The Sun. — London, England, 1839-12-26 00:00:00

EVENING EDITION. IRELAND. •s '-,/~ "~ ' c it - c ) 3 00."\ - ENTERTAINMENT TO MR. O'CONNELL AT TRALEE. 1 We have already given a short notice of this enter tainment, but the speech of Mr. O'Connell is so good that we consider it unfair to curtail it, and we there fore give it at length. The first toast was " Our en lightened, beloved, and patriotic Queen, and long may she reign in the hearts of her people," (Drank with nine times, and all the honours.) Air " God save the Queen." The next toasts were " Tne Duchess of Kent, the Duke of Sussex, and the rest of the Royal Family, and Prince Albert," which were all received with due ho nours. After the usual toasts, the Chairman, Daniel Cro nin, Esq., of the Park, proposed " Their Revered and distinguished Guest, Daniel O'Connell, Esq., may he 1 live long to w it ness an d re j o i ce i n t h e resu l t o f hi s fearless, virtuous, and triumphant patriotism."—( Hear, Ihear, and tumultuous applause.) Drunk with nine times nine, and all the honours. Air " The Dear Irish Boy.' Mr. O'CONNELL rose, and was received with one of those thrilling and soul-stirring shouts of welcome 1 which his appearance so invariably draws forth on occa sions of this nature. As soon as the applause bad sub sided, the Honourable and Learned Gentleman pro ceeded :—I do not think that at any time during the course of my life, I felt less disposed to make a speech than Ido at present. My acquaintance with those whom I see around me on the present occasion, is in terwoven intimately with those ties of early esteem and affection, which conduce to soften the heart and melt the feelings, rather than to excite the mind to displays of eloquence. I see around me my best—my oldest friends—the companions and friends of my early career—the witnesses of my professional struggles and the sharers in the triumphs of my professional success.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) lam bound by those chains that overpower the heart, and deprive us of the full low of words. When I received your invitation I was busily engaged in preparations to commence—to re commence--(Cheers)--that agitation which in my heart I believe to be all-isnportant to the safety and well being of our county.—( Hear, and cheers.) My first intention was to throw myself on your kindness, by offering the public business as an apology for my non acceptance of the honour you intended me. But I soon came to the conclusion that as agitation must be re newed; the sooner it is renewed the better.—(Hear, hear.) Here was the origin of my physical, of my pro fessional life ; and what place so fitting for the re-opening of that peaceful, holy, and necessary campaign on which the maintenance of our liberties, aye, and the safety of our lives, and our properties, and our families depend ? But, gentlemen, the time is a fearful and a threatening mita We have no time for compliments ; and I shall hest express to you my gratitude for, and appreciation of, your kindness, by explaining to you our present position, and offering to you my advice as to the course to be pursued therein.—( Hear, hear.) In brief, then, the Tories have made open war upon us —(Hear)—on the people, the religion, and the liber ties of Ireland.—(Hear, hear.) Affectins , an overween ing zeal for the forms of religi o n, th e y have b altogether thrown overboard the substance, the principles, the genuine sentiments of Christianity—(Cheers)---for they have done all that in them lay, by fanaticism and ma lice, to turn religion into a symbol of blood, and hate, and horror, instead of one of peace, of concord, and uni versal charity.—(Hear.) We see not the sword raised over our heads ; we feel not the knife of the bigot as sassin at our throats ; but we hear the bold declarations of a wish and an intention to proceed to those atro cities. We are not blind to the symptoms which too plainly indicate that the war of extermination is gather ing and preparing, and if we do not arouse ourselves, will surely and speedily burst upon us.—(Hear, and cheers.) Our enemies arc powerful ; they are—l grieve to say it, but these are times when truth must be told, however stern and unpleasant—they are implac able.—(Hear.) No remonstrances,—no petitions, —no representations, founded merely on justice and reason, can avail with them. We must be in a position to terrify the wickedness, to confound the impudence of our foes. They grow fiercer and fiercer —more and more violent in their denunciations of us. Last year they raised the cry of "No Popery." Our country, our clergy, ourselves, were assailed and maligned by them,through theirspouters and their scoundrel press. " Surpliced ruffians" was the mildest term by which they designated the Pastors of our Church.—(Hear, and cries of " Shame.") But now an English Member of Parliament is found to carry the work of slander still further ; he has openly declared —and his declaration has been listened to and applauded, that the Catholics of Ireland have the knife ready, and that they are panting for the opportunity of that which we believe, as our Priests tells us, would be the highest point of merit, the application of these knives to the destruction of all Protestants, wherever, and under what circumstances soever, they may be found. Is it true that we think thus, or is it false ?—(Cries of "'Tis false.") Yes, gentlemen, it is false—foully false—and be who uttered the falsehood well knew that it was so. —( Hear.) But they want to treat us just as if it was true,—(Cries of" They do.') The atrocities of the press were last year followed up and supported by the lay and clerical firebrands of Orangeism. But this year the ruf fian Bradshaw, in the cathedral and archiespiscopal town of Canterbury—in the midst of a sanguinary band of parsons and Kentish landowners—has reached the cli. max of villany, by branding us, one and all, without let or exception, as an unnatural assemblage of cut-throats, murderers, and worse than cannibals—to hunt down whom is the duty of every honest man.—(Hear, hear.) Thus has he misrepresented us : and the miscreant Roby has imittted him ; but this last is a paltry fellow — one who ha s the wish but not the courage to be a traitor ; for every word lie utters he denies or shuffles out of the instant he is called to account.—(Hear, and cheers.) I wish not to speak in the language of exaggeration, and I firmly believe that I am speaking neither more nor less than she truth, when I express my conviction that the object of the present cry against Ireland is to crush, or render nugatory, the popular branch of the Legislature, to subjugate and trample on the Throne—to make the Sovereign the crouching slave of an overbearing oligarchy, and to transfer to that oli garchy the whole power and authority of the State, to the destruction of the hopes, the liberty, and happiness of the people.—(Cries of Hear, hear.)—l repeat, then, that we must not pause.—(Cheers.) In another year, if in the mean time we are apathetic, that which is now laudable opposition to tyranny and violence, will be POni' - hable rebellion—a proceeding which I, for one, can never advocate or countenance.—(Cheers.) We must arouse then, and before I am a fortnight in Dublin I I hope t:2at all Ireland will meet for the purpose of offer ing ourselves for the protection of the laws and the throne, at the sacrifice, if necessary, even of our lives— (Cheers) —and of showing to the world that Toryism shall not succeed in its exterminating projects, with less risk to the exterminators than we should incur by tamely submitting to them. The Tories have resorted to every manoeuvre and every stratagem for the purpose of car rying their purpose at the elections. Bribery, to an amazing extent, and intimidation to a still greater, have been resorted to in the towns and in the counties ; and the national plunder of a century has been brought into r ,-quisition to overwhelm the pure,and peaceful, and ever increasing light of constitutional reform.—(Hear.) It is impossible to avoid being disgusted with England. At no former period does the history of that country present features so disgraceful to the character of its inhabitants. Look at the Lords—the incorrigible assembly of dunces and dotards --treating the Commons, who are nominally if not really, the people's representatives, with every spe cies of contempt ; rejecting every beneficial proposition ; perpetuating and extending injustice and corruption of every kind—especially where Ireland is the party ag grieved.—( Hear.) There appears, in the mass of the people of England at present no wish or notion whatever of a proper system of representation. Passive slaves seem to preponderate in a fearful proportion. There are the " Operative Conservatives" for you, feeling and professing an unextinguishable hatred for this country, ond guided by whore ? Why by that very party which England had heretofore thought it necessary to hold in check and distrust—the aristocracy of the country.—( Hear, and loud cheers.) Then there are the deluded and benighted Chartists.—(Hear.) On these it is, perhaps, scarcely necessary to dwell long ; for their weakness has been clearly demonstrated by 1 late events. But setting that aside—is it not apparent that the working classes must depend mainly for employment and support on the mercantile interests -- (Applause)— on the men of substance and of capital --on those whom it was the object of these very Char tists to ruin ? If a rebellion were to break out in three or four extensive manufacturing towns—Birmingham, a nd Leeds, and Sheffield, and Manchester, for in stance-1,500,000 human beings, at least, would at I once be thrown out of the means of procuring subsist tauee. What could they do but starve ? To be sure t h o v could plunder. But how long would this plunder last 7 For a week —perhaps for two weeks. And al lowing d as at they could do a great deal of mischief—that they could d estroy many lives, and incalculable property, they suould consider that before long they would most certainl-; be destroyed themselves.—(Cries of Hear, hear.") 1 -1 9 r the first tim e in their annals, ' the people of England appear, .as a body, as much op posed to common sense as to Justice and hu man i ty. — (Cheers.) And even amongst us there has been much torpor.—(Hear, hear.) WI have exhibited too much of a disposition to look no farther than to-day or to morrow. We do not devote sufficieht of our thoughts to the consideration, what would be our fat. were the Peter Thompsons to come into power to-morro- __ (Cheers and laughter.) Ido not allude particularly ta, the individual, insignificant as he is ; for little people of this kind exist in every city and every county of Ireland. 1 But I mean the intolerant, persecuting, Orange party. I speak it seriously and solemnly, and I fiend it through 1 the press' to be borne to all the people of Ireland — 'k there's a torpor and apathy that must be shaken toff. —(Hear, hear, hear.) Enjoying, as we do, the ,h leasing o f an i mpart i a l G overnment , an d g l a d in t, t u , hope of an improvement in the condition of amantry, we do not look, as carefully a s we ought, our a to the danger we run of losing that great blessing. Our confidence is too great ; it is just, indeed, as regards the Ministry—with regard to their intentions, were their good intentions backed by commensurate power— (Cheers)—and if they were certain of remaining in power. But we know not how long they will continue to interpose between us and the flaming conflagration of Orange tyranny.—( Hear.) Consider this, reflect on if to-morrow, when the excitement and enthusiasm of our present meeting shall have departed ; and I would ear nestly conjure you to act then according to the impulses which such reflection must produce.—(Loud cheering.) Did you ever witness such envenomed rascality as that at present exhibited by the Orange newspaper press of England ? Were there ever such utterly dis graceful instruments resorted to for forcing into place a truculent and dishonest faction ? But dis graceful to England as is the malevolence of her To ryism, and the violence of her Chartism, and the ruf fianism of her press, there is still a fouler blot upon her—there is the c ountenance she gives to the M'Ghees, the O'Sullivans, and the M'Neiles, those precious specimens of the Gospel's ministers, who pro fane the temples and desecrate the religion of Chris tianity by their hideous blasphemies against all its prin ciples.—( Hear, hear.) Why, this M'Neile has openly declared, and called on the Word of God as the sup porter of his declaration, that he is not the minister of peace, but of discord. This is no one-sided statement. I take it from his own language, as reported in his partisan papers. He declares war against peace, and tells us that he is not the preacher of a mild and merciful God, but of a demon of blood and dissension. Is this exaggera tion ? Is it misrepresentation ? Has he not plainly, openly, and boldly declared that he came " to sow not peace, but the sword ?"—(Cries of " Hear,hear.") And, again—" th ere i s no peace w hil s t th at woman J e z e b e l liveth !" Has he told you whom he meant ? Need you to be told it? His hearers wanted no such instruction. Full well they knew the party he meant was no other than the Queen.—(" Shame, shame," general expressions of indignation, and cries of " Hear, hear.") When thinking of the influence that is possessed by the press, we should cast our eyes to America. Look to the atro cities that have been perpetrated in that country. And to what source are we to ascribe a great propor tion of these outrages ? To a corrupt and licentious press, which began by assailing private character, and finally brought about the most frightful evils. But the English press is far more profligate than that of Ame rica. For the American press assaulted not exalted station, youth and innocence ; clothed, moreover, in the protecting robe of female purity.—( Hear, hear.) But the English press and the English parsons have done this ; for the Queen having declared herself favour able to a liberal and impartial system of Government, the outcry of blood is immediately raised ; the tocsin of ex termination is sounded ; " the woman Jezebel" must not live ! As the licentiousness of the American press preceded and promoted the hideous atrocities committed in that country—murder, rapine, even the barbarity of roasting alive—thus the press of England, which is far more violent than was ever the American, is now, with the help of Toryism, doing all in its power to bring about the re-enactment of such frightful scenes, and Peel and Wellington are anxiously waiting to place themselves at the head of the..battalions of in famy, and to lead on, or at least to go with the men whom they would not dare to acknowledge as confede rates.—(Tremendous applause.) I have lived long r and my life has been a varied one. I have witnessed many of the features of political and other contentions —but every thing either you or I, or any other person ever saw, assumes the shape of mitigated, common place opposition, compared with the frightful pitch of ferocity which the Tories have reached. But I defy their malice ; I defy their ferocity ; I stand fearlessly upon the right ; aye, gentlemen, and, thank God ! upon the might of the Irish people ; and I say to them, that they shall not crush us ; they shall not put us down ! ( Loud cheers.) It is said that Nero wished the inha bitants of Rome had but one neck, that he might de stroy them at a blow. There are too many necks in Ireland, and too many arms to protect them, too, to be thus easily disposed of, should we (which heaven for fend !) be forced to the struggle.—(Hear, hear, and cheering.) We must stand then by the Queen and the Administration ; but while we respect the law and revere the Constitution, we shall not be the less ready for every emergency.--(Cheers.) The best way in the world to avoid a quarrel—to render it a matter of im possibility that we should get into one—is, to be always in a state of readiness to defend ourselves.—(Hear.) If Ireland neglect to rouse herself—not like England, into rebellion and violence—but into constitutional organiza tion, she will grieve, through long and bitter years of oppression, over her culpable apathy. But I fear not for the happiness of Ireland. We are too many and too enlightened, and our cause is too good, too palpably just, to leave any chance of our miscarrying. And there is another great source of unnumbered blessings to Ireland, which can no longer be gibed or sneered at —I allude to the glorious temperance revolution.— ( Hear, hear.) I boldly assert that no other country can present so truly heart-cheering a spectacle.—( Hear, hear.)—(Here an individual seated in the vicinity of the vice-chairman, Mr. Newell, an eminent distiller of the town, humourously exclaimed, " The less you say about the temperance, Sir, the better you will be liked at this end of the room !" This exclamation occasioned some laughter, in which the Hon. and Learned speaker joined, and then proceeded. Whatever may be the effects of the temperance reformation, with respect to his private affairs, I am convinced that our excellent vice-chairman will sincerely rejoice in anything that conduces to the welfare of his countrymen, and I doubt not that he can find numerous methods of employing his capital and ingenuity, that will amply repay him for any loss the total abstinence system may occasion to him. —( Hear). I resume, then, and ask what other part of the globe witnesses the tens, the twenties, and the thirties c-f thousands of its people setting out on long and arduous journeys, to take the pledge of total abstinence from an Apostle of Temperance ? What has been hitherto our reproach ? Why, the intoxication of the lower classes. Those amongst our enemies who acknowledge the wretch edness of Ireland ascribe all her misery, all her destitu tion and her crime, solely to the habits of intoxication amongst her inhabitants —(Hear, hear.) In this, to be sure there was an immense deal of exaggeration ; but there can be no doubt that great numbers of the popu lace were unfortunately slaves to this degrading pro pensity. I venture to predict that in a few years the exhibition of a drunken man will be as rare an occur rence as that of a serpent after the mission of St. Patrick. —(Hear, cheers, and laughter.) Oh, what a glorious spectacle it is, that multitude of 150,000 human beings, gathered together to forswear the vice which has been the cause of so many woes! I rejoice that, in my strug gles for freedom, I have been so often and so ener getically supported by Protestants, Presbyterians, and Dissenters of all denominations. In England it is the Quakers and other Dissenters that steadfastly sup port the maxim that in what concerns not this world no human being has a right to meddle with his bro ther, and that religion is a thing that should ever be left between man and his God ; I rejoice in those instances of charity, faith, and love of freedom among Protestants ; but above all I do glory in the unshaken fidelity of Ire land—tested by the persecution of 300 years.—(Loud cheers.) It is a truly noble trait. In the course of these 300 years, too, Catholicism was tl-see times re stored to civil power in this country ; in Queen Mary's reign ;in 1644 ; and again in 1688. From being the persecuted the Catholics were placed in a position whereby they might have become the persecutors. But, blessed be God ! they turned aside from the evi 'ex ample of their opponents, and took as the rule of their conduct the gospel of meekness, and charity, and for giveness of wrong.—( Hear, hear.) In other countries the government changed their religion, and made the people change with them. Here, likewise, the rulers changed their religion, but us they changed not. Yes, they transferred us to the scaffold, but not to their Churches.—(Cheers.) And this will serve as a gua rantee that as we could adhere to the right in one instance, so we will firmly stand by it in the other.— (Hear, hear.) Yes, Gentlemen, as Ireland has been faithful to her religion, so will she be to this scarcely less important pledge, which so many of her inha bitants are now taking.—(Cheers.) I confidently ex pect the blessing of God upon the good work ; that the suffering so long endured by a virtuous, a faithful people—beneath the sword, the whip, the axe, and the scaffold—may at length give place to peace, plenty, and happiness ; and that Ireland may, ere lona, be an example of prosperity, as she has ever been of truth, of honesty, and of charity.—( Loud cheers.) Let England, then, make much of their Chartists. The Tories there have furiously assailed us because three Catholic Privy Councillors have been recently appointed. Will they send us back the thirty soldiers—all Catholics as they undoubtedly are—that saved their lives and property at Newport ? Will they send us back Cap tain Stack, or Sergeant Daly, either ? I hope, by the way, he was a Kerryman.—(Cheers and laughter.) They raised a terrible outcry because three men —men I maintain, of the most brilliant and useful talent —were created Privy Councillors—l mean Messrs. Sheil, Wyse, and O'Ferrall ; but they speak not of the sons of these gentleman's tenantry, who are such ready and valiant agents in the preservation of E egland—( Hear, hear, and cheers.) The Chartists, would no doubt have done much better, if we had not sent the 10,000 soldiers out of Ireland for the defence of the empire in other quarters ; but I can tell the Government, that should the services of the State require it, we can send 10,000 more away, until there is not a single one left among us.--( Cheers.) If ever there was an in stance wherein virtue, patience, and fidelity in a nation deserved the most signal reward, Ireland certainly is bat country. Truly has it been tried in the hottest when '3,e come out purer than burnished gold ; for w u en , e Chartists were powerful and united, was not tiia P er '" when, if we had been in the least disposed to violenc e ,t w , vaessness, had not absolutely -woken or to injustice, we should, if we '-aoken the law ourselves, have stimu lated and eneouragea Chartists to their outrages ? Do the Tories imagine tha t , au, that I, that we did not all know that if we had been ill-Lanosed,w needed but to have promised the Chartists out , nuntenatico and co-operation, to have plunged the entire ena l .:-ee into one THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1839. wide, wild scene of blood and desolation ?—( Hear, hear.) And in England, too, in all the large towns, there is a powerful body of active Irishmen. But even at Cardiff, how did they retaliate on the brutal bigotry (for what else was it ?) of the most noble the Marquis of Bute ? ( Hear, hear.) Why, by sending one hundred of the most active and able amongst them, as special consta ' bles for the protection of his property—(Loud cheers.) On a previous occasion, I have stated that New castle was the only place at which the Irish allowed themselves to be seduced by the Chartist mania from their duty and allegiance. But I find I was mis taken, as it now appears that not a single Irishman was engaged in the riots that occurred in that town.— (Hear.) There were a few individuals—not Irishmen, but with Irish names, who just met in a room, and, of course, abused your humble servant, and then, in com pany with the others, proceeded to the acts of violence. The Catholic priest of the place has written to me an account of the whole transaction, and informs me that agreeably to his earnest injunctions, and acting as Irish men always have acted, in accordance with the eound and virtuous advice of their pastors, our countrymen, in that town, too, refused to ally themselves with treason and rebellion.—(Cheers.) There is, then, no one ex ception to the good conduct of Irishmen in this business, out of the 300,000 scattered throughout Great Britain, straitened and suffering, too, as the majority of them are.---(Hear.) But what suffering and what privation drove the Chartists to their mad and wicked rebellion ? Why, it appears that the average earnings of those en gaged in the Newport outrage were about 275. per week. What distress !—what destitution ! Were the working classes in Ireland earning even half that sum, what a deal we houid hear of rebellion—of distress— forsooth.—(Hear, hear.) lam inclined to imagine that even my favourite (for I so acknowledge it) agitation would soon be at a discount.--(Laughter.) This is a home truth, and a telling one, with regard to the Irish character, which I cannot too often repeat. I shall therefore continue again and again to reiterate.—(Hear, hear.) I have been handling cold iron, but I shall cease not from hammering till the metal gets hot.— (Cheers.) Look, then, at Ireland, majestic Ireland, refusing to avail herself of the crime of others, even where such a course appeared likely to forward her own interests, and then consider England—her people distracted and divided—her clergy foaming with hate and frantic fanaticism ; her " Liberals" apa thetic and careless—exposing the liberties of the people to be preyed on by the rapacity of the Aris tocracy.—(Hear, hear, hear.) I have spoken to you of the Chartist treason, in England of the dreadful, abominations of the so-called Saints ; of those who professing themselves ministers of Christ, disclaim the laws, and mock the ordinances of the God of mercy and charity. You have read at their meetings the holy horror simulated at the fabricated stories of crimes in this country—their accusations against as, of th e prevalence of Whiteboyism, Ribbonism, and of other combinations of a wicked and illegal description.— (Hear.) Now, I will put the question in a fair and open light, and I here defy them to show me any one city, any one village, any one parish or district in which the existence of such criminal associations can be found. —(Prolonged applause.) Not one ! Then give me one loud huzza for Old Ireland.—(Tremendous cheering.) I am, as I have long since declared myself, Counsel for Ireland ; I have had a large and extended practice ; but I confess to you that in the course of my career I never prosecuted so great a scoundrel as certain of the Tory gentry, who are now admitted to the society and con verse of persons calling themselves honest men.— (Cheers.) I would on this question fearlessly appeal even to his Grace of Wellington, a nobleman, by the way, of whom I have never entertained such high-flown notions as some persons hold regarding him. Of his abilities as a general I shall here say nothing ; but as a statesman I never saw that he was dis tinguished for any great talent. In the choice of the persons whom he appointed to offices of trust and emolument, his estimation of competency and inte grity has always appeared to me to be governed principally by the capabilities of flattery and adu lation at the command of the party. These in dications of the men: divinior, which in some way or other, break out even in the daily bearing of truly great men, I have looked for in vain in his words or his actions. And then there is Sir Robert Peel, who, at one time, ranged himself with the Anti-Emancipation party, and then turned round to the penal-repealing party, and who now leads that which is virtually, if not nominally, the penal lawsre-enactment party.--(Hear and laughter.) Here, then, is Ireland ; there are her enemies. I have placed them fairly before you, and heaven decide between us according to the right! We are placed in a situation of extreme peculiarity ; we are, in short, in a crisis, which must be productive of much good or of much evil ; or, as the Americans say, it must eventuate in one way or the other. Let me again impress on you that every thing is in our own power—everything abides our deci sion. We can obtain the good, and avert the evil, but this must be effected by zealous and practical exertions on our part.----(Hear, hear.) All you who are present know me—my origin —whence I am—what I am. Why am I thus influential and conspicuous at present ? Sim ply, because I determined, from the first hour of my political life, never to let tyranny approach me without giving it a blow.—[A voice—" Not a physical force one."]—(A laugh.) No, not a Chartist blow, but a blow with the weapons of truth, reason, and argu ment.—(Loud cheers.) And if I have deviated from the rules of strict propriety, it is that, in designating scoundrelism, I cannot help sometimes calling it scoundrelism, and rascality.—(Hear, hear.) If, then, I, an humble individual, by persevering constitutional opposition to tyranny, have, in the generous considera tion of my countrymen, done something towards the amelioration of their condition, what may not be accom plished by the union, energy, and concord, and organised exertions of millions of honest and patriotic men ? ( Long continued applause.) I call, then, on you all, relatives, friends, and countrymen, to re-echo the trum pet of freedom that shall sound in Dublin. We must guard against the machinations of the wretched, bigoted—l was going to say, but it is a party word—the shoneen aristocracy of the country, who, destitute alike of talent, of fair influence, and even in many cases of wealth, would seek to prolong the h: teful existence of the monster tyranny—like some foul and loathsome reptile that feeds on the fetidity and unwholesome vapours of corruption.—( Hear.) They are even now plotting to destroy us. Let us be alive ; let us be watchful ; but once again I conjure you let us, above all things, be prudent.—(Loud cheers.) The morality and education of the people, continually progressing as they are, are mighty auxiliaries to the accomplishment of our righteous objects. We have truth with us—reason with us—we have right with us—and having all these, who shall say that might is not with us also ?—(Hear, hear, hear, and loud cheers.) Yes, Irishmen, the favour of heaven will, sooner or later, be shed on the cause of justice ; and come it soon or come it late, the struggle we are engaged in, in behalf of Ireland, shall, by me at least, be never relinquished until the sun shines on the glo rious day that shall bring freedom and peace, and smiling prosperity to our loved and beautiful island.— (Tremendous cheering.) Convinced am I that no earthly power can prevent the ultimate arrival of that day ; but we must ever bear in mind that patriotic exertion can as greatly accelerate, as active tyranny, or hardly less criminal apathy can retard it. (The Honourable and Learned Gentleman sat down amid most enthusiastic and long-continued cheering, the band striking up that spirit-stirring national tune, " The Sprig of Shillelah.") A number of other toasts were given. At half-past eleve❑ o'clock, Mr. O'Connell and the major part of the company retired, and the proceedings of the even ing concluded in a manner most gratifying to all con cerned. THE ART OF WRITING, DISTINCT FROM ITS EDUCATIONAL USES, The Smith-and-Dolier System Copy Books, New Series. Fftieth Thousand. In Six Nos. By JOHN SMITH, Lecturer on Education.—Simpkin ; Phelps ; Sherwood. We have not before had an opportunity of taking due notice of these old friends with new and im proved faces. Some years ago we were among the first to welcome their public appearance in their earliest and least effective form, and it affords us pleasure to find that the promise of increased use fulness they then held forth, and the success which we anticipated in their behalf, have been amply realised. Now that the three more expensive num bers have been converted into six, of half the bulk and at half the charge, we cannot doubt of their being still more extensively adopted. The issue of the fiftieth thousand is substantial evidence of in creasing approbation. In the New Series of the Books, there appears a completeness, and an enlarged range of assist ance to a learner, well entitled to our best atten tion, connected as the art of writing is with the progress of improved education. The uses of the pen in recording the ideas of a pupil, in practising composition, in copying valuable and instructive lessons in morals, religion, science, art, history, biography, and other important mat ters, are much more in requisition than they were, even a few years ago. The pen is a never-failing friend to a young person's studies, in almost every department of knowledge, and therefore the mere power of using it—the mere ability to write— ought to be among the early means possessed by a pupil to assist his teachers in educating him. In almost all his lessons, " the pen in hand," and especially " the pen of a ready writer," will not only facilitate acquirement, but will embody and impress the matter acquired. What then is writing, of itself, that the learning of the art alone should occupy a portion of school time daily, for months or years ? Why, unless properly taught, it is an artificial stumbling block, or rather a bar rier, a hindrance, detaining the mind from moral and intellectual culture, and making education te dious, because, as far as writing copies goes, it is monotonous and uninteresting. The mechanical power to write ought by all means to be obtained, as it may be, in a few weeks, and then the great variety of human knowledge, the great pleasures of mental enlightenment, may be offered to youth, who with a ready instrument in hand can follow up instruction at one moment, and lay by materials for study at another. As the books before us are calculated most effectually to promote these advan tages, we will briefly describe them for the infor mation of those who have not seen them at all, or who may not have met with them in their present form, in which there are some intermediate lessons, not to be found in former editions, rendering the whole extremely valuable. The distinguishing features of the System Copy Books, are—the presence of a copyhead, or of several copy examples, in each page, there being, in all, about 175 engravings ; and the insertion in alternate lessons of a printed pattern called a reed, by which are indicated the proper slope, distance, and curves of the elementary forms of letters. An exercise under discipline is presented in one page ; an exercise in freedom is offered on the other. A learner is, by these means, prevented from ever falling into erroneous habits, as regards the inclina tion and proportions of letters. Always aiming at the right, assisted by unerring standards, every step he gains may be kept, and his steady advance be secured. Of the gradual, certain, and yet rapid nature of that advance, a careful reference to the books will enable any one to judge. In the First Book the earliest lessons are given (with engraved copy-heads of course) consisting of the straight strokes, the characters called pot-hooks and hangers, and that compound of these two, called the link. Arranged as these lessons are, a pupil cannot fail to master them in a very few days, the judicious hints, in letter-press, scattered through out the pages, serving much to sustain his efforts. The sapient objection which was once made against assisting the young penman in this way, namely, that it would render his future attempts dependent on the like help, might just as well be applied against lending a finger to an infant in his first trials at walking, for fear he would never walk without support. In the books before us, the learner is mechanically assisted in 33 pages out of 96. He must help himself in the interspersed 63 pages, having, however, the advantage of being guided by judicious directions addressed to his own common sense. In the Second Book the letters of the common alphabet are given, not, however, in their usual order, but in a much better one for the learner, namely, in that of their comparative simplicity of formation, taking into account the lessons gone through in the first book. The principle adopted is certainly a correct one ; namely, that each lesson to be learnt should be the nearest to the last, but of course in advance. He who can make a hanger can make the letters i and u with very little instruction. These are therefore, the first letters of the writing alpha bet, and all the others follow in the closest order of apology to preceding lessons. 4.4 fit The Third Book is precisely what is - Anted after the formation of letters, that is, a - serfs of directions and examples how to combine any two letters, it being one thing to make letters sepa rately, and another to join them in a proper manner. And herein good service is rendered to the student in writing, on whatever system he is taught. It is obvious that as the letter a may be followed in the same word by another a, or by b, or by any other letter down to z—and as the letter b may also be followed by any one of the twenty six letters—and so on with the rest : it is obvious, we say, that there are 26-times-26 possible combi nations in our language. But it is here shown that, among all the 676 junctions, there are actually only 36 kinds or modes of junction. Examples of these are given in the book, and th e pupil who works through them is told, as he proceeds with each instance, what other instance is analogous to it, so that, in becoming familiar with these, he is ready for all that will ever occur in writing. We have not met with so complete and simple an arrangement before. And these lessons are followed by the capital letters, in a progressive and classical order, as to angularity or curvature of form. Having in the preceding books been led through all the elements of written language, the pupil passes to the Fourth Book, in which the copy-heads consist of complete words, the capitals and junc tions, before learnt, coming into practical use in a frill large hand. Here the reeds again assist the learner, and we would remark that the assistance they afford is not lessened in its value by any ten dency to induce uniformity of handwriting amongst pupils. The tracing of copies might indeed effect this, but not so the mere observance of the reeds : they indicate only the direction to be pur sued if error is to be avoided ; but all the variances within the bounds of right, the sharper or more obtuse angles, the more elevated or depressed curves, the firmer or more delicate strokes, a ll th ese characteristics of the individual penman, may be indulged in, as taste or the wishes of the instructor may dictate. [There is, we perceive, a fault in the letter M in the fourth page of this Book. It would be much better as given in the tenth page of No. 3.] In the Fifth Book, lessons are arranged in words and sentences, as in th e precedi ng , on ly that th e y are all in what is termed round-hand, a size of writing which still admits of the precision and guidance of the reeded system, and which is particularly suitable in the pupil's progress towards the most used and most useful kind of penmanship. In this ease there is more scope for judicious advice in the lan guage to be transcribed, and the hand will be gradually acquiring minuteness of action, still regu lated by the discipline to be observed in the forma tion of each character in writing. In this book the learner will begin to feel that he has already passed, and with ease, the greater difficulties of the art, if such they can now be called. The Sixth Book gives exercises in regular small hand, without reeds or other aids, the only pecu liarity being the continual presence of very sensible and instructive copy-heads from the pen of some clever writing-master. Practice is also afforded in the neat formation of points, with a letter-press description of their uses and powers. Altogether these are very valuable helps to education. With instruction as to the right po sition of the body, and the correct mode of holding the pen, any person may by these books learn writing in a very few weeks, and then the active pen will be an auxiliary in almost every branch of s tudy. Time may not only be saved, but by being devoted to a greater variety of subjects it may render edu cation far more pleasing to the young, to whom there are given, on the cover of the hooks, some excellent suggestions on position in writing well worthy of their consideration. The publication has our best wishes for its entire success. It appears to be rapidly rising in public estimation (especially, we should t hink, since the present form of the books was determined upon), and we shall be glad to report, hereafter, proofs of a still more general adoption, towards which it will give us pleasure if our own efforts have at all contributed. THE PANTOMINES, DRURY LANE.—This evening the performances will be " Der Freyschutz," and the new grand Christmas pantomine, entitled " Harlequin Jack Sheppard, or the Blossom of Tyburn Tree," which is a burlesque on the numerous dramatic productions founded on Mr. Ains worth's novel of Jack Shephard. The pantonmine will include a diorama, painted by Mr. Marshall, with Cir cassian, Armenian, Persian, and Indian scenery. COVENT GARDEN.—To night the performances will commence with the " Beggar's Opera." The new pantomine will follow, the title of which i s " Harlequin and the Merrie Devil of Edmon ton, or the Great Bed of Ware." This pantomine also is to be adorned with a splendid diorama, from the pen cil of the Messrs. Grieve. HAYMARKET.—There is not to be any pantomime at the Haymarket. The performances this evening will consist of " O'Flannigan and the Fairies," and the" Sea Captain." The former drama, writen by Power, who takes the principal character, is to have new scenery, dresses, and decorations. ADELPHI.—The new pantomime at the Adelphi, the management of which theatre has been generally very successful in its pantomimic efforts, is intitled " Harlequin and Mother Red Cap ; or, Merlin and the Fairy Snow Drop," with Telbin's " Oramamimeka mousika." SURREY.—There will be three new pieces this even ing ; the first " Michael Earle, the Maniac Lover ," the second, " Family Jars Mended ;" and the third, a new pantomime, called " The Queen Bee, or Harlequin and Goody Two Shoes," which is to terminate with a magnificent moving diorama. VICTORIA.—The title of the new pantomime at the Victoria is " Baron Munchausen, or Harlequin and the Fairy of the Green Island." MARSHALSEA PRISON.—The Earl of Erro 3' as Lord Steward of her Majesty's Household, having benevolently transmitted to J. Rutland, Esq., the De puty Marshal, a very liberal Christmas donation for the benefit of the debtors, the same was distributed yes terday to each inmate in a plentiful supply of beef, bread, porter, and coals, with ls. 6d. in money. His Lordship's munificence was most gratefully received, and thankfully enjoyed by the debtor s and their families. Mr. St. John Mildmay has left town for Hast ings i n but indifferent health. FRENCH POSSESSIONS IN AFRICA. The reading of the fourth section of M. Blan qui's report was proceeded with at the last sitting of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, and was to the following effect : " M. Blanqui began by stating that other causes than those to which he had alluded in the preceding parts of his report tended to check colonization, the two essential elements of which, wood and water, were almst entirely wanting. There is not one of these large navigable rivers which by their fertile banks vivify other countries, and which by affording the means of communication tend at once to subdue and civilize a people. The French cannot penetrate into the interior of their African colony as the English explored America by the Mississippi, the Hudson, the Delaware, and the St. Lawrence. There is nothing in Africa resembling the vast plains of India, intersected by magnificent rivers, such as the Hoogly and the Ganges ; nor have the population of Algeria any thing in common with the mild and timid inhabit ants of Hindostan, or the primitive races of the New World—the Mexicans, the Peruvians, and the savages of the north. When the Europeans invaded India and America they had over the na tives the superiority of courage and fierceness ; and they had not to struggle with an excessive religious fanaticism like that of the Arabs. In all other countries which have b een co l on i se d i mmense tracts of unoccupied lands were discovered, timber was found for building, and rivers existed for com munications. In Africa everything must be pro vided—provisions, means of shelter, wood, and fre quently even water. Instead of Peruvians or Hin doos, the French have to contend with courageous and warlike hordes, even the waste lands of which the invaders would appear to have the right of dispos ing,inasmuch as they lie uncultivated, belong to tribes, who see in the invaders' persons some to deprive them of their property, and who are, therefore, deeply irritated against them. The natives who have sold their property for a perpetual rent che rish the continual hope of regaining it. Upon the mode of cultivation itself there has been no ac cord. On this subject men have indulged in dreams, like their ancestors on the subject of Po tosi —sugar, indigo, cochineal, cloves, cinnamon, camphor, pepper, and nutmegs--every sort of cul ture was considered possible. Even the vine has been planted, and wine has been made at Algiers. " I have seen it and tasted it," says M. Blanqui, " but the result of the experiment was such as to permit me to assure the growers of Burgundy and Bordeaux that they have nothing to fear from the competition of Algiers." M. Blanqui then pro ceeds to notice the difficulties with which the colo nists have to contend as to agricultural labour. It has been found impracticable to get the plain of the i\letidja cultivated exclusively by the Arabs. They would not do it on ther own account, and they will not do it for that of the French. It was hoped that they would be tempted by the prospect of high wages, and that in this way there would be a fusion of interests and feeling, but experience has shown that the hope was chimerical. The picture which M. Blanqui gives of the failure of this hope is appalling. The services of the French labourers who went out to Algiers were refused, in the ex pectation that the Arabs, who were offering to work at lower wages than the French, would really answer the puspose ; a great portion of the French labourers died of despair and misery, and others, who were able for a time to struggle against their adverse fate, were at length sent back to France in a state of destitution at the charge of the Govern ment. Every attempt to cultivate the plain exclu sively by Arabs failed, and, i n f act , every attempt at cultivation hitherto has been disastrous, except in the cases of a few rich individuals who resolved to make fortresses of their farms, and to defend their produce and their people against open attacks, or the secret practices of marauders. These per sons have been able to hold their ground, but the colonists whose means did not permit this kind of security, and who imprudently extended themselves over a large surface, instead of concentrating their numbers, so as to enable themselves to succour each other, have been ravaged by the Arabs. Every hope of fusion such as was anti cipated is now, therefore, at an end, and if Algeria is to be colonized it must be by Europeans. M. Blanqui informs us that the European agricul turists in Algeria consist rather of Spaniards, Ger mans, and Italians, than of French. He recom mends that lands should be given to them at low prices, and every encouragement be held out to their industry, imposing upon them, however, the condition of forming themselves into groups, so as to assist each other against any act of aggression. By regaining at Medeah the key of the plain which had been forgotten in the treat) of the Tafna, the French will, says M. Blanqui, have a political and a military frontier, and it will then be easy to enclose and guarantee the possession of property. He states the mulberry tree and the olive have succeeded admirably in all the zones of the Shael where they have been tried, and that the orange, lemon, and banana trees, thrive wherever care is taken to water them. Indigo, pepper, and cinnamon can never be cultivated in Algeria for useful and practical pur poses. The cotton tree grows languidly. The cultivation of sugar and coffee can meet with no success. Tobacco thrives so well that Algeria may be said to be its country of predilection. It is cut down in some parts like hay, and the second crops are sometimes as vigorou s as th e fi rst . M any ex periments have been made to naturalize the plants of Guiana, but the results have not been of a nature to excite a confidence as to their ever becoming really productive. M. Blanqui next adverts to the necessity of improving the regulations of the customs as a means of promoting the interests of colonization. He recommends the Government to imitate the conduct of the English, who by making a free port of Singapore, which 25 years ago was a nest of pirates, have brought thither the commerce of all the nations of the world. The imports into Algiers in 1838, says M. Blanqui, amounted to 33 millions, upon which the Customs levied a dutyof one million of francs, which must have diminished the resources of the country to that amount, and contributed to keep up prices where every thing ought to have been done to lower them. In a country where the nominal interest of money is 10 per cent., and real interest 15 per cent., no thing should be done to augment the value of capital and diminish the chances of competition. The interest of France was not to make Algiers a market for the manufactures of Rouen and Lille, ‘vhich, in spite of the protecting duty, are not pre ferred to foreign manufactures, but to open the colony to the commerce of the whole world. Of French productions little, adds M. Blanqui, is sold, except the wines of Provence ; but these are con sumed to an extent which must alarm the friends of temperance, and give a just idea of the social state of the colony. In 1833 the consumption was 1,200,000 f. ; in 1836, 3,000,0001. ; in 1837, nearly 4,000,000 f.; in 1838, 5,320,000 f.; and this year it will be more than 6,500,0001. The population of Algiers has only doubled since 1833, but the consumption of wine has been quintupled. If this disproportion should go on, Algiers in ten years' time would be only an immense wine shop. One of the grounds recommended in this report for making Algiers a free port is, that there should always be an abundant stock of provisions of all kinds on hand, thus preserving the Europeans from all danger of a repetition of the refusal to supply the markets, which has fre quently been the result of some caprice of the Arabs, and has exposed the army and the colonists to the chan ce o f f am i ne. Th e nece ssity for a con tinual and abundant supply will, it is stated, be 9,000,0001. M. colo nists and th e army h ave b een com pelled to import s een in the f act , t h at d ur i ng lie ,hi l e a h st h y a ea s r tthhficnoelost cnaitatnlequainddesfliroeusr t t l o iat the o v ra a n h of port of the R egency, s h ou ld a l so be free to tradethe of all nat i ons. M a k e i t f re e, and a ll t h e commerce of the western 'Mediterranean will fl oc k thither. Re claims the same for Bona, and gene rally for all th e ports, o b serv i ng that no los s cou ld he sustained by the experiment, as the receipts of the customs are more than absorbed by the ex penses. A pair of eagles have been frequently seen upon the Cleveland Hills during this autumn. The writer of this notice had the satisfaction of observing one of these noble birds in its flight over Long-Hull, near Guisbro', the seat of the Challoner family, and at an elevation of not more than 30 or 40 yards from the ground. — G ateshead Observer. GREAT BANQUET OF THE LEAGUE.—Th e Great Banquet of the Leagueis postponed from the 9th of January to the 13th day of January, 1840. DARING EXPLOIT. I must relate one of the most daring andsuccess ful attempts at muzzling a man-eater that are to be met with in sporting annals. On the high road between Madras and Hyderabad, and about sixty miles from the latter, was a small place called Nel • condah, situated in a narrow pass between two high hills. In the beginning of 182— a tiger took up his residence in the abandoned old fort which crowns one of these eminences, and committed almost daily de predations on the numerous travellers passing on that much-frequented road. He at last carried his audacity to such a pitch as to walk off in broad daylight with an officer's servant from the midst of a party of sepoys. On arriving at Secunderabad, his master, who was much attached to the poor fellow from having him long in his service, related the circumstance, and Captain W—, of the Commis sariat, determined on avenging him. W.—but why should I attempt any mystery in relating as gallant an action as was ever performed by a stanch votary of Nimrod! and such was Whistler, who will not, I am sure, feel annoyed in seeing his name recorded, where it so well deserves a place, in the pages of " The Sporting Magazine." Well, then, Whist ler, who was no novice at this sort of work, imme diately started off to the scene of action with a couple of friends. On arriving at Nelcondah, scouts were immediately placed on the 100k -out, one of whom shortly afterwards announced that he had discovered the retreat of the tiger, and led the party towards the top of the hill. Here, amidst a chaos of large rocks, he pointed to a deep chasm, at the end of which was a recess, where he said the animal had retired. It was, however, impossible to get sight of him without first dropping down a height of sixteen or eighteen feet into the den be low, from which there was no retreat. Whistler hesitated not, took the fearful leap, and, fortunately alighting on his feet, saw the monster quietly repos ing at the further end of the recess. He gave him no time to rise, but with the quickness of thought levelling his rifle sent a ball through his brain, and extended him lifeless on the spot.—Old Sporting Magazinefor December. PARIS REVOLUTIONISTS. It may be recollected that a German, named Austen was convicted before the Court of Peers last July for being one of the May insurgents. and that he is now undergoing his sentence of fiftoen years' imprisonment at Douliens. On the trial his defence was, that he had seen forced against his will to join the insursection, and great interest was excited for him on account of his interesting figure, and the number and dangerous extent of his wounds. M. de Merilhou, in his report before the Court of Peers on Monday, December 16, in noticing that one of the prisoners who has yet to be tried had set up the same defence as Austen, quoted the annexed cu rious correspondence of the latter, which shows the des peration of the combat in May last, and, at the same time, the frightful perseverance of the Paris Revo lutionists. " Austen also," said M. Merilhou, " the same Austen whom you (the Peers) condemned at the last trial, and who had been wounded and arrested at the same time, and at the same place, and by the same hand as Heraud, Austen said that his being there was mere chance, that curiosity led him to look on, and that he was forced; o remain. May I request your attention to the two fol lowing letters which were found in his cell after his con demnation ? You will then learn the exact meed of confidence which is to be placed in these prepared pro testations of innocence : " A. MICHEL, RUE DES PRECHEURS. '' ' Paris, July 13, 1839. " My Very Dear Friend,—At half-past nine last night my sentence was passed. I expected twenty years' imprisonment, but am let off with fifteen. Did the President but know all that I did on May 12, I should have the same sentence as Barbes, who is the only one of us condemned to death. But he is not dead yet. " As soon as I shall regain my liberty, and can carry a musket, I shall be able again to fight with renewed courage for the welfare of this country, for now nothing can stanch inf wounds but the gore of tyrants ; but, whatever happens, I shall always be yours, " FREDERICK ('RITZ) AUSTEN." " ' Paris, July 10, 1839. " My dear Friends—* # * * I have now made up my mind, and fear nothing. I assure you that my hatred against the tyrants who now govern France is deeply rooted in my heart, and that their blood alone can cure my wounds. Yes, you may be assured that you have lost in me one who, perhaps, would have made himself remarked. But be not cast down on this account : and even should all of us (nine teen) be taken from you, you must march still more firmly against tyranny. Once more I repeat I have no dread of death ; nor have you, I firmly believe, my friends. " On the 12th of May four bullets were fired at my heart, and two of my comrades fell dead at my feet. A third, in dying, held out his arms to me, exclaiming, "0 ! brother, avenge me." But did this discourage me ? No ; it gave me the force of a madman. Yes, like a madman, I fell upon our enemies, hoping to defend the barricade, when I saw Barbes fall ; but it was too late ; on came the Municipal Guard, and our comrades retreated. I saw the offi'cer advance ; I fired, but missed him, and hit a poor Municipal Guard. I again loaded my musket in great haste, but it was too late. Several voices exclaimed, " Pole, Pole." On came the Municipal Guard, and again I tried to kill the officer. but he thrust his sword into my breast, and at the same moment I had several bayonets stuck into various parts of my body, and I fell. " You must not wonder that I fell, for I had already livn wounded at the first onset. I turned round and fi'avv nought but the dead and the dying around me—all n OtVr comrades had retreated and the barricade was taken. The soldiers then fired a tremendous discharge, and the barbarians attacked us with their bayonets. ‘" At the moment when I was wounded I fired for the last time, and hit a Municipal Guard in the shoul der. Four days after this, and on regaining my senses, I found myself in the hospital, and on looking around me I saw by my side two Municipal Guards, both of whom loaded me with abuse for having wounded them, whereupon I thought myself lost ; but I began to be very civil and repentant—told them that I loved and adored the Municipal Guard, and that it broke my heart to think that I. had been the unwilling cause of their pain—" for," said I, " I was compelled by the others to do as they ordered me on pain of instant death." I then asked their pardon, and expressed such repentance that they swore they would henceforth look upon me as their brother, and that they would do their best to get me out of any dilemma. Into one of these men I had sent a bullet, which went in at his right side and came out at his left ; he is, however, still alive. " Once more, my friends, be not cast down, for as soon as I regain my liberty I will lead you on to the combat, and will give my life and shed my last drop of blood for liberty, and to avenge those whom death snatched away from your bosoms on the 12th of May. "' Adieu, I shall ever be your brother, and love you dearly. "‘ FREDERICK (FRITZ) AUSTEN.' " WOOD PAVEMENT AT WHITEHALL.—This pavement, which was in part completed last week, was on Monday opened to the public, but is again closed in consequence of the concrete bed having sunk, upon which the wooden blocks were laid, by which in many instances they became di s pl ace d an d ou t o f level. we understand this has en ti re ly ar i sen f rom the great desire and anxiety expressed that the road should op en edbent l y not before the meeting of Parliament. and consequeeavy rains coinmf°prleteiy allowing the concrete time during the lav v b to become sufficiently hard and solid. made com p now taking up the blocks, and we ar e orinkme,denthaaret the concrete foundation will be per fect, and the blocks relaid in a e oleronity. The Lords east of Christmas with g rea e t g s n, i and it was the season According to ancient chronicles, f' Arthur kept the kept it chiefly with the Sover eign, their domesties. Barons upon thetable, richly gilded, by a boar (not I feasted the whole country, when the great:gave clothes and gilded, b y a was put boar's head) sailed only with t h e foremast, way of brawn. Ships . conducting in For the pu rpose of honour of the season• l times—such as singing the was the amusements in 3' ear uts, dancing was saill, scrambling for n _ ng round standards de corated with evergree ns, .. the hobbyhorse, &c., a lord of mas ter et _ the revels, was appointed, who misrule, or was sometimes crowned and attended with all the para phernalia of roy alt y d uring the 12 days. H e was a l so ca lled the Christmas , Pr i nce; a mock play, as Al exan d er a nd the King o f zigypt, was usually acted by mummers, Th e chief performers in the interludes and plays were the gentlemen and children of choirs Interludes were a l so usual in the Inns of Courts, as were revels and dances before and after supper. So early as 1509 puri tanism began to object to these sports of our ancestors. We are assured that there is no truth in the statement respecting the outrage committed upon Lady Eldon. Her Ladyship, we are glad to hear, was in full health at Shirley. EVENING EDITION. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH.--The new sloop Fantome, 16, Com minder Butterfield, fitting out at Chatham for serv.ee on the Cape and West African station, will arrive here about Thursday (to day). This vessel has been got ready with extraordinary &spa .ch, ha% ing been oom missioned only in the early part of November. 1t is proposed she shall make a trial cruise of her yalities with Colonel Greville's splendid brig y. cht Anonym, previously to going to the coast. The new steam frigate Vesuvius is ordered for corn mission at Chatham, and proceeded thither on Saturday from th:s port for the purpose. Owing to the continued wet weather, the equipment of the several ships destined to reinforce Sir F. Mait land's squadron in the East Indies. has been very mate rially retarded. Those at this port, namely, the Blen heim, 72 ; Pique, 36 ; Blonde, 46 ; and Andromache, 26, are however progressing rapidy. The Harrier, 18, and Victor, 16, will shortly be com missioned at this port, and the Pearl, 20, at Sheerness. The Nimrod, 20, at Plymouth, is to go to the East r j Indies. The new steely) ship Stromboli, built at this port, is ordered to be prepared for commission. She is now at Glasgow, receiving her boilers, engines, &c., but may be shortly expected. The Inconstant, 36, Captain Pring, is hourly ex pected with freight from Vera Cruz, and there appears no doubt of her proceeding to the Ea,t Indies with the squadron. The Mi ,den, 84, Captain Sharpe, and Pembroke, 72, Captain Moresby, are on their way home from the Mediterranevn to b paid off. The ships cow at Ply.nouth arc the Talavera, 72, Captain Mends, gone into Hamoaze, to be paid off, apd corvette Nimrod, 20, and sloop Pylades, 18, fitting out ; the latter is just comm'ssioned by Commander Vernon Ans,n, 1838, supposed for the Cape station. The Cracker, tender cutter to the Seaflower, has returned to Jersey, with stores and provisions for that vessel. Accounts have remched us with the gratifying news that the crew of the Tribune, 24, wrecked near Tar ragona, are all saved. Nc orders have yet been received to put into com mission the Madagascar, 46, Belvidera, 42, and Ma' cienne, 24. A promotion in the Navy is. considered certain, on the approaching nuptials of the Queen. At Spitheal—No sh:p of war. In Harbour—Britannia, Victory, Royal George, Excellent, Blonde, Pique, Blenheim, Andromache, Raven, Messenger, and flag tenders.—Brighton Gazette. CORN AVERAGES. GENERAL AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH CORN, For the Week ended Dec.2o, ISgii, made up from the Returns of the Inspectors ,n the different Cities and Towns in Englan-i an I . . „ Wales, per Imperial Quarter. Wheat 66s. Pci. I Oats B Arley 401. 9d. I ltye IMPERIAL AGGREGATE AVERAGES OF THE .:X WEEKS PRECEDING. Wheat 67s. 2d. Oats Barley 4ls. 3,1. I Rye DUTIES ON FOREIGN CORN. Wheat . Barley ls. Oct.l Rye THE MARKETS. COUNTRY CORN MARKETS. Wheat. Barley. Oats. Beans. i Pease. ----.-- --- -- -- Per Quarter. S. to s. s. to s. a. to a. a. to ti. s' ' a c ., Boston - Braintree 63 73 36 48 28 34 38 4 4 40 44 40 B ighton 64 76 44 47 26 29 44 46 Cambridge — 68 45 26 _ 35 40 Chichester 65 72 38 44 28 29 43 44 41 40 Dunmow 6O 78 38 51 26 33 36 4 4 42 45 Grantham Grimsby 5B '7O 35 39 22 26 4•., 44 1 Hai!sham 6O 72 26 32 22 29 46 _ 4l Hitcin 64 70 34 46 24 32 25 3 n 0 "; A ., Ipswich 64 72 36 32 0 4 28 :38 40 " - Lewes 6O 70 43 j 22 29 34 40 Lynn 6O 68 38 46 25 31 3 9 44 Maidstone s9 76 36 39 26 32 40 50 • Norwich 6O 76 35 43 28 30 42 44 42 44 I'etworth - Rom ford 52 72 38 48 24 32 34 42 88 45 Sandwich 5B 76 28 32 17 28 40 - I z Thetford 66 70 39 42 24 90 43 42 38 40 Wisbech Witham 63 74 34 47 28 34 98 48 44 46 Yarmouth 62 70 33 35 28 32 38 40 40 44 LIVERPOOL CORN MARKET.—Dec .23. WHEAT, English, White, per 70 1 b. ----- Red 10 6 11 3 -- Scotch, Welch, and Manx -- Irish, White 8 6 10 6 ------ Red 7 3 9 o --- Foreign OATS, English, Welsh, and Scotch, per 451 b. 3 7 4 2 .., 3 10 3 11 Irish Foreign 0 0 0 0 BARLEY, English, Malting, per Imp. quarter 4l 0 48 0 -- Scotch and Irish, per 601bs. -- Feeding 4 6 4 6 BEANS, English, per Imperial quarter 4B 0 59 0 —. Irish, &c. Foreign PEASE, English, per Imperial quarter 43 0 48 0 Foreign FLOUR, English, per 2803 b. 5B 0 53 ---- Irish .(; OATMEAL, English and Irish, per 24 0 1bs 35 3s INDIAN CORN, per 4801 b. .... 42 0 44 1 RYE, per Imperial quarter MALT, per Imperial quarter ......... 64 75 0 _..._ . _ HULL CORN MARKET Wheat, White (per Quarter) Red sos. !Ws. 1i49 Foreign Barley. Malting Grinding 10s. 325. Ws. Oats, British Foreign (in bond) Beans Pease, Grey Blue and White —s. —II. —4. Linseed .. 3os. 40s 431. Flour (per sack)... —s. :Os. 555, •"'" — "Rapeseed (per 10 quarters) 22 1. 241. 231. CHELTENHAM MARKETS. Per Bushel. a. d. to s. d. Pea lb. I. to d. Wheat 7 3 9 0 Beef 8 $ darley 4 0 7 0 Mutton Oats 3 6 5 6 Veal Beans Pease 5 0 9 0 Lamb • C Hay 21.103. to 71. Os. Od. per ton. CANTERBURY MARKET. . _ Wheat, white----. 68s. to 7 55. to --s. 60s. to 665..... 688. to --s. Barley, Malting -- 365. to 4l 5....... —l. to —a. Oats Beans • —8 to —l. 445. to 475. Pease wwwwww..*••• 434. to 455. 40s. to 425. CHELMSFORD MARKET. Wheat, White 66 to P.'3 Oats —-- _ Red 56 66 Pease, Gray Barley Chevalier Grinding 23 to 32 3$ 41 42 E 4 44 13 33 37 CLIPPING HORSES.—I know of few modern improvements in the treatment of horses so great as that of taking off the rough coat of a horse that is required to do much work ; and, if it be done early in the winter —some time, for instance, during the month of Novem ber—not only is there no danger, in nine cases out of ten, of his taking cold, but the benefit he will derive from it will generally be surprising to those who have not been accustomed to witness its good effects. A horse with a long rough coat, that defied the art of man to dry after it was once well wetted, and whose fate was accordingly to remain cold and comfortless for hours, will, after having been clipped, absolutely dry in the short space of ten minutes, even after sharp work ; and, what is of still greater consequence, dry will he remain, without the slightest chance of his breaking out into a sweat. Oh! the delights of bringing in your favourite hack or hunter after a smart gallop, and finding him dry and comfort able, and ready for his grub, hours before he would have touched a morsel with his thick and saturated coat hanging abont him ; to sa3 nothing of groom's labauer saved and time gained 1 I am certain that those who once adopt the system of clipping their horses on the approach of winter, if their coats be long, will ever -after be ready to acknowledge the incalculabla advan tages obtained by it, let those who rail against it on tl , , e score of its being unnatural, and of the new coat r.ppearing late in the spring, say what they will.-016 Sporting 41fag. for December. SMALL Pox.—lt will scarcely lie credited, but it is no less true, that a person of this city, has had the temerity to inoculate several children of the parish of Cowley, with the small-pox, and such children are at the present moment ill with the same disease. Thi s same man some few years since inoculated several chil dren in and about Cowley, and one of them at least died from its effect.—Oxford Chronicle. A most melancholy and fatal accident happeneJ on Tuesday evening last at Posteomh. A. man manta 0; .Isl;safheaadr,oalidtewrraAgn; (better known by the o f "Shock Pug") . . cognomenvery imprudently at- Win. Austin, get on the s h• 0, of Tetsworth (is tempted to . _ by some m eans he ti rider the wheel, wiiicla pass ing over the lower Part • Oxford Chronicle. tt.--- one:. w hen HORIZONTAL FLAT WATCHES , very small and neat with accurately finished j ewe lled move raents, are o ff ere d i n silver cases, Four Guiwas and a Half each; geld cases, enamel dial, Seven Gui [leas; s il ver dial, Eight Guine as; go ld di al, Nine Guineas 'each. A pri nted warranty is gi ven w ith fixed te,rms,on wh; . c h the Watches wil l always rece i ve any attention required. T. CO SA:Jr:eV, Watchm a k er , Jeweller, &c. X W 47 , auhill (Seven doors from Gracechurchlo;treet), London. N.B.—Second-hand Watches purchased in exchange. 811i711S. On the 22d inst., at Bromley,. Middlesex, Mrs. ge ni i Berger, of a daughter. On the 22d in s t., M rs . E. Wi gg i ns, Jewry-street, of a daughter. On the 25th inst., in Gro svenor - square, • Lady Emi l y Eger ton, youngest daughter of th e E ar l an d ' Countess o f Wilton. On the 24th inst., in Great Ge‘Jrge-street, Westminster, Sarah, wife of Charles Leshi.agton, T .e;sq - , M.P. for Ashburton. On the 15th inst., at Li .ver poe, i , son of the late Mr. A. H. A yre , „ of Barking, Essex , age d 34. On the 23d inst., at nephtrd's-market, Hannah , relict of the late Daniel Harris, o f t h e S tran d. On the 24th inst., John Thomas Ay res, Solicitor to the Ord ;tame, aged 65. On the 23d inst in Craven-street, James Smith, Esq. , , at Margate, Latham Osborn, jun., Esq. , aged 48. On the 24th i.nst., at his house at Eastbourn, Davis Gilbert, Esq., aged 73.. On the 2`;cd inst., in Portland-place, Anthony Brough, Et:q. On this 22d inst., at Tonbridge-wells, Robert Belt, of Bossalh York, Esq., and. of the Inner Temple, barrister-at -law, aged 63. 1 London: Printed and. Pubiisbeu by 10(1,...a...;' YOUNG, ~___ I No. 112, Strand, at ThP ..v.• 'ft- • A., ' l -? r•roe. :n 'Jo' county of Itliddlesex.—Thuraday, December 26, 1839. _ _ p. sal iW mu