The Express. — London, England, 1852-01-27 00:00:00

Or Court. WINDSOR, Me Queen and Prince Albert walked in the slopes this asorning. Htitti ~jb. l'rune of Wales, the Princess Royal, and younger of the Royal Family, took their Ismael puny aad •slkossi rrone Albert. attended by Colonel F. 11. Seymour and c . ,: lion. (*harks (.4.1, went to town at two o'clock today M a .p. train of the Smith. Western Railway. • rh ,. N e b... of Sutherland and Lmly Constance Lerma Wijet.lieotfid lion. Lieorge Cathcart, hare left {het:Ali today. rroscr Albert preside.' yesterday afternoon at a meet the of the SarillU• roomettee of the Royal Commis earmers ha the Exhibition of the Works of Industry of AU Nat i, ur t o pill. Ili. lloyrl 'lightens, attended by Colonel Vhisoui Hugh Seymour, arrived at the Prthee at Westrath stet at three o'clock is the aftensuon. The other members ir , t th e .ireinisiter Witham were the Right Bea. Usury Lahoothere, Sir M Cubitt. Sr ('hrrlrs L. It rstlake, Su Chubs Ly.dl, and Mr. Cobden, Mr. Edgar Bow hag ,sinistary). attended. The meeting broke up at ate ▪ when l'rince .klbert, attended h' his Equerry in • 14.4. fur Wisilsor l anti,. E Bowatt. M. l'.. had an interview a ith Sir George lint 'reentry at the Thine-ether, on the subject of the H.iropulit.os Water Supply and linainage Bill. yl iitif Itemirrill the &100. IiCONC Cathcart, Governor of th e Cape of 41;4.4 Rope. arrived in town yesterday morning from Windsor Conks. The tieneral had an inter s sew with Lai fin in the &Renown at the Coluu t al.ant ee . k deputation consisting of Mr. Walker. Mr. Knot, and plarectonl. and Mr. W. O. 'toy (solicitor), to the ',hr....bury and Birmingham Railway Company ; and Mr steaart iseractar)), Mr. tarter (solicitor). Mr. lad s:gm. Capt. 'hush, sad Mr. Morgan, ripe tenting the Lea den and North Western Railway l'unapruy, bad an inter- Is. %IF with the Richt lion. H. Labot te her e y e ,t ge g. t y at the railway department of the Board of trade. Mr. It f.n.rlin4 (solicitor), Bowden, and Mr. W. B. Deakin iturN, transacted business' at the railway sle• pottornt of the Board of Trade yesterday. Sir Aletan.ler Snearriun had an interview with the Chan tell or of the Escliequer yesterday at his official mittens.. in Bowninirstreet- The Marquis of Linsulawne (Lord President). arrived in town yesterday evening (rum his seat, Dowuuel-park, Wilt shire. Despatches were rec.:they' ytbsterilay at the ColonisiLutike both the Governor of Canada. Lord and Lady Juba Ilion-II had a dinner party on &aut. dr. at their re.iliCa..l: in Ch.shant-place. The company included the Prussian thiuisti r and Mritinte Bunsen, the Marquis d'Arerliu. Sanlinirn minister ; the Earl and Count...of Mint.., the Right lbw. Fua Mauls., Mr. Pa nirri, Mr. Charles Dickens, Mr. D. St ymrsa, and Mr. James Hudson. The King of l'ruo.ia liar conferred the order of ~lrrit upon rro(e..or Itichard ()wen, u( the 11,.1:11 College et Surgeon•, London, in eon•ideration of the eminent ser• ;Ave rrudereel by mat gentlem.in to natural ocienee. lir the death of the Rey. Rector of Al id. a stall in Durham Cathedral has Liman• vacant 'I hr reren nd gentleman hail helot that preferment mums liy his demise there is also a racAncy in Lord Ur.ne's Llrust. MARGE OF ROBBERY FROM THE BRITISH MUSEUM. Vesterday. at the Bow-street Police Court, Mr. Antonio Ventral, keeper of the printed books in the British Mu.. um. charged a young man named Charles l'ickering, described as a teacher of languagi 5, with roh haw the trusties of that collection of a number of plates, cut Iron valuable printed works. Mr. !aid, that haring discovered that a number of plates had been removed, evidently by cutting, from some valuable hooks he ascertained that such ho o ks h a d passed through the h andle of the accused, who had been a visitor of the reading rooms since November, 1849. A short time back Mr. John °Bleier, bookseller and publisher, of I'4l - came to him with an album containing a quantity of plates. and, on looking over them, he immediately saw thee had been cut out of a very valuable work entitled `. la Francais." Ile next examiued them, comparing them with • perfect copy of the same work, and finding that the album contained only such plates as were missing and none others, together with drawings that were copies of the plates, his suspicions of the prisoner, as the delinquent, were stn ngthe Incl. On Saturday last he went with Mr. °Bleier, Mr Jones, his eolleague,and the inspector of police, to the pri soner's lodgings, No. 7, John -street, Oxford-street, to in quire about the property. Waness told him that he thought the plates in the album, which he showed him, belonged to the British Museum, and stated that lie was suspected of having in his poesersion other plates that had been ab stracted from other books. This the accused denied, saying that •• to the work La Francais," he had in his posses sion more than one copy containing plate., both coloured and plain. Witness asked how it was that, having such • work, lie yet thought it necessary to some to the Museum to read it ; when he replied that he went there to consult other ours*. Witness then said he supposed that he would have no objection to have his house searched, and he replied None in the lend, - upon which witness remained in the chamber while the inspector proceeded to search the rooms in the upper part of the house. In about an hour the im specter rrturaed, bringing • bundle containing various plates from deferent works, among which were some resem bling those that had been missing ; but, as witness could not say positively they were the same, he told the prisoner that he would not then give him into custody, on condition that he would promise to come to the Museum on Monday simian at ten o'clock, and then they should examine the plates found in his apartments. To this the accused con sented, and witness scaled up the plates in as envelope and alt them in the handset the inspector. At the hour appointed the ACCum. ti attended. They then examined the plasm that had been found at his lodgings, which were *prised la his presence, and it was discovered that the pietas asked had been cut square, and made mesh smaller the =LI ceiginAy with the exception et ens that evidently to the work in question, awn haulm hese mameAead tallying rawly with the pet at the bask ham sh a plate had been cut. nig eissumemase Waged whams to conclude there was sulkiest ens( se weasel him in giving the prionier in chug', sad It lardre time was granted he Witten other charges ba sabeinelated against him. Mr John Olivier, sad publisher, 59. Pall mill. laid that ea Monday week ha weds a note to the pri soner to say thee ha was abate pablialag a work upon general costume ham the 17th rotary to ths latter end of the reign of George I:1., reassetiag to know if be could insist Lim, and on Frid ay, baying called, he said, is the mune of conversation, that be amid reader anistasse with In:I , 4UL tont, particularly ham a week surd "La hawse, - which was NU of minis hems sad bessty, mid as witness had not such a work to refer M. the Wafter said he had an album at home containing neinhele sf an& al:lineations, which he had cut foe • week mad "fa Frisian.," to which he had subearibed while la Paris ant that he had destroyed the teat. as beiagembentsrbis mermen • Is the course of the sitsruson be besight el e beelkpedbessi, wank he left with bin. Oa Imarday mersias nibs= went to the Menus to seasalt die last witaem upsa Ms subject, bat, happening Is ha Wl tiles beak sa table, sari is atees minsten mil Ms. Paola' spa the he semi, instead, eneistionsd, " Mei Moss am ray prints that have been stolen hem Me Ilksamm." Whams • immediately 'spinout the are i whisk May mans into his yeessuias, sad tar his nikihstka lb, miens fro which they hed hem Wend bake semeisd e it was discevered that newly belief them misemanini with Ms • km from three out of eight volumes of "Ls Passau" • Raving left the plates, he returned la the shmases. sad arranged to go to the prisoner's WOms M inns& Y bi gamy into the matter; and having szpialarmi b the inner that he had placed witness la • very pehdbil skies bee, complaining that the book he had left with him hail been claimed by the authorities of the Museum, wham pression was that the property had be.. stolen, he denied that sueh was the ease. Mr. Hall said it seemed to him that the tent WIN MT valuable. Mr. Paola' said that the cots and vignettes were exgoi• iitely executed, and the work altogether wee one which al., literary man would preserve rather than ikeesey. tt•hat rendered the whole circumstance more extremaiery wa, that the prisoner was introduced from a mod respect aid.• quarter. some gentlemen who were present, through whammeaas the pri.oncr had obtained the introduction, decline/. of such violence. to become sureties for his future appiamis, awl Le was ordered to be remanded. knS tL GENERAL ANNUITY SOCIETY.--The an nual meeting of the subscribers to this institution was held y.derday at the London Tavern—W. Pownall, leg., in iht chair. The report stated that in the put year thirteea annuitaats had been added to the institution, and six more would be elected on that day. Five annuitants had died donne the last year. At the annivemary festival hold on :oh February, 18.51, a lug* addition had been made to the luads of the society. The amount paid to annuitants had been 1,1118/. llle., being the largest sum paid for 19 year,. It was to be regrettnl that no addition had been made to the subscription* and donations of the year; but, on the contrary, they had fallen off by the sum of 7f 21. Ise. the usual anniversary would take place in February next. The cosines of the institution had been greatly reduced, and only amounted to 6,591. oe. 9d. u compared with 1,992/. 2s, in the prect ding year, showing a deenue of 4:111 2...54., and there woe every hope they would be still 'either diminished ID succeeding years. The receipts for the year had been 3,6381. (be., and the expenditure 1,9041. Th, report was adopted, after which the election was procetdtd with. FATtt. At rIDENT ON THE BOUTTI-WEATERN AND W,11"..11 leAll.WA•.—Yesterday Mr. W. Carter held an ingtu-st at the' Railway Tavern, Wandsworth, upon the boay of Mr. Salem Walter Cross, aged 29, a commercial Imirlirr. who was lsilled at the Wandsworth Station on etiday morning last while attempting to enter a train in • The evid.nce embodied the facts already pub tithed in theeee column., and tho jury returned a verdict of " Aceio. ntal death," exonerating the railway servants ham blame. ANCIENT COINS.—A large number of coins of the Migis of (linen Elizabeth have been recently found in a b liongillit . ,to • fanner of the name of M'Canaher, of g e ld ra, neat &Wiley musty Azasik. THE LOSS OF THR AMAZON. INQUIRY BY THE BOARD OF TRADE. Yesterday an inquiry was commenced at 12 o'clock by the naval department of the Board of Trade, under the Art 14th and 16th Vie., cap. 79, which came into force only a few days before the destructian of the Amason. The act provides that when it is apprehended that a vessel is lost, the owners are to give exotica to the board, under a penalty of 60.14. Inspectors may be appointed to investigate the nature of accidents ; and the 23rd section enacts that an inspector, or any person being a member of the naval de partment of the board, in all cams of accident or damage, ' may make such inquiries and requ.ro answers or returus thereto, as to the nature, circumstance, and Games of the same as he shall think necessary, and by summons to' require the attendance and examine upon oath all par• ties, Beyond ten mile, persona are to be first paid their a Maws. The inquiry on this occasion was conducted by Captain Beechey, R.N., and Captain Walacr, R.N. Mr Labouchero and Lord de Mauley acre present at the investigation. Captain Beechey said that the President of the Board of Trade thought it necessary that the present inquiry should be male, but not with the view of casting any reflection on the inquiry which had been conducted by the Royal Mail Steam Company. The first witness called was Captain Corry. Admiralty Superintendent of Packet.' at Suuthampton.-1 received a report (menthe Admiralty that the boilers and machinery of the Amason were in every respect effective. I did not, therefore, think it nerrmary to make a personal inspection so into report particularly ; but I went over her and thought everything right. The crew ' appeared to he a good crew, and rulticieut for the capacity of the Tree& The resort was in every respect in her hull and machinery seaworthy, sad I saw nothing which could be Immo fault with. I had no impression when the vessel left Southampton that she was in any way deficient. 1 did r.ot know that there was a large quantity of coals on board. Angus Macin.a«, storekeeper of the Amason—l had charge of the grime and other stores of that kind. They were stowed near the boiler. Is the larboard store-room the tallow, oil, and soap were kept. The room was it feet by 6. It was a hanging store room fixed upon an iron beam going ..terl.b.s the ship. The lower pan of oho door was solid, and the upper part «ooden grating. There was a drier in the atter part, and another leading to the hatchway. In coining down the hatchway 1 could see through the grating of the dour. The oil in the storeroom was in iron tanks. 1 had access to them to get out the oil, which I pumped out by a small hand pump. The tanks were secured on the top. The waft soap was contained in wooden casks. There was no leakage from the tanks or maks. Before the fire 1 hod down in the forecastle, and afterwards I ligh ted a moate and went down into the store-room and saw a light. I went down by a ladder. As near as I could see the light was at the bottom of the butler, between the boiler and the bulkhead. I gave an alarm immediately. I left the store-room before then, about 11 o'clock. I dill not visit the sturv- room after t hat until a quarter past 12, when 1 saw the light. The light was a yellow tone, but no great smell came up with it. When I first saw the flame at was abou live feet below the store-room. In the piece where I saw the fire fire-irons were kept. We had no donkey at the fore part of the stoke hole. The bulkhead, in which was the bean, supporting the store-room was, I believe, made of wood, but I am not certain. When I first saw the dame it was a large one.. The rapidity of the flame must have immediately caught the store-room through the felt or the bulk head. When 1 first saw the fire lam sure it was not in the store room. rum fire when I first saw it must have been in the bulkhead or in the plates of the boilers. I saw the store mom on fire immediately after I put the hose on. I heard Captain Symons giving orders not to lower the boats, and to put the fire out. I escaped by the No. 2 life boat, which was supported by a crane. We had a great diffi culty in getting her into the water. Some maks of soap were lying on the deck. 1 did not ace Mr. Angus in the store room. Ido not know the names of the stokers who were on duty. Every effort wee made to subdue the fire. There did nut appear to be any order as to the lowering of the boats. Isaac Roberts, boiler-maker on board the Amason—The first I heard of the tire was Mr. James calling out " fire." I advanced towards where the fire was, and saw it on the top of the boiler under the storeroom. I called for buckets and went to the pump. The heat became so great that I could not stand it. I first saw the tire between the boiler and the bulkhead, coming out from underneath the bottom of the store-room. The fire woe above the prickers. I don't know whether the boiler was battened or not. I could see the storeroom. perfectly plant at first, end there was nu fire there then I was in the storeroom a few minutes after 12. I went there (or oil in my own lamp, which was lighted. In a minute atter I saw the fire no one could remain in the engine-room, and it was impos sible to use the donkey' in it. Immediately I got on deck I got the smell of tallow and oil. It was about a minute. There was nothing to induce me to be of the opinion that the neck of the funnel was unusually hot. William Nutburn, stoker on board the Amazon, and Thomas Attwood, were next examined, but their evidence possessed no interest. Lieut. Orylls was the next witness called, and his evi dence was only a repetition of his examination before the directors at Moorgate-street lie added, that if the ship could have been stopped more lives would have been saved ; and it was his opinion, that as it was hopeless to save the ship, more attention acd order should have been taken to lower the boats. if the boats had been lowered, and atten tion had been paid to them, they would be sufficient tocarry all the passengers and crew. Mr. Robert Neilim also repeated the evidence which be gave a few days ago at the company's office, and attributed the origin of the tire to tho falliag of oil on the engine, and the oil again falling upon hot cinders, and the light again communicating in this manner to the storeroom. The vessel was well found and well manned and managed. William Angus, second engineer—My opinion is that the fire commenced below the boiler. When I first saw the dime it was of a reddish colour. I don't suppose that any of the pricker, had been placed between the boiler and the bulkhead. I think the fire commenced between the bulk head end the boiler. The smoke came on so rapidly that it blew out all the lights in the engine-room. There were coal bags on the grating on the top of the boiler, but they could not fall down on the boiler. I cannot say whether there was anything between the bulkhead and the boiler, which would catch fire. The rest of the witness's evidence was a repetition of his former statements. The inquiry was then adjourned. Tar EARL OF DERBY Will, entertain at dinner a number of the peers of the country party on Monday neat; and on the ensuing Wednesday and Saturday the noble earl will give dinner parties to the members of the Lower Howse who at present sit on the opposition aide of the Commons. Honoree or WAl.—Y,etteday t. .fits I=2 alarmist statement wee s i g raileboll bythe asserme, in the letter of its P eerrespladeat lam credibly informed that at the pressed moms* tho Pessidlont's whole idea w with respect to the invades of L that be hes eadialted generals, studied the vim et the Bridegese estimative, received reports ms Ile iliesibility of the Zell&of the Channel, Ite. need In and a wend Onnosibei Elyske that does net allot le spook of the invasion as an stair that is note* yeesdieshis, bet which will be at tempted. Let it not he sewed that • pretext w. Them ere, unha ppy, Ise wage rads eel all of umiak would be easy to roues the hell* 411 tM Fume mien, and any ems 1111 widish wadi be as ewes ter war. The hinds of Lodi Imeghle—amd I fear imagine the Nen* veggie west te their ibe am trsdest at Weasels% ad s#r the r t " Of e Z imam at St. Helms. Hui a ens t ssay would be pegair,and is melt eiremeeftesse why should they ned madeellehe it ? I knew emeing of the feelings of ether oneateiss, but here the belief is that Russia would joie Ia rimy attack which Freese might b• disposed as stake ea England. Greek It is that since the Rad of Dommaher the repamsetWve of Russia has been the mum asiduom is bh attendance et the • end the mast bosomed of the diplomatic corps; that Is. mobilo are Lion pleatital in Paris at the pre sent msaamb than they have ever been sine. 1818; and that bethimmagst the Freese sad the Russians it is cur rently Mated that an arraessmem between France and liussla mold unity be mutilated, At that Russia would not interim with the extension of the French frontier to the Rhino, if France would permit Ramie to seise on Constan tin=(What next venire Fine.—Yesterday morning a fire broke onion the premises of Mr. Foletti, picture-from* maker, of 64, Banner -street, St. Luke's. The whole of the back workshops were burned down ; the top floors of dwelling house, used as store rooms and workshops, burnt out ; the roof destroyed, and remainder of house and con tents severely damaged by fire, Be. M. Foletti was seri onaly injured by jumping out of window. The contents were insured in the Phoenix Fire-office. The house No. 61, Banner-street, called the Hope Tavern, was damaged by fire. It was insured in the Monarch Fire-office. Several of the premises contiguous were damaged more or less severely by fire, water. and removal. Imre r. WOODEN STEAMERB.—The member. of the government and the Admiralty are at issue respect ing the propriety of allowing mail packets to be built of iron. The Admiralty are opposed to iron as a material for mail packets, while Certain members of the government, whose duties connect them with the mail packet department, are in favour of iron mall steamers. This explains the fact that the Peninsular and Oriental Company openly avow that they are building an iron steamer to convey the Indian Mail between Ragland and Alexandria, and that in all the react mail contracts advertised for by the Admiralty iron packets are not pro hibited, and it also explains the circumstance that the public journals are continually contradicting the statement that the Admiralty order issued SOON time since has been rescinded, and which order was, that no iron steamer built subsequently to a certain period would be allowed to carry mails. . SOUTHAMPTON EMIORATION es O AND SHIPPING ...M -FAMT.—A meeting in this matter has horn held before the Muter in Chancery Richards, when Mr. Firmin, the I official manager, and Mr. Duncan, his solicitor, brought forward a proposal for a call of U. 6e, per share, setting forth in their report to the Master that the balance at the' bauaere rim 891., and that with the amount to be derived front payment of the call, assets to the extent of 1,302/. would be realised, applicable to the discharge of remaining debts sod liabilities, amounting to 8981. ; solicitor's bill 4r 1 21., and official manager's costs 2071. The Master mads the call. TUESDAY EVENING. JANUARY 27. 1852. THE EXPRESS. CASE OF MR. ALDERMAN SALOMONS, M.P. JEWISH DISABILITIES. COURT OF EXCHEQURIL-YISTIRDAY. Mune@ is tueco.—Berea rill Leap Ctrs itesem, Ya Baum Muss, Ma. BALM *LOUDON. ass XL. BAWL MARTIN. MILLIS v. SALOMON', M.P. This ease had bees tried Wien Mr. Baron Martin, at the last sittings in Middlesex, when a special verdict was found by the jury, setting forth the facts which were not questioned. In accordance with an arrangement made last week, the ease now came on to be argued. Mr. Serjesnt Channel' argued the case on behalf of the plaintiff, and said that the declaration set forth that after the 6th of Geo. 111., esp. 63, bad been parted, on a day named, the defendant was elected by the electors of the borough of Greenwich, to serve in parliament as • burgess in parliament, and so became a member of the Commons Howie of Parliament. That after that return had been mule, and whilst the members of the Houso of Commons were sitting in their house, and after their Bpeaker had been chosen and was in the chair, the de fendant presumed to vote, not having taken and subscribed the oath of abjuration as prescribed by law, and had thereby incurred a penalty of bOOl., to recover which the present action was brought. There were two other counts varying the form of the offence, to which the defendant pleaded that he did not owe the money. The facts found by the jury were substantially these : That after the passing of the act imposiug the necessity of taking the oath of abjure tion on the 214 of July, 1851, the defendant, a person of the Jewish persuasion, appeared at the table of the ' House of Commons and claimed to be sworn upon the Old Testament, and, being asked why he did so, he said it was the form most binding upon hie conscience. He then repeated the oaths of allegiance and supremacy as by law required. Immediately afterwards the clerk of the Mouse of Cumuli' tendered to him the oath of abjuration, from which he purposely omitted its concluding words, " upon the true faith of a Christian," and substituted the words "so help me God." The Speaker then told the.de fendant that he had not taken the oath according to law, and must withdraw. The verdict also found that the House of Common. had not at any time, direct]: or indirectly, sanctioned the defendant's presence in the house without taking the oath of abjuration. Having been told by the Speaker that he had nut taken the oath of abjuration, the defendant then wished to subscribe his property qualification. He did subscribe it, and laid on the table of the house • roll of parchment which he held in his hand, and on which were words written in the defendant's own hand-writing. The special verdict concluded by setting forth the usual refer ence by the jury to the court, that unless the facts did s h ow that he lawfully took the oath, he had never taken it at all. The learned lerjeant proceeded to say that ho should con tend that the plaintiff was entitled to recover the penalties fur which he Ind sued. It could not be disputed that the defendant had voted in the House of Commons after the Speaker had been chosen, and before he had taken the oath of abjuration as required by law. Many questions of public importance were involved 10 the decision of this case, but it was now to be looked at as a question of law, and whether the old statutes were or were not in conformity with the spirit of the times, was not a question then to be considered. The infringement of the law was provided for by the legislature imposing a penalty, which the court had not only authority but warn obliged to adjudicate upon. It could not well be said that these penally-imposing statutes were not still in force, and that being so he (Mr. Serjeant Chauuell) was prepared to contend that the defendant was not, because be was a Jew, exempted from the necessity of taking the oath of abjuration in some form or shape. It seemed to him that the whole case turned upon two ques , thine: First, whether, assuming that the defendant, as • Jaw, was bound in some shape to take the oath of abjura• tion, was it an oath on which he could be properly sworn on the Old Testament ? He should submit that whatever might be the rights of • Jew, as a Jew, to be sworn on the Old Testament, this oath f abjuration was a Christian oath, on which the defendant was not intitled to be sworn, he being a Jew. The second question was, that if the defendant had been properly sworn upon the Old Testament, so as to raise no objection as to the mere form of the oath, yet, having omitted the words " upon th e t rue faith of a Christian," could he be said to have taken the oath at all ? He should contend that he had not taken it at all, because he had not taken it in its entirety. These sure the main questions which were to be determined, and they depended upon the construction of acts of parliament which were many in number, and he proposed to divide them into two clan-es—First, those acts which imposed upon the public generally, as well as members of parliament, the necessity' of taking the oaths of allegiance, su premecy, and abjuration. These he should call " obligatory" statutes, and after he had called attention to those statutes he should pees tou to those of an exemptive character, which exempted certain persons from taking the oaths in the specified substance or in the specified form. These latter statutes he should call "dispensing " or " exemptive" oaths. Ile should first mention the statutes which applied to the Jews, and then those which referred to Quakers and Moravian. Some of those acts related to Jews also, and those be should class under the statutes referring to Jews. Ile should then refer to the 10th of Geo. IV., which emancipated the catholics, and then to the Ist and 2nd of Vic., cap. 105, which was an act of a general character, which applied generally and irrespectively to persons of any religious persuasion. In this order he should call at tention to the statutes, and whilst doing so he should ask their lordships to bear in mind the two questions upon which he stated he believed the whole case turned. Sir F. Kelly, who appeared for the defendant, here said his learned friend appeared to think that he (Sir F. Kelly) should admit the contrary of what be meant to contend tor —vie, that the statute of Geo. 111. was still obligatory as imposing the oath of abjuration at all. Mr. Serjeant ChanneU said he should assume for the pre sent that the statute was obligatory, and wait to hear any argument to the contrary. At present every one who took the oaths in the House of Commons believed that this oath was binding upon him in some shape or form. The right of the plaintiff to the verdict depended upon the fact of whether the defendant had or had not taken the oath of abjuration,:which was always taken together with the oaths , 1 of allegiance and supremacy. Tho first obligatory statute ' to which he would call attention was the Ist of Elisabeth, cap. 1, an act restoring to the crown its ancient jurisdiction over the estate spiritual and ecclesiastical, which in the reign of Philip and Mary was supposed to have passed away. The 19th section of that statute proceeded to im pose on certain persons, not including members of parlia ment, the necessity of taking the oath of supremacy, an oath ending with the words, ' flo help me God, tad upon the contents" of this book. This was a corporate oath, and was called so because the person who took it touthed sonic portion of the Holy Scriptures. The next sta tute was the bth of Elisabeth, e. 1, an act for the assurance of the queen's majesty's royal power and supremacy. By the sth secti.m of this statute all persons who should take a degree of learning, enter upon an ecclesiastical benefice, or into any public office. should take • corporal oath on the lour Evangelists, verbatim, and according to the terms of the former statute. The 16th section imposed upon members' of parliament the necessity of taking this oath. Tho next act was the first of James I. e. 4, which contained the germ of the oath of abjuration. It imposed the oath of " alle giance" and " obedience," and its object, as declared in the title, was to better the discovery of popish recusants. In the 13th section there was this provision —that from the end of the then existing session any bishop in his diocese, and eithin the limits of his jerisdiction_, might require any person of the age of 18and upwards, who might be inducted , or who should not have received the sacrament twice in the year—noblemen and noblewomen excepted --to take an oath, which was very much like the oath of abjuration. Sir F. Kelly—But there were no Jews in Ragland at that time. They had been banished tome emanate, and were only restored in Cromwell's time. Mr. &desist Channell replied that he did not desire to escape from the conclusion that all the instates were directed chiefly against Papists. His argentine was, that this was intended to be a Christian oath. The 7th of James 1., cap. 6, extended the necessity of taking the lath of allegiance and obedience to makes of geeliemest. The form of oath was given la the sowed Mika, sod the Bth imposed it upon members of parliseset. The 80th of Charles 11., which was the next MI, did not alter the oaths of supremacy or allwasse, bat added the necessity of signing a dselemalsa against the doctrine of transubstantiation. me siteelisn is which a member of parliament wadi Sol Merit ails, this act would be this:—He would he,. to Who the emir of supre macy and allegiance which eeetolsod the weeds upon the true faith of • Christian." The bibilaten led clearly im posed a Christian oath, Clisledwdep Nig lbw and now a put of the law of the land, gad made • teshinden of disbe lief in the doctrine of tesemawlastkilsa. The seat statute was the Ist of Willson set s. s.li lied dun was also the let and BM Mahn e. 14 end he cowl show that the statute of Willi onall ka id lMS IMMINN4 by the lend Steward dentis • wily hie 1.1017. This statute of William awl was gamed hir the purpose of preventing arid desidisig se to the sittings of parliament, and imposed upon asemlosee the obligation of taking other oaths in lieu of the foram ewe. 'The substi tuted oaths were to be taken under the NM eireumstances and is Imam aissuras the declaration against transubstan tiation. TM raw Ilona of oath we. given in tho 6th see. It did set siellia the words, "on the true faith of a Christian," bat they seeurrod subsequently. The next act, the let of Willies sad Mary, esp. 8, was pared for the purpose of 'brogans( the old oaths and it substituted new ones. It recited the act of Elisabeth, and that of the 3rd of James 1., and then proceeded to enact the necessary alterations. Matters so remained down to the 13th of Wil liam 111., esp. 16, when the oath of abjuration was imposed in the term. in which it was now required to be taken. It had undergone alterations to meet the description of such limitations in the succession to the mown as were capable of taking effect. Both acts of settlement had pealed limiting the crown to William and Mary and their sur vivors. The 6th of Geo. 111., cap. 63, was the first statute in order which contained an altered form of oath to meet the circumstances of the death of the Pretender, which occurred in the previous pear. The oath was * shaped in such a manner, so as to abjure his descendants. With this exception, the act of George 111. presented the same form of oath as that of the 13th of William the Third. It recited the two acts of settlement, and the necessity of maintaining the authority of the church of England as by law established, and then gave a long description of the persons who should take the oaths, not including members I of parliament. The lUth section, however, made it appli cable to menthen of The 9th micitkia provided if a see venni in est WI, takes the oath of abjuration. Hat be sleubil bums Nab to certain penal ties impose! by as let Gawp the First. The 6th of George 111. thereicre impesed the Necesidty of taking the Oath, ori mew tendered, and it referred to the statute of Gauge this First, u imposing the penalty in case of disobedience. He now came to the statute of the Ist of Anne, statute 1, cap. 22, which desoribed the succession to the crown, and was the , same as the next earlier act of parliament. The act of par - 1 liament next Ice order was the 6th of Anne, cap. 7, which was intended to provide an alteration, not to take effect immediately, but upon the demise of Queen Anne. Then came the let Oro. 111., see. 2, cap. 13. The Elect:es@ of Hanover had died shortly before Anne, and upon the death of Anne the Elector of Hanover became George I. of Eng , land. The set of Gee. I. recited the act of William 111., 111111 provided the oaths of allegiance, supremacy, and ahju ' ration, being the first act which oontairsed the three oaths together. Election 16 imposed the penalty, and there was no substantial 'iteration in the form of the oath, it being merely provided that the substituted oaths were to be taken in the same form and manner, and with the same declaration against tranoubstantiation. This was the state in which the subject of the oath of ab j uration re mained down to th e time of the 6th Geo. 111, cap. 63. Oct Phi s w" parcel in the year 1766; the Pretender hav ing died in 1766, it became necessary to alter the wording of the oink so as to mike it amount to an abjuration of his descendants. With that one exception, the oath remained the same. The first section of the 6th Geo. 111. made it obligatory, on all persons required by the preview act to take the oath of allegiance, to take all these oaths, and, under these circumstances, the defendant was called upon to take tko oath of abjura tion ; and if he had not taken It, he was liable under two acts of pailiament upon which the action was founded for the penalties now sued for. These were all the " obligatory ' statutes with which he (Mr. ffirjesnt Channel') thought it necessary to trouble the court, and he now came to the " dispensing " statutes, and it appeared to him, that so far from these statutes aiding the cue of the defendant, they went to prove the C.O of the plaintiff, as all the dispensations which they contained were fur limited and particular purposes, and did not effect the question now before the court. The only statute that in any way relieved Jews front using these words in the oath of ab juration, was the Registry Act of 9 Geo. I. That statute compelled ell peens above eighteen years of ago to take the oath in the teem prescribed, but in the cue of Jews for the purposes of the registry, the same fans of oath should be used u in courts of law by the minim of the words, "On the true faith of a Christian," and the only her act which had reference to Jews was the statute of the 13th Gee. 11., cap. 7, which had reference to the oaths necessary to be taken by persons residing seven years in America, and in which, with regard to Jews coming within the terms of the act, and being called upon to take the oath of abjuration, the words "on the true faith of a Christian," were tt be omitted. In none of the statutes that had been cited could anything be found which in anywise relieved memo, is of parliament from the imposition and necessity of taking the oaths as prescribed "on the true faith of a Christian." The learned serjeant then proceeded to go through the various statute' which altered the law relating to the taking of the oath of abjuration by permitting the affirmation by Quakers, Moravian". and other persons relieved by the Toleration Act, and the subsequent statutes of the 25th Geo. 11., and the 9th Geo. IV., cap. 32, and contended that nothing contained in the acts relieving Quakers of the necessity of taking the oath of abjuration by substituting the affirmation in any way altered the effect that the affir• motion was taken on the faith of a Christian. In conse fuence of some doubts that existed with reference to the orm of the affirmation, the statute of the 3rd and 4th Win. IV., cap. 49, wu passe d to relieve those difficulties. Mr. Baron Martin—Mr. Pease had emit his seat before that act. Mr. Seryeant Channell—Mr. Pease had taken his seat, but it did not follow that he had properly so done. Lord Chief Baron—lt was never doubted that Mr. Pease had properly taken his seat. It WAS thu unanimous opi nion of all the law members of the house at the time, that Mr. Peue had properly taken his seat ; he was a mem ber of the house at the time, as was Lord Campbell, and he believed it was agreed on ell hands that Mr. Pease had pro perly taken his seat. Sir Robert Peel and Lord John Rus sell were of that opinion, and in fact as a matter of history no doubt existed. Mr. Serjeant Channell said it was not necessary to con sider whether it was so or not fur the purposes of the argu ment, and proceeded to show that the act of the 3rd and 4th Wrn. IV., c. 49, in no way altered what he had mn. tended—the fact that the afilrinatim did not alter the effect of the abjuration oath. He then came to the statute 1 and 2 Viet., c. 105, which was passed to relieve doubts as to the validity of certain acts, and on which act he supposed the defendant would rely, but that act he also contended did not alter in any way the necessity that the oath should he a Christian oath. Ile (the learned serjeant) had therefore disposed of the acts of parliament so far as they expressly applied,—first to Jews, and secondly to quakem, and having passed in review the various acts cited by him, as also the 10th Geo. IV., cap. 7, the Catholic Relief Act, said he had shown that every one of the acts, with the exception of the lot of William and Mary, in which the words were omitted, expressly pointed out that the oath of abjuration roust be • Christian oath, and he submitted it was impossible to come to any other conclusion. The case of Ilcmittage v. Baker," in 1 Atkin, p. 19, in which the opieion of Lord Hardwieke hail been cited, did not at all alter the question in the pre sent ease; the oath here required was a statutable oath, and must therefore be, according to the statute, a Christian oath. The learned serjeant said, if he was right in in ' g the oath was a statutable and a Christian oath, how far did the Ist and 2nd Victoria alter its effect ? That statute pointed to witnesses in courts of law, but might extend to other persons. Baron Alderson—That act refers principally to persons who might ►e liable to an indictment fur perjury ; you could not indict a man for perjury in taking the oath of abjuration. Mr. Serjeant Channell—Exactly so, and the act has no operation in repealing words prescribed by former statutes. It might be contended that the words "on the true faith of a Christian " were not the essence of the oath, but he insisted that it was the evident intention of the legislature that the oath taken by a member of parliament should be a Christian oath. The act of the 1 aft 2of Victoria was an act which merely rendered certain acts valid, and did not effect the present question. Taking the whole scope of the various statutes which he had cited, be contended that the legislaturr intended to apply a Christian test, and, therefore, the de fendant in not taking the oath of abjuration in a proper form had violated the law, and consequently the plaintiff was entitled to the judgment of the court. Mr. Mummers was with Mr. Beijing' Channel, but ho did not ►ddress the court. -- Sir Fitzroy Kelly then addremed the court for the de fendant, and begged of it to weigh well the question which would he left for its consideration. He agreed in much that had fallen from the learned aerjeant, with the excep tion of that portion of his argument which went to show that Jews were not entitled to sit in parliament. He con tended that sets of so highly penal a character as the statutes relied on by the plaintiff mast be constreed with strict regard to liberty of conscience. This remark war applic able if the only peaty were the Sae sought to be re. covered, but how mesh more applicable did it become when ea adverse judgmeat would disqualify the defendant to sot as executor to bring or defend an action at law, to be guardian of &child, or to vote for the election of a mem ber of parliament? He was prepared, in the ilret instance, to contend that the 6th Geo. 111., oap. 63, was no longer in fora at all that it ceased to be in force on the death of the last sovereign bearing the name of George; that it was not in the power of any editor of the House of Commons, or any other °Meer to alter the form of any oath, se prescribed by par liament, and that the oath could only be administered as far as it referred to King George. There had been no authority since the pruning of the 6th Geo. 111. to authorise the substitution of one sovereign's name for another. He also contended that it was competent far the defendant to omit the words, " at the true faith of • Christian," because the law authorised sad required him to take the oath in such manner and terms as was most binding upon his con science. If these proposition, were doubtful, or not allowed, he was prepared to show that the defendant was bound by the Ist and 2d Vie., esp. 105, to take the oaths as he had done. Upon these four point. he was about to rely in his argument that the defendant was entitled to take his met. He submitted that these acts of parlia ment, beginning with the art of William 111., and ending with the 6th Geo. 111., were intended to pro- vide be the pardsraks Mite of things then passing, and net Otaliene is hue after en alteration of eironmetanem bed edam Unless the apart teak upon itself to remedal t e ad end neelimeent they amid net aFree with the eendmine of bielenewed Mead. The mo unt of the legidener• at shoo days was dearly that the acts than nlabsuld eddy be of a tempeeney character, such as the ll*ll‘4lllll of the time. Fee balsam, it was said la Met set of 1706, that, "wifen s i g n ease merennenee of the death of the Pretender, it bed to make use alterations in the law of ahlar:t s hee. simr ; demi" showing that a Amp alpinism and circumstances bad rendered the alteration aeoemary. It was treated ea law net as be ennerammed, that no new oath could be admi nistered open the authority of parliament. This was Prswidt all doubt, in the cue of " Oinychuad v. Barker," where all the the were unanimous. If this wore so, what right had the Speaker of the House of Com mons, or any other officer of it, to alter the law, and to propose an oath substituting the name of one monarch for another ? Let them suppose the case of two children being born together, and a doubt arising as to which child had the right of succession to the three, was it to be said that the kipeaker of the House of Commons was to decide the question of succession between Albert and Edward ? Mr. Baron Alderson—But the member would swear al legiance to the sovereign under whose writ he had been elected. Sir Fitzroy Kelly—Yea, but suppose the parliament sat for some few months or weeks after the death of the sove reign, and • new member were to be sworn, was it to be said that, in the case of a disputed auoceseion, the Speaker of the House of Cornmeal or the clerk at the- table, was to determine who the lawful successor was ? The 6th of Oeo. 111., gave • fo.in in which the oath of abjuration should be sworn. It supplied no form with respect to the oath of allegiance but the proof of it. temporary character was to i be found n the circumstance that, subsequent acts were found neceseary to alter the Term of oath. The first form of the oath of abjuration was given in the 13th Will. 111., cap. 6. It was quite obvious that no one could take that oath in the reign of Queen Anne, as it would have been nonsense. To meet the difficulty, there fore, the Asu's statute let, esp. St, was inteodeeed, which was entitled an set to declare as alteration in the oath ap pointed to be taken in the 13th WUHMI 111., cap. 6. This act elated that, whereas, by the demise of his late Majesty King William 111 , her Majesty had mends& to the im- perial crown and dignity of these realm., it became neees- 1 Gary to alter the turn of oath taken under the reign of the former sovereign. With the exception of the words, our sovereign lady Queen Anne instead of " our Sovereign Lord King William " the form of oath was precisely the same. So in the suinequent act of 4th and 6th of Anne, the legislature of the time thought it necessary to pass a law in which blanks were lelt for the insertion of toe names of Sophia or George es it was then unc..rtain who. thee the Princess Sophia or King George I. would succeed to the crown. In the 6th of Anne, parodist * still subsequent period, the name "George" was inserted, and that name continued in the oath of abjuration until the oth George which was the last of the acts on the subject. Hero again the very paniag of the act established the principle that the legislature only had the power to make any altera tion in the law, for by the 6 George 111. cap. 63, passed in 1766, in consequence of the death of ;he Pretender, the oath of abmration was set down, with an addition that the person taking it did not believe that the descendants of James 11., or of the Pretender, had any claim to the throne of these realms. Mr. Baron Alderson—Your argument goes merely to this, that the form of the oath was dependent upon the accidental circumstance of the name of the sovereign. I think you must confine yourself to the reign of George 11l , in which you say the claim expired. Sir Vitiroy Kelly—Long before the death of George 111. the claims of the Pretender hod died away, and that cir cumstance might account for no subsequent change being made. Mr. Baron Aldersnn—This change was made—that the name of the Pretender was struck out as he had ceased to exist, and the allusion to his descendants was retained. Sir F. Kelly was aware that there could be no use in making a man swear to abjure another man who had long ago ceased to exist. This was the ease of a highly penal act of parliament, which either forced the Jew to take an oath against his conscience, or deprived him of some of has most valuable privileges as a citizen. Mr. Baron Alderson—The Jew is not the only person who suffers. There are man other persons in this country not included, as Quakers or Moravian, who have cause to com plain, and they are Christians. Sir Fitzroy Kelly was certain that their lordships would put that liberal construction upon a penal act of parlia ment, like the present, which was most favourable to li berty of conscience. Ile contended that the form of ' oath was only intended to operate during the life of the reigning monarch, and that if a liberal construction were put upon it, it would confer great privileges upon a person chosen to represent his fellow-subjects ; but that if, on the contrary, au illiberal construction were taken, it would pre vent him from enjoying all the distinguished rights and pri vileges which his constituents had levelly qualified him for. The principle, as laid down by the highest law authorities of the day in the cam of Omychunil and Barker, that no law could be made or changed without the authority of par liament, applied most pertinently in the present case. rho terms of an oath, whether of office, or of any other sort, could not be altered without the sanction of the legislature. What ground was there fur supposing that an oath to be taken for temporary purposes was to be taken in all times to conic, and at periods 'when the whole object of the legisla ture was more than satisfied ? Why should there be a larger significance give% to the word King George than King George really meant? or why should King George be con strued into meaning Queen Victoria ? Ott the one hand, there was the act of parliament in favour of King George, by the name of King George, and then there was the fact that the legislature had provided in express terms for the substitution of one sovereign's name for another. The learned gentleman was about to allude to the next point in his argument, when, four o'clock having arrived, the court suggested that the next point should by reserved fur the neat hearing of the argument. Sir Fitzroy Kelly—On what day do your lordships intend to resume the argument ? The Lord Chief Baron—On Wednesday. The further hearing of the arguments was then adjourned until Wednesday next. Mr. Willits and Mr. A. Goldsmith appeared with Sir F. Kelly on behalf of the defendant. THE STRIKE. MEETING OF THE ENGINEERS. Yesterday, the "second aggregate meeting of the workmen engaged in the YarlOW/ branches of the iron trade " was held at St. Martin's Hall, Long Acre. The chair was taken at 1 o'clock, by Mr. MUSTO, the president of the Amalgamated Socie of Engineers. The boll was, u on the former occasion. densely crowded by an orderly body of the class of operatives interested. On the platform, in addition to the members of the council of the Amalgamated Society, were Lord Goderich, Mr. William Coningham of Brighton), Mr. Vansittart Neck, Mr. T. Hughes, Mr. F. Furnival, Mr. T. Hunt, Dr. Travis, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Weller, Mr. Woodin, M. Le Chevalier, and several other gentlemen, unconnected with the engineer ing trade, who have prominently expressed themselves favourable to the objects of the workmen. Mr. MUST() (on taking the c'iair) said he sincerely re gretted that this second meeting had become necessary, for he believed they might all be very much better employed in producing that which labour alone could produce, viz., wealth. But he might declare, without the least affecta tion, that it was not their fault that this meeting had to be held. (Hear, bear.) This meeting was now called, the masters having refused to let them work, for the purpose of enabling them to lay before the trade and the public generally the exact facts of their present position. Certain resolutions would be submitted to them, and if they thought it discreet to agree to those resolutions, they would in that manner renew the usurances of their hearty co operation with the executive committee of the Amalgamated Society throughout this serious struggle that was upon them. (Cheers.) _ . Mr. GEORGE USHER (a young working man) came forward, and was very warmly received. Ho desired it would be remembered that on the occasion of their formerly assembling together he had expressed his regret that tit.- ..andantes should have arisen to require a public meeting of the operative engineers. He had, however, nothing of that kind to say now. This time a stern necessity had con vened them, and he felt it as a most unequivocal satisfaction to be allowed to present himself u the proposer of the first resolution. This resolution was as follows :—" The em ployers of operative engineers having enunciated their right to do what they like with their own, and denied the operative the right to do what he likes in employing his own wages, and devoting his spare time as he will, and having demanded an unconditional submission, this meeting de • dares that such a submission would be at once both impo litic and disgraceful." They were not now in the position in which they had found themselves on the last occasion. A fortnight had passed away—a fortnight marked by many privations, by considerable suffering, and by unwearied ex ertion ; and yet, as they now met, a smile of hope and of satisfaction seemed to pervade the whole of this vast assem blage. (Cheers.) The evil prediction of " Amicus " had not yet been fulfilled. (Hear, hear) They had not yet heard that any of their body had died from want. They had not yet heard that any of their body had broken the peace. They had not yet heard that any of their body had used threats or intimidation to prevect those who might be willing to make the unconditional surrender . seeking work with such of the employers as would give work to them. (Cheers.) They bad not yet heard that any of their body had been seen knocking about begging of the employers to give them leave to toil. (Cheers.) No, none of these things had happened. The greatest unanimity still pre vailed among them. (Cheers.) When they last met in that hall the contest had the simple aspect of a contest between the operative engineers and their employers ; but now it was • complex contest, in which every man living by his labour, skilled or unskilled, was intimately and deeply concerned. Their position, in fact, was, in the first instance, like that of Hungary, when Hungary took up arms against Austria to assert her own national independence. Their petition now was that of Hungary, when Hungary had not only to attack Austria, but to resist Russia, and when, therefore, she fou-ht the cause of the civilisation of Europe. (Cheers.) The masters had leagued together, and had defined the rights of capital, inviting the imitation of all capitalist em ployers; and in the issue of this encounter between the ope rative engineers and their employers every man compelled to labour fur his daily bread would find that he was involved. And if the engineers won it would be as great • gain to other labourers as to themselves. (Cheers.) The engravers, however, required public support. They had had the:sup port of the public beyond all their anticipations. (Hear, hear.) No previous struggle between capital and labour had elicited so intense • sympathy from all classes . They had received support from t he aris tocracy; from the middle classes; and they had had the op-operation and the sympathy of the very ;lowest -paid trades in the kingdom. Even the poor Spitaltfeld weavers had come forward proffering a helping hand. (Cheer') Yes ; the Spiudfields weevers had convened a meeting among themselves, sad had appointed a deputation to wait *pea the operative engineers. These Spitalfields wea vers told the engineers that although they, the poor wea vers, occupied • social position very much lower than that of the engineers, they would, nevertheless, gladly give their aid to the engineers in this contest, because they knew it was • just one, and because they knew every class of labour was interested in the result. (Cheers.) Con. treat the language of the weavers with the language of their employers. It appeared to him, from the conduct of these unfortunate weavers, who were reduced to the very lowest stage of physical degradation, crushed and ruined, that there must be still loft rn ,society an instinctive spark, which, when once ignited, would work wonders In the world. (Cheep) But the capitalist. most be compelled to have Nome feeling with their fellow-men. What did the recent conduct of the employers of engineers mean ? It meant a desire to amass wealth quicker than the laws of trade would admit. (Cheers.) They spoke lightly of competition. But it was this competition which they had created themselves, in the eagerness to surpass each other in making too rapid fortunes. (Cheers.) Were the workmen to be the sufferers from this competition ? ; not any longer. (Cheers.) They now demanded the rights of labour. They would no longer be the serfs and tools of these individuals. They demanded an equitable profit from that which they produced. (Cheers.) The men had set the employers all the good ex amples in this business. They bad proffered arbitrs teen. They knew how difficult it would be to have a just arbitration, seeing that the arbitrators would be men who had not been labourers, and who, there fore, knew little of the real points ;ii dispute. But rather than keep hundreds out of employ, the men would have been willing to submit to arbitration. But iubitration had ' been rejected. The masters thought that they might trust to the poverty of the men. The muter*, however, were greatly mistaken. They would find that next month, aye, or at the end of six months, the funds of the men would be the same as they ware at this moment. (Cheers) Those out would trust to those who remained in employment. So far they had not leant on • broken reed ; and the last farthing would be spent rather than that the masters should be allowed once for all to ruin the cause of the labourer. w (C ai lso i e b rs e . Amo ) Th g e a tinal ated gazi c a i ted ety S eiZi i c e h ty t w he al y " we tac re k d ed ef i en a d n i d eg it . The speaker concluded by expressing an opinion that spies in the hire of the employers were watching the move ments of the men, and by warning his fellow•workmen not to offer env pretext fur env complaint whatever. Mr. BROWN seconded the resolution. Mr. NEWTON then addressed the meeting. The cheer ing with which he was greeted on rising lasted fur a con siderable time. lie said—lt was not often that they saw gatherings of this description for the purpose of supporting the labourer; and whatever might be the result of the con test in which they were engaged, they would undoubtedly have done this good —that by calling the workmen togi Cher they had enabled them to arrive at sound and satisfactory conclusions as to what their rights and privileges really were. (Hear, hear.) Re countered that, fur several rea sons, this meeting was of a more important character than the last; and, for one reason, because they hail now before them a document in respect to the matter in dispute issued by the einployers, and bearing the signature of their secre tary, Mr. Smith. (Much hissing.) Phis document opened up the whole question of capital and labour. ft contained the views and the principles of the employers of operative engineers, and it represented, he believed, to a great extent, the ideas of the employers of this country generally ; and, therefore, he would deal with it as involving the whole question of capital versus, labour. They were told by the employer* in this document, and they had been told that day by the Times, that they had no right to combine. The employers said they would not deal with the men •s an ussotiation, and that they would not acknowledge, meaning the Amalgamated Society, an irresponsible arbitrator. Irresponailile arbitrator! Any body which represented the feelings of any class of men could not be deemed an irreaponsible body. The Xniulga mated Society represented nut only it. own members, but many thousand. who were nut its members, but who were dependent un the trade of which the Amalgamated Society was the mouthpiece; and it was talking palpable nonseuse to speak of such an association as otherwise than a i most responsible and very important body. (Cheers.) But while the employers were denying to the men the right to combine, they themselves were combined and were governing one another by one combination. If you now met an employer in the streets and asked him the reason why lie would not open his manufactory, std allow his men to work six days fur six days' wage., the answer, in nine cases out of ten was, that he knew very well that the work wanted to be done, that lie knew his men wanted to work, and that he himself would like to set to the work, but that lie had pledged himself to a certain course in the employers association, and that until some use gave way with him, he could not be the first. (lieu, hear, mid laughter.) This was combination with its evils ; and a pro test against combination came with an exceeding ill grace from men, or from the organ of men, who had entered into such a untederecy. (Cheery.) I u the document he held in his hand tho employers said that on the 10th of,lanuary the honourable pledge which they had made 'to each other was Jellified, and all their establishments were closed. Why this must be combination. (Cheers and laughter.) And it was exactly that species of combination whirls the men had been in the habit of formiug. The employers even used the very terms which the men had always used— the men having always considered that the resolutions they came to :at their meetiags were honourable pledges, and that when those pledges were broken the ieerties breaking them behaved dishonourably. The master., then, were unionists. (Cheers.) The masters had imita ted tho men. (Cheers.) But, worst of all, they had imitated the worst examples of the men. He was not there to by trades unions had never done wrong. He confessed that they had dune much to repent of, that they had often been guilty of tyranny and persecution; and he was even ready to admit that their own association, in times past, had duce thing, which it had pot been reasonably justified in doing. But of late years they had become more intelligent ; they had taken into considera tion the claims of others when deciding on their own in terests. In making the fair demands which they now made for the abolition of systematic overtime and piece work, they had acted in an equitable and with. an intel ligent spirit. They had adopted nu tyrannical measures —they had not spoken in any dictatorial spirit: they had, in fact, displayed au advanced moral feeling. They had declared at the outset that they would abide by ,jun tice, and that they would use no intimidation. 'I They had intimated that the workshops should not be guarded by picquets. They had in their meeting defined the com mon daty of all—of society men, and of nun-moiety men— to stick together to the last ; but they had made it as clearly understood that Wane man among them was of opinion that he would be doing wrong in uniting with his fellow-men, or in refusing to accept the conditions of the employers, he was free to 4o so, and would not meet either with opposition or persecution from those who remained in an attitude of resistance. (Hear, hear.) The employers knew very well that the men understood what were the gains of the capitalist by this system of overtime. By overtime, the em ployers made 1,0001. do the work of 2,0001. With the same premises, the same rent, the same plant, with the same money, they could by working overtime produce double what they could produce if they did nut work overtime, supposing them to employ the same number of hands. The public remarked that the capitalist would not resort to overtime unless it was an absolutely necessary system. But the public must see that these gentlemen were too grasp ing, and that systematic overtime was the • expedient of men who wanted more per cvntage than their capitol entitled them to. The answer of the employers to the men was that they could not do away with overtime, because it would involve exorbitant expenses in increasing the plant. So that when they could not draw on their bankers they drew on the life-blood of the working man. (Cheers.) When they could not get money they got labour. (Cheers.) Overtime threw out of employment some hundreds of men, who in a natural system would be fully work, d; this produced a redundancy of' labour in the market ; and as wages were regulated by the number out of employment the general earnings were reduced: and in the end, if the employers did pay 50 or 30 per cent. extra to the men for overtime work, they still gained immensely in consequence of maintaining the general re duction. (Cheers.) These reasons were adequate to justify the attempt of the men to get rid of overtime ; and to these reasons they added the higher moral and social reasons, in respect to the necessity of giving to the artisan the oppor tunities which he required fur improving his intellect, and rendering him a better citizen. (Cheers.) And this was certain, that unless this concession was made, they would not return to the establishments. (Cheerr.) In respect to pieetwork, the men did not complain of it in the abstract. They pointed out its abuses; and as they could not induce the muter* to do away with tho evils which sprang from the system they were com pelled to demand the abolition of the system it self. (The speaker here referred to many instances of apparently great injustice perpetrated on the men in con sequence of the price for piece work being arbitrarily fixed.) Piece-work did not exist in London. It did not exist in London, because, from the :Were of the work no two ma. chines were ever made in the same way ; and no master, or foreman, or man could fix upon a certain price. But in Manchester piece -work did exist, and inflicted unendurable evils. There, and in other places, the cotton and flax ma chines were the same over and over again ; and the prices being fixed, the penalty for refusing a price being_ dis missal, the man was ground into the dust. (Hear, hear.) Maws. Hibbert and Platt, employing 1,500 men, made a return to the income-tax commissioners of an in come of 45,0001. • year. This was equal to 301. per man per year. Why, what right, with such results, had Messrs. Hibbert and Platt to complain of so called restrictions ? (Cheers.) This showed the value of British industry, and it taught • lesson to the men as to what they might do if they would subscribe the capital to employ their own labour. (Cheep.) The Amalgamated Society, by a majority of nine-tenths, had voted 10,0001. fur the purpose of esta blishing co-operative workshops ; and if the 10,000/. was backed by 40,0001. it would be invested in an establishment in Lancashire, in which 1,000 men would find employment. and do the work hitherto done by Messrs. Hibbert and Platt. (Cheer-.) That accomplished, a great example would be set to the working-clones of this country ; and those classes, he knew, would wen set about their own emancipation. ( Cheer ing.) The employers might give in to-morrow, but this great work would still be done. It was commenced, and it would not be left unfinished. (Mr. Newton resumed his seat amidst loud cheep.) The resolution was then put, and carried unanimously. Mr. HOSKING moved the second resolution—" rho employers of operative engineers having closed their esta blishments, and refused all mediation in the settlement of the dispute between them and their workmen. and having further asserted their determination to treat with men in- dividually only, and not as a society, this meeting is of opi nion that all trades arc interested in the issue of the contest and that all should support it to the best of their ability." Mr. BRADDON seconded the resolution. intrcCitai;:d as an old mem ber returned from the United States), briefly addressed the meeting. He concluded by saying that he wished them success in the struggle, and he hoped that when he got back again to the other side of the water he would soon hear that they had given the employers a jolly good licking. (Great cheering.) The resolution was then put and carried with enthusiastic unanimity. After three cheers for the chairman, and three cheers for the reporters, the meeting broke up. SOUT HA M PTON. Messrs. Summers, Day. and ltaldock, engine ' makers, at Southampton, have closed their establishment in conbequence of the unhappy disputes originated by the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, and upwards of 200 men are thrown out of employment. Many of these men ars son-society men. All the engineering work required by the Peninsular and Oriental, South Western, and Isle of Wight Steam Navigation Couspsnics is done at Messrs. Summers, Day, and Baldoek's establishment. Their men have had meetings daily since they have halt thrown out of work, and they have made a proposition to their late employers, which is to resume work immediately, and their future position to be governed by the ultimate arrangement that may hat effected by the masters generally and the Amalgamated Society. Messrs. Summers and Co. have however declined to re-open their establishment upon such terms. The Royal West India Mail l'aeket Company's lengine factory, situated in the Southampton Docks, and at which about 300 men are employed, has not closed, nor is there any probability at present of its being so. r