The Sun. — London, England, 1839-07-22 00:00:00

EVE.NTING EDITION. DINNER TO MR. MACREADY. (From the Observer.) A grand public dinner was given on Saturday at the Freemasons' Hall to that eminent tragedian, W. C.. Macready. It is not three centuries since ak►akspeare, in the humility of his heart, being but a " poor player," expressed himself doubtingly, - as not knowing how (much) he should. offend in dedicating one of his immortal works, " Venus and Adonis," to the Earl of Southampton, nor how (much) the world would censure him for choosing so strong a prop to support so strong a burthen ; to which be adds, as a lower self-abasement— ... .. " In every deep thereis a deeper still." " Only, if your honour seem but pleased, I account myself highly praised, and vow to take advantage of all idle hours till I have honoured you with some graver labour :" and little more than two ages have lapsed since Prynn wrote his " Histrio Mastix ' " the scourge of players, when the stag e and all its followers were held infamous, being so branded even by Act of Par liament, as well as by public opinion. Yet here we have, in the nineteenth century, a tribute paid to the genius of an actor, whose respectability his very ene mies dare not question ; and a public entertainment ac corded him—an ovation which a hero might envy—pre sided over by Royalty, and graced by the presence of all that is high in rank, great in name, and honourable in station in the kingdom. It is, indeed, a mighty change in the social condition of the class to which Mr. Mac ready belongs. Who shall say it is not for the better ? and what man living is there who will grudge its deserv ing object his nobly-earned honours ? The assemblage was large and most respectable. There could not have been fewer than 400 persons present. Among other noblemen and gentlemen of distinction, we observed—the Marquis Conyngham, Lord Nugent, Sir Edward Lytton Bulwer, M.P. ; Mr. Sheil, M.P.; Mr. Bernal, M.P. ; Mr. Milnes, M.P. ; Mr. Tennyson D'Eyncourt, M.P. ; Sir Arthur Shee, Mr. Charles Dickens, Mr. Jerdan, Mr. E. Blount, Mr. Edward Dowling, &c. &c.' The cloth having been removed, and Non Nobis sung, The Royal CHAIRMAN rose to propose a toast which he was sure would meet with a most cordial reception. It ivas not neceesary to preface it with a single word. He begged to propose " The Queen, God bless her." His Royal Highness gave the toast with an emphasis of which it is impossible to form any idea, and it was drunk amidst the most deafening plaudits, which lasted for some time. The Marquis of CONYNGHAM then proposed " The health of his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, and the rest of the Royal Family." Drunk with great applause. The Royal CHAIRMAN begged to return 'thanks in the name of the Royal Family, and his own name, for the honour done them by the way in which the toast was drunk. There is not one of the Royal Family that does not feel the greatest interest in the prosperity of the drama, as well as in the well-being of the country.—( Cheers.) The Duke of SUSSEX then said—Gentlemen, I now rise to perform a most pleasing duty, that of expressing in your name, and with your approbation, our high opi nions of the merits and services of Mr. Macready— (Great cheering)—and also the deep obligations which we feel, and which the public owe him, for his admirable exertions in the cause of the legitimate drama.—(Renewed cheering, which lasted for some minutes.) Gentlemen, I feel myself a great degree of delicacy in coming forward on this occasion, inasmuch as I see myself surrounded by men of the most eminent talents in this country, and who, moreover, have most efficiently exerted themselves in the cause and for the advantage of the English stage.—(Cheers.) In expressing my opinion of Mr. Mac ready, I think it right to take into consideration the nature of his ser vices, which I should say are to be contemplated in a two-fold shape—the first, the prominent figure which he has enjoyed in his profession—the second, his position as manager of Covent Garden Theatre.—(Cheers.) In the first capacity his reputation is not only known all through this country, but also beyond it, in America and elsewhere, and when I add to the talent of the individual alluded to as an artist the character of a gentleman—(Cheers)—and an upright man, I I think I convey in these terms the greatest compliment which I can offer, or which, by your acquiescence, you can confer.—(Cheers,) Gentlemen, the stage is an arduous and an important profession. In entering into it a man has to fight with a variety of disadvantages ; he is ex posed to every temptation—to forgetfulness of his duty to society, and to himself—he is given up a prey to anxiety, and he is the slave of vicissitudes ; this, more over, is accompanied by the circumstance of a most irk some duty, and a variety of other contingencies, which I may not enumerate here under pain of being tiresome. Any one who enters into the minutiae of the profession, however, will agree with me, that when an individual is found who rises by his own unaided efforts to the top of his profession, he must be acknowledged as in the pos session of talent of no ordinary degree, and we must give him full credit for respectability after having under gone those trials. If that individual be a man of sense as well as a man of talent, his example teaches others to eschew the follies which he has escaped, and to imitate the excellences which he displays. It also instructs them to have that compassion for those less fortunate and less successful in the same line which should abide in every honest heart, and which, I am perfectly satisfied, has its resting-place in the heart of the individual whom we are met here to honour.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen, after having made this preface, I need not say that for such a school the proper selection of a teacher is of the last importance—such, gentlemen, is the manager of a theatre. In the first place, he is the dictator of his little world. His is the duty to see that those persons who are introduced to the public through his medium are men worthy of attention, and, from their talents and their characters, fit to appear on the boards of this great me tropolis ; his, also, it is to see that the pieces performed on his stage are suitable at once to the morals and the taste of the community ; and, furthermore, to take care that the interests of the individuals concerned in the thea tre, as well as those of the public, are sufficiently secured and guarded against injury.—( Hear.) Laying down these things as a principle, we have only to ask ourselves in how far the exertions of Mr. Macready have conformed to them since he has presided, for the last two years, as Manager over the destinies of Covent Garden Thea tre.—(Cheers.) During that short period, gentlemen, he bas succeeded in reviving no less than ten of Shaks peare's plays.—(Cheers.) Aye, and he has not only revived them, b u t h e h as d one more —h e h as p l aced them on their proper footing as dramas as regards acces sories —(Cheers)—and has represented them in a style and manner worthy of the illustrious author—a style well calculated to inspire all that interest, and encourage all that enthusiasm, which must ever animate all true lovers of the drama.—(Cheers.) Besides this, gentle men, with the assistance of a distinguished individual now present, he has produced two new plays, which have merited universal applause.—(Cheers.) Need I say that I allude to Sir E. L. Bulwer ?—(Hear.) He has also been aided by Sheridan Knowles (Great cheering) some of whose admirable plays he has performed : he has revived, or rather brought forward, some of the dramas of Byron, and he has worthily played those of Sergeant Talfourd.—(Cheers.) By great exertions, gentlemen, he has raised that stage which is dear to us all, and has done for the drama of this country that which merits the lasting ap plause of an enlightened and generous public.— (Cheers.) Gentlemen, in doing all this, that distinguished individual has not sought his own private advantage.-- (Great cheering.) He has not looked to profit ; be cause I happen to know that he has made a great per sonal sacrifice of his own income, and, moreover, that he has incurred much additional trouble and very heavy labour as well as loss without the slightest pecuniary re compense.--(Hear.) He did it, gentlemen, under the impression —the laudable impression —that a good the atre might be obtained—a theatre which could be made the vehicle of virtue and noble sentiments, and that it was possible to procure an advantage beyond price to those persons connected with the drama—the advantage of regular payments, without being left to the dilatory paymastership of poor or unprincipled persons, or to their remedy at law in a case of bankruptcy.—(Cheers.) The result was most successful.—(Cheers.) In the first year the rent of the theatre was 5,673/. ; in the last year 7,000/. ; all actually paid out of the produce of the theatre.—(Cheers ) Other demands, also, he paid to the extent of 3,000/. a year ; so that in these two years, under his direction, no less a sum than a little short of 19,0001. was paid for the rent and neces saries of the theatre.—(Cheers.) So much for the success of this interesting experiment. I come now to a still more interesting .part of the subject, one which affects the morals of the country at large more than it does individual interests, I mean the plays which h ave b een performed under the auspices of Mr. Macready, and the powerful and suc cessful efforts which he has made to create a sense of i rectitude a n d a f eeling of propriety in the theatre ; an effort, in s h ort, which led mothers to attend it with their children, and which encouraged husbands to bring thither their wives. He has, gentlemen, succeed e d a l so in this effort, and h e has Convinced the public that a theatre may be m a d e the scene ofhigh intellectual instruction as well as innocent a musement , iie instead o o f f being the focus of idlenes s and folly— t profligacy and confusion, whi c h i t was accustomeda in rece nt times to be considered.—(Cheers.) hI a of may f 3 r e e e g a n o t still further and say , that what once w as a scene moral confusion, the saloon of the th eatre under his management, made so innoc uous to pro.ll priety, so totally changed in its features and character, that the father and husband may now walk through it without fear of having the feelings of those who are dearer to him than life itself shocked or offended.— (Hear.) These things, gentlemen, he did in such a wholesome and proper manner as not to shock the feel ings of the public. Therefore are we indebted t o hi m, for the revival of the legitimate drama, but enjoyment of a delightful amusement, with -awback ; and through his means honest amore likely to obtain sound ideas from . the Al they would be by staying at home.—(Hear.) .~ --,._ out SAG . - )Iv/: - /".;:r.mcrs#4 N Gentlemen, I do not wish to be understood as de- sirous to excite or encourage any popular feelings j against any individual or body of men ; but I must be permitted to say that I cannot help feeling a certain degree of regret at the existence of patents for theatri cal performances as perpetual properties.—( Hear.) I can never comprehend how patents should be for more than a certain number of years, or why they should be perpetuated. However, it appears that they are so looked on, and that, in the light of perpetual properties, money has been raised on them. All I can say on the subject is, that the sooner some compromise is come te respecting them the better for the public.—(Cheers.) Of this I am thoroughly convinced, that unless the arrangements of a theatre be looked on as every other arrangement in society, you will act contrary to the true spirit of trade and the true interests of commerce. You might as well say the same of railroads as the patentees say of their theatres, and with the same rea son. It was said that theatres were falling off, but those who said so should consider the hours when the performances formerly took place. But there was, in fact, no falling off in the desire for good representa tions.—( Hear.) In an ardent desire to serve the cause of a theatre, there is no one more anxious than I am, and I am greatly delighted to have this opportunity afforded me of expressing my good feeling towards the theatre and its supporters on the present occasion, as well as to acknowledge the obligation which I and you, and all of us in common, owe to Mr. Macready, and the opinion of this most unanimous meeting on the subject.—( Hear.) I hope, however, that our tes timony to his merits will not be confined to this dinner, because I believe some friends have the idea of offering him a more solid and substantial testimonial of their esteem.--(Great cheering.) For one, gentlemen, I am happy to say that I shall be pleased and proud to follow up any such proposal.—(Cheers.) It now only remains for me to apologise to you for trespassing so long on your time, and interposing between you• and the object of your good wishes this evening ; to add more to your acknowledgments of the obligation we owe to Mr. Macready for his exertions • in our behalf and that of the public—for the pains he has taken and the trouble he has incurred in the past two years to secure our gratification—to convey them to him, ac companied with the good wishes of this great meeting, and the approbation of all the lovers of the drama, and to drink his health.—( Hear.) The Illustrious Duke then proposed—" The health of Mr. Macready." The toast was received with the greatest enthusiasm, and drunk with all the honours. Mr. MACREADY then rose, amidst renewed cheering waving of handkerchiefs by the ladies in the gallery, and every demonstration of esteem and public approba tion. He appeared to be under a great degree of em barrassment, and spoke, somewhat inaudibly, nearly as follows :—Your Royal Highness and Gentlemen. I really do not know how to reply to the very flattering address which you have just spoken—to the very flat tering compliments of the Illustrious Duke, beyond thanking him and you for the great honour which you have done me.—(Cheers.) At the same time, I must express my deep regret that, to do justice to your kind ness, I feel to be utterly impossible.—(Cheers.) In any labour which I have bestowed on the legitimate drama—in any sacrifice of personal pleasure or profit which I may have sustained in that undertaking, I never contemplated such a repayment as I meet with in this unlooked for reception.—( Hear, hear.)— Some al lusion has been made to the revival of the legitimate drama, and I have been lauded by the Illustrious Duke for the share I took in it. Gentlemen, I thank his Royal Highness, but I have been only the humble offi ciating priest at the shrine of our country's greatest genius.—(Cheers.) And, indeed, I can honestly take credit for little more than the true devotion, zeal, and good intention—for my constant faith in the power and triumph of truth—however humble my sphere.— (Cheers.) In that faith, and with that spirit, I have only endeavoured to piece out the imperfections, as it appeared to me, of our existent theatrical system. It has often struck me, among other causes capable of producing the dramatic declension which we all so much lament, that while other branches of art were in advance and of daily progression, except in respect of what was done by that great artist, John Kemble, the proprietors of the English stage have remained the same—stationary and fixed on the authority of the leading actors who hail gone before us. When I recall to your recollections the Witches in Macbeth, the Roman Senators in Co riolanus—" Senat us populusque Romanorum" the Grand Council of Venice—the moving of Birnam Wood to High Dunsinane-hill—you will understand my mean ing. It has been my humble endeavour to reform, if not al together to alter, these anomalies ; and to make the stage of our country, possessing as it does such magnitude of literary power, equal to the occasion, and the circum stances of our condition.—(Cheers.) All that my own imagination presented, as I turned over the pages of the immortal poet, I have endeavoured to place before the public in the most striking manner. Ariel is now no longer, as he was heretofore, " a thing of the earth, earthy," but either a wandering voice pouring out a stream of sweetness, or a thing of air flitting about in his own element amid the streams that enchanted and the melody that subdued.—(Hear.) We have endea voured to make palpable the meaning of the poet we all worship, and to that honest purpose we alone ascribe our transeendant:success. By following an observation of Sir T. Lawrence—that a picture to be well painted requires the same care and attention in every part— we have prospered ; we have endeavoured to spread over the whole scene, the whole play, that interest and that attraction which, under the old system, was heretofore confined exclusively, and zealously appropriated, to the principal performer.—(Hear.) In this endeavour to transfer from the poet's mind to the stage a picture com plete in all its parts, we have the satisfaction of record ing the success of a season unequalled by any, not hav ing a striking new performer to produce, for the last sixteen years.—( Hear.) And this I the more particu larly rejoice in, for the reason that it is a conclusive evidence that there is no lack of taste in the public to appreciate our noble drama, and to give its honest votaries all necessary support.—(Cheers.) My hope and intention was, if my ability kept pace with my means, to have left the theatre a complete series of Shakspeare's plays, of which the texts should be purified from the gross errors which disfigure and distort its characters ; and to make the arrangement. of the stage so perfect as to form the best edition of our im mortal poet's illustrated works ever presented to the public. - Yet, though I may not again be called on to bear any part in:that labour of love, to share the never dying glory of our immortal bard, I must still indulge the hope—the fond delirium it may be termed—that the path which has been so auspiciously opened will con tinue to be trodden by my successors ; and that the na tional theatre will ever remain the temple of the poetry of our own Shakspeare—a fane dedicated to the highest intellectual amusement—no longer attended as a place of licentious resort, but as a sanctuary for the highest genies.—(Hear, bear.) And I trust that never again will it be degraded, as it was, to the lowest character of any similar place of amusement in European nations.—( Hear.) I must beg to trespass upon your patience a few moments longer.--(Hear.) In the first place, to thank his Royal Highness for the high honour he has done me : in the next, to take the opportunity which your goodness affords me of publicly returning _thanks to those friends whose ardent zeal and sincere friendship have laid me under obligations to an amount which I can never hope to repay.—(Cheers.) I would particularise among them, as of the foremost on all oc casions, Sir E. L. Bulwer—(Cheers)—who not only wrote that most delightful of plays, the Lady of Lyons— (Cheers)—to serve my interests at the moment, and the interests of those mixed up with me in my efforts for the drama—but who, when public opinion had stamped that production as one of the very best that had been written for years, constantly and undeviatingly refused to look upon it in any other light than as a gift to me,— (Cheers.) Allow me also to include in this list of names that of my esteemed friend Mr. Stanfield—(Cheers) — Mr. Dickens—(Cheers)—Mr. Serle--(Cheers)—and Sergeant Talfourd—(Great cheering.) With my best thanks to them, and my warmest feelings towards you, let me repeat my assurances of my lasting gratitude for the kindancm with which you have overwhelmed me, and which, while I remember at all, I shall never forget,— (Cheers.) Mr. Macready then concluded amidst a re newed burst of applause fully equal to that which greeted his commencement, and which lasted several minutes. Glee—" The Witches' Chorus in Macbeth," sung by all the vocal strength in the room. The Duke of SUSSEX said that the next toast which he had to propose was the health of her Majesty's late Lad Chamberlain, and he was convinced that this toast would be received with approbation, because it must be known to every gentleman present that the Noble Lord to whom he alluded had both protected and encouraged the drama, so long as he had power to do so. The toast was drunk with loud applause. The Marquis of CONYNGHAM said that the honour which had been conferred on him was so unexpected that he knew of no adequate terms in which to return his thanks. It, however, afforded him very great plea. sure to have this public opportunity to offer his humble admiration to the eminent and talented individual who was the object of their meeting, and who had done so much to restore the drama to that lofty position which it ought to occupy in this enlightened age and country. —(Cheers.) He saw around him many dramatic authors of the first celebrity. They were men whose works were an ornament to any age or country ; and he could only say for himself that he had never had the good fortune to witness their productions without deriving both delight and information from them. He sincerely regretted the circumstances which. had compelled M r Macready t o a b an d on hi s laudable undertaking ; bur, although they might be deprived of the advantage of his exertions for a time—and only for a time—he still hoped that they would long he able to derive that intel lectual enjoyment which his eating never failed to com municate on the metropolitan boards..--(Loud cheers.) The Duke of SussEx said he had now to claim their attention to a toast with which was coupled the name of a gentleman of high fame in the theatrical protesiion, I but who had retired, for some' "time past, from the public service. . It was with no .tmall,satisfaction, he THE SUN, LONDON. MONDAY, JULY 22, 1-t39. could assure them, that he saw the gentleman to whom he alluded seated at their table, and his presence on this oocasion proved most incontestibly that he was superior to those jealousies with which professional rivals were said to regard each other. The name of the gentleman to whom he referred was familiar to all lovers of the drama ; he meant Mr. Young—(Cheers)—and be only regretted that this deservedly celebrated gentleman was labouring under a cold, which would deprive them of the pleasure of hearing him, if he should be able to address them. The Illustrious Chairman then proposed the health of Mr. Young, and the toast was drunk with acclama tion. Mr. CHARLES YouNG said that he feared the unfor tunate condition of his voice, arising from the circum stance which their illustrious Chairman had so conde scendingly noticed, would oblige him to condense his observations. He must, however, avail himself of that opportunity to bear his cordial and heartfelt testimony to the high and distinguished—the never-to-be-suffi ciently-valued—merits of his friend Mr. Macready. His friend had justly earned the proud and enviable position in which he stood, and he was convinced that the public fully appreciated his self-sacrificing exertions to restore the legitimate drama of this country to its proper situation.—( Cheers.) Mr. AIILNES, M.P., pronounced a high eulogium on the genius and works of Shakspeare, and the exertions of Mr. Macready in presenting the plays of that great master in a way entirely worthy of them to the public. The Hon. Gentleman concluded an eloquent speech, which was heard only by those around him, by giving the memory of the immortal Shakspeare, the poet for all times. Due homage was paid to the toast. The Duke of SUSSEX then gave Sir Edward Lytton Bulwer, and the living dramatic authors. The toast was duly honoured. Sir E. L. BULWER said that of right the duty which had devolved upon him should have been discharged by his Hon. Friend, Mr. Shiel, but he supposed, like other elder brothers, his Hon. Friend was desirous of carrying away the whole of the endowments of the family, and leaving nothing but their exertions to his younger bre thren.—(Laughter.) The Illustrious Chairman had been pleased to allude to the aid which he had given to their distinguished guest in his great enterprise, but he could only say that any success which had at tended his dramatic productions was mainly owing to the genius and acting of his friend Mr. Macready.— (Cheers.) Mr. Macready had the merit of raising him seS to the highest eminence in his profession, and he was not only an ornament to that. profession, but he added dignity to it by his courteous and gentlemanlike bear ing.—(Cheers.) It had been said that the genius of poetry was perpetuated because it was recorded, but that the fame of the actor died with him. This, how ever, could not be the case in the instance of Mr. Mac ready, because his career had not only been brilliant in his profession, but had led to results of the most im portant kind as connected with the dramatic literature of this country. As an actor, his representations of Coriolanus and Hamlet, of Virginius and Werner, vi ere beyond all praise, and at a period when it was said " that highly civilised people would not go to a theatre ;" he had accomplished the complete triumph of the drama over such absurd doctrines, and even enhanced the plays of Shakspeare himself by the mas terly manner in which he had produced them.— (Cheers.) He was glad to learn that a more enduring testimony than that was intended to be given to Mr. Macready ; but although he should heartily concur in any meed of approbation that could be bestowed upon him, he could not forget that it would have reference to the past, and not to the future. He wished to have, something done for the f u t ure ; an d w as i t, he asked because the doors of Covent Garden were closed again s t him that Mr. Macready was not to fulfil the duties of a manager elsewhere--duties for which he had proved himself in every way so eminently qualified. They had heard from Mr. Macready himself that the last season was the best that had occurred for 16 years ; and when they saw that he had the ability to achieve so much good for the dramatic literature of his country, and to render so large a share of benefit to his brethren, ought they, who, to use the words of a distinguished patriot, had " watched over his birth, to follow him to his hearse ?" (Cheers.) He wished the present lessee of Covent garden Theatre every possible success, because he was the son of a deserving and esteemed comedian, but he still feared that in such hands there was no security for the drama. It had long been declared that all monopo lies were wrong, and although he did not blame the proprietors of Covent Garden for getting the best rent they could for their house, he must say that the public would be very much to blame, if they were to allow the noble drama of this country to be made a mere matter of trade.—(Cheers.) When they saw the patent theatres diverted from their original purpose, it was high time, he thought, for the public to interfere i and he would put it to them whether, if lions and tigers were introduced on the stage of the Italian Opera-house, a demand would not be made by the aristocracy to have a theatre in which they could enjoy " the sweet voices" of a ItubMi or a Lablache ?—(Cheers.) The public had right to have a theatre for the representation of the plays of Shakspeare.: and he only tru s t e d, now th a t they had a f ema l e Sovereign cm- tt.e-fAmme, that -- she would exert her prerogative in affording to the legitimate drama that protection to which, both in a moral and social point of view, it was entitled. To be successful the drama must be free.—(Cheers.) That was the great crisis of the drama ; and it was a duty incumbent upon them to make some provision for the future, as well as to reward past services. —(Cheers.) Lord NUGENT said that he had the permission of Illustrious Chairman to propose a toast, and it was one which they would see had no false connection with the drama. In doing honour to the drama they ought not to forget the sister arts, and as such- he regarded both forensic and senatorial eloquence, for, combined, they had for ages contributed alike to the greatness: and glory of this country, and would, he hoped, for ages yet to come, be the means of elevating and directing public feeling.—(Cheers.) In the reign of Elizabeth they had Ben Jonson and Shakspeare, and that, too, was the age that gave birth to Coke, Bacon, and Seldon, those lit wineries of English law. The brave and learned Sel don had not disdained to act as manager of a theatrical entertainment, for he officiated in that capacity at the last play that was acted by the Benchers of Lincoln's inn. This proved the connection of which he had spo ken, and he could only say that he considered the drama as a ship freighted with a net cargo of public usefulness, but, like a ship, subject to many vicissitudes. The exertion of Mr. Macready they all knew. Not only had he revived the greater part of the plays of Shaks peare with a genius and liberality which entitled him to admiration and support of the public, but his whole conduct during his brief management was marked by a gentlemanlike spirit, which could not fail to elevate that profession of which be was so distinguished an ornament in the public estirnatinn.—(Cheers.) It was in the days of Elizabeth that the drama enjoyed its highest prosperity, and he trusted that it would receive similar favour under the sway of another virgin Queen. In the list of stewards he found the name of an indi vidual who was alike distinguished for his success as a dramatist as for his eloquence in the senate and at the bar.—(Loud cheers.) He alluded to Mr. Sergeant Talfourd, who, however, was absent, but on looking to his right his saw an Hon. and Learned Gentleman to whom this three-fold wreath of excellence equally belonged— ti Uno avulso non deficit alter Aureus et simili frandescit virga metallo." (Great cheering.) The N o bl e L or d then proposed the health o f "Mr. Sheil, the Senate, and the Bar." The toast was drunk with loud applause. Mr. SHELL, M.P., said that as his Noble Friend had alluded to the senate and the bar, he could only say, as regarded the senate, that he had seen acting of the first order there, and had witnessed the performances of many a Charles and many a Joseph Surface in the House of which he was a Member.—( Laughter.) His connection with the drama had been short, but he de rived one advantage from it, and that was a close, cor dial, unshaken intimacy with Mr. Macready, who was a man who not only possessed every virtue in private life, but the first order of genius as an actor.—(Cheers.) He had seen much in the way of dramatic representa tion, which had given him unfeigned delight, and he had seen also much that he bad no desire to witness again ; but he could assure them that it never had been his good fortune to meet with a man more true and high minded, or who, to save a world of paraphrase, was more gentlemanlike or estimable than his friend Mr. Mac ready.-_( Cheer:.) His claims on their admiration were signal. Not only was he the first actor of his time, but he had attempted the noble task— " To wake the soul by tender strokes of art, To raise the genius, and to touch the heart, To make mankind in conscious virtue bold, Live o'er each scene, and be what they behold, For this the Tragic Muse first trod th e stage. " The mind of his friend Mr. Macready h a d d runk deep ly of the dramatic literature of his c ount r y. and his in tellect was embellished by the highest attainments o f a scholar. He had done much in the way of reform, but they all knew that reform was only progressive, and that it rested with themselves to carry out the great princi ple which he had laid down with respect to the drama. As there was no monopoly in salt, he (Mr. Shiel) could not see why there should be in wit, and he yet hoped to see his friend presiding over a theatre in which not only justice would be done to the drama, but they would have a proper school for acting,_(Cheers.) The Duke of SUSSEX next proposed the health of the President of the Royal Academy. Sir M. A. SHEE returned thanks, and pointed out the connection between the drtnu i and the art which he professed. Mr. C. DICKENS proposed " The members of the late Company of Covent Garden Theatre," and said that the public owed theta a deep debt of gratitude for the intellectual and rational enjoyment which they had afforded during the last two seasons. Mr. SEKLE, in returning thanks, said that every member of the company felt it their duty:publicl:; t , express thei r th an k s to Mr. M acrea d y f or tttPi manner iq which h e h a d con d uc t e d th e a ff a i rs of t 14.0 theatre to which th ey h a d- b e l onge d. Ha Was ; 4stiY entitled to their gratit u d e , and had evinced a - aias: or - m i nd while he presided ever the establishment. He (Mr. Serle) must 1 be permitted to say that the monopolT that e*isted ifetta ruinous tdthe drama, and that it ought not to be tole rated. 'rhe conduct of Mr. Macready, on all occasions, had been that of a gentleman, and neither in the green room nor behind the scenes at Covent Garden was any expression ever heard which could offend even the ears of modesty. The great object of Mr. Macready was to elevate, by his example, the character of his profes sion, and it was only justice to him to say, that at the end of the last season, with a liberality peculiarly his own, he distributed among the members of the company money which he might have put into his own pocket, without subjecting himself to complaints of any kind. — (Cheers.) " The Ladies" was the concluding toast, and after it had been drunk with acclamation, the Royal Duke vacated the Chair, and the company speedily afterwards separated. IRISH JOBBING. (From the Spectatot.) The Shannon Bill has passed through the Committee of the House of Commons, but not without an exposure, most unwelcome to Mr. Spring Rice. It was intended to smuggle the job through Parliament ; but, thanks to Mr. Finch, Mr. Ellis, and Mr. William Williams, who manfully resisted the leading men of both parties, that design has been defeated. Mr. Rice was compelled to undertake a formal defence of the measure for improv ing his own and his neighbours' property. He con fessed, that for two good miles his broad acres are washed by the Shannon, into which all the money is to sink ; and that several thousands are to be appropriated to a pier and quays in his own sweet town of Tarbert— to which, by the way, it was intended to have carried a railway at the public cost. Mr. Rice's estate is, doubt less, a good one ; and if it be capable of improvement, why does he not improve it, as an English gentleman would, at his own cost ? Is it not enough that he is Chancellor of the Exchequer, his son a Commissioner of Customs, his daughter one of the Queen's Maids of Honour—all with handsome salaries paid by the public ? Must the nation also expend thousands in raising the rents of the family property ? So it appears ; and on the direct personal application of the Finance Minister himself! So much for Mr. Rice : now for the public grounds on which this job is defended. Seven millions, said the Chancellor, had. been granted for public works in England ; and how can you refuse half a million to Ireland ? You have thrown away millions, exclaimed Mr. O'Connell, in England ; and yet you grudge this paltry, stingy grant for a great national improvement in Ireland ! Positively, an innocent and idle M.P., trusting these sincere gentlemen, would suppose that the Shannon claim was a first and solitary demand—that poor Ireland had never yet touched a shilling of the public money, while seven mil lions sterling had been advanced for public works in England. But what are the facts ? Studiously kept back, they have at last been brought to light. On Monday evening, a set of returns, repeatedly inquired for, but on various pretexts delayed for months, were laid on the table of the House of Commons ; they ex hibit the amount of public money advanced to Ireland from June 1800 to June 1839 ; and what does the reader suppose is the amount ? Eight millions eight hundred and twenty-seven thousand pounds. We sub join an analysis, which explains the order of the arrange ment adopted in the return, the gross amount of public money advanced under each separate head of account, and also serves as an index of reference to the whole details. :GENERAL AND SPECIAL HEADS OF AC COUNT. Amount advanced under each special head of Account. Arts and Agriculture— X s. d. The Cork street Society, Dublin The Royal Dublin Society 285,438 8 4 The Farming Society, Dublin The Linen Board, Dublin Bogs and Waste Lands Buildings— Bridges Chapels .. 2,113 3 4 Churches Docks Gaols and other Prisons . Infirmaries and Hospitals Law Courts and Sessions- h6uses Lighthouses Record Offices .. 6,975 3 10 Round Towers of Defence Schoolhouses ... 33,648 16 9 Work-houses . BOO 0 0 Fisheries Harbours and Ports Inland Navigation 1,159,849 1 1 Mines Poor relief 692.399 11 6 Post Poads Public Works of a Miscellaneous characterl,743, 136 2 4 Total advances from 1800 to'June 1, 1839X8,827,141 4 Add to this, the amount proposed to be advanced under the Shannon Bill, and the total will be very nearly nine millions and a Half. Nor let it be forgotten, that it was the intention of the Irish party in the Govern ment to have procured two millions and a half more for Railways; and had - they succeeded, the charge against Ireland would have been raised to the enormous sum of eleven millions. Seven millions, says Mr. Rice, have been advanced for public works in England, and there upon a profit has accrued of 370,000/. Ireland has re ceived nearly nine millions—why did not Mr. Rice state the profit on that account It is yet possible that this job may be stopped. The Lords are under no obligation to feed'the Irish leech, which incessantly cries" Give, give." They are riot bound to pacify O'Connell and the Irish Members with grants of the public money. They would find this a safer inter ference with a money-bill of the Commons, than the contemplated stoppage of the Penny Post. The Shannon Bill should be thrown out, not because the public are averse or indifferent to the improvement of Ireland ; nor because they deem it unfit or impolitic that England, a rich country, should assist Ireland, a -puor country—Lone too which has suffered much wrong at the'hands of the other ; but because these advances have always been jobs (and what better arc they now ?) —because they corrupt Members of Parliament, and corrupt the people. CUSTOM-HOUSE REGULATIONS TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SlR,—The attention of the public having lately been called to one of the Custom-House mis-regulations, al low me to mention another. I landed from Boulogne yesterday. As I was anxious that my luggage should be cleared as soon as possible, I had hadimy name in scribed among the first in the list made out by the cap tain of the vessel, according to which "list the passengers are called into the searching room. After we had all waited an hour and a half, some passengers were called. I waited patiently, expecting soon to hear my name. What was my surprise, when name after name was called, and nearly all the passengers-disappeared. I at last expostulated, and, after some time, discovered that my name had been entirely omitted in . the list, so that I might, but for a somewhat violent manifestation of my impatience, have waited till doomsday, before I heard it called. Whilst waiting, I observed that several persons went away in despair, who were very soon after called for, whilst others waited whose names were among the very last. The remedy for all this seems to me very simple—let a copy of the list be affixed in the room where the pas sengers have to wait—every one will then know when he is likely to be required, and will regulate his move ments accordingly. The first will wait, and the last will, instead of spending two or three hours sitting on a deal board, move off, and return when they are likely to be wanted. Some of these (it may be objected) will not return till the morrow—this however is, I have reason to believe, frequently the case at present. And the only difference the arrangement I suggest would make, would be that those who have longest to wait would be the persons to absent themselves, whereas, at present, many of the very first names go away and miss their turns. _ I am, Sir, your obedient servant, London, July 19, 1839. AN ALIEN, THE LONDON HOSPITALS CHANGED TO MEDICAL ScuooLs.—At an inquest which was held yes terday, before Mr.. Wakley, M. P., at the Middlesex Hos pital, on a little girl named Hart, who was killed by falling from a second-floor window, the Coroner remarked that though the incomes of Guy's and St. Thomas's Hospitals were severally upwards of 40,000/ a year, still there was no resident surgeon. He also said that those hospitals, as well as others in the metropolis, were ac their foundation destined solely for the relict and cure of patients, and that the founders of them never intended that they should be converted into schools of medicine and surgery. They had become crowded schools of that nature, and chiefly for the following reason :—The visiting surgeons of those esta blishments were on the Council of the Colege of Surgeons, and they invariably gave a preference to students having certificates of courses of study from those hotpitals. It was no wonder, therefore, if such hospitals were thronged with students, to the inconvenience and injury of the pa tients. The North London was the only hospital founded with the express intention of its being a medical school. Mr. Gerrard, house surgeon to Middlesex Hospital—Yes ; and the consequence is that there are between 400 and 500 students at the North London, who have the power of running through the wards from eight o'clock in the morn ing until eight at night. The Coroner—l shall move next Session for leave to bring in a Bill for the better regula tion of the metropolitan hospitals. A meeting has been held at the Globe, Bridg water, for the purpose of promoting the Races of that town, and the object was warmly encouraged. THE VAMPIRE.—A great deal of curiosity Was excited on Friday among the loungers in St. Katharine's docks by a report of the arrival of a real live vampire. So many horrible associations of blood and terror arc con. nected with the popular ideas of this extraordinary ani mal, that when it was known that one had actually ar rived, a most intense desire was manifested to obtain a peep at it, and accordingly the vessel was crowded during the day by hosts of curious visitors, until its removal to the Surrey Gardens, to which establishment it was consigned. It is the Sumatran species, and the first living specimen ever seen in England. It is one of the most horrible aspect and well deserves the name of Vespertilio Spectrum, given to it by Linnaeus, remaining constantly suspended to the roof of his cage by the immense hooks at the edges of the wings, his head hanging downwards, and his eyes glistening with most vivid brightness. D'Azara, the celebrated naturalist, states that the vampire will attack h ors es, mules, asses, horned cattle, and the crest of fowls, who generally die in consequence, as a gangrene is engen dered in the wounds. Even man himself is not secure from these insidious assaults, as D'Azsra says he can hear very faithful testimony, having had the ends of his toes four times phlebotomised, gratis, by this nocturnal sur geon, while sleeping in the cottages in the open country. The wound is not felt at the time of its infliction, a• the blood is withdrawn by the most gentle suction, entirely from the capillary vessels of the skin, and not from any of the veins or - arteries, and the victim is besides lulled into a •cidep slumber by the f.ani ing of his destroyer's wings, who thus enjoys his banquet undi.turbed. RIOTS AT BIRMINGHAM. BIRMINGIIAM, SUNDAY EVENING. - ' • " ' Since Monday the rioters have not evinced the slight est physical demonstration of an attempt to renew the horrors of that night, yet they continue to exhibit strong indications which cannot be misunderstood that they wid again be at the work of destruction. Although the working classes generally denounce the late outrages, and deny any or the slightest participation in them, yet they appear to et-joy a secret satisfaction, and indulge a lurking joy at the recital,and look on them as a triumphant revenge on men who despised them, who oppressed them, and who will, if possible, withhold from them their just rights and priviliges. An addres3 by the Northern Political Union to the middle classes of the north of England is i❑ great circulation here ; and its tone and language may be judged of by the fol lowing specimen : " But. then comes your bugbear—' If you, the work ing men, had power in your hands, there would b. no security for life and property.' One fact, you will your: elves admit, is worth ten thousand arguments—if these facts do not. convince you, to talk of reasoning any longer is altogether nut of the question. " Look to America—in the mercantile States of that republic all power is in the hands of the people—their will is law ; and is the manuf4cturer less safe in his business—the trader less secure in his property—than in England ? Why, the very fault of American society is the over encouragement and importance that is given to its trade. " Look, too, to Switzerland, whose laws must receive the sanction of the whole male population, assembled in arms, from sixteen years of age upwards Where is the country on the face of the earth can boast more se curity for life and property—more absence of crime— more positive virtues than are to be found in the moun tains, vales, and cities of Switzerland'? Look at the soothing tranquillity of these democratic countries, and contrast them with the murderous anarchy that even at this moment desolates aristocratic Spain. " Dear are our families to us—dear our humble homes —our feelings are as human as your own—and if com pelled to t ike the field in vindication of our sacred rights, we shall do so with hearts yearning for our helpless families, whom many of us must never see again. To this alternative we are driven by dire and uncontrollable necessity ; we are not men of blood.' " But blood is on the land ; it falls without a record ; hecatombs—upwards of 100,000 souls—are yearly sa crificed to famine and a broken heart ; the old, the helpless, the unresisting die, and no man writes their epitaph, " If you be not as blind—as hardened of heart as ever Pharaoh was of old, you must perceive that a mighty, a thorough, a Radical change must now very speedily take place in the constitution of society in these islands, a change which it is not in your power to avert, though it is in your power to give it a peaceful character. " Do you call the courage of the people in question Wny eve❑ the Tory Times acknowledges that con tempt of death is natural to every errand-boy in Eng land.'" The present civil disturbance has snot (as declared by those engaged in it.) for its aim the destruction of human life. It is a war against property, of labour against capi tal. They will burn, they will level to the ground, they N ill reduce others to their own standard, but human life they will neither risk nor destroy, nor will they at present combat with steel or gunpowder. Property they say, shall not be secure unless united with liberty,. nor shall there be submission to the law without au equality of civil rights. Yesterday Colonel Thorn, the Commandant, Colonel Chatterton, 4th Royal Irish Dragoons, and Lord Ayls ford, were in constant communication with the Magis trates. They Were occupied in consulting on the best mode of guarding against the worst, and have adopted the most vigorous and decisive measures. The outposts have been stretched to the verge of the suburban dis tricts. The picquets are doubled, and such an organiza tion has been effected that the borough is in a complete state of siege. An additional military force, consisting of dragoons arrived yesterday at five ()clock, and are quartered at the Unitarian school, five mile gate. Beardsworth's large repository, Cimeapside, which is ca poble of holding 18,000 amen has been taken for a military station, and will be immediately it is said, occuped by mm - m infantry regiment. Browne was brought up yesterday evening before Mr. Lawrence, and Mr. Meredith, but was remanded to Monday. He is charged with seditious language, and with being concerned in the riots of Monday. He denies those charges, and it would appear, that as soon as he was informed of the intention of the rioters, he said all in his power to dissuade them from the work of destruc tion, declaring, that sooner than property and life should be periled or sacrificf,d, he would enrol himself a special constable for their protection. It is generally believed that Browne is innocent. The Magistrates refused hail for him. He had been under heavy recognizances. The Albion hotel had a most fortunate escape. The mob just raised the cry, " Let us be at the Albion, the station of the b-y Police," when the military made their appearance. In this hotel a party of police has been located since the arrival of that force here. Messrs. Bournes have made a return of their loss, which they estimate at 12,000/. At a late hour last night Wm. Parry was brought before the Magistrates. There was found in his pos session a silver tea-pot, valued at 101. He had a severe wound on his head, which, alter some hesitation, he ac knowledged having received on Monday night. He accounted for the possession of the tea-pot by saying that a boy had given it to him. He was remanded. Three prisoners were brought in this morning at three o'clock under a military escort. One of them is charged with having threatened to burn down the workhotise. A highly respectable shopkeeper in the Borough hay- ing joined his corps of yeomanry. several persons en tered his shop, and, addressing his wife, said; " Has Mr. -- joined the corps ?" On receivinc , :'iin an -Aver in the affirmative, they replied, " Well, your house shall be burnt next." A meeting of the " peace, law, and order" men was held at Johnson's Head, opposite the Town-hall, for _ . the purpose of inducing the working-classes to enrol themselvps special constables, in order to expedite the removal of the Metropolitan Police. Several of the working-classes attended, and expressed their readiness to give every assistance in saving property from de struction, but declined being special constables until they Lad some guarantee of the Town-hall, or some other place of meeting being secured to them, where they will be enabled to assemble to petition, or for other legal purposes. The meeting adjourned without the conveners effecting their object. The Magistrates have this day issued the following : " PUBLIC OFFICE, BIRMINGHAM. " The Mayor and Magistrates earnestly require that every person possessing, or being possessed of intorrna- Lion connected with the late disgraceful proceedings, will communicate the same to Mr. Redfern, in person, or by letter. The name of any individual giving in formation will not he made public, and shall be com municated to one Magistrate only." All is anxiety for the events of to-morrow night, as rumours are e ery current that the terrorists will then mako another attempt at fresh outrages and burnings. STATE OF CARLISLE. A great number of special constables have been sworn in. _ On Thursday the borough Magistrates issued a pro clamation, stating that certain persons have, by means of threats and intimidation, obtained money from certain tradesmen, shopkeepers, and other individuals, under the pretence of raising a fund to defend certain persons charged with sedition ; the public is informed that all persons guilty of going about and obtaining money as aforesaid are guilty of misdemeanor, and that on evi dence being adduced before any of the said Magistrates, they will cause all persons so offending to be apprehended and dealt with according to law. A proclamation of a similar nature has also been issued by the county Magistrates, and signed by Mr. Ponsonby Johnson, Mi. J. Hodgson, Major Wilson, Mr. • Hewit, Major Wilde, Mr. Salkeld, and Mr. Heysham. It states also that the Magistrates have taken measures to preserve the peace of the county. In their efforts to preserve the peace of the district the Magistrates will, we are sure, receive the support of all the well-disposed part of the community.—Car lisle Patriot. THE CHARTISTS IN LibICESTER, (Abridged from the Leicestershire Mercury.) The adherents of the Charter in this town, though zealously attached to its principles, have never mani fested that turbulence which has been indulged in by their brethren in some towns; and, on the other hand, our Magistrates, wiser and more liberal than those in some boroughs, have never attempted to prevent them from meeting and fully expressing their opinions. The consequence is that, amidst the ra pidly-increasing ex citement which prevails throughout the -country, the peace of this town is, and is likely to continue, unbroken. The treatment of the Birmingham people, however, excited great sympathy here, and the Birmingham coaches have this week been besieged, as they arrived, especially in the evenings, with crowds of persons anxious to obtain information. at one, p.m., a number assembled at On Wednesday , the public room , A ll Saints' Open, to hear the intelli gence received by th e mail, and it was announcbee seen that the newspapers would be read in the same place in the ev ening. At eight o ' clock, workin g -m en might going in all directions, to the appointed place, and a t half-past eight, the numbers assembled rendered an ad journment necessary. They therefore took materials for a platform and quietly proceeded to the Pasture, where it was speedily erected. The Evening Hymn was then sung (in the tune usually appropriated to the old 100th •Psalni); and a resolution in support of the Convention was carried unanimously. • Mr. MAREFIAM contended that it was not fair to FAVI4',N IN DITION. charge the excesses on the Chartists ; and he concurred with one of the papers, which was not favourable to the Chartists, in declaring that the mob were not more than 300 in number, and composed apparently of thieves and prostitutes. In concluding he exhorted them — while they continued to seek, with unabated ardour, the attainment of their objects by all proper means—care fully to abstain from violence and force. At the conclusion of Mr. M.'s address, three cheers were given for the Convention, and three groans for the Birmingham mag istrates and police ; and the multitude quietly dispersed. Though there was no announcement of this meeting, hut the short and partial one mentioned above, the number ass-ernbled appeared to be between 4,000 and 5,000, who ntuained quiet and attentive to the close cf the prose. - dings, which was about half-past nine, notwith st-anding a drizzling rain which fell for more than half an h CHARTISI; ASSEMBLAGES. (From the Manchester Guardian.) Since our last, several other meetings of a similar cha racter to those we noticed on Wednesday, have been held in the outskirts of the town ; one convened by I placard, hut the others held without any public notiac. • On Wednesday evening a meeting was held in Board man's-square, Mlles Platting, which was attended by about 300 persons ; a man named Davies in the chair. The s; Bakers were DAI id Roberts (the chairman of the meeting held in Stevenson-square on Saturday evening last), Butterworth (one of the speakers at that meet ing), and a man named Donovan. The same evening, another and a much larger meeting was held in a field :ear a ropewalk adjoining the Stratford new road, aid not far from Jackson's-lane, Hulme, at which the language was of a very violent character. On Thurs day evening, there was a meeting in a hollow between Every-street, Ancoats, and the river Medlock. About five or six hundred persons were present. The speakers were Butterworth, Edward Curran, Doyle, Dakes, and Rushton. Last evening another meeting was held in the same field in Hulme, which was attended by about 400 persons. There was a green flag inscribed " The Hulme and Chorlton Row Association." The speakers were -tile Rev. - W. V. Jackson, Doyle, David Roberts, &c. It was announced that on Monday night there would be a meeting of " the C o nvention y ;" anti the meeting, about half-past nine o'clock, adjourned to Tuesday evening next, at the same place. There was also a meeting to be held last evening in Sal ford, on Shaw's Brows, where several meetings have been held on the last few evenings ; but whether it was held, we have not been able to learn. It will be seen that the same individuals figure at most of these meetings as speakers. Two, at least of these itinerating orators have already been before the public. Doyle was one of the individuals in custody, on a charge of riot at Mr. Guest's mill in Holt Town ; and Butterworth, we understand, was some time ago in the service of the police commissioners as a watch man, but was dismissed for misconduct. There have also, vt e understand, been assemblages of a similar character in and about various other towns in the dis trict. One which was held at Bury on Wednesday evening was of a very threatening character, and pro duced great alarm amongst the peaceable inhabitants of the town. It appears that a meeting having been announced to be held at a place called " the people's ball," a report was circulated I . by some designing person to the effect that the London police officers intended to be present, in order to note what passed• This announcement, which was utterly unfounded, caused great excitement ; and a large number of per sons assembled round the building, with the view of resisting the entrance of the police. The excitement was no little ,increased by a placard which was posted in the town, calling upon the Chartists to be firm, an d to " reserve themselves for the eleventh hour." The consequence was, that the streets were filled with gangs of desperate fellows, mostly from the country, armed with bludgeons, and evidently ready for any sort of mischief, when it was pointed out to them. In s hort, nothing was wanted but an actual commencement of violence, however slight, to produce a riot of the mm t alarming and destructive character. Their appearance caused so much alarm, that an express was sent over to this town for military aid. A strong body of dragoons was consequently despatched towards Bury soon after midnight ; but, we believe, they did not enter that town, but returned to Manchester as soon as theY ascertained that all was quiet. IRELAND. " TWELFTH - OF JULY." (From the Dublin Evening:Post.) We have now accounts from all parts of the North, as to the manner in which the Orange anniversary of 12th July passed over; and it gratifies us extremely to be able to state, that, with some few exceptions, tranquil lity prevailed. For the first time during many years, those senseless party displays, which had so often pro duced bloodshed and desolation, were generally aban doned. The salutary object of the Lord Lieutenant's proclamation has been accomplished, and great progress has thus been made towards allaying that spirit of party rancour which has so long been the bane of the country. We subjoin some extracts from our provincial Con, .emporaries We have had communications from several parts of the north relative to the last 12th. The accounts, with very few exceptions, all go to show a decline in pro. cessions and party display. At Cranky, about four miles from Newry, on the road to Armagh, a proces sion, with flags, drums, &c., marched. A scuffle, we regret to say, occurred in this case, and a house was wrecked. We have got particulars, but as the case is to be heard at our petty sessions on Friday, eight of the Orangemen being summoned to appear there, we, for the present, refrain from stating more.—Newry Exa miner. So far as information has yet reached us, this anni versary, with two exceptions we may notice, passed away without the smallest disturbance. We learn that at Coleraine, on the morning of the 12th, there was a ;mat turn out of the most ruffianly of the Orange party —not including so much as a single tradesman of any pretensions to respectability. They paraded the streets, firing muskets, and preceded by a band of from twelve to sixteen musicians, playing party tunes. On being interfered with by the police, who did not exceed eight in all, they attacked and overpowered that force, and drove it away ; after which they continued their dis graceful revels throughout the morning, firing shots, and groaning opposite to sonic houses, and shouting oppo site to others. We learn that at Newtownlimavady, also, there was a partial demonstration by the display of flags from the windows of a house, and the playing of party tunes by a band within ; but this the magi strates exerted themselves to suppress.—Londonderry Journal. From almost every quarter we have received satisfac tory accounts of the quiet manner in which this day pacsed over in the North of Ireland. We regret, how over, to learn by the following communication from a very respectable source, that some of the Orangemen in the neighbourhood of Ballymena did not prove them selves worthy of the confidence placed in them by the Lord Lieutenant, or take the advice and follow the example of their brethren of Dungannon, and elsewhere : —" Ballymena, July 12.—For several years back there has not been more pomp and parade, and ostentatious show, than what the Orangemen of this neighbourhood made here to-day. The ground chosen for their rendez. vous was a large field within about half-a-mile of Cre billy Chapel, where they had a number of tents erected, and thirteen stand of colours planted. To the credit of the Ballymena lodges, be it told, not one of them walked in procession ; but teey met in the evening, and dined together, drank their toasts, made their speeches, and spent the evening convivially, without any outward or offensive display. All around this town there was a re gular turn nut of the lodges, with drums, fifes, and ban oers." At Letterkenny, we understand, some distur bance took place, but we have nut heard particular 3.— Northern Whig. Since the above was in type, we regret to find, by the Be(fast Vindicatog, that in the neighbourhood of Portadown, Maghera, Kilrea, and other places, the usual insulting displays were made by tlmo Orangemen, and it is owing to the forbearance of the Catholics that .erious disturbances did not follow. A correspondent of the Vindicator gives the following account of the wrecking of a Catholic chapel by the Orangemen Drumcree chapel, which is situated within a mile of Portadown, was attacked by an Orange mob on Satur day night, the Bth of Juno last, who broke every win _dow in. it, ...a loft it almost a complete wreck. Sir Toler Osborne, S.M., offered a reward or 401. tor—triodiscovery of the ruffians, and took other means for their detection, but in vain. ORANGE LOYALTY. The loyalty of the Orangemen has been heretofore described as conditional. It has now become compara tive—the Queen Dowager is the Queen of the Orange men, and the King of Hinover is their King. At a corporation dinner given on Tuesday night, by Sheriff Taylor, the health of the Queen—we quote from the report in Saunders—was received with " three times three." The health of the Queen Dowager was ararik with " the loudest applause." But the health of the King of Hanover—the only Monarch recognisod by the Orangemen —was drank with " the loudest en thusiasin." Thus, there is no allegiance for the Queen—much allegianc e for the Queen Dowager—and ultra-allegiance for the " Foreign Prince and Potentate" who has abo lished the Constitution given by King William the Fourth to the Protestants of Hanover,. The Peel Privy Councillor, Mr. Frederick Shaw, the Corporation Judge, was present at these loyal orgies. }POSTAGE. The law, as it now exists, is sufficient to authorise the Government authorities to adopt most of the prin cipal features of Mr. Hill's plan. 1. Reduction of Postage, to any extent, can be effected under the present law Vic., cap. The Postmaster-General may, at any time, with the consent of the Lords of the Treasury, reduce all or any of the rates of postage on colonial and inland letters, and any other British postage, to such ex tent as the Lords of the Treasury shall from time to time direct." 2. Payment in advance. 1 Vic., cap. 76, sec. 2.—" In all cases in which it shall be so required by, the Post-office Acts, or by any regula tions made by the Postmaster-General in pursuance thereof, the postage shall be paid by the sender on deliver ing the letter to the Post-office ; in other cases it shall be optional with the sender to pay the postage on delivering the letter to the Post-office, and if the postage shall not have been paid by the sender, it shall he paid by the per. son to whom the letter is addressed on the delivery thereof to him." 3. Registration of Letters. 1. Vic. cap. 84, sec. 25. "In case the Post- Master-General should, at any time, deem it expedient that any post letters should be registered by the Post-office, the Postmaster-General may charge for each letter so registered such rate of postage, in addition to any other rates payable under the Post-office Acts, assthe Postmas ter-General, with the consent of the Lords of the Treasury, shall from time to time direct." 4. The Postmaster-General, as head of 11113 depart ment of the public service, has always posessed the power to increase the number of mails and deliverie of letters ; and to incur the necessary charges for such increased fiwililies. This might be inferred, were not the law explicit, which it is. I Vic. cap. 33, sec. 14.—" And be enacted, that all charges, outgoings, and disbursements necessary for the receipt and management of the duties of the postage, and all other expenses attending the management of the Post office, and the due execution of the several Poat-office Acts, shall be allowed and paid in like manner as the same have heretofore been allowed and paid." I Vic. cap. 33, sec. 9 —" And be it enacted that the Postmaster-General may appoint sufficient deputies, agents, and servants under him for the better managing the Post office revenue." Some doubts have arisen as to whether the Post. master-Gcneral has authority, under 1 Vic. cap, 36, to assess postage by weight. The only additional powers required to gi ve eff:ct to the resolution of the House of Commons ar e s i mp l y th ese :To provide stamps, and make the issue of them legal, and the abuse penal 2. To abolish franking. 3. To clear up doubts about charging by weight. No. 39, ALBENIARLE-STREET, PICCADILLY. —The Messrs. S. an d B. Solomons, Opticians and Au- Fists to th e R oya l F am il y, are happy to inform the Public that, after thirty years' practice, they have succeeded in effecting a most i mportant i mpro v e mei t for De a f ness an d constructedDefectiv Defective Vision. such n.Tha principle,eirinvisil that when fixed i n thele Voice Condu c t or is ears it is riot perc e i ve d, an d i n company most sev ere cases of d ea f ness are not in the leist percept.ble. The M essrs. Solomon, are hi g h ly gratified to find that numerous indi viduals of the highest respeetabiliq are daily calling to express their feelings of gratitude for the great benefit they have derived. Their newly invented Spectacle Lenses give immediate relief to weak, dim, and imperfect vision. It is particularly necessary to , observe that the Messrs. S. have no connection with persons of the same name, nor with any one who have and who are daily en deavouring to imitate them; their valuable improvements in the material are secret to therwelves, and are solely confined t; their establi s h men t, 39, Albe mar l e - s t ree t. No trave ll . as are emp l oyed. MANSLAUGHTER AGAINST SEVEN MEN...- 1 It is our painful dity to announce the death of a young col lier named Constantine Marlow, aged 25, whet was killed ;in'a fight with William Lee, at . MarkfiiAl, on Monday last. Mr. Gregory held th e , i nquest on Wednesday, when a Ver dict of manslaught er aga i nst se ven m en concerrtecl in the . brutal proceeding was returned.—aioesietkEhtresellercury, -. ~Y T ~K ~ r ~di~ CORONER'S INQUESTS. ACCIDENT ON THE THATIES JUNCTION RAILWAY.-' On Saturday evening an inquisition was taken before Mr. Higgs, at the St. George's Hospital, on view of the body of James Pepper, aged 34, an excavator. James Sanford, a patient in the Hospital, who was lying in bed in Winchester ward, where the Jury proceeded to take his evidence, said that about four weeks ago, he and the deceased were employed at Wormwood Scrubbs, in making the excavations on the line of the projected Thome! Junction Railway. Deceased had undermined a body of the earth several feet, when he and some others went upon it, for the purpose of loosing the mass. Suddenly it gave way before they were aware, and in an instant the w hole were covered. Several hands were promptly employed in digging ti e men out. DeceaSed being found-dangerously hurt, he was put in a cart and brought to this Hogpital• These accidents occurred on three Saturdays successively. Mr. G. Gascoyne, House Surgeon at St. George's 'Hospital, stated that the deceased was brought in on the 15th of June, with a fractured jaw on the right side, and an injury to the left hip. No dangerous symptoms or peared till about a week ago, when erysipilas of the hip came on, and which ended in a mortification of the par t ' when death ensued. The Foreman asked if that was all the evidence they were provided with. Ince, the summonsing officer replied that it was. Foreman—There was no use in summoning them, Un less they had evidence. They ought to have the foreman of the works he fore them: Ju.ior—The first witness has told that three a ccident : have occurred on three consecutive Saturdays. There mu st be some neglect or want of attention somewhere. Ince said that the gauger , John Williams, by wb° — the deceased was employed, had left. Foreman.—They might have had the contractor or th e foreman of the.works, who could give them some informs" Lion. Did they know that the inquest was to be held ? Ince—They must know it, as they have sent an-under taker for the body. Juror—lt is our duty to see. that men's lives arc !O t t , trifled with. Men a re emp l oye d wh o k now n o t hi n g ° the work they are engaged in ; and the execution being done by contract, it is hurried on. Ince said Sandford t o ld hi m t h at f orty tons o f earth fell upon the deceased. He (Ince) on all former occasios: had the contract ors at t h e i nquest . If t h e j ury though t proper to adjourn till Monday, he would summon them t° appear. The jury having consulted together, said that the nex t time they hoped he would summons them, when they re turned a verdict that " the deceased died from the acciden ts ' falling of a quantity of earth upon him, which had been i n c i cautiously undermined," and the Coroner was requested to make known their verdict to the Company. AC CID ENT BY THE HURRICANE OF THURSDAY, --"A inquest was also taken before Mr. Higgs, at the Uni" e Queen-street, Pimlico, on the body of Mary Anne Frank ham, aged five years, drowned in the basin near the wooden bridge, Chelsea. Jane Frankham, the sister of the deceased, twelve Ye ar° old, deposed that she, a little girl named Tilly Tudoa t and her unfortunate sister, on Thursday evening last, w e° out to take a walk. Witness had the baby with he r. ' They strolled as far as the wooden bridge, Chelsea, swlt e n it as as proposed to go dow n t o th e water s id e . Tile r ,' witness finding it cold, told deceased to go for the ball _ bonnet. She left for that p ur p ose an d passed under the bridge. Witness waited for h er a l ong ti me , w hen as she did not come, she, witness returne d h ome . Her moth er and father searched for her that night, but she was re found till Friday morning, when her body was dragged ant of the water near the bridge. A verdict of Accidental Death was returned ; and th e Coroner was requested to write to Mr. Cundy, the so; veyor to the Marquis of Westminster, recommending fence or gate to be erected. THE UNCERTAINTY OF LIFE.—On Saturday morning an inquest was held at the Green Man, Coppice-ro Clerkenwell, before Mr. Wakley, M. P., on the body °I Margaret Clarke, aged 65. Margaret Donohue said that she knew the deceased, who was an Irishwoman. Witness sells fruit in Ray -street:. On Thursday afternoon deceased brought witness a cup 01 tea, when, after talking over various matters, she s aici, tea, She a nd wh en came baclk co me back was sitting in the chair. The y were talk ing about old a ‘ Peggy, we lll will have chat and have together." e t h m e r y . times in lieland, and dec eased was tellin g a story abo ut miller who wanted to m arr y her. She was laughing 8t e Er e ,od it, when she suddenly stopped. Witness looked at W A ' and saw her face black. She (witness) then exclaim e d murder!" Witness observed " I called out murder for assistance." A crowd collected, when a surgeon cam e ' but my friend had ceased to live. CORONER—Are you sure she used no violence towards herself Witness—Oh ! quite sure, Sir. She was always she was as when CORONER talking lki cheerful woman, and I never saw any one more merr y tba observedng about t ha t t he shemiller. m iht have been o ve r excited, and s ome vessel either in the chest or brain h ope given way. Th at, h owever, was not surpr i s i ng; the aa r " prise was, that so few sudden deaths took place, par t g larly when we so o f ten a b use d t h e ph ys i ca l powe rs t" were given us. Verdict, " Visitation of God." SALMON.—A much greater number of salil l°" fry hav e b een c a ught this season in the Lostw ith i e l rive r than for many years past ; and on Monday night, artie r of the men was fishing with a trammel, something d than usual stuck in the net , which, when drawn, p rove to be a sturgeon which measured about four feet six laeibec,:i The fish is kept alive in a large tray of water.-- Briton. t • M E LANCHOLY AND MYSTERIOUS CIRv - STANcE.—On Monday last, as one of the Monkland 0 % 3 ' boats was entering the basin at Townhead, it canl e b ;,, con tact with the body of a young ma rr i e d woman, of when removed from the water, appeared to have . been 11 „ more than two or three days in th a t s it ua tion. tier,. a „ 1- ; pearance was respectable ; h e r c l ot hi ng goo d, thong" " ) , 2 % fine ; her age somewhere about or below twenty. `-‘,, marks of violence were visibl e on e ith er th e hands or fac i, though it is feared she could not have gone there by ~., c ` "t o dent, as it has sinc e b een ascertained that she belQag''' Airdrie or it 3 neighbou - rioo - d — .- -- G/aggo - 30 Argun• .i. , , ~~ ~ ~:e~