The Express. — London, England, 1848-05-09 00:00:00

Ehe re . MAILS. The Malls kw British North atomics, and the Gaited Slates, Mlll be Maas IS the fermis( et **ISM May. timp Wag up Male, maim:MK Bermuda, Niteroi, llamas; Bytes', New Orleans, Vera Cruz, Tenspico, and Porto Rim, and bitdadian those for Madeira, Jame], Cartharens, violin Martha, chapes, Panama, Meet Oast of tiouth MierlCA, and St. maale- Niserassia. will be elate up on the =salad ot the I:th May. mails for Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Madeira, Cadiz, mal Gibraltar will be made up on the martins of the 17th May. The ostniand mails ice Gibraltar, Malta, Groom, the balsa Islands, Aden, Ceylon, 7alia, lions -ports, and China, eta Southaress. be made up on the momma of the 2oth May. *lite °missal closed made, no Marseilles, to the Media:madman, WS ie, Aden. (*Jim, India, lions-Katie, he., will be made up on the etilag of Me 2. Ile mails for ith New n y outh Wales, Vas Diemen's Lead, and New 'tabula will be made up on the *Teals, of the net May. The malls for the Wear l.`anist Mo ot Africa sad Madeira will be made wal ea thermals' of the ilst y. lise mails foe the Brazils, Ms Weer Plate, Bloats Video, Perms. !MON Bahia, Madeira, and Buena. Area, will 00 made up on the esteited h at the Srd June. NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS. The number of STAMPS issued by the authorities of the Stamp-office, during 11347, to the DAILY NEWS was 3,447,009 This, we believe, is within eight per cent of the number bawd to the Morning Her l'M, Morning Chronicle, and Morning Post, ALL PUT TOOETHMIL In addition to the above, issued to the DAILY NEWS, Morning Paper, there were issued for the horning Edition, THE EXPRESS 778,714 Which was more, we believe, than were Issued either to the Abbe or Standard, Evraino Pspera. 111014 VI AMR AT LAYI DON Mil DOZ. 1 . ..• 44-14..111.4. IS gob. pant g 4.• Ts —11•44148, 14 .lid 7g 45 W.I 7. LONDON, TUESDAY. MAY 9. Tue reform movement gains gradually in visible strength. It is in the manufacturing districts that it animatesmen 'peaks out boldly and urgently, and assumes more or less the semblance of organisation. In the rural districts men come into less close and fre quent contact—opinion is less uniform—and also, from the proximity and watchful superintendence ot power ful individuals, less prompt of utterance. Bat while the populations of Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, and numerous other towns in the great and busy region between Trent and Tyne expo as themselves ardently and unanimously, numerous expre.sious of sympathy and adhesion are audible from towns or from indivi duals as far south as Devonshire, and as far north as Aberdeen. In the House of Commons, too, the estimate of the number of members likely to go along with the movement increases ; it is now said to be not less than a hundred. Of still more consequence than the increase in the numbers of avowed supporters of the move - went is the growing distinctness and precision with which their plan of reform is declared. As expressed in private correspondeuce, as might have been anticipated, there were many shades of dif ference in the plans which met with individual accept ance. But the views which have found favour at public meetings have been uniform throughout, and the discordant voices have been lost in this louder sad firmer mound. Men have wisely kept silence about 1 1 their private speculations rather than give rise to unprofitable controversies; seeing that the general opinion pointed in the direction of a comprehensive and efficient measure, little niceties of adjustment and theoretical precision have not been insisted upon. The changes in the electoral system contemplated by the parties who have undertaken to re-unite the reformers of the enfranchised and the unenfranchised classes are :—Triennial parliaments ; household suf frage; electoral districts bases upon population; vote by ballot ; abolition of the property qualification at present required in members of parliament for Eng land and Ireland; and perhaps we might add, remu neratioa to representatives. With respect to the first four the expression of opinion is unanimous and decided. The fifth has only been adverted to at some meetings, but no dissentient voices have been raised against it. The last is rather diffidently hinted at than explicitly demanded. It is easy to account for some of these items being more peremptorily clai mdthan ot hers. Triennial parlia ments have been a cherished object with a large por tion of the community ever since the passing of the Septennial Act; household suffrage has long besa a familiar idea with the people of England. The utility and importance of secret voting had attracted com paratively little attention at the time the Reform Bill of 1831 was brought in ; it was at that time a car dinal point with none but the limited. though intelli gent and active, class of reformers, of whose opinions the Westminster Itertem was the exponent ; but the experience of every election that has since taken place has added largely to the adherents of the principle. To ensure 'terreey in the voting of eleetors the ballot is not sufficient; the constituencies most be numerous. And this consideration, more thar any abstract idea of proportioning representation ex actly to population, has made the notion of equal and pretty extensive electoral districts find favour in the eyes of the public. On these four points the public mind is made up. By dwelling upon these objects even those who at first recoiled from them as innova tions of too bold a character have become familiarised with and reconciled to them. Nor is it probable that much serious opposition will be encountered among the ranks of reform to the proposal to dispense with the property qualification of members of parliament. \Vint is wanted—at all events, what there is any chance of obtaining—is not a constitution of strict logical consequence, but a constitu tion that will ensure good government. The men who ask for reform are nu bookish theorists, but citizens who, having felt the pressure of listless and selfish administrators, seek the means of obtaining administrators who will find it their interest to work mainly with an eye to the public good. A House of Commons properly constitute d is an apt instrument to obtain this end. The House of Commons as at present constituted has been approved an unfit instrument to obtain this end. In demonstrating its unfitness too exclusive attention is apt to be paid to the corrupt practices which prevail at elections. That they are dangerous and demoralising is certain ; but r here are defects in the constitution of the existing House of Commons which would render it unavailing as the means of obtaining good government even though b; ibery, in toxication, and fraudulent devices at elections were not had recourse to. Owing to the very limited electoral body of the empire, and still more to the unequal distribution of the constituencies and apportionment of representatives to them, the )louse of COl/1131311b is de facto a repre sentation of the governing, not of the governed, body. There is in this country a monopoly of office in the class composed of the titled aristeeracy, the large landowners, arid the accessions to their number which are constantly being made from those of the mercan tile, clerical, legal, naval, and military profes-ions whom ability or good luck have raised to wealth and distinction; and the peculiar distribu tion of our far from numerous electoral body into constituencies, enables this governing class, sometimes by bribery and intimidation, but sometimes also by more venial means of influence to ensure at all general elections the return of a working majority of is own members to the Howe! of Commons. It is against this abuse that reformers have now risen. up ; and the value or worthlessness of any proposed plan of reform depends upon its efficiency to destroy this abase. The first question then which those who approve of the theory of universal suffrage ought to ask them selves, at present is, whether household suffrage is likely to give thins a House of Commons that will represent the governed instead of merely representing the governing body? Referring to the census of Isl4l, we find that there were in that year in Great Britain and Ireland, exclusive of the Channel blends, 6,752,113 males of 20 years of age and upwards, and 4,775,630 inhabited houses. Some deduction must be made from the number of inhabited houses for those that are owned or tenanted by females, but in return, some deduction must also be made from the number of adult males for those who are under 21 years of age, which public feeling appears to recognise as the epoch ref political majority. Allow ance must also be made for houses that contain more than one independent tanage. These considerations leave little doubt that the household qualification would give us an electoral body comprising two-thirds of the whole male population of 21 years of age and upwards. This electoral body would be composed of all classes in pretty nearly the same proportions as they beat to each ether in the total pop!dae Lion of the country. And the seeresy of voting, ensured by the ballot and electoral districts at adequate extent, would render the opinion of this electoral body n feir cerement of the opinions ;eel wishes of the g,.:•,e rat ! midi.- It e‘ ebvi- :t of 1843; sag offtreci. Mau s it would be ha. re in ma ulomb a. or Falkirk (Leaj tne subject, had ion of the lbw* memitre destroy bill would theft 'remittent would 3wltt to the new ,thority. Ae t of in proton sad aid h o ippoiate4 oug fug/ling of to. every town kith, .oinent for hat to 10,000 pietest/ r Lynn (Lori 0, )00. ("Vast.) t patronage, la ba lir. ctly, by rho s rerreseettattrtra a, that a maims found in all s o opt atligams u m& of the thhabill.h. al 'ward to see eta not eupened e lk e a pr..per memure, into committee on real, otherwise they they did lot yest. government elides. views of the ebjec. hut a measure ple of centralisation qii,te obnoxious to Br thought they t the h olds of the &flair.. He would, e,-, but only with, ' her ter Bath and, Atc , •ter.) In eo ns _ te: the local boards is,on. (Hear.) .rnteent were giving u we neeemary to prieont bill to be • d last year, and he to committee if the sir suggestion of the taht the government olis in the bi 9, be. thy in the metmpolis t• of the country, ut ...itch a measure. meet would give so mot: al board of old suspend his judg hill would entirely re.pret it would be ,cti Ike government se the whole of the place It we powers ia central board. That mug local officers to fit. (Divide.) He (;Lorne h) would sot unit. r tar bill to the side.) He hoped foe tat such extraordinary mold not be accepted fusion and cries of Ail eons. ituents all boar'l Was calculated reli vi,vr he entirely 'topic Iv, re favourable here w. re paru et it Geared for a division, amendment; where .n the affil. I b, inn proposed, lesion of L,ndoc flan tropolis contained gas inutact +ries generatlag sitary r. , gulations meet the hinadom. (Hear, the college garden to In Westminster School the scholars had beta :cr wus slso affected— sings was going on., rich/ IroM the ay which he wait: soble lord to produce s ion ; or, at all erects,* city for santtary regale. was the fact, without totion on the part of the .nstit urn' s, that the iste imusediately attended other town in the king. indon was to be excluded oorporat.on, there Mtn I which sight put Ma the word 4 which went to rom the till be omitted. Ina that the exclusion of of the bill (Bear, belt) at there were a hundr ed slis, it would not be won- Tessary to exclude it Ems d the excicsion of Ireland bat the sanitary condition etter adrancsd oy separate them in one cut and WI WWI whether this measure Plat, dor not. If it nu a polis was co reason for do images inn tided. l so , n be elle to undertake congratulated himself with assist L.: the hon. member to the bill in toto. Hs job, concocted for the pat o( the lion and hungry Isl - 11 ,wever, if t$ ide the cities of London gni to of his main objections $ 4 already given his reasou I am dalglited to oppose onglq &,jret.N.ll to the sults , ts; but further, the bill wes odious and un-Ene.ish pria. weaned. st the noble lord had ass , of London as a reason for (Mr. Nesrdetzatel wished to tc ts would this bill place at .bat there was an inseams over the c ry. It was tits in a lump that constituted • -- every town in England wei nciple of the bill. ma t Ile b city of York, where th e We en resol v ed on. He did not liab corporate bodies should ;ity of London. What the, that the corporation had as nage. (Hear, hear.) Heald a reason for giving the in, but not for centralisatios. . this count ry was that taloa* :ogether, end he and alanntsg ctsd to giviog powers toZ e hoped the hogs lord w which placid the towns mode iard of London, and he WO i would th.nr.elvea, if the .em, do all that was required ted that ii:ne•tentha of theta powers to bodies which ths It was ,rue that one pas t cblis m. nt of a central Wu' lit it far better that the atter hi be diricrcd to the geie' r the g rnroe,,s, or that of du Falkirk, ahou!d be preferred` question of c,iitr.slismion ,* porh d thi. Lill. The hon. o ne' netted that tie corporate)* of had not the power neemlFl cement ;if to in what Po o° , had no po,strs under local* Ir. Hume and Mr. Branant* he words 71- 169 oresented a petition, s i g ned We and a large number 0f1.2r tsinst the hill, and he elsiMen the same exception g0t5001.2.. London. lie would mina 1 0 . thst the hon. gentlensana SAM f ;he for his part f Lincoln. If the house's!! them set to work and stost.! uld trod the j9b dirty le Mt tY e r.) fie waroily vindrodea nte d it for i no Le; he had repre se oboug .t stifiragesut lte inhalant,' full a right to be le ft to Aron r of London or the city of WO lord was iutimi.isted into ettO his so crude and mischievous se, as • miserable, sneaking. og a pack of poverty-strickenly; had no resource but the pea ° had a perfect knovaedge of d 4 say of all its population, ~ iy that he knerr no place wir golfed a more thorough Cleac° drew his amer..drwent. •etd to. rt. d pre r.. „„a Obtained 1C at • patter to ono o'clock. THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 9, 1848. Use Cl conduct which has been visited by earth noiver- I sal and unsparing censure. It is, however, no breach of thin rale tostate briefly the reason why we attribute great importance to this owe, and consider it more momentous than an ordi nary parish squabble about shutting a pathway : A deep conviction has been forced on parties acquainted with the Scottish Highlands that some proprietors have of late had reciurse to a rs•her unscrupulous device for augmenting the rentals of their properties. The clearings made in that region during the lest halt century G. accommodate sheep, were attended, in too many cases, with circumstances sufficiently pain could deny that the landlords were ful, but no one ee. acting upon their right in point of law. It is, how ever, different with the measures now being taken to confer a new element of value on barren acres and miles of mnunt.in, by converting them into secluded hunting grounds fur the great aristocracy of the empire who are ready to give princely some for the use of any part of the surface of this busy island that can be kept as wild and inacceesible as the distant solitudes of North America. To accommodate the deer and their lordly stalkers it has been deemed necessary not only to depopulate whole straths and glens, but to keep them sacred from the tread even of passing tra vellers. The character of the country enables a very few large propsittore desirous of exercising this power to cut off all intercourse between extensive dis tricts, to prevent the mountaineers having access to their nearest neighbours or to the only church within their reach, and to confine the naturalist and the artist to the dusty turnpike. The glens are the oily poses by which communication can be kept up in the mountain country. The Highlanders hue been accustomed to use them to this end from immemorial time, sometimes without adhering to any direct line of pathway, sometimes forming by con tinued use a rude but distinctly traced road. It has been questioned if, even where there is no beaten track, the proprietors have any customary (they assuredly have uo statutory) law of trespass by which they can put down the old usages of the country. And where there are distinct beaten roads, as there are in many of the glens, it is confidently maintained that the public have the law on their side. So strong is the conviction on this head, that even well-informed and wary lawyers have been heard to express an opinion that nothing could have encouraged the proprietors to undertake the stopping of theee roads, but their confidence that the poor people in their neighbourhood would not dare to prosecute them. Be that as it may, the three sturdy champions of unimpeded locomotion front Edinburgh, I'erth, and Aberdeen, having challenged the great chief of Blair Atholl to maintain his right in a gentle passage of arms in the court of session, we are likely soon to know whether, as Sampson says in " Romeo and Juliet," "the law is on our side" or not. ITALY. NAPLES.—The intelligence from the capital, which is to the 30th ult., may be gathered from the following letter of our corres,Jondent NAPLES, APRIL 30. A cause of discontent here is that the troops which should have marched through Rome have been ordered to take another course—the Pope desires not their visit ; and again, that the firer, which was said up to the last moment to have left for Ancona or Venice, has been ordered to land troops at Pescara, a Neapolitan port, and there wait further orders. It is asserted that Lord Napier has presented a note to the government, in which they are informed that no armed force will be permitted I. enter the Adriatic, that is, I presume, beyond the territorial limits of Naples. As regards the elections for the province of Naples. abso lute majorities have not been secured except in the case of tines individuals. Of the remainder, many are connected with the ministry—as Sci.loje, Conforti, Ghent, and Ferrati. Saliceti, the violent political leader, stands low on the list. It will now be necessary, according to the law, to obtain absolute majorities—how, except by se-election, I cannot explain. Within the last two days some important decrees have been issued, one "to 'upend the prohibition of the expor tation of corn ;" but this advantage will in some measure be counterbalanced by the increased rate of marine insurance (at least for the present), which is raised from 3 to 5 per cent. The offisial journal of the '29th ult. has a decree to this giro, that in consequence of so very few of the candidates in the electoral colleges having obtained the absolute majo rity required by the 10th article of the electoral law, and the consequent necessity of proceeding to a new scrutiny, and in consequence of too necessary loss of time ineur:ed thereby, the opening of the legislative chamber is deferred until May 15. The same journal declares as false a report spread through the city that ministers were about to resign. The same journal says, with respect to the departure of the troops and fleet, these are to disembark in Ancona ; in ease the papal government should °poem it, they will lend at Pescara and Giulia Nova, continuing their way thence by land to Bologna, as have done other battalions. In the meantime, a cabinet messenger was rent on Thursday night to remove the difficulties regarding the disembarkation at Ancona. As regards the departure of the Beet, I am told that it is known that a note has been presented from Eng land, protesting against intervention, or at least recom mending the contrary line of conduct, and hinting at some future line of policy by which Charles Albert would with draw from Lombardy, and the Austrians also, England and France combining to enforce such policy. As to lording at' Ancona, and sending a cabinet message ta the Pope, his &- termination to remain neutral is known, and has been known some time. The people thus feel themselves deceived. Lest night there was another demonstration before the palace, and the:Largo di S. Francisco, di Paoli, and of S. Fer dinando were filled with troops till near midnight. Cries of " Treason," " Down with the press, ►nd up with the re public," were beard everywhere. As regards Sicily, letters are in town this rooming which report the citadel of Messina to be well provided with cannon and ammunition, and the townspeople to be deficient in the latter, so as to be obliged to husband their resources. Un toss provided with money from some quarter or other, the S , cilians must fall The report is, that so far from there be ing union, different flags are hoisted in different parts of the country, and the King's party gain ground. A letter from Stettin of the 2nd of May says : " A very serious attempt was made by the populace yes terday evening to create an 'made and pillage the houses ; but the firmness and activity of the civic geard averted the calamity. The agitators set up loud cries in the streets, and could not be dispersed without the soldiers using their bayonets." FRANKFORT.—The Frankfort committee of fifty have voted a resolution, urging the Germanic Confe deration to keep the promises made to the Poles, and declaring that the Poles shall be allowed still to pass through Germany on their return to their native land. The Germanic Diet has referred to a special committee the motion of Prussia, that the Germanic Confederation in general shall seize Danish vebsels as a reprisal for the Prussian ships captured or detained by Denmark. AUSTRIA.—From Prague, under date May 2, we learn that on the Ist public tranquillity was very seriously disturbed. The tumults were directed chiefly against the Jews' quarter, which was barricaded against the national guards. Several persons were wounded, and 30 taken into custody. The strictest investigations had beast set on foot, and all assem blages of the populace were strictly forbidden. or, Alm, dot household suffrage would be a real' '. put for the le ; and this leads us to the next question wHOL the universal suffrageists ought to ask theamelves—what chance have they of getting universal suffrage? Ten years have the unenfrauchised climes been earnestly agitating apart for universal suffrage, and at this moment they have less prospect of obtain ing it than when they began. The enfranchised middle cleave are anxious to coalesce with them to obtain household suffrage, and the experience of the Reform Hill era, and of the catholic emancipaloo, and Anti-oorn-Law agitations, ought to teach them that what the unprivileged capitalist and operative classes set their hearts upon in this country, cannot be long refused. Turning from the recusants of the unenfraochised classes who are reluctant to relinquish the idea of universal suffrage to those of the enfranchised classes who recoil from the novel idea of paid members of parliament, we would remind the latter that all public servants except members of parliament are paid. Judges and sheriff's officers, generals and private sol diers, ministers of state and of the gospel —all take their salaries. Not a burgess or country gentleman is delegated to watch over the progress of a railway bill, paving and lighting bill, or turnpike bill, but pockets without shame or reluctance his allowance of so much perdiem. Why then should to, mbersof parlia ment alone be refused a fair remuneration fur the time and trouble they bestow on public business ? So long as members of parliament receive nothing but trouble and empty honour for their pains, :so bong will the choice of Individuals be limited to the wealthy or to unscrupulous political adventurers—so long, in short, will the House of Commons continue to be compered mainly, as now, of the governing class. The wider latitude of choice which the practice of compensating members of the legislature for th. it services would open is quite as necessary for the purpose of making the House of Commons a true organ of public opinion as the extension of the right of suffrage. Members of parliament have no legal allowance at present, and the consequence is that too many of them help them selves, when opportunities occur, most unscrupulously and exorbitantly. WE believe it is in KNICKERBOCKERS " History of New York" that the trial is recorded in which the judge nonsuits the plaintiff, sets the defendant f,ee, and condemns the clerk of the court to pay the costs. The process respecting the diplomatic correspondence with Spain has terminated in a similar way. Lord PALMERSTON is nonsaited, SOTOMAYOR is allowed to go scot free, and poor Mr. BULWER, the clerk of the court, is condemned to pay all the penalty. Mr. BULWER will, no doubt, feel very much aston ished to find I imself bound and immolated, and that not only by ministers but by parliament. Th e thorough liberals of parliament, with whom we sym pathise. me for non-intervention in all respects; and they, of course, condemn the writing of the note, and the sending of it. But for the gentlemen who sup ported the Portuguese intervention, and who made it a set clause of a convention that the CA !MAUI and the CABRAL party should be driven from office—for them to have such a puritanic horror of a recommendation to the Queen of SPAIN to temper the absolutism of NARVAE7. by the constitutionalism of ESPARTERO, is ludicrously squeamish. Mr. Bei.whe is bidden to go to the QUEEN-MOTHER andthe minister, and recommend to them to enlarge the basis of the executive government by calling to the QUEEN'S counsel some persons possessing the confi dence of the liberal party. lie does as he is bid. In a little time, in consequence of an hneute in the streets, the government arrests and condemns to trans portation, without trial or process, all the leading liberals, taking care more especially to mark out every one known to have put his foot within the British embassy. Mr. BULWER expostulttes, and to show that he does so in accordance with his government, he sends the last note received from his government, of which he has already made known the contents. Such we learn from sources at Madrid, quite inde pendent of the British embassy, was the posi tion of Mr. BULWER. Was it fair, then, to make so complete a sacrifice of that diplomatist, to throw him over as a victim to Lord STANLEY'S spleen, and Lord BROUGHAM'S bear like play, without Mr. BULWER having a chance of explanation and reply') It is the misfortune of diplo matic agents that when they succeed, the minister robs them of all the honour of their success, whilst it the minister's directions get them into a scrape they are sacrificed to keep him unscathed. Such is the law of Downing-street. But this is really too plating a case. Lord PALMERSTON with his own hands primes a petard, and forwards it to Mr. BehwEit for use. The dangerous and combustible missile explodes, and the whole blame is transferred from the manu facturer to the consignee. If this were merely unfair to Mr. BULWER it would be a cause of regret ; but, more than this, it affords a triumph to a known enemy of England, to one of the most noted and illiberal intriguers of that Mmn cesado and military party who have confiscated the liberties of Spain. Throughout the whole range of history no foreign minister has dared to offer such an insult to England or its representative as this fellow has done. And for his daring he is not only adopted and caressed by Lord STANLEY—it is but natural for one piece of personified petulance to respect and support another—but the Brit'sh govern ment accepts the blow, confesses that it was rightly dealt, sacrifices the zealous lionwEa, pleading for Spanish liberty, to the jackal of a military despot, treading the last spark of that liberty out with his military boot. 'This is being as preposterously humble as the note was ridiculously rash. Amongst Lord P ALM ERSTON'S good qualities is to be reckoned that of being a firm and unflinching friend to those who zealously act up to and sup port his policy. Lord PALMERETON'S courage, in this respect, has covered a multitude of sins. On the present occasion his lordship seems to have lost this manly quality. lie should have demanded an ad journment of all debate until Mr. BULWER could have given his explanation; and the "correspondence" should not have been presented to parliameat without this explanation, being the only document that could throw light upon the circumstances. Wrong as Lord PALMERSTON may have been in writing the note of the 7th, better have written ten such notes than put Britannia on her knees to receive a box on the ear from the Hidalgo SOTOMAYOL. TILE revolution which ejected Louts Pititaree excited somewhat of a sensation in Europe ; but it may fairly be doubted whether that sensation equalled the one which thrilled through Blair Atholl at the close of last week. Our readers have no doubt a lively recollection of the attempts made by his grace of Atholl to close the old road through Glen Tilt. At least, it is not the fault of the press if they have not ; for Tait and Blackwood, the Edinburgh Review and the Qaarlerly, with the newspapers of all shades of opinion, have opened cross-batteries on the duke for his conduct in that matter—he being at thi, moment the only person in the realm in condemnation of whom the press of all panic s has been unani mous. Out of these attempts has arisen the movement which has created such an excitement within the Highland line. Legal moccedings have been com menced against the Duke for his attempts to stop the road, and on Friday or Saturday last, due intimation was made to him of the fact at his ducal residence, by one of there emissaries of the law, dignified in Scotland by the designation of " messengers at arms." - As will easily be imagined, the action has been commenced by none of the poor people who are deni zens of the 1 )uke's dominions. The " summons," as the initiatory step is termed in Scotland, purports to be in the name of three individuals, one residing in Aberdeen, one in Perth, and one in Edinburgh. No person living nearer to his grace, or unsupported by the sympathy of a band of brother burgesses, could have had the hardihood to beard him thus. Such a perilous adven ture as that of the messenger at arms has not been essayed since MACKAY preceded him in forcing the pass of Killicrankie and debouching on the Blair. Lucky will it be for the liege servant of our lady the QuKEN if he have not found some new incarnation of " bonnie Dundee" in arms to receive him. It is a sound rule—front which we have no inten tion to depart in the present instance—that, however much the public may be interested in a question, as soon as it is brought under judicial investigation, the press should abide the decision in silence, and abstain from statements or observations having a tendency to bias the tribunal before which it is dependent, until the proceedings terminate. The Court of Session and a jury will now have to decide whe'her the Duke of Am i has the ht‘t• of the 1 'rti to bear out in the GERMANY. STATE OF POSE IL O N.—THE BATTLE AT MSLAW. PRUSSIA.—Our correspondent writes from Co- logne: COLOGNE, MAY 6. The state of Posen is calculated to excite much anxiety. ben. Von Willisen ix recalled or he has resigned ; and I find y the Cologne Gazette of this night, that Gen. Von Pfuel, previously to his departure for St. Petersburg, in order to " negotiate the Polish question," will tarry for a short time in Posen, " for the parpose of carrying on again the pacifi cation or reorganisation business, which was Interrupted by the departure of Gen. Von Willisen." The accounts from Posen are still of the most melancholy nature ; and there appestat, moreover, no prospect of improvement. The ac e Junta which I firwarded yesterday respecting the sanguinary defeat of the Prussians near Miloslaw, are fully confirmed by the official report of the commanding officer. The contest lasted five hours, at the expiration of which all the Prussian troops (to quote the report) were entirely exhausted (rtufa lii;ehste eesehily t). In killed and missing the Prusaiann lost 275 men, inducing three officers and three stub-officers. Their wounded amounted to 41, including 11 officers. Another contest took place on the tad inst., near Kurnik, between several hundred Poles and a Prussian escort that wcro conveying 500 Polish pri soners to Posen. Several fell on both sides. It is stated that Mieroslawski has been killed, and that the Prussians had resolved to make 'another attack on hliloslaw on the 3rd inst., and to take it by storm. On the 2nd inst. 120 of the Peseu landwehr were surrounded by a great number of Polish acytt i vmen near R ws kow, and obliged to surrender their arms. The swords of the two officers were broken in pieces, and one of them, a brother of a member of the Ger man committee, was detained a prisoner. It is asserted that after the victory at Miloslaw the Poles proceeded to Neustadt, from which they drove out Col. Von Brandt's column. The Ger man Roman catholic c'ergymen of the duchy of Posen have issued a circular, urging their parishioners to oppose the in corporation of any part of the duchy with the Germanic confederation, and to remain true to their Polish brethren. The Archbishop of Posen has also openly espoused the cause of the Piles. Perhaps one of the worst features in the line of policy adopted by the Prussian government is the order given to drive back again across the frontiers those armed Poles who flee from Russian Poland into Posen, under the impression that Pru:sia is favouring their nationality. On their return to Russian Poland they are arrested, either as deserters or as tebels. According to the FrankfOrt Oberpostruntt Zeitung there are many Russian spies and aghent bitters in West Prussia,exist haring for mission the keeping up a ge animosity ing between the German and Polish races. There appears to be some truth in the statement of several journals, that a number of Poles have urged the Emperor of Russia to form a Sclavonic kingdom, and place all Poland under his pro tection. It appears by the Cologne Gazette that all the Russian ambassadors at German courts or free cities are about to return home. Trevor and Mannheim are quiet. According to the Vossisehe Zeituny of Berlin the Prussian government have ordered s great number of I troops to be sent to the Prusso-Rassian frontiers, in consequence of a declaration on the part of Russia which (to quote the above journal) is rot unlike a funnel declaration of war. 'Russian troops are con centrated at Mitau, and a Russian division has ad vanced within four miles of Memel. AU communi cations with Ru•=ia, except postal ones, aro inter- DENMARK AND THE DUCHIES. Our accounts from Hamburg are to the evening of the sth. General Wrangel had occupied the fortress of Fredericia in Jutland on the 2nd. This fact is made known in an official report sent by the general to the provisional government at Rendsburg. The report further states that the Danes had abandoned Kold ing, and that Fredericia had opened its gates to a detachment of the Prussian vanguard commanded by G. neral Bonin. All the Danish troops had been shipped to Fuhnen, carrying with them their ammu nition, &c. The German colours were floating on the afternoon of the 3rd on the &dint, and so long as these colours waved, no toll would be leried upon vessels passing through the lesser• Belt. Despatches from General Halkett up to the 2nd inst. state his position to be Nribel, but he would move on the 3rd to Ulderup. The Danish vessels of war were cruising between the island and the mainland, and firing on the German troops, but without doing them injury, says the report. On the 2nd a Swedish general had arrived at Co penhagen, with a mission from the Swedish govern ment, which seems, says the /I;rsenhalle, to be much in favour of Denmark. A thousand men were to leave Copenhagen, to reinforce the Danes on the Island of Ffilinen. The representatives of foreign powers bad been officially informed that " the blockade of Stettin, Stralsund, Rostock, and Wismar, would commence from the 2nd of May; that of Pillau and Dantzic, from the 3rd of May ; and that of the mouths of the E.be from the 10th. The kloc•kade will not be enforced against neutral packet-boats affected to the transport of the mails. The :port of Kiel would be blockaded from the ith of May. The Landgrave William of Hesse, and Prince Frederick have forwerded a letter to the nines Elec tor in which they state that they are about to leave I I) limark and the Danish service. It will be remem bered that their presence in that kingdom during the t hostilities with Germany gave considerable offence to the confederation in general, notwithstanding the r acknowledged claims of one of the above Princes to the throne of Denmark. HOLLAND.—CRINA TitADE.—The Stoat.: Cou rant of Amsterdam, publishes a statement of the trade under the Dutch flag with China, which, it may be mounted, com prises the trade direct with Holland, which must be of little importance, and the intercourse of greater activity betwixt Java and other Dutch colonies in the Indian seas with China. For 1847, the shipping engaged in the trade num. beredtwenty vessels of the aggregate measurement of 3,497 tons. The value of the imp iris into China for alit year, are stated at 1,270,409 hard dollars, and of exports from 740,171 dollars. A table of navigation, imports and experts, is given for each year from 1825 to 1847 inclusive, save the year 1842, of which no official returns exist It will be sub ficient to note that in 1825, with seven vessels only, the im portson Dutch account itto China, amounted to 1,140,050 dollars, and the exports front China to 1,001,710. Until IR44,there was a very great decrease, both of imports and exports, but in th►t year imports ascended to 1,160,744 dollar., exports to 1,025,744. In 1845 and 1846, they both fell off to some extent, but again recovered in 1847, as be• fore mown. COLONIAL. NEW SOUTH WALES.—We have received ad vices from this colony to the 9th of January. The topics which were at that time engrossing public attention were — a devpitch from Earl Grey to Governor Fitzroy, dated July 31, 1547, recommendince a change in the constitution of the legislature, or announcing that such a change was in con templation; and the new land regulations. The outline of the new constitution propounded by Earl Grey appears to have met with pretty general condemns tion. A preliminary meeting was held at Sydney on the 6th of January, at which a committee was appointed to prepere resolutions declaratory of public opinion on the subject, to he submitted to another public meeting on an early day. On the 6th the committee met, agreed on a series of resolutions, and decided that the meeting to take them into consideration should be held in the City Theatre on Monday, Jan. 19. , The substance of the resolutions is as follows : 1. That the inhabitants of New South Wales regard with alarm and diumay the propoeed change in the constitution ot the colony, as set forth in the despatch of Pad Grey to Sir Charles Fitzroy, dated the 31st July, 1847.-2. That the alleged grounds of the propos. d in novatesu are an inadequate cause for so serious a change.-3. Th it such a change is a privation of the people's right to elect their own ripreeentative.-1 right which they claim as inalienable from British aubjects.-4. That the colonists of New :South Wales, having elected t h ,, e v i e r a re pri i ;ee t n ta ta e n:es in thatpect, te pletreb,letive tous ;.:070U.noc:Ichf.ar tbe nge inlast4tiv.eLetn: lion of the colony, every inform lion on the subject should be gio n to them, and their opinions deliberately eonsidered.-3. That peti tions embodying the above resolutions be prepared, and resented to the Queen said both Houses of Parliament, that Lord Brougham be toque ted to present the petition to the Lords, and the lion. Francis teat that for the Commons. Respecting the new land regulations, there is an able and temperate article in the Sydney Morning Herald of the sth of January. The writer does all justice to the liberal spirit in which the regulations are conceived, and points ont can didly the benefits they confer en the squatters. But he points out at the same time that the right conferred on the stockholders in their runs and stations being merely per sonal—unsusciptible of being mortgaged, given, lent, or sold—will materially obstruct the development of the re sources of the country ; will prevent permanent improve. menu'; and will !tinder the permanent settlement of families. In short, this mode of tenure is cal lculated to keep the stockholders poor, and prevent the formation of those family ties indispensable to a sound moral tone in society. This is but too true, and is the nccea eery consequence of any mode of dispoeirg of tne waste lands by which an entire and indefeasible property in the soil is not conveyed to the grantee. The state of the relations between the mother country and the colony continues to be, in consequence of these mistakes of the home government in disposing of waste lands, and in tampering with constitutions, anything but satisfactory and miming for the future. LECTURING IN AMERICA.—In all the large towns of Massachusetts, men and women have associated together, established lyceums, and secured to themselves courses of lectures every winter. This movement shows the want of something more than schools, colleges, end churches have hitherto afforded. The effect of these lyceums with their lectures is excellent in many ways, intellectual, moral, and social. But as yet little is accomplished by them in compari son with what may easily be done. No system is pursued by such institutions; lectures come pell-mell after one another, without order. There is no sufficient body of men well trained for the business of popular lecturing. Brilliant and showy men serve for an hour's amusement, hut fail of ac complishing the great work which waits to be demo. It seems to us that the lyceums of seveml towns might combit.e toeetker, and have regular and systematic courses of lectures delivered in each by the same person. In this manner men of ability and suitable education might easily be well paid for the labour of preparing valuable lectures, and the people receive the advantage of instruction from the best minds in the land. The bu.iness of a popular lecturer might soon be come as important as that of a judge ; his social rank as high and his salary still more. In this manner some of the best talent of the state might be applied to its most annul priate work—the education of the people.—Massachusetts Quarterly &view to March. QUANTITY Oti BEER EXPORTED.—The total num ber of barrels of beer exported in PM was 116,621 ; in 1844, 171,927; in 1144.3, 1&5,152; in 1816, 137,270; and in 1847, 132,357. The quantity of quasai* imported within the same period was as follows : In 1843, 3,42 a cwt.; in 1844, 2 qrs. 4 lbs.; in 1845, 19 cwt.; in 1846, 99 cert.; and In 1847, 163 cwt. INCOME-TAX RETURNS SOLD AS WASTE PAPER. — A weekly contemporary states, that a few data since, W. Ca'eutt, a butcher residing at Kisg'scrose, purctussed a quantity of waste paper, sad upon making an exami nation of it he dicovered that nearly the whole of the inoemc-tax papers which had been returned by the inhabit ants of St Mary's, Islington, and St. Luke were among the purchase. As soon as Mr. Calcutt discovered this distraceful violation of duty on the part of those whose care should be to keep inviolably secret the private affairs of taxpayers to the income-tax, he put aside the documents, whic he still retains in his possession . It has been suggested tha h t a tom rrittce should be forthwith formed to rep:esent the matter to the government, and demand • smirching inquiry into the whole of the circumstances, with the view of punishing the uilty parties who have so betrayed a public trust and in ainged the statute. It should also be stated that in addition to the filled-it notice papers are the , OMST.lssiontr; s,4ss merits and not,. of appeal. bt Court. The Queen held a Court and Privy Councii, yester day afternoon, at Buckingham Palace. At the court, Baron de Cetto, Envoy-Extraordinary and Minister Plenipoten tiary, from hi. Matesty the King of Bavaria, had an audience of her Majesty, and presented his new credentia , s. His ex cellency was introduced by Viscount Palmerston, G.C.B. her Majesty's principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and conducted by the Hon. Sir B Cust,K.C.H., her Kehosty's Master of the Ceremonies.—The chenffs of Lou den mad Middlesex, Messrs. Cubitt and Hill, accompanied by du City Remembrancer, had an audience of the Queen, le learn her Majesty's pleasure relative to the reception of as address from the Court of Aldermen and Common Coun cil The Queen was graciously pleased to appoint Friday next, at halt-past three, nor the reception of the address. A deputation from the Court of Li e utenancy, consisting of Mr. Bentley and Mr. Sheriff Cubitt, attended by Mr. Henlzy Smith, had an audience of the Queen, to know her Majesty's commands respecting the pre-entation of an address from the Court of Lieutenancy of the City of London. The Privy Council was attended by Prince Albert, the Lord President, the First Lord of the Treasury, the Secretaries of State for the Home, Foreign, and Colonial Departments, the Lord Steward, the Lord Chamberlain, and the Master of the Horse. The Queen in Council was pleased to declare the Right Hon. the Earl Granville Vice-Preridentiof the Com mittee of Council, appointed for consideration of all matters relating to trade and foreign plantations. The noble Earl hud the honour to kiss hands on his appointment. Mr. C. Greville was the Cle k of the Council in Waiting. Her Majesty gave audiences to the Marquis of L uisdowne and Lord John Russell. The Court was attended by Lord Byron, Lord in Waiting, the Treasurer of the Household, the Vice-Chamberlain, and Mr. R. Ormsby Gore, Groom in Waiting. Prince Albert went yesterday morning to the re hearsal of the Concert of Ancient Music. Prince Alfred, the Princess Alice, and the Princess Helena, accompanied by the Dowager Lady Lyttelton, took an airing yesterday in an open carriage and tour. The royal dinner party at Buckingham Palace yes terday evening included the Duchess of Kent, the Count of Syracuse, Prince Castelcicala, Lady Augusta Bruce, Baroness de Speth, Earl Fortescue, _Viscount and Viscountess Pal merston, Viscount and Viscountess Hardinge, Viscount Clifden, and M. Colons (in waiting on the Count of Syracuse). The Queen Dowager and the Duke Bernhard and Duchess lda of Saxe Weimar, took a drive in the parks yes terday, in an open carriage and four. The Duchess of Kent went yesterday morning to her residence, Frogmore-bouse, Windsor, and returned to town in the afternoon. Prince Frederick of Hesse left the residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, at Kew, yesterday, for the The Mayor of Manchester and Mr. Brotherton had an interview with Sir G. Grey yesterday, at the Monte-office The Archbishop of Canterbury, accompanied by the Earl of Harrowby, the Bishop of Oxford, and Mr. W. Page Wood had an interview with the Lord President of the Council yesterday. Sir Edw. Buxton bad an interview with the Right Hon. H. Labonchere yesterday, at the office of the Board of Trade. Lord Monteagle and a deputation had an interview with Lord J. Russell yesterday, at his official residence, in Downing-street. Lord Ashley and a .leputation had also an interview yesterday with the noble lord. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England held a committee meeting yesterday. A deputation from the Buckinghamshire Railway Company had an int.rvi,w with the Commissioners or Railways yesterday, at their office in the Board of Trade. The Archbishopof Canterbury and Lord Yarborough had interviews yesterday with Sir 0. Grey. Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial office tram the Governors of the Cape of Good Hope, the Mauritius, and New Zealand. Despatches were sent off last evening from the Colonial-office for the Governor of BRITISH AND FOREIGN SCHOOL SOCIETY. Yesterday the usual anneal meeting was held in Exeter Hall. The platform was occupied by a large number of distinguished gentlemen. Viscount MOUPETEL presided, and in opening the proceed ings expressed the gratification which he felt at being per mitted to preside on that OCCltsioll. When he had been connected officially with the government of Ireland he had given his strong and hearty support to the system of national education established there ; and at the present time, as a member of the church of England, he gave his support to a large number of schools more immediately connected with our national establishment. He considered that every day's experience tended to convince them that it was not feasible to introduce by legislative means such a universal scheme of education as was required by the country ; but he thought that the system of the British and Foreign School Society wee admirably adapted to meet many of the most pressing of those requirements. It was far from him to re vive any of those topics which had, by the dissensions to which they bad given rise, occupied the public mind for the last few years, concerning the pr priety of the pecuniary auistanse of the state in aid of the voluntary efforts of the public in promoting the educa tion of the poor. But finding himself, as he did, a member of the Committee of the Privy Council on Education, and also presiding in that chair—not, however, that he wished to appear there in any other light than that of a private friend and promoter of their cause—he thought he might take that opportunity of disabusing the public mind from a mis taken impression which he thought had been somewhat industriously instilled into it, that it had ever been the intention ot government to mould the education ot the country, to give it a special bent devised by itself, to fo-m as it wet. a groove in which it was hoped that it should run, and to bring the whole rising youth of the people into subordination to one uniform course of instruc tion, one predominant cast of feeling or thought, or any state-patented or stereotyped form of principle or improve ment. Such, it was said, had been the tendency of the system established in Prussia. It it was so the state-arti ficers of it had no reason to be pleased with its results, because recent events bad shown that the public mind would not run in any such grooves as the rules had desired. But what he wished to say in behalf of the inten tion and wish of the government with which he was con nected was, in the first place, that assistance was only given to those who ask it ; and next, that it was always given in strictsubordination to the purposes of those who applied fur it, and with lull recognition of their entire independence. It was not intended to control but to co-operate—it was not wished that it should supersene but that it should enable ; and with respect to any particular intlu. ..nce which the government of the day might wish to exercise, or any predominant character which they might endeavour to impart, he could only say that the wish of the government was that the teachers whom that or any other institution might send forth among the unprovided population should be persons upon whom some reliance might be placed ; that they would act under the guidance of common sense, and with the appliances of competent institutions; and that the teaching to be given and the principles to be i • parted should be in conformity with the principles and the teaching of the Holy Seri:7- tures. Even on this last head the government had been so anxious to guard against the most jealous susceptibilities that the nature of the instruction given, if desired, would not be made the subject of inquiry by the inspectors; al though they would take care that the aid of the state was not given to men who set religion at nought and the Bible at defiance. His lordship then proceeded to recommend parti cularly the attention of the institution to the education of the very lowest, and whom he called the dangerous classes of society, in order that they might prevent the growth of that vice which it was afterwards so difficult to cure ; and con. eluded by observing, that shauld they not be successful they would at least have the satisfaction of knowing that they had not ben wanting in their duty, but had done their utmost to make their fellow - countrymen instructed, happy, and religious. (Cheers) The SECRETARY read the report of the committee for the past year. It was a document of considerable length, and entered into a description of the operation' of the society in various parts of the country, describing its benefits in the prevention of crime, and the establishment in many districts of a better system of instruction. It was stated, that at a meeting of the society held on the let of June list the question of whether or not government aid should be re ceived was left to the consideration of a committee. The decision had been in the affirmative, and some divisions had been clusedin the society in consequence, but without any results seriously detrimental to the interests of the sojety. The model schools in the various districts were all full. The numbers admitted during the year had been—boys, 825; girls, 420. The normal schools wi re also progreteing. About 142 candidate• had to en admitted, and 84 appointed to school-, making in both departments 335 students and about 200 appointments. 95 new schools had been established in 90 localities. It had been intended to establish four new normal schools; but the efforts towards that end had net been sun. seta A suitable site had been obtained for ens of these schools near Bri-tol, but the others remained in abeyance. Mr. S. Gt'RNaT, the treasurer, then read the balance sheet, from which it appeared, that the subtriptions for the Tear had amounted to 8891. Is. 6d.; the donations to 4641. 9s. 6d. ; the proceeds tram the auxiliary societies to 1,0561. Is. Id.; from the council on education, 7601., ma king with several ether items, a total on the credit side or 11,8984. 7s. 6d. The Hon. and Rev. Baptist NOEL moved the first resolu tion, which ezprewed the approbation of the meeting at the report. He was seconded by the Rev. Dr. BP.NNETT, and further appeals were subsequently node on behalf ot the insti tution and the cause of education by Mr. Baines, M.P., the Rev. Mr. Carlson, the Bishop of Manchester. the Bishop of Norwich, the Rev. J. Aldis, the Rev. Dr. Beaumont, and, toady,by Vraccunt Ebringteo, who occupied the chair during the latter portion of the proceedings. The resolutions adopted were :—the one in promotion of the proposed new normal schools ; sad the other conveying the thanked the meeting to the Duk e of Bedford and Vise. Morpeth. - • -• TUE ROBBERY OF 8,.......n00l . BY THE MANAGER OF TnE BiLANCII B/INIC at Brigg has already been mentioned in this paper. A reward of 1001. hu been offered for his apprehen sion. Be is described as " Thomas Silvester, the manager or agent of the branch of the Lincoln and Lindsey Banking Company at Brigg," and is said to have absconded with a considerable amount of the property of his employers in sove reigns, Bank of England notes, notes of the Lincoln and Lindsey Banking Company payable in L indon, and setts of other local haaks. tiareater 1. , aged Oyut 40. GENERAL COMMITTEE OP ELECTIONS.—The fol lowing members were yesterday selected to try the merits of the Longford petition :—L rd EL Sentinels, Memel. R. O. Blaney, W. H. P. Cars+, E. Headlam, Bouverie. The last-named chairman. PRAYER BOOK AND HOMILY SOClETY.—Yeeterdeir the supporters of this society held their 36th annual meet ing, at Exeter Hall, the Marquis of Cholmondeley in the chair. Prom the report read, it appeared that during the past year the society's agents bad visited 3.097 merchant ships between London an t Gravesend, and distnbated amongst the crews no fewer than 2,856 prayer books, be sides a large number of homilies in Englisn and foreign lan guage.. The convict establishments had also been visited, and tbroueh the instrumentality of the society many of the convicts had been Aught to read. Th, y wi re then pre sented with prayer books, which they took wi'h them to the penal settlements. An interesting feature in the operations of the pa.t year was the circumstance that 31 emigrant ships izt leaving Enind had been supplied with religious books. The distribution in this quarter had been 390 prayer books and Sunday services, 1,307 homilies, 2, .Z 6 family prayers, 1160 collects and catechisms, and nearly 10,000 tracts. The operations of the society • Ireland, the British colonies, and the continent c Europe, were equally satisfactory, though not so apparent. The receipts of the society amounted to 2,2521., b. ing less than the expenditure by 1461., and in addition to 'he balance agaiast the society, there were outstanding debts to the amount of 2321.—The Rey. Mr. Thetwell moved the adop tion of the report, and also a vote of thanks to the Archbishop of Canterbury fur accepting the office of president of the society.—This and several other resolutions hiving been carried unanimously, and thanks voted to the noble lord the chair, the meeting separated. CRARTIsT ASSEMBLY.—At the meeting of this body, yesterday, the following resolutions were agreed to : That a committee should be appointed to draw up an address all sections of reformers, to ask them what their iiitentiuns really were with respect to as extension of the suffrage, and other reforms embraced in the charter. That a deputation oultl be dipointed to wait upon Mr. goitrous °Towner to request him to bring boone the legislature at the earliest possible moment a hill embodying the prin ciples of the peeple'e charter. It was proposed that meetings should be held throughout the country, at which petitions should be azreed to and signed by the chairman on behalf of the meeting, and pre sented to the House of Commons by the members of parlie ment for the different localities. Upon this resolution the previous question was moved, and carried by a large majority,. the assembly thus resolving not to petition parlia ment again. The following plan of organisation for t movement was presented from a committee appointed , draw it up Nome : National Chat tilt Association of Gre..t Britain and Ireland. --Object : To obtain the enactment of the people's charten—Diwislon of country: To consist of eistriets, localities, wards, and sections. Fitch distnct to be divided into localities, each localitY into wards, am' each ward into sections. Lash ward to soneist of 100 members, aw each section el membera—Conciitimi of membership : Actitaieming in the °Nests, and bong enrolled the books, of the /a...elation.— Officers: A general executive of five members, to be elected by the assembly, arid ten comniEsioners to be similarly eleetci. District and local otticero to be elected by the localities. General financial recreants to be appointed by the executive. A treasurer to be simi larly appointed. —iodates of officers : Executive, 21. & sweet ; second claw tire and 2s. 6d. a day when travelling. Executive to superin tend the movement when the aseembly adjourn., and tube empowered to call the assembly together when it shill won to them fit.—Fund General fund 10,0661., and local funds to be raised-4)oin : A metro- politan office to be taken for the executive. The original proposition of the organisation commitfile, that the subscriptions to the chartist fund should be volun tary, and that there should be no stated amount of subscrip tion, was carried by a large majority. A notice of motion was given for advising the people among other things not to support any political movement which did not folly embrace the people's charter ; not to pay any tuxes, poor rates, or tithes; not to rent a house of any but a chartist, nor' deal with any but a chartist tradesman ; to a b stain from t use of exciseable articles; to convert their paper aecurit into geld; and to supply themselves with arms, in order' they might exercise their constitutional rights, and for maintenance of peace, law, and order. A long discussion ensued as to the mode of electing the general executive r' five persons as recommended above, but no mint had arrived at when the assembly adjourned. ORDNANCE SURVEY OP THE METROPOLIS.—Yi terday a detachment of the Royal Sappers and Miners we employed at the summit of St. Paul's Cathedral, erecting temporary observatory immediately beneath thb ball and cross, for the purposes of the ordnance survey of the metro polis. The dexterity with which the men pursued their operations at that dizzy height, their only support the stein. Lecture] ornaments of the building, excited great curiosity. COLLISION AND LOSS OF LIFE AT SEA.—A fat collision was reported yesterday at Lloyd's. which occurred the night of the 27th of last month, in tat 4650, lung. 23. 7 Cove, which sailed a few weeks since from Gravesend Quebec, was beating during a strong gee, when, about o'clock, a large vessel was descried t• the westward r' An attempt mu made to steer clear, so upon her. • allow the unknown vessel to peas, but unhappily there not time to accomplish it, for almost the next moment vessels bounded on to each other with prodigious force. Cove loot both the main and Mzen masts; her stern also carried away. The vessel that ran into the Cove the pactet-ship West Point, Capt. Allen, from New Y. bound for Liverpool. The damage she sustained was ye considerable. Her jib-boom, cutwster, and beadstal were carried away, sad her bows stove in. The Co had two passengers end sixteen officers and seamen board, four of whom (the chief officer and three seamen, were missing after the collision ; it was supposed they w , either crushed. to death between the fragments of the - or were thrown overboard by the communion and droi After several hours' anxious suspense, the West Point up to the dismantled wreck and took off the remaiodi the crew and passengers. The wreck was then ationdo and the West Point proceeded on to Liverpool, where arrived on Sunday last. According to the log of the " Point, it appears, the moment she saw the Cove, they hivd a light on the forecastle, which those on board Cove could not have seen, for they suddenly veered • course running directly across the West Point's bow. heavy yea running at the time, the crew and masengers wet taken off prevented anything being sari d from the wreck. It is eupposed she foundered in the course of the day. cies of insurances to upwards of 20,0001. are said to been effected on the untortuuate vessel and her cargo. SUICIDE OF A MERCHANT.—An inquest was last night by Mr. HiErgs, the coroner for the duchy of i caster, at the King's Head, Acre-lane, Clapham, to imp into the death of Mr. Samuel Biackaller Venuing, aged It appeard by the evidence that the deceased was - chant in the City, and had a residence in Atkins-road, ham New Park. On Saturday morning, about eight Wm,— the cook, hearing her mistress scream, went to the deceased' dressing-room, and found him sitting on the floor, with loaded pistol in his lett-hand, cocked, and one that had be discharged, lying in a pool of blood by his side. He peered to breathe but twice, and then expired. There a large wound over the right temple and under the left Dr. Ord, of Brixton hill, attended, but c.ould fender sistuice. The decesud had of late been in a very deapoat. state, owing to the loss of his son, and exhibited signs monomania. Mrs. Venning had left him only a few min , before. Verdict, " Temporary inssnity." THE REFORM MOVEMEN MEETING AT HERTFORD , On Monday a meeting was held at Hertford, pursuance of a requisition to the mayor, to take iot sideration the "grievances" of the middle and lower The meeting was held in one of the spacious Aseize and a few minutes after the hour announced for' he the court and the galleries were crowded. A roneiderebl number of the leading inhabitants, and a very large y tion of the shopkeepers and the respectable part working etagere, attended.—The Mayor having been e to the chair, read the requisition which he had received, , in consequence of which he bad convened the meeting. Mr. T. Chambers, barrister, who was a candidate for ' rep.mentation of Hertford at the last general election, r came f award to move the first resolution, whir , : to the effect, "that the fundamental principl , British constitution being that the people thrill lee I f.irly represented in parliament, this meeting exi deliberate conviction that the House of Commons, tent constituted, does not meet that important re quires_ Mr. Chamners proceeded to give a history of the progress constitutional liberty in England, and combated argument of some that this was not . the ft time to seek fur further constitutional' changt The English constitution euabled us to suit it 'to the - an d requirements of each succeeding age, and thr iog the peril connected with the demolition or an the construction of • new form of government. great change had ever been made in England w pressure Iron without. The removal of every ateuse—th, growth of the democratic element in the congitutioe which we owed every reform worth having) had ev strictly resisted, and had never yielded but to that some spirit of grumbling, which had got us the Rights, the Reform Bill, Catholic Emancipation, other concesaion to popular and individual liberty. that the time had now arrived for the extens., the suffrage, he had much pleasure in moving resolution. Mr. B. Young, brewsr, secorded resolution, which was carried unanimously.-1 editor Crawley moved the second resolution: That OP, meeting cordially approves of the movement . menced for placing the parliamentiry savage oil a more equal baris, for reducing the .„..siblic expenditure, aril drain's\ amount and equalising the prersure of taxation. (Cheers.) In the course of some lengthened remarks, Crawley enforced the necessity of extending the soilage, read some items from the pension list, to show the pees of making reductions in the national expenditure. Hocks, in seconding tke etsolution, remarked on equalities of the stamp duty, which taxed the poor r much heavier manner than the rich; and on the maintaining the probate aed legacy duties, while ter of real property was effected at a merely nominal —The re soiution was carried by acclaraation.—Mr. for Hancock, J.P. ' moved, and Mr. Councillor G seconded • motion for the adoption of npetition to th of Common, which expressed an opinion " that tie burdens of the country were unnecessarily heavy, measures should be taken for their reduction, ant revision and equalisation of taxation ;" " that satisfaction preveile, not only amongst those exch the franchise, but amongst a large port ion of body, at the present state of the representation the petitioners " have beard with great tatiaaction notice of motion has been given in year liononrable ' for inquiry into this important subject, and your n , "' earnestly pray your honourable house to grant at w ithout delay. your petition was adopted, having been voted to the mayor, the proceedings " This Meeting," says • correspondent, wr lar rest and most unatum , us ever Lela foe a ph; in Hartford." rol- • I of 0. tie I, 111; tar the the ant rted be- lan- tad, the pre- , the :1013a 1 hips ; eke. aver and .y in t of rent. lag SUBS the atop- shop the been rd in this o: re to • really forme ud to e the .. • prin- ;ll out and pre- *Hits- n the large 'arils- ✓ the ed to rebind. Piristun Ulm*. and re, sad Inning tine.— by the Utriet uncial e dint. mond- merle- Emend Fund 1111fir0" volun- ryscrip- notion Rot to nlrrace tee, or nor to DM the :rarities er that for the mission lave of td been —Yes- es were cting a all and metro- d their arelti • osier. I fatal lived on I 13. The I. end for bout 12 • close I to as to eye was tent the ce. The 11 1 'CM was ore was w York, eu very eadstays cc Cove men on seamen) AAA ley were is wreck Irowned. tint bore tinder of intoned, here she he West ley exhi- rd of the ed their bow. A ;era were le wreck. y. Puli- I to hay vas held • of Lan- e inquire aged 47. u a =ser- ail, clap- a o'clock, Iterated's ir, with a bad been He ap- There was e left ear. der no am- esponding ed signs of w minutes :ENT. rtford, in into eon- 'er classes. Ise Courts; he meeting oneiderable ▪ propor- iart of the been called 'twirled, and meeting.— ate for the ection, then which was pie of the oe fully and expresses its la, as at pre: quirement: S nr7.;l' iia ort the• the fitting chant; c s. to the wants I thus avoid- an old and it. Slit', no l without a alsue--the t•tituticia (to led ever been D that whole- the Bill of en, and every ty. Believing extension of moving the eooaded the —far. Caen- son lately nom- more jmt and chmlniftsang the ?smacks, Mr. se antrum and r the passibility enditnre.—Mr. Led on the in. r poor man in a the iniquity of bil c r o e thh lic a o °in o n a l l e cc i : t ut i'xv Le av y , s h c i c ltbranaa; no m inal i me Gdgiu ee ti e 7e r e exclu d e d ' i e o f l drhil e Pto e ut ii eoati f rom n t g" ota a t e w ei Council.that t Li d I your petitioners ant such inquiry led, and thanks dings terminated. " was one of the pulit'e.l purpAe