The Press. — London, England, 1858-12-18 00:00:00

111 1234 THE PRESS, DECEMBER 18, 1858. •- 1 -0 of the Act of I again dernsnded, and it was fixed to take place on members of an ille b the 12th of January and other days. A half•yearly were taken in the tow_ `its rate of 2s. 61. a share was then Killarney. L is a to carry a little further the principles of the Act of 1832. After some remarks as to burghs to be dis frauchise.l and seats to be reapportioned, Mr. Bright adverted to the Times newspaper, whice he contrasted with the Great Eastern tossing about in the Bay of Biscay without compass or chart ; but said that, as the Times usually went with the stronger, the moment it found the people in earnest it would be as zealous and as entirely with them as it was in 1832. The Times had asked him why he did not produce the details of his bill ; but, though itself professing to be a great public instructor, it had never put the clauses of its oast bill into a leading article, and it bad never asked Lord Palmerston when he was in office to explain the exact clauses of his bill. All he could promise the Times a•as that whenever he spoke on the subject he should make his audience under stand what wer3 the principles be thought should guide any measure of parliamentary reform. He then alluded to Mr. Newdegate's challenge to him on the subject of county representation. That gentleman was laborious in statistics, but most feeble and con fused on any question of principle:. He asked that gentleman if he knew anything of the constitution of the House of Lords, or of the original objects of the hereditary peerage. Now, he should like to ask this question—Did tie House of Lords represent the land and tenantry on their land, or did they only represent their own individual interest? If the former, what came of the question of county representation' If the latter, on what ground were •100 individuals to set themselves up against the will of 30.000,000, and reject year after year, as they had done, beneficent and excellent measures passed by the representatives of the people—a veto which for 150 years the monarchy bad not ventured to exercise ? The views of Mr. Newdegate would compel a complete change in the constitution of the House of Lords, and the Lords were at this moment sufficiently severed from the people in political opinion, as was shown in the fact that not even a single Liberal peer had come forward to sympathize with them in their present movement. But suppose Mr. Newdegate's views were carried—the party in the House of Commons which sympathize with the House of Lords made much more numerous and powerful—what would be the result! It might not come in a day, but with the Lords and the majority of Commons separated from the political opinions of the people, as the House of Lords now was, the estrangement would become greater, and they would be on the high road to changes in their political institutions which cer tainly he did not wish to see, but which those who called him rash and innovating would tremble even to think of. " I have come to Scotland deputed to ask whether you will join this movement, and when I recollect your history, and when I think of your character, and when 1 see the thousands who are here to-night, I feel beyond dispute that I shall not ask in vain." Mr. Bright was throughout heard with great atten tion, and was frequently and warmly applauded. Mr. PRICE, secretary of the London Reform Asso ciat►on, then addressed the meeting ; after which the CHAIRMAN made a few remarks. A resolution pledging the meeting to the principles of Mr. Bright's measure was proposed rod carried. Thanks to Mr. Bright and the chairman concluded the proceedings. again dernended, and it was fixed to take place on the 12th of January and other days. A half•yearly dividend at the rate of 2s. 61. a share was then agreed to. THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH COMPANY held a general meeting on Wednesday. The report stated that defects existed at both ends of the cable, and that it would be necessary either to unkicrrnn or to raise it. The Directors had applied to the Govern ment to guarantee the remaining portion of their capital before it was called up in the same manner that they had guaranteed the Red Sea telegraph. The chairman, Mr. Stuart Wortley, strongly urged the adoption of this course on the part of the Govern ment. The report was unanimously adopted. Mr. Whitehouse, the Company's former electrician, announced that a second company had been formed, and that half of its capital had been paid up. He said he was ready to state the terms upon which the new Company was prepared to amalgamate with the old. It was agreed that Mr. Whitehouse's proposi ian should be submitted to the Directors. Mr. MusxErr, the assistant surgeon at St. Pancras Workhouse, in the execution of his ditties, effected the ruin of some young females under his care ; and to prevent the consequent exposure and punishment of his conduct had recourse io means for procuring abortion, which resulted in the removal of one of the unfortunate girls to the infirmary. Upon this the delinquent took to flight, and remained some time in a place of concealment. While there he took the resolution of sending for the chaplain of the work house, the Rev. Thomas Pugh, in order to unburden his mind to him. He accordingly confided his ad dress to the rev, gentleman under the seal of confi dence, and shortly after received a ministerial visit from him. The visit took place on the Saturday. On the Sunday the matter got bruited through the parish, and on Monday a Mr. Wyatt summoned the rev. visitor to appear before him at the workhouse, in order to give up the address of the offending medical officer, and to communicate any other information in relation to the guilty person. Mr. Pugh refused to afford the intelligence desired, and was dismissed from his post in consequence. It appears that the rev. gentleman had first obtained an interview with his vicar, the Rev. Canon Dale, who is also the rural dean and the proper authority to afford advice in such a juncture. Mr. Dale, it appears, recommended a firm resistance to the demand of the board. Two members of an illegal society. Nine of the prißoners were taken in the town of Kenmare, and four in Killarney. gab) an Volict. SCULLY V. INGRAM.—In this Case steps have b een taken on the part of the defendant to obtain a new trial—a motion for which will be made in the ensuing term, in January nest. No public reference will therefore be made to the circumstances connected with it, which will be fully detailed is the course of future legal proceedings. THE TOMAN DESPATCHES. Wednesday morning being specially appointed for the trial of William Hudson Guernsey, of 20, Regent.square, who stood charged with having felo• niously stolen, taken, and carried away certain printed papers containing despatches from Sir John Young, with inclosures, the property of our Lady the Queen, the court was excessively crowded, and great interest was manifested throughout the trial. Shortly after ten the judge. Mr. Biron Martin, en tered the court and took his seat on the bench, and amongst the principal persons present were the Earl of Carnarvon, &c. The prisoner pleaded " Not guilty." The Attorney-General, Mr. Sergeant Ballantine. Mr. W. Welsby, Mr. Clark, and Mr. Gitrard appeared on the part of the Crown. Mr. Sergeant Parry and Mr. Metcalfe appeared for the prisoner. The Attorney-General in opening the case for the prosecution proceeded simply to narrate the circum stances that came out in the examination, and which are repeated in the evidence this day. The learned counsel eaid be appeared there to discharge a very painful duty, but the authorities felt bound to adopt the c3urse they had. He would now proceed to call the witnesses, who would prove the facts he hal narrated. Dim,Arm APPOISTMENTS.—We believethat the following appointments in the diplomatic service will be soon officially announced :—Lord Napier, at pre sent Minister at Washington, to succeed Lord Aber. cromby as Minister at the Hague; Lord Lyons, at present Minister at Florence, to succeed Lord Napier as Minister at Washington ; the Hon. P. C. Scarlett, now Minister at Rio Janeiro, to be Minister at Flo rence ; the Hon. F. R. Forbes, from Dresden, to be Minister at Rio ; Mr. L. Augustus Paget, Secretary of Legation at Berlin, to be Minister at Dresden. barristers gave the same advice. The Rev. Dr. Sin clair, archdeacon of Middlesex, aad the Bishop of London, on being appealed to, approved of the conduct of the chaplain. Corroborated by all these testimo nials in support of the propriety of his behaviour, the Rev. Mr. Pugh comes again before the board with a respectful lett,r, requesting his restoration to office. ROBERT JOHNSTON, the individual charged with inhumanity towards his daughter, Frances, made a public appearance in the City on Saturday afternoon, and stated the case from his own point of view, and in a way which impressed the audience in bis favour. From the statement he made it appeared pretty ev;dent that the magistrate who condemned him had done so hurriedly, and, by refusing the applica tion for an adjournment of the investigation, had prevented the defendant from calling evidence in his favour. Of course, the defence which Johnson made imputes bad conduct to his children, but what he does say renders this so likely as to make one regret the case is not re-heard. So much, indeed, is in volved in it that it is a great pity the defendant had not the benefit of a jury. Before the meeting closed he replied to a number of questions put to him by the audience ; and the proceedings terminated with the adoption of a resolution expressing the conviction of the meeting that he had not recommended his sons and daughters to lead a life of infamy. THE SOUTH KENSINGTON MUSEUM was visited during the week ending 11th December by 8,204 persons. Mr. James Thomas Miller examined by the Attor ney General : I am now employed in the Colonial. office as sub-librarian, and have been in the service of the Colonial-office about twenty-three years: I have been sub-librarian about three years. About the month of September last I remember the despatches being printed ; they were printed, by order of the Secretary of State, at the private printing office. At the Foreign-office they are kept in custody ,of the librarian, or in his absence the sub-librarian. Mr. Mayer is the librarian. There were twenty-eight copies printed. I received them from Mr. Holding. I placed them on my desk and placed a large folio upon them. He afterwards saw them there. I took my leave of Mr. Mayer about the 30th of September, when he went fora holiday. Mr. Guernsey went to South America, and returned about September in the present year, after which he called upon me. Mr. Guernsey was a trustee for me. I occupy the room of the library alone, in the absence of Mr. Mayer. Mr. Guernsey called frequently upon me there, and we were in the habit of going out and dining together. He asked me about obtaining a situation in the Colonial Department, of which 1 approved. He applied to Sir Edward Lytton, but his application was unsuccessful. He was very much annoyed at it, and afterwards he asked me to recommend him to the War-office, which I did. Mr. Mayer returned on the 23rd of October, and I gave up the charge of this office to Mr. Mayer on the 25th. Mr. Guernsey frequently called upon him. Sometimes he waited an hour, sometimes an hour and a half. He was frequently left alone in the room. Ou one occasion, after I had left him alone, I came back and found him near the table. He was near that part of the table where the despatches were lying. He was moving away from where the despatches were lying. When I came in he said, smilingly, " I am not prying into your secrets." I said, " I don't suppose for a moment that you are." When I returned into the room the prisoner was not in the same position as he was when I lett it. Hs had removed from the Roil tion he then occupied. Lately he made an applica tion which was rejected, and he said that Sir Edward Balwer Lytton would be sorry for it. He had some conversation with me with regard to the political state of South America. Mr. Guernsey had spoken to me , about some letters that appeared in the Daily Bates about General Lopez ; has never told me that he was acquainted with the editor of the Daily hews. The letters produced are in the handwriting of Mr. Guernsey. Mr. Walker : I am principal editor of the Daily News, and have been so about three months, and have an office in Bouverie-street, and live in Doughty street. In November I received the envelope pro , duced with the papers, sealed with the seal that it now bears. The piece was cut out and the direction at the time. I opened the envelope and found a letter. The Attorney. General read the letter, which wai , to the infect that he had forwarded something of portance, which no other raper had go. alttragalit an. THE CRYSTAL PALACE SHAREHOLDERS had a tough battle on Wednesday at the Bridge-house Hotel, at their half yearly meeting, and the question in dispute, as may be supposed, was the Sunday question ; and, as may be also supposed, the Sabbatarians had the worst of it, it not in argument, at all event; in votes. It was a good-natured, and yet a terrible fight. The authority of bishops and archbishops was despised. Gauntlets were thrown down, which do not appear to have been taken up. The word "Sabbath" was not allowed to be uttered, but the cord " Sunday " was reckoned permissible. Those who talked of Sunday- observance, and yet kept carriages, cabs, omnibuses, and servants employed on the tffsunday were called " arrant humbugs." In buns way the storm raged till nearly two wateldred gentlemen were exhausted, and when the for ()piss taken the motion to rescind the resolution a is- , ning the Palace to shareholders was rejected EAsjority of twentrfour. A ballot was, however, rtlanb. A PARTY OF CowsrssuLuty, folly armed, last Sunday evening surrounded a publichonse in Cromac street, Belfast, kept by a woman named M'Kee, and arrested some fifteen persons who were there assem• bled, on the charge of being members of an illegal society The prisoners were immediately marched to the police•ofce, where Mr. Tracey, resident magis trate, and the inspector and sub•inspector of coasts. bulary were in attendance. The committal was made out, and the men were immediately marched off, under a strong escort, and lodged in the county of Antrim Gaol. The men who have been arrested are of the class of working men, and of ages ranging from mere lads to grey haired men. The authorities are believed to have been in possession of this infor mation 'ince last night. There can be no question as to the promptness and dexterity with which the arrests have been effected. There is considerable excitement in the part of the town adjoining Cromac-- street, but no apprehension of any disturbance. Accounts from Kerry, received last Monday, an uoanoe the mem of 13 persona, charged with being