The Sun. — London, England, 1848-01-06 00:00:00

, __ . • . • . 1' II E Slti N. LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING , JANUARY 6, lB4 B ............. 4.... " . " •••••••""vv........., ..,,,,„„.,......,,,,,,„....,,,,,............-••+ ...........••••,........................................,, .........-...-;.v**...............-v•------ • INSTITU'FION FOR THE 2. u kD t 'LT I latter scene; of the play was very fine. VP.' eele , - TI M REVENUE FOR THE YEAR AND QUARTER ENDING JAN VARY 5, 1848. , disperse the DEAF AND DM.-(THIS DAY.) i o ra t e d "Do it has never been more effectively given,' not elapsed. call upon al A special general eet . ' of ' to per i ri . i in; tne governors and I and when she has acquired confidence, Mrs. Mowatt - friends of the Institution for the Adult Deaf and No. 1.-.. An Abstract of the Net Produce of the Revenue of Great Britain in the Years and Quarters ended sth of January, 1847, and sth of January, the in th e - Whit w ill take a high rank in her profession. Mr. Daven- d Dumb was held this morning at the Board-room, 26, lB4B, showing in preservii it shall b? port's Clifford was excellent. We have long wznte Increase or Decrease on each head thereof. Red Lion .square, Bloomsbury for the purpose of I a sheriff, &,.-..,., good juvenile tragedian, and we have great hopes , ___,_ , , I . l___ A____, ear ended Jan. 5. Q r_____ uarter et . t i d_e_______ , d Jan. 5 . "mining the pupils on th c .2 ~ , i n - of one prepari.Jg QUARTERS ENDED YEAR QUARTERS ENDED YEAR I; that we have found one in Mr. Davenport. Cooper, - , ended 1 to leave the establishment. c cca- ° - - who was the Master Walter, acted the part carefully, r April 5, , July 5, Oct. 10, Jan. b, Jaeuary 5, April 5, July The meeting, which was • ver full attended, h • yy having as is his wont. The principal performers were called 1846 1446 184 G 1847 1847 1447 1847 1847 1848 1848 i ~ Increase. Decrease. Increase. 1 Deerea,e. Of every ir been - ----- - 5, Oct. 10, Jan. 5, January 5, !i --,. J. oPened by prayer for at the conclusion. £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ x y -...-..----. er , £ £ £ £ be aiding a d. G. SIMPSOci I , /1- q., observed, .that the purpo.ses customs •••• • ;..• •• •• •• 3,961,018 4,523,39 1 • 5,310,435 4,514,721 18,310,865 4,447,673 4,519,119 4,936,644 4,111,862 18,015;298 l ' Customs... ......., for which the SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. E .,1~ .. ai • met was to ♦witness the exanii„,i. • Statnps .•• • • • ..• ...... 1,645,868 1,730,49 5 1,774,364 1,740,687 6,931,11 4 1,817,282 1,869,464 1,707,945 1,564,855 6,959, 54 6 : Stamps ... ... .... •• . . 790,304 .... 361,272 tion of some Y f BI,',TTING MANCHESTER.-- TuBsDAY.2B,I32 .• • . .• .. 175,832 ease of mu: the present inmates of the charity, in ,- Taxes .••• • • . ..... ..... 146,142 2,006,427 209,940 1,909,899 4,272,408 130,892 2,075,001 217,885 1,514,783 4,331,561 1 Taxes ..... ......., 62,153 .... 4,884 order to as • • t HESTER t.,u11.---kitters o fProperty fax -•••• • • • • 1,963,882 1,009,162 1,972,124 450,219 3,395,391 2,033,072 1,036,517 1,918,645 462,567 5,450,801 Property Tax...... •• • • proclaimed certain their respective capabilities and 55,410 •• • • 12,348 low, - Maiinet, and Jock o'Sot, but not a bet laid. rest-onice•••• -•••••• •• 21 5 , 000 181 , 000 217,000 203,000 816,000 219,000 215,000 222,000 208,000 864,000 ! Post-011ice'...... .... •• .. 48,000 .• • • 5,000 .... between 1( their knowledge of religious I • su )jects. The examine- DERBY.-01Ters to take 11 to 1 about Surpi 'ice. crown Lands •-•• • . • ... 45,000 .• 45,000 30,000 120,000 37,000 40,000 77,000 Crown Lazals ...... tiott would princi '''. AT '''` 1 ,000 to 20 each age Swal • Miscellaneous . . 73,126 11,746 184,926 Miscellaneous ...... •••• 43.000 10,000 •••• culprit or all be directed to a -oung woman, ---------- .... 132,164 .• .. 17,911 'who, during the time she had been in ihe institution, .--- - 1 ----, Total Ordinar 3 - Revenue 9,735,790 12,573,187 13,889,103 12,486,338 48,684,418 110,430,377 13,013,614 12,612,191 11,560,696 47,616,878 ; Total .. .. bad been instructed in needle ork of various de- t-martial was held NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. China Money ••••• • • • • • • • 440,000 227,644 .. 667,644 ' .. • • .. China Money .... 193,605 1,V1 7 , C 235 32,232 957,874 an indictin seriptions, and PORTSMOUTH, JAN. 5.-A cont.. v. t Imprest Mon. eye, &C. • • 52,909 73,939 33,815 31,884 192,547 53,859 88,632 43 537 30,614 218,642 ! Imprest Moneys, &• • • .4 - 095 ) ' '44 • • • • • • .* to two ino had b t 17understand the been . aug tto this day on board her Majesty's ship lc ory, the for . Repaymentscckdvances 45 6 47 3 1 11 , 607 199,882 302,449 1,070,41 1 ! 164,568 137,944 187,486 74044 564,046 ! RepaymtsofA.dvnc e s: 2 ' • ' -• • ••• •• •• 1,,0 criptures. B • of the Birk- ' - . , .... , 4,06,265 .. 228,40: WDS left But in addition to the female alluded • 1 f M Th-__ ---. - to, several others would ' . . • with Total I'2 tcome .. '10,245,172 13,198,733 14,350,444 12,820,671 I 50,615,020 i 10,618,804 13,240,190 12,843,214 !11,665,3581 48,397, 566 1 1 I gram wi. trial o r. omas Ankers, carpenterer n . -__ ____________ 1 ---------11 1 --_. Total ... ... . . 217,790 2,435,244 32,232 1,187,545 uld be examined vrith the view ofsacertaining their '' ' branches Ireland. 1 1 provision ( progress in the various bt enhead steamer, charged by Commander ma t nd 5,468,355 8,476,134 7 617 435 8 615 Deduct I Deduct of industry carried el . recent) Amount app 6 066 ' 7 010,559 28,367,04 G ~ I 217 790 i 32,232 feel it Dec on M the institution, the o jec s highly mutinous and insubor ma e conduct to the officer of the watch, while the ve s s el _we drums- y 898 30 177, 8 22 1 , 3,207,608 0,912 813 increase , -'- Increase Of which were to receive the adult deaf and dumb, ni s t ° to l : a a s Adv unces .. •. .. 140,000 91,501 ' 472,500 ' 837,500 1,541,501 ; 2,940,000 1, • 724,311 %% 7 8,084 '340,830 5,403,225 !; I on 1 p,217,454 on the ' 1,155,313 which on! whether the ,Ditto, as Wk es & Means Decrease : Decrea , e t , ,,,,, ;., •__ __Le educated or not, and to instruct em ployed on the coast of Ireland, and also for of the Year - - ••••• .. .. 4,636,817 4,631,098 6,260,509 3,367,273 18,695,697 I 5,461,196 7,113,698 5,126,232 4,889,744 22,890,9701' your C3lll enness. e _A..i..t• 44...., .....,M m, 4, --- - 4 . •*,.. POITIDOSed of Captain W. F. Martin, - . ---. the Year. , I Quarter. 1 Cotal .• • •• 1 10,245, 1 72 13,198,7 33 14,350,444 12,820,671 1 50,615,020 ‘ 11,608,804 18,750,822 '13,760,382 '12,241,133 56,361,141 li " - - ( Lieutenan * Exclusive of Advances and inclusive of Loan, of police, frir, in czril INSTITUTION FOR. THE ADULT DEAF AND DUMB.—(THIS DAY.) A special general meeting of the governors and friends of the Institution for the Adult Deaf and Dumb was held this morning at the Board-room, 26, Red Lion-square, BloJrnsbury, for the purpose of examining the pupils, on the cccasion of one preparing to leave the establishment. The meeting, which was very fully attended, having been opened by prayer, J. G. SIMPSON, F.- q., observed, that the purposes for which they had met was to witness the exaniina• Con of some of the present inmates of the charity, in order to ascertain their respective capabilities and their knowledge of religious subjects. The examina tiou would principally be directed to a young woman, who, during the time she had been in the institution, bad been instructed in needlework of various de scriptions, and had been taught to understand the Scriptures. But, in addition, to the female alluded 'to, several others would be examined, with the view of ascertaining their progress in the various branches of industry carried on in the institution, the objects of which were to receive the adult deaf and dumb, whether they were educated or not, and to instruct them in some trade, by means of which they would hbsequently be enabled to sustain themselves by eir own honest exertions. The Rev. Dr. STOLLE, of the University of Laden, tien proceeded to put different questions to the young woman, who was about to quit the establishment, by neaps of writing on a large slate board erected for _ purp,,,se. The answers were communicated by a smile e process, and many remarks of satisfaction !id surprise were elicited by the rapid and correct, Is not intelligent replies set forth. In accordance pith the request of some person in the body of the fleeting, the reverend gentleman wrote—" What is 3rod?" to which the pupil almost immediately at tached the answer—" Love, mercy, and goodness." tti answer to the same inquiry, one of the male pupils wrote " A spirit." The interesting proceeding continued for some time, and the answers in general fully proved the efficiency of the superintendance of the teacher, Mr. B. Murray, who assisted the Rev. Dr. Stolle in his examination of the pupils. The report of the society was read, and laid upon the table, from which it appears that " After anxious but unavailing attempts to induce another society whose funds appeared sufficient to continue their superintendence and aid to the deaf and dumb beyond the period of childhood, this so ciety was instituted at a public meeting held on the 21st day of August, 1841, under the presidency of the Right lion. Lord Calthorpe. It was established for the large and generous purpose of rescuing the adult deaf and dumb from ignorance, vice, and misery, and rendering them useful and happy mem bers of society, and preparing them to receive the blessings of im mortality. For these great ends arrangements were made to enable the society to afford instruction to those who had received none ; to continue and ad vance the education of such as had attended schools; to teach the trades of tailoring, shoemaking, and mil linery; to afford to the deaf and dumb the advantages arising from innocent and cheerful society amongst themselves ; and, above all, to make them acquainted with the gospel of truth, and habituate them to regu lar exercises of devotion. " All these means are now in operation in the in stitution, where a fully qualified teacher, a mistress of general needlework and millinery, a master tailor and master shoemaker reside, and devote their whole time to their respective duties. Prayers are read morning and evening, and on Sundays the chapel is open, not only to inmates of the institution , but to all deaf and dumb persons and their friends, with whom prayers are said, and religious instruction is communicated forenoon and evening, in a manner adapted to reach the understanding and the heart of those who attend. There are now ' eighteen persons under instruction in the insti tution. The benefits of the charity are not, how ever confined to the inmates. The poor and afflicted deaf and dumb from all parts of this great city apply to this society for advice, employment, and alms. Many of them are visited at their own dwell ings ; and the teacher is occasionally called to the gaols and police cells to afford advice, and generally when on such errands to shield humanity in its lowest de gradation from responsibility to human laws, which they neither understand nor appreciate. " In carrying out these objects, and making neces sary alterations on the house, a debt of about 4501. has been incurred. To assist in liquidating this debt, the committee have presented a memorial to the Cor poration of the city of London ; and considering the nature and extent of the benefits which this institu tion—the only one in the kingdom—will be enabled to confer upon a suffering and afflicted class of so ciety, if supported by adequate means, the committee tender their best and anxious exertions to promote the objects of the institution, and hope to be favoured with that counsel and aid from this meeting, which will enable them to carry out the beneficent purposes of the society to a greater extent than they have hitherto been enabled to do." A variety of questions were put to the " hearing masters" of the shoemaking and tailoring depart ments, and from the replies given it appeared that the deaf and dumb, although not so easily taught as those possessing the powers of speech and hearing, were found to be very apt ; and, comparatively speak ing, but little difficulty was experienced in instruct ing the several trades. The meeting then separated. NAVAL INTELLIGENC PORTSMOUTH, JAN• 5.—A court-martial was held this day on board her Majesty's ship Victory, for the trial of Mr. Thomas Ankers, carpenter of the Birk enhead steamer, charged by Commander Ingram with highly mutinous and insubordinate conduct to the officer of the watch, while the vessel was recently employed on the coast of Ireland, and also for drunk enness. The Court was composed of Captain W. F. Martin, of her Majesty's ship Prince Regent, president; Captain H. D. Chads, C. 8., of the Excellent ; Captain It. A. Yates, of the Blenheim ; Captain W. Ramsay, of the Terrible ; Captain C. Eden, of the Victory ; with Mr G. L. Greetham as Deputy Judge Advo cate. The charges were fully proved by several officers and others belonging to the Birkenhead, and the Court, after mature deliberation, have sentenced Ankers to be dismissed her Majesty's service, rendered incapable of serving her Majesty again, and to be imprisoned for six months in Winchester gaol, the last ten days to be solitary. A telegraphic order came down this day for the Birkenhead to e aid off. She is again in want of much repair ;she is an iron vessel, and not very No. ll.—lncome and Charge of the Consolidated Fund, in the Quarters ended the sth January, 1847, and the sth January, 1818. Quarters ended Jan. 5. CIIARGE. Permanent Debt .• •• • • ......... .. ......................... Termi na ble Annuities.. •................ .. ...................... I n t e rest on Exchequer-bills issued to meet the charge on the Consolid, si n king Fund T o, l to i e C ,A i de v v i l l iaan L rcg is ese t s i . * ............................ .. 5,806,728 579,706 Laud Fund .•• •• • • Customs Excise • • Stamps • Taxes • • 98,567 381,891 310,830 Total Cli largo • • .. .• - • • • • • 7,207,632 5,043,097 The Surplus • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 12,250,729 safe. The Terrible steam-frigate went to Spithead this morning. She sails for Lisbon and Malta on Sa- The Surplus Income on the 10th of October, 1847 ........ ......... The Surplus Income on the sth of January, 1848, as above ..... • • 729,195 5,043,097 5,772,292 12,834,667 12,250,729 The Amount issued in the Quarter ended Jan. 5, 1848, in part of the Si Consolidated Fund, for Supply Services.. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ****** ' ;tuns granted by Parliament out of the 4,889,774 turday. Lieutenant Mansfield, late of the Water Witch, has been promoted to Commander. WooLwiem, JAN. s.—The whole of the workmen in Woolwich Dock-yard were inspected, at one o'clock to-day, by Commodore Sir Gordon Bremer, K.C.8., K.C.H., each man passing through the pay office in numerical order. It is some time since a similar inspection took place, and it is supposed to be preparatory to the superannuation of the most aged workmen, that young and efficient hands may be employed, wh ) would also be eligible to serve in the Dock-yard Battalion. The officers of that corps are engaged every day for an hour in the drill exer cises of the battery guns. The battery at the land ing place is now finished, and has a very excellent and substantial appearance. 882,548 The Surplus of the Consolidated Fund, Quartet ended sth of January, 1848...... •• .... .. vice is not the less pernicious when crime is exte nuated, and when the criminal is spoken of as an object :aggrieved and injured, and so held up to the commiseration of the public. Gentlemen, having now called your attention, as far as I can to the actual state of the country, it seems to me, in reference to your duties as grand jurors and magistrates, in the ordinary discharge of your duty, important that I should call your attention to the provisions of the law, with which, perhaps, some of you are unacquainted. I shall first direct your attention to a code of laws called the " Whiteboy Acts "—a code which is pecu liar to Ireland, and which is inoperative except where the country is disturbed, and in a state contemplated by the Legislature when it enacted those statutes ; and, in reference to the present state of the country, I lament to say that it appears to be exactly that de scribed so long ago as the year 1776. The recital of the Act of that year says, whereas it has frequently . happened of late years in different parts of this king dom, that several persons calling themselves Whiteboys have assembled and injured the properties of many of his Majesty's subjects, and have carried away arms, and have compelled the owners of property to surrender up and quit their habitations, and have by threats and violence bound such persons by illegal oaths, and have sent threatening letters, and induced many of her Majesty's subjects to join them, to the fear and dread of the well-disposed, be it enacted," &c. Now, gentlemen, unfortunately, all those prac tices seem to prevail to a most alarming extent in your county, and it is your duty to put an end to them. The first provision of the statute to which I have already referred relates to the bearing of arms, and it enacts, that if persons armed in the manner therein described shall assemble by day or night to the terror of the peaceable subjects of the realm, they shall be indicted, and upon conviction shall be deemed guilty of a high misdemeanour, be liable to fine and imprisonment, and be made give security for their sub sequent good conduct. You will observe that this Act makes the bearing of arms, to the terror of the Queen's subjects, a very serious misdemeanour, and one liable to severe punishment. Gentlemen, I must now call your attention, connected with this subject, to the provision of the late Act of Parliament, to which I before adverted, and by looking into it you will find that the Lord Lieutenant, having, by his proclamation, declared the county of Limerick to be subject to its provisions, no persons can now, unless those specially exempted, either have or carry arms without committing an offence; for the mere carry ing of arms is an offence by this Act, except where a proper license is obtained. Up to a particular period arms may be carried or kept in the house of any man, but after that time elapses, even within a habitation, no arms can he kept without a violation of this law, incurring a penalty of two years im prisonment—unless, as 1 said before, by perons qualified to bear them—so teat you see this late Act, in connexion with the Whiteboy Statutes, has, as far as was possible, provided against the improper use of arms, and has provided the means of disarm ing the population, except where those in power think proper to sanction their use for the protection of life and property. I shall now, gentlemen, call your attention to the other sections of the Whiteboy Acts, and you will find that the various offences which they specify will be, every one of them, fout.d upon your calendar—offences which, on conviction, make the party convicted liable to transportation, fine, or imprisonment. I will not enumerate them to you, as it_would be an unnecessary waste of time, but I may say that it is plain that they are all mis demeanours of the highest character, which would call on the Court for the infliction of heavy punish• ment, having of course regard to the precise nature of the case. There is, gentlemen, another provision of the law to which I wish most particularly to direct your attention—a provision which is not to be found in the Whiteboy Acts, but which appears as the common law of the land—l allude to the law with respect to accessories. "An accessory before the fact is one who, being absent at the time of the commission of a crime, shall procure, or counsel, or command another to commit a crime." You see, gentlemen, what a wide and general description this is, and how completely calculated it is to involve in the accessorial class of offences all persons who stimulate or lend their countenance to, the commission of a crime subse quently committed ; but, in addition to this law, there is an Act of Parliament in force in Ireland with re spect to murder—and persons sa ho conspire with others to have a murder committed—by which it appears that persons so convicted are guilty of a capital offence, although absent from the scene of murder. Persons convicted of conspiracy to murder are punishable by death even if the crime never took place. It is sufficient to prove the conspiracy to convict them, as you will see by referring to the Act. Its words are these :—." All persons conspir ing, confederating, and agreeing to murder any per son, shall be guilty of felony, and being convicted thereof shall suffer death as felons." I may here re• mark that although the law in England, that an ac cessory before the fact of murder can only be con victed of being an accessory if the crime be com mitted, it differs in Ireland, and the mere conspiracy to commit the crime of murder, which may never take place, constitutes the offence. Having called your attention to the law and the consequence of its viola tion, I would wish now to make a few observations to you as magistrates, and to refer you to certain means the law affords of preventing crime ; and one of those is that provision relating to vagrancy. I need not tell you that it is not uncommon—that it is in fact a very common practice for strangers to commit crimes —parties not resident in the county in which they take place; and I therefore wish, with reference to this practice, to say a few words. It was to put an end to that system that the 50th of Geo. 111., chap. 102, was passed; and it enacts, " that it may be lawful for any justice of the peace in Ireland to arrest and bring before him any stranger found wandering about, and examine him or her on oath as to his or her place of abode—the place from whence he or she came—his or her mode of life—his or her object in leaving home ;" and unless such per sons could give a satisfactory reply to all those ques tions, they could be convicted by any magistrate, and fined or imprisoned until they procured security for their good conduct, or the magistrate thought fit to discharge them. Now, gentlemen, in my opinion, that is a power of a most salutary character --a power which ought to be acted on ; in fact, I cannot con ceive, in the present state of this country, when the practice of hiring strangers to commit crime is so common, an Act which could be turned to more useful purposes. Gentlemen, the provisions of the law with respect to riot is also deserving of your most particu lar attention, and I advert to them because I under stand a notion has gone abroad that in cases of riots the interference of a magistrate ought not to t a k e place until the Riot Act had been read, and until an hour after its reading had elapsed. That is the greatest possible mistake. No doubt the highly penal consequences of riot will not be uncurred until an hour has elapsed ; but when there is a riot the duties of the magistrate and peace officers are instant, and ought not to remain inactive for one moment—it is only necessary, gen tlemen, to refer to the Act to show that to delay an hour or a minute in quelling a. riot is at variance with the law. You will find according to the 3d Geo. 111., chap. 9, which was passed before the Riot Act, "That wherever there may be a riot every justice of the peace, and all other peace officers, shall use their utmost endeavours to disperse the same, and have the rioters punished according to law." Now, gentlemen, that Act is in full force, applying not simply to the cases of riots, but to all unlawful and tumultuous as semblies, making it the duty of the magistrates to by an Act of Parliament, which has just recently re ceived the royal assent and become the law of the land, speaks of the state of the country in these words : " Whereas, in consequence of the prevalence of crime and outrage in certain parts of Ireland, it is necessary to make provision for the better prevention thereof." Gentlemen, his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant has the execution of the powers stated in that Act, and he has issued his proclamation in pursuance of it, by and with the advice and assistance of the Privy Council, by means of which, the whole of your county, together with very extensive districts in Ireland, are made subject to its provisions, which are now binding upon every inhabitant, every inmate, and every stranger within their precincts. Her Majesty's Government on further consideration, on mature consideration of the actual state of things, have also issued this special commission in order that justice may be speedily admin istered—the urgency of the times admitting of no delay, not even to the ordinary period for visiting yourcounty. All circumstances, indeed, concur in justifying the opi nion that danger to a considerable extent prevails, and unfortunately that opinion is fully confirmed by the ca lendar which I hold in my hand, and which contains a frightful detail of every crime and of every atrocity by which our common nature can be disgraced ; for, besides evincing a general spirit of insubordination, and a prevalence of crime in the country, it is per perfectly plain from the character of the offences, and the circumstances attending their perpetration, that there prevails in this county an extensive combina tion for purposes intended to be achieved by the commission of every crime that can be committed in violation of the laws of God and man ; and it is not too much to say that unless the progress of this dreadful calamity be arrested and speedily resisted, that the very bonds of our social system will be dis solved altogether, weakened and relaxed as they are at the present moment. Gentlemen, it does further appear that the principal object of this combination and of those confederacies is the destruction of the right of landlords. Fraud, violence, and intimi- , dation, all are recurring—and even murder itself is perpetrated in order to prevent or to frustrate the landlord in the execution of his legal rights and duties—and I hesitate not to say, that if the de signs attempted to be effected by such means were to be accomplished, the necessary and particular effect would be, that the occupiers of the land must become substantially its proprietors. But, gentlemen, we should take a very limited view of this calamity if we consider that those outrages are exclusively con fined to interferences with the rights or remedies of landed proprietors ; in truth, the spirit of wickedness once let loose knows no bounds and acknowledges no distinction, consequently the persons and property of individuals of all classes are indiscriminately assailed and plundered; and if those practices be not arrested and prevented, it is impossible to say that there will exist in this country either the dominion of the law or safety of life or property. Gentlemen, according to my means of information, it does appear to me that the actual perpetrators of those outrages are comparatively limited in num bers; and I believe their spirit is as dastardly as their numbers are limited, and that it re quires but a steady administration of the law, and a decided opposition by those who value the safety of person and property shortly and effectually to extin guish those evils. However, I may here observe, that you will form a very imperfect idea of the actual state of the country, if' you look merely to the num ber of those who are the actual disturbers of the pub lic peace from the calendar ; for unfortunately Ido believe that the actual perpetrators of crime are aided and abetted by persons who hope to profit by their crimes ; and also I believe that a much larger por tion of the population endeavour to conceal crime, either in hopes of benefiting by its commission, or from actual apprehension or terror ; such persons for bear to give the law their protection and assistance, which it is equally their duty and interest to afford— and therefore they contribute, actively contribute to a state of things which must end in their own o ppression—in their own subjugation—in their own tyranny, for I can call it by no other name, which distracts the country, and must involve all in common misery. Gentlemen, there is another class of persons, who although neither sti mulating or conniving at those practices, appear to h a ve followed a co urse no t t o be approved of, appear to have forgotten w h a t was th e ir bounden duty. I am afraid that such a state of things as we witness constantly is a decided proof of apathy and indiffe rence on the part of a large class of the Queen's sub jects from whom the support of the laws might be expected. Persons of the description I allude to are too apt to proclaim that the laws and the Government of the country have not afforded that assistance which m ight be afforded ; but, gentlemen, they should recol lect that without the assistance of her Majesty's sub jests, without th e co - opera ti on w hi c h it is their duty to afford, the law must remain a dead letter ; that, in fact, no laws, or no Government, can afford relief, unless every man assists in the preservation of the public peace. Gentlemen, as Ihave adverted to what may be fairly termed the principal object of this ille gal confederacy, I may be allowed here to observe that perhaps at no period—certainly at no period, looking to land as the means of affording sub sistence to a large portion of the population—does there appear to be on th a t accoun t l ess reason for in terfering with the rights and remedies of landlords; because you are all aware that the principle " that every individual h as a r i g h t to b e su p por t e d by the land," is not only now acknowledged in the abstract, but is embodied in an Act of Parliament in full exe cution, by which the most stringent measures are afforded for the relief of the poor under all circum stances, and at the cost and expense of that very c l as s of persons against whose rights there is this general opposition. In regarding the consideration whether the calamity under which this country la boured under the providence of God may have been the cause of these dreadful outrages, I am bound here to say that the p a ti ence an d f o rtitude, the e nduring fortitude, with which that calamity was submitted to and borne by a large portion of the population has been, generally speaking, in the highest degree exemplary, and as a proof of it I do not find in the calendar before me, or after the ex perience of the last three circuits, a single case in which destitution and distress, arising from the visi tation of God, led to those illegal confederacies, or stimulated any of those outrages. Gentlemen, the deplorable state of thing s which have led to our as sembling have been ascribed to various causes of a social and political character. With the investigation of those causes, and w ith the reasonableness of those opinions we have nothin g whatever to do—we have no power to investigate causes—we have no power of redress ; for the only redress which this court can administer is, redress to the peaceable, to the loyal and industrious, by putting an end to the system by which they are held in thraldom, and by which their properties are rendered insecure and their persons liable to be assailed. But, gentlemen, there is still another reason which I have not adverted to -- we are here to administer the law, which d oes not admit of any cause or any fact as an excuse or justification for the commission of cr i me . The law cannot tolerate its own violation. Wrongs there may be—injury and sufferings there may be—affording just ground of complaint; but it is perfectly plain that, however those sufferings may ba aggravated, they never can be alleviated or redressed by the violation of the law of the land. Those, if there be any such, who dis seminate opinions, or who give advice to others to act in o pposition to those simple truths, incur, in my m i n d, a most serious responsibility ; and in my opinion that responsibility, Ind the danger of that ad- FRENCH PLAYS ::7 ST. JAMES'S disperse them, even although an hour or a minute had not elapsed. I will now proceed to call your attention to another provision of a preventive kind. By a clause in the Whitehoy Acts it is expressly provided—" That it shall ba lawful for every justice of' the peace, sheriff, 80., to render all necessary assistance, and to call upon all his Majesty's loyal subjects to assist them in preserving the peace." That Act made it the duty of every man, under the penalty of being convicted of a misdemeanor, and suffering its punishments, to be aiding and assisting in enforcing the law of the land ; and by the 16th section of the late Act, in every case of murder magistrates and peace officers in'the proclaimed districts have a right to call on all persons between 16 and 60 Tars of age to search for the culprit or culprits, and make them amena bl e to justice, and those neglecting to do so were subject to an indictment for misdemeanour, and on conviction to two months' imprisonment. In fact, that which was left at large by the former statutes is now es pecially enjoined. Gentlemen, there is but onekther provision of the late Act of Parliament to which I feel it necessary to call your attention—a provision which ought to be known to you, and every one in your county, and in • every proclaimed district in Ireland. By a section of the new statute the Lord- Lieutenant has the power of sending a large increase of police, and to charge the proclaimed barony or dis trict in which they are located with the costof their sup port—he may send whatever number of men he thinks proper, and their maintenance will be levied off the occupiers as well as the owners of land, in the same way that the grand jury cess is levied. Gentlemen, I have now called your attention to all the statutes I thought it necessary to refer to, and I would again impress them upon your careful consideration. I have shown you the nature of the cases that will come before you, and I have stated the law relating to them. I have not myself the least doubt but that the use of those means which are at the disposal of the anthori. ties will be sufficient to prevent crimes and restore tranquillity. I speak, gentlemen, from very ample ex perience. It is not the first time that conflicts such as the ,ese have taken place between incendiaries and the aw of the land, but the result has always been the same. The law has always triumphed; the designs of the wicked were always frustrated, whilst the law has been signally vindicated. That which has hap pened before will happen again, for the law is the same now as it was before. Can any man say there is less zeal and anxiety on the part of these who administer the laws to give them effect ? Can culprits expect to escape now who have been overtaken before? They cannot escape; and I will advisedly say, that those who treat with impunity the law which is made for the protection of all, will find, sooner or later, that they will become amenable to justice, and be punished ; justice will overtake them by some means or other, perhaps by the treachery of their own accomplices in guilt. You will now, gentlemen, proceed to the discharge of your duties, and let me remind you that upon the firm discharge of those duties, and the duties of the petit jury, depend the conviction of crime. I have no doubt you will per form your parts fairly and honestly, and I hope the result will be the means of restoring the country from being a disgrace to our common nature to her proper position, and thereby remove the staina that crime has brought upon her. His Lordship charge occupied nearly an hour in its delivery, and was listened to with breathless silence. The Grand Jury having retired to consider the several bills of indictment submitted to them by the Crown, the petit jury were discharged until to morrow morning, at ten o'clock, when the first trial will take place. . Their Lordships sat nearly the entire day in calling on the prisoners to plead, according as bills were found. It is scarcely necessary to say that in every case the plea recorded was " not guilty." The Court rose at,five o'clock. VTCO3IE. TIIEATRE. The Antigone of Sophocles, with Mendelssohn's music, was produced here (in a French version) last evening. On the production of this tragedy some years since at Covent-garden in an English version, the music was only incompletely given, so that this is the first time that Mendelssohn's music to Antigone has been completely given in England. Mr. Mitchell has spared neither pains nor expense to place this lyric tragedy on the stage in a manner worthy at once of Sophocles and of Mendelssohn. The scene, which has been admirably painted by Mr. Muir, re presents the peristyle of Creon's palace, which is raised above the level of the stage ; i n the front is the altar, at the sides the chorus. The chorus singers are forty in number, and the band completely filled the orchestra. M. Jules Be nedict was the conductor, and nothing could go better than did the music under his direc tion. The orchestra, previous to the play, performed Mendelssohn's fine symphony in A minor, No. 3. This composition was always a favourite with the great composer ; it was composed after his return from a tour in Scotland, and embodied his musical reminiscences of the Highlands. It was admirably performed last evening. The slow movement in I) major has never been more exquisitely ren dered. Then came' the overture, which was most feelingly, correctly, and delicately ren dered, as, indeed, was the whole of the music. orchestral and choral ; to all engaged it seemed a labour of love, and most fortunate has Mr. Mitchell been in securing the services of such a conductor as M. Jules Benedict. The hymn to Bacchus was gloriously given ; and the two grand scenes, illustrating the despair of Antigone and the agony of Creon, were perfect triumphs for the orchestra. The final chorus was beautifully rendered ; indeed, as far as the musical arrangements are concerned, the performance of last night was perfect. The French version of the drama by MM. Paul Meunier and Auguste Vacquerie has the merit of befog a very close rendering of the original, and also of fitting Mendelsaohn's music admirably. M. Paul Bocage (under whose superintendence the; drama was pro duced) was the Creon, and he has not disappointed the expectations we had formed of him. Majestic, dignified, impassioned, he looked and moved " a hero of the ancient race:' His last scene' was fearfully sublime. The Antigone of Madame Rabut Fechter was effective and tasteful, although at times some what deficient in power. Instead of proceeding along the elevated stage to the place of death, as has been usual in the English representations of Antigone, Madame Fechter rushed among the chorus, and was at length dragged off by her hair. This reading is certainly no improvement. The " business" thus introduced is essentially unclassical. There was another alteration, however introduced, which is certainly a great improvement, and adds much, not only to the effectiveness; but to the classical unity of the scene. Instead of being brought in on a bier, in the last scene, as at Covent garden, the body of limmon was last night brought on in the arms of his distracted father. Never has the appearance of death been more exactly counterfeited than it was by M. Fechter, who played: the little part of Hmmon exquisitely. The mounting was admirable —we had no Greek nobles appearing in Roman togas ; the Greek costume and the Greek colouring of the piece was preserved throughout. The success of the performance was complete ; and it must be gratify ing to Mr. Mitchell to find his exertions so !properly appreciated as they were by the crowded and fashion able audience of last evening. PRINCESS'S THEATRE. Mrs. Mowatt and Mr. Davenport, two American artistes, made their first appearance before an English audience at this theatre * last evening, in Sheridan Knowles's play of the Hunchback, Mrs. Mowatt sus taining the part of Julia, and Mr. Davenport that of Sir Thomas Clifford. Mrs. Mowatt is slight in figure, at d with a decidedly youthful appearance ; her features are pleasing and expressive, and her voice soft and melodious. She was terribly nervous at first, but she soon overcame her trepidation, and as she warmed in the part gained confidence. Her delineation of the character of Julia proves that she possesses great taste, a delicate appreciation of poetry, and a good elocution. lier acting in the DARING ROBBERY BY ARMED MEN...... 0110 01 the most daring robberies that has ever occurred in this neighbourhood was perpetrated on Sunday night last, at the Hill Farm, in Lower Darwen. On the night in ques tion, between six and seven o'clock, Mr. William Whal ley, farmer, and the members of his family, were alarmed by the sudden entrance of four men, with blackened faces, and with pistols in their bands. The ruffians were not slow in making apparent the object of their visit, and proceeded to select such articles as they thought would suit them ; among others they selected a fowling-piece, which one of them was anticipated by Mr. Whalley in reaching down from its place, when a melee ensued. The robbers were more than a match for Mr. Whalley and his brother John, and punished both of them severely, taking from the pocket of the latter between two and three pounds in silver, and with it and the fowl in g - p iece they made off. The daring culprits are supposed to be navigators, and the perpetrators of a hi g hwa y robbery near the reen's Arms, Turton, on Saturday morning, about three o'clock, when four men answering their de scription robbed James Marsden Brodie, of Grimshaw Park, Blackburn, of 11.55. 9i-d. and his hat.—Manchester Guardian. THE PROPOSED DUTY ON GAS. A paragraph has been going the round of the newspapers, in which it is stated that a correspondence has lately taken place between the Government and persons engaged in the manufacture of gas, relative to a proposed duty of Is. per 1,000 cubic feet on that article. Such a duty, it is said would yield a revenue of 2,000,0001. a year, but we are unable to say upon what data this calculation is founded. We rather think that it is somewhat above the mark. Some of the London papers assume that a tax on gas would be popular. In Manchester it certainly would not be so, unless it led to the reduction of other taxes. If the object of Government in proposing a tax on gas were to enable them to reduce some other impost of a more obnoxious character, few people would make I any objection to it. But if it is only to supply Govern ment with the funds required to provide new places for the destitute branches of the aristocracy, under the speci ous pretext of strengthening our " national defences," we trust that Parliament will refuse to sanction any such measure."—Manchester Examiner. DEATH FROM A FOOLISH WAG ER.—Monday night week, Robert Rogers, a private of the lit Royals who was drinking at the Bowling-green public ,house, War rington, undertook, for a wager of five shillings, to thrust a stick two feet down his throat. He took a thin smooth stick, and had got it down to the length of eighteen inches, when be turned deadly pale and taint. The com pany became alarmed, and at their earnest desire he desisted from the further prosecution of the foolish trick. He then pulled the stick from out of his throat, and immediately vomited blood. A glass of ale was then given to him, which he drank, and then fell down, appearing to be in a dreadful state of agony, caused by pains at the stomach. Surgical assistance was ob tained, but he died on Wednesday morning, at three o'clock.—Liverpool Mercury. ACCIDENT FROM THE CARELESS USE OF FIRE ARMS.—On Sunday, a young man, named Seville, lodging at a public-house near Oldham, kept by D. Chadwick, finding a loaded pistol in his chamber, was apprehensive that a boy resident in the house might get hold of it and thereby do some mischief. To prevent this he fired it through the window, when the contents lodged in the body of a girl twelve years of age, who was passing along the main road at a distance of about thirty yards. The sufferer was immediately removed to her parent's house, where Messrs. Fawsitt and Neild, surgeons, suc ceeded in extracting the ball. The girl is still in a very dangerous state. The young man who unintentionally caused the accident was taken before the Oldham magis trates, when he was remanded to await the issue of the girl's illness. Bail was refused. It was understood yesterday that the Bank of Amsterdam has reduced its rate of discount from 5 per cent., at which it has stood for the last three or four months, to 4 per cent., the usual Dutch rate. W HEAL CURTIS COPPER MINING COMPANY.—The ordinary general meeting of the above company took place yesterday at the Guildhall Coffee-house. At half past two o'clock, Mr. Staple )' , the deputy chairman of directors, took the chair, and Mr. Bull, the company's solicitor, proceeded to read the report. From this do cument and the balance-sheet annexed it appeared that the operations of the company had, in the first instance, been much retarded by mismanagement at the mines, that recently a change of officers had taken place, every thing was going on prosperously, and there was a fair prospect of ultimate success. With reference to mo netary affairs, the directors had received , by ad vances from individual directors and payment of calls, 7,4051. los. 6d. ; out of which they had paid for the Wheal Curtis mine, 3881. ; for plant, &c., 3,6761. 10s.; with other small items, amounting in the whole to 4,221/. 4s. 7d. ; outlay on the mine to 3,1841. ss. 7d. The liabilities of the company's acceptances, &c., are 2,759/. 10s. 10d., to meet which there is an amount due on the calls which, when paid, will leave a clear balance in favour of the company of 9991. 17s. Letters were read from the captain and purser of the mine, giving most flattering accounts of their progress, and holding out the strong hope of an exceedingly rich vein of copper ore.—Mr. Thorogood, a shareholder and ex director, moved the adoption of the report, and begged to confirm its general veracity from his own experience. Mr. George seconded the motion, which was carried without opposition, as was also a supplemental resolu tion ordering the report to be printed and circulated among the directors.—Mr. Bull, solicitor to the company, was elected a director in the room of Mr. Thorogood, resigned; the other directors were re-elected, and auditors appointed. Resolutions recommending prompt payment of the calls were then passed, the supplemental deed was signed, and the meeting separated. PARlS.—Considerable improvements and additions are about to be made at the Luxembourg Palace, at a cost of nearly 50,000?.—The decoration of the Church of St. Germain des nisi is proposed to be completed, comprising the ornamentation of the choir and stained glass for the upper windows; the former is estimated at 7201.—the latter at 2,0001. —Designs have been invited in competition for a theatre at Algiers, to accommodate 1,500 spectators. The cost is fixed at 48,000/. —Builder. KENSINGTON UNION WORKHOUSE. The new workhouse, now in course of erection, from the design of Mr. Allow, for the parish of Kensington, on land purchased of Mr. Gunter, is to contain upwards of four hundred paupers, and has an infirmary with airing grounds detached from the main building. The first tender od as accepted by the board was 10,6 00 and some d 11,02poolu.,nadts ; wh th ic e h se it co n nd ow , w st i a t n h a ds. dd T iti h o e ns t „ a ota m l o le u n n g ted th to of frontage is 262 feet, the whole of which is given to the aged and infirm, with arcades for exercise . and a garden in front. The ble-bodied an d y ounge r classes are kept more immediately under the eye of the master and ma HOME.—moom (G ak o e ws i tfirs first great healthful reatgift),To.;;B MAN'SuildeEtrEn and joyful ; to i nsure, economically, impunity from fire ; such a supply of fresh.air, light and warmth, when needed, as the constitution of man demands, and to lead Art—capable of producing " An endless fountain of immortal drink —delightfully to adorn it, is matter of world-wide interest. When it is remembered that -Homes are the manufactories of men, and influence a growing nation, the importance of im proving these homes is at once seen. Perfect men come not forth from ill arranged, ill-orderesl dwengs ; and how few hom es are there which might not belli improved ! —The Builder. M. Berard, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of Montpellier, has just been dismissed from his place, in consequence of his having given in his adhesion to a reform banquet. CHRISTMAS IN IRELAND.— Christmas was kept a complete bolyday throughout Ireland. No business whatever was transacted. Not even a single landlord was shot.—Punch. Property Talc • • .... Post-office • . • • • .... Crown Lands • • • • • • • •• • • • • " " .• " • • Miscellaneous .......... •• • .. Imprest and other Moneys Itepayments of .I..dYances..• To Cash, being the final Instal ment of Loan of 6,000,0001. .. •• .• 4,514,721 3,122,151 1,740,687 1,909,899 450,219 203,000 20,000 29,657 31,884 302,449 12,e34,667 4,111,862 3,256,480 1,561,555 1,914,783 462,567 208,000 40,000 11,746 30,614 74,048 11,674,955 675,774 IRELAND. ADDITIONAL PROCLAMATIONS. DUBLIN, JAN. 4.—Another extraordinary Gazette was issued last night, proclaiming dis tricfs in Gal way, Cavan, and Fermanagh, and also calling in the arms. In force from and after Saturday, the Bth day of the present month of January. In the county of Galway are proclaimed — The barony of Longford, The parishes of Ballynakill, Clonrush, Duniry, Tynagb. And that part of the parish of Inniscaltra, situate in the barony of Leitrim. In the county of Fermanagh is proclaimed — The barony of Clanawly. In the county of Cavan are proclaimed — The barony of Tullyhaw, The parish of D rumlane, in the barony of Sewell Loughteefe. Edmond Fitzgerald Ryan, Esq., and Gerald Fitz gerald, Esq., are appointed to grant licences to carry arms within the . proclaimed districts in the county of Galway. Benjamin Holmes, Esq., has obtained a similar appointment for Fermanagh and Cavan ; and William Caldwell, Esq., for Clare and Limerick, The Lord Chancellor is going on favourably. INSPECTOR GENERAL OF PRISONS. His Excellency the Lord-Lieutenant has appointed Sir Nicholas Fitzsimon, Knight, inspector general of prisons, in the room of Major Cottenham, deceased. The magisterial chair in the head office of police, to be vacated by Sir Nicholas, will, it is said, be filled by our late Lord Mayor, M r. Staunton. DEATH OF MRS. HATCHELL. We regret to announce the awfully sudden death of Mrs. Hatchell, the wife of the Solicitor-General, who was found dead in her bed this morning. Mrs. Hatchell had been in delicate health for some time, her malady being disease of the heart; but no appre hension was felt recently of the melancholy event which has suddenly plunged her family into grief. An express was sent off to-day to Mr. Hatchell, who is with the Attorney- General conducting the pro secutions at the special commission this day opened in Limerick. FATHER M'DERMOTT'S DEFENCE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMAN. We, the undersigned Roman Catholic inhabitants of the town and vicinity of Strokestown, having read with the utmost surprise and indignation the calum nious statements and assertions contained in some of the public prints, and reported by the newspapers to have been made in the Houses of Lords and Com mons, against the unsullied character of our beloved and revered pastor, the Very Rev. Michael M'Der mott, the venerable Archdeacon of Elphin, feel it to be a duty incumbent upon us to come forward on the present occasion, to offer the most unqualified denial and contradiction to the facts which are falsely and malignantly put forth as the foundation of these calumnies. The gratuitous accusers of this most respected, dignified, but calumniated clergyman, have first as serted that he denounced the late Major Mahon on the Sunday before his death from his altar, and Lord Farnham is reported to have certified in the House of Lords that in denouncing Major Mahon he made use of the following words : " Major Mahon is worse than Cromwell, and yet he lives." It appears that when the maligners of our pastor found by his own letter that the charge of de nunciation was untenable, as having been made on a Sunday, they turn round and state, with a degree of matchless effrontery, on the authority of a nameless Peer, that the denunciation of Major Mahon took place on Monday, the day immediately before his death. Now, we hereby declare, without fear of contra diction, and hold ourselves in readiness to confirm this our solemn declaration by our sworn affidavits in any court of justice, that we have been invariably in the habit of attending at mass on all Sundays and holidays in the year in the chapel of Strokestown— that we have a distinct recollection of our having heard mass in the chapel of Strokestown, on Monday, the Ist day of November, called All Saints' Day, being the day before Major Mahon was murdered, and that the Very Rev. Michiel M'Dermott, our parish priest, did not open his lips to address one word to his flock on that day. We further unhesitatingly declare that we never heard the Very Rev. Michael M'Dermott, on Sun day, or holiday, or Saint's day, or any other day, on which he ever addressed his flock from the altar, to denounce the late Major 'Mahon, or to express the words attributed to him in the reported speech of Lord Farnham, or any such words, or any words of a si milar import or meaning. Luke Carlos, grocer, &c. Nicholas Fahy, dealer. Francis Kenny, rope dealer and manufacturer. Thomas Casserly, slater and plumber. John Smith, farmer. Patrick M'Greeny, farmer. James Cruise, private gentleman. J. F. Callaghan, woollen draper, &c. Daniel Hughes, farmer. Michael O'Beirne, wine and spirit merchant. Patrick Dolan, woollen draper, &c. Patrick Macmanus, woollen draper, &c. John Lynam, grocer , wi ne and spirit merchant Hubert Croghan, wine and spirit merchant. Peter Henry, wine and spirit merchant. IRISH SPECIAL COMMISSION. (From Saunders's News Letter of yesterday.) LIMERICK, TUESDAY. The Right Hon. the Lord Chief Justice and the Right Hon. the Lord Chief Baron opened the Special Commission for this county to-day. Their Lordships, attended by Sir David Roche, Bart., the High Sheriff, took their seats upon the bench in the Crimi nal Court shortly before eleven o'clock, at which hour it was crowded to excess by grand and petit jurors, witnesses, &c. The Attorney-General, the Solicitor-General, and Mr. Bennett, Q.C., with Sir M. Barrington as Crown Solicitor, appeared to prosecute ; and Mr. O'Hea at tended as principal Counsel for the accused parties. The Clerk of the Crown (George Fleetwood, Esq.), having read the commission, proclamation was made for a grand jury, when the following gentlemen an swered to their names, and were sworn : John Croker, Esq. (foreman) ; Sir Vere Vere, Bart. ; Wm. S. O'Brien, Esq., M.P. ; Win. Munsell, Esq., M.P. ; The O'Grady ; the Knight of Glin ; Joseph Gubbins, Esq. ; Charles C. Coote, Esq. ; Ro bert Maxwell, sq. ' • James D. Lyons, Esq..; Thomas H. Royce, Esq. ; Michael Furnell, Esq. ; Bolton Waller, Esq. ; Wm. H. Barrington, Esq.; Wm. Cox, Esq. ; John Roe, Esq.; Wm. Howley, Esq.; John S. Browne, Esq. ; Christopher Delmege, Esq. ; Car roll Nash, Esq. ; Heffernan Considine, Esq. ; Eyre Massy, Esq. ; and Roger Keatinge Sheehy, Esq. The Lord Chief Justice, addressing the grand jury, said—Mr. Foreman, and gentlemen of the grand jury of the County Limerick, you are apprised by her Majesty's special Commission, and by the oath which you have just taken, that you are now about to perform your part in the administration of the criminal law of the country. Your duties, at all times of importance, must be regarded with peculiar interest, and with deep anxiety, when, at a crisis of great public danger, her Majesty has called on her subjects to assist in vindicating the violated laws of the land, and to be themselves the instruments of re storing to the country the blessings of order and tran quillity. That we are now in such a crisis there is, un f o rtunately, no reason to doubt. The Legislature, 5,651,250 617,473 445,415 98,280 374,538 837,500 8,024,456 4,810,211 12,834,667 Vtirbr 11-*ittiln THE ACCIDENT AT THE EUSTON-SQUARE STATION. —LATEST PARTICULARS.—We have just been informed that one of the unfortunate persons injured by the fall of the wall at the Euston-square Station, this morning, is since dead. JAMAICA SOUTH MIDLAND JUNCTION RAIL WAY.—(THIS DAY.) An adjourned meeting of the shareholders in this company was held to•clay, at one o'clock, at the Lon don Tavern ; Mr. Shorter in the chair. The CHAIRMAN said, the object of the meeting was to confirm a provisional agreement passed at a pre vious meeting, for the amalgamation of the line with the Jamaica Ralway, and empowering the directors to apply to the Jamaica Legislature for an Act to carry the resolution into effect. It was for the meet ing to say whether this agreement should be con firmed or not. He therefore moved its confirmation ; which, having been seconded by Mr. Smrra, Mr. CLEMENT RUDING proposed that it be not confirmed, which was seconded by Mr. SPACKMAN, who said he represented 9,000 shares—nearly half the shares of the company—who were unanimous in their opinion, that the !notion of the Chairman should not be carried. The CHAIRMAN admitted that neither be nor the directors were desirous to see their motion carried ; they merely submitted it as a matter of form. The amendment was carried unanimously. Mr. SMITH, a director, stated, in reply to Mr. Spackman, that the directors would have in hand on the 31st of January, when they proposed closing their offices, 14,500/., after discharging all claims. The CHAIRMAN referred to a letter from a Mr. Smith in Jamaica, dated the 22d of May, stating that there would be no further claims from the colony upon the funds. Mr. SPACKMAN inquired what would be the cost of an Act to obtain the dissolution of the company. The CHAIRMAN said they would not like to try to obtain one; but Mr. Smith said he thought the cost would be about 3001., whether they were successful or no. Mr.RUDING considered that an Act to effect a dissolu tion would be unnecessary, inasmuch as the Act would expire if they did not carry out the powers it con ferred upon them. There being no further liabilities, he saw no further reason why they should not at once return 10s. per share, retaining the remainder for any possible expense that might occur. The CIIAIRMAN said they must be guided by legal advice. It was possible, if they did this, that a small section of the shareholders might file a bill in the Court of Chancery against them, and compel them to pay the money into the court. Mr. RUDING said Mr. Spackman had 9,000 proxies ; be (Mr. R.) had 1,500 ; a gentleman by his side 2,000; and the directors themselves, he un derstood, held 6,000 —nearly 18,000 shares in the aggregate. Mr. SPACEMAN, being called upon, explained that it was undoubtedly in the power of any shareholder to take law proceedings. The shareholders could not dissolve the company ; all they could do was to allow it to fall into abeyance, and expire in five years ; and therefore he would suggest that a resolution should be passed, at a meeting to be called, to em power the directors to lend the shareholders a certain sum upon their shares for five years, when the com pany would expire, retaining enough to meet any contingencies that might arise. This seemed to him an advisable course to adopt. The shareholders were much indebted to the directors for the a ttention . which they had paid to their interests. The business of this meeting then terminated. The business of the special meeting, called on the requisition of several shareholders, was then proceeded with, and, after some discussion, resolutions were agreed to, to the effect that the powers of the Act be at once suspended; that all calls should also be sus pencicd ; that the assets be: returned to the share holders (it being left to the directors to consider whether they could give legal effect to the resolution, the Chairman said the directors approved of the pro position); that the directors be authorised to make an application to the Jamaica Legislature if they should deem such a course advisable, for the repeal of the Act, and that if there was any opposition, and the Legislature should not grant the Act if applied for, that the directors be empowered to allow the company to expire in its natural course. Thanks having bee n given to the Chairman and directors, the meeting separated. SHERIFFS' COURT.---(THIS DAY.) (Before Mr. Under-Sheriff BURCIIELL.) STEADMAN V. MILLER. This was an action brough to recover the sum of 4/. 17s. 6d. for professional services as an attorney. The defendant pleaded that he was not indebted. Mr. THOMAS stated the case. The defendant was the trustee and executor of a Mr. Yeldham, and the work charged for was in respect of taking counsel's opinion as to the defendant's liability to pay a certain sum of money to a Mrs. Keene, one of the daughters of the testator, who was living apart from her hus band ; from this circumstance plaintiff declined to act on her behalf, and wrote to the defendant stating that fact, but that he was willing to take counsel's opinion on the point, but that if he did so, the defendant must understand that he (plaintiff) would, in that case, consider him self as employed by the defendant. The defendant afterwards gave instructions for the case to be drawn, which was accordingly done, and counsel's opinion taken; but defendant afterwards contended that plaintiff was acting for Mrs. Keene, being the legal adviser - of her sister, Miss Yeldham. Austin, clerk to the plaintiff, was called, and swore that he posted a letter in which plaintiff said he would not take the opinion for Mrs. Keene, and if one w 1 require d ; 110 would only germ. it on the defendant acceding to being held responsible. De fendant afterwards called at the office and gave instructions. Plaintiff suggested that defendant should place the matter in the hands of his own so• licitors, but defendant said he would prefer the plaintiff doing it, as he understood the case b?tter than they did. Defendant afterwards called and pro duced an account as executor, and said that if plaintiff would ;pass it as attorney for Mrs. Keene, he would pay the bill. Plaintiff declined doing so, and said that if he did he would be struck off the rolls, and on this defendant said he would not pay the bill at all. Mr. GRAY, on behalf of the defendant, contended that the plaintiff had throughout been acting for the Misses Yeldham and Mrs. Keene ; therefore the witness had not given a faithful version of what had passed between the plaintil and defendant, but that all the interviews had been with the plaintiff as Mrs. Keene's attorney. The Learned Counsel then put in a variety of letters to Mrs. Keene, in which plaintiff treated her as his client. Mrs. Keene was then called, and swore positively that she retained the plaintiff. Frederick Miller, son to the defendant, was called, and proved that he had conducted his father's business for 3 years, and always opened the correspondence, his father residing at Peckham. In February, 1847, the time when the alleged letter was stmt, he was in con stant attendance at the place of business in Fenchurch street. Mr. Tuomas replied, and contended that the evi dence on the part of the plaintiff had not been in the least shaken, for the evidence of Mrs. Keene was not to be depended on in the slightest degree, as she had admitted that she was living with a man not her hus band, and that she was also receiving money front another in consequence of having had a child by him, although the child had been dead for four years. The jury, after being locked up for two hours, gave a verdict for the defendant. THE MURDER IN GOLDEN-LANE. (THIS DAY.) The adjourned inquest on the bodies of the two children who were recently found murdered in Golden-lane was held this day at three o'clock,before Mr. William Baker, coroner, at the William the Fourth public-house, Jeremiah Donnoghue, labourer, was the first witness called, residing at No. 9, Cupid's-court, who stated, that about one or two o'clock on Saturday morning last, he distinctly heard the voice of Amina Blake, one of the deceased, cry " Murder" several times. About four o'clock on the same morning he was apprised of the murder of the two children, Amina Blake and her brother. Mrs. BLAKE, the mother of the deceased, deposed to their being two of her children by her lawful hus band, Robert Henry Blake, under whose protection they were left in London. She was at present living apart from her husband at Birmingham with another of her children. Mr. Wright, surgeon, stated that he was called in to see the deceased shortly after four o'clock on Saturday morning last. He found the body of Thomas Henry Blake, the younger, lying upon a bed on the ground floor of the house, the bedcloathes were in the greatest disorder,lthe body was warm, but life was extinct. There were several scratches on the tip of the nose and the nostrils, on the right side of the mouth, and upon the left cheak, and upon the throat near the wind-pipe; there were no othef appearances of external violence on the body. He examined the chest and found the lungs perfectly healthy, but gorged with a dark coloured black fluid, the intestines and abdomen appeared also in a perfectly healthy state. On removing the scalp he found that the dura mater was covered with numerous bloody points, from which dark coloured blood issued. - The vessels pia mater were gorged with a dark coloured fluid. The substance of the brain, when cut in two, also pre sented various bloody parts. There was no bloodi n the ventricles of the brain. Upon examining the body of Amine Blake, he found, with a small difference, precisely the same appearance, and in both cases he was led to believe, as the result of the 'examination, that death was caused by forcible compression of the mouth and nostrils. Mr. Courtenay, surgeon, of Whitecross• street, gave evidence of a similar nature. The CORONER proceeded to sum up, and in doing so, completely exonerated the fat her of the children from any actual participation in the dreadful crime. There appeared to be no doubt that the murder was committed by Harriet Parker, whh lead been living with the father of the children for some three or four years. The only course for the jury to adopt would be to return a verdict of wilful murder against her. It appeared from her own state ments that she had contemplated the atrocious act for some months past ; and that, since she had committed it, she had stated that she gloried in what she had done, and had made use of file, extraordinary expression, "That she could die on the gallows like a trump for it." With respect to any plea that :night be set up on the grounq of insanity, that would he a question to be tried in another place. The Coroner then proceeded to read ovr the whole of the evidence, but had not concluded up to the time of our going to press. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, WEDNESDAY. — The Queen and Prince Albert walked this morning on the Eastern Terrace and slopes. The Royal Family took ‘valking snd pony exercise. His Royal Highness Prince Albert enjoyed the sport of shooting this morning, accompanied by the Duke of Cambridge and Prince George, and Earl Delawarr, and attended by the Right Hon. W. S. Lascelles, and Colonel Seymour. The Earl of Aberdeen and the Earl of Auckland are expected to arrive at the Castle this evening, cn a visit to her Majesty. The royal dinner party at the Castle this evening will include her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George and the Princess Mary, his Serene Highness Prince Fre of Hesse, the Earl of Aberdeen, the Earl and Countess of Delawarr, the Earl of Auckland, the Lady in Waiting on the Duchess of Kent, the Lady in Waiting on the Duchess of Cambridge, Baroness de Speth, the Right Hon. William S. and Lady Caro line Lascelles, and Mr. Edmond Mildmay. The band of the Genadier Guards will attend during dinner. The Queen's private band will after wards attend in the Castle. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent arrived at her residence, Clarence House, St. James's, at twelve o'clock, yesterday, attended by Sir George Couper, from Frogmore House, near Windsor. Her Royal Highness left town at two o'clock in the after noon, on her return to Frogmore House. Lady John Russell has been indisposed at Woburn. Abbey, but is better. , THE CAUSE OF THE DEFEAT OF THE SONDERBUND. The National publishes the following story of the Jesuits of Lucerne :—The Reverend Fathers, it ap peared, possessed a Gothic reliquiary of most exquisite workmanship. In order to provide against the hard ness of the times which the war might bring on them, they bethought them that they would turn this reliquiary into money, and a Hebrew dealer in curiosities, residing at Geneva, purchased it of them, and paid them in Napoleons. Whether it was that the sight of the. gold dazzled the ey es of the Reverend Fathers, or whether it was th a t they cared nothing for the relic shut up in the reliquiary, certain it is that the purchaser was permitted to carry away with his purchase a little phial, sealed with several seals, which was shut up therein. Some time after, the Genevese dealer sold to a Parisian dealer the reliquiary, but whether with or without its precious contents does not appear, in consequence of the little interest which either vendor or purchaser attached to the matter. But the Genevese dealer was much asto nished a few months afterwards, when matters were going badly at Lucerne, at receiving a letter from the Reverend Father, Superior of the Jesuits of Lucerne, demanding from him " a little bottle con- • taining something of a black colour, a relic to which the inhabitants of Lucerne appeared to attach the highest value, but which was of no value to the pp m'' chaser, and had not been included in the bar g ain. The dealer replied that the reliquiary . bad been again sold by him, and that it was actually in the possession of an amateur in Paris. lie now received another letter much more pressing than the first, in which he was informed that the bottle contained the blood.' of St. Francois d'Assises—that the inhabitants of Lucerne attached the utmost importance to its pos. session, and that it must be restored. The civil war interrupted this correspondence, and the misfortunes of the arms of the Sonderbund must be attributed to the absence from Lucerne of the blood of St Francois d'Assises. The Geneva curiosity-dealer, who is an Israelite, offers the correspondence of the worthy father's for sale. SUICIDE OF A NEWSMAN:-...:Yesterday Mr. Bed+ ford held an inquest, at the Bedford Head, Maiden-lane. on the body of William Hancock, aged 67, a newstuan. residing at No. 14, Maiden-le.r.e. The deceased had for the last year been suffering from cataract, which par tially incapacitated him for business ; and not long ago he attempted to drown himself by leaping from a, Gravesend steam-boat ; but after recovering, expressed his sorrow fopwhat he had done, and it was not deemed necessary to place him under restraint. On Wednesday week he was found in bed with his throat cut, and a com•. ' mon table-knife by his side. He died on Sunday last. Mr. Tompson, surgeon, said the deceased appeared to bro recovering from the wound, which in itself might nek have caused death. He could not state positively what was the cause of death without a post mortem examine. tion. The inquest was adjourned until Friday, in order that the body might be opened. ~ l i