The Sun. — London, England, 1849-11-07 00:00:00

►joy the must zt tkcir elf dis- British to be bly, but hat this chts and is ; but privi the position ❑d upon c of the e Legis rivileges smaller avenient , but not rivileges the Act. 11 events g to this but he that had hich she it in a :onferred removed ig an in n passed ow, with ion of the a, c. Is crimes to be by being 'oreigner, Mute for [uitted of y. That se men. it is to le statute. Lord. I Judge iving that statutes Arm. th George James 1., ed by this t had ever ierson cEn sacrament to certain be dictum alized and manner, necessity oaths and iidered to pis Protes °, that the e rights of upon con ild be im ; took im. ed to their is case was d feel some had placed hough not ion, if he convince )art of the woman of de medie- ly counsel behalf of its Learned 1 question onsiderable a Manning, miscarried tuted as his , e been. :r or Man- ler, and be A waive or the point ourse, and d's observa• 1, and it is sides, there ak, that she stated, in >r a jury de have mis not for Lt because were eon bservations ;ht to have )f fairness. ove appeared tted to be an shown that Having dig their Lord his Learned Le advanced ended upon he would because that uched upon• ships would .eafter state, t was pile not apply t o 3arties being Lien and the contemplat e case was an civil action len say. search to be sent for it, be found et it might be kes all the, r a erirniofi' away by statute, but in this case no right had been conferred at all by statute, inasmuch as the 16th section of the Act of Parliament distinctly provided that an alien married to a natural born subject should be deemed to he, and taken to be herself naturalized, and should have all the rights and privileges enjoyed by a natural-born subject. It did not qualify the right in any way ; there was no condition attached to it, such as that by a certificate granted to an alien, but it was absolutely the right and privi!ege of a natural born subject. Now, as to the last Act which had been referred to by his Learned Friend, it was quite clear that those who were not aliens were not entitled to be tried by a jury de medietate linguae. Who was an alien ? He found no answer to this question in " Comyn's Digest," which defined who was not an alien. It stated that if an alien be naturalized he was, to all intents and purposes, a natural born subject, as if he h a d b een born in the kingdom of England. Then again, in "Coke upon Lyttleton," an alien naturalized is pronounced to be, to all intents and purposes, a natural born subject, but a subject naturalized by letters patent Was incompetent to hold certain offices, so that, according to " Coke upon Lyttleton," natu ralization was a larger definition than denizen. There was another matter referred to by his Learned Friend which he confessed rather surprised him, viz., that the statute which gave the right of a mixed jury denied to either party—the prosecutor or the person offending —the right of ascertaining the fact or the ground upon which the jurisdiction giving such a right was founded—that it was simply enough to allege the alienage and the case could be tried by a jury de medietate The LORD CHIEF BARON—There is nothing in that Mr. Attorney-General. Mr. Baron PLATT said there was one point urged by Mr. Ballantine which had not been noticed by the Attorney -General. In the 15th section the words were "shall be deemed and taken to be of herself naturalized, and shall have all the rights and privi leges of a natural born object." Perhaps the Attor ney-General would state how those words came to be added, if his view was correct, for it had been con tended that they pointed to the intention of the Legislature. The CHIEF BARON thought that such question could be asked of all Acts. Mr. Justice CRESSWELL said, probably, the words were introduced to prevent any contention about the woman being naturalized, and having the same privi leges as her husband. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL submitted that they could not speculate upon Acts of Parliament, but must construe them according to their actual words, The Act showed that she was to have all the rights of a natural-born subject, and every right to which a woman was entitled, even more rights than belonged to her husband, for perhaps he could not be a Privy Coun cillor or a Member of Parliament, and might have some of his rights cut short by the Home Secretary. Their Lordships would probably recollect that it was a matter of history that there had been cases where natural-born subjects who had married foreigners had been greatly harassed in former times, because it was contended that these wives were, under common law, aliens, and might be removed. The words in the Act, in fact, intended to give every possible right which a natural-born subject could have. Why was it that in some Acts a repetition of words having a similar meaning was given; such, for in stance, as the following : "if any person plunder or steal," "if any person issues,.utter, or disposes of ?" Simply, he maintained, to prevent any doubt upon the subject. Under this Act, then, the female had dower, could take land, and had every other right to which a natural-born subject was entitled. So far from the words of the Act weakening his argument, he appre hended they tended to strengthen it. Mr. BALLANTINE replied.: He submitted that if this woman had been tried by a jury de medietate lingua, the trial would not be a mis-trial, and there would be no error, in the record or error either in point of fact or in point of law. Although their Lordships had mentioned a decision which had been formerly pronounced, that it was necessary for a person claiming alienage to give a ground for his claim before it could be granted, he apprehended the alle gation that he was an alien would entirely bar any question after the trial as to its validity, and that it would be sufficient for the allegation to appear upon the record. There could not possibly be any reason why the trial should afterwards be invalidated. He con tended that his Learned Friend's arguments were not consistent with the law, and that no danger could result from granting the privilege which this woman claimed, and which she deemed so important a one. The expression " alien born " seemed to justify the supposition that the place of birth of the person was no unimportant matter to be considered in a questioa of this kind. A person might not, he apprehended, disunite himself from his country without the consent of the Government to which he belonged, and that his alienage could not be taken away by any act of denization or naturalization in another country. If an Englishman went to France he could not, for instance, get rid of his allegiance to this country by any act whatever ; it commenced by birth and could not be taken away by any kind of proceeding. A man, indeed, could never get rid of his allegiance to the country of his birth. lie stood in a very different position to a natural-born subject; and unless his Learned Friend couid make out a natu ralization in the present case, this woman was not entitled to be deprived of any of the privileges incident to her state His Learned Friend bad referred to the difficulties which would attend the operatiou of a jury de medietate lingua, but he confessed he was not able to see how he had t the objections which he (Mr. Ballantinme) had taken to the case which had been Particularly referred to (Mares case). The reasons which had been urged were not applicable to tcase in whi c h t h e King was a prosecutor. I t _ a Ppened that i n certa i n cases th e j u d ges h a d d ea lt !store quantityinercifully with persons than strict Justice required, but it appeared that no great of justice nor any great amount of mercy it as shown by them in that particular case, if he took et as it was reported. The Learned Counsel, the 'ring alluded to some other of the arguments used by trialAatorney-General, concluded by submitting that th e d • • eetsion upon the present application for a new _ ought to be decided in favour of the person for whom he appeared. Th e d . u ges th en a dj ourne d i nto an ante - room ad- Joinin g the court, to consider their decision. The Lord Chief Justice WILDE then delivered the 111%:tient of the C our t. H e sa i d he need hardly say, _bat from th e t i me this case came from the Central Criminal Court into the hands of the Judges, it had r eceived t h eir anxious attention, who, although not f or the Purpose o f f orm i ng an opinion, had yet paid eo nsideraable attention to the question in order to Prepare them to appreciate the arguments that should be offered, and of arriving at a just and proper conclusion therefrom. Each and all of them having to the matt e r b e f ore h an d, an d h av i ng alluded o t the able arguments that had been urged on the Part of the prisoner by Mr. Ballantine, who he (the Lord Chief Justice) thought had omitted nothing that could properly be brought to bear on the subject, he "t 4 . y Were unanimously of o pi n i on th a t t h e objec on could not be sustained, and that the Party was properly tried by the jury which was i mpannelled on the recent occasion. It appeared to all the Judges that it was unnecessary, for the pur- Poses of a just and proper conclusion on the question submitted to them, to enter into the topics intro cuced in the course of the argument. The question was simply this—Was the prisoner, Mrs. Manning, an alien or not at the time of this trial ? If she was she would be entitled to be tried by a jury de medietate Hogue. If she was a British subject, she was not so entitled. Now, the effect of a Bill o f N a t ura li za ti on h a d no t been questioned, and one could hardly expect it should be, for the authority of text writers is so clear, 8 0 uniform, and so consistent, that one would not expect that any one advocating the case of the pri soner could question it. By Lord Holt, by Lord Bacon, by Sir Matthew Hale, and by every te xt writer on the various editions of lockstone's Commentaries, it was a proposition universally adopted, that a person naturalized became, h all inte n t s an d purposes, a British-born subject. It proposition is l 't not at all impugned, c nor its cor tetiness in any degree lessened by thecircumstance t w a t in Naturalization Acts of Parliament cer eZ disqualifications are introduced, because it c ompetent for the Legislature to impose tosieualifications on British subjects' which did eou generally apply to the subject of the nty. The Royal Marriage Acts imposed disqua- Zcioa,taion.s in regard to marriage on British subjects, Bub . nous other Acts of Parliament disqualified tai iect s in particular situations from exercising ter ni.,nghts. In the " King v. Moliere," the question whetherquai a naturalization bill of the party dis abl him from performing the office of con the • It there appeared perfectly clear that b ut Turali z ttion was not a qualified naturalization, goal party had become a British subject, and was efE e ,"ed to exercise an office of trust, which the constable was, hut by virtue of a disqualify bZPr9vision i n t h e Natural i zat i on Act, although the tfLY had b ecome a British subject, he was held to be bl eitated for exerci s ing the office of con as, The question in this case, therefore, civil what was t h e status o f po li t i cal or Of th _chara c t er attaching to the prisoner at the time „,! ? The section of the Act that had b e en p ar - '..tLea reli e d on i n the argument stated that `°the They should be tak en an d d eeme d t o b e na t ura li ze d." eh ar " ac came the inquiry, what were the status and political Jes t ran d rights of a B r iti s h subject? A B r iti s h he i'`,:ight be subject to certain disqualifications, but me Lord Chief Justice) knew of no instance in LONDON WEDNESDAY EVENING NOVEMBER 7 1849 THE SUNS which the characters of an alien and a British subject WESTMINSTER FREEHOLD LAND were united. If the effect of naturalization generally SOCIETY. was to make the party to all intents and purposes a A public meeting was held last evening at the Gun British subject, as would be found in the authorities Tavern, Pimlico, for the purpose of explaining the to which he had referred, and also in the very principles and the objects of this society. The meet learned argument gone into on the whole subject by log was well attended. Sir Matthew Hale, was there anything in this Act The prospectus states that— of Parliam en t w hich at all qualifies that Act of Par " By joining this society p ar ti es ma y, by sma ll fort liament which said that " the party should be taken nightly contributions, become the proprietor in their and deemed to be naturalized ?" What was the ordi- own right of a piece of freehold land, upon which they nary effect of every naturalization Bill ? It was to may erect a cottage, and cultivate a garden, either to let give, not to take away. The argument that had or occupy; and thus acquire a stake' in the country, been urged in the present case might and a voice in the election of Members of Parliament. be urged in every 'case of naturalization, The mode of proceeding is this—the land is purchased because in none of those cases was it said that it for the members in lar g e quan titi es by th e acre . It i s was intended to operate on the trial by jury, but that o th r e c n os d t ivid . ed and . l ap t po a r t ti l one t d to or t t h h em 4s , s at th r e a w n h n o u l m esa c l o e it was intended to give certain specified rights. Not as to giv p e ric a e ; o l t n e fool. s the county. w The 455. per difference at all ; but rather that by the naturalization the party between the wholesale and retail prices of freehold be and should be taken and deemed to be a British land' is such, that land selling at 3s. 4d. and 3s. 6d. per subject. What did it give ? It gave all yard retail, has been purchased by these societies at that belonged to the character of a Brie is. Id. wholesale. The enrolment of this society gives tish subject ? What did it take away ? legal security, and affords important savings in law ex it took away all that did not belong to a British sub- penses. The necessary deeds are prepared by the soli ject, ter it made the naturalized party a British citor of this society at 30s. each, exclusive of stamps, a subject to all intents and purposes. If a woman sum considerably below the usual charges." married a husband natu ra li ze d i n a p ar ti cu l ar wa y JAMES WYID, Esq., having been unanimously she might, by th e cons t ruc ti on con t en d e d f or elected to take the chair, said—Gentlemen, as one of on the part of the Cr own , acqu i re a dif- the Vice-Presidents of the association, it is only my ferent status and b e en titl e d t o diff eren t duty to take the chair this evening in the absence of rights beyond those which her husband your President; but Ido so with very much pleasure was entitled to. Very likely, if the husband had because I heartily l concur Land Society, the objects of the West been naturalized, subject t o certain di s qualificatio n s minister Freeho ld applied to him by the legislative authority, he was not less a British subject, because he was under these only one of very great political importance, but is forl think it is not also one of very great social importance. disqualifications ; but that could not be taken to issued by the secretary, Ifind has t In the bill two objects; apply to a husband without any disqualification first, of enabling the industrious classes to acquire at all. The general intention of the Legislature freehold residences; and, secondly, through the means appeared to him to make the woman a British sub- of those freeholds, of enabling them to secure the ject, and he found no words from the beginning to the elective franchise for counties. Now, in these me end of this Act of Parliament which would at all dern times, it will be admitted, that those are two alter any conclusion that it was intended to operate at most important objects ; the first, I hold, if fairly and all by enlarging or limiting all that belonged to the properly carried status of a British subject. It no more referred economical habits out, will infuse industrious and into the great mass of the people ; to the Jury Act than the Naturalization Bill and the other also, if fairly and properly carried out, referred to the Jury Act. With respect, therefore, will enable them to acquire that right which I submit to the prisoner, they could discover no intenti o n they are entitled to, but which the political constitu whatever in this Act of Parliament, more or l ess , tion of the country at the present moment unfortu than to make her a British subject ; and if that was nately deprives them of.— (Cheers.) Gentlemen, the so, the whole question was at an end, and she was not society which we meet here this evening to inaugurate, an alien at the time she was tried. The Court were as it were, constitutes one, out of I believe 29 similar therefore, unanimously of opinion that she was not societies, which are scattered throughout the different entitled to a jury such as she claimed, and, there- parts of the country, and comprise altogether nearly fore, that there was no ground for this application. 10,000 members. The first society of the kind, I believe, originated at Birmingham, and there it has been very successful, for at the present moment it has nearly 826 freeholds; and I have no doubt, through the influence of the society, a most important result will be achieved at the next election of an M.P., whenever it does take place, not only for South Staffordshire, but also for North Warwick shire.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen, the object of this society is to enable the industrious classes first of all to acquire some spot of land of a not less yearly value than 455., upon which they may hereafter erect a cottage or a house; and next to work out a great and important change in the representation of our counties. Now, our county representation at the present moment exhibits a very peculiar feature. England has forty counties, which at present return 144 Members to Parliament; the population of these forty counties is 8,336,263, and out of that population there are only 475,036 electors.—(Hear, hear.) In Wales there are twelve counties, with a population of 609,1371, which only - return fifteen Members ; and out of those nearly 700,000 people there are only 37,340 electors.—(Hear.) In Scotland there are thirty counties, which return 30 Members; the population is 1,800,000, but the number of electors is only 48,958. Taking England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland together, there are 104 counties, returning 253 Members, which have only 561,329 electors, out of a population of 14,773,750 of people.—(Hear, hear.) Now, the object of this, and similar societies, would enable the people of this country, not only to have a good and sufficient residence for themselves, but also, as I before said, to exercise, through the means of their freeholds, such an influence upon the different county constituencies of this kingdom as will allow them to be fairly and properly represented. —(Cheers.) This society applies peculiarly to the industrious classes, and it does so because it proposes to take very small payments, viz., 3s. a fortnight, or is. 6d. aeweek ; and, from the report which has been circulated, it appears that a subscrip tion of is. 6d. a week for five years is quite suffi cient to qualify a member to become a county elec tor.—(Cheers.) The purchases of similar societies in the provinces cost on an average about 19/. for each lot of land, and that sum can be repaid in less than five years by a subscription of is. 6d. a week ; and, recollect, the subscribing of that sum will not only i produce an annual income of 40s. or 455., thereby giving you a very good interest for your money, but will also give you a most important stake in the country—the right of voting to send a Member to the Commons House of Parliament.—(Cheers.) The principles of the society have been tried in and about the neighbourhood of Birmingham ; and there I find not only great political but also great social good has in con sequence resulted, for very many members of the society to which I allude, who before were not frugal nor possessed of economical and sober habits, have by joining it not only become good members of society, but have exercised to some extent those saving qualities which conduce so much to their own com fort and that of their families. Therefore I come to this conclusion, that in carrying out the objects of this society, we effect great social as well as political good.—(Cheers) It is a peculiar fact in the history of our country that the great mass of the people have less interest in the soil than the people of any other constitutional state either in Europe or America. Taking the Western States of Europe, France for instance, in which the population in round numbers is thirty-two millions, there are. ten millions of landed proprietors, or one in every three persons has s o me i n t eres t i n the land. In the United States, out of a population of twenty millions, there are five millions of landed proprietors, or one in every four; in Holland, a great shipping and com mercial country, whose operations are carried on to a great extent all over the world, and in which one would not expect a large proportion of the people to have any interest in the soil, I find even in Hol land, out of a population of 3,500,000, there are 400,000 landed proprietors, or one in every nine. (Cheers.) In Belgium, the population is five millions, and the number of holders of land is 950 723, or one in every five; and in Sweden, there are three millions of population and 300,000 landed proprietors, or one in every twelve of the people.—(Hear, hear.) Now, in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, supposed to be the richest and most intelligent in the world, out of a population of twenty-seven millions, there is,only one person in forty, and this includes copyholders as well as freeholders, who have any direct interest in the soil.—(Hear, hear.) Now, gentlemen, knowing as you do, not only during the last few years, but for centuries past, what the course of our legislation has been, you cannot be surprised that the large mass of the labouring population have not had their interests properly guarded; but while I say this, I cannot but remark, that they themselves, have not taken care of their own interests by availing themselves of the power which the constitution gives them of obtaining an interest in the land, and of obtaining a voice in the British House of Commons.—(Cheers.) Now it is said, that the dominant representation of the country ought to be land; we concede that, and upon that ground do we intend to meet our antagonists-- (Hear, hear)—and we say we intend, through the purchase of land, to secure freeholds in the country, and that right and status which our position, educa tion, and our intelligence qualify us to have.— (Cheers.) That, then, is the purpose for which we meet here this evening ; and seeing the great and good results which have attended institutions of a similar kind in the other parts of the country, I do hope that Westminster, which has hitherto been foremost in every great political movement, will not be backward in carrying out that which will conduce so much to the benefit and advantage of the people.—(Cheers.) We all know that at this moment we have a gentleman, who I may say, without enter ing into the arena of ? political discussion, fairly and honestly represents us in the House of Commons— Mr. Bernal Osborne—(Cheers)--has on all occa sions and at all times shown himself to be a supporter of what conduces to the best interests of the people. —(Cheers.) We know that at the next election, after the able and impartial manner in which he has acquitted himself in the House of Commons, we must again battle for him, or for some individual possessing similar principles; and we say if' the principles of the Westminster Freehold Land Society, be adopted, we shall be enabled to return him, and if not him, some one who approves of, and will carry out those great principles which he has advocated on your half.—(Cheers.) I will not take up your time longer by going at greater length into the subject before the meeting, leaving that for those who will follow me ; but I may be permitted to state, looking at the state of Europe during the last two or three years—know ing what the state of our country has been ever since t t u h h at, t e i n l y the es e t s i m p e e d s i ;1 1.0 7 n h i a c l h i the commencement o f th e present century— seeing h e o n s e o w r e a v r o e l , u s t v i e o hhaarvye, evils which have passed over, distracted, nay, more, almost destroyed many states of Europe —when I see these things and analyse the reason, t find our fortu-_ nate position, as far as re,;ards those movements on the Continent, does not arse from any direct interest which the mass of the people have in the soil, but from their innate love of order and regularity, and their dislike to any internal commotion.—(Hear.) But that revolutionary period, that state of excitement, has only subsided; it has not altogether passed away ; it must recur again ; and I do hope that the formation of societies like thi s , which will at once give an interest in the soil and a voice in the House of Commons—will prevent any MARKET N E WS.-(THIS DAY.) CORN - EXCHANGE-WEDNESDAY The total arrivals of English Wheat for our l market coastwise, since Saturday, have been confined to 880 quarters. By land carriage the receipts fresh up to-day were small, and the stands exhibited a very limited num ber of sampler. All kinds moved off sluwly, at about Monday's quotations. The imports of Foreign Wheat are only 2,500 quarters. Selected qualities of both red and white sold at full rates of currencies; but all other kinds were dull in the extreme, at almost nominal cur rencies. We were scantily supplied with Barley, malt ing and distilling sorts were in some instances held for more money. The sale for Malt was heavy, at barely last week's quotations. There was rather more doing in good sound Oats, the value of which had an upward tendency. Other kinds were quite as dear. Beans, Peas, Indian Corn and Meal as on Monday. ARRIVALS THIS WEEK. Wheat, Barley. Oats. Malt. I Flour. Qrs. Qrs. Qrs. Qrs. Sacks. 880 1,070 1,(,50 2,180 1,930 English • ..... Scotch • ... • ... Irish ••.••• • • I I 150 I Foreign .. .. .. i 2,600 1,050 4,120 l 110ItOUG11 /LOP MARILET. Fine parcels of new Hops continue in good request, at full prices; otherwise the demand is heavy. WIIITECHILPML. Our market was steady to-day at very full prices. Beef from 2s 8d to 3s 6d; Mutton, 3s to 43; Veal, 33 4d to 3s 10d; and Pork, 3s 4d to 4s 2d per Slbs. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SIR,—We are living at a period that has no parallel in the history of the world. Thrones, principalities, powers, built, apparently, on the rock of ages, and which promised to endure through all time, have been shaken to their foundations, and all this within the short period of a few years. Changes so great must have had causes adequate to their production. " Si le hazard dune bataille," says Monte squ i eu , "c' est a dire, une cause particuere a ruing une Etat, it y avoit une cause generale, qui faisoit que set Etat devoit perir par un bataille." What philosophy has laid down as a maxim history acts upon as a principle ; and I will venture to assert that there is not one of those revolutions which have so recently desolated Europe that an acute and clear-sighted historian may not only trace back through a long series of years and events, but develope their gradual progress from the first so wing of the seed to the reaping of the harvest. Causes have been in progress for some time past which seem to threaten this country among the rest, at no distant period, with a crisis in its affairs. It is not from misgovernment that any convulsive result is to be apprehended. The Whigs, imbued as they are with all the worst tendencies of Toryism, are too strongly kept in check by public opinion. The Commissioners of the Treasury cannot take up:a newspaper, on any day of the week, that does not announce the meeting of some reform association in some one or other of the great manufacturing districts throughout the kingdom—meetings not assembled for a display of democratical ascendancy, but called together by persons of known weight and influence, strong in argument and stedfast in purpose —the first and strongest links in the chain which binds the middling and the working classes, whose interests acknowledged by both to be one and indi visible. It is these popular and effective meetings that assemble the best, the most independent, and the most patriotic of our public men. It is in these meetings that an opportunity is afforded of discussing every great public question in which the interests of all classes are involved. It is here that honest truth finds utterance, and comes with a weight that silently, but strongly, influences the measures of Government. It is the Reform Associations, and the meetings con sequent upon them, that increase the number and intelligence of those whose sentiments compose public opinion, and which generate that energy and perseverance which forms so great a portion of its power. But for this excitement and diffusion of public spirit, the popular mind would sink into apathy ; the whole machinery of freedom would stand still for want of a moving power. Most heartily do Ministers wish that this moving power was not to be found. Associations for retrenchment and econo mical reform never find countenance in high places. Within that circle no right is more distasteful than the beholding an M.P. like Cobden, the advocate of such a cause, never losing sight of his great purpose, but bringing together the vast mass of his materials and employing them with triumphant effect. How far Ministers will be able in the forthcoming session to ward off or evade those measures of a financial reformation, upon the obtainment of which the country is so strongly bent, remains to be seen. That the nation will not be satisfied with half measures is certain, and the Chancellor of the Exche quer has a tangled path before him. How few Ministers has England ever had—l am not sure that I can name even one—that, placed as they have been on the highest political eminence, have enabled us to benefit by their survey. Though dwelling amid great things one day to be realised, they gather no profit from history or from experience. Instead of being in sympathy with the age, they are in opposi tion to it. They never put their footsteps in the path that is straight before them; but the time has come when this must be done. They must come pre pared with some well digested plan of retrenchment for the next session. Our hope that they will do so is certainly stronger than our expectation. But let us wait events ; they are, perhaps, at this moment, contemplating measures introductory to a wider ex tension of the suffrage, a sweeping reduction of expen diture, and other substantial improvements that we dream not of. I frankly confess, Sir, that my faith in all this is as a grain of mustard seed ; but yours may, perhaps, be stronger; if so, I will take a leaf out o f y our b oo k , and let patience have its perfect work, albeit that, like that of the public, it is well nigh worked out. I am, Sir, yours, &c., TIMON (but not of Athens). THE EI)I?'OR OF THE 7O S return of Sir J. Ross, afterN SlB,—The. his unpa ralleled exertions to accom companions, coupled o sh uopfl h e i ds s r jitohhn Fa mission, the without rnklin results or rr f mishnigisiinglgaarlalannyt tidings whatever but much weaker efforts,wouldshnipastumraullsyt lead to the conclusion that the discovery have foundered in a heavy tempest before arriving within the Arctic circle. God forbid that such should have been the case ; but as hope is now almost wholly extinct, I should like to see the opini ons o f some of your meteorologistic communicants founded, on their registers of the weather at the time of Si r John Franklin's departure, and for nine or ten weeks afterwards.—Yours respectfully, 11T. P. S. Her Majesty's ship Excellent, Portsmouth, Nov. 67 1849. The bright sputs of a man's life are few enough without blotting any out; and since, for a moment of mirth, we have an hour of sr.durzs it were a sorry policy to di m i n i sh the f ew rays that illumine our ch« quered existence. Life is r - i April day—sunshine and showers. The heart, like the earth, would cease to yield good trait, were it not sometimes watered with the tears of sensibility; and the fruit would be worthless, but for the sunshine of smiles.—Eliza Cook's Journal. The Earl and Countess of Jersey and Lady Cle mentina Villiers leave town early in the ensuing week for Middleton Park, near Bicester, where shortly after their arrival a distinguished circle will assemble, LITERATURE. ALISON'S HISTORY OF EUROPE. Vol. VIII. illustrated Edition. Deepening in its profound interest as it unfolds the narrative of the almost miraculous achievements of the Emperor Napoleon, the present division of Alison's celebrated and popular history possesses very peculiar attractions for every Englishman, seeing that it recounts the appearance of Sir Arthur Wellesley upon the political and martial scenes of Europe, and describes the commencement of our memorable suc cesses in the Peninsula. The volume is, therefore, ap propriately embellished with a portrait of the Duke of Wellington, copied from the well-known original by Sir Thomas Lawrence. Mr. Alexander Keith John ston's illustrative Atlas is in due form continued, with maps relating to the battles and campaigns described in this portion of the narrative. It is impossible not to see that in detailing the advance of the imperial sway of the great Napoleon, Mr. Alison is dazzled by the pomps and splendours of that majestic spec tacle. It is in this spirit of marvel that he records the fact, that on the occasion of her marriage with the hero of the age, the train of the Empress Maria Louisa was held by four queens ! In the same mood he observes, that it was not an un frequent occurrence to see seven kings waiting in the ante-chambers of the Emperor Napoleon. While penning the account of his warlike achievements, the historian asserts in so many words, in the volume under consideration, that after the campaign of Eckmuhl, Napoleon, more truly than any other man who ever existed, could say with Caesar, Veni, vidi, vici ! While enumerating the peaceful deeds of the great Emperor—his construction of public roads, of harbours, of canals, of manufactories, of schools, of hospitals, of triumphal arches, of columns, statues, and fountains, with all the other gorgeous monu ments with w hi c h h e particularly adorned the g first city of his empire, and at that time the first city in the world—Paris, Mr. Alison is compelled to acknowledge that the modern Sesos tris was an Augustus as well as a Hannibal. Like Sesostris, the car of his imperial fortunes was drawn by kings ; like Augustus, he embellished his capital and scattered the evidences of his grandeur through out the departments • like Hannibal, h e overleaped the Alps a n d triumphed in many pitched battles ; like Lycurgus, the took the sting from anarchy by drawing his immortal code from the ruins of a revo lution ; like Theodosius the Great, he gave religion to his country, not by a senatorial decree, but , through the instrumentality of his Concordat. Such is the hero, the mere recital of whose fortunes has , - imparted to Alison and so many other annalists i celebrity. of those commotions which, unless there is some kind of safety-valve of this nature, may, 1 fear, have a very calamitous effect in this country.—(hear.) I trust that these societies will make the voice of the people heard in the house of Commons, and will at the same time give them such a direct interest in the soil, so tint whatever changes do take place in this country, they will be for the welfare of our political and our social state.—(llear.) The meeting was afterwards addressed by several working men and others, and resolutions were adopt ed, approving of the principles and objects of the society. Mr. BEALE, in the course of his address, speaking of the risk there was of insurrection when the la bouring classes were depressed, directed the attention of those in the meeting to the harrowing details in the papers of the degraded social condition of the labouring classes in the metropolitan, agricultural, and manufacturing districts. Such as were not be fore acquainted with the condition of these classes would understand, from the letters to which he had referred, the strong Treasons which induced them to form societies of this kind, with a view to bettering their own condition socially and politically, and to securing the peace and prosperity of the country. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. BETTING AT MANCHESTER, TUESDAY. CIIESTER CILTP.-1,000 to 10 agst Stultz (t); 1,000 to 10 agst Melody (r) ; 1,000 t o 10 ags t B a b y ( t ) . DElar.-550 to 50 agst Bolingbroke (t); 300 to 25 agst Ghillie Callum (t); 12 to 1 agst Knight of Avenel; 20 to 1 agst Sweetheart; 20 to I agst Italian; 23 to 1 agst Clincher; 25 to 1 agst Voltigeur; 33 to 1 agst The Nigger; 1,000 to 20 agst The Swede (t). THE HISTORY OF THE REIGN OF FERDINAND AND ISABELLA. 3 Toils. By TV. H. Prescott. A; a companion series of volumes to the sixteen volumed edition of Alison's " History of Europe," Mr. Bentley, the Publisher in Ordinary to her Ma jesty, has just commenced a very valuable and beau tiful republication of the noble historical composition of William H. Prescott, the celebrated American. Familiar as the mass of the reading public have by this time become with these eloquent and erudite produc tions, it would be idle, if not even impertinent, to offer any analysis of their character. Their re-issue in their present excellent form commences with the " History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella," and this work will be followed successively by the History of the Conquest of Mexico" and the " His tory of the Conquest of Peru." Destined to be ranged upon the bookshelves with the his torical writings of Lingard, Gibbon, and Robertson, the volumes of Prescott cannot but be regarded as inestimable additions to English Classical Literature. The present narrative, namely, the history of F e rdi nan d an d I sa b e l la the Catholic, must, to our thinking, be regarded as most unquestionably his masterpiece. It has fallen to the lot of two great American authors to relate, in language not soon destined to perish, the discovery of the vast continent of their birth, America, by the illustrious Columbus. Those authors are of course Washington Irving and William Prescott; but the touching and brilliant narrative of Prescott is only a single episode in his splendid narrative. From the singular beauty of the episode, however, it may well be conjectured how admirable must be the whole composition, a work recounting the wars against the Moorish invaders, the battle of Granada, and the other heroic incidents of the age when Isabella wielded her golden sceptre over the united kingdoms of Castile and Arragon. I THE BRITISH QUARTERLY REVIEW. No. XX. 1 A brilliant biographical notice of the celebrated Savonarola, the Italian Dominican, is the opening ar ticle for the current number of the British Quarterly. Another contribution relates to the life and genius of another renowned monk, the witty but rather disre putable Rabelais. In an otherwise clever and inge nious paper on the " Ethics of Art," we meet with a foolish denial that Byron was a great poet, with an acknowledgment on the part of the writer that he does not think highly of Keats and Shelley—Keats, who wrote the sublime fragment of the Hyperion before most men have forgotten college mannerisms, and Shelley, who is called in our English encyclo pwdias the " Poet of Poets." The writer of the article should unquestionably be bottled up in spirits of wine, and preserved among the curiosities of literature. One of the most charming and intelligent articles in the Review, however, is yet unmentioned— the one devoted to the consideration of the " Chemis try of the Stars." The gist of the contribution may be comprehended from the following quotation : " The oft-quoted ' Oriental proverb, which teaches, that since the 'mountain will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet must go to the mountain,' has in this case, for once, been reversed; for when the chemist could find no way of travelling to the spheres, behold! certain bright particular stars have come to him and submitted to ana lysis; we refer to the aerolites, meteorites, or meteoric stones, which, according to the most generally adopted of many theories, at one time were thought to have been projected from volcanoes in the moon. They are now almost universally acknowledged to have been true stars before they reached our earth. For a statement of the reasons which have led astronomers to this conclu sion, we must refer our readers to Humboldt's Cosmos, where the whole subject is discussed at great length. It may suffice to say, that many considerations justify the conclusion, that multitudes of asteroids, starlets, or, as Sir John Herschel calls them, ' meteor-planets,' revolve in definite orbits round the sun, and some also as invi sible, or momentarily visible, minute moons round the earth. The orbits of some of the former are believed to resemble that of the earth, but to be in a different plane, so that in the course of their revolutions round the sun, these tiny planets come, at certain periods, within the sphere of the earth's attraction, and are precipitated as meteoric stones upon its surface, as weary and forlorn birds of passage, far out at sea, are entangled in the rig. ging of vessels, and fall helpless on deck. " This modern theory of meteorites reads like a bald rendering of the poetical myth of the augels, whom earthly loves induced to forfeit for ever their places in the heavens, but it has invested the strange fallen stars, to which it refers, with a new interest. The largest of them is but a microscopic grain of the star-dust scat tered over the sky, but it is none the less of celestial origin, and may be submitted to analysis." What renders these aerolites, meteorites, asteroids, starlets, meteor planets, or atoms of nebulosity, yet more remarkable is the consideration of the singular fact mentioned by the author of the " Vestiges of Creation." " W hat," says he, "is exceedingly remarkable, and particularly worthy of notice as strengthening the argu ment that all the members of the solar system, and per haps of other systems, have a similar constitution, no new elements are found in these b , clies [meteorites]; they contain the ordinary materials of the earth, but asso• ciated in a manner altogether new, and unlike anything known in terrestrial mineralogy." Other contributions of various merit relating to Lon don, to Hungary, to our Colonies, to Ethnology, &c., complete a very able and varied number of the British Quarterly. THE MIRROR. The political article with which the Mirror for the present month opens is a continuation of that terrific onslaught against the hereditary aristocracy which was commenced in this periodical some three months since. The writer in this month's Mirror reviews the conduct of the aristocracy during the recent prevalence of cholera, and he thus discourses on the subject:— "It has been indubitably proved that with proper caution the plague of cholera might have been made to fall as a mild visitation instead of a terrible scourge. Money, however, was wanting to en s ur e sa f e ty f rom i ts ravages. All the ingenuity of fiscal extortion can only raise a certain sum from the people. Certain things must be done; certain classes must be enriched. The revenue is spent; if nothing remains, nothing more can be done. The choice was, therefore, between cut ting off the immense rivers of gold which flow into aris tocratic coffers, and allowing the pestilence to do its work among the people. The decision was natural. The rivers flowed on. and the people were left to perish. " Our nobles breathed the balmy air of their rural estates, and lavished their resources on the continental purveyors of pleasure. They lolled in the lap of paee, what, therefore, bad the pestilence to do with them? What had they to do with the industrious classes? They were not in London, London might, therefore, be depo pulated. That the people support them in their luxury is nothing; the glory which their ancient names—if not their modern reputations—shed on the country is ample payment. They could moralise very philosophically under the influence of a balmy sea breeze. They tell the poor, Drain your metropolis, get better food, don't live in holes end cellars, acquire clean habits, breathe proper air, widen your streets, purify your water !' " Perhaps those humane sympathisers with distress — who, doubtless, have been sworn at Highgate—would recommend the residents in Field•lane and the degraded tribe of Jacob's Island to move in a body to some healthy watering-place for a few mouths. Perhaps, also, they would suggest to those who dwell in the back alleys of the Lambeth marsh to take villas in St. John's-wood— very kind of them, indeed. Their sympathy brings to our recollection tho anecdote of a French princess, who entertained truly royal opinions with respect to the poor:— " Why are the people making this disturbance?' " &cause, madam, they have no bread.' " ' No bread!' " None for them to buy. There is a famine in the country, and wealthy men hold the core back.' " The fools!' exclaimed the innocent Princess, no bread! Well, who's to help it? If they can't get bread let them el - et pastry.' " Precisely of the same character is oligarchical sym• pathy with plebeian distress." Mr. Percy St. John continues the "Adventures of a French Republican," and gives us a stirring de scription of the closing scenes of the emeute in the cloisters of St. Alery in 1832. Mr. John Tomlinson commences a series of notices of "Our Household Poets" with Burns, and he nobly and successfully vindicates the character of this great poet, and greater man, from the ill-natured and envious i slanders by which "decent mediocrity" has sought to blacken the character of the most " manly" poet that perhaps the world has ever produced. Honour to Mr. Tomlinson for the homage he has:paid to Burns. The " Biography of the Kings of England" and the " History of Music" are continued. THE ALIIIANACKS. THE FINAACIAL REFORM ALMANACK for 1850. An extraordinary mass of information—informa• tion of the utmost importance to the inhabitants o. the British islands—has been here condensed into a compass singularly compact and portable. Some of its simple calculations are more cogent than the most elaborate arguments in demonstrating the necessity for some sweeping measures of financial innovation. The circumstance that the national expenditure has increased by the enormous sum of 10,000,0001. since a period so recent as the year 1835, is of itself elo quently persuasive. The fact that our revenue is greater by 5,000,0001. in this time of peace than it was during the period of our bloodiest wars with Napoleon the national income being little more than 54,000,0001. under George 111., whereas it is upwards of 59,000,000/. under Victoria —is a matter of yet more serious consideration. The circumstance that while the revenue now-a-days ap proximates to 60,000,0001. annually, it was just 64,000/. under Henry VI., is, moreover, not unde serving reflexion—seeing that upon the department of the Master of the Horse alone there is now ex pended yearly no less than 67,0001. Some of the:literary chapters interspersed among th e t a bl es of figures are of peculiar excellence, forjinstance the one on " The History of Taxation," or again the one on " The Civil List." The Civil Service, moreover, the Woods and Forests, the Executive, and the Colonial Expen diture, afford inexhaustible reasons for heartburning to patriotism. Altogether the Financial Reformer's Alntanack does vast credit to the industry, the earnestness, and the intelligence of its editor, Mr. John Cassell. It cannot fail to advance the cause in which he manifestly feels such deep and active in terest—circulating as it must inevitably do among a very large portion of the community. THE REFORMER'S ALMANACK for 1850. An ephemeris of a very similar character has simultaneously appeared with the Financial Reform Almanack. As its title will sufficiently indicate, however, its purpose is wider—extending to all descriptions of reform, financial, Parliamentary, social, &c. The almanack is contrived altogether in a different fashion from the foregoing, partaking less of the character of calculations than of logical arguments. Among its more attractive features must be men.• tioned the able digest of the last session, detailing all its errors and virtues, both of commission and omission. Electors may obtain some inestimable advice from paragraphs devoted to the subjects of the forty-shilling freehold movement, and to the Courts of Registration. Another of the most felicitous sections of the Reformer's Almanack is the one relating to the taxes imposed upon knowledge. TIIE COMIC ALMANACK for 1850. Illustrated by George Cruikshank. Of a very different description, in truth, is the Comic Almanack and Diary for 1850, edited by Henry Mayhew, and embellished by the pencil of George Cruikshank. In Yankee parlance the book is a very screamer, and is decidedly equal, if it be not even superior, to any one out of the many comic almanacks already produced by the inimi table and immortal Cruikshank—beyond all ques tion the most delightfully extravagant caricaturist that ever existed. What can be more effectively grotesque than the large-coloured frontispiece, pour traying " A New Court of Queen's Bench, as it ought to be, on the Ladies trying a contemptible scoundrel for a Breach of Promise "—the pretty young barris ters in their pink "gowns" and beribboned wigs, reminding one of the " sweet girl graduates with their golden hair" mentioned by Tennyson in his " Princess." The " contemptible scoundrel" is a figure such as only the; hand of Cruikshank could have delineated—as also are the goalers and the judges. The Lord Chief Justice is a magnificent old frow—sardonic and inexorable. Do you want a good guffaw ?—glance at the sketch of the " Fearful, but Probable ultimate Effects of Feieding John Bull on Foreign Produce "—a Rabelais-like illustra tion of Mr. Fox's celebrated apostrophe. See again the preposterous etching of " What it must come to at last if the Ladies go o❑ blowing themselves out as they do !" " The Happiest Moment of My Life "is perhaps one of the very drollest things George Cruik shank has yet done—he who has conceived the image of the little dog whose tail curled so tight that it lifted him off his hind legs, and the famous drummer boy whose pig tail was tied so tight that he couldn't shut his eyes ! " A Magnificent Spread," again, is another Cruikshankian joke at the ladies. Among the minor embellishments in the shape of woodcuts (especially those ridiculous little black caricatures), we fancy we can detect the hand of the inexhaustible and facetious Hine. Ex. gr. the double series " Before and after Marriage." I\re can conscientiously commend the Comic Almanack to our readers as a certain means of provoking their laughter. THE PROTESTANT DISSENTERS" AL- MANACK for 1850. The Nonconformists may be proud of the manner in which this their annual organ is now got up. It is a most valuable collection of the statistics of Dissent, and the writers boldly stand up for their principles, which are those of religious liberty in the most extensive sense of the term. THE EMIGRANT'S ALMA2V ACK for 1850. The Etigrants' Almanack is greatly improved in this the second year of its existence. A new arrangement has been made in the Almanack, so as to bring all the desirable information under distinct and separate heads, and to present at one view all that relates to each colony. Instead, therefore, of the reader having to look in two or three different places fur the information relating to the point of destination he may have selected, he will find it under one head. If, for example, he wishes to obtain knowledge as to the Cape of Good Hope, he will simply have to refer to the index, and will be directed to every particular in relation to it at once. This almanack contains every information which a person doubtful as to the propriety of emigrating can require in order to enable him to determine whether he should emigrate at all, and if so, to what part of the world. PUNCH'S POCKET BOOK for 1850. Punch and his artists fully maintain their character in the Pocket Book for 1850. His frontispiece, " A Social Sketch, or everything in common," is an ad mirable pictorial commentary on the dcctrines of MM. Louis Blanc and Proudhon, while, unlike the majority of laughing philosophers, Mr. Punch is no sceptic, no sneerer at what some pseudo philosophers deem it wise to denounce as superstitious; on the contrary, Mr. Punch is of opinion, and most rightly of opinion, that there are certain superstitions which are positively wholesome, and accordingly we find the following list of " WHOLESOME SIIPERSTITIONS:- " To believe you will have no luck for the rest of the year, if, on the first of August, you fail to eat oysters. "To believe that the house will be burnt to the ground, if the insurance be left unpaid a day after the notice. " To believe in a_miserable Christmas, if passed with out mince-pies. " To believe in the wreck of a steamer, if embarking without life-preserver for self, wife, and all the children. " To believe that British brandy is composed of three parts of head-ache, and the fourth of indigestion. " To believe that to take credit of a tailor is, in the end, to pay for those who never pay at all. " To believe that if—for a friend, and 'just as a mat ter of form'—you put your name to a bill, you will most indubitably have to find money for it. " And, finally, to believe—and to hold it as the dearest and most valuable domestic and social superstition — •that it is impossible to support the character of a man, or a gentleman, without the daily aid of Punch's Pochet- Book I " Lord Campbell, Lady Stratheden, and the Hon. ed to Hartrigge House, Misses Campbell have re hisLordship E 's d brother, Hossburghshire, from visi t t u in r g n Campbell, Bart., at his seat, cnwood, Sir George Camp Fifeahire. Viscou DIT _Et RACKLEY, M.P. —We are happy 5 learn that the Noble Viscount is daily regaining his strength, and progressing very satisfactorily towards convalescence. The Noble Viscount and Viscountess are still staying at Worsley Hall, Lancashire. We understand Mr. Richard Somerset, son of General Lord Fitzroy Somerset , late secretary to the late General Sir Colin Campbell, Governor of Ceylon, has accepted the post of private secretary to his Majesty the King of Hanover, and is on the eve of leaving for Germany. His Excellency Sir Henry Lytton Bulwer, K.C.8., had interviews yesterday with various official person ages, and will embark at Portsmouth, either to-day or to-morrow, and proceed direct to the Chesapeake in her Majesty's itesnalloop Reels, en route to %Wilton, PRIVY COUNCIL. The Queen held a Privy Council at half-past two o'clock yesterday afternoon at Windsor Castle. It was attended by his Royal Highness Prince Albert, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Marquis of Lans downe, Lord President ; Lord John Russell, First Lord of the Treasury ; Viscount Palmerston, Secre tary of State for Foreign Affairs; Sir Francis Baring, First Lord of the Admiralty ; Lord Camp bell, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster ; the Marquis of Clanricarde, Postmaster-General; Earl Fortescue, Lord Steward; and the Duke of Norfolk, Master of the Horse. At the Council the 15th of November was appointed as a day of general thanksgiving. Parliament was ordered — to be further prorogued from Tuesday, the 20th of November, until the 16th of January, 1850. Mr. Charles Greville was the clerk of the Council in waiting. A dijeuner was served at the Castle to the Ministers and officers of State present at the Council. At four o'clock the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Marquis of Clanricarde, the Earl Fortescue, Lord Campbell, Sir Francis Baring, and Mr. C. Greville, left the Castle, and returned to town by a special train on the Great Western Railway. Lord John Russell left the Castle for Pembroke lodge, Richmond-park. The Duke of Norfolk also, took his departure from the Castle. Viscount Palmerston remained on a visit. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, Nov. 6. The Queen and Prince Albert took their usual early morning walk. The Royal Family took walking and pony exercise in the slopes and Windsor Park. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge, their Royal Highnesses the Ilereditary Grand Duke and Duchess of Mecklenburg Strelitz, and her Royal Highness the Princess Mary of Cambridge, attended by a Lady and Gentleman in Waiting, are expected to arrive at the Castle this day on a visit to her Majesty and Prince Albert. M. Drouyn de Lhuys, Ambassador from the French Republic, Madame Drouyn deLhuys, and the Earl and Countess of Westmoreland, are also expected at the Castle this day. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester has left town for Brighton. Her Royal highness the Duchess of Cambridge, attended by her Lady in Waiting and Major Ste phens, left her residence 7.3 Kew yesterday for Wind sor Castle. Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial office from the Governors of the North American colonies. HEALTH of the QUEEN DOWAGER. (Prom the Court Circular.) " The P r i or y, N ov . G. " The Queen Dowager has had some hours' sleep during the night, but her Majesty's symptoms remain much as yesterday. " DAVID DAVIES, " RICHARD BRIGHT, M.D." The Earl of Denbigh, Master of the Horse to the Queen Dowager, arrived at Bentley Priory yesterday evening. EXAMINATION FOR THE MER- CHANT SERVICE. A list of the masters and mates in the merchant service who have voluntarily passed an examination and obtained certificates of qualification, for the clrcs against each assigned, under the regulations issued by the Board of Trade, since 30th September last : MASTERS. FIRST CLASS CERTIFICATES.—Timothy Thornhill, Neil McEarcharn, Washington Pirrie, Alexander Hall, Charters Simonds, George 'Turnbull Brown, George Duncan, John Lyall, James King, Francis Ritson,James Hamlin, Donald Macintyre, George Scott, Richard Trannack, John Stewart, John Knox Thomson, John Pook. SECOND Corston, George Alexander Surfien, Robert Hartshorne Brown, Charles Stewart, Pobert Breckenridge, William Dugdale, Robert Kavannagh, William Robert Stephenson, John Pc terkin, Frederick Reddish Stevens, Arthur Caleb Apted, George Clark, Jaffrey Sceales, Edward Stabb, Robert Inglis, James Roche, Joseph Arnold Wallinger, Thomas Bippon, Benjamin Stacey, Philip Bennett, James S. Robertson, John Grey, Jolla Adams, Henry Augustus Bell, Robert Croal Steel..., Davey Waterson, John Crutwell, Thomas Power, Frederick Halpin. THIRD CLASS .—Henry Nelson Clarke, John William Watts (for steam navigation only), Philip Edmund Wadley, Thomas Castle, John Butcher, John Roskell, John Easson, David Lindsay, John Thorning, Alfred James Tuson, John Thompson, John Fairbairn, Jasper Creagh Bannerman, John George Parker, Richard John Wynn, Henry Frederick Bell. MATES. SECOND CLASS CERTIFICATES.—Robert Phillips, Henry Shuttleworth, William Cowan, Richard Henry Lewis, Henry Fagel May, George Green. THIRD CLASS.—Henry Fox, Frederick Dunch Frost, William John Woodgates, J obnMacdougall. DENIS LE MARCHANT. Board of Trade, Whitehall, Nov. 5. lIEALTII of LONDON during the WEEK. (From the Registrar-General's Report.) The mortality of London, which fell below the weekly average of five autumns in the second week of October, has steadily continued to decline during the three subsequent weeks. The present return shows that only 837 deaths were registered in the week ending last Saturday, while the average is 1,162 (allowance being made for increase of population on previous years); the decrease is therefore 325. A comparison of returns made for the same week in the last 10 years shows that in any of the nine weeks the mortality has not been so low as at the present time ; in the corresponding week of 1841 the deaths were 840; in that of 1848 they were 1,115, after cholera had given warning of its presence. Only 11 deaths from cholera were registered in last week ; in the three preceding weeks they were successively 110, 41, and 25, declining by nearly a geometrical pro gression. Of the 11, one occurred in Lower North street, Chelsea; two in the workhouse of St. Martin in-the-Fields (one having been that of a girl brought from a house in Bedfordbury, the condition of which is minutely described by the registrar) ; one in Clare mont place, Gray's Inn-lane; one in George yard, Saffron-hill ; two at No. 12, Sevenstep-alley, Gravel lane; one in the Lunatic Asylum, Hoxton-house ; one in Maidstone-place, " a very low and ill drained spot" in Haggerstone (East) ; one at 4, Paternoster row, Spitalfields, where the mother of the deemed died five days afterwards of " diarthea ;" and one in Wycombe place, Kent-road. In the last week 40 deaths were registered from diarrhoea and dysentery (the average is 27); in the three previous weeka they were 105, 63, and 51. Two of these in the present return occurred at Jenning's-buildings, Kensington, a locality which has frequently obtained unfavourable notice in the records of the late epidemic. Typhus was fatal to 37 persons ; the average is 56. Other epidemics are still under the average. The mortality from smallpox and measles continues unusually low. A woman of 57 years died of "inflammation from a plum-stone lodging, 33 days before death, in the colon, and producing thickening and complete ob struction."—Post mortem. In two cases intemperance is stated to have been the cause of death. The mean reading of the barometer at Greenwich was upwards of 30 inches on the first three days of the week. The mean of the week was 29 807. The mean temperature of the week was 50.3 deg., which is 4 deg. above of the same week in seven years. The Robert Burns Masonic Ball was held at the Freemasons' Hall on Monday evening last, the sth inst., and was very numerously and fashionably attended. Adams's band was in attendance, and performed a new selection of quadrilles, waltzes, schottischeF, polkas, Sze., of his own composition, which were rapturously ap plauded, and several of them re•demanded. Dancing commenced at nine o'clock, and did not terminate until five in the morning, when the National Anthem, " God save the Queen," was performed by the band, and the company separated, highly delighted vilh the evening's entertainment, LYiIE REGIS MUNICIPAL _ELECTION. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) LYME, Nov. 3.—On Thursday, the Ist inst., a most spirited contest took place here on the election of town councillors There were four ordinary vacancies and one extraordinary vacancy to be sup plied at this election, for the whole of which the would. be patron of the borough, John A.ttwocd, Esq., of boroughtuongering notoriety, put forward his principal friends and supporters as candidates. To oppose these, the independent and unfettered portion of the burgesses supported five gentlemen, well known as the principal political opponents of Mr. Attwood, with the determination to resist the attempt to enthral and coerce the liberty of the borough. The result of this determination appeared at the close of the poll on Thursday, when, in defiance of every corrupt electioneering practice, of threats, intimida tion, and promises, suppers to the poorer class of voters on the previous evening, and an unlimited supply of strong drink on the day of election, the three gentlemen against whom more especially the most virulent opposition was directed were returned by a triumphant majority. Mr. Attwood's sensations may be guessed at when, notwithstanding his spending 20,000/, or 30,0001. in his attempt to subjugate the borough, in lieu of his five friends and supporters being selected through his own and their influence as the representatives of the burgesses, or rather as his representatives in the town council, he finds the names of Sir Henry Bayly, K.H., his leading opponent ; Mr. Waring, who suc cessfully conducted Mr. Abdy's election against his nominee, Sir F. Kelly, at the last Parliamentary election; and Mr. Joseph Penny, an equally well known antagonist, as heading the returns in the pre sent election. This success is the more gratifying to the honest feelings of the burgesses, since throughout the whole of the election not a particle of recourse has been had by the Liberal candidates or their friends to the worthless practices used against them, but the defeat of Mr. Atwood's nominees has been owing solely to the excitement of an honourable feeling of detestation of the attempt to enslave and corrupt an entire com munity, for the wretched gratification of a reckless self-aggrandizement. MEDICAL HEALTH COMMITTEE OF THE CITTO—.• On Monday the above-named committee met at the Albion Tavern, Aldersgate-street, to celebrate the suc cessful result of its labours during the late epidemic. The dinner was given by the medical gentlemen who acted in concert with the city officer of health (Mr. Simon) as a well-earned compliment to the Lord Mayor and Mr. Simon, for their strenuous endeavours to protect the poor and the public at large during that period of severe affliction and distress. The Lord Mayor kindly honoured the committee with his presence, and took the chair. The usual loyal toats having been given and cor dially responded to, his Lordship's health was proposed by Dr. Sparke in a speech which did justice to his Lordship's well-earned honours and endeavours on behalf of suffer ing humanity. The toast was enthusiastically responded to. Dr. Lobb proposed the " health of Mr. Simon," and Mr. Simon duly acknowledged the compliment. Mr. Roberts proposed the " health of Mr. Charles Pearson." Mr. Pearson acknowledged the toast, and having done so, entered very largely on the subject of emigration as a use ful provision for the unemployed poor. " The General Board of Health" and " Mr. Grainger," were proposed by Mr. Bullin. Mr. Grainger, in acknowledging the toast, pointed out the beneficial results of the house-to-house visitation. The Lord Mayor left the chair at about 11 o'clock, but the festivities were prolonged till a late hour. MANCHESTER.—STATE OF TRADE.—TUESDAY.— We have had a very quiet market to-day for both cloth and yarn. The demand has been limited, and prices in favour of the buyer. It would stem that buyers have supplied all immediate wants, and will not operate fur ther, excepting for urgent necessities, until all doubt as to the course the cotton market is likely to maintain be clearly ascertained. Then, again, the glutted state of foreign markets, with relatively much lower rates than those required here, keep shippers from operating. The advices come to hand this morning, per Caledonia, from New York, showing a decline of a half cent in the price of cotton, have not been without an adverse influence ; though it appears from Mr. Barber's Circular, the agent here for Messrs. Toulmin of Mobile and New Orleans, that the accounts of the cotton crop are by no means more favourable, though the weather for picking is re presented as remarkably good. Since the American letters have-been read this afternoon there appears rather a disposition to hold for higher prices. During the past week the weavers employed in Gorton -mills, near this city, have turned out. From the statement given to us by Messrs. Rylands and Son, it appears that they have recently put up 2,000 new looms, and they proposed to their hands to adopt what is called the "Stockport list," as their scale of wages, which reduced two descriptions or work out of 23 kinds, one ld., and the other lid. The weavers consented at first, but afterwards altered their decision, and the whole, numbering 500 persons, left work, whilst the weavers of coloured goods, and the spinners, continue at their employment. It is not un likely that in the course of a few days the matter will be amicably arranged. FOUR GENERATIONS.—There is at present to be seen in the village of Coniston the rare sight of a woman nursing her great-great-grandchild. The name of the great-great-grandmother is Mary Ty son , an d s h e looks Crest , enouglo warrant the expectation that she may live to see yet another generation.— Westmorland Gazette. ACCIDENT TO MADEMOISELLE TOURNAIRE, THE EQUESTMAN.—A deplorable, if not fatal accident, has just happened to this young lady, whose graceful acts of equestrianism a few months since at M. Franconi's cirque at Drury-lane will be remembered by the public. She was engaged at Nyrdkiobing, Sweden, on the 22d ult., when suddenly the horse she was riding took fright and became unmanageable. Not heing able to maintain her position, Mademoiselle Tournaire was thrown with great force against the ballustrade which separates tho circus from the pit. She was found to have received two serious wounds on the head and a severe contusion on the right shoulder. All possible attention was be stowed on her; but, unfortunately, her life is still in danger. PROPOSED NEW CHURCH AT FOREST-HILL ' Sy- DENHAM.—A meeting w as y es t er d ay h e ld at the Green Man Hotel, Blackheath, at which the Right Hon. the Lord Bishop of London presided, for the furtherance of the above object. It was announced that the Right Hon. the Earl of Dartmouth would present a site for the proposed church and a parsonage house, and contri bute liberally to an endowment. Several other hand some donations were also announced. The meeting was attended by the Hon. and Rev. H. Legge, vicar of Lewisham; the Rev. C. English, incumbent of Syden ham; the Rev. W. A. Soames, vicar of Greenwich, and several other of the local clergy. INQUEST ON THE BODY OF THE LATE GENERAL SIR G. ANsoN.—Yesterday afternoon, at four o'clock, a jury, which consisted of twelve of the most respectable householders in Cht-lsea, assembled in the library-room attached to the Royal Hospital, to inquire into the circumstances attending the death of the late distin guished general officer, Sir George Anson, G.C.8., who died at his official residence, on Sunday last. The evi dence of the domestics and medical attendants of the deceased merely disclosed the fact that death was occa sioned by a severe apoplectic seizure, and the Coroner having stopped the inquiry, the .jury unanimously re• turned the following verdict:—" That the deceased, Sir George Anson, died suddenly, and that his death was produced from natural causes." THE ROYAL PAVILION AT BRIGHTON.—It iS un derstood that the Pavilion at Brighton has been pur chased for a sum nearly amounting to 60,0002 The valuables of the interior have been removed, and it is expected that the place will be converted into purposes for the improvement of the town. In the late session of Parliament an Act was passed (12 and 13 Viet., cap. 102) to authorise the sale of the property, and the Commis sioners of Woods and Forests were empowered to pull it down, and sell the materials, or otherwise to dispose of the same. A public carriage -road may be formed for the improvement of the town, and, after the payment in curred, or to be incurred, in repairing, improving or en larging Buckingham Palace. ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE, SANDHURST.—A me ancholy accident occurred here on the 21st ult. to Gen tleman Cadet Fitzhugh Hassard Short, eldest son of Mr. John Hassard Short, of Edlington-grove, Lincolnshire. In jumping a ditch he slipped, owing to the grass being wet, and fell with such force against a steep bank on the opposite side that ho broke his leg, the bone protruding through his trousers. He was carried on a shutter to the Upper Hospital, a distance of nearly a mile, and was im mediately attended by Dr. Pickering and Dr. Neale, the surgeons of the establishment, who were most unremit ting in their attendance. Sir Benjamin Brodie saw him, in consultation with those gentlemen, on the ninth day, and strong hopes were then entertained of saving the limb. Two days afterwards, however, symptoms of tetanus or lock jaw unfortunately appeared, and though the acute sufferings of that most painful disease were entirely subdued by chloroform, it terminated fatally three days afterwards—on Saturday last, Nov. 3. The deceased had but just completed his 17th year, and his untimely end is deplored, not only by his comrades, to whom his many amiable qualities had endeared him, but also by the officers and professors of the college, whosol approbation he had gained by his steady conduct, It is singular that on the 22d ult., the day atter this sad acci dent, a poor Sapper from Woolwich, severe:y injured by an explosion, died in the Lower Hospital at Sandhurst of the same hopeless complaint. ATTEMPTED MURDER.---A young woman, named Anne Williams has just been committed for trial to the county gaol by the magistrates at Merthyr, on a charge of attempting to destroy the life of her infaut child by thrusting it ms m into ar , abbit-hole. The discovery of the a gamekeeper of Mr. Crawshay, narr.:d Daniel Davis, who was going his rounds in his master's preserves, at a place called Gornos, near Mer thyr Tydvil, when ho heard a crJ ing noise as of a hate in a trap; on going to the spot whence the noise pro ceeded, however, h discovered that it was caused by the cries of a young infant, which, after some research, he discovered thrust into a rabbit hole, and partly covered with soil and decaying leaves. The infant, which was five or six weeks old, was benumbed with cold; and it subsequently appeared tbatit must have been in the bole two nights and a day. The man took the child to the house of the head gamekeeper, whose wife paid the little unfortunate every attention, and, by judicious management, saved its life. The police immediately instituted an inquiry, and discovered that the child was the illegitimate offspring of the prisoner, Anne Williams, who now lies in gaol awaiting her trial at the next March assizes. At first she denied all knowledge of the infant, but subsequently confessed that she bad placed it in the rabbit-hole, and gave as her reason fo; 6q doing that ohs had ho moans of supporting 4