The Sun. — London, England, 1863-10-08 00:00:00

Socia 1 Science Congress at Edinburgh. The seventl i annual meeting of the Nati onal Association for tb.o P rom o ti on o f Social Science opene d 2 o' clock in St. Edinbu rghGile's s yesterday. A sermon was preached at Church ba':orela large audience by the Rev, Dr. Ar not,one of the in , nixabents, and in the evening the general mee ting of mem' hers and associates took place in the Free Church Assemt ty-hall. The Right Hon. Lord Brougham, President of the. Association (who arrived on Tues d ay evening, and is the gv .eat of the Lord Provost), occupied the chair, and was entry Ls iastically received by the crowded assemblage. Le t rd BROUGHAM delivered the following opening ad dre :—" We now hold our seventh Congress in the ancient ca , Atal of Scotland, renowned for its services and its sacri fices to the independence of the country and the mainte nance of her religion; but famous also for those whom she reared as instructors of mankind. Here is planted the greatest of the Scoteh Universities, and here those illustrious teachers flourished whose discoveries laid the foundation of chemical science, whose writings and lectures made an era in political philosophy, whose toils assisted in restoring the ancient geometry, and in expounding that of modern times. They are gone from the scene which they once made famous. and have been followed by others whose enlightened labours and brilliant fancy adorned a later age. Black, Smith, the Stewarts, Playfair, Robinson, Thomas Campbell, Jeffrey, are no longer spared to our admiration, but they have left their example to guide us, their success to cheer. Since our last Congress the association has sustained the irrepar able loss of Sir Benjamin Brodie; and none so great have we had to lament except that of the amiable and accom plished Sir James Stephen, who presided at our second meet ing over the department of which the great physiolctgist was the otherlchairman. When our feelings, mine esp ecially, are to touched by the blank which surrounds us, it is our duty submit, but it is also ray Consolation, ao yf a tawl century—` nll st t autav t : yr ye reflect n 1 00 s v e d r a n e n a s d t . the period of separation from those we lost is drawing fast to a close. wit , h m C e ic ip er s o e when he was younger by a quarte rlm consolahar, existimans, non longinq n ,: n c. sum et discessum fore.'—(Cie. de b e 23). In looking w what has been done, we back to the past year, have once imp atience of well-meaning more:to chide the but unrellecting men who com pl a in sin that our progress has First of all they underrate not kept pace, with their wis hes. mind's eye is deceived by the what has been done. the natural eye when, in driving desire of rapid progressTaausek, we . suppose the vessel carried quickly on the river ' s b down the stream is standing still. Next, one great truth must ever be kept in the minds of all who desire the g oo d of society—a truth in the science of Government and o f human nature —that the people who hasten to improve their political lot faster than the safety of society permits are as su re of going wrong and coming to a bad end as the individual who makes haste to be rich. Anarchy and slavery the people as the gibbet aw a it s th e man, - W h await, eu we cast our eyes towards other count r i es an d con sider the progress which social science has there made, we v i e w a state of things far from fulfilling the hop es c h er i shed at our last meeting. But let us begin with the gratifies. Lion of marking the great step taken by the Emperor of itussia in furtherance of the important work on which we have heretofore expressed our approval and our thanks— the emancipation of the serfs. Encountering as he did great difficulties from the selfishness of the landowners, but also from the ignorance of the serfs themselves, he has, by an act impossible to be too highly praised, given entire freedom to all the serfs on the domains of the Crown —thus converting 2,000,000 headmen into unfettered proprietors, and their labourers into free workmen. It is hoped that this great measure may have a salutary influence upon the possessors of other estates, and that the Russians aro full of confidence in the effects of emancipation. It is cer tain they have turned their attention to the co-operative system which has, so beneficially to our labouring classes, been established in this country. Men from St. Peters buog and Moscow have visited our towns where co-operative institutions are established, that they might profit by our experience. There have indeed long existed in Russia a rude kind of co-operative unions (what is termed "toles); but the change in the condition of the peasantry has enforced the expediency of introducing the complete system with all its improvements, Education has also been greatly encouraged, a vast number of schools having been established for instructing the peasantry. While we justly commend the Czar's wise and liberal mea sures in his own country —measures so worthy of his kind and amiable nature, so well known in his visit to England when C rarowitch—it is truly painful to find how tho scenes exhibited in his Polish dominions make it but too likely that v nth Lis succession to the throne his character has unde , :gon o a change. That which mortals covet as the gma blessing, but which is the greatest curse both to the.ineelves and the rest of mankind—the possession of tr:bitrary power—has this, besides other evils, that its pos 'eessor imparts his caprices to his subordinates. But the - t-rant's appointed punishment is fear; and it is a comfort, though a poor one, to those whom he oppresses that he is more terrified than they— " ' Qui ferret plus ipso timet, sore ista tyrannis " ' convenit.' Asanredly his fears are the chief of his qualities which he communicates to his instruments, and their terrors are only to be allayed by countless treacheries and merciless cruel ties. But whether by his own authority or by the zeal and the fears of his agents—for whose acts he must be hold re sponsible at the very least when they come to his knowledge —it is on all hands allowed that the unhappy Poles have been visited with the most grievous inflictions, which almost etitavoidably drove them into revolt. That which in the eyes of all nations is held the worst of those acts, uniting as it does the extremes of both treachery and cruelty, has been the conscription, as it pretendel to be, but which, in truth, was a proscription, the forcible seizure of the most eminent men in all classes, and transporting some to Siberia, some to the Russian army—a fate they almost as 2 much dreaded as the penal servitude of the mines. But Q t h e r atrocities have been committed in the barbarous treat anent of both sexes and all ranks, the clerical not excepted; wholesale confiscations of property have laid waste the land ; and the wretched country is plunged into a civil war, which is deplored as the measures that caused it are loudly blamed by the people of every European community, and by tem Governments, too, excepting that of Plussia, the ac correplice of Russia, and thus sharing in the universal repro bateon ()fits own subjects as well as its neighbours. The friends o 1 social science have viewed these painful scenes with the feelings they are so well fitted to raise for the sufferers, and with the alarm they unavoidably cause for the peace of the 'world, held as the first of blessings by all well-wishers to the best interests of mankind. But deeply to be lamented as are the sufferings of Poland, and strongly to be cen sured as is the conduct of her oppressors, let us cherish the hope that the universal opinion of Europe may avail to obta'm her redress, without any such hostile interference as 1 enreflecting men, under the influence of their feel buss, are prone to recommend. The agitation which per v odes Germany occasions another danger, though far 'less, to the tranquillity of the Continent. But it is satis factory to find that the chief question has arisen respecting the Constitution proposed by Austria upon very liberal grounds, and that the only real doubt is to what extent the sound and long-tried principles of our own constitutional system shall be adopted. In no part of Germany except the Prussian States does the Government reject these prin eeples, and the people whom that Government at once op presses and betrays are heartily opposed to its views and its policy, both foreign and domestic. Our French neighbours have, since last Congress, passed through an electoral crisis without any change in the form of their Government or in the balance of parties, but with a manifest exhibition of the popular influence, notwithstanding the constant, indeed systematic, interference of the executi ve power with the elections, and the fetters still continued on the press. The injudicious conduct of one Minister (who has singularly blundered int . oa formal eulogy of absolute power) turned I ho electionslurne of the provincial towns, but still more Daagainst the Government, or, it may be more in the cap id favour of the Opposition, men being chosen truly -'-' in from no love o f th e ir principles, but m e rely b ecause they opposed the Government. Though a very small addition has been made to the votes of the Opposition, yet in debating pee ga ined. ably entertained that force it has largely in the exercise of a sound and en lightened judgment the e ruling power will protect itself by granting g r eater latitud e of free discussion , as well as by practical administration of the law. imProv emen t s in the _ Ihas already been made by requiring " -4 important beginning i n custody, with a view to the im mediate trial of per sons their p ro lation. Nothing CS n be than more contrary to justice, or, indeed %e , to common sense, the existing law and practice b y Which a person may be kept in prison for a - period longer than that for which h eee could be sentenced on conviction. T et has many very The • • i proce.ure e code of manna great defects. The practice of subjecting th e accused to an inquisitorial process b y the examination of the judge is quite intolerable, an d it was the fear of its ge tting into our extend to procedure that frnetrated repeated attempts to criminal ca ses that my in our law treat improvement of evidence which adn,;,- of parties ---", the testimony in civil suits, by giving in criminal the defendant cases the option of being examined, subject, of cour s e to cross-examination. The only r ever urged against this has been the apprehension that a hoever declined to avail himself of the option might be supposed to do so from consciousness of guilt. But, at least • in all cases of misde meanour in which a et 4- p..va... prosecutor is hi ad versary should have the like power. eriounzedia Snow stands, one party is heard on oath and the other's o w uth is closed. The French law is framed to prevent the tumu li % of the guilty, without a due regard to the safety of the into t • is in some respects too favourable to the guilty, ours in otherseen oppressive to the innocent. Except, perhaps, the reversing an acquittal on appeal in cases of misdemeanour (delft) there is no thing more censurable i n th e French criminal procedure than the uncertainty which is b rought into the jury being allowed—nay, called npon—to con cider by the jury l'• what are termed extenuating circumstances, As the Eider fino them with sufficient preci s i on, and as J a w does not de not specify them, the judge is l e ft f rom his reco ll ec tion of t the verdict does he case to award the mitigation of th e pun- ishment. There can be no doubt that in many cases a por roving the law has recourse to exte tion of the jury disapp nua ti ng circumstances by refusing to join in the verdi c t without this addition, ea in England the dissentient jury men often require a m e o s mmendation to mercy as a condition of their concurrence, but that does not operate impera tively,' like extenuating c ircumstances in the French verdict. A great and, but for its success, a very unpopular expedition has resulted in the occupation of Mexico by the French Government, and the foundation of a n onarchi cal regimen nearly upon the principles adopt ad in France both as regards the power of the Crown and the rights of the people. It is impossible to question the advantages derived from the change by the Mexicans, who for so many years had suffered all the evils of alternate anarchy and the violence and plunder of petty tyrants. Nor can any friend of humanity and of peace begrudge the influence acquired by France, or cavil at the nee made of it in favour of Austria, The peace of the Con tinent is furthered by whatever beings these two great . Powers into a friendly connection. It would be trul t y o factory if we could regard the attitude of France m Italy u in na th b e at s e a d m o e f l r ig et h a t ini , but the her dtert:orpmoinationnosmeee, s to w con tinuerefsauasirisndgs t t i h o e ri Italian liitaonsokinuthgedruompthr provinces, and o o n f dckomeopplieauttinfgrotrahetihnecolcrpoonaritan and prevention ingost th d e eifi—the restrictionpeo e thatof of t hwhich Papalth they are temporalnaturally power, of of t N h o e p s l u eo p . port so Nor scandalously the gg i ve s Italyt' t h e in F w o r st an c greatlycriminals wonder if the belief should daily g ain strength t hat there is canfriends a design formed to restrict within as narrow limits as pos sible the pewer of her southern neighbour. But the estab lishment of French influence in Mexico is likely to produce an uneasy feeling in the now, unhappily, dis-United States of America, and may by no remote possibility lead to an amicable intercourse with the South, not, perhaps, against the North, but in formal recognition of the seces sion and in breach of the blockade. The friends of humanity would have good cause for lamenting anything so mani festly tending to promote the continuance of the war and extend its mischiefs. The term "civil war" is now hardly applicable to this miserable contest. The people of the South are banded against those of the North exactly as any two European nations, differing in all respects save lan guage, have been banded against each other —the Austrians and Prussians for example. But give it what name we may, no one can doubt that it is a cruel calamity to the Ameri cans themselves, and, though in a much less degree, to the rest of the world, which with one accord joins in reprobat ing their conduct while lamenting its effects. Each party, of course, seeks to cast on the other the heavy blame of breaking the peace. On one side is the wicked allegation of property in human beings ; on the other, the hollow pretext of making war to free America of slavery—her shame and her curse, as all except slaveowners admit it to be. Hollow we may well call it; for those who proclaimed emancipation confess that it was a measure of hostility to the whites, and designed to produce slave insurrec tion, from which the much-enduring nature of the un happy negro saved the country. My esteemed friend the prelate who exalts by his eloquence and his virtues the name of Wilberforce, which he inherits, declared that the authors of the measure cared as little for the black's freedom as for the white's ; and now they eall for extermination of the one race to liberate the other. But, whatever may have been the proximate cause of the contest, its continuance is the result of a national vanity, without example and without bounds. Persons subject to this failing are despised, not hated ; and it is an ordinary expression respecting him who is without the weakness that he is too proud to be vain. But when a people are seized with it they change the name, and call it love of glory. Of the individual we often hear the romask that, despicable as the weakness is, it leads to no bad actions. Nothing can be more false; it leads to many crimes, and to that disregard of truth which is the root of all offences. Certainly it produces none of the worst crimes. The man who is a prey to vanity thirsts not for the blood of his neighbour. How fearfully otherwise is it when a nation is its slave I Magnifying itself beyond all measure, and despising the rest of mankind, blinded and intoxicated with self-satisfaction, persuaded that their very crimes are proofs of greatness, and believing that they are both admired and envied, the Americans have not only been content with the destruction of half a million, but vain of the slaughter. Their object being to retain a great name among nations for their extent of territory, they exulted in the wholesale bloodshed by which it must be accomplished, because others were unable to make such a sacrifice. The struggle of above two years, which loosened all the bands that held society together, and gave to millions the means of showing their capacity, has produced no genius, civil or military ; while the submission to every caprice of tyranny has been universal and habitual, and never interrupted by a single act of resistance to the most flagrant infractions of personal freedom. The mis chiefs of mob supremacy have been constantly felt, for the calamity of rational and respectable men keeping aloof from the management of affairs has resulted in the tyranny of the multitude. To this tyrant the nominal rulers have never withheld their submission, and the press catering for the appetites of the populace, and pandering to their passions, has persisted in every misrepresentation which might most disguise the truth as to passing events, exaggerating each success, extenuating each defeat, often describing failure as victory ; while the multitude, if the truth by chance reached them, were one day sunk in despair, another elated in an ecstasy, almost at the pleasure of their rulers and their guides. Nor were the falsehoods thus propagated confined to the events of the war, they extended to all things—to the measures of the Government and the acts of foreign na tions, The public feeling must not be thwarted; the peo ple desired to hear whatever gratified their vanity or raised their spirits, and in this delusion must they live as long as the war lasts and the rule is in the hands of the mob. The truth they will never hear, because they desire to hear what is pleasing, and not what is true. But it would be a great mistake to charge on their false guides the follies and the crimes which they chime in with and do their best to perpe tuate. The people are determined in their course. Far from feeling shame at the cruel scenes which modern ages—nay, which Christian times haveseen nothing to equal, a spectacle at which the whole world stands aghast—almost to incredu lity, they actually glory in it as a proof of their higher nature, believe themselves to be the, envy as the flower of mankind, and fancy that their prowess:y/0111d triumph over the most powerful States of Europe. In such illusions their chiefs may not practically join, but the people are, beyond doubt, a prey to them, and will continue so to the end. "Hear the just law, the judgment of the skies, They that hate truth shall be the chipes of lies; And if they will be cheated to the last, 1 Delusions strong as hell shall bind them fast " Cowper—. Progress of Error. The feeling towards England which prevails among the American people, though arising from the excess of national vanity and its kindred envy, is certainly in part the remains of the old quarrel that led to the separation. We are hated and despised. Neither feeling is at all reciprocal, but among our kinsfolk it prevails in a degree almost amounting to mental alienation. It can hardly be accounted for without re curring to the ancient grudge of the American war, and it illustratesthesoundness of the view taken by those who have most considered the great subject of colonial policy, that we must so govern our settlements as to prepare for a separa tion on friendly terms, always assuming that sooner or later their growth will bring about their independence. Soule distinguished men in the literary as well as political world have lately maintained the opinion that our colonies are only a burden, and that they give us no benefits worth the ex -1 pense they entail. This is a great error, and it is not now for the first time that Iso describe it. Sixty years ago, while residing here, I published a work in which the whole subject was fully examined in all its branches, and a demon stration given of the benefits, political, social, and commer cial, of colonial establishments, with detailed proofs that their cost falls far short of their benefits, and that the wars ascribed to them had another origin. The book was very soon out of print, and I have always refused to allow a second edition. It might now, however, be of some use, as the information contained respecting the colonies of all nations ought to be more generally diffused. The lapse of 60 years has no doubt made great changes, and the work is to be viewed as historical with regard to the facts, but the doctrines have been confirmed by all that has happened ; they are entirely applicable to the present state of affairs, s an e d are most worthy of attention from the promoters of social h dominions ch i a e u nc:. Six ty . years I ay, indeed, great indeed have been the The destroying angel which s t which in that time have visited our race—changes 'Prineipalities and powers have under gone. and their provinces logethere has ;talked abroad in the Old World and in the New, sna pp i ng and calling into existence new, Inglialling the ties that bound States from their thrones and replacing unknown, making revolutions a g nd themold monarchies with the humble and hurling mighty sovereigns longer events th a t s t artle by their rare rifle aspects, but t o b e expected in the r o nneurr affairs, and as thi ngs to which habitharcisih r ea e n c ry o ce nCi nur le d d set u eor s i l all that relates to this country Notwithstanding these mighty change s si-1-..t0 use the pictur ta colonial n t a Il h j policy aat and m a ustev practicale r f oartina l o ng in a noblest oration— unceasingly en croaching language of Lord Erskine in an impor " the restless foot of English adventure is flourishing croaching on so many deserts, and the tr ied virtue of the regress g abodes. English character is converting them into ft of civilised life.' So rapid has been our coil that with our Australian settlement commercialannial has increased tenfold in as many years; an d d intercourse well as our interest is so to govern it that its in.oeur duty as in dependence may become only a fresh ground of grat itude of a lasting and hearty friendship. The origin afgaractilttide, the similarity of character and habits, the identity of o o i a ny ' n , will always make the page,connection natural if the separation was effected peaceably and amicably ; and w hatever in com mercial dealings d may be the changes from accidental e i r cumstances,thotency lv ot e ' emigration will always be steadily in this h ave more than occasion direction . once at our meetings had to o b serve upon the ex ertions made to encourage the removal of necessitou s per sons in this way, an d to re p eat the w arn i ngs given by th ose who were locally we ll acquainted w ith the subject. Th ese ha ve b ee n a ttended with effect in most instances, especially by the promoters of female e migra tion, who have been made the parties are not a suffi aware that the mere necessitie s V eut ground without the possessi on of such q ualifications or obtainin g employment as are requ ired in the new set tlement. This, too, it may be remarked, is the general ea to "n 1 .4°ll Promoting emigration; and it applies not merely was eteriu s e and governesses respecting whom the warning given, but to the humble t workwoman, even the unskilled. The attention of body at the last Con with our gross was, and deed occupied the great b. ever since has been, mainly MI Jett of • and we have found fully confirmed by convict treatment ; _ given rise the opinio n f y all the inquiries to which it has ormed at the Dgblin Congress, 18611 . TEE SUN, LONDON, TIMESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 8, 1863. from a close examination of Sir W. Crofton's whole pro ecweeislninggsto ill-health regre t l hasrsa beenellY felt at his retirement . Th materially lessened by th e choice as his successor of his friend Capt. Whitty, wh o h a d been under him for years, and who has amply justified the i ea univ selection. The great opposition which the introduction of the system into Great Britain encountered, and the mani fest leaning against it of persons high in office, filled all the friends of social science with alarm. This has happily been dispelled by the inquiry, first, of the commission tinder Lord Grey, and again of the committee tinder Lord Carnar von in the House of Lords. Unforttanately, some of the most important witnesses were not examined —as Mr. Balm e of Leeds, in neither inquiry, and Mr. Shepherd on l y i n t h e Lords', and our disthie— ished colleag ue th e R ecor d er of Birmingham - ,tl neither; but both reports, and especially that '.:r the Lords' Committee, gave the most signal triumph 1 to the principles which for years, both on the bench and in the National Association, he had been zealously, though temperately, inculcating, We are not, therefore, surprised executivei( h f o p rm et i e tdiefhoairhnogdb the l t e a g in i se i I n eav g t ei vr a ee n i, g a an m a : me n a d p y m r 0 e rne a n e t rt o rey f s ui c ne o htnov measu r es,e ic ff t e o t i s w c that he should ha ve h ear til y j o i ned the Bristol Association i i l t without delay the great imerovements so fully sanctioned by seven years' experience in Ireland. The principles are shortly these—every mitigation of a convict's sentence, whether in treatment, diet included, or in duration of the punishment, must be earned by himself, not only in abstaining from offences, but more especially in pursuing a course of indus try. On obtaining a ticket of leave he must be placed under constant superintendence, and the ticket revoked not only on his misconduct, but on his leading a vagrant life and not supporting himself by his industry. Convicts whose sentence has expired are photographed, so as to be recog nised in case of new offences, and this, which had been originally suggested by Mr. Hill, and adopted by Sir W. Crofton, has been favourably mentioned in the Lords' re port, and confirmed by the governors of the Bristol, Wake field, and Leeds gaols, as well as by the experience of the Irish prisons. The convict is deterred from relapse into crime by the certainty of his being recognised wherever he is committed, the photographs being circulated to all gaols. The dissent of the Chief Justice from the majority of his brother Commissioners is to be lamented ; but he evidently had not fully weighed the evidence of prac tical men, accustomed to the management of prisons and the control of criminals—such men as Crofton, Whitty, Organ, and he appears never to have considered the opinion so generally entertained of late years upon the deterring effects of punishment, and to have regarded these alone, putting them in contrast to reformatory treatment, as if the two were distinct and opposite; whereas, any reformatory treatment deserving the name must of necessity be attended with suf fering to the convict. Upon the subject of transportation the Chief Justice agrees with the majority of the Commis sioners, differing from Mr. Childers and from the great meet ing held at Burlington-house in February, where our secre tary, Mr. Hastings, contended, with great ability, against the revival of that punishment. One recommendation of the Lords' committee deserves great attention—that mea sures should be taken for making the treatment, including of course diet, the same in all gaols. The great diversity which at present exists in this important particular makes the same sentence entirely different according to the prison where a convict happens to be committed. The last session of Parliament presented few other measures for our consi deration. The consolidation of the statute law was, how ever, promoted by an act which gave an elaborate statement of all statutes and portions of statutes which have been di rectly or indirectly repealed. This was ably prepared by the same men—Messrs. Wood and Reilly --the latter re commended by our colleague Mr. Bellenden Ker, when en gaged in digesting the criminal law some years ago, and afterwards when upon the Statute Law Commission. Both Houses received the table rather from confidence in those who prepared it than from discussion of the details, which must necessarily have been impossible. It is much to be lamented that nothing has been done to extend the depart ment of Judicial Statistics to Ireland. Our colleague, Lord Clanricarde, when urging this more than once in the Souse of Lords, showed that the addition of a single clerk could supply the great defect which now exists. The subject of Reconcilement was once more brought for ward on my presenting a bill prepared by an em inent , local court judge, Mr. M. K err , and free from the m ain objection to the former proposal, making the recourse to the Court of Conciliation altogether voluntary, and n ot com pulsory either on the parties or the judge. The late period of the Session at which it was introduced, there is every reason to think, alone prev en t e d th e bill from pass i n g; and then we should have had the unspeakable benefit of a stop being put to vexatious and needless litigation, as in Den ' mark, where nine-tenths of the suits commenced are stopped by reconcilement. The Governor of St. Kitt's, Sir Benjamin Pine, who f rame d the new co d e for the settlement, introduced reconcilem en t f rom t h e ne ighbouring Danish settlements, where he f oun d a ll c l asses , from the Governor and the Chief Judg e d ownwards, s trongly in favour of it. The close of th e S ess i on a l so s topped the important measure for extending the great change in .thei law of evidence—the exami na ti on o f part i es —.to crim in al cases on the ground referred t o , an d , w i th t h e restriction mentioned, in stating the diff erence b etween t h e criminal procedure of France and our own, It was intended that Scotland should be included in the bill, where, h o wever, the accused has cert a i n a d van t ages not accor d e d to him in England. This w ou ld h ave b een on every ace ,unt just,e especially considering th e grea t i mprovemen t s which the English law and p rac ti ce h ave b orrowed from the Scotc h. Of this number are th e two most important me asure s of late years—the establi s h ment of county cour ts, wh ich I propounded upon th e express statement of the i r success in ticetland, and the granting execution on bills and bonds, unless the debtor t a k es proceedings for h i s r elief. The benefits conferred by county courts are such as it would be impossible to exaggerate. Between 800,000 and 900,000 suits were b roug h t in them last year for above two millions, and the year before the number and the amount were still greater. The actions brought in the superior courts of c ommon l aw were not one - e ighth in num ber. : The reli e f t o th ese courts afforded by the l ocal tribu nals is manif es t ; b ut the great benefit is to the suitors, who, in so m any th ousand instances, have en j o yed the ines timable adv an t age o f h av i ng justice brought t o their doors, and of havin g th e i r causes tried, which in ve ry many in stances, but for th ese courts, would never have been tried at all. Th e ot h er measure borrowed from Scotland has had the,beneficial effect of stopping many hundreds of causes which otherwise would have been brought to trial, vexati ously and needlessly, and thus relieving the courts of the trial of numberless undefended causes. We greatly erred in not adopting the whole Scotch procedure ; it was in the bill as sent down from the Lords, but the Commons altered it. The progress of jurisprudence, with the study of it, since our last Congress, has been most essentially aided by the completion of Mrs, Austin's task in editing her deeply and justly-lam en t e d h us b and ' s great work, by him cnly in part published. It is no w h app il y accessi b le, both in the whole and in a portion of it, judiciously selected for separate pub lication, as containing the more popular views of the sub ject of jurisprudence. The friends of Social Science and of the improvement of our law, which forms so important a branch of that science, have not a more imperative duty cast on them than the study and the encouragement of this truly valuable wor k . In connection w ith our National Association, the Soci e t y f or Promot i ng the Employment of Women h ave d i ligently and success f u lly pr osecu t e d their benevolent vocation, and have been most justly defended against the charge of interfering with the labour of men; whereas the object is to employ them as fellow-labourers in those lines which are open to both sexes, but peculiarly adapted to women. The greatest benefit has been conferred by this society in preparing and circulating works useful to women in obtaining employment. No less than eight of these have been published at so low a price that the whole eight cost only ls. I may mention here that the Dublin and Edinburgh societies for the same object are still active and successful. The paper of Mr. Chadwick at our Liverpool Congress, on the application of sanitary science to the protection of our Indian army, led to a Royal commission for examining the subject. The report has now appeared; it shows that two-thirds of the deaths are pre ventible, and that this important advantage is capable of extension to the rest of the inhabitants by the adoption of the same means, thus effecting a reduction of 60 deaths or more in 1,000 persona to 20 or less. We may justly regard this report as due to the labours of the association. An im portant meeting of the Sanitary Section, held last Congress, led to a most able and useful statement by Dr. Greenhow on the expediency of legislative interference with the em ployment of workmen of certain descriptions in crowded rooms. The consequence was shown by him to be the pro duction of fatal pulmonary disease. Indeed, the average of deaths in other occupations being 3 in 1,000, it rises to 9, and even 10, in those employed as the doctor describes. The further discussion on this subject, as delicate as it is impor tant, will it is to be hoped engage our Sanitary Section of the present Congress. As long ago as at the Bradford Con gress, Mr. Rumsey, of Cheltenham, in two valuable papers, pointed out defects in the system of registering deaths, and the want of a record of disease. The committee to whom the papers were referred framed a series of resolutions for a sys tem of sanitary registration, and the council more than once, with the co-operation of Dr, Farr, the eminent De- PutY-Itegietrar, brought them before the Government. Durin g the last year, in further pursuance of a resolution they cannot t h to e at the D u bli n Congress, the council, in conjunction with the Irish C o ll ege of Surgeons and the Dublin Statistical Society, pressed the subj ect upon the Irish Government ; and though statement entirely of something succ essful, , than the Ac t of l as t S ess i on has great defect s, yet it is satisfac tory to think b e thatsaid mere registering of deaths being necessary has been brought fully before the Government, and that this extension may confidently be expected. It is well known that the deeply and justly lamented Prince Albert gave his particu lar attention to the state of domestic servants, and delivered an able and instructive address to the Provident Society for their protection. The importance of this class is undeniable, and he represented them as the most numerous body of the subjects of the Queen. A meeting was held upon the subject this summer, which I regretted being unable to attend. But there was a most instru c ti ve paper read which useful discussion, and it m a y b e h oped that thegsauvbjeect [rise willto come before our Social Econ omy Department. Theimp°re ance of the subject may be e s ti ma t e d f rom this, that the number of domestic servants in England is calculated to be above a million, of whom 100,000 are in London, and 10,000 , 1 out of place. The improvements, especially in sanitary re spects, in the English Local Government Act have been extended to Scotland through the able exertions of our col league, Provost Lindsay, of Leith, who showed, at our last congress the importance of such a measure, and the Council petitioned in favour of the bill. It was more than once urged in our last congress that the invaluable attendance in French hospitals of Scours de Charite made Their estab lishment in this country not only expedient, but a kind of duty. There is great satisfaction in finding that steps have been taken with much success towards the attainment of this object. The most important by far is the foundation, by the sister of our colleague, Lord Granville, Lady G. Fullerton (so well known for her excellent writings), of a sisterhood under a Paris superior, in a spacious building, for which her coadjutor, Miss Easton, has nobly contributed £5,000. These ladies being Roman Catholics, their sisterhood is of the same persuasion, and this somewhat interferes with their attendance in hospitals. But Miss Brownlow Byron has established another body of the same kind—the All Saints' Home, in Margaret-street —and there are no other attendants than these sisters at the North London Hospital of University College. This is a great benefit gained ; and undoubtedly the exertions of this association, and of those ladies especially who are in co operation with us, have mainly effected it. It is plain that the duties of nurses offer a great and constant means of female employment, as our amiable and able colleague Miss Hope and her coadjutors in this town have shown, con firmed by the excellent training schools for nurses under Mrs. Balfour. The Scours de Charite also perform the ser vice of nursing the sick at their dwellings. I remember that when attending M. de Tocqueville's funeral at Cannes, the feeling most generally expressed by all present was thank fulness for the comfort which attended the last weeks of his life from the care of these excellent persons. Surely those w ho have introduced this sisterhood into this country are worths - of all acceptation. They well deserve to be the co untrywomen of Florence Nightingale —and no higher pa negyric can be pronounced. Lady G. Fullerton's fame as a n author, great though it be, is eclipsed by her dis tinction as a philanthropist. Th e progress made in the d e partment of education during the last year has been very solid, though less showy, than that recorded at our former meetings. The half-school system of train ing, physical and mental, has been adopted in the army by the Education Council. The Commission of Inquiry into the employment of children in various manufactories have reported in favour of the half-school plan. The attention of all engaged in the management of schools to t h e physical as well as mental training of children has lately been recommended with great power in a most able, t hough unpretending, tract by a well-tried teacher, Mr. Wilmot, of Cheltenham—a tract full of important matter upon education, the result of the reverend author's experi ence, and judiciously expounded. He is now a member o f our association. Mr. Chadwick has fully examined the plans of instruction pursued in various seminaries, and the result o f his inquiries has been in many important particulare favourable to the schools and the teaching in Scotland. It is to be hoped that our education section may have the bene fit of his attendance. The Educational Institute of Scot land, at its last yearly meeting, received an address of its president, Mr. M‘Master, containing important suggestions o n the training of candidates for examination, and the wil lingness of the institution to examine and grant certificates to teachers. But the objection to all superintendence of Boards or other bodies authorized by Government on the ground of expense that might be saved is more than doubt ful, and deserves full inquiry in our Education Department, as does the great controversy between the Privy Council and our worthy colleagues the Lord Advooate and Mr. Black upon some points, especially the support refused to Ragged Schools. It would be wrong to pass over the fact of the Scotch system having for more than a century anti cipated the important step of late taken in England, of granting substantial advantages to competitive examination. Reference is here made to the general course of advance ment by bursaries in the schools, and by exhibitions in the Universities, of which there are only a few instances out of Scotland. These benefits extend to all ranks. A dis tinguished professor in one University had in early years worked at his father's loom. A learned friend of mine, who became judge in the Supreme Court, owed his education at Oxford to an exhibition from Glasgow College. He was a baronet's son ; but the son of a peasant on his estate might have gained the same place at Oxford, and then, instead of being called to the bar, would probably have gone into the Church. The mixture of ranks in schools, male and female, has important advantages, both social and political. It is impossible to avoid remarking the wholly erroneous in ference against education drawn by many who have ob served with horror the dreadful excesses of the multitude in what is believed to be the country in the world best educated, the American States. It must, however, be remarked, in the first place, that Irish mobs at New York had the prin cipal part in the outrages, especially those on the unhappy negroes ; and next, that the Americans themselves complain of the d e f ec ti ve ki nd o f educat i on a ff or d e d to t h e people. The re p or t o f the City Superintendent of Schools at New Y or k , made only three years ago, dwells upon the "large masses of ignorance" (these are his words) " com bined with destitution and vagabondism which are to be tetrad in all our cities and towns," and he calls for a com pulsory education of the multitude. The effect of education in this island have appeared most strikingly of late years in many respects ; but perhaps sufficient attention had not been given to the extraordinary diffusion of useful know ledge, as well as harmless amusement, in cheap publications. The subject was dwelt upon at our former meetings, parti cularly at Liverpool, and the progress has since been very great. In the retrospect of former years it would not be easy to enumerate all the benefits bestowed on our country men wherever the language is spoken, by the admirable publications of Messrs. Chambers. They have been fol lowed by others in the preparation of works inculcating the purest moral, political, and religious principles, and ex plaining the truths of all sciences. The circulation of cheap works ie:now enormous, and the low price marvellous. It may be sufficient to mention such as the half-crown volumes of Messrs. Rennet]. and Wright, sold to the extent of three quarters of a million; the British Workman, by Mr. Smithies, at one penny, containing admirable prints. So do the various publications of our worthy colleague Mr. Cas sell. He and his partners, Messrs. Petter and Galpin, have invested a large capital in this most important and philan thropic business, and it is to be hoped that they may soon receive their just reward in the return of it. Their Educator, Band of Rope, Quiver, and Pilgrim's Progress have been well-nigh finished. Of their Bible 214 weekly numbers have appeared ; the price is ld., and for this are given eight pages quarto of letterpress and five really beautiful prints. The number sold is 300,000, and thus when it is completed there will be circulated no less than 63,000,000 of the weekly numbers. The sacrifice made it is devoutly to be hoped may only be temporary; and in contemplating the circulation of this and the other works just mentioned, Mr. Cassell and his partners may well say that they have converted every poor man's house into a school of moral and religious instruction. These are great things, on which the friends of social science may rejoice as having been done of late years for the advantage, moral as well as material, of the people, and especially of the middle and working classes. But the most important of all the subjects connected 'with their welfare which can occupy the promoters of social science is one which was only briefly alluded to at our last congress, the progresnof the preceding year not being then sufficiently recorded. I need hardly say that I refer to the establishment by the working classes themselves of 00-opes ration upon sound and rational principles—in other words, to the securing of their own independence, and the improve ment of their habits and their character with their circum stances. This great matter was broached at our Glasgow Congress three years ago, and enough was shown by our colleagues —among others, Mr. Fawcett, Mr. Watt s, but especially that eminent phil an th rop i s t the Recorder of Bir mingham, Mr. Hill—to prove th a t th e s uccess of the worthy and enlightened men who m any years b e fore laid the foun dations of the system at Rochd a l e had been not cnly con tinued, but amply increased, and that co-operative societies had been formed in many parts of the country, more espe cially in Lancashire and th e W es t Riding of Yorkshire. It is truly gratifying to find th a t b y th e reports of the learned and able Registrar of F r i endly S oc i e ties, Mr. Tidd Pratt, there were in Decemb er l ast 332 o f these co-operative insti tutions, with 90,458 mem b ers, hav i n g 351,613 shares, and holding a property i n value o f £584,766. The sums paid for goods bought in the year 1862 a mounted to £ 2 , 06 7, 86 7; the cash received f or goods so ld to L 2,331 lised profit to £165,770. But this i s not the whole as it at 650 ; and the rea , present stands, f or M r. T . Pratt informs me b y l etter, dated the beginni ng of Augus t, that the number of co. ope •to 521 The rative societies r eg i stered b y him amounts • progress of co-op erat i on a t present may be pieved from this, that of the 90,458 mem b er s in December last, 2 , 008 entered during th a t year. B u t to perceive the progress from the beginning, w e h a ve the remark able ori g i n of the movement recorded. It b egan by 40 working men at Roch dale raising amon g th emse l v es £2B, and their stock was such that a jealou s s h op k eepe r told them ho could carry it off in a wheelbarrow. Their weekly sales three Sears ago amounted to £2,700. The business transacted by them amounted to £150,000 yearly. The profits are 20 per cent. on the capital, of which part is devoted to a library and reading room, and 5 per cent. distributed to the share holders. Similar results have attended the co-operatives at Leeds. Well, therefore, might I affirm at our London Con gress last year, on a v i e w of this extraordinar y progre ss, that co-operation was becoming a power in the State. The Cooperator, a monthly work, moat ably conducted by Mr. Pitman, of Manchester, well deserves the attention of this association. There were hopes of his being able to attend the congress, but at all events he will send a paper on the subject, with which no ono is so well acquainted. It must be observed that co-operation , like all other improvements, whether. physical science or art, orin moral and social science, has been made by stops and in a long course of time. Above 60 year s a go Robert O wen and his p artners in the great spinning mills of New L anark made the work people partakers of th e ir profits by educating their children and giving them such instruction as not only fitted them for the work at the mills, but for any other employment. Ind ee d, be was the founder of infant schools as far as this island is concerned, the only question being whether Oberlin, in Alsace, had not founded them a few years before. The manufacturers of Lowell, in America, adopted the New Lanark plan in the whole extent of their great c oncerns , a nd the good feelings which pre- between emplo yen and work People ditioguid4e4 the inhabitants of Lowell almost as completely as those of New Lanark, while the education of all classes was as entirely successful. There wanted only the true co-operative principle to give the workman confidence in each other and in themselves by removing the super intendence of the employer. In truth this, though a very natural, is the great step of all, and which the work people themselves made. The communication to the work people at New Lanark and at Lowell of a share in the profits of their labour was effected in the large provision made for their education and their health; but this necessarily de pended upon the employer, and on his change—by death or other causes—the successor might not have the same liberal and enlightened views. Tho communistic principles on which Owen, both in Scotland and at New Harmony, in America, established his villages were more nearly co-ope rative; but there existed this great difference from true co operation, that all shared in the produce of the common labour to a certain degree equally, for all were not only alike instructed and attended in sickness, but were fed alike ; at d though the clear profits, after deducting all expenses, were professedly divided among families with a reference to the services of each, there was none of that security to all that they should reap each the fruits of his labour, which is the essence of the co-operative plan. Co-operation gives all the rights and independence of individuals, with all the benefits of joint labour. The imperfect co-operative principle was not only the ground of R. 0 wen'a villages in Scotland and in America—it was also the plan of the French emigrants under Cabet and others, who carried it to the full extent of dividing equally among all the produce and the profits of their joint work, like the bees in a hive, who are genuine co-operators of the imperfect kind. " ' Omnibus una quies operum, labor omnibus nuns.' —Georgios IV. Their toil is common, common is their sleep. If they acted from reason and not from instinct, each for itself, it is manifest that the work would not be done at all; and so such communities are certain to fail. The true co-operative principle affords a complete correction by counting the labour of all according to the interests of each. It is impos sible to overrate the advantages of this system to the work ing classes. Besides the great advantage of obtaining goods at the lowest price and free from all risk of adulteration or other fraud, the first, perhaps the most important advantage bestowed, is the strict economy which is not only incul cated but exacted. Each member must possess a certain number of shares, and a weekly contribution is required until their number is completed. Then all dealings are for ready money, the rule being absolute against giving credit. But a powerful incitement both to economy and exertion of industry is afforded by the hope of profit in those concerns which, not confined to the supply of goods, extend to branches of manufacture carried on by the labour of the members themselves. Furthermore, besides promoting eco nomy and industry, a manifest encouragement is afforded to temperance in each member, both by the frugal habits acquired, and by associating with others the bulk of whom abstain from all excess. It is also a most important consi deration that the members must acquire habits of business connected with the administration of the common concern. They are generally by rotation all in their turn parts of the managing and governing body. Now, it is not found in mechanics institutes or reading rooms that the individual in terest of each member in the welfare of the concern is direct and immediate, as it is in co-operative societies ; for here he is a partner and the business is his own, whereas in those other institutions he feels only such an interest as men have in the community to which they belong. It thus happens that in co-operative societies such a thing as a difference or dispute among the managers, or of these with the members, is hardly ever heard of. At the Rochdale Pioneers Society 16 years had elapsed before the last return without a single instance of recourse to the arbitrators under the provisions of the acts. The discussions among the members upon their affairs, on the state of trade, and the events of the day have had the happy effect of making them practically fami liar with the fundamental truths of economical science, espe cially the principles that regulate prices and wages, and have thus had a salutary influence on their conduct in times of distress. Indeed, the sums withdrawn during the late months, both from the stores and from the manufacturing concerns, afford striking proofs of the beneficial influence of co-operation. These sums were wanted to prevent the shareholders from receiving the aid of the charitable funds, because the feeling is universal among them to avoid by all means the lot of paupers. It is a most impor tent feature in these societies that provision is always made for the improvement of the members by setting apart a pro portion of the savings or gains for the purchase of books and support of a reading-room. But this, though beneficial, is as it:were an accidental result or application of the funds, the main object and essential principle of the union being economy and profit. The extending of co-operation to the agricultural classes, the most important part of the commu nity, has already made some progress since the suggestion was thrown out at our last meeting but one. At Clipston, in Northamptonshire, Mr. Jarman introduced it above a year ago, with perfect success, and it has recently been adopted at Whitfield, in Northumberland. In both places the workmen inhabit villages the people of which are labourers on the adjoining farms. Many years ago, in Suffolk, Mr. Garden allowed 20 working men to occupy a small farm and lent them capital to cultivate it. They did so, and paid the rent fixed. But when the capital is not provided by the men themselves, not only is the gain all alike, being independent of the labour of each, but there is a great risk of abuse and of neglect; and to this cause is mainly due the failure of a great London co-operative so ciety, almost the only instance of such a mischance. The co-operative principle has been applied to the use of goods as well to their purchase ; and this especially in the article of cookery. The establishment of kitchens from which, at a cheap rate, wholesome food may be obtained, and of good dining-rooms where it may be consumed, if not crrried home has been attended with great advantage at Glasgow and other towns, so that the working classes may be suppliedwith food at their own homes, or may resort for it to the rooms acoording to their circumstances or convenience, Miss Catherine Sinclair, of Edinburgh, has just added to her other acts of benevolence and judicious care for the working classes the establishment of kitchens and dining-rooms for them, the success of which in a few weeks was complete. The vast advantages of combination, without risk of its powers being abused, must bo obvious upon the simple statement of the co-operative principle. No one can have any interest in perverting its powers, for. great as these are, their confine meat to one object is strict and rigorous, and each individual is interested in their never being for one instant diverted to other purposes, even if such diversion were practicable. But though the advantage of combination is obtained, the indi vidual is not lost in the mass—his separate existence is fully preserved. Each gains exactly in proportion to his frugality, his industry, and his skill, and each benefits in proportion to his prudence in the use of his savings or his gains. The idle or the inexpert do not profit by the industry or skill of their brethren, though those who are in want are sure to be helped by those whose circumstances are more fortunate. Perfect liberty is combined with the advantages resulting from concert and united action. One may be a co-operative as regards his expenditure, while he works for an employer of the ordinary kind ; another may belong to a manufac turing concern and not to a store ; while a third may belong to both, or may belong to some concern different from either. There is not in the system or the institutions under it that balance of good and evil which prevails in other in stitutions, that compromise which sometimes in their for mation, generally in their administration, is required to produce harmony— " When jarring interests themselves create The according music of a well mixed state." —Essay on Aran. All is here natural and necessary harmony, and good, greater er less, but always good, without drawback or de duction. The comfort for the workman in his home is pro vided, but the home itself is beyond the reach of co-opera tion (unless in so far as wealth, the result of saving or of speculation, may improve the dwelling), and it has, ac cordingly, been deemed expedient to encourage the estab lishment of club-rooms, where the industrious, whose homes are crowded with children, or in any other respect ill adapted for receiving friends, may be able, comfort• ably and socially, to pass the hours not devoted to work, er study, or rest. The institution for the pro motion of those places of social relaxation has only ex isted during the last year; but it has been attended with as great success as could reasonably have been expected, and at the late general meeting in Burlington-house it was shown how the working classes benefited by these clubs, without deserting their homes. It was further clearly proved that the complaint to which Mechanics Institutes have from their commencement been exposed, of not descending to the humblest classes, but being more useful to themiddle orders, can in no respect be made of the club-rooms, for, from the most remarkable instance—the several club-rooms founded at Southampton—not more than one-tenth of the 3,000 mem bers belonged to the class of shopkeepers and clerks, the whole of .the other 2,700 being day labourers, either skilled or ordinary Workmen, and a very large proportion, about one-third of the lager, the humblest class of all. The Car lisle rule is, of course, almost universally adopted, of having the government and management exclusively in the hands of persons who subsist by wages. Nor is it possible to cite that rule without adverting to the admirable associations which have been formed under He influence, Our worthy and learned colleague, Dr. Elliott, has furnished us with the first numbers of a periodical work, a monthly journal (the Border City), conducted by the working classes, mem bers of a reading-room, and written entirely by working men. It is only just to add that, in composition as well as reasoning, its pages might well stand comparison with the common run of our periodical publications, and it is greatly to be wished that other works of a like kind may be under taken by the same class in other places. The great increase of savings banks since last Congress is a most satisfactory thing, for they are at once an indication and a source of popular improvement. By the latest returns, the number of depositors exceeds 1,500,000, and the sums deposited nearly £38,000,000, of which above £2,00e,000 aro in sums Th not exceeding £lO, by above 7 00 , 000 de p ositors. number of accounts o f dividend not exceeding £lO at thee Bank of England for the same period was little above 90,000, and the total about £250,000. A considerable progress has been made since our last congress in relieving the upper class of working men from too close and long-continued at tendance to their duties. The benevolent and judicious men who have devoted much of their time to promote the early closing of shops in towns, especially in London, are Om all praises and their exertions have happily been attended with increasing success. It is impossible for those who remember London only a few years ago not to be struck with the change in this important respect. Not only is Saturday now a half-holiday but most of the shops are closed at an hour early enough to let those employed in them have the precious benefit of reading or attending lectures in the evening. The health of the body as well as of the mind is incalculably benefited by the sacrifice which their employers in general have cheerfully made, but which might be very much lessened were their wealthy customers to juin in the benevolent plan by making purchases at earlier hours. Nothing can be more selfish than their refusing this concurrence—unless, indeed, it be mere want of reflection on the evil they are doing, at least on the good they are preventing from being done. Let us hope that a due consideration of the important subject may have the effect of removing the cause of complaint. Important in deed we may well call it when as many as 700 are employed in one establishment.* All the plans that have been under taken, more especially those which the people themselves first began and then continued with a perseverance we can not too much commend, have had a most salutary effect in improving their condition every way, and their character as well as their condition ; or, at least, in bringing to light the improvement which they have of late years received. No thing can be more admirable than the manner in which they have strugg:ed under the heavy pressure of distress during the last 12 months. It is truly touching to mark, not only their peaceful demeanour, by their firm resolution of only accepting when absolute necessity requires the assistance amply provided by the wealthier classes, and given with great delicacy—their determination to suffer the greatest privations before yielding to that necessity. A more con vincing proof could not be given of the blessed effects that have flowed from their progress in education, and their habits thus acquired of sober reflection upon the state of affairs, on their own position in society, and in their real in terests as well as duties to the community, of which they form so important a part. Whoever recollects the very different conduct of the same classes half a century ago, when suffering under an incomparably less pressure from the same interruption of the American trade, will at once feel thankful for the change, and proud of his countrymen and his country. With such sentiments may be mingled a feeling of compassion for those who so long derided the efforts made by the friends of social science to teach the humbler orders generally, but especially to inculcate in them sound views of their social interests. These are the contemplations and the enjoyments of rational men in our times ; and they make us rise superior to the renowned nations of the classical ages, much as we may be their in feriors in merely ornamental arts. An association like ours would have been deemed vain, or puerile, or absurd, by the ancient sages. But so would they have had no belief in the merits and the services of the philanthropist—nay, been unable to comprehend them, or imagine how virtue " Saw her Howard traversing the globe. Onward he moves I disease and death retire I And murmuring demons hate him—and admire." —Darwin. Those ancients, indeed, have told us what was their idea of happiness in the Isles of the Blessed,t where they con ceived the lot of the wise to be that, freed from all c ire, their whole existence would be passed in investigation and gaining a knowledge of nature. How they would have pitied if not despised us when told that without under valuing the pleasures of extended knowledge we yet re • garded it as the greatest happiness which Heaven could bestow, to be graciously allowed the solace of looking down upon the scene of our earthly labours, and seeing with eyes which age and sorrow can make dim no more, the great body of those for whom we had toiled and suffered, exalted by the possession and by the right use of the gifts we had helped to bestow. Some, unhappily, there be who will not permit us to indulge in such hopes; who believe, at least maintain, that our death and our extinction happen together. Men, it seems, have been sent from the South to inculcate this dismal error, while those who will believe anything oppose to those who will believe nothing their visions of spiritualism and direct communications with the departed. The pro moters of social science regard such errors with contempt, only softened by pity. Theirs is the belief held, theirs the hope cherished by Hale, and Bacon, and Locke, and New ton—belief in the " King Eternal, immortal and invisible, the only wise God"—hope inspired by the study of His works and confirmed by his revealed Word. At the close of his address Lord Brougham was enthu siastically cheered. The LORD-ADVOCATE moved, and the Right Hon. JOSEPH NAPIER seconded, a vote of thanks. Mr. HASTINGS read the annual report of the Council. The Right Hon. Mr. ADDERLEY moved the approval, which was seconded by Lord ARDMILLAN, and carried. Mr. HASTINGS, Secretary, reported 2,500 tickets issued. Prince Alfred attended the evening meeting, and was re ceived with cheering. The sectional meetings begin to-day, and continue until Tuesday next. Great preparations have been made for the conversaziones of the University and Royal Scottish Aca demy, and for the working men's meeting to-morrow (Fri day) evening 34,000 applications have been made for the 3,500 tickets. The attendance at the Congress is unusually large. * This shop (Shoolbred and Co., Tottenham-court-road) closes at 7 or 8 o'clock, according to the season, and 4 or 5 on Saturday. The young men have a library of 3,500 volumes, with a readieg-room, and 80 of them attend the drill of a Rifle Corps. - :Ac veteres quidem philosophi in heatorum insulis fin gunt, qualis natura sit vita sapientium quos cura Omni libe ratos, nihil aliud esse acturos putant, nisi ut omne tempus in quverendo ac discondo, in naturai cognltione consumant. .De. Fin , Lib. V. Earl Go-to-bed ; Or, Rest and be Thankful, Our contemporary, the Saturday Review, thus comments upon the Foreign Secretary's late Finality sentiment that we shoWol, all of us, in regard to that old matter of Politi cal Reform, rest and be thankful. Id was but natural that Earl Russell should feel this at the bottom of his mind at the Blairgowrie festival. After traversing all Europe and America, and dilating on all the political topics of the day, and surveying his own busy and re stless career, be found ✓ that he was disinclined to do more, Thankful for the day's long work, he prepared himself for bed, smoothed his own pillow, and addressed himself to grateful sleep. We do not mean to say that he has not done enough to deserve his slumbers, but the difficulty is that he seems to suggest that it is bedtime for all his countrymen too. It does not follow that all our eyeg ache because Earl Russell cannot keep his open any longer ; and though he has been a roadmaker in his time, we are not prepared to admit that the race of Macadam is to die with him. We may be thankful for the road, but rest is another matter. The lassitude and desire of repose which attend the later afternoon of lifo,and the natural love of a peaceful euthanasia, however real, may arise from very different causes. There is not a more touching or beautiful moral spectacle than the ripeness and richness of a long and consistent life sinking, like the sun in his declining strength, "more lovely ere his "coarse be run." Bot in this sort of life there is not the violence and shock of contrast. Earl Russell's sunset may be golden and thank worthy, but his day has been chequered enough. No doubt the stormy petrel itself may have a home and may betake itself to die surrounded by the grateful attentions of many generations of young petrels, but it is a bird at whose death-nest few naturalists have assisted. Earl Russell, too, may talk in a very edifying way of his calm and grateful desire to repose in the quiet haven where the winds breathe soft and the tempests cease to roar ; but the taste is at least, for him, a new one. His life, at any rate, has been spent in disturbing other people's tranquillity, not perhaps altogether without a sacrifice of his own quiet. He has been a Reformer all his days ; and reforming, amend ing, improving, cannot be achieved without a certain amount of agitation, and flurry, and jar. His eulogist on this very occasion recalls his " strenuous fights," and his successful efforts to burst this and that "fetter" and "shackle." But fighting and hammering at hard obstruc tive chains are not easy work. Nor is the task of upsetting Ministries and managing successful intrigues quite con sistent with a love of personal ease. We do not mean to say that all these things may not be, under certain circumstances, a matter of duty, but one does not look for them in a very peace-loving man—in a man who pines for rest, who longs for the hour of sunset. Warwick the King-maker is not the man from whom one would expect to hear an aspiration to tired nature's sweet restorer. So, too, the author of the Durham letter is not one whom it is easy to picture ex changing the mustard-pot for the oil-flask. You do not look• for,the assuager of tempests in the cloud-compellitg king. The statesman who curtly and insolently dismissed Lord Palmerston from office may honestly—yet at the same time very oddly, and perhaps not altogether without a pang — parade himself as this very Lord Palmerston's eulogist and subordinate ; and after performing such a feat he may feel disposed to close the curtains on his own political life. Again, if Earl Russell's engrossing feeling is for peace and quietness, it must be observed that the sentiment has come upon him very suddenly. Why the ink is hardly dry of his Denmark despatch, which, whatever may be said of its matter, hardly betokens the man who seeks peace and ensues it. So also with the tone and temper of all his recent foreign policy. As regards Russia it may be, and we believe that it is, our duly and our interest not to bite; but a very wise dog who has made up his mind not to bite usually saves himself the superfluous trouble of barking. As far as we can understand or characterise Lord Russell's diplomacy, it con sists of a uniform course of barking and snapping and snarl ing—of yelping perhaps in the presence of big dogs, but of growling ferociously over all the little ones. Witness Den mark and Brazil as specimens on one side, and Prince Gods chakoff and Mr. Seward on the other. It is but a day or two ago that the French inspired organs talked significantly about the hollowness of English rodomontade, and for this rodomontade Earl Russell is responsible; and though rodo montade may have its occasional functions and uses in the great economy of political things, it is not precisely the weapon which the rest-loving statesman would take up. We can quite understand that the late Lord Aberdeen might have spoken from the bottom of his heart if he breathed the prayer for peace. So with the gentle and melancholy Falkland; but Earl Russell is not Aberdeen, nor Falk land, nor gentle, nor melancholy, nor dove-like. The birds of prey do not coo. Earl Russell's life has been spent, and on some occasions most profitably spent, in stirring the careless, in stimulating the idle, in lashing up popular pas moue! in appealing to iciudlipg memories, iu iuvoking with burning words angry,and bellicose memories. This has been his life's labour. He has been a successful leader of Opposition. He has held his own against all comers. Only last year, last month, last week, ho was the Lord J. Russell of old--active, petulant, scornful, careless of other people's feelings, quick in quarrel, not nice in speech. We do not recall all this to find fault with it, but only to remark it. Nor are we forgetful of those cases of penitence which are most dear to heaven; chief of sinners aro always the most engaging of saints. But there are scoffers who think that lassitude has often as much to do with a new life as com punction, The coquette, French cynics say, deepens by a natural law into the olevote; and inability often takes credit for unwillingness to sin. The tiger, when his teeth are worn down and his claws blunt, is a very inoffensive ani mal—and respectablity is rather the rule than otherwise with impotent sinners. There is no reason so powerful as 70 odd years for taking the devil out of a man; and sowing wild oats is often a matter of necessity rather than choice when the burden of age is conveniently pressing. The, world gets sceptical about these death• • bed aspirations of statesmen. It is a trick they all affect. The Man of December has his Life of Ccesar on the anvil. How can a gentleman addicted to literary pursuits, and immersed. in his studies, be thought guilty of treason against the liberties of his subjects and the intellect of his country? The tyrant who in his old age taught a school con doned, at least in his own estimation, an iron rule by closing his career in an honourable pursuit. Even Mr. Abraham Lincoln finds it convenient to put forth a mild criticism on Hamlet, not without a political purpose, and to show that his inmost heart sighs for the luxury of repose. Perhaps Earl Russell is visited with the same amiable feel ings. Like the hunted stag, he would fain return to the quiet pastures of his youth. Perhaps he would recur to the amenities of his early days, and in works of history or fiction revive, or rather excel, those literary memories which the world has not unwillingly let die. The jaded epicure often sighs for the plain meats of his youth, especially when the terrors of gout and dyspepsia are upon him. Champagne and a chicken are but simple diet for the tired reveller ; and there is small merit in the choice if it is ordered by a phy sician. Some people will suspect that something of this sort is at the bottom of Earl Russell's newly developed love of peace and quietness. Many moral virtues depend on the state of the stomach, Indigestion makes some people irascible and querulous ; others it simply prostrates and takes the shine and go out of them. Can it be so with Earl Russell? Are we to attribute his new and languid look to loss of powers or impaired digestion ? Who knows but ho may be suffering from a lack, as he sometimes perhaps has suffered from an excess, of the biliary secretions ? It is a terrible thing to reflect that upon a single dose of blue-pill may depend the peace of Europe, and that next Monday morning Earl Russell may rise a healthier, and therefore not so pacific a man. There is, however, one little matter on which;perhaps,all the world is not at one with Earl Russell. It is said of the late Dr.Parr,that when on some occasion a young Cambridge man was pertly declaiming in the good man's presence on the low estate of classical scholarship,and delivered himself of the observation--" We are not the Greek scholars that our fathers were, Dr. Parr"—the indignant and lisping Aristarchus re plied, "Mind your pronounths, young man I mind your pronounths I" So perhaps we should say to Earl Russell —Mind your pronouns, my Lord. The desire to rest and be thankful may be very natural to a veteran statesman who has passed so many measures, and provided for so ample a following of cousinry and Whiggery. But we are not all of the house of Russell. As we have not all so much to be thankful for, we are hardly yet fatigued with the triumphs and successes which we owe to the present Ministry. They have shown enormous powers of sleeping; Sir G. Grey, re cently touching on the same theme, announced that the whole Cabinet were fully resolved to do nothing as long and as drowsily as they could. What may be the earl's feelings is not necessarily " the feeling of the country." Ministers may willingly repose on beds of asphodel and moly, and sing a low croning song of the past miseries of strife. But we are not all of us these mild-eyed lotus-eaters, We are hardly content that our rulers should so openly proclaim that they are going to dwell in the Castle of Indolence, and to shut us all up in that pleasant land of Drowsihead. If we are all going to sleep, there are our neighbours who aro peculiarly wide awake. Even a giant may be caught nap ping, and, though Jack has called for his nightcap, it does not follow that all Europe will follow our example. Sleep, however, may be feigned. Like other politic persons, Earl Russell may say, Non omnibus dormio. He has talked about finality before, but nature was too strong for him ; and he was always tinkering and hammering at some reform or other. Ho talks of napping, but he means to sleep with at least one eye open. He may find it convenient to talk about folding his hands, bat, after all, his is not the sluggard's na ture ; or, if it is, it may be that a very rude reveille attends him. COUNTRY MARKETS. ..._.. v.,_. NEWARK-WEDNESDAY. A fair supply of wheat at our market to-day, the samples were irregular, and the demand was quiet at the prices of last week. White wheat new, 41s to 45s 1 Barley, - grinding.. 29s to 31s Red do. 3Bs to 42s Oats, old, .. 23s to 31s Old white 42s to 46s New do 22s to 24s Red do.. 40s to 44s f Beans.. 38s to 41a Barley, malting.... 36s to 46s 1 Beans, new —s to —s HULL-TUESDAY. At to-day's corn market there was a moderate supply of English wheat, which sold readily at fully the prices of last week. Malting barley at a decline of is per qr from the last week's prices; grinding sorts also is down. Oats were slow, at rather lower rates. Beans and peas dull, and prices in fa'our of buyers. _ _ _ Wheat.... Old white per qr. 44s Od to 46s Od Old red 7) New white .. „ New red . .. „ Barley.... English malting Grinding 26s 6d to 28s Od Saal and Oderbruck Holstein and Danish 303 Od to 31s Od Grinding Oats .English, old 26s Od to 28s Od Archangel and Riga, per st OBl2O to 13d Friesland and Dutch osl3d to 08131 d Swedish and Danish OBl2O to osl3d Beans ....English, old, per qr. 43s Od to 45s Od New pigeon 42s Od to 44s Cd New tick. 4os Od to 42s Od Egyptian Peas Foreign boilers .. Tares ....Spring —s Od to —s Od Indian are 33s Od to 34s Od Linseed, feeding crushing Linseed cakes (Hull) 110 0 0 to £0 0 0 Foreign'. Bl5 oto 9 0 0 Rape cakes 6 0 oto 0 0 0 Bones LYNN-TUESDAY. At this day's market the show of wheat was small, and sales were made at late rates for good samples ;1 inferior sorts is lower. Barley was taken off at high rates, but the supply was not so liberal. Beans and oats firm. W hite 45s to 46s Barley .... ..34s to 38s Red..: 40s to 42s Grinding ..28s to 32s Beans .38s to 40s I Oats.. New —s to s Peas —s to —5 COAL I Frloan of Coal per Ton al a. d. ARKET. the close of the market. Byass's Bebside West Hartley Hastings Hartley .7..17 :. 7 3 3 Carway and Daffryn Malting 2l 0 Eden Main ...19 3 Lambert's West Hart- 8. d. Walls End. Haswell.... 21 0 Hetton ......21 0 ltussell's . 18 9 I Russel's Hetton 20 0 South Hetton ...... 2l 0 Braddyll'B Hetton 20 0 Heugh Hall 20 0 Tunstall South Hartlepool 20 0 South Kelloe . 20 0 Riddell ..... . lB 9 Whitworth. 16 9 Caradoc 2O 3 KeiperGrange ..19 6 Byron ..19 6 Harton 18 9 Wharncliffe .. 18 9 K elloe , East Hartlepool ...... 21 0 I Gordon ..............17 3 , 131; sold, 122. ley I 17 0 Holywell 17 9 , Walker Primrose l3 01 Cowpen Hartley 17 3 Tar-field Moor 14 6 Tanfield Moor Butes l4 61 West Hartley 17 3 , Wylam 17 Walls End. Pit tington lB 0 Hartlepool 20 6 Thorpe 19 0 Trimdon Hartlepool 20 6 Ships at market Births. Bosca.wmv.—On the Ist inst., at Lamorran, the Hon. Mrs. Boscawen, of a daughter. Foxe.—On the 3d inst., at Brussels the wife of Arthur Ford, Esq., R.H.A., o f a son. ' MILL.—On the sth inst., at The Cottage, Upper Sheen, Surrey, the wife of Major Macdonald Mill, of a daugh ter. WARD.—On the sth inst., at Lower Edmonton, the wife of Commander C. Y. Ward, Indian Navy, of a son. Marriages. FIENNES—YORKE.—On the 6th inst., at St. John's, Pad dington, the Hon, and Rev. Wingfield S. T.W. Fiennes, M.A., Fellow of New Coll., Oxon, to Alice Susan, the second daughter of the Hon. and Rev. Grantham M. Yorke, M.A., rector of St. Philip's, Birmingham. STO PFORD—STOYFORD.—On the 7th that., at Old Charl ton, Captain Walter J. Stopford, late 52d Light Inftry., to Annette Jane, third daughter of Vice-Admiral the Hon. Sir Montagu Stopford, K.C.B, Deaths. BACON.—On the 7th hut , at 44, Mocklenburg.square W.C., Joshua Butters Bacon, Esq., formerly of Boston, U.S., aged 74. CooDE.—On the 4thlinst., Charles Coode, Esq,, solicitor, Bodmin, aged 84. GILBERT. —On the sth inst., at 23, Upper Phillirnore.. place, Kensington, Henry Gilbert, Esq., aged 56. lIANSARD.—On the 4th inst , at Montacute, F. A, Hansard, Esq., M.R.C.S. KEY.—Onthe sth inst., a t F u lf or d Nall, near York, the Rev. Samuel Key, aged 46. KIDDLE.—On the 6th inst., at 31, Hunter-street, Bruns wick-square, John Lambert Kiddie, Esq., aged 72. TROLLOPE.—On the 6th inst., at Florence, Frances, relict of the late Thomas Anthony Trollope, Esq., barrister-at law, aged 84. London : Prinzed and Published by WILLIAM ANDRE - TS, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at THE SUN Office No. 11'L. Strand, in the Precinot of the :Savoy, in the County o t IfititUenex,—VaurolaYl Octok?er 8,:1f63.