The Sun. — London, England, 1844-12-21 00:00:00

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. ASIIDOW.N PARK. COURSING MEETING. First Ties for the Craven Puppy Stakes-Crape beat ssElastic ; Frighten-'em beat Bill Scott ; Vesper beat a- rudence ; Eisler beat England's Queen. ~..Second Ties-Elsler beat Frighten-'em; Crape beat Vesper. Second Ties for the Gold Cup-The Winner beat erseveranee; Feathers beat Brilliant. Westover ; Ti es f or t h e D og P uppy S ta k es -F ran ti c b ea t Westover ; Westend beat Breadalbane. v lirst Ties of Bitch Puppy Stakes-Magpie beat ''utre-nous ; Blessington beat Wit's end. HUNTING APPOINTMENTS. rtr R• Sutton's hds., Mon., Carlby ; Tues., Ayston ; Thurs., Colster worth ; Fri., Seaton Windmill ; Sat., Mark e t Overton-11. call Fitz% lids., Man., Sawtry Gorse ; Tues., Barnwell \Vold ; Fri., North Wood-10. ~ Hellier's hds., Mon., Renwick Toll-bar p. Tues., Thornton Village ; Fri., Girby ; Sat., Welton l l'r Majesty's stag-lids., Mon., Thorpe Greene ; Fri., I .Stoke C ommon -11. r• Drax's hds., Mon., Pointington ; Fri., Ilolnest Kenl. f ord Elcho's lids., Mon., Marchmont ; Tues., Ayton ; I„Yri.• Beauley. vnldon hds., Mon., Ham ; Tues., Appleshatn ; Thurs., •L• WaPPingthorne ; Sat., the llolmbush-11. Vinix Union hds., Tues., Kennel ; Sat., Purleigh Wash. rant Essex, Mon., Helion's Bumpstead ; Thurs., Marks "„ ; Sat., High Wood. ern lids., Mon., Shearsby Inn ; Tues., Steward's hay; 1. Thurs., Rollest o n Hall ; Fri., Six Hills-104. Milky lids., Mon., Buttock's Booth ; Tues., Walcot _Village ; F r i., F ox H a ll ; S a t. Brock Hall-104. 44 Loisworth hds., Tues., Doncaster Bar; Thurs., Hickleton 11, 1411 ; Sat., Ackworth Moor Top-104. ` 4 r• Foljambe's hds., Mon., Rossington-bridge ; Tues., North Carlton ; Thurs., Blythe Law Hill ; Fri., Gringley-on- the-Hill. 'tad of Harewood's hds., Mon., Sickling Hall ; Tues., Brs.mham Moor Cross-roads; Fri., Wighill Vill age, 10 Aufford hds., Mon., Kennels ; Thurs., Ossington ; Sat., ftngwith Lodge. Henry Bentinck's hds., Mon., Langford Lodge ; Tues., Gate Burton ; Thurs., Sadbrook ; Fri., Bran . fiaton Wood ; S a t., Bardney-11. r, Farquh arson ' s hd s ., Mon., Clifton Wood. i s, " 4 , V. IL, Tues., Milborne Port ; Fri., Bishop's Caundle. 4r . A. Smith's hds., Mon., Clatfurd Oakcnts ; Tues., Wileot and Wherwell Wood ; Thurs., Weyhill ; Fri., Everleigh ; Sat., Faccombe. „rwood harrs., 'Tues., 2d milestone, Nottingham Road; Dalestorth. I,4laltae,_t harrs., Mon., Sarre Mill ; Wed., Vincent-1 0 i. Kent hds., Mon., Sandling Park ; Tues., Stouting b.coramon ; Fri., Black Mill-104. '4lll.WOrth lids., Tues., Sweaton-bridge ; Thurs., Moon Bank ; Sat., Neesham-10. .likelids., Tues., Middleton Tyes; Sat., Wakerfield, 1011. o f Cl eveland ' s stag -hd s ., T ues ., C a ld we ll-12. yin W. W. Wvnn's lids., Mon., Bryn-y-pys ; Tues., - "as Tog ; hurs., Farndon ; Sat., Iscoyd - 1 0 . ` ll berston e hds., Mon., Canwell Gate; Tues., Cricket's ; Thurs., Nailstone Village ; Fri., Camp Hill; S 1,,.at-, Three Pots-10 41 . "'lr. Candler's hds., Tues., Woodcoto Green ; Fri., I .Bred on "Ir• Archer's lids., Mon., Vroudon; Thurs., Dolsdown ▪ Inn -104. uheshire hds., Mon., Tabley; Tues., Aston hall; Thurs., Fawley Minshull; Sat., Devonport `'-rawley and Horsham lids., Mon., Crawley Gate; Thurs., 1.,43ek1ey Court; Sat., Turner's Hill Village-104. terefordshire hds., Tues., Myne Park; Fri., Chilston • T urnpike--10i. 1. ;(1412 harr s ., M on ., W es t on L o d ge . ' 141 ( 1 10%v hds., Tues., Bouldon Village ; Fri., Onibury Village. r . • Morga n ' s lid s ., T ues ., N e w Bridge Hill-10 •snlop s hi re hds., Tues., High Hatton ; Thurs., Chi pna l Wood ; Sat., Twemlows-104. - "f'righton hds., Mon., Wessell Top ; Thurs., Onslow ; Gatacre-10f. Wheatland P ac k, Thurs., Little Stretton-9. MZheatland hds., Tues., Sidbury; Sat., llomer Hill-10. ontgomeryshire hds., Tues., Guilseld; Fri., Halfway 3; Inn, Berri ew . t ori ghton, harrs., Mon., Patchaai ; Fri., Dyke. 'Brookside harrs., Mon., Newmarket Hill ; Thurs., Tels nombe Ty e . ,b_ ' 44, °x and Suffolk hds., Tues., Thorington Hall ; Fri., Overton Hall. -Ilverton lids., Mon., Cruwy's Morchard ; Thurs., But terleigh ; Sat., Seven Crosses-10i. "arwiekshi re hds., Mon., Wellesbourne; Tues., Mitford ,ooridge ; Thurs., Shuckburgh Park; Fri., Print Hill, 10 k. 44. ldernes s Hs Mon. Brandsburton Moor ; Tues., 1 ", n udesborough Gate, York-road ; Thurs. Winestead; , r ,i• Welton Grange ; Sat., Rise Mile. Yarborough's hds., Mon., Swinhop House ; Thurs., ti,7i:th7 Mill ; Sat., Swallow Cross-roads- 11 . th e SYkes's hds., Mon., Settrington Beacon ; Thurs., brie Windmill, Stocton Forest ; Sat., Scampston lir. l i ritie - en 't ... :e's lids., Mon., Euston Park ; Thurs., Depden -101. • Ingram's lids., Mon., Catton ; Thurs., Foston ; rtsk Sat .• Benhurst-10i. sii'LLanet harrs., Mon., Serra Mill, Cavendish-bridge. '''' llls ington hds., Mon., Belton Grange ; Thurs., Ca vendish-bridge Sat. Clifton Village. Zoroughbridge harm., Tues., Great Ouseburn ; Fri., Leckby Carrs. (RECEIVED THIS DAY.) ASHDOWN PARK COURSING MEETING.- LAST DAY. Gold Cup (Deciding Course)—Mr. Fowles's Feathers Im►tt Mr. Etwall's The Winner, and won the Cup. The Craven Puppy Stakes—Mr. Gordon's Crape beat fir. Flesher's Eisler, and won the stakes. The Dog Puppy Stakes were won by Mr. Etwall's Vest• end, and the Bitch Puppy Stakes by Mr. Bowles' tlessington. MANCHESTER BETTING —FRIDAY. Very little done. Most of the members being absent I tttending the great coursing meeting at Lytham, the DIY bet laid was 500 to 7 against Grotesque for the e rby. 71 IE DISPUTED GREAT BOAT-RACE BETWEEN THE CHAMPIONS OF THE THAMES AND ~1 11 E TYNE. z The refer e e has pronounced his decision on this great d a ce. The dispute to which we alluded in our yester i:l'' Paper, in which it was alleged that Parish (a : 4 ebrated L o ndon waterman) had held up his hand as Vligtl9.l to Coombes to direct his steerage, was then re erred to the referee, who, on Thursday, gave his deci till, in favour of Coombes. Clasper, nothing daunt ed le Y nis def ea t, see med, at the time of our communication t tl 'ing. Newcastle, in a fair way of being backed agains t ~,.e w el, of Battle-bridge stairs (the severe oppo nent „ rinst C,oombes last year for the London championsh i p) , ut wh ether a match would be made appeared doubtful. e are informed that the Newcastle gentlemen behaved "Y well to the London watermen. MURDEROUS ATTACK BY POACHERS. (PROM • CORRESPONDENT.) FIVE GAMEKEERS SHOT AT. WoacreTEß, FRIDAY EVENING.—A most desperate Itt laek w as wade this morning, between twelve and one I ,l el clek, by a bot7. l v of armed poachers, to the number of `4 least twenty, upon five night-watchers upon the pre ":es of the Earl of Coventry, at Croome, about seven "Iles from this city, by which it is feared human life ails be sacrificed. It seems that the keepers were watch ltig a portion of the preserves near to Mr. Woodward's, , Pirton Farm, in the parish of Croome, when they '1"„, (l we re suddenly surrounded by a g an g of some twent y e'aohers, armed with guns and st icks, and havin g with them: a number of snares for ta kin g g ame. The fellows ch ance attacked the keepers, who , seein g there was no de sperate of successfully encountering so numerous and a body of assailants , fled, and were iune anitely fired upon by the gang, who wounded Il e or two of them, though not seriousl y , th e shots striking them i n the face, and k nocking off their hats which were perforated with the 411 °L One poor fellow, however, did not succeed in e scaping without receiving such injurie s a s, i t i , t hou g ht, will bring him to an untimely grave. Not being able to take his escape with his fellow-watchers, the gang set 1 1 1 30 a him and beat him about the head in a most in "man and barbarous manner, leaving him senseless on t he ground. The poachers were heard firing their guns la the preserves some time afterwards. The p oor f e llow last mentioned was this morn in g b rought in a cart to the Worcester Infirmary, where the Promptest attention was paid to his wounds. It was found What, in addition to numerous bruises on the head and upper Portion of his body, his skull was extensively fractured Presenting literally a mass of horrid gore. The operation of trepanning was skilfully performed this afternoon by the surgeons in attendance, but the unfortunate patient r emains this evening in an insensible and hopeless state. Som e of the gang are known to the police , and it is hoped that in a few days they will be captured. Th e y Tong to a large body of poachers which has long in fested this part of the country, and are indeed becoming it terror to the neighbourhood. A party of the same sang visited the keeper's house at Croome Perry Wood,a short time ago, and called upon him to get up and find th emsome game, for " they'd be d if they could find any." They have also made similar visitations in other places, and have sent threatening letters to two or three game preservers. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. your paper of the 18th, in your leading article, you allude to the Great Britain steam-ship as b eing prop e ll e d by the Archimedean screw. "hat vessel is not propelled by the Archimedean, or . whole screw, b ut b y a p r opeller, consisting of four tlirved blades, or sections of a screw. lam desirous of correcting the statement, as the pro peller she has on is the patent of Mr. James Lowe, which r,as establi s h e d on M on d a y last in the Court of Queen's lien.* on the trial of Mr. Penn, of Greenwich, for an I nfringement of his patent. our insertion of this communication in your next Itupression would much oblige, Sir, your most obedient lerwQnt, T. EYRE WYCHE, Solicitor to the plaintiff. 13 , George-street, Mansion-house, Dec. 20. COURT OF SEWERS. i A Court of Sewers for the City and Liberty of Westminster, and part of Middlesex, was yesterday held in ;he Court-house, Soho-square. The chair was taken at twelve o'clock by Thomas Leverton Donaldson, Esq. On the minutes of last Court-day being read, Mr. LESLIE objected that they were incorrect, in asmuch as a statement inculpating him, and which was read by the Chairman to the Court, thereby making it a public document, had been omitted. A motion was founded on it and carried ; and when, as the person charged, he requested the chief officer of the Court, Mr. Hertzlett, for a copy of the document in question, the answer returned was that the Chair man had it in his possession. He (Mr. Leslie) took his stand upon the ground, therefore, that the record was not a correct one. The CHAlRMAN—Certainly correct, as far as it goes. It may not be full enough, perhaps, but assuredly correct. Mr. LESLIE did not think it correct. Surely when an officer of the Court, a person paid by him (Mr. Leslie) as a Commissioner, in common with other Commis sioners, chose to write a long letter, inculpating him, and when that statement was read by the Chairman, he (Mr. Leslie) was confident that every Hon. Member of that Court would grant that the person charged had a full right to a copy of the document. He had wished that document entered upon the minutes, but the Chairman, by taking it into his own possession, had interfered in the chief clerk's duties, and rendered nugatory the proceedings of the Court. Now he would ask if the Chairman would enter the matter, by giving up the statement referred to? 1 he CHAIRMAN—I will not, unless by request of the Court. Mr. LESLIE—It is a question for yourself alone. You have extracted a public document. The CHAIRMAN-4 have not; for it never was put in. Mr. FULLER—I cannot understand, in that case, what constitutes a public document. Mr. MunuNs—What is the object of reading the minutes, excepting for the purpose of confirming the accuracy of the Court's proceedings ? And how can those minutes be accurate, if the statement on which the resolution is founded is left out? Mr. LESLIE said lie would conclude with a motion, " That the minutes now read are not a true record of the proceedings of last Court, inasmuch as letters from Mr. Hawkins, the assistant-surveyor, dated the 19th of November, was read by the Chairman, and a motion founded and carried upon the subject-matter; that the minutes he altered by the insertion of such letter, or by placing it among the public documents of the Court, and a reference to that fact made in the minutes." Mr. Munuxs seconded, and the motion was put from the Chair, but lest by a majority of two, six Commissioners having toted against, and four for it. The salary of the chief clerk was, on the motion of Mr. WHITE, increased from 4001. to 5001. per annum, the Commissioners each expressing their admiration of the business-talents and general courtesy exhibited by Mr. Hertzlett in the arduous duties of his office. Mr. LESLIE then brought forward his motion " To print and circulate to every Commissioner the details of the contractors' charges, as allowed by the surveyors and Court, during the respective contracts, commencing at Michaelmas, 1841, in such a form as to show clearly and intelligibly the expense of every particular work done.' The Hon. Commissioner said he had examined the statements, and gone through many of the contractors' accounts, and had found what he believed to be great errors therein, but without a printed form it would be impossible to convey in an intelligible manner the proof of those errors to the Court. The ordinary course of business, they were aware, was to have a standing contract for all works. Now, these works were, as he though t, so im p ro p erl y taken by measure and value, that it was next to im. possible to arrive at the cost price of any single work. The items were spread over a series of quarters, sometimes, indeed, all contained in one, but frequently extending to two or three. Now, as the remedy for disease depended upon a thorough knowledge of its causes, so it behoved them to look well into these accounts—to have a thorough knowledge of them before parting with large sums of that money which was entrusted to their care. These works were ordered at a given estimate, but when they were completed it was gene rally found that the actual cost greatly exceeded the sum which the Court had before ordered ; and if they would refresh their memories by a retrospection, they would find that, in some instances, they had in this way paid 100 per cent. more than they ought to have done. In the neigh bouring Commission, if one wanted the cost of any particular work, a book was produced in which the information desired was exhibited in a few lines; but in that office they had to run over a vast number of bills, and trace the work in different stages at various periods of time. He maintained that contractors had been in the habit of charging more than they were entitled to do ; and he was of opinion that Mr. Ben net and Mr. Bird ought to refund large sums of money to that Court. He would instance mainholes, which were almost invariably over the sewer. Yet they were charged fur digging, aye, and for carting away the rubbish. Concrete was put in at four shillings and sixpence the cube yard, yet in many one shilling and sixpence was charged extra for cart ing away superfluous rubbish, although that, he con tended, was included in the two shillings charged for digging. But all this could not be properly exhi bited unless they had the bills printed, as he desired they should be. One further instance, however, he would add, namely, the work in Bow-street, where the estimate voted by the Court was 1,400/., but where the actual cost exceeded *OOOl. lie would ask them, should they devolve the duties which the Crown had entrusted them with, to other parties who were not responsible ? Surely not. They ought, then, as he had before that day suggested, have their plans and sections properly drawn out, and then they would get parties to tender willingly for the work. He hoped they would allow him for once to carry his resolution, convinced as he was that it would lead to a considerable saving of the public money. A discussion ensued, and it was finally determined that several works, estimated at 2001. and upwards, should be extracted and laid before the Commissioners in a form prescribed by the mover of the resolution. The other business was then disposed of, and the Court adjourned. MEC EIANICS' INSTITUTE. On Wednesday evening, Mr. Clarkson discussed the project of connecting the Mediterranean with the Red Sea, by means of a canal or railroad across the Isthmus of Suez. The time chosen for the lecture was most opportune, as the above subject occupies a prominent place not only in the English, but the con tinental papers, and has called forth many able pamphlets. Not that there is any novelty in the idea, but it seems at the present moment to be taken up with more earnestness than on any previous oc casion. The canal that was used in bygone times (and of which considerable traces remain) to connect the Red Sea with the River Nile, sug gested to Bonaparte nearly half a century ago the practicability of a navigable canal being constructed from north to south, a distance of about 70 miles ; and he accordingly ordered the engineers who ac companied his expedition to Egypt, to survey the ground, and to furnish plans, &c. Copies of these plans and a vertical section were exhibited by the lecturer, together with a large and distinct map of the localities under discussion, which rendered the different bearings of the subject intelligible. Mr. Clarkson gave a history of th© navigation of these parts, from classical authors, and pointed out, very distinctly, the principal geographical and topographical details connected with them. The advantages that would accrue to Europe in general, and to England in particular, by effecting a communication between the two seas, are obvious enough ; and, therefore, i w as the lecturer's object to put his auditoryinposo session of the information absolutel y necessary t enable them properly to appreciate the merits of the contending plans now under discussion. For having done this in a most lucid and efficient manner, he de serves the thanks of every friend of the Institute.— Cambridge Independent Press. MELA'N CIIOL Y DEAT H FROM TAKING LA UDANUM . —An inqu est was , held i n Whitehav en , on M on d ay , t h e 17th inst., before IN ru. Lomb, jun., Esq., on view of the body of Jane Temple, who came to her death in the following melancholy manner:—lt appears that the un fortunate sufferer was ill on Friday last, and her mother sent a boy of about , eight or ten years of age, to Messrs. Randleson and }ogees shop with a teacup, for some tincture of rhubarb, .wl!ich the boy obtaineT, but, on returning home, spill( d it, in consequence of which a girl, a year or two , older than the boy, was se n t u p on t h e same erran d. The girl stated distinctly that she asked for t he tincture of rhubarb, which she obtained,' a s she suppo sed, and returned h ome with the cup. The mother administered a dose of the supposed tincture and she felt asleep. .When she awoke the dose was re- ' peated, but as it (ba not produce the desired effect Mr. Clark, surgeon, was sent for, and on examining' the cup, he at once discovered that, instead of tincture of rhubarb, the . unconscious mother had ad ministered two doses ot . laudanum to her suffering daeicbter. Mr. Clark applied the usual remedies. His t c a o f r e , f , ll A l cc i i n d v e e n s t t a i i effoits preserve life were unavailing, and she a a ft y er erd a i g di e d i B s o ( o ) t f t t h f e t et c -, ase T , h t e . death, caused by laudanum 14v,ing been , administered by mistake for ti ncture of rhubarb.' 4t the request of the jury, the Coroner severely reprimanded Messrs. Randleson and Fosters shorboy forte careless matinee in which he had sent the poisonous narcotic from his master's shop, llad the usual and necessary precau tion been taken of labell in g the cup containing the drug with the word "poison," the melancholy cfrcunastanee would, in all probability, have been prevented. COURT CIRCULAR. 'WINDSOR, FRIDAY. —The Queen and Prince Albert took their accustomed early walk in the plea sure-grounds of the Home Park. _ . Hi; Royal Highness Prince Albert rode out on horseback, attended by Major-General Sir Edward Bowater. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and Prince Alfred were taken airings this morning. her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent visited her Majesty at the Castle this morning. The Earl of Liverpool, Lord Steward of the House- hold, left the Castle to-day for town. The Countess of Gainsborough was prevented coming to the Castle yesterday. The royal dinner party at the Castle this evening included her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, Lady Fanny Howard, the Countess of Wratislaw, Sir George Cowper, Major-General Wemyss, and Lieut.-Colonel Colvile, Scots Fusilier Guards. __ her Majesty's private band attended after dinner in the Castle, and performed in the evening. The Queen has honoured Mr. Thorburn with sittings during the week for her portrait. Lord de Mauley had an interview with the Earl of Dalhousie yesterday, at the office of the Board of Trade. The Lords Committee of the Privy Council for the affairs of Guernsey and Jersey sat yesterday in the Council-chamber. There were present the Lord Chancellor, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Mr. Baron Parke, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Cornwall, and the Judge of the Admiralty Court. Mr. Burge, Queen's Counsel, resumed and con cluded his reply on the subject of the two petitions from the Royal Court of Guernsey, touching the con duct of the Lieutenant-Governor of the island. THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 21, 1844. The case being concluded, their Lordship rose. MR. WILSON'S ENTERTAINMENTS Concerts, we have always thought, labour under a disadvantage from which most other kinds of enter tainments are exempt—namely, the continual inter ruption of the interest of the audience by the cessa tion of the performances, and the appearing and dis appearing of the performer, with all the noise, chat terin,, and moving about, which invariably follow. In ordinary concerts of vocal music, this defect is irremediable. The performer cannot sing right on, song after song, till the performances are done ; first, because he is not equal to the exertion • secondly, the attention of the audience would be thereby kept too much on the stretch ; and, thirdly, the agreeable succession of the humorous and the sentimental, which so greatly enlivens a concert, would cease to harmonise. And as nothing could me more absurd than the performer, in the interval between his songs, standing twirling his thumbs and looking at the audience, and the audience twirling their thumbs and looking at him—off he must go ! Mr. Wilson was among the first to devise a remedy for this—certainly the first who did so systematically —by giving, as it were, popular musical lectures with vocal illustrations. By a well-chosen series of amusing anecdotes and critical remarks, with which he introduces each song, he at once keeps up the interest of his 'audience from first to last, and "adds novelty and variety to the other attractions of a con cert. Never was popularity better merited than that which Mr. Wilson has thus attained. As was to be expected, he has had may followers ; but, we are happy to say, he has had no rival. Too often have we seen the person who had the talent to strike out for himself a new path to wealth and distinction, outstripped by some more fortunate but less deserving competitor; and we repeat, that we are happy that, in the present instance, Mr. Wilson's talents have bid defiance to competition, and have secured the fruits to him that planted. Ably and pleasingly does Mr. Wilson go through his performance; anecdotes well chosen and well-told--delightful songs as delightfully sung : indeed, with him, the gems and their setting are alike admirable. There is no vocalist whose manner we think equal to Mr. Wilson's. It is varied and full of animation, and alike in the humorous and the pathetic, never fails to carry the audience along with him ; indeed,in the dry and somewhat caustic humour peculiar to the Scotch, and with which many of our songs abound, Mr.Wil sun is unrivalled. Yet his manner is never forward—he never o'ersteps the modesty of nature ; everything is chaste and polished, yet nothing is missed ; it is nature in its most pleasing delineation. In his style of singing, Mr. Wilson is simple, tasteful, and very effective, without seeming to aim at being so; and the more critically his style in singing any piece is examined, the more fully will his discrimination be conceded. his style, too, is quite free of what is commonly called " stage effect," but which may be, often more fitly denominated clap-trap; and ho never indulges in a flourish at the end of a song, as many a one does, merely to announce to the audience that he is now ready to be raffled! From the first note of the song to the last, all is in good taste ; and as he faith fully and beautifully expresses the transitions of feeling—the lights and shadows of the piece—his singing never wearies by sameness ; yet so de licately is this sometimes done, that we rather feel the transition, than appreciate it by ear—the music seems still the same, yet ever changing. Hi s voice is rich, and singularly sweet and pleasing, and seems not even yet to have reached its full development — some new perfection (if we may ue the term) be coming every year perceptible ; and so smooth and steady is it, that during his late concerts we failed to detect a single roughness. Ed lN i l n r h . or l g V h ilso a n nd h G as la l s a g t o e w ly , concerts pti o n he e hasin met with in both cities has been most flattering. On Friday and Saturday last week, 11e gave two c?ncerts and ben th g e ivi r n e g ce in Edinburgh—an evening one in the Music-hall, and a morning one in the Ho p etoun-rooms. On the latter occasion he gave a selection of German songs, which were quite new to us. They have very rarely been performed in this country, and then only at some of the classical concerts in L on d on . The " Journey," by Mendelssohn, is a magnifi cent composition; but the piece we liked best was " Fair Annie"—a perfect gem—as sweet a little song a ov we ever own land, listened d observed, a s n t ednae somedl s o t on o f — o tt r ha e e s l e ist ib e i t n wa g oed m t shi u o, n c u h pg , le sa some of ur of those of the Emerald Isle. We have only space o i p iece o hie s s music,ic . t haol w Scottish nd h i h c a n d s Ar ot i on g . r se : i a l Ht s o ei n t has fibr first and slaatne y s t iraddedthpte desire, in the Hopetoun-rooms.—Scottish Dramatic Mirror. Mr. Wilson is at present giving his entertainment s in the Athena um, in Manchester, with great success; and, after visiting Liverpool and the principal towns in Lancashire, he will resume his evenings at the Music-hall, Store-street, in the course of a few weeks. " Happy Land" is the constant accompanyist of Mr. Wilson. RAILWAY RETURNS. IlArtwir TAAFFIC.—The following are the Total Receipts of ways for the past week—that is to say, up to the date to which the respective returns are made, together with the receipts of the same week in the previous year : b 5. Week z e 4 Last . e r ; ending NAME OF RAILWAY. r... week. F cc , 5 ----- Ufg, X X Doc. 14 Arbroath and Forfar •••• • • • 13 Birmingham and Gloucester.... • - Braudling Junction . . • - 789 14 Bristol and Gloucester • • ... ••• • • 980 - 13 Chester and Birkenhead .•••••• • • • • • • 432 314 12 Dublin and Drogheda• •••••••• • • • • • • • 636 581 17 Dublin and Kingstown ...• ••••• • • • • • 467 601 15 Dundee and Arbroath .••••••• • • • • • • • 201 211 14 Durham and Sunderland .• •••••• • • • • • 309 604 14 Edinburgh and Glasgow .•••••• • • • • • • 1,825 1,734 15 Eastern Counties and North Eastern • • 4,020 3,239 14 Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr ••• • • • 1,365 1,091 14 Glasgow and Greenock• •••• • • • • •• • • 635 637 14 Grand Junction ••••• • • • • • 7,350 6,580 14 Great North of England •••••• • • • . • • 1,526 1,321 15 Great Western .•••••••••• • • • • • ' • ' • • 14,845 12,940 13 Liverpool and Manchester • 4,490 3,505 14 London and Birmingham .•••.• • • . • • 15,108 14,264 1 5 London and Blackwell 606 610 14 London and Brighton .••••••• • • • • • • • 3,542 3,422 17 London and Croydon. 927 192 19 London and Greenwich . • 16 London and South Western. •••• • • • • 4,579 4 ,840 15 Manchester, Bolton, and Bury ••• • • • 803 6 96 13 Manchester and Birmingham- . . 2,814 2,552 14 Manchester, Leeds, and hull Assoc . • 5,672 5 ,179 14 Midland Counties. ••••••••• • • • • • • • • • 8,319 7 ,634 14 Newcastle and Darlington ••••• • • • • • 1,002 14 Newcastle and Carlisle ••••••• • • • • • • • 1,524 1,345 15 Newcastle and North Shields •• • 13 North Union and Bolton and Freston 1,317 16 Paris, Corbeil, and Orleans...-. •. • • 841 4,325 3,852 16 Paris and Rouen .•••••• • • • • .. 2,045 3,005 14 rICStOII and Wyre.• •••••••• • • • • • • • • 303 229 14 Sheffield and Mancheste r. • ...... •• • • 579 19 South Eastern 4 470 • ,145 2,806 14 Taff Vale •••• • • • . 15 Ulster .••••• • .• • • • ....... .... 611 591 15 Yarmouth and Norwich 14 York and North Midland ........... 1,540 STATISTICS OF DRUNKENNESS.--A very curious t a e u r r n ib o u st te c d u : n o T u b s e: el r it e ip p t o e r r t s d i i s v t i l del at i document has been lately drawn up on the origin, causes, f e be t c l A the . various circumstances to metap h ys i cs , philoscphy, .and physiology of results m mor branch. Among the muzzy, drunkenness.lt i a i ia ii s it Oa o nt . ea se bo r l . eral heads, including the muzzy', may be traced to spasms, and that twhich ee ' aot: . which ‘ssi xii ceaiis ine b riet y e oa b u l s i to e 01 t , , t ; m a y °t.!, n one nineteenth ar ises . from. birth -days ; that among confidential clerks inebriety is rare, but when it occurs, pickled salmon, or the arrival of a friend from the country, are found to be the most usual causes of the malady. Drunkenness has also been k nown to arise i n some instances from taking up a bill ; but as the latter is an operation which persons given to intoxica tion seldom perform, the numbe r o f cases to be attri buted to this source is very insignificant. A wife's birth-day has often been known to lead t o a total pros tration of the frequently, m ; i b a. u t a t kn t ii ;s ina remarkable the these instances, fact, that such the imagination,nto theguite t r b e lt i t g a ht tnoar n nine times has been known down power o in a year, through having fancied th a t t h e birth -day of his wife occurred repeatedly in the c ourse of a twelve- t i d a ys to is e dr op month.—. Punch. LETTERS ON THE CORN-LAWS, No. XII. (From the League.) LETTER FROM SOME OF THE WOMEN OF ENGLAND TO THE NORWICH WEAVER BOY. LONDON, Dec. 2. It may be generally supposed that the women of England who contribute to the Anti-Corn-law League Bazaar, or at least those who raise their voices in ad miration of the principles and proceedings of that League, are the only ones who approve of free trade, or disapprove of unnecessary and undue legislative inter ference with the affairs of the nation. Such a supposi▪ - tion would, however, be erroneous. There are English women, and to their numb er we b e l on g, who deprecate thi▪ s interference, who are most anxious to see free trade and direct taxation introduced, who see the whole bearing of these matters upon the su ff er i ngs w hich they commis aerate, but who still are p revente d by every feeling of duty and humanity from upholding the principles of the League, the evident tendency of which is to let doctrines of political economy supersede those laws which God first wrote upon the heart of man, and after wards revealed in language which admits of but one in terpretation. These laws teach us to love our fellow creatures as ourselves, and most forcibly enjoin charity; but that word has in the gospel a far more extended meaning than that in which it is usually employed ; and we do not there see it used as giving some classes of our fellow -creatures an exclusive right to our love, while, at the same time, we are allowed, not only ourselves to hate and revile other classes, but even to teach the poor and ignorant to do so likewise. The gospel is a doctrine of love—of love so comprehensive that even the sinner is embraced in it, though sin is ab horred and reviled ; and we are taught in humility not to judge others, that we may not ourselves be judged. It teaches nowhere to denounce, though throughout it teaches us hew to reform. It tells ns who is blessed; it is man who has added who is cursed. The members of the Anti-Corn-law League may be the propounders of sound doctrines of political economy: but we do not see that they are on that account to ar rogate to themselv es a ll t h e virtue i n th e community, and to denounce every opponent, not only as ignorant upon the subject (so far they would be justified), but as an object deserving the hatred and execration of man kind. What will be the benefit to society, if, to ensure triumph in the struggle for free trade, hatred between class and class is to be not only nourished, but incul lated ? What will be the advantage of bread in every mouth, if there is to be hatred and jealousy in every heart ? Is it with feelings such as these that justice is to be worked out, or when obtained by some is to be ex tended to others ? We are aware that the members of the League are so little conscious of the tendency of their own speeches or writings, that they indignantly repel every accusation of the kind here brought against them ; yet to every un biassed observer such is their tendency. The answer which these gentlemen make to the materialism of their doctrine is, that it is not their mission to preach the gospel. We admit that it may not be their mission to preach it, but it is their duty to follow its precepts; and only when free trade is advocated in terms which are not at variance with the laws of God enjoining peace and goodwill among men, can the advocates be joined by those who do not allow that any human necessity can supersede the necessity of obedience to those laws. We know that religion is in our day looked upon as a Sunday business only—a thing having nothing to do with the business of the week days; and as such, perhaps, it is excluded from the week-day labour: of the Anti-Corn law League. As men passing judgment upon public measures, and advocating a new system of administra tion, the members cannot, however, pretend to be exempt from the consideration of all other state matters but those the study of which they have made their peculiar avoca tion. They ought to know that every citizen, though bound to do his best to correct errors of government, is likewise bound to do it in a manner that shall not subvert public order. Now, though we heartily wish to see the corn-laws abolished, we cannot agree with those who think that this cannot be done without pulling down the aristocracy of the land, thereby virtually subverting the constitution of the realm ; nor do we see the intimate connexion between the aristocracy exclusively and the corn-laws. The aristocracy of Great Britain is not an exclusive class, for centuries separated from the body of the nation by an insurmountable barrier of onerous pri vileges ; it is, on the contrary, continually being re cruited from the middle classes, which in their turn re ceive numbers from the classes below ; and it is in fact only in the precedency of rank that the main distinction between the aristocracy and the wealthy members of the other classes of the community consists. The corn-laws are connected with the prejudices of the landed pro prietors ; but surely these are not exclusively members of the aristocracy ; and, even were it so, the advocates of free trade have nothing to do with them in that capacity ; they have merely to combat their erroneous opinions as to administration. Administrative mea sures can never be meant to be more than temporary, and ought to be repealed as soon as they are discovered to be pernicious. Not so constitutional laws : these are part of the life of the nation ; and none but the nation, in its entireness, can lawfully make any change in them. We do not see that there is in England any call or any disposition for such a change ; and it is therefore with profound grief that we see the Anti-Cora-law League, while following out its legitimate ends, sowing the seeds of unholy things. Besides, we think that the Anti-Corn-law League, if working honestly for the abo lition of the corn-laws, and for nothing else, is rather defeating its own object by attacking with such virulence the class with whom the power of abolishing them, in so great a measure, rests. If the League, however, prefers carrying its point by brute force, and is only trying to get up a masked democratical movement, then, to be sure, the means used may be efficient, though they, as well as the end, are criminal. And then it will remain to be ex perienced whether in England, as in France at no very distant period, the poor, after having been deluded by the middle classes into the belief that, by destroying what was obnoxious to the latter, they would be work ing for their own happiness, when discovering the decep tion,* will not turn upon their former flatterers, and exercise upon them the principles of hatred and revenge instilled by them. SOME OF TLIE WOMEN OF ENGLAND. RE PLY TO "SOME OF THE WOMEN OF ENGLAND." Ladies,--The perusal of your reply to the writer of ;here letters will, i n one respect, a ff or d hi g h gratifi cation to the advocates of the Anti-Corn-law League. You apprise us that the desire, in your sex, to see the labourers' bread unt axe d, an d t h e por t s open f or th e admission of that food of which multitudes are in want, must not be measured by the number of those who contribute towards the proposed Bazaar, or who (at our meetings, I presume) " raise their voices in admiration of the principles and proceedings of that League." Beyond this body there is, you tell us, a wider atmosphere of female sympathy in free trade principles. You vouch for the fact as yourselves be longing to the number who occupy that position. The soundness of your reasons for standing thus aloof I shall discuss presently. It is just first to observe that those who do not stand aloof are so numerous ; they shed such a halo of grace and beauty around our cause ; they blend so becomingly the unobtrusiveness of wo men's nature with her keen and courageous moral sense; their very presence has so purified the movement i from the common coarseness of party strife n politics ; the wealthier of them have given so liberally to our funds, and the poorer have so cheerfully imposed exertion and privation on themselves to become con tributors; their suggestions as to the Bazaar plan, first in Manchester, and now in London, have been so ju dicious, and their co-operation so efficient ; and, bring ing into our agitation whatever of peculiar truthful ness, delicacy, compas don, and piety, constitutes their distinctive character, they have so imprinted on it the mark of a holy and Christian work, that it is gratify ing to learn there are more of their sex who will re joice in their triumph, although they do not aid in the needful means for its attainment. It is something to have the good they do appreciated; especially by those who leave the previous exertion unparticipated. You approve the principles of free trade, and yet withhold your countenance from the League. You will not contribute even to the Bazaar, which is, at any rate, free from the offence given you by other proceedings. Allow me, then, to ask what else you will do, to promote your own principles and satisfy your own consciences? You behold the production, by monopoly, of " sufferings" which you " commise rate." What is your process for their alleviation ? Are you content to stand by as inertly as if you were utterly indifferent to the wretchedness of which you know the source and the remedy ? Is it a sufficient excuse for doing nothing, that those who are doing something speak sometimes erringly ? If the very devils confess Christ, is that a reason for practically denying Christ ? Are you willing to remember the injured poor in your prayers, but to remember them nowhere else ? What is your intelligence worth, or your sympathy, if it shun the company of the like minded, and adopt for itself no other course of action ? Christian women, you cannot be at peace with your selves, if you prolong this moral incongruity. You accuse the League of letting the doctrines of political economy supersede the laws of God. And whose laws are the doctrines of political economy ? What are those doctrines but the exposition of provi dential facts ? They teach mutual dependence, mutual service, and common interests, in all the tribes and nations of mankind. They exhibit that wisdom which in varied climates and remotest regions has stored up the materials of useful ex change and friendly intercourse. They identify the objects of individual pursuit with the means of universal enjoyment. They abate the pride of wealth, and render industry honourable. They show how to replenish the world and subdue it, by making the wilderness a garden, and not the garden a wilder ness. They interpose the strongest obstacles to the ravages of warfare ; and, as with the voice of angels, raise the season-song of " Peace on earth and good will among men." Were there no revelation, political economy would suggest a religion. Were there no Christianity, political economy would shadow forth some faint outline of its divine benignity. * We use the term deception, because we cannot but see that, although much benefit would accrue to the country from the introduction of free trade, the blissful state of utopian felicity which is held out as a lure to the poorer classes would be far from attained. Suffering will be the lot of mankind until the laws of Christ reign in all hearts ; and woe unto the land if one of these laws is to be set aside, were it even to facilitate the introduc tion of a more perfect hu►nan code than has ever yet been 6 known. You say that you can only join the f ree t ra d e F cause, as sustained by the League, when it is "ad vocated in terms which are not at variance with tha laws of God enjoining peace and good-will to man." If your requirement only related to the principles on which the League is founded, and the objects at which it aims, nothing could be more reasonable. In that case, I venture to affirm that your immediate co-operation may be challenged. But if your re quirement extend to all the speeches and writings of individuals, then nothing can be more unreasonable. You are requiring perfection of humanity ; and making the absence of perfection the excuse for not helping the effort for improvement. No large asso ciated body can stand such a test, whatever be its objects, or whoever its supporters. There is no mis sion to the heathen or charity to the poor, no work of truth or mercy, in the language of whose sup porters you may not find some taint or flaw, and so justify yourselves for passing by on the other side. You thus exonerate yourselves from all useful service. You claim permanent leave of absence from the warfare of good against evil. You plead a letter of license from the labours of benevolence. And, strangest of all, the very terms of your fancied ex emption are taken from the precepts by which it is most emphatically condemned; the commands for practically evincing that universal love which would leave no grief unsolaced, no wrong unredressed, no want unrelieved. Might not some of your charity be well bestowed on those whom you deem too fervent in a righteous cause ? You allow them to " denounce every oppo nent as ignorant." There has been little of rebuke employed which such leave does not cover. Is igno rance a virtue in a legislator ? Is it excusable, when he is surrounded by the means of knowledge ? Does it not become a fearful sin, when the interests and lives of millions are dependent on his using his powers wisely ? Should he be coaxed by soft words into contentment with his pernicious blunders ? Is cha rity so enamoured of Barnabas, that it must needs unchristianise Boanerges ? Have not both their work in the world ? And would Felix ever have trembled before Paul had the apostle only told the tyrant how much he loved him ? Can we, in Chris tian sincerity, and consistently with moral integrity, call bad things by good names ? Is there no dif ference between the righteous and the wicked—the friends of the poor and their oppressors—those who would secure to labour the full amount of its earn ings, and those who make laws to lessen that amount and fill their own pockets ? Love the sinner as much as you will, but do not hide from him that he is a sinner. You can do him no greater mischief. It is worse than being " angry with the wicked every day.' Is not your charity offended on the other side ? Do you observe no falsehood, no calumny, no vitupe ration, on the part of monopoly ? Is the bad cause purer in its proceedings than the good cause ? If not, your disapproval, extending in that case both to means and ends, must needs be much stronger than your disapproval of the League. And yet your con duct tends to support, in preference, what you most disapprove. For when the question is of repealing an existing law, the motive, as derived from public opinion, is exclusively formed by those who speak out against the law. The quiescent are acquiescent. Their silence tells for support. Their inaction is a sanction. Not showing themselves for change, they are reckoned as being against change. This is your inevitable predicament. You become responsible for the prolonged mischiefs, abhorrent to your principles and feelings, against which you do not protest. The muster-roll of monopoly includes all who do not erase their names by some act of adhesion to the opposite principle. Can you rest till you have done this ? When one looks at the titled and wealthy sub scribers to the League, the notion of a " masked de mocratical movement " for " pulling down the aris tocracy " is almost too absurd for notice. Doubtless, many members of the League have their democratical partialities; as you, ladies, have your aristocratical partialities. No political creed is imposed by the League ; nor by the opponents of the League either, who have from the first been not very scrupulously anxious to enlist the extreme democratical party in their cause. It is not by the League that any subsi dised alliance has ever existed with the .Feargus O'Connor Chartists, the physical-force democrats. And if there be anything democratical in the present plan for extending and purifying the county consti tuencies, it is only that sort and degree of democracy which our Governmental system has sanctioned and presupposed for centuries. The power to be thus ' called into action has been, however dormant, the people's privilege from the days of the despotic Tudors. The mission of the League is merely to make this part of the Constitution a reality. It brings a " great fact" out of a dormant but conse crated principle. There is some truth in your distinction, though it is rather fine, between the aristocracy and the land owners.:Practically, the two classes are identical. But it is not as an aristocracy that the majority of our legislators tax the people's food ; they only do it as traders in land and the products of land. You may also be correct in thinking that the results of corn-law repeal have been sometimes, and by some advocates, overrated and utopianised. It would be very strange were it otherwise. Results so natural of this species of struggle for an immense good, ob stinately withheld, may be much more easily and rationally accounted for than by your hypo thesis of the middle classes deluding the poor; an hypothesis which serves to show how the extreme of charity towards the selfish wrongers of others may slide into the extreme of uncharitableness towards the injured party. I have thus endeavoured to avail myself of what appeared to be your invitation to discuss certain reli gious objections to active co-operation with the League. Their religious character entitles them to a respect which could not else have been felt for difficulties that tend to render all extended co-operation for redress of grievances impracticable, and so to prolong the mi series which man inflicts on man by the abuse of power and authority. The inertness of a portion of the religious public on this question is a phe nomenon which you deserve thanks for helping to explain. Explanation cannot justify it. Even by passiveness and silence to encourage those who grind the faces of the poor, and abridge their pittance of daily bread, is a virtual renuncia tion of the gospel. To leave the industrious under injury, and the helpless unaided, when protest and exertion may serve them, is not doing as we would be done unto. There is no love in the allowance of wrong, even to the wrong-doer. We should bear and forbear with the mistakes of those who are striving to obtain redress, as well as with the mis takes of those who refuse redress. The corn-laws are a demonstrated source of vice, wretchedness, crime, disease, and death. The path of Christian duty is most plain. The League affords oppor tunity for the discharge of that duty. It thereby enhances the obligation, and devolves upon all a deeper responsibility. Deepest of all should that responsibility press on those who make a religious profession. Neglected opportunities of good are the sternest of accusing spirits. Nor will they be silenced by carping at those who improve such oppor tunities earnestly, if not always (in your opinion) unexceptionably; and who have, by their zeal, been pioneers to clear the highway, through a wilderness of ignorance, error, and indifference, in which Chris tian principle, moral duty, and human feeling, enjoin you to unite and advance. There is yet time to " enter into their labours," and accelerate their pro gress to the great result. To woman, as well as man, applies the admonition emphatically uttered by the Rev. J. Burnett, at a Covent-garden meeting of the League—" Let every one solemnly charge his (or her) own conscience with the high duty and sacred obligation of carrying out this work to its full and final completion." A NORWICH WEAVER BOY. REPRESENTATION MOUTH. OF DART- DARTMOUTII, FRIDAY.—Both Mr. Somes and Mr. Moffatt have returned here to complete thir canvass. As the day of election approaches, both the candidates ap pear confident of success, and each gives out that the re sult of his canvass leaves his return beyond a dcubt. The constituency of the borough does not, after deduct ing deaths and removals, exceed 250. Of these not more than 235 are expected to vote; and both parties state that they have more than half that number of votes pro mised them. There is no doubt, whichever party may gain the day, it will be a small majority only. At a meeting of Mr. Moffatt's friends, which took place on Thursday evening, a correspondence between the Vicar of Dartmouth and the Chairman of Mr. Moffatt's Committee was read, in which the former gen tleman declared that " he could not allow the church bells to be rung for any election matter in which that gentleman might be concerned, if Mr. Moffatt, intended to vote against church-rates;" and the latter replied that " Mr. Moffatt could not be in favour of the continuance of a payment which presses hard upon those who differ conscientiously from the tenets of the Established Church. At the same time we must be allowed to ob serve, that we cannot understand how you can be justi fied in making a coincidence with your own sentiments a necessary condition for a service which is, on these occasions, invariably given to either candidate without reference to the party to which he may happen to belong." Mr. MOFFATT, in the course of his speech, "pledged himself to that meeting, in the event of his being re•. turned to Parliament as their representative, to do every thing in his power to obtain the speedy abolition of this obnoxious impost.—(Cheers.) Mr. Moffatt in the course of his address ably advocated the principles of free trade, as did also the Chairman of his Committee. His is the good cause, and he has every probability of suc ceeding. BATH AND WEST OF ENGLAND SOCIETY.—The Marquis of Lansdowne has offered two premiums of 501. each for the most improved system of draining on a farm of not less than 100 acres, of which not less than 15 acres shall have been thorough drained. DR. PUSEY. The following letter from Dr. Pusey has been ad dressed by him to a friend : " My dear —,—You ask me what I should do in case this new test, to be proposed to Convocation, should pass. I would say at once, that others, not so imme diately affected or intended by this test, need not, I should think, make up their minds yet. I plainly have no choice ; it is not meant that I should take it, nor can I. You will not mistake me. I sign the Articles as I ever have since I have known what Catholic antiquity is, to which our Church guides us, in their literal grammatical sense,' determined, where it is ambiguous, by the faith of the whole Church (as good Bishop Ken says), before east and west were divided.' It is to me quite plain that in so doing I am following the guidance of our Church. " The proposed test restrains that liberty which Arch bishop Laud won for us. Hitherto high and low Church have been comprised under the same Articles; and I have felt that in these sad confusions of our Church things must so remain, until, by the mercy of Almighty God, we be brought more nearly into one mind. But as long as this is su, the Articles cannot be (which the new test requires) cerium atque in dubitatum opinionum signum.' How can there be any certain and indubitable token of opinion,' when they can be signed by myself and —? This new test requires that they should be : one then of the two parties who have hitherto signed them must be excluded. We know that those who framed the test are opposed to such as myself. It is clear then who are henceforth ex cluded. The test is indeed at once miserably vague and stringent ; vague enough to tempt people to take it : too stringent in its conclusion to enable me to take it with a good conscience. Beginning and end do harmonise, if it be regarded as a revival of the Puritan anti-declara tion' that the Articles should be interpreted according to the consent of divines;' they do nut in any other case. This shifting of ground would indeed (were not so much at stake) be somewhat curious ; how those who speak so much of fallible men' would require us now to be bound in the interpretation of the Articles by the private judgment of the Reformers (it being assumed, for convenience sake, that Cranmer, Ridley, and Hooper agreed among themselves), instead of Archbishop Laud's broader and truer rule*, according to the analogy of the faith.' It would indeed be Is ell, if all who have urged on this test could sign the Ist and Bth Articles in the same sense as Cranmer and Jewell. Well, indeed, would it be for our Church, if all could sign the 27th in the same sense as the Reformers, except perhaps Hooper. One could have wished that, before this test had been proposed td us, the Board who accepted it and proposed it to us, hay thought of ascertaining among themselves whether the themselves all took all and singular of the Articles in on and the same sense. And yet, while they enjoy thi latitude, how can the signature of the Articles be anys certain and indubitable token of people's opinions ? " However, this is matter fur others ; my concern is with myself. I have too much reason to know that my own signature of the Articles would not satisfy some of those from whom this test emanates, since, when a year and a half ago, I declared repeatedly (as I then stated) that I accepted, and would subscribe, ex animo, every statement of our formularies on the solemn subject upon which I preached, that offer was rejected ; and this on the very ground (I subsequently learned) that they did not trust my interpretation. When, then, they require that the signature should be certum atque indubitutum opinionum mearum signum' it is plain that they mean something more than what I offered and they refused to accept. " The Articles I now sign in the way in which from Archbishop Laud's time they have been proposed by the Church : this test I should have to receive not from the Church but from the University in the sense in which it is proposed to me by them. Could I then ever so much satisfy myself that I could take the test according to any general meaning of the words, I must know from past experience that I should not take it in the sense in which it was proposed to me. I could not then take it without a feeling of dishonesty. " You will imagine that I feel the responsibility of making such a declaration, knowing, as I must, that in case, in the present state of excitement, the statute should pass, younger men, whom it might involve in various difficulties, might be influenced by my example. I know, too, of course, that some will be the more anxious to press the test, in hopes that my refusal to take it may end in my removal from this place. Whether it would or no I know not. but whatever be the result, it seems to me the straightforward course. It is best in cases of great moment that people should know the effect of what they are doing. " I am ashamed to write so much about myself, but I cannot explain myself in a few words. What is my case would probably be that of others. It has often been painful to witness the apparent want of seriousness in people when things far more serious than office, or home, or even one's allotted duties in God's vineyard have been at stake. But people now feel more readily what it is to lose office and home, and the associations of the greater part of life. It will be a great gain, if what is done is done with deeper earnestness. For myself, I cheerfully commit all things into His hands, who ordereth all things well, and from whom I deserve nothing. " Ever yours, affectionately, " Christ Church, Advent, " E. B. PLSEY. Ember Week, 1844.—Tuesday." * Vide Heylin's " Life of Laud," pp. 178, 182. MR. WARD. OXFORD, THURSDAY.— The friends of Mr. Ward have caused the following to be extensively circulated amongst members of Convocation : " New Form of Declaration which the proposed statute will enable the Vice-Chancellor to impose. " Ego A. B. Articulis Fidei et Religioisis necnon tribus articulis in canons XXXVI. comprehensis sub scripturus, profiteor, fide mea data huic universitati, me articulis is tis omnibus et singulis eo sensu subscripturum in quo eos ex animo credo et primitus editos esse, et nunc mihi eL universitate propositos tanquam opinionum . mearum certum ac indubita turn signum.' " The attention of members of Convocation is re quested to the following considerations : " 1. That the proposed statute institutes a new reli gious test in the University. "2. That a local test, thus instituted, places the members of the university in a religious position different from that of all other members of the Church, and the whole body of the clergy. " 3. That the imposing any new test of doctrine be yond those which rest on the authority of the Chum'', is a serious innovation, and alters at once the constitution of the University, and its relations to the Church. "4. That a great difference of opinion has always been permitted among those who subscribe the Articles, and that it is now proposed to introduce a new limit and restriction to that difference. "5. That the test proposed, being itself liable to dif ferent interpretations, is likely to cause perplexity, and to operate as a snare to conscience. " 6. That it is not right or safe to rest on the suppo sition that this test will not be applied ; since the ob vious presumption from its being proposed is, that it is meant to be used. " 7. That a test not applied to all, but liable to be im posed upon suspected individuals, according to the will of the Vice-Chancellor for the time being, is an objec tionable form of test, likely to encourage a system of secret and underhand information, and to destroy mu tual confidence and freedom of intercourse in the Uni versity." RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.—On Thursday last a deputation of the provisional committee of the Dunstable Branch Railway to the Birmingham Trunk at Leighton Buzzard, consisting of Messrs. Edward Burr, Richard Gutteridge, Henry Goude, William Elliott, Benjamin Bennett, together with the solicitors of the projected line, Messrs. Parker, Twisden, and Co., of Lincoln's Inn fields, and Mr. James N. Cartwright, of Dunstable, waited by appointment on the Directors of the London and Birmingham Company at Euston-square. On the following Saturday the resolution agreed upon by the said Company at their meeting was communicated through the secretary, Mr. Creed, to the effect that the London and Birmingham Company agree to lease the projected branch line of the Dunstable Company in per petuity, and to give a guarantee of 4 per cent. on the capital employed, with an equal division of surplus pro fits ; the capital not to exceed 50,000/. The proposed railway is likely to prove a great advantage to Dunstable —a town which, having recovered from the depression occasioned by the withdrawal of the traffic on the turn pike-road, is gradually rising into importance. At pre sent there is none but the most inefficient conveyance for coals, and all descriptions of heavy goods, which will be conveyed at a very reduced price by railway. Two MEN DROWNED.—SEAHAM, DEC. 19.—Yes terday an inquest was held at this port, which is about seven miles north of Sunderlaud, on the bodies of two pilots belonging to the latter place, named John Givens and W. Maddison. who had been drowned on the pre ceding day. It is customary for the pilots of Sunder land to conduct vessels in and out of Seaham, (which is a private port belonging to the Marquis of Londonderry, for the shipment of his coals), and on Tuesday a coble, containing four men, was proceeding out to sea " to seek ships," as it is called. The sea was very high at the time, and a heavy wave having struck the coble, it was dashed with great violence against the pier and swamped, all the crew being precipitated into the water. Assistance was promptly at hand, and two of the unfor tunate men were saved. The remaining crew met a watery grave. The Coroner's jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death," and after the inqucst the bodies were removed to Sunderland. The deceased have left large families to deplore their loss. THE CONDEMNED CRIMINALS..--We understand that the execution of William Potter and William Ken drew, the former for setting fire to the dwelling•house of William Neville, at Wistow, near Selby, and the latter for the murder of Mr. William Inchbald, at Low Duns forth, near Boroughbridge,will take place (should no re prieve be received) on Saturday week, the 28th instant. William Potter does not betray the same indifference which he exhibited on I.( ceiving his sentence, but, we hear, has become much softened. William Kendrew, however, still maintains a dogged sullenness, and seems not properly to understand the awful position in which he is placed.—Doncaster Gazette. BURGHEAD.—UNSEEMLY DISTURBANCE.—We have just seen a private letter from the fishing-town of Burghead, near Elgin, stating that a great deal of ill-feeling and an unfortunate riot had taken place between some of the people of Hope man and Burghead. The occasion of the disturbance was a meeting held for the purpose of letting the seats in the new Free Church erected in Burghead. The parties quarrelled as to the appropriation of the seats, and an unfortunate adjournment took place to the public-house. There, inflamed with drink, the dispute was continued, and fighting took placd, more or less, throughout the whole of the night. The Free Church clergyman, Mr. Waters, endeavoured, but in vain, to effect a reconciliation, and get the parties to disperse. Next morning one of the men was found dead in a quarry in the neighbourhood. Such are the terms of the letter, but, of course, an investigation will take plum—lnverness Courier. PLYMOUTH. At a highly respectable and influential meeting of the parishioners of the parish of Charles, held in the parish church, Mr. Richard Martin, churchwarden, in the chair; Resolved,--Ist. That this meeting views with deep':,, regret and painful manifestation the changes directed•,by the Bishop in the services of the Church, and most ener getically proclaims to his Lordship the eirnest deigreof the parishioners that he will not, in order to obtain con formity, compel the clergy and laity to return to prac tices which have generally become obsolete. In urging this upon the attention of the Bishop, this meeting would remind him, that if a departure from the law of cere monies and observances has arisen, his Lordship and his predecessors have sanctioned these departures, not only by their tacit consent, but doubtless by their actual pre sence upon many occasions. • 2d. This meeting most emphatically declares that, should the Bishop persevere and succeed in his object, the most ready means by which the parishioners can testify their dislike and determination to resist, will be to retire from any church in %) hich the innovations may be attempted, and ,c,k to carry c.n the Church service in unconsecrated buildings until the Bishop shall remove the mandate and restore peace. 3d. That this meeting reserves its high sense of the charity and Chlistian conduct of the ministers of this parish, and imploring the Almighty to vouchsafe to them a right understanding, earnestly desires they will exert their best efforts to preserve the services of the Church in their accustomed form—this meeting presents to the Rev. Chancellor Martin, Dcctor Bell, and the other mi nisters of the Chapter who supported their views, sin cere and grateful thanks fur having stood forth in the present crisis, thereby ailOrding high and excellent ex amples to those of the clergy vs ho resist the present in novation. 4th. That this meeting proposes a systematic arrange ment throughout the land, to ensure the most powerful opposition to the proposed innovations, as well as to cir culate the knowledge of authentic information of the proceedings of those of the clergy who, having reck lessly followed the views and practices of the Tractarian school, despite of the objection' of the laity have ac quired support by the Bishop's letter, and have, in con sequence, introduced other and more Romish prac tices, the object of disseminating such information being to exhibit the design of the party who have commenced this movement ; and with this view the meeting urges upon the parishioners of every parish the expediency of forming permanent committees. This meeting also sug gests that a central committee should be formed in every deanery, to which the parish committees should comtnin k-et( . and that in Exeter one or two persons should be deputed from each parish to form a general committee o corresponden for the country. THE HOUSE OF CORRECTION. Yesterday an adjourned inquest was held by Mr. Wakley, M.P., at the House of Correction, oa the body of a late prisoner, named James Hodges. It appeared, the evidence of the various warden of the prison under whose charge the deceased had been having been read, that another prisoner who had been in the same yard with him was examined in the absence of the officers of the prison, and in the course of his statement he said that the cell in which the deceased had slept at night was an extremely cold one ; that he had himself slept is it, and consequently was in a condition. to state the fact ; that the prison diet did not allow a sufficient quantity of sustenance for the maintenance of health and warmth in the body during the winter Months. He also stated that if a prisoner made a complaint to the surgeon of the gaol that he was ill, and the latter thought he was not so, that he was punished by being deprived of half his meal; and that if it happened to be on one of the meat days, then that meat would be taken from him, and he would be put upon gruel. The effect of this system was to deter prisoners, when they were ill, frequently from making the complaint of their being unwell, and especiall = y if that visitati on s h ou ld c h ance to be on a " meat day.' The witness also made further statements, which were of so serious a character, as affecting the general treatment of the prisoners, that The CORONER at length said, it was most painful to hear such statements without possessing the power or means of applying a remedy for them. If these accusa- tions were justly made they demanded a remedy, and as from the length of the inquiry it would be impossible to conclude the investigation upon that occasion, he would endeavour to procure the attendance of the visiting jus tices, to hear them on the next occasion—on the day to which an adjournment of the case might eventually be agreed upon. Mr. MILLS, the deputy-coroner, accordingly waited upon the visiting justices, who happened to be sitting in another room in the gaol, and who, upon being informed of the nature of the statement which had been made by the prisoner, at once arranged with him to be present upon the renewal of the inquiry on the following Friday (yesterday). The proceedings on the return of M r. Mills to the coroner's court were adjourned accordingly. Yesterday, therefore, the jury re-assembled at the prison, when a number (if indeed they were not the whole of that body) of the visiting justices were present. Amongst them were Mr. Wilks, Mr. Tulk, Mr. Rotch, Mr. Hoare, Mr. Bluck, Captain Bague, Mr. Rose, Mr. France, Mr. Crake, and Mr. Kemshead. The father, step-mother, and widow of the deceased were also in attendance. The inquiry occupied upwards of four hours, and was again adjourned. The prisoner, who had been examined on the first day, again underwent a protracted examina tion, but failed to confirm many of the heaviest charges he had set up on the first occasion. We, therefore, think it to be fairer to all parties to ab s t a i n from publishing any report until the whole proceeding has been brought to a conclusion. STATE OF TRADE. The imports of the week have been very insignifi cant, and a very large fleet of vessels, which must be in the immediate neighbourhood, have been prevented getting in, owing to the still continuing easterly winds. Holders of produce on the spot are reaping consi derable advantage from this circumstance, and per• haps, on the whole, adverse winds were never less seriously felt ; for, so late in the year, we seldom find the market for goods brisk, and importers have always abstained from pressing sales until after the first week in January. The stock of cotton is, from the same cause, getting into smaller compass, and the excess over last year is now only about 100,000 bales. There has been a quiet market this week, without apparent change in prices; but buyers have the best of the bargain. Strenuous efforts are making to obtain the abolition of the duty on this article, the work being committed to the hands of influential parties. In Liverpool, generally speak ing, there seems a strong feeling that no particular claim exists to entitle cotton alone to be exempted from duty. The soap trade are making an effort for a remission of their duty, and, as it seems to us, with a more general ground for the application; they complain bitterly of the system of collection, as it now exists ; and whilst, perhaps, a modi fication of that system would satisfy many, yet they go for a total repeal. This is a branch of ma nufacturing industry which is in a great measure confined to this immediate neighbourhood, and might be, as we hear, very considerably increased, even if the trade were freed from the annoying survey to which they are now subject, whilst, at the same time, it is thought the revenue would be very much assisted. It is evident from what is passing in all quarters, that there will be again an anxious session, and the door will be opened to all sorts of speculative invest ments, in the hope of a favourable change of duty to assist the articles purchased.—Liverpool Mercury of Friday. DRAYTON MANOR.—The Right Honourable Sir Robert Peel, Bart., gave an entertainment at the manor, on Monday last, to a party of above forty of his princi pal tenants, mostly in the occupation of large farms on his estate. Dr. Buckland, Dr. Playfair, and Mr. Smith, of Deanston, the well-known Scotch agriculturist, who were on a visit to the Right Honourable Baronet, after dinner addressed the company. Dr. Playfair delivered an eloquent discourse on the different descriptions of manure, and the most approved systems of manuring land, to which the assembled farmers seemed to devote the greatest attention. It was after eleven when the circle broke up, the tenants retiring with expressions of their high sense of their esteemed landlord's hospitality. SEASONABLE BENEVOLENCE.—Mrs. John Master man, jun., after having attended prayers at St. Dionis back Church, Fenchurch-street, yesterday morning, with the other ladies of the Committee of the Infant School of that neighbourhood, distributed blankets, flannels, and other useful winter clothing to upwards of 60 mothers of the infants under their care, the benevolent contribution of that lady. SUPPOSED SUICIDE IN A PUBLIC D1N1216-ROOM, —Mr. Payne held an inquest on Thursday at St. Bar tholomew's Hospital, on the body of Walter Steelt , aged forty, a parer ornament maker. Joseph Cooper, eating-house-keeper, of No. 26, Newgate-street, said that on Wednesday afternoon the deceased, whom he had never seen before, entered the shop and called for some roast beef for dinner. Deceased sat down in one of the boxed, anc appeared as if nothing was the matter with him, but a: soon as he had taken one mouthful of meat he we; seized with a great desire to vomit. Witness led hits out to the street, and by that time deceased was so weal as to require support. Ile took him to a chemist's it Newgate-street, where a cordial was administered, be without success, and from thence he was taken to thl above hospital. He never spoke after the first women of the attack. Some friends of the deceased said the he left home in the morning in a good state of health having recovered from the effects of a dose of mini taken three weeks ago. Mr. Philip Hurlock, resider medical officer of the hospital, said that the decease was dead upon his admission. A post mortem examine tion was made that day, but there was some difficulty i arriving at the precise cause of death. Considerabl inflammation of the stomach was found, such as woul be produced by some corrosive poison, arsenic or oxali acid for instance. Those appearances might, however have arisen from natural causes. Verdict—" Died fro! inflammation of the stomach, but how caused there is n evidence to show." ACCIDENT TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE GLOUCEI TERSHIRE QUARTER SESSIONS.—A rather serious ace dent befel Mr. Purnell, the chairman of the Gloucester shire Quarter Sessions, this week. He was skating along with some other gentlemen, on a pond near hi residence at Stincheomb Park, near Dursley, and, i consequence of a fall, his thigh bone was broken. let Purnell is an accomplished skater, and fond of the exec eise, and one report is that he was skating backward and came in contact with another gentleman, who wi doing the same, but coming in an opposite direction, at that the accident was occasioned by the collision.