, those who had been nomi nated for the various parochial offices on the previous day. The Rev. DANIEL WILSON, the vicar, presided ; and Mr. John Layton, the vestry clerk, and some of the other officers, were elected without opposition. There was, however, a poll demanded for the election of a burial hoard ,to fill up vacancies in the trustees beard, for churchwardens and as sessors and auditors. The voting being by Sturges Bourne. Act, giving a plurality of votes in accordance with rental, the result of the poll cannot be known until its final close. Mr. HILL moved that the estimate for a poor rate be re ceived for the half year, amounting to 16,0311. 13s. id.; which having been seconded, Mr. Smarmaam moved an amendment that 13,0001. be granted, or equal to a 9d. rate for the half year. Mr. M. GVEDALLA seconded the amendment, and went into figures and statistics to show that such sum was amply sufficient. Mr. DANIEL llamas supported the amendment, and showed that in one quarter the efficient rental of the parish had increased front 376,3411. to 391,7921., on in fast a half penny rate. The VICAR declared the amendment carried on a show of hands, bat a poll was demanded by the church and trustee parfy. A lamp rate assessment of 3,3821. 10s. 81d. was carried. On an estimate for the highway account for the half-year to the amount of 9,7381., 13s. 3!d. being proposed by Mr. Harvey and seconded by Mr. Wagstaff, Mr. Mouse LEWIS moved, and Mr. Frura seconded an amendment that the assessment granted for a highway rate be but 6,9391. 4s. These gentlemen charged the trus tees with an extraordinary amount of jobbing and extrava gance, and in one instance in having charged an account twice over, and with issuing false statements to the vestry. The Turmas repudiated these statements, but de manded time in order to enable them to rebut the charges made against them, as they said they were unaware that they were to be preferred. The amendment in this case was declared to be carried, but a poll was also demanded. The Chapel of Ease and Churchwarden's hate was then carried, and after proceedings lasting the c utire day, the vestry terminated, and the poll will be finally concluded this evening. LONDON MECHANIC:3' INETITETE.—Last night a lecture was delivered at the London Mechanics' Institute, Southampton-buildings, by Mr. William Rushton, on " Plain English." Mr. Itushton divided his lecture into three parts. In the first he showed the importance of say ing what wo mean, and the mistakes that are liable to arise by departing from plain idiomatic Saxon terms, and em ploying words derived from the Latin and Greek languages. In the second:portion he gave a brief outline of the elements which constitute the English language, and illustrated by the scientific terminology appropriated to botany, the diffi culties which the unclaasical Englishman had to encounter before he could hope to under Land that or any other sci nee. These difficulties he thought were removable, and as the Germans and the Dutch, whose language was of the 1 1 i ' ts n,g ra ni ttu e e, same stock as the Anglo-Saxon, used compound words of home manufacture for their scientific terms, he thought the Ime ought to be done for the English. In the third part, : \ .u lr ze . Lc. i c t r c t .u p s t l i i i . l w to e t d ,, h; ry iw .i t , ;i l c ,a r r sl i c eti f t or of te l rl ii. ot h . 4:14 ix particular Inc ht. !Awe of advertisements, of which he quoted several amusing specimens. M r . Ru shton would clesrly have the Saxon element in the language to preponderate. The lecture was very well received. a i 1