The Sun. — London, England, 1836-12-28 00:00:00

c(iuntry until with great difficulty a road was opened down the hill. In the City several cabs were seen drawn by two horses, a la tandem. More snow has already fallen than during the whole of the forr preceding winters. During the last few days the fall of snow has been greater than :ts recollected by the oldest inhabitant of the metro polis.. In the memory of our readers, the year 1799 may not have been forgotten. By those who reside in the imme- Iliate neighbourhood of the place where the circumstances took place _which we are about to relate, it is scarcely known :—On the 2d of February, in the year named, Mrs. Elizabeth Woodcock, a respectable resident of the village of Impington, about three miles from Cambridge, was re turning home from market, and was overtaken by a snow drift. She fell by the side of a hedge and remained there for eight days and nights. On the 10th of the same month she was discovered, and conveyed home to her family and friends, in the full possession of her faculties, and well re membered hearing the bells from her native village chiming for the church service. Equally accurate was her hearing on the morning of the day she was relieved from what she thought would he her death-bed—again the bells chimed, and she recognised them. A monument was been erected to commemorate this event, which exists to the present day, and proud is the villager to point it out to the tra veller who passes near the spot. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) HVNI.EY, DEC. 27.—Since the year 1814, so great a drift of snow as the present has not occurred in this part of the country. The Gloucester mail yesterday was four hours behind, having been imbedded in the snow at Nuf field for a considerable time, till extricated by the labourers and horses of Mr. Newton, at Gould's-heath. The Wor cester strap bags did not come at all, that mail not being at Oxford in time for the regular conveyance to Henley. The Reading cross-postman was the only person who ac compEshed the journey between the two towns in the course of the day, and he was three times dug out in his progress. In many of the lanes and roads the snow has drifted considerably above the hedges. This morning (Tuesday) no mails either up or down arrived ; and Messrs. Dixon's Henley coach (which went yesterday and returned) started with the London bag at nine o'clock ; Mr. George Dixon drove, and with a strong supply of horses had the good fortune to open the communication between this town and Maidenhead, which had been closed more than twenty four hours, thus releasing the Stroud and Gloucester mails, and the Birmingham, Cheltenham, and Oxford coaches de tained there ; and the whole (six in number) got to Henley between 11 and 12 o'clock. Too much praise cannot be given to Mr. Dixon, through whose exertions their release was much accelerated. The Stroud mail was fifteen hours behind time on its arrival this evening—a great part of the distance over fields, the roads being in many parts utterly impassable. Not a single Oxford coach left that city via Henley since Sunday ; and at the time I write this (10 o'clock) the Gloucester mail has not arrived. THE GLASGOW TOWN COUNCIL AND SIR R. PEEL. At the meeting of this body on Thursday the Lord Pro vost called the attention of the Council to Mr. Burns's motion that the freedom of the city be conferred on Sir R. Peel. _ _ _ _ Mr. BURNS said those marks of distinction which the Council had it in their power to confer should not be con flied to the leaders of one party more than another ; and be trusted a majority of all parties would join in saying that they should not exercise their privileges for party purposes. He hoped the example shown by one party in the Council to the other, on the last occasion on which they conferred this honour, would be followed that day, and that the mo tion would be passed both courteously and unanimously. The distinguished individual whom he called upon them to honour was entitled to that mark of distinction, as he was officially connected with the city by being Lord Rector of the University of Glasgow. He was an individual of first rate classical attainments, and his character was most ex erntl ry. Mr. HOPE seconded the motion. He thought there would be no opposition to the motion whatever, for he was sure by agreeing to it, they not only conferred honour on Sir R. Peel, but paid a compliment to the University. Mr. DOUGLAS said the first of virtues was sincerity. He did not think that any one could sincerely say the motion was disconnected with politics ; for Sir Robert Peel, it was said, should be merely viewed as Rector of the Uni versity. But he was chosen solely on political grounds, though it was true that his party had fallen back on his personal character as safer to stand on than the noble can didate they abandoned. He (Mr. D.) was always ready to discuss such political questions in good temper, and to al low every just praise to a fair political opponent. As a Member of the Reformed Council of Glasgow, chosen by a Reforming Constituency for similarity of politics, he did not wear opinions like a cloak for the hustings, which he would betray the people and disgrace himself by leaving behind him on a pe.g when he entered that room. The seat he held there it was given to the citizens to bestow on him, in spite of the strenuous opposition of the party of which Sir R. Peel was the leader, only more dangerous to free dom for his great talents ; and he should stultify himself if he should vote the city's freedom to him who opposed the freedom of that very city. He would not waste time in recouueing all the striking instances in which Sir R. Peel ha'i opposed the cause of liberty and reform, but simply refer to the memorable case when he voted against the two liberated Members cut off from Retford being transferred to the great manufacturing metropolis of Eng land, Manchester, to which he owed his birth and the for tunos of his family—for supporting which four Ministers were expelled from the Cabinet of which he was the Com mons' leader. Mr. Douglas concluded by moving an amendment—" That this Reformed Council, who owe their seats to that Reform which was opposed by the party of which Sir Robert Peel was the leader, cannot, without stultifying themselves, offer him a vote of appro bation." Mr. TURNER seconded the amendment. Mr. MiGaviN, when he concurred in the vote to confer the freedom of the city on Lord W. Bentinck, was never more surprised than at notices of motions being given for conferring that honour on others. There had been repeated warnings given by the same party against making that chamber the arena of political discussion, but the present was the greatest political question which had ever come be fore the Council. For his own part, he bad never brought forward anything political, or, if he had, he would have made a motion to confer the freedom of the city on Feargus O'Connor.—(Laughter.) The value of the thing did not exceed 2s. 6d., except from the approval of the character to which it was presented. Now he dissented as much from the political sentiments of Lord William Bentinck as he did from. those of Sir Robert Peel. He therefore supported the amendment. Mr. DALGListi said they had many precedents of what the old Town Council had done, and which he thought the present council ought to follow, and one of these occurred in 1830, when Lord Lansdowne was appointed Rector. Upon that occasion the Marquis of Lansdowne was pro posed to be honoured with the freedom of the city as being an eminent Statesman and a man of liberal sentiments in politics. If politics had been discussed at that time there would have been a majority against his Lordship ; but he could say for that Council that there was not a dissenting voice. Not one individual, however much opposed to his Lordship's political opinions, uttered a word of dissent. Mr. CRAIG thought, had Sir Robert Peel come here by accident, it would have been very good taste to have given him the freedom of the city upon personal considerations ; but the purpose for which he was to visit Glasgow was clearly political—there was to be a great dinner of his friends, avowedly for a political purpose. Mr. Douglas bad observed, Sir R. Peel was at the head of a party who bad opposed that burghage liberty which they now enjoyed ; and as there was a great noise made about re action, they would be held as recognising the principles of the Hon. Baronet ; the cry of more re-action would be raised, and with tolerably good grounds, if :the re form town-council of Glasgow so far forgot their poli tical opinions as to give him the freedom of the city under the pretence that it was merely from personal respect. He would, therefore, vote for the amendment. Mr. CAMPBELL was exceedingly sorry that the dis cussion had assumed a political appearance. They had many grounds for conferring the freedom of the city on Sir R. Peel without at all entering upon political grounds. lie had been raised almost immediately to a very high rank, and they could now hail him as a man of great wealth and influence—not on account of his wealth, but influence, which arose from the principle of the motto that " Knowledge is power." He did not like the little pettish principle of saying, had Sir R. Peel got his will they would not have been there ; that was a very un gracious mode of retaliating.—(Laughter.) It would be an honour and a credit to the council to give the freedom of the city to Sir R. Peel. Mr. BANKIER was very much surprised when he heard the notice given of this -motion. Gentlemen need not dis guise the real purpose of the motion. It was a political motion, and they need not attempt to screen it under the pretence that it was merely personal. If there were any public act which Sir R. Peel had done for which he could give him credit, he would do so. Needed he to say that there was only one act which he did approve—namely, his granting Catholic Emancipation ? He did give him credit for that, but he did not feel warranted in giving him a vote of thanks, knowing, as they all knew, that Glasgo w was not a Catholic city. The DEAN of GUILD, n otwithstanding the reiterated assertions of some of the members of Council that this motion was brought forward with a political view, must re peat his own assertion that he did not understand it as such. Gentlemen need not be afraid of their political opinions being in jeopardy, for their opinions on political matters were all well enough known ; and as well might it be said that he agreed to the vote for honouring Lord W. Bentinck on the principle argued. The public dinner to be given to Sir Robert Peel did not affect this question, because the same thing took place in the case of Lord Lansdowne. Mr. J. B. GRAY observed that the Dean of Guild had said he did not view this as a political, but merely as a personal, question. According to the report of the speech of the Dean of Guild which he read in the newspapers, as having been delivered at the meeting for making ar rangements for the dinner, the Dean of Guild said that it was not a political question to which he spoke—that the dinner was to be given on personal considerations. Had he stopped here he raight have been borne out ; buh• what did the leader of that party say in opposition to the Dean of Guild ?—" A reaction has taken place, and this dinner would be a proof of such reaction." [lllr. Neil— That is only one man.] There was the secret let out. There it was stated that this dinner was to.be a political dinner ; that it was got up to prove the reaction—to prove that there was reaction in the political feelings, not only of Glasgow, but of Scotland. - He did not blame the opposite party for making a demonstration ; let them con gregate in thousands, to do honour to the celebrated leader of their powerful party. What he (Mr. Gray) said, was that this was a political question—that the dinner was a political question—and he was now asked to give the freedom of the city, whatever might be the political principles avowed. The election of Sir R. Peel as Lord Rector, was an election arising out of poli tical objects alone. The parties were ranged on each side, and all avowed that they were actuated, and he would hazard contradiction on that point, from political feeling alone. If they conferred the freedom of the city on Sir Robert Peel, they would be doing what Mr. Craig had said—giving an additional proof that there was re-ac ion. They would be said to represent the political feel ing of Glasgow, and as approving the feelings of their opponents. But, added the gentleman who brought forward the motion, on account of his classical attain ments, they should confer the freedom of the city on Sir R. Peel. The only precedent the other party had was the Marquis of Lansdowne, and no one needed to fear his politics. The freedom of the city might be conferred on him without doing much injury to any political feeling whatever. Under these circumstances how did it come to pass that Sir Robert Peel was to be presented with the freedom of the city ? At that time political feeling was as strong as it was now, and the party who held the situation they now held would have considered it a falling off from their political sentiments had they conferred the freedom of the city on those persons whom he had named ; and would they now honour the leader of him who, as Mr. Douglas had said, opposed to the utmost that reform which they now enjoyed, and who left his protest in the Journals of the House •f Commons against it? However unim peachable his personal character, however eminent his clas sical attainments, these only made him a more powerful supporter of the principles of the party wbo gave him their support, and for one precedent which that party had shown of their honouring those opposed to them in politics he had referred to many others against them. He was not going to enter upon Sir Robert Peel's political life. The opinion men held they were free to express, and the other party need not seek him to approve of their political opi nions by the vote which they asked. They must endeavour to make the most of what they had said they would do by their demonstrations—prove that there was reaction. He would not assist them. He would say by his vote that there was no reaction. The question was solely a political question. Why the gentleman on his left hand had said he would do everything in his power to discountenance the conversion of the Council into an arena for political discus sion, and yet asked them to confer the freedom of the town on Sir Robert Peel, as being an able man—a man of eminent classical attainment's and a politician—he could not say. The DEAN of GUILD said the report which Mr. Gray had quoted was not altogether correct. He never denied that it was to be a political dinner ; but he never confounded the dinner with conferring the freedom of the city. He never wished to do so.—(Cries of " Spoke.") Mr. PAUL had pledged himself not to support a vote for conferring the freedom of the city on any other man until it was conferred on Lord Stanley, who, for an enligh tened mind and Christian attainments, was as well entitled to receive that honour as Sir Robert Peel. Mr. Paul went into a detail of the proceedings which took place when he made the motion for conferring the freedom of the city on Lord Stanley about two years ago. He was left with only six of a minority in the Council at that time. He never held the political opinions of Sir Robert Peel, but he would be the last to detract from the merits of that gentle man, or who would wish to throw a damp on his visit to the city. Bailie FLEMING supported the amendment on the same grounds as Mr. Campbell supported the motion. Mr. Campbell had said Sir R. Peel was one of themselves, but he joined the aristocracy of the country, and his splendid talents were employed in opposing the class from which he had sprung. He would not act so " spanielly" as to confer compliments of such a kind on this man. Bailie DUNLOP was one of those who supported the free dom of the city being conferred on Lord Stanley, an honour which he would confer on any great public servant. He proposed voting for the motion, but he could wish it carried without a division.—(Great laughter.) The Deacon CONVENER hoped the gentlemen opposed to Sir Robert Peel in politics would act with the same libe rality as the other party did when the vote was carried for Lord William Bentinck. Did itey suppose that those who acceded to the motion did so as aimark of their approbation for his Lordship's political opinions ? Mr. J. HUTCHINSON regarded Sir Robert Peel as a man of great eminence, but were he to do as he was asked to do by this motion he would be giving the lie to his whole poli tical life, and the wishes and feelings he entertained on the grounds of his character as a Reformer would be blasted. Sir Robert Peel had not desisted from his opposition to Reform. The last session of Parliament he resisted Re form in the municipal corporations in Ireland till the very last. He was an opponent of all Reform. He was no doubt a great man and an eminent scholar, and he would be glad to see him join in the cause of reasonable, not Radical, reform.—(Laughter.) On a division there voted, for the motion 12 ; for the amendment.l9.—Glasgow Chronicle. A more preposterous motion (says the same paper) was never submitted to the consideration of a deliberative as sembly. No Member of Council laying claim to the slightest particle of consistency as a Reformer could have supported it. A great deal too much was said about Sir Robert Peel's talents. For our parts, we shall never ad mit that real talent is possessed by those who set themselves against the liberties of the people. Sir R. Peel is the most dangerous enemy of popular rights now living, and the re brmed town council would have stultified themselves, and ncurred the contempt of their constituents, had they fallen into the Tory trap. Earl and Countess Amherst and Lord and Lady Holmesdale and family have arrived at Montreal, near Seven Oaks, where they will pass the Christmas holydays. The Countess of Plymouth, from Knowle Castle, has arrived at Montreal. _ . The Dowager Lady de Clifford will arrive at her mansion in Carlton-terrace on the 6th of January, to make preparations for the approaching marriage of her niece, Miss Sotheby, to the Rev. Mr. Eatcourt. The Duchess Countess of Sutherland is expected to return to Hamilton-place to-day, from Oatlands, where a select circle are enjoying the hospitality of Lord Francis Egerton. Between eight and nine o'clock on Sunday night, a respectably dressed female, about forty years of age, was brought into the North London Hospital, in Upper Gower Street, Bedford-square, by a police constable of the S divi sion, who had discovered her leaning against the railings of the inclosure of Euston-square. She was directly attended by Mr. Pearce, the house-surgeon, who ascertained that she was labouring under the effects of a powerful dose of lau danum. The stomach pump and the usual antidotes were employed, and the whole of the poison was extracted from her stomach ; after which she was kept in motion and awake for about five hours, when a re-action in the system took place, and confident hopes are entertained of her re covery. She states her name to be Jane M'Less, 46 years of age, and the wife of a respectable tradesman residing at No. 26, Charlton-street, Fitzroy-square. She was jealous of her husband, and after a few words with him, as they were sitting together to enjoy the Christmas evening, she suddenly left the room, and, putting on her bonnet, went into the first chemist's shop she came to, and obtained six pennyworth of laudanum, which she drank off, and then wandered about until she lost all recollection of what was passing round her. THE NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.—EDITED BY THEODORE Hoots, ESQ.—Among numerous other dis tinguished contributors to this popular Magazine, which, from the Ist of January, will be edited by Theodore Hook, Mr. Colburn announces the following . Author of " Tremaine." Douglas Jerrold, Esq. Authors of " The Rejected Ad- Miss L. E. Landon. dresses." Miss Mitford. Barry Cornwall. Sir Charles Morgan. Haynes Bayly, Esq. Lady Morgan. S. Beasley, Esq. The Hon. Mrs. Norton. Laman Blanchard, Esq. R. B. Peake, Esq. J. B. Buckstone, Esq. J. R. Planche, Esq. Thomas Campbell, Esq. John Poole, Esq. (the Author of B. D'lsraeli, Esq. " Paul Pry.") Ebenezer Elliott. Hamilton. Reynolds, Esq. The Rev. G. R. Gleig. Leitch Ritchie, Esq. Mrs. Gore. The Author of " Glances a' Mrs. S. C. Hall. Life." Benson Hill, Esq. N. P. Willis, Esq., &c, Leigh Hunt, Esq. DRURY LANE THEATRE. A new piece in two acts, called Hush ! or Secrets at Court, was produced at this theatre last night. Ladislas Radzin ski (Mr. Cooper) a young lieutenant in the Polish army, with more gaiety than money, and more frankness than discretion, arrives, after a journey from Warsaw, performed on foot, at the Russian capital, with the romantic project of paying his addresses to the Countess Braniska (Miss Taylor) the niece and sole heiress of Prince Potemkin (Mr. Warde). At the time the action of the piece commences the latter fills the post of Prime Minister of the Empress Catherine. The young and mercurial Pole, whose knight errant-like propensities have led him so long a journey, he merely having on one occasion waltzed with the Countess, encounters Potemkin almost on the instant of his arri val at St. Petersburgh, and with a degree of communi cativeness very often represented on the stage, but very seldom exhibited off it, makes the Russian courtier, till then a perfect stranger, the confidant of all his pro jects, his great aim being to gain the good graces of Potemkin's niece, and a stepping-stone to that, to obtain, if possible, the situation of secretary or under-secretary, to the Prince himself. Potemkin does not disclose his name or rank to his new acquaintance, and, leaving him to his reflections, amuses himself by laughing with those he meets at the effrontery of the adventurer. The tale, however, reaches the ears of the Empress. She is quite struck by an act of devotion so nearly allied in character to those per formed by the paladins of old ; and her curiosity being once excited, a Lady of Honour, the Baroness Guilderstein (Mrs. W. Clifford), becomes the convenient medium for its gratification. Presents, and letters appointing assignations, which the enraptured Pole attributes to the Countess, who is surprised and offended beyond measure at his pre sumption, and to rid herself of his advances actually pro cures him the command of a regiment ordered on foreign service, show that there are parties, as high in rank at least as the Countess, who are not insensible to his merits. Po temkin's jealousy is awakened ; his unconscious rival is by his orders seized, hurried to a chapel, and allowed only a confessor and a quarter of an hour to prepare for death. But there is many a slip between the cup and the lip. An autograph order arrives from the Empress, in which Potemkin is desired to present Radzinski at Court that very evening. The intended execution is accordingly stayed, and Potemkin, acting apparently under the full con viction of the truth of the maxim that marriage and hang ing go by destiny, determines, as his prisoner has escaped one noose, to secure him by another, and, as a proof of his niece's devotion to him, demands her assent to an imme diate union with the young Pole. She complies, the knot is tied with a most praiseworthy despatch, a minute suffic ing for the operation, and Potemkin's fall and humiliation are averted, as the penchant of the Empress never was known to extend to married men. This is the out line of the plot, which, as will easily be seen, does not afford sufficient scope for that variety of situation and incident which is essential to the success of a dramatic re presentation. In good truth it was very dull. The audi ence grew impatient towards the conclusion of the first act ; and, soon after the commencement of the second, the dis approbation became so loud that it was doubtful whether the piece would be allowed to proceed. However, Mr. Cooper chivalrously came to the rescue, and assured the audience that the piece was the production of an author , who had very often laboured successfully in their service, and he therefore hoped that they would give it a fair and patient hearing. This address restored order. The author of Hush, or Secrets at Court, may console himself for his present ill fortune, by dwelling upon his former triumphs. THE CITY OF LONDONDERRY STEAMER-THE LATE GALES. The City of Londonderry, with a large cargo, and a grea number of cabin and deck passengers, left London on Sun day, Nov. 27, for Dublin. As night came on the captain did not conceive it prudent to proceed over the flats, as the night was extremely dark ; so much so, indeed, that it was impossible to see the buoys that mark the channel. The next day she weighed an anchor, and proceeded on her voyage ; but, at night, bore up for Margate Roads, where both anchors were let go, and she rode out the gale of Tues day in excellent style. From this day the weather was terrific, with occasional lulls, and we reached Plymouth, with difficulty, on Friday. Here we took in coals, and on Sunday proceeded for Falmouth, which we reached in fourteen hours, and took in a fresh supply of coals. From this we started on Tuesday, full of hope that the worst of the passage was passed. As night however came on the wind increased to a gale, and the vessel laboured excessively. While off the Longships Lights it was found that the vessel was making water fast, and from the heavy sea then running, sailing at a very slow rate ; the pumps were set to work, but proved useless ; and every moment the water increased within her, till at length the fires in the engine-room were extinguished by it. At this moment the exertions of the deck passengers were called into requisition, and the water conveyed in buckets from the hold to the deck. Morning dawned to afford but little relief to the almost exhausted energies of those employed. Captain Bibby exerted himself in a manner which shall loug endear him to his companions in misfortune. From the time we left London he dis played a degree of caution that gave confidence to us all. Early this morning (Wednesday) be ordered sail to be set, but scarcely was the square foresail to the yard when it was split to ribands ; and while employed in cut ting it away we found that the fore-cabin was on fire. At such a moment our feelings may be imagined, but increased exertion was the consequence, and the fire was extinguished before it was generally known that such an additional calamity had occurred. It was now found necessary to heave the vessel to, to prevent an increase of injury to the machinery, which had been terribly shaken by the labour ' ing of the vessel. Still the water increased fast, nor was it at any time really got under. Towards the evening a tremendous sea struck her on the starboard-bow, and for a moment all hope of escape seemed to have vanished. In vain was the signal of distress hoisted ; we saw but one vessel, a schooner ; but she seemed to have sufficient to do for herself, for she took no notice of us. Night came on, a little before which we made sail, and got one of the paddles to work. Now our only hope was the Milford Lights, which were sought for with much anxiety, and after some time were descried, to the delight of the exhausted crew and deck passengers ; for none of the cabin passengers, though there were a good many on board, and few of them females, but none of them men, aided in the slightest manner, either by appearance -or act, to save the vessel. Again we went to work, and soon came to anchor within the haven, where, exhausted and worn out, we sunk to sleep in our cheerless berths. The next day the steamer was moved into the harbour, and received a temporary repair, and an attempt was made on Monday evening to put to sea, but, after pro ceeding a short distance, it was found impossible. Off the lights we saw the Thames bearing for Milford, she having damaged her stay-beam. On Wednesday evening there were evident symptoms of moderation of the weather, and on Thursday we proceeded to sea, there being but little wind when we left, and on Friday morning reached Kings town, being twenty days from London. At Milford we left the Thames and many other vessels, sufferers from the late tempestuous weather, besides many foreign and coasting vessels which were fortunate enough to have obtained shelter before the gale came on. The writer of this article cannot close without adverting to the conduct of the crew and passengers, whose conduct accorded with the wishes of the captain, whose example gave confidence to the most timid. The deck passengers were composed of soldiers belonging to different regiments, with some re cruits, four seamen, and some others. To the captain the writer leaves the task of bearing testimony to the exertions of these persons indeed he has already done so, for scarcely had he landed in Milford, when he declared " that, but for the exertions of the deck passengers, the vessel would have been lost, with all •n board." Of this there can be but little doubt, for while we laboured with success, many a I brave fellow laboured in vain, as the shipping reports tes tify. Our passage brought to mind the maxim, " that unity of exertion is the best means of preservation under he guidance of Heaven."—Northern Whig. Lady Cawdor left Berkeley-square to join the party I assembled at Mr. and Lady Gertrude Sloane Stan l ey's , Paultons, Hants. BULL'S NEW SYSTEM.—The last page of The Atheruzuni of next Saturday will be wholly occupied with particulars of the New System established at Bull's Li brary for the regular supply of Book Societies and Fami lies in all parts of England, Scotland, and Ireland, upon most advantageous terms to them. The plan and regula tions will therefore be obtainable through the Number of the Atheneum for Dec. 3], without expense, as this popu lar journal is always to be seen in every city, town, and village throughout the kingdom. The same particulars, however, together with a list of several hundred modern Publications, and all the popular and valuable New Works, can be had or sent per post as a single letter direct from the Library, on application to Mr. Bull, the Librarian, 19, Holles-street, Cavendish-square, London. MR. BURKE'S HISTORY OF THE LANDED GENTRY OF GREAT BRITAIN.—The thirteenth part of this very interesting record of the rise, progress, establishment, and connexion of the various families who possess the soil of the country, and form its most staple class, is just pub lished. The work is to be completed in three more. parts, comprising a biographical and genealogical account of all the eminent families in the kingdom, and upwards of a hundred thousand individuals connected with them. It is scarcely necessary now to call the attention of our readers to the great importance of this work. Its accuracy has been fully admitted, and the gentry of England may con gratulate themselves on the publication of a complete and authentic history of their order. INSURRECTION AT STRASBURG. ACT OF ACCUSATION. (Abridged from a Morning Contemporary.) The King's Procureur-General of the Royal Court of Colmar, Chevalier of the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour, manifests, that by a decree of this Court, given in the Chamber of Accusation on the sth of December, 1836, it has been declared, that there is ground for accusing -Ist. Vaudrey (Claude Nicolas), aged 52, Colonel of the 4th Regiment of Artillery, officer of the Legion of Honour, domiciled at Strasburg. 2d. Laity (Armand Francois Ruppert), aged 27, Lieu tenant of the Battalion of Engineers, garrisoned at Strasburg. 3d. Parquin (Charles Denis), aged 49, chief of a squa dron of the Municipal Guard, domiciled at Paris. 4th. De Querelles (Henri Richard Sigefroi), aged 59, Lieutenant (unattachea), domiciled at Nancy. sth. De Gricourt (Charles Emmanuel Raphael), aged 23, without profession, domiciled at Paris. 6th. Eleonore Brault, widow of the Sieur Gordon Archer, aged 28, artiste, domiciled at Paris. 7th. Frederic de Bruc, aged 38, chief of a squadron (un attached Chevalier of the Legion of Honour), domiciled at Paris.* Bth. Persigny (Jean Gilbert Victor), aged 25, without profession, domiciled at Paris. 9th. Lombard (Jules Barthelemy), formerly surgeon to the military hospitals, aged 27, domiciled at Strasburg. 10th. Gros (Michel Jean Francois Regis), aged 26, Se cond Lieutenant of the 12th Company of Engineers, garri soned at Strasburg. 11th. Letry (Charles Philippe Francois), aged 25, Se cond Lieutenant of the 6th Company of the same bat talion. 12th. Dupenhouat (Louis), aged 24, Second Lieutenant of the 4th Company of the same corps. 13th. De Schallan (Andre Joseph Nicolas), Lieutenant of the 3d Regiment of Artillery, garrisoned at Strasburg, aged 26. The Procureur-General declares, that a fresh investiga tion of the case having been made, in execution of the above-mentioned decree, the following is the result : " Of the various members of the Buonaparte family, ba nished subsequent to the events of 1814 and 1815, the two sons of the ex-King of Holland seemed to have most fondly cherished the chimerical hope of occupying in France the place formerly filled by the man who shed so much glory on their name. " Resident at a short distance from our frontiers, near Italy, they seemed to have selected for their domicile the spot the best calculated to enable them to observe and appreciate events which might offer them some chance of a ccomplishing their desire. These hopes, which the tran quillity of the latter years of the restoration had in some degree caused to fade, received fresh vigour from the revo lution of July, and from the commotions which threatened to disturb the peace of Europe. The movements which at this period manifested themselves in Italy appeared to have excited their particular attention. That country had formed part of the French empire ; it was the theatre where their uncle first made himself known to the world ; their origin, their name was Italian. Italy, consequently, was for them the road to France, and also to power. Accordingly, at the first symptoms of disorder which exhibited themselves in that country, they both hastened there with the firm determination of giving aid and strength to the commo tions. The first essay was unfortunate ; one of them died in the attempt ; the other, overcome by illness and worn out by suffering, was for the second time indebted to his mother for his life. In the month of May, 1832, he made a fresh attempt to engage public attention. The youthful soldier, whose sword had been shivered in Italy, now made use of the pen, and to the attempts of the war-1 rior succeeded those of the legislator. Louis Bonaparte published his Reveries Politiques, and followed them up by a plan for a constitution. The Reveries reveal his idea that France could not be regenerated except by men of the blood of Napoleon, and that to them alone did it belong to reconcile the exigencies of republican notions with the mi litary spirit. The constitution is conformable with the statements of this preamble. It is democratic ; several of its provisions appear to be written under the influence of St. Simonian inspirations ; while, at the same time, it an nounces in its first article that the Republic shall have an Emperor, and in its last article it declares, as if to prevent all doubt about the meaning of the expression, that the Im perial Guard shall be reorganized. " Several sword-blades seized at Strasburg previous to the event of the 30th of October, and bearing the figure of an eagle, together with these words, Imperial Guard.' prove that Louis Buonaparte had never ceased seriously to meditate on the accomplishment of the concluding pro vision of the constitution, which he was disposed to con cede. Since 1822 Louis Buonaparte did everything in his power to render himself conspicuous. He published seve ral pamphlets, one of which contained considerations on the political and military situation of Switzerland ; another was addressed to the artillery, the corps in which Napoleon served, and large quantities of it were forwarded to France ; at a later period, a friend drew up an account of his life for the Biography of the Men of the Day, copies of which were profusely circulated. " The friendly relations long existing between France and a neighbouring country having been afterwards disturbed, and the temporary non-intercourse magnified by party spirit into a serious and open breach, Louis Buonaparte re solved on profiting of the circumstance, and Switzerland was to be the centre of the movement he was endeavour ing to organize. But Providence was watching over the life of the King, and reason resumed its sway in the coun cils of a nation so renowned for its wisdom. It became necessary for Louis Bonaparte to alter his course, and he directed his attention to the army, by means of which lie expected to effect a military revolution. In the evening of the 28th he arrived at Strasburg, where he was joined by all the conspirators who did not reside in the city ; and on the 30th the attempt on which justice is now called to pro nounce was to take place. " Before six o'clock on the morning of that day Louis Bonaparte, dressed in the habiliment usually worn by the great man, his head covered with the historical hat, left his apartment, and repaired, followed by his friends, to the barrack occupied by the regiment of artillery commanded by Colonel Vaudrey. The latter was waiting for him at the head of his troops, under arms, and no sooner perceived him than he went up to meet him, and bringing him in front of his regiment, presented him to the men, whom he addressed in the following terms: — 'Soldiers of the 4th Regiment of Artillery !—A revo lution has just occurred in France ; Louis Philippe is no longer ou the throne, and Napoleon 11., the Emperor of the French, has come to take the reins of government. Cry out, Long live the Emperor !' " He then uttered that cry, which was responded by the soldiers. " Louis- Bonaparte next harangued the troops, called for their assistance, and his allocution was covered with cries of Vive l'Empereur !' "No time was to be lost. The greater the boldness of the enterprise, the more imperative it was on him to hasten its execution. Louis Bonaparte immediately put himself at the head of the regiment ; Colonel Vaudrey placed four de tachments under his orders, recommending the soldiers to obey the new chiefs appointed to command them. " The accused Persigny, at the head of the Ist detach ment, repaired to the Prefecture, and, having caused the gates to be thrown open, arrested the first magistrate of the department. " The accused de Schaller, Lieutenant of the 3d Regi ment of Artillery, took the command of the 2d detachment, and, having drawn up his men in front of the house of his Colonel, gave orders to his men not to allow any one to go out of it. " The accused Lombard proceeded, with the 3d detach ment, to the office of M. Silberman, where h.: had several proclamations of Louis Bonaparte printed. e A fourth detachment, under the direction of a person whose name is unknown, was instructed to stop up all the avenues leading to the house of General Lalandc, the Com mander of the Department of the Lower Rhine. " While these partial movements were in progress, the main body of the troops marched up to the hotel of the Lieutenant-General, and halted in front of it, when Louis Bonaparte, followed by the principal conspirators, walked into it, and proceeded to the apartment of General Voirol. Brave General,' said he, advancing towards him, let me embrace you. I am Napoleon ll.' But the reception he met with did not answer his expectations : warmly upbraided by the faithful chief, he understood that he had nothing to expect in that quarter. He immediately left the hotel, leaving the General in the custody of the accused Parquin and twelve commoners detached from the troop by Colonel Vaudrey. " From thence he repaired to the barrack of Finckmatt, in which the 46th Regiment of the Line was quartered, and there he experienced from the soldiers the same re sistance he had found at the hotel of General Voirol—pri rates and sub-officers both energetically rejected the offers and promises held out to them. The altercations of Louis Buonaparte, the exhortations of Colonel Vaudrey, and the harangues of Querelles and Laity, were attended with no effect, and in an instant the conspirators were all arrested by the soldiers, who were encouraged thereto by the arrival of most of their officers. Louis Bonaparte, after experiencing some ill-treatment, and having his uniform torn to pieces, and his decoratians wrested from his breast, was shut up in a room of the barrack, and the place where he had antici pated a certain triumph beheld the defeat of his audacious and culpable attempt. Five of the other conspirators shared the same fate. " Colonel Vaudrey was vain and ambitious, and more over a man of pleasure. Although married to a lady de * The first seven individuals are arrested and in prison, The last six have not yet been apprehended. serving universal esteem, and the father of an interesting I SPIRIT OF T family, he still had other incli nations beyond his domestic circles to gratify. His condi let was neither becoming his age nor his position. The laws of morality are never violated with impunity. Evil, once admitted into the human soul, makes rapid and eXtel Isive progress. Contempt of public decorum frequently to :minates in crime. Through out his whole life Colonel ',R udrey had been in the habit of indulging his passions, and yi( tided to seduction to a greater degree than perhaps any et; her person beside. His character was universally known—it' was known by Louis Bonaparte. Persigny was not ignorant of it. All that was wanted, then, was to find a woman able and willing to complete the work which vanity and insa diable ambition had commenced. Eleanore Brault, the widow.* of the Sieur Gordon Archer, attracted the notice of LOl2l 5 Bonaparte and of Persigny. She was remarkable for per sonal charms ; her ability was equal to her beauty. Act: v. e, intriguing, of equivocal cha racter, and moneyless, she v /as just in those circumstances which very frequently tend to convert a reasonable being into a passive instrument.- She did not fail in the part which was allotted to her. A letter addressed to her by Vaudrey, proves that she left untried no means calculated to have an influence on hie .mind. She was prodigal of flattery to one who was ease iettially vain, while she payed upon his feelings as an old s vldier, and her lover, by de claring that it was infamous to s ecede from a promise once made, and that she never would at tach herself to any man except such as would wholly devote . Ilitnself to the success of the enterprise. Her arrival at Dijon is well known. Her journey was no 'secret to Persigny, why' sent two letters for her to the poste restante of that town which letters had exclusive reference to the conspiracy. One of the letters had enclosed in it a note, which Louis Buena mac had, under the name of Louise Vernert, written to VausdreY• It will also be recollected that this woman folloCed Vaudrey to Friburg, and that she took him to the rendezvous given by the director. But what is not known is, that now throwing aside all modesty, she lived In the same apartment with Vaudrey ; and attaching herself mitn't closely than ever to his person, she never left him until the moment when he was irresistibly led towards the abyss, and when nothing more remained for her to do than to con template with exultation the completion of the work which had been confided to her. Under such circumstances, tho participation of the woman Gordon in the plot cannot be matter of doubt, and it presents itself in the most unfa vourable colours. We behold in her a cold and calculating woman, making use of all her means of influence ; specu lating on the affection which another feels for her, and lead ing on to his ruin a man who loved her, and doing all this for no other conceivable motive than abase and vulgar in terest. There are, besides, other circumstances which prove that for several months the woman Gordon had been initiated in the designs of the conspirators, and that she promised them her aid. In the month of July she had se veral interviews with Louis Bonaparte at Baden. She re ceived him at her house, and went out with bim. On the other hand her relations with Persigny were very intimate. She afterwards returned to Paris, where she received let ters from the latter, who was endeavouring to bring her in communication with De Bruc. She was, moreover, far from being inactive herself, and she received thanks for the zeal which she manifested for the success of the enterprise. The letter written to her by Vaudrey, which has been already alluded to, proves that the praise bestowed on her by Persigny was well deserved. " Again, on the very day when the attempt at insurrec tion was made, she is discovered at . lo o'clock in the morn ing in Persigny's house, where she assists in removing out of way all papers which might reveal the nature and object of the designs of the conspirators, and the names of the parties who had taken part in them. A short time be fore, she had been directed by Persigny to bring a waist band ornamented with gold, and a passport which had been left in Louis Bonaparte's apartment. To all these charges the woman Gordon only replies by denials and explanations, which are without the slightest plausibility. She pretends that she scarcely knows Louis Bonaparte, and that she only caught a glimpse of Pesigny. When she is questioned, she admits that appearances are against her, but maintains that she is innocent. " The facts laid to the charge of Laity, Lieutenant of the battalion of Engineers, are perfectly similar to those of which Vaudrey stands accused. He is, like Vaudrey, charged with treason and felony. " The participation of Parquin is likewise established by undeniable proofs. He formed part of Louis Bonaparte's cortege, next to whom he occupied the principal rank. He was clothed in the uniform of a General Officer. He bore for some minutes, after leaving the barrack of the 4th Regi ment of Artillery, the imperial eagles which he expected would have a powerful effect on the troops. Until his ar rival at the Lieutenant-General's house, it does not appear that any particular part was assigned to him ; but there, after the courageous resistance made by General Voirol, he was directed to take care that that officer did not quit the building. These orders were zealously executed by Par quin. It is also ascertained that Parquin, who was an old soldier, and had numerous connexions with the army, was charged to recruit for adherents in its ranks. This fact is still further confirmed by Parquin's conduct and journies, for which he could assign no probable cause, and by his ab sence from Paris, where his presence was, strictly speaking, required by his duty. Finally, this is not the first attempt made by Parquin to corrupt the fidelity of the troops. As for the influence which the recollection of the empire, and of the man who presented himself as its representative, had over him, this is as little proved as that his conduct in the affair was unpremeditated." (To be continued.) THE FRENCH TELEGRAPH. (From a French Ministerial Paper.) The imputations cast upon Government by the Opposi tion Press, in consequence of the interruption of the late telegraphic communication from Bona, have induced the Ministerial evening organ, the Charts, to lay before the public a statement of the means of transmission employed by the administration of the telegraphs. " The telegraph lines at present established," says the Charte, " are quite sufficient for the ordinary service during two-thirds of the year, with some few exceptions ; but in the months of November, December, January, and February, the ordinary service is but imperfectly performed by the telegraph, which becomes altogether insufficient when any event gives a sud den and extraordinary addition to the labour. This dif ference depends upon the diminution of the length of the day, and also upon the inevitable obstacles occasioned by fogs and unfavourable weather. The former obstacle might be removed by means of night telegraphs, and the Adminis tration is prepared for the establishment of them, which, however, would more than double the annual expense of the telegraphic service, and would be of real utility during not quite half the year. " In the general telegraphic system permanently foggy weather forms an obstacle, the effects of which may be di minished but not entirely overcome. The telegraphic posts are placed at the distance of two or three leagues from each other, and to effect the transmission of intelligence regu larly, the signals formed at one of the posts must be per fectly distinguished at the corresponding stations. On a line such as that of Toulon or Bayonne, each of which is 200 leagues in extent, any interruption to the clearness of the air for even two posts is sufficient to put a stop to the working of the telegraph. During the unfavourable season dense fogs are formed on large portions of territory, and these constitute an opaque mass which it is impossible to penetrate. The means employed to escape the fatal con sequences of fogs and bad weather are—the division of each principal line into sections, and the union of great lines by their extremities. The division of the lines into sections al lows the transmission to be continued on all the points on which it is not impeded by insurmountable obstacles. At the extremity of each section is an agent, who frequently makes use of the courier, and sometimes of the estafette, to transmit to the nearest sections the signals which have been retarded in his hands. The union of the principal lines by means of junction lines is still more efficacious, as they create two, and sometimes three, different lines of trans mission for each telegraphic point. The transmission of the signals is made on the line which is most free from fogs and other impediments, and thus the working of the telegraph is continued. In 1836 nearly a tenth of the despatches from Toulon reached Paris through Bordeaux. The im possibility of completely escaping the obstacles presented by fogs and bad weather has often led to experiments to discover some new system unattended with this unsur mountable difficulty. Acoustic and electrical telegraphs have been tried, but all these experiments failed practi cally, even when made on the most reduced scale. It is a mistake to imagine that any difference exists between the transmission of signals from the centre to the circumference, and from the circumference to the centre. It is also an error to suppose that the services of the telegraph are not valuable even during the unfavourable season. From a re turn recently made it appears that of 284 despatches transmitted between the Ist of November, and the 15th of December, 1836, 41 reached their destination on the day of their date, and SG on the next day. This forms the mi nimum result at the worst season of the year. These ex planations, which are in some degree technical, are the only ones which it suits the dignity and the character of all the members of the Cabinet to offer. None of the infe rences which may he drawn from the accidental insufficiency or irregularity of the service, can touch a single member of the present Ministry, or the superior central administra tion of the telegraph." Lord Montague will entertain the Dutch Minister and Madame Dedel, and a select party, at Ditton Park, near Henley-upon-Thames. Earl de Grey arrived yesterday in St. James's square, from his seat, West Park, Bedfordshire, for the season. JOURNALS: The organ of Lord Lyndhurst (the Times)state3. that " it is not true that the Noble and Learned Lord remains in Paris till the opening of Parliament ; he' returns, as we have already stated, on the 15th of Ja nuary, more than a fortnight before that time, and as soon as the political leaders of any party arc likely to re-assemble in London." So far so good. The same honest and respectable journal adds that it is also not true " that a slight was intended to Lord Lyndhurst by not inviting him to dine at Glasgow. The dinner invitation has no connection with the appointment of Lord Rector for the University of Glasgow ; but the merchants of Glasgow, learning that Sir Robert Peel would attend in person at Glasgow, in order to be in stalled, thought it. right to pay some mark of respect to a distinguished statesman who would be on the spot, and proffered to him the hospitality of their great commercial community." If we may judge from the report of the proceedings at the meeting of the Glasgow Town Council, at which the freedom of the city was justly refused to the Right Hon. Baronet, there is more than mere sequence in this dinner to him. To begin with the Lord Rector ship, Sir Robert was unquestionably chosen solely on political grounds. The first wish of the party, how ever, was not to choose the Tamvrorth Baronet, but Lord Lyndhurst. " It was true," observed Mr. Doug. las, " that his party had fallen back on his. (Sir Ro bert's) personal character, as safer to stand on than that of the Noble candidate they abandoned." There has been a great deal of planning in this matter. A Tory dinner in Glasgow would have come rather abruptly on the citizens ; but the foundation havieig been laid in an elevation of a Tory to the Lord Rec.. .torship, it was thought that even the Reformers would h Gully object to the proffering to that Tory, when on the' ,spot, the hospitality of the community, and thus a pretext would be afforded for affirming that a re-action had taken place in the capital of the west of Scotland. Th e T or os in Glasgow are now rather anxious, it would seem, to chOavow party motives in giving this dinner; but Mr. J. B. Gray stated without contradiction in the Council, that " . .at the meeting for making arrangements for the dinner, the Dean of Guild said it was not a political question to which he spoke ; but the din ner was to be given on personal considerations." Had he stopped here he might have been borne out ; but what did the leader of that party . say in opposition to the Dean of Guild ?—‘, A re-action has taken place, and this dinner would be a proof of such re-action. There was the secret.let out." 'We are gravely told that the Duke of Wellington was not asked to the dinner any more than Lord Lyndhurst. This may be all very well ; but there was no reason for not invit ing his Grace, while there was, it seems, some co gent reason for excluding the Noble and Learned Lord from Glasgow. Sir Robert Peel stood between him and the Lord Rectorship and the dinner, which is its sequence. The Glasgow Tories, no doubt, think themselves very adroit ; but in thus raising Sir Robert on the ruins of Lord Lyndhurst they appear to have forgotten that the House of Peers is the Tory Parliament, and that the Noble and Learned Lord is the idol of that House, and has been worshipped as the great champion of Toryism at all the Conservative din ners at which Peers were present. The Glasgow business has undone nearly all that the English Conservatives have been doing. How is this malapropos to be ac counted for ? 'We fear the Glasgow Tories ,have taken the Times too readily at its word, or rather have not read that journal with sufficient allowance for thesse errors of the Press which will be committed in th.e most carefully edited papers. When the Times asked, " What party have we deserted—what principle have we abandoned ?" there is an evident omission of not, though the Glasgow Tories do not seem to have de tected the error. The Times has deserted every party, and abandoned every principle. We fear Lord Lynd hurst is the victim of this mistake. It is true that the Times did labour hard to destroy the Noble and Learned „ Lord some time ago, when it more than insinuated that even the Tory Peers shrunk from contact with him. "We pass by Lord Lyndhurst," said our re spectable Contemporary (May 18, 1832), " who knows that we have often spared him, with sentiments akin to those which were manifested by their Lord ships at both sides of the House, more than one of whom expressed the highest approval of the Duke of Wellington's character and proceeding, while upon those of the Learned and loose tongued Baron all were silent as the grave." Now the Tories of Glasgow should either have banished from their memories all that was said by the Times before the 15th of November, 1834, or have interpreted it by the rule of contraries. Lord Lyndhurst is now a great and good man in Printing house-square, and has been so these two years. Some friend of his Lordship should endeavour to enlighten the Tories on this subject at the dinner, that they may not again fall into the error which has created such embarrassment in many quarters. The Times has been put quite out by the blunder. It has been interrupted in its career of lauding the great ornament of the Peers by the contre temps of the election of Sir Robert arid the dinner ; and it cannot, with decency, return to Lord Lyndhurst till the proof of re-action in Glasgow has been seen, or the honours paid to the distinguished Tory Statesman have been duly trum peted forth. Were the Times at once fairly to own that it is a renegade, an apostate, utterly regardless of truth, ready to unsay to-morrow what it has said to day, the simple Tories of Glasgow would not, perhaps, have endeavoured to show their tact by putting so marked an affront on the proud ornament of the To ries.—Morning Chronicle. There are two modes of conferring distinction. The first and the most obvious is the homage paid by worth, intellect, all that ennobles our common kind, to some surpassing fellow-man, whose eminent qualities com mand a cordial and general appreciation. A testimony of this kind is not unusual, when any one deserving it, either in political or in private life, claims the attention of his countrymen, or of his individual associates. The second mark of distinction is, however, still more com plimentary to the qualities just spoken of: when all that is mean, and base, and vile, is brought to bear against the opposites of those qualities—when abuse is heaped on all that is laudable—when significant in sults are offered to political eminence—then we may be assured that, whether the throes of an agonized faction, or the vain hopes of trimming expediency, have prompted a despicable act, one point is indisputable —namely, that the individual so assailed must have the strongest claims on the regard of his fellow-countrymen. Take, for instance, the impertinence of the persons calling themselves the town-council of Glasgow. We have no wish to pry into the peculiar objects of these indivi duals in their ostentatious insult against Sir Robert Peel, but we have a right to consider this as a political circumstance, and as such we shall consider it. Sir Robert Peel, not only without the knowledge or wish of the distinction which has been conferred upon him in his election to time Lord Rectorship of the Uni versity at Glasgow, has wisely, as we think, consented to afford the friends of the Constitution in the northern part of this empire an opportunity of rallying round the foremost champion of the Conservative cause. How was the Right Hon. Baronet invited ? We sternly put this question to the self-styled Liberals. Sir Robert Peel was invited, not as the deadly enemies of the Con stitution would wish it to be believed, by those who from selfish or personal motives could hope for profitable distinction by being associated with a great political leader. No 1 The Right Hon. Baronet has been invited to the second city of North Britain by the youth, the educated youth of Glasgow—a class who may be fairly considered as representing not only the patriotic en thusiasm of their age and station, but without exagge ration the opinions and feelings of their parents and natural guides. This is sufficiently proved by the ardour manifested by the merchants of Glasgow. And what is opposed to this by the truckling ex pectants of the Whig-Radical Government ? We know it is notorious to the whole empire that the wealth, the respectability , in short, that all the influ ences by which Glasgow has achieved, and can hope to maintain, celebrity—we know that all this is an element of Conservative power, and that it is devoted to the welcome of Sir Robert Peel. In opposition to this, we have not the e xperienced age, not the wealthy enterprise, not the generous and ardent youth, but we have a majority of seven in the town council. THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1836.