The Sun. — London, England, 1848-03-17 00:00:00

( leases where medical relief was refused was extremely MO; and though, under the Noble Lord's resolution, any Woman in th e par i s h m i ght app l y, there was a c h ec k Pon fraud by the power of attaching wages, and other gleans. A further security was provided by the certifi cate which the medical officer would be required to give after the first case. Thus the risk of abuse was ex tremely small. It would be hardly possible to apply a email extra amount of aid so beneficially, under the poor law, as in the mode proposed by this resolution. Ile hoped that, instead of the motion being met by the pre !lolls question, it might be withdrawn, on an undcroil: - l og by the Right Hon. and Learned Chief Commissioner to introduce its provisions in a new order. Viscount E!3RINGTON said he entirely sympathised with the motives of the Noble Lord, though he differed from the results at which he bad arrived. It seemed to him that much of what the Noble Lord s , ught to secure was already provided for by tile orders of the old Com tnissioners; at least in so far as the security against fraud s was concerned. Where a medical officer attended at his own risk a serious and urgent case, he al wars found the guardi ans rea d y to approve hi s con d uct . Il e 'believed that the class immediately above pauperis , n suff..red most Be verly on the occasions referred to; but the resolution of the Noble Lord did not supply a tilting remedy, as People of that ela4s scorned to apply for parochial as siata nce.—(Hear.) Captain PECII ELL alluded to the disclosures before the Andover Committee, and expressed a hope that the n Commissioners would make it their business to visit use different unions, and superintend the administration 0i 'relief.—(Hear, hear.) Ile thought it would be an a urantage if the resolution was a little modified, but he should support it as it stood, believing that money could not be better applied. He thought the step proposed by the Noble Lord was due to the poor, and it should have hi s support. Sir IL VERNEY felt satisfied that women ought to have the power of calling in a medical man in cases of 'anger. He was not afraid that persons would have l'enourse to medical aid without necessity. He hoped the Noble Lard would not only press his first resolution but bis second one likewise. Ile thought the present resolution was the first step in a right direction. Mr. ADDEIILEY thought, that this was an attempt to effect a doubtful good by incurring a certain risk. The object in view cou:sl be better attained by the various i nstitutions which existed in the country—such as lying its hospitals and friendly societies. -The House then divided, when there appeared— For the motion Against it Majority Lord ASHLEY then proposed the second resolution, b ut withdrew it on the intimation of Mr. Beller, that . o lhe object of it could be accomplised by an order of the r oor-law Commissioners, and that he would not fail to attend to the subject. Lord ASHLEY then proposed the third resolution. It Was well known that great abuses existed in many W orkhouses—that the wants of the poor in sickness were sot always well attended to— that the state of the houses Wall often a source of disease, all of which would be re moved by the appointment of medical inspectors. They h ad appointed medical inspectors in other departments, and it could not be of more service in any department taltn in connexion with the poor in the workhouses. It aPPeared from the last report that the Whitechapel Workhouse was in a very bad state. The medical officer of it died of fever. He felt satisfied that if medical in- Vectors had existed for the last five years these abuses Would not exist. These abuses gave rise to considerable expense, and his opinion was that the inspectors, by rea son of the ordi r and regularity which they would intro duce, would he the means of saving the amount of the s alaries which he proposed to allow them. Mr. BULLER said he felt himself obliged to oppose the resolution of the Noble Lord, not that he denied tha utility of a staff of medical officers such as the noble Lord proposed, but because he believed such a costly and complicated machinery would not be the best means of arriving at the end he had in view. The object of the poor-law board was to superintend the whole administration of the poor-law, to enforce uniformity of action as far as possible, and to see that the provisions of the law were exactly carried out. Now he believed that the appointment of medical officers, such as the Noble Lord proposed, would only hamper them in carrying out those objects.—(Hear, hear.) The salaries of the medical inspectors themselves would cost the country 6,0001. a year, and with the travelling expenses and the expenses of clerks added, he did not think the cost could be less than 20,000/. He did not think the House would grudge that amount, if t hea* believed that these medical inspectors were likely to prove a real benefit, but he was sure they • would only encumber the operations of the central au thority. He would not pledge himself against the ap pointment of one medical inspector, because he often e xperienced the want of the advice which such an officer alone could give on subjects connected with the medical department of the pour-law. But to perform efficiently the work which the Noble Lord referred to in his reso lution would require not one but 620 medical officers. I le Was always of opinion that it was an essential part of the poor-law that its administration should be left in the hands of local bodies, the central authority at Somer set House, exercising merely a superintending power. The resolution of the N ible Lord would, in truth, take the authority out of the hands of the guardians and place it in those of the medical inspectors. The medical nspector could only make his appearance for a few hours in the workhouse; and how was it possible for him, under these circumstances, to be a competent judge of the general medical treatment of the poor? That must be left entirely to local opinion. Then to inquire into the diets presented was much too large a subject for the medical inspectors. They might be found useful in re gulating the general sanitary condition of the workhouses, and be was prepared to take measures to ensure that result. The resolution of the Noble Lord appeared to hilt to be an excellently-devised plan merely for esta blishing an independent medical authority in the country. -- (near, hear.) : . de assured the Noble Lord that he was not indifferent to the objects he proposed, and if he allowed him to work out the ends in his own way he Could promise hitn that eventually the result he desired to arrive et would be attained. Unless the Noble Lord accepted his assurances, he must meet this question as by had dove the last. Mr. WAKLEY fear. d that the want of medical of which the lion. Gentleman had complained, was likely to be long felt. Ile feared he was in a bad way.---(A laugh.) The fact was, his place ought to have been filled by a medical man.—(lronical cheering ) Nothing •lse would do. The Hon. Gentleman not only admitted it, but showed it. All his vivacity and logical ability WAS gone. Never had any man made a poorer display than he had made that night. Ile knew not who the advisers in the P,or.law Commission Office were, but it was evident they had a hatred of the medical profession. Not one of their appointments was filled by a medical officer. A newspaper editor was uppointi.d a Poor-law Commissioner the other day, but not a single m??dieal rasa ever got a place.—(Cries of " Oh.") But some day or the other the medical men would " visit " their oppressors—(A laugh)—and he hoped they would pay them out. Ile much regretted the motion was opposed, and he hoped it would be carried. Mr. HENLEY did not at all approve of the slow Method of effecting these changes which was proposed to them by the Ilan. Gentleman. Captain PECEIELL thought this was a step in the right direction. Ile agreed with the Mender fur Finsbury, that the medical body were most scandalously _ _ _ Lord DUDLEY STUART thought a great part of the evils endured by the poor in this country were attributable to the inadequate payments to medical officers. After a few words from Mr. ADDEALEY and Mr. E. Dannaost, The House divided, when there appeared—_ Ayes. - - 19 Noes Majority —42 The previous question was according carried. Lord ASHLEY then moved that from and after the Ist of June next, the appointment of medical officers of Unions shall be permanent during good behaviour, they being removable only by the Poor-law Commissioners, Whose decisions shall be final. The Noble Lord quoted the evidence of a numerous body of medical witnesses and others, t 4 show that the efficiency of the medical officers of unions would be greatly improved by their being independent of the boards of guardians, and of annual election. The chaplains, the clerks, and other officers of unions, were permanent officers—why Lot the Medical attendants ? Mr. P. SCROPE supported the resolution. Mr. C. BULLER was sorry he could not accede to the proposition of the Noble Lord. lie expressed his regret that the Hon. Member for Finsbury should so entirely have misconceived the tenor of any remarks of his respecting the medical profession. He had the fullest appreciation of the humanity and honour of that body. As to the immediate resolution, he considered that annual election was the most efficient means of securing duo attention to the poor on the part of officers Whose services were remunerated not according to what they did, at so much a case, but by a fixed saltii-y. The Commissioner sitting in Somerset House, and acting through an inspector, could not possibly be 80 competent • a judge of the fitness of the qualifications of the medical officer—whether he possessed, not only the necessary learning and ability, but that kindness of disposition'and that confidence in the parish generally, without which it Would be said you appoint for the poor that medical man Whom no one else will employ—as the guardians who Were on the spot. The result of the success of this re solution would be that the Commissioner could never remove a medical officer, however deficient in zeal, ability, or attention, so long as he refrained from the commission of any specific offence upon which hold could be taken. Again, he thought it would be most unwise to place in his (the chief Commissioner's) hands she holding office on a political tenure only—the Power of removing 3,000 medical officers throughout the country. Ho concluded by moving the previous question. Mr. WARLEY did not think the Right Hon. Gentle rnan'a answer at all conclusive. One object of the Poor law Bill was to introduce uniformity of administration. Well, one-half the appointments were permanent, and now the Right Hon. Gentleman opposed a proposition to render the other half permanent, and so to make all uniform. It was quite impossible for the medical officer to discharg e his duty effectually while he was dependent on the guardians. If he offended them—if he ordered more wine or other things to the poor than concurred with their views, he was not re•elected.—(Hear, hear.) How was Mr. Westlake treated—the gentleman who exposed the abuses of the Andover Union ? Ho was so persecuted by the guardians, that he was obliged to re sign his situation. This would not have been the case if he had been indepeadent of the board. It had been the same in the Croydon and other unions. The board of guardians had great electoral influence, and that was the reason the whole power was placed in their hands, and be believed sorae of their board had intimated that it would be held as an offence to them if the office of me dical officer was made permanent. The permanent office would be the one that was most useful to the poor. After a few words from Sir 11. VERNEY and Captain PECHELL, Mr. WALTER bore personal testimony to the in capacity, in some cases, of parish doctors, Ivithout making any specific charge, who were allowed to remain to the injury of those parishes to which they were at tached. Ile had also seen several cases where the parish doctors laboured under great disadvantages owing to a di-inclination on the plrt of the guaniians to allow proper nourishment. Hr therefore thought that the in-dical men should ha permanent. Lord I) sTuma suggested the omission from the resolution of the words " during good behaviour." Dr. Bowring, Mr. HenlQy, and Mr. Brotherton having made a few remarks, Lnrd ASHLEY said he would not object to the pro posed alteration of omitting the words "during good behaviour" if it made the resolution more acceptablo to the Government. Mr. C. BULLER objected to the alteration. Ile should not wish to have the removal of the medical men thrown upon him. The I louse divided, when there appeared— For the resolution Against it Majority —62 Lord ASHLEY consented to withraw the remaining resolutions. THE SUN, LITERATURE. LIVES OF THE QUEENS OF ENGLAND, Vol XL Bg Agnes Strickland. As a biographer Miss Strickland has achieved for herself a very brilliant reputation. A nobler theme could not by any possibility have been chosen, dur ing the lifetime of a Queen Regnant, than that afforded by the lives, the characters, and the vicissitudes of her royal predecessors. Our authoress has made an admirable selection, and very admirably has she ful filled even our most sanguine anticipations. There is a piquancy in the revelations, a vividness in the portraitures, and a feminine minuteness in the narra tives, in the historical work here undertaken b♦ Miss Strickland, which cannot but exercise a very benefi cial fa cination over her contemporaries and her pos terity. We say a beneficial fascination, because the numerous attractions of her style, of her subject, and of her disclosures must familiarise a large multitude of readers with matters of which they would other wise have remain( d ignorant, and tend to the justifi cation of many individuals who would otherwise have been regarded as heretofore through a disingenuous and distorting medium. Of all the personages de picted in these biographies of the different Queens of England, the most repulsive to our imagination, in con sequence of her odious and most unwomanly characte• ristics, is assuredly the daughter of James 11., and wife of William 111., namely, Mary ll.—the subject of the eleventh volume, now lying before us for con sideration. We will acknowledge, of course, that Mary the Second was subjected to an extraordinary and almost unparalleled trial, that she was placed in a glare of light so intense and intolerable, that her vices as well as her virtues must perforce be divulged to the whole world in all their beauty or in all their ugli ness—in the beauty of their virgin and celestial per fections, or in the uglinessof their unnatural and abhorrent baseness. She was so situated, indeed, that her affections as a wife were placed in direct antago nism with her affections as a daughter, that she must either abandon her husband or neglect her father, that she must either display a sublime magnanimity or a cruel and even fiendish ambition. The nature of Mary 11. was tested in this manner, and it proved most despicable. She was afforded an opportunity of handing her name down to all after times as one of the brightest and purest in our history, and instead of 30 doing, she has rendered herself a very proverb of meanness and austerity. She—she—the daughter of the unfortunate and erring, but sincere and consistent James—she has been christened in the nineteenth century by the young and eloquent representative of Canterbury—" England's Gonneril !" " And Eng land's Gonneril," says he, in one of his most striking ballads— smiles to hear The shouts that triumphed o'er her crownless Lear." We turned, therefore, we will confess it, with a sort of loathing or repugnance to the eleventh volume of Miss Strickland's elegant and remarkable composi tion. We would sooner have been required to read a biography of Robespierre than of Mary 11., for there was a certain sublimity in the fanaticism of that bloody despot, whereas in the career of the Queen of William of Orange there is only visible a harshness quite incongruous with her sex, and a baseness wholly unworthy of her position. Miss Strickland does ample justice to her very abominable subject; she does not Vrite like a partisan, like a Jacobite, or like a factious supporter of the Revolution —no, she writes like a historian, and writing with this historic impartiality she so narrates the events in the life of Mary 11., and so develops her disposition to her readers, as to hold that sovereign up to:their ineffable reprehension. Here is a single passage which will of itself evidence the character of Queen Mary 11., and the spirit in which Miss Strickiand has delineated that character. It has reference to the flagrant and unseemly joy with which the child of the ruined James repaired in state to that palace of Whitehall from which he had been so recently driven. " Four writers, who all profess to be eye-witnesses of her landing or her demeanour in tke palace, have each recorded what they saw ; one of them, a philosophical observer, Evelyn ; another an enemy, Lady Churchill ; a third, a panegyrist, Oldmixon ; and the fourth, an apologist, her friend, Burnet. This concurrence of evi dences, each of whom wrote unknown to the other, makes the conduct of Mary one of the boat authenticated pas sages in history. • She came into 'Whitehall, jolly, as to a wedding,' wrote Evelyn, • seeming quite transported with joy.' Some of Mary's party, to shield her from the disgust that eye witnesses felt at her demeanour, de clared that she was acting a part that had been sternly prescribed hor by her husband's letters. Her partisan, Oldmixon, enraged at these excuses, exclaimed, •It they had seen her as others did, they would not have ventured to report such falsity ; so far from acting a part not natural to her, there was nothing in her looks which was not as natural and as lovely as ever there were charms in woman.' "Lady Churchill, in her fierce phraseology, speaks of what she witnessed without the slightest compromise, and as her assertions are borne cut by a person respect• able as Evelyn, she may be believed Queen Mary wanted bowels ; of this she gave unquestionable prow the first day she came to Whitehall. She ran about it; looking into every closet and conveniency, and turning up the quilts of the beds just as people do at an inn, witi, no sort. of concern in her appearance. Although at the time I was extremely caressed by her, I thought this strange and unbecoming conduct. For whatever neces city there was of deposing li , ng James, he was still her father, who had been lately driven from that ver) chamber, and from that very bed ; and if she felt no tenderness, I thought, rt least, she might have felt grave, or even pensively sad, at so melancholy a reverst or fortune. But I kept these thoughts in my own breast, not even imparting them to my mistress, tilt Princess Anne, to whom I could say anything.' As th( conduct of her mistress had been still more coarse and unnatural than that of her sister, Lady Churchill knew that she could not blame one without reflecting severely on the other. " The following apology, made by her friend, Burnet, weighs rre,re against Mary than the bold attack of her sister's favourite. She put on an air, of great gaiety when she came to Whitehall. I confess I was ono of those who censured her in my thoughts. I thought a little more seriousness had done as well when she came into her father's palace, and was to be set on his throne the next day. I had never seen the least indecency in any part of her deportment before, which made this ap pear to me so extraordinary, that, afterwards I took the liberty to a-k her, " How it came that what she saw in so sad a revolution in her father's person lied not made a greater impression on her ?" She took this freedom with her usual goodness, and assured me " That she felt the sense of it very lively in her thoughts ;" but, she added, " that the letters which had been writ to her had obliged her to put on,et cheerfulness in which she might ' perhaps go too far, because she was obeying directions, and act►ng a - part not natural to her." " Thus did Queen Mary throw from herself the blame of an unfeeling levity, which had revolted even the coarse minds of Burnet and Sarah Churchill ; but surely the commands of her partner bad reference only to the manner in which she acted the part cf royalty. while the eyes of her new subjects were upon her ; it did not dictate the heartless glee, when she made her perambulations to examine into the state of the goods that had fallen into her grasp, on the evening of her arrival and betimes in the succeeding morning." In writing this there is certainly no mere vitupera tion, Miss Strickland has presented to us the pros and the cons with a scrupulous exactitude, and from those different authorities, from the declarations of Evelyn, of Lady Churchill, of Burnet, and of Old mixon, she has drawn her inferences. While, how ever, she has condemned these miserable qualities of the ',Nile of William 111., our authoress has done ample justice to her masculine and energetic intel iect, as betrayed in her behaviour while governing solos when her husband visited either the Hague or Ireland. Towards the conclusion of the eleventh volume is given the commencement of the history of Anne as a Princess. It is pleasant to revert from the unwinning callousness of Mary, even though it be merely to contemplate the unheroic indications of the nascent energies of Anne. Miss Strickland has manifestly discovered nothing congenial in the per sonal peculiarities of either, but she has woven their lives with a skilful hand into the tissue of her inte resting and remarkable narrative. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES BILL. Mr. F. O'CONNOR rose to move for leave to bring in a Bill "to alter and amend the Act 9 and 10 Vic , c. 27, intituled en Act to amend the laws relating to friendly societies." He said, he trusted that the Go vernment would allow him to bring in the Bill, seeing that the subject had been advocated in petitions signed by 203,000 persons, all of that class most likely to be interested in its operation. His object was to legalise a social plan, of which he had been the founder. The principle of the plan was this:-100,000 persons had em barked funds in it under his guidance, and each man who subscribed 21. 12s. per annum was entitled in his turn to two acres of ground, with a cottage worth 100/. in the centre, and a capital of 151. to begin with. Larger subscriptions entitled the subscriber to proportiona!ily greater advantages. However a technical objection had bsen raised which shut out this association from the protection given by the law to friendly societies. The principal objection made was that the system was a sort of lottery, and that no man could he insured a farm for a subscription of 2/. 12s. Another objection was that two or three or even five acres were not sufficient to support a man and his family But they bad it on the records of the House, in the Gregory clause, that a man holding a quarter of an acre was considered to be self supporting, and not entitled to workhouse relief, and that was his answer to the insinuations which had been thrown out against the feasibility of his plan.—(Hear, hear.) Hu had pur chased 2,000 acres of land in Hertfordshire, on which he had located 35 families, and 45 on another tract in ‘Vorcestershire, and in neither case had there been an instance of drunkenness or riot since the location. His opinion was that five acres were amply sufficient to sup port a family. He asked for the support of the landed interest, seeing that the landed proprietors of this coun try paid 6,000,0001. annually for the relief of the poor. Besides, and he begged attention to that fact, it was the first attempt es bring the land of the country into the retail market—the only means, as he believed, of restor ing the land to its true value. It was well under stood and generally admitted that the man who had a small holding, and who cultivated it himself, could afford to pay a much higher rent than the man who held a large farm, and cultivated it by the expenditure of his capital. Any one who had travelled through Belgium would remember that tracts worth 1001. had been sold for 9001. when subdivided among peasant proprietors. The fact was that the man who had a small farm, with his homestead in the centre, could do as much with a boy and a wheelbarrow, as could a farmer with six men and four horses when living at a distance. Wbat was there in the capabilities of Great Britain to prevent the labourers of this country from effecting that which the Belgians accomplished with a worse soil ? He had no other object in view than to legalise the plan which he had carried out successfully in the county of Cork on his own property, and in the counties of Hertford arid Worcester, on the estates purchased by the company. That company had a capital of 180,0001, of which 50,0001. was vested in Exchequer bills, the whole of which at present stood in his name ; and he came to the House to ask for this Bill, by which the company should be protected against his acts and those of the officers of the company. The enrolment of the com pany under the statute he sought to amend had been refused, on a technical objection raised by Mr. Tidd Pratt, on a dictum of Mr. Justice Wightman ; and though the statute in question was intended to extend the benefit of the law to such societies, they were, under this dictum, in a worse situation then before the amend ing statute passed. Already they had expended 3.0001. in provisionally registering the company, but it would cost many thousands more to effect complete registra tion. It was under these circumstances that he came to the House for relief, and he was willing, after the intro duction of his Bill, to submit it to the Attorney-General before he asked for a second reading. He was aware that it had been objected to his plan, that it resembled the Irish small farm system. So it did, with this difference, that here there was no want of tenure, while in Ireland the holder of a small farm had no certainty of tenure. To provide against the other evil that had been anticipated— . namely, of too minute a subdivison of the land, a clause was inserted in the leases, whereby any subdivision of a llotments was prohibited. He had many other topics connected with the subject to bring under the notice of the House, but as he had already to thank them for the tolerance extended to him, he should abstain from say ing more than to assure the Itight Hon. Baronet that if, by the refusal to pass the Bill, he should be driven to complete the registration of the society, he should not he stopped at that obstacle, but would persevere in the plans by means of which he had created such lively hopes in the minds of the labouring classes who had confided in him. He had met with no opposition from the landed classes, bnt from the manufacturers he had been met by the most deadly hostility. The lion. Mem ber concluded by moving for leave to bring in a Bill to amend the I,ws relating to friendly societies. Mr. WAKLEY seconded the motion. Sir G. GREY said he would not follow the Hon. Member through the various topics of his speech, but he must observe that he had not been able to get any de finite or clear idea of the plan which he had described, or of the nature of the Bill which he wished to intro duce. One thing he must however, say—namely, that there was no such indisposition on the part of the-House to afford all the facilities that were required to place the investments of the savings of the working classes as the lion. Member appeared to think existed. Mr. F. O'CONNOR said that he had attributed no s u c h motive to any party. ;sir G. GREY was very happy to find that he had misapprehended the Hun. Member. With respect to the lew on the subject, he believed that ali the Attor ney-General meant to do was to oppose any society which was based on a lottery. But he would not raise a discussion upon that point at the present moment. All lie would say was, that he would never give his sanc tion to any lottery scheme. lie would not oppose the introduction of the Bill, with the distinct understanding, however, that he expressed no opinion upon its merits. Leave was then given to bring in the Bill. PETTY BAG OFFICE BILL. Mr. ROMILLY obtained leave to bring in a Bill for abolishing certain offices in the Petty Bag in the High Court of Chancery, and for regulating the Petty Bag Office. POOR HOUSES (IRELAND) BILL. Mr. S. CRAWFORD obtained leave to bring in a Bill to extend the powers given by former Acts for pur chasing or hiring land in connexion with, or for the use of, poor houses in Ireland, in order to afford the means of applying the labour of paupers to their own support. TREATY OF ADRIANOPLE. Mr. ANSTEY moved that the order of the day for the resumption of the debate on this subject should be discharged.—(Hear, hear.) Lord HOTII.IM condemned the practice of founding serious charges against the Minister of the Crown on a mere motion for papers. Lord D. STUART said he was anxious to have ad- dressed the house on the main question, but he would not oppose the discharge of the order. The order was then discharged. ELECTION RECOGNISANCES BILL. On the motion of Sir W. HEATHCOTE, the order for further proceeding o❑ this Bill was discharged. 'lnc House adjourned at a quarter after One o'clock. PARLIAMENTARY ENFRANCHISEMENT OF S fALY rutioaE.—A memorial to Lord John Russell, praying him to bring a Bill into Parliament, to confer the pri vilege of electing a Member to serve this town in Par liament, and a petition to the House of Commons, which were agreed to at a public meeting a short time ago, are in course of signature, and have now received nearly two thousand names, including several of the largest and most influential manufacturers and tradesmen of all parties.— Manchester Courier. THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF MONTPENSIER.—A morning paper says—" The sudden departure of the Duke and Duke and Duchess of Montpensier for Ger many, on Thursday, has naturally enough caused considerable surprise ; more particularly as it took place before the expected arrival of the Duke of Ahumada, who had been commissioned by the Queen of Spain to invite her sister to Madrid. It is now, however, stated that their departure was caused by the discovery of a correspondence, in the Tuileries, la hich, being commu nicated to the British Government, rendered the resi dence of those august personages in this country as dis agreeable to the Cuurt of St. James's as it would have been unpleasant to themselves. It is added that they left in conformity with an intimation from the Foreign office. EXTRAMIDINAWY FACT.—A gentleman, named Dutton, aged eighty, of the Brynne, near Wrexham, Flintahire, was listening in bed to his clock striking the hour of twelve at midnight, when, to his surprise, the last six strokes sounded much louder than the former. The old gentleman naturally supposed that a door had been opened. Upon harkening, he heard the jingling of keys, and to his astonishment, he was but too fully con vinced that an intruder had entered his bedroom, and was about to take the contents of his bureau. He im mediately jumped out cf bed, and clasped an individual having on a fustain coat. He held him tightly, and called lustily fur assistance. The thief carried the fear less old gentleman through two rooms, when his son in-law and wife arrived, who succeeded in capturing the burglar, who is now safely lodged for trial in the county gaol. It appears the scoundrel had only been dismissed from the service about three weeks.—Zentish Gaze*. LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 17, 1848. IRELAND. THE " DENIONSTRATION." DUBLIN, MARCH 15.—There is now scarcely the shadow of a chance of there being any disturbance on Friday next. A proclamation addressed to the people Dublin by J. O'Connell was extensively posted :hroughout the city this morning. The following is a copy:— " TO THE PEOPLE OF DUBLIN. •' March 14, 1848. "Fellow-citizens,—The wards of Dublin will hold meetings upon St. Patrick's day to petition for the immediate repeal of the disastrous and ruinous Legis lative Union, and the restoration of our native Parlia ment. "We ask of you to give your assistance, each in his own ward, to this constitutional movement; and we earnestly exhort you to abstain from all processions, in order that there shall be no chance of the occurrence of anything to prevent the good and peaceful issue of those meetings. "Thus you will assuredly baffb the fell hopes of your secret enen,ies, earn the gratitude of your real friends, and bring a blessing on our cause. " Moriflay's proceedings at the Repeal Association will prove to you that you are certain—if you but con tinue in your admirable course of strictly peaceful agita tion—of having the accession to the cause of Ireland of Irishmen of rank, station, and high and deserved influ ence in the land. "Peace then—Good Order—No Processions—No Flags—No Banners, nor Emblems of any kind ! " No chance to be given to the Enemies of the People of Ireland ! and thus " Hurrah for the Repeal I " JOHN O'CONNELL, Chairman of Committee. " Corn Exchange." The confederated trades assembled in full force last night, and came to a resolution to have an open-air de monstration on Monday next at Newmarket, a large -quaro in the Earl of Meath's Liberty. At the trades' meeting referred to, the following resolutions were Ad opted on the motion of Mr. John Dillon, a bar rister ; " That none but the Sovereign, Lords, and Commons of Ireland are qualified to legislate for Ireland. That the time has arrived for putting into operation the pro ject of the illustrious Liberator, of a council of 300 of the citizens, to devise proper means of achieving national rights. That they bail and acknowledge with grati tude the recognition by the French nation of the rights of labour." In reference to the abandonment of the boasted de mons.ration, the Evening Mail remarks,— " The great national Irish demonstration in favour of Republicanism is, in a word, altogether forgotten—clean - Iriven out of the heads of the score of mischievous demagogues who devised it, by tho roar of execration and contempt which has greeted them from the lips of every humane and honourable man of every rank, class, creed, or party. Sympathy with glorious France' has died, and made no sign, save in the following advertise ment, which this morniag occupies a position of solitary grandeur in the columns of the Freeman's Journal:— "SYMPATHY WITH GLORIOUS TRANCE. " The Deputies of the several Trades' Bodies are re quested to meet in the Committee-rooms, 28, Westmore land street, on this (Wednesday) evening, at eight o'clock, to arrange the order and route of procession to the place of meeting, and for other business. " By order of the Special Committee, Monday next, the 20th inst., is fixed for the day of meeting, that the local meetings fixed for the 17th inst may not be inter ered with.' " It is possible this ' Special Committee' may include some earnest dupes. If so, we ask them in kindliness and good feeling, do they not see the frailty of the reed upon which they have been leaning ? De they not perceive that they have been urged onward by designing knaves upon a course which has been left to their sole occupation the moment it was found that it might lead to the gallows, or to a bloody grave ? Will they make themselves the 'nape goats, as well as the dupes, of such men as Mr. John O'Connell, and his fellows of the oeggitig box ?" MILITARY PREPARATIONS. — Under this head the Evening Mail has the annexed paragraph : " We have every reason to believe that the disposable force at present in Dublin, including cavalry, infantry, artillery, and police, considerably exceeds 10,000 men During this day large quantities of ammunition have been dispatched from the magazine to the several points which are to be occupied on Friday by the military. The only ostensible preparations made by the disaffected consists in a quantity of stone-shot, placed at their dis posal by the Paving Board. There is scarcely a street in Dublin that has not been covered within the last few days with shingle." TO THE EDITOR OF THE SON. SIR,—I take the liberty of extracting from La Semaine of Saturday last two anecdotes of the late Revolution in France. •,hick appear to mo very interesting, and which have not hitherto appeared, I think, in an English form. They are at your service for insertion in your journal, should you deem them worthy of am, Sir, &c. Lincoln's Inn, March 16.1848. J. T. B. On the morning of Thursday, the 24th February, a band of insurgents in search of arms, visited the resi dence of the Duke d'Elchingen. The Duke was absent, and the Duchess was alone. "We come for arms," cried the group. "Take them," said her Grace, pointing to some swords and fire-arms. " And that one?" said a citizen, pointing to a sword left suspended on the wall. " That sword," she replied, " belonged to my father-in law. 'Tis the sword of Marshal Ney. Do not, pray, deprive use of that. The people always respected it." The men were moved, and taking down the weapon, they all kissed it with emotion, and placing it in the bands of Madamed'Elchingen they bowed and withdrew. When the people had forced their way into the Palais Royal and had reached the apartments of General Athaiin, ono of Louis Phillipe's aide-de-camps, they encountered the General's lady, a woman of dignified deportment and stature, whom the General had espoused for her rare beauty, being but the daughter of a poor fisherman of Granville. "My friends," she exclaimed, " I trust you have not come here to offer any injury to myself or my husband. lam not one of your fine ladies, but a daughter of the people—l throw myself then con fidently on your protection. But I %•ill not leave my husband, he is confined to his bed by illness." The band were struck with the boldness of the appeal. They repaired to the General's chamber, placed him in an arm-chair, and headed by this daughter of the people, they conveyed him to a friend's house in the neighbourhood. On reaching his destination the General rec llected leaving a sum of 130,0001. (5,2001.) in notes and gold in his desk. He handed the key of the desk to a working man in a blouse whom he did not know. An hour after the ma❑ returned with every sous of the money. This is by na means a solitary instance of the disinterested ness and nobility of mind displayed by the people during these most glorious three days. THE ARMY. PLYMOUTH, MJACII 14.—Two companies of her Ma jesty's 14th Regiment of Foot left our garrison yester day morning for ,Cardiff, by way of Ivy-bridge, where they stayed for the night, and will proceed by the South Devon and Bristol and Exeter Railways to-day to Bris tol. Two more companies left this morning for New port, in South Wales. Four companies leave to morrow morning for Carmarthen, and the head-quarters will leave on Thursday morning. The regiment has been very much liked during its stay hero, the men having been exceedingly well conducted. The 54th Regiment are expected here to-morrow afternoon from Exeter. WOOLWICH, MARCH 14.—ROYAL ARTILLER v.—Lieu tenant Colomb, two non-commissioned officers, and 76 gunners, left Woolwich shortly after two o'clock 'his morning, and plaice:tied by one of the Water lien's steam-packets to llungerford Market, and :narched thence to Euston-square, for conveyance by train to Liverpool, en rcute to Dublin, to augment the Royal Artillery at that capital, where they would arrive previous to the 17th instant. Capliin Tyke's company, 3d battalion, has been placed under orders to embark for Malta, not for the purpose of relieving either of the two ;ompanies already at that station, but to augment the strength of the Royal Artillery at that important posi ion in the Mediterranean. The whole of the Royal Elorse Artillery assembled in the cast square of the garrison to-day, in heavy marching order, for the in spection of the ConunancLult ; and at a quarter past that nour Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Downman, C. 8., attended by his staff, arrived, and, after minutely inspecting the men and horses, proceeded with the troops to Blackheath and back. THE POSTAL CONTENTION WITH New GRENADA. —Yesterday the Postal Convention between her Ma jesty's Government and the Republic of New Grenada, came into operation. Letters may now be transmitted between the United Kingdom and New Grenada at the reduced rate of Is. the half ounce, and to countries on the Pacific, rid New Grenada, at 2s. the half ounce, tnd so on in proportion. The postage must in all cases be paid in advance. Newspapers are free when for warded by direct packet ; when by private ship they are liable to a postsg,s of Id., payable on receipt and dispatch in the United Kingdom. The Tesiot con veyed these mails from Southampton this morning, the 17th instant. AMERICAN len.—The vessel Washington Irving, arrived at the port of Liverpool from Boston, United States, has brought, as a portion of her cargo, 637 tons weight in bulk of ice, the produce of the United States of America. As this is the first arrival of the kind during the present year, it is necessarily of much interest, and d eserv ing of particular remark. The importation of this article, which has so recently formed an item in the list of merchandise brought from the United States, was last year confined to very few instances, and not at all to be compared to the immense influx during the previous year, which was, no doubt, correctly ascribed to the e?verity of the previous winter in this country having enabled the storers of ice in this metropolis and else a here to lay in ample stocks of the article, and the con• sequent non-rNuirenaent of any further very large supplies from extraneous sources. Although the winter just brought to a close was particularly severe for a few Chiyl d s ait t character, was, speaking, of so comparatively n afford no such opportunities for generally a to a continual and extensive store of ice as the previous one; and, therefore, if the ensuing summer be even ordi narily sultry and oppressive, the chances are that there Kill be some call for the article from foreign countries. A remarkable feature in this importation is the early period of its arrival, the first supply having previously been at an advanced period of the season. There have been as yet no arrivals of ice this year from the northern countries of Europe. [ADTERTISUMENT.]—AN AFFECTION OP THB SPINE AND LIMBS CURED BY HOLLOWAY'S OINTMENT AND PILLS.—Dirs. Reynolds, landlady of the William the Fourth Inn, St. Ives, Hunts, had been ill for fourteen months with an affection of the spine, her feet and legs wire dreadfully swoollen, and she became perfectly helpless. Several eminent surgeons and physicians at tended her, under whose care she derived no benefit, but by the recommendation of Mr. Prior, druggist, Bed ford, she tried Holloway's Pills and Ointment. These fine medicines, in about nine weeks, BO completely re stored her to health and strength, that she is now able to resume the duties of her household with ease and comfort.—Sold by all druggists, and at Professor Hol loway's Establishment, 244, Strand, London. LEITH.—MELANCHOLY STATEMENT.- .A letter has been received here from Peterhead, dated the 11th inst., which states—" That the whale-trader Hannibal, of that port, Captain Laurie, bad been lost on the shores of Norway, on the let February, and all on board drowned, with the exception of one of the crow, who lashed him self to the mizen-mast, and there remained five days without food food or drink I It states that the ill-fated ship was in the latitude of the Orkneys on the 31st of January, and on the day following, during a tremendous sea, the crew, fifteen in number, and five Germans, whom they had picked off a wreck, were all washed off and lost. The Germans belonged to the Lydia, of Embden, and were picked up in the North Sea to suffer another and fatal shipwreck."—Scotsman , PROPOSED NEW COLLEGE AT CAMBRIDGE.—The Cambridge Board of Education has just issued its re port, which states that the attention of the board has been again directed to the important subject of the es tablishment of a training college at Cambridge. It was thought that, in consequence of the peculiar advantage which Cambridge offered for such an institution, it would be desirable to establish there a central training school for masters, which should be connected not only with the diocese of Ely, but also with the neighbouring dioceses of Norwich and Rochester. The board have appointed the Very Rev. the Dean of Ely (Dr. Pea cock), the Master of Jesus College (Dr. French), and the Irtev. Henry Goodwin, Fellow and Tutor of Caius College, to act with other gentlemen as a sub. committee, to consider in what manner the plan may best be carried into effect. The bishops of the three dioceses above named have expressed their general approval of this design. RAILWAY IRON.—An importation of nearly 400 tons of railway iron has taken place by a vessel arrived from Now York. This is one of several arrivals of the kind which has recently taken place from the United St** of Amain. LAW INTELLIGENCE. HOUSE OF LORDS, March 16. The House met this morning to proceed with the ap peals. The Peers present were, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Campbell, Lord Farnham, and Lord De Tabley. JUDGMENT.-TURNBULL AND OTHERS V. -- COWAN, ESQ. This, it will be remembered, was an appeal from an interlocutory judgment of the Court of Session, in Scot land, and was argued on Tuesday last. The LORD CHANCELLOR this morning moved the judgment of the House, to the effect, that the appeal should be dismissed, with costs, and the interlocutory judgment of the Court below affirmed. This judgment was agreed to, and thus the judgment of the Court below was affirmed, and the appeal dis missed, with costs. INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, March 16. (Before the CHIEF COMMISSIONER ) IN RE A. B. VYSE. Mr. Cooke opposed for several creditors, and Mr. Lucas supported. The complaint was extravagance. The insolvent, who applied under the Protection Act, had been fore man to his father, Mr. Vyse, bonnetmaker, in Ludgate street, and had a weekly salary of 51. 10s. His father in-law had assisted him, and he had only two children to support. He had incurred debts to about 6001., and now applied to be relieved therefrom. It appeared further, that the insolvent had expected money from an opera he was composing, but had been disappointed. Mr. COOKE said it was not a case for the new Act. Gross extravagance had been committed, and debts so incurred were not to be so easily discharged. Mr. LUCAS admitted that the insolvent had been thoughtless. He was, however, of opinion, that if he was sent to prison he would be made a great deal worse. He, therefore, asked for an adjournment, to make some arrangement with the creditors. The CHIEF COMMISSIONER said it was undoubtedly a case of great extravagance, and, as at present advised, he did not see, according to the terms of the statute, that he was authorised to name a day for the final hear ing. He would, however, adjourn the case for a fort night, with protection, hoping that something would be done for the creditors. Adjourned accordingly. Mr. Commissioner Law and Mr. Commissioner Phil lips, held Courts, but the proceedings were not of a re portable character. COURT OF EXCISE, March 16. (Before H. F. STEPHENSON, Esq. ; C. J. HBERIES, Esq., and CHARLES Ross, Esq.) The Court was occupied for a considerable time this day in hearing the following case, being the first brought before it since the regulation of hackney car riages has been transferred to the Excise department. Williams Smith, proprietor of a cabriolet, No. 2,075, was charged with plying for hire within fie mites of the General Post-office, without license, and with using forged plates, purporting to be those issued from the Excise Office, the more effectually to carry on such fraud. _ _ _ Mr. Douglas, the barrister, conducted the case on behalf of the Crown. Thomas Richards, City police-constable 486, stated that on the 15th of December last he saw the defendant in Cornhill, with one of Ransom's cabs. As he was there for a considerable time loitering backwards and for wards, witness gave instructions for a summons to be taken out against him, which was accordingly done, and the 23d of December.was appointed for hearing. The defendant did not appear, but the driver of a cab belong ing to a Mr. Davidson, of Dorset-street, attended, whose cab bore the number observed by the policeman. The summons was dismissed, as it was found out that they had got hold of the wrong party. Soon after the sum mons had been dismissed, witness saw the real defendant plying for hire as before, and the number of his cab the same (2,075). Upon this he told him that a summons was out against him, and that he must go to the station house. The defendant said, " Very well, jump in, and I will drive you there." Witness got into the cab, and was driven down Bow-lane, where the de fendant got down for the purpose, he said, of desiring that a waggon might be removed, and then took the opportunity of making his escape. The cab was taken to the green-yard, and the defendant was subsequently taken, when he admitted that he had been driving with false plates, and that he would rather have lost his cab than ho would have been taken, as he feared he should be transported. The COURT gave judgment for the full penalty of 501. John Booth, of Priest's-alley, Tower-hill, was fined 1501. for not renewing his wine, beer, and spirit licenses. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. HOME ClRCUlT.—Maidstone, March 16. CROWN SlDE.—(Before Mr. Justice COLERIDGE.) Mary Sweetlove, 37, married woman, was indicted for the murder of her infant, Octavius George Sweetlove, by drowning him, at Sandwich. Mr. Rose prosecuted, and Mr. T. Chambers defended the prisoner. From the evidence of the witnesses for the prosecu tion, it appeared that the unfortunate prisoner was the wife of a baker at Sandwich, and that five children were the result of their union, the youngest of which was the unfortunate subject of the present inquiry. It would seem that they were in very bad circumstances, and on two or three occasions the whole family had been ad mitted to the Union workhouse. In the month of De cember last year, it appeared that the husband of the prisoner had left her, and she took up her abode at one of the small houses in Sandwich, with her children, and they were reduced to a state of great destitution and misery, the prisoner not having the means of paying for her lodging or procuring food for her family, and on the 18th Dec. it appeared she was informed by the land lord that he could not allow her to remain in his house any longer, and that she must provide herself with another place of refuge. Upon this being intimated to the prisoner, it appeared that about the middle of the day she went out, taking with her the youngest child, and in a abort time she returned to the public-house, but unaccompanied by the infant. About half-past one o'clock in the afternoon of the same day, a labouring man who was returning to Sandwich, having occasion to pass a small stream known as the Dyke, saw the body of an infant in the water, and he took it out, and conveyed it to the nearest cottage, where a medical man was sent for, who used the necessary re medies to restore animation in such cases, but without success. This infant was speedily identified as that of the prisoner, and some persons immediately proceeded to the public-house where she was staying, and on her being asked what she had done with her baby, the pri , goner replied that she had thrown it - into the Dyke, and gave as a reason for doing so, that the child cried as she was passing the place. The witnesses stated that at this time the prisoner appeared in a wild and excited state, and one of them said that for some time before the me lancholy transaction, the prisoner presented the appear ance of a lost woman, and she was of opinion that her mind was affected. Mr. Emmerson, the surgeon, who saw the prisoner immediately after the affair, also expressed an opinion, that on the day the child was found in the water, the prisoner was in such a state of mind as to be unconscious of her actions. It also ap peared that after the prisoner had been committed to gaol, she sent for Mr. Arise the Governor of the prison, and expressed a wish to make a communication to him, and after he had cautioned her that what she stated would be used as evidence against her, she made a statement, which he reduced to writing, to the effect that on the day in question her landlord had told her that he could not allow her to remain any longer in his house, as she had no money to give him, and that if she did not provide herself with another lodging in two hours, he should turn her and her family into the street. She said, that upon this threat she went out with her child, and having no home or friends, or any means of support, she was driven almost to desperation, and was not conscious of what she did, and could not toll how the child got into the water; whether she laid it on the bank and it rolled in, or whether she had herself placed it in the water. Mr. 'l'. CHAMBERS made a very feeling address to the jury, on behalf of the prisoner, commenting in forcible terms upon the destitute and wretched condition to which she was reduced, and urging that she had been driven to despair and madness, and was in consequence not in such a state of mind as to render her criminally responsible for the dreadful act she had committed. Mr. Justice COLERMCH summed up, and The Jury, after a very short deliberation, returned a verdict of Not Guilty, on the ground of insanity. The prisoner was ordered to be detained during her Majesty's pleasure. CIVIL SlDE.—Msacs 15. (Before Lord DENMAN and a Special Jury.) KOEVEZA V. MITCHELL. This was an action upon a bill of exchange for 1,5004 endorsed to the defendant, and accepted by him. The defendant pleaded that the bill in question had been obtained from him by the fraud, covin, and misre presentations of the plaintiff. Sergeant Shee, with Mr. Lush and Mr. Simon, were for the plaintiff ; and Mr. Russell Gurney, with Mr. Hawkins, for the defendant. This action was brought under tho following circum stances:—lt appeared that the plaintiff had for several years carried oa the profession of a surgeon dentist, in Conduit-street, and in the course of the year 1846, being desircus to dispose of his business, he applied to a Mr. Pike, who was described as an agent in such matters, and he took upon himself to further the object of the plaintiff. He in consequence caused an advertisement to be inserted in the Glasgow Advertiser newspaper, in which he gave a very glowing description of the business that was to be disposed of, and representing the profits as very largo, and in fact, that it was everything that could be desired by any gentleman desirous of engaging in such a profession in London. The advertisement met the eye of the defendant, who, as well as his father, , were both engaged in the medical pro fession at Glasgow, and they replied to it, and subsequently various negotiations took place between the par'ies, which eventually led to the arrangement, out of which the present action arose, being entered into. It appeared that as at this time Mr. Mitchell was quite unacquainted with the science of dental surgery, it was considered advisable that he should take some in struction under the plaintiff before he was installed in his place, 'and an arrangement was entered into, the effect of which was, that the defendant was to pay down a sum of 1,000/., and to give a bill of exchange for 1,5001. at twelve months' date, as the price of the busi ness, and he was then to be introduced into the concern as a partner, and was to be paid 1504 for his services for the first year, and as his capabilities and knowledge of the peculiar art which he intended to practise in creased, he was to be, according to the terms of the agree ment, " gradually but securely" introduced to all the patients, and ultimately the plaintiff was to retire altogether, and leave Mr. Mitchell in the undisturbed possession of the business. In furtherance of this agree. went it appeared that a deed was drawn up by which the plaintiff undertook to put the defendant into posses ''pion of all his iaritrumento, which were of peculiar character, and also instruct him in his system, which was likewise described as being peculiar to himself and unknown to any other person, and the business was still further to be secured to the plaintiff by his having handed over to him models of the mouths of most of the patients, and the possession of which it was said would secure him their future custom. The evidence that was adduced went to show that the extent of the business of the plaintiff had not been exaggerated, for it appeared to be admitted that the profits of each year, upon an average of six, amounted to more than 1,7001., and the plea of fraud and covin, principally, if not entirely, rested upon the fact that the plaintiff's system was not one peculiar to himself and unknown to any other person, and also that he had not handed over the models and other matters connected with the profes sion, which he had undertaken to do. A person named Hayes was the principal witness for the defendant, and the evidence given by him caused a good deal of merriment in the Court. He said that he was assistant to Dr. Koecker in 1838, and remained with him in that capacity for more than seven years. During that time ho became acquainted with the use of all his instruments, and also made up his tooth powders and articles of that description, and they were sold to the patients to the amount of several hundreds of pounds a year. When he left the service of the plaintiff, he set up for himself in Brook-street, Grosvenor-square, and afterwards in Conduit -street, and ho made use of similar instruments, and practised the same system as the plain tiff, and obtained a good deal of his practice. The plaintiff had frequently suggested to him to purchase his business, and told him that it would be useless to any one else, but that it would suit him, as he was ac quainted with his mode of practice, and was likewise ac quainted with all the patients. The plaintiff at this time wanted 3,000/. for his business, but he would not have given him 1,0001. for it. By Sergeant SHEE—The practice of the plaintiff was very select, and ho was visited by ladies and gentlemen and persons of distinction. His fee was one guinea. The plaintiff gave him a recipe for making tooth powder, but the tinctures he sold were the sole invention of wit ness.—(A laugh.) The plaintiff was entirely ignorant of the ingredients of his tinctures at that time. When he first went to the plaintiff, ho used to send to a che mist's and pay ss. 6d. fer a bottle of tincture, and wit ness they suggested his tincture, and told him he would make several hundreds a year by it ; and after this he used to make it, but never allowed the plaintiff to know the secret of the composition, although he tried to smuggle it from him.—(Laughter.) While he was living with the plaintiff he used to open the door and let in pa tients, and sometimes he waited at table.—(Laughter.) Sergeak SHEE—And I believe you used to dine in the kitchen with the cook ?—(Roars of laughter.) Witness —I did sometimes.—(Renewed laughter.) Sergeant SEER—WeII, there's no harm in it. I dare say she was a very respectable person.—(Laughter.) Pray, did you ever by chance clean the boots and shoes? Witness—Oh, certainly not. Sergeant SuEn—May I ask what salary—l suppose I must not say " wages"—you received? Witness—My salary was 381. a year; but I wish you to understand that, in addition to this, I was allowed to wait upon as many patients of my own as I pleased.—(Renewed laughter.) Sergeant SHEE—Were you never sent out to fetch a cab when it rained? Witness—l was never sent out for a cab; but I may have stood at the door and called for one. Sergeant SHER—Did you not go to the butcher's to order the meat for the family? Witness—lt is possible that I may have ordered such a thing as a haunch of mutton; but I only did so because Dr. Koecker did not understand such things, and was no judge of meat. Re-examined—Notwithstanding the nature of the duties he had to perform while he was in the plaintiff's service, he was quite certain that he now used the same articles, and made them up in the same manner as those sold by the plaintiff, and that after he had been with him seven years ho wanted him to purchase his business. Witnesses were called to answer the evidence adduced on the part of the defendant, and from their testimony it appeared that the business had realised as much as 1,8001. in one year, and that there had been no exagge ration of the amount of the profits. It was also stated that shortly before the bill became due the defendant had expressed himself perfectly satisfied with the con duct of the plaintiff in the transactions, and said that he considered him a man of honour and integrity. Sergeant SHEE, in replying upon the whole case, sub mitted to the jury that there was not the slightest evi dence to support the plea of fraud, and that the plaintiff was clearly entitled to their verdict. The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE having summed up, the jury almost immediately returned a verdict for the plaintiff for the amount claimed. GLASS V. lIAADDIG. This was also a special jury cause. Sergeant Shee, Mr. Russell Gurney, and Mr. Ogle, were for the plaintiff; and Sergeant Channell and Mr. fotersdorff, for the defendant. The action was brought to try the right of the de fendant to exact a toll from vehicles and horses passing along a road leading from Sydenham to Penge-common. It appeared to be admitted that the defendant had a right to take toll at one gate, which was erected near to the common, and it seemed that the neighbourhood having of late years very much increased, the owner of some of the property had made a private road by which the inhabitants were enabled to avoid the old toll-gate, and upon this the defendant erected another to intercept them. It was contended for the plaintiff, although the road in question might have been originally the private property of the defendant, that he had dedicated it to the public by allowing them to pass over it for a great many years without interruption, and that lie could not now resume his right by erecting another toll-gate. On the part of the defendant, however, the road in question was clearly made out to be private property, and also that ho had never given up his right to have it so con sidered. The jury consequently found for the defendant. GRISSELL V THE SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY COMPANY. This cause, which was an action upon certain con tracts for the execution of one of the railway stations, was referred to arbitration. OXFORD ClRCUlT.—Stafford, March 15. CROW N COURT.—(Before Mr. J ustice CRESSWELL.) His Lordship was engaged the greater part of this day in trying cases of a nameless description, in which five youths, the eldest 20 and the youngest 16, were the prisoners, neither of whom had received any education. The jury found throe of them Guilty, and judgment of death was recorded against them. The other two were acquitted- Mr. Whateley, Q C., held a third court to-day, in order to expedite the criminal business. Samuel Harris was indicted for a burglary in the dwelling-house of William Jones, at Bilston, on the night of the 14th of November, and stealing a pair of boots and other articles therefrom. _ The prisoner, it would appear, got into the prosecu tor's house by raising up the bar window. The boots were hanging up in the bar, the prosecutor being the keeper of an inn, and were the property of his brother, William Jones, who had placed them there the previous afternoon, and now identified them by a peculiar mark. The prisoner pawned them about two o'clock on the sth, the day after the burglary, at Mr. Langman's, a pawn broker, in Wolverhampton. Ho had three shillings on them, and his personal identity, as the pledger, was sworn to by the shopwoman who took them in. He was found Guilty, a previous conviction proved against him, and sentenced to seven years' transpor tation. The JUDGE observed that a burglary in an inn do served very severe punishment, as the property of many persons may be frequently left in the custody of the landlord, and, therefore, if stolen, may be fraught with more painful and serious consequences than in an ordi nary case, whore the plunder was the property of one individual oily. NORTHERN CIRCUIT.---Yorh, March 15. (Before Mr. Sergeant MURPHY.) Lucy Wilcock, 30 years of age, who had been out on bail, pleaded Guilty to a charge of bigamy. It appeared from the statement of counsel that the prisoner was married in 1840, and that in three weeks her husband deserted her, and they lived separate some time. They then came together again, and so continued for nine months, when her husband again deserted her, and enlisted in a regiment going to India. He remained away from this country four years, and she heard nothing of him, and married again. The High Constable gave her an excellent character, and under such circumstances the Learned Sergeant sentenced her to be imprisoned, without hard labour, for three months only. CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Baron Roux.) Wrn. Chambers, an old labouring man, was indicted for a felonious assault upon his own granddaughter, a child only nine years old. Evidence having been received, the jury pronounced the ♦erdict of Guilty. His LonDsrur, addressing the prisoner, said your offence is one of the most aggravated I have ever known. It is bad enough to commit such an offence with any one, but to do it with your own grandchild has in it some• thing so terrible that anything worse I scarcely can con• ceive, and my only remaining duty is to sentence you to be transported for life. John Iveson, aged 22, was indicted for the manslaughter of Arthur Iveson, his cousin, at Aysgarth, in the North Riding, on the 4th of January. The prisoner and the deceased met, and the prisoner asked him to shake hands with him, having had seine words a short time before, but the deceased, who was a still more powerful man, a " navvy," more than six feet in height, vowed ho would fight with some one, if he were taken home a corpse, and he teased the prisoner to fight with him, saying he would rather fight than sat pi e . At length the deceased becoming very violent, the prisoner consented to fight, and they had several rounds. In the last but one the deceased fell, and his head struck against the settle, but he got up and had another round, when his jaw fell, his eyes became fixed, and he became insensible. He died in a quarter of an hour. The surgeon said he made a post morkm examination. He found a quantity of ea tbravasated blood between the scalp and the skull, and, on the opposite side, a large clot of blood on the brain, which was the cause of death The jury, after being out a considerable time, found the prisoner Guilty, and The Learned JUDOE remarking that it was but too true that the prisoner, as well as the deceased, was addicted_ to pugilistic practices, (the latter had a con siderable reputation as a pugilist,) yet he had on that occasion been unwilling to fight, and he should, there fore, sentence him to be imprisoned two months in addition to the two months he had already been in prison. Benjamin Armitage, aged 26, was indicted for assault ing and stealing 255. from the person of Robert West, at Utley, in the West Riding, on the 19th of December. West was a gamekeeper. It appeared that the prisoner, one Richardson, and the prosecutor, left the Green Man nearly together, about midnight. After the prosecutor got a little way on his road home, he heard footsteps behind him, and turned round when something was thrown in his face which blinded him. He was then struck heavily on the head, knocked down, and beat and kickt_xi while on the ground, and he became insensible. Sometime afterwards he was found in that state, his face covered with dirt and blood, and after rEcoveriug his senses he missed his money, twenty-five shillings in silver, which he had in a pocket Inside his waistcoat. The ostler at the Green Man, and other witnesses, proved that the prisoner and Richardson followed the prosecutor out of the house. The jury acquitted the prisoner of robbery, but found him Guilty of the assault ; and Mr. Sergeant MURPHY, who tried the csao, gen tenced.him to be imprisoned, with hard labour, for twelve calendar months. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION-HOUSE. James Dewey and William Brown were brought before the Lord Mayor in the ctiscod?ef John and Daniel For rester, charged with having been in possession of notes purporting to be of the issue of the Reading Bank. A gentleman from the firm of Messrs. Birch and Williams, solicitors to the Committee of Bankers for Protection against Felonies and Frauds,appearedfor the prosecution. The solicitor for the prosecution stated that informa tion having been received to the effect that a plate had been engraved in imitation of that from which the notes of the Bank of Reading had been struck off, John and Daniel Forrester had been employed to take the case in hand, and subsequently the two prisoners wore observed in a public-house near London-street, and apprehended while attempting to burn some of the notes alleged to be forged. Daniel Forrester described the manner in which he arrested the prisoners, and the discovery of the forges notes in their possession. The prisoners were remanded for a few days. SWEARING 11l OF SPECIAL CONSTABLEB.—Amongst the numerous gentlemen who were sworn in as special constables before the Lord Mayor since Monday last were Messrs. Masterusan and Co., Messrs. Robarts and Co., Messrs. Glyn and Co., Messrs. Leaf and Co., and all their establishment; Messrs. Caldicott and Co., &e. Merchants, bankers, andltradesmen, and their establish ments continue to pour in. George William Rowley, who was some days ago charged with having drawn a cheque upon a banking house, without any funds there, and uttering it to William Tent, hosier, of 21, Royal Exchange, in pay ment of some articles, was brought up for final examina tion. The following additional case was brought forward against him:— The assistant of Mr. Watts, of Chelsea, cheeeemon• ger, stated that last year, on the day before the Derby day, he was assistant to Mrs. Bennett, of James-street, Covent-garden. In the evening of that day the defend ant csqbe to the chop to purchase some bacon, but was not suited. Witness knew him from having been at the shop two or three times before. Ile went out of the shop and returned in about an hour, and said he had been to Bow-street to get a cheque changed, :but (;could not, as the party was out, and he asked Mrs. Bennett to oblige him with change. Mrs. Bennett could not oblige him, but witness took' the cheque, and saying he would try and get it, went to Mr. Laurence and gave it to his young man, who brought back to him five sovereigns, which he took to his mistress's shep and laid upon the counter, and the defendant took them up and said he would call next day for some bacon, but did not. Mr. Hay, clerk in the Western Branch of the London and Westminster Joint-stock Bank, in Pall-mall, proved that the prisoner had no funds in the bank at the time in question. The :prisoner said he could prove that he had reason to expect a considerable sum of money would be paid into the bank in his name. The prisoner was committed for trial. GUILDHALL. A lad named John Brooker was brought before Mr. Alderman Gibbs, charged with absconding with 67L, upon being sent with it by his employers, Messrs. Wathen and Phillips, solicitors, to the Union Bank. Mr. Wathen stated that on the afternoon of the 4th inst. the prisoner, who was one of the clerks to the firm, was sent out to the bankers to pay in 67/., and he heard no more of him till he was apprehended at Hull on the 11th inst. Sergeant Robinson, of the Hull police, stated that he received a copy of the bill describing the prisoner, and meeting with the prisoner, who answered that descrip tion, in the course of the day, he accosted him by name, with a friendly bow d'ye do? The prisoner replied " That is not my name." Witness added, " But do you not recollect my coming to Mr. Phillips's?" The pri soner then thought he did recollect something of him and proposed that they should drink together. The sergeant agreed, and pointed towards a house in the direction of the station. The prisoner wished to slip away, under pretence of fetching a friend, but was not permitted to do that. He had only 21/. in his possession, and he said ho came away from London be cause he had lost a 51. note, and he lost two more notes at Gravesend. When he found he was in custody he said he would give the sergeant 1001. if he would let him go. . _ The prisoner observed, that if the officer had agreed to take it, he had not the 1001. to give. Mr. Wathen said he had received a latter from the prisoner endeavouring to account for his conduct. It would be for the Alderman to determine whether it was a satisfactory account, for personally ho (Mr. Wathen) had no other feeling than pity for the prisoner. Mr. Alderman Gilles read the letter, and said he could not deem it satisfactory, and he must send the pri soner to trial, unless the prisoner could show why he should not. The prisoner declined saying anything, and was com mitted for trial. WORSHIP-STREET. Yesterday, Mr. Hammill, the sitting magistrate, re ceived the following sums fur the relief cf the widow Sophia Barret, viz.:—Fr Mn 'l'. B. a sovereign; T. E., 103.; X. Y. Z., 103.; C. E., 11.; A. P., Learnington, 11.; M. L , 10s.; S. C. S., 10s.; S. D. S., B. D. S., and F. B. L , ss. each; and 11. 11. 11., ss. in postage stamps. The lady of an eminent professional gentleman also sent her card, desiring that the poor widow would call at her residence. Maria Hodges ' a rather good-looking young woman, aged 28, remanded from last week, was placed at the bar for re-examination upon a charge of feloniously cutting and wounding a young man named Benjamin Wenman, a painter and gluier. The prosecutor, who has been in the London Hospital since the occurrence, was now able to attend before the magistrate, but with his head bandaged, and evidently very weak from the great loss of blood he had sustained. The depositions had been previously taken. The prismer, who pleaded in her defence that the complainant had treated her in a most heartless manner, and after inducing her to give up her place to live with him, threatened to abandon her, was fully committed for trial. LAMBETH. Benjamin Prophet, David Anthony Duffey, John Don nomore, Richard Webster, Thomas Horsey, and IWilliam Bailey, were placed at the bar before Mr. Norton, and charged with being concerned with others in breaking into the house of Mr. Gray, a pawnbroker, in South ampton-street, and stealing therefrom property to the amount of over 1,0001, and also with assisting in break ing into and plundering the shops of several respectable persons in the same neighbourhood. The facts mentioned in the evidence were similar to those adduced at the proceedings in this court on Tues day. Several witnesses identified the whole of the prisoners as belonging to the mob, and taking an active part in the plunder. Bailey, when taken, had on a pair of boots, one of which was a_ Wellington, and the other a Blucher, and both were sworn to by Mr. Creassy as his property, and a part of an extensive stock which had been carried away. The :prisoner Duffey, who is very remarkable for his being a man of colour, and a determined looking and powerful fellow, was recognised by many as leading the snob • and Prophet, who is also a man of colo ur an d active fellow, was also sworn to by all the witnesses, and they and the other prisoners were ultimately remanded. Several of the small shopkeepers, who are nearly ruined by the losses they have sustained, applied to the magistrate for advice as to how they should - proceed to obtain a compensation for their losses. Mr. NORTON observed, that hard as it might appear, the law gave no remedy or compensation in cases where windows were merely demolished; but in cases where the breaking of windows was followed up with acts of felony, compensation could be recovered. He (Mr. Norton) understood that Mr. Humphries was engaged by Mr. Gray to obtain compensation for him through the neces sary legal channel, and the whole of the sufferers could not do better than place their cases before that gentle man. The applicants thanked his. Worship for his kind ad vice, which they said they would follow, and left tho court. HACKNEY SPECIAL CoNsTABLEa.--Wednesclay the local justices of the district assembled at the large Com mittee-room, Church -street, to swear in special con stables. The magistrates present were Josiah Wilson, C. B. Stutfield, J. Simpson, and W. Howard, Esqrs. Mr. Wilson filled the chair, and after about 200 inhabitants, comprising some of the wealthiest and most influential of the parish had been sworn, the Chairman said he had been in consultation with the members of the Govern ment, who, while entertaining no immediate apprehen sions of alarm, felt the necessity of securing an effective local organisation for the defence of the lives and property of her Majesty's peaceful subjects against the attacks of men who were animated solely by motives of plunder and robbery. He (the Chairman) sincerely hoped to spare the inhabitants the pain of attending a collision with the riotously disposed; but the most effectual method of re pelling attack was to show a bold front. After eulogising the ratepayers for the alacrity evinced, the Chairman said that upon informing the Marquis of Salisbury that Hackney contained a population of 46,000, with 25,000 ratepayers, his Lordship remarked that Government expected much from the district. The worthy magis trate then read and explained the provisions of the Memoranda of Suggestions" published by the Metro politan Police Commissioners, for the use of special con stables, and concluded by stating that the magistrates Deputy Lord of the would meet in a f ew d ays f or a f ur ther enrolment of constables. J. R. 1). T yssen , Manor, was chosen " leader." In returning thanks, Mr. Tyssen expressed a belief that a thousand volunteers could be raised in the parish. A FINANCIAL QUESTION ANSWERED DY Ma. Dunz—A has given a bill to B, and A finds himself withcali a shilling , ..when the bill has only two days to run. Now what is A to do under such circumstances? Answer—lf the bill has two days to run, A has of course two days to run also, and he had better run accordingly. —Punch. In Aberdeen the number of the unemployed is on the increase, and extensive precautions have been takea by the magiltretes to pre'reut say