The Press. — London, England, 1856-08-30 00:00:00

AUGUST 30, 1856. commenced. How often must it happen, when a man is the sole commander of an army, that the happy moment o f v i e tnry will pass away from him; and how much more must the difficulty be increased when, More a great move• went can be taken, be must go to his comrade and con sult with him, and get his approval and consent before any plan can be carried out. These are some of the difficulties that Lord Raglan had to contend with ; and although we may take an example from him of the devotion which closed his lips and tied his hands,sooner than by any word or letter written in self•defence the interests of the country should be endangered, though I say we who are of the profession may take example from that, yet I think it would be well for the public at large to consider whether, if they treat public men as he was treated—if they listen to every grumbling letter from the camp and such evidence as that written by people whose hearts perhaps fainted within them, or by those who could have no knowledge of the facts about which they protessed to inform you—if, I say, the country is to form an opinion upon such evidence as that, and condemn unjustly a person placed in the most responsible situation that a man can be in, they may Sod to their cost at the hour of need that men of inde pendence and character may, as many thousands and thousands of Englishmen have, and, as I trust, always will be found irepared to face the thousand dangers of pesti• lerce, sickness, and battle, though prepared to face the thousand anxieties incident to that responsible, indeed the most responsible, situation that it can fall to their lot to fill, yet it may be that men of independence and character may slit ink nom submitting themselves to such abuse and misrepresentation as was the lot of Lord Raglan to fall under. MR. JOHN FROST was last Saturday presented with an address from the democracy of York and Lan caster, at a public meeting of chartists, held at Heyhead-green, Todmorden. From 15,000 to 25,000 persons were present. The address con gratulated Mr. Frost upon his safe arrival home as a "cheering and encouraging circumstance" for the democracy of England. Mr. Frost replied in a speech of some length, describing the social life of convicts in Van Diemen's Land, anticipating the success of the chartist cause, and promising to de vote the remainder of his days to the accomplish ment of a radical reform of the House of Commons. After a collection for "the cause" had been made, the meeting separated. The collection amounted to 71.10-1. On Tuesday Mr. Frost attended a tea-meeting of five hundred at Ancoats, and gave a florid picture of the sufferings endured by convicts in Australia, because "he knew of nothing more likely to excite the people against the Government." THE ROYAL VICTORIA YACHT CLUE REGATTA termi nated last week with the usual ball, which went off with great éclat. On Saturday a general meeting of the club was held at the Club-house, and amongst other matters brought before the members the race for schooners for the 001. prize, won on Tuesday by the 31araquita, was awarded to the Georgiana, second vessel, the 3faraquita having topped her boom before the starting gun fired. The schooner yacht Viking, Colonel Stirling, was ran into by the barque James Holmes, bound for London from the West Indies, and cut down to the water's edge. The yacht made for Newhaven in a sinking state. All hands saved. A TESTIMONIAL TO MAJOR-GENERAL WINDHAM from the county of Warwick has been decided on. A committee, of which Lord Leigh is chairman, is taking the necessary steps. A STAINED-GLASS WINDOW has been placed in Lincoln Cathedral to the memory of the late Sir Riebard Armstrong, K.C.B. Sir Richard Armstrong was an old and distinvished Peninsular hem, and was lately appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Presidency of Madras, but the infirmities of age prompted him to resign. He sailed for England, but died en the voyage off the Island of St.. Helena, at the age of seventy-two. THE AGAPENONE INMATES convened an extraordi nary meeting last week, at the Clarence Hotel, Bridgewater. The Rev. S. Starkey, G. R. Thomas, and J. Cohl attended from the Agapemone, and several of their followers were also present. The Rev. S. Starkey in a slow and impressive manner set forth the "principles "of this deluded sect. One pasage of his address is sufficient to show the blasphemous nature of their creed. Mr. Starkey said : The Son of Man bath so loved the earth that he bath given His owe Spirit, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not die, but be alive, and abide the coming of the Prophet. Behold He cometh? If any man believe in Him he is a new creature; •old things have passed away— all things are become new. The Son of Man was in the Holy Ghost reconciling the flesh unto himself, and bath given unto Brother Prince the ministry of reooociliation. Now, then, I am the messenger of the Holy Ghost untu you. The Lord of Hosts came and sent and proclaimed that the day of grace was past, and the Gospel dispense. thin ended; and, thus left, the world and the professing Church were like Ephraim of old when be said, " Let him alone." But He, to whom a thousand years are as one day, was not idle. Chris:, in His flesh, was at the Agape moue, where he had gathered His people, who had pre pared for his coming; and the door was stint and did what God purposed it should do—it judged the Church •nd tbo Wprld, and •bni cheat in, THE PRES S . There would probably have been an acrimonious discussion, as a large number of persons had come prepared to controvert the opinions of the "Prin cites," but they avoided discussion and made a nasty retreat. THE NEWCASTLE COMMERCIAL BANK stopped pay• ment on Wednesday. The liabilities are returned as 25,0001., against 80,0001. assets, 51,0001. of which are invested in Sadleir's Tipperary Bank. The Sad leir frauds are the cause of the stoppage. MAJOR GENERAL GARRETT, K.H., was entertained at dinner on Thursday at the Albion Hotel, Rams gate, previous to his departure for Gibraltar, and to congratulate him on his return from the Crimea. The chair was filled by Mr. J. Ashby Warre, of West Cliffe-lodge, near Ramsgate, supported by Sir M. Montefiore, the clergy and gentlemen of the town and neighbourhood, several officers of the army, navy, and East Kent Militia, &c. After the usual toasts of "The Queen," " Royal Family," "Church," &c., had been given, the chairman, in an eloquent speech, proposed the health of General Garrett., re ferring to the long. continued military services of the general from his first campaign in the Peninsula, when he was wounded, until his recant employmt nt in the Crimea, where he was at first brigadier general, and afterwards had the command of the four divi sion, during which time he was actively employed in the trenches, and other harassing duties. He was the last general officer to quit the late scene of war, and has since been appointed to a command at Gibraltar. The toast was drunk with long-continued cheers. General Garrett, who was decorated with four orders, in a brief speech acknowledged the kind ness with which the toast had been received. THE NORTH LANCASHIRE AGRICULTURAL EXHIBI TION took place at Preston this week, and, as an agricultural show, has been highly successful, though the weather was unpropitious. The display of live stock, and particularly of bulls, was one of the finest ever seen in the country. Lord Stanley, M.P., pre sided at the dinner on Thursday night. THE REV. Mn. SAMPSON, Curate of Caistor, near Yarmouth, was drowned last week off Yarmouth, while fishing in a sailing boat. A squall struck the boat, capsized her, and Mr. Sampson, unable to swim, sank after a few struggles. His companions were saved. Miss FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE has returned the following reply to the Newcastle working wens' address: Angnst 23, 1856. My dear Friends,—T wish it were in my power to tell you what was in my heart when I received your letter. 'Your welcome home, your sympathy with what has been passing while I have been absent, have touched me more than I can tell in words. My dear friends, the things that are deepest in our hearts are perhaps what it is most difficult us to express. " She bath done what she could." Those words I inscribed on the tomb of one of my best helpers whom I left in the graveyard at Scutari. It has been my endeavour, in the sight of God, to do as she has done. I will not speak of reward, when permitted to do our country's work. It is what we live for. But I may say that to receive sympathy from affectionate hearts like yours is the greatest support, the greatest gratification, that it is possible for me to receive from man. I thank you all, the 1,800, with grateful, tender affection. And I stould have written before to do so, were not the business, which my return home has not ended, almost more than I can manage —Pray believe me, my dear friends, yours faithfully and gratefully. (Signed) FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE. Meetings have been held at Birmingham to collect subscriptions to the Nightingale Fund. . . HER MAJESTY, after her recent sojourn at Devon port, graciously commanded that 1001. should be paid to the Rev. George W. Proctor, as her Majesty's con tribution towards the amount necessary for the com pletion of St. Stephen's Church, which is in course of erection in that town for the families of her Majesty's soldiers, sailors, marines, and dockyard artificers and labourers. grtlanb. His EXCELLENCY THE LORD LIEUTENANT held a chapter of the Order of St. Patrick at the Castle, on Thursday, and invested the Marquis of Londonderry and the Earl of Granard with the honour of knight.. hood. THE 18TH ROYAL IRTSH were presented with new colours on Monday, by his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant. The ceremony took place at 3.30 p.m. in Fhcenix park, in the presence o' a vast concourse of people, and altogether went off with great Fitt. General Lo:d Seaton, G.C.8., Commander of the Forces, arrived on the ground a few minutes before the Lord Lieutenant, who was accompanied by a brilliant escort. Having inspected the regiment, his Excellency addressed them at some length, recalling their former services : In the earliest annals of this regiment, under the imme diate eye and guidance of a hero king, it planted its colours on the breach of Namur; and accordingly those colours to this day bear the name of Namur, and quarter w ith the Lions of NEssau the Harr and Crowu of your own native Ireland. From that date they followed a yet more consummate general—the great Duke of Marl borough—through all his campaigns and all his victories ; at the sieves of Venloo, Liege, Menin, Lisle, and Tourney —over the battle-fields of Blenheim, Rowdies, Oudenarde, and Malplaquet. Perhaps I may record with less pleasure that your regiment crossed swords with our American kinsmen at Bunker's-hill ; but there. as else where, they nobly did their duty. I have alluded to their services under Marlborough; we have had in our own day a chieftain more illustrious than even Marlborough, but the duties of distant service prevented the Royal Irish Regiment from actually fighting under Wellington. I speak, however, almost within the shadow of the monu ment raised by his countrymen on his own native soil to that great warrior; 1 speak—more touching association still—in the presence of those whose hoary hairs still recel the bright careen of glory which they pursued—may say learned — under that great comm a nd er ; an d I call upon that mute grey pillar—l call upon their timeworn and honoured forms as my witnesses that the Great Duke himself would have approved and sanctioned the cere• molly of to•day. ( Applause.) But I have not even yet exhausted the trophies of the Royal Irish. 1 find them serving, for the most part under Irish commanders, at Alexandria under Cradock, still in Egypt un ler Hutchin- son, iu China under Gough, that revered Irish veteran, now happily here to witness your array in peace as he swayed your energies in war. The sphynx on your flag speaks for Egypt ; the dragon for China ; further, your impetuous onset carried the formidable Pagoda of Martiban in the last Burmese war ; and, latest of all, the memorable day of the 18th June saw you actually housed within Sebastopol ; and the name of that great Russian strong hold, now just added to your victorious colours , closes, up to this day at least, the long list of your glories. (Loud cheers.) His Excellency then reminded the men that now, as they were to exhibit the virtues of citizens, they should recollect that brotherly union was one, and that they should not think hardly of one another, though they worshipped the Common Father in different houses of prayer. Colonel Edwards, in his reply, said : The ptesence of your Excellency, and of the distinguished noblemen, gentry, gentlemen, generals, and officers who are now standing by us, shows the royal regiment of Ire land that we have been welcomed to the country by our rulers--( cheers I—and though for a moment the dark cloud may appear, when we think that after an absence of twenty years, on returning to the capital of that country of which we bear the title and have borne the title for three centuries, we have not received any public mark of appro. hation —still it is our duty to forget these things, and to recollect that, as Ireland's sons by birth, by connection, and by association, it is our duty to wake these colours show the genercus public of Great Britain that Ireland's sons will still do their duty, and will ever wish to place Irish soldiers where I may say with pride they have ever been and ever shall be. (Applause.) The colours were then presented and accepted with the usual honours, and the ceremony terminated. THE first part of tht, Agricultural Statistics rela ting to the flax crops ha; beea published. The in crease over last year in acreage, under flax, is 9,785 acres, principally in Ulster and Leinster. Mx. J. E. CAIRNES, A.M., has been elected to the Whately Professorship of Political Economy, Tri nity College. THE HARVEST is calculated at a good average throughout the country ; labour is scarce. SratianV. THE TENTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE EVAN • OELICAL ALLIANCE WaS held last week in Glasgow. Beyond clerical circles the meetings did not attract much interest. The annual report noticed "with regret" the "perversions to Popery" which had taken place of persons connected with Scotland during the year—such as the Marchioness of Lothian, the Duchess of Buccleuch, and Mr. Hope Scott, d:c. At the last meeting the Rev. Dr. Blackwood, late chap lain to the army in the East, gave some interesting statements regarding the state and prospects of Christianity in the army. He said : The whole means for supplying spiritual instruction to the British soldier are most deplorably de eciive. He had nothing to say against the Thaplaii's of the army, bat the whole system of their appointment was defective. Among the soldiers and officers there were many men of God, more particularly among the artillery and engineers —met whose hearts were burning with love to add anything they could to the spiritual condition of their fellow-soldiers..... Captain Hedley Vicars, who had fallen in a Russian sortie, was much asked after by soldiers in hosnitil. He wqs led to inquire why so much interest was evinced on behalf of that officer, when he found that he had ben iii the habit of calling on his men of the 97th, in tents and elsewhere, when be prayed with them. Many of these poor men had assured hini that the first light of God's Word which they ever received was from the lips of Captain Vicars, that martyred man of God. General orders from head-quarters prohibited the chaplains from etnnleying any clergymen but those sanctioned by the War Department. Now, he thought the council of the Evangelical Alliance snout(' seek out men of God who were in possession of Christian love, so that, wherever they might be cast, there would always be a little nucleus of evangelical soldiers ready to call together their friends. His next proposition was to form 11 military low° for this object. He was not me