The Sun. — London, England, 1845-12-15 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, DECEM'BER 15 , 1e45. No doubt the Hon. Gentleman has enough.—(Laughter.) There seems no scarcity there.— (Loud laughter.) Now, to all who think with this Hon. Gentleman, all who sup pose that there is enough, because they happen to be well filled, I will say, what is the opinion of those who have not so good a spencer as that gentleman appears to have ? What do they think who happen not to be so well filled respecting this question ? Let those who wish to know whether there is a scarcity or not go to Bethnal-green, in the neighbourhood of Spitalfields, and hear what they have got to say respecting this momen tous question.—(Hear,) They at least will say, we do not at present get plenty of Essex bread.—(Cheers.) If there is plenty in the land there is no use to go 3,000 miles to America for a supply ; but if there is not plenty, then that system which prevents the people irons receiv ing a supply must be an unrighteous system.—(Loud cheers.) Every law is bad, and to be condemned, that interferes to prevent a supply of food to the people of any country —(Cheers.) Now, gentlemen, with regard to the protective societies, of which we have heard so much. They tell us confidently that there is a sufficient supply of corn and potatoes in the country. If this is so;, I wish to know what is the matter in head quarters.—(Loud cheers.) If there is no deficiency in the potato crop, what have we got wrong in the Cabinet? —(Renewed cheers.) During the last session of Par liament, near to the close of it, judging from appear ances, Sir Robert Peel and Sir James Graham were re velling in the luxurious idea that power and pace were likely at least to last a lifetime.—(Cheers.) But now we hear that this strong Cabinet is broken up, and if there were nothing wrong about the crops, and no scarcity of food, what the mattercan be I want to know ? (Cheers.) No, gentlemen, there are ominous signs in the sudden rupture of the Cabinet.—(Hear, hear.) I believe it is based on some reports received respecting the crops in Ireland, ancliin'many parts of England, reports informing Sir Robert that the evil is much worse than any intimation the public have yet received, that this sudden break up has taken place. Since I have come into this hall a gentleman has put a printed statement into my hand respecting the potato crop ; and I may add, no gentleman that I know of is better qualified to give a statement on the question than he is. He says, in the paper in question, that the number of sacks of potatoes delivered in the port of London during the three last months of the years of 1842, 1843, 1844, 1845, were as follows :—ln the three months ending December, 1842, the number was 440,700 sacks ; in the three months ending Decem ber 1843, 315,800 ; in the three months, ending De cember 1844, 381,800 sacks ; and in the three last months of the present year 1845, 195,400 sacks, Now, gentlemen, what was the fluctuation in the price of these potatoes in 1842, 43, 44. 45. In the three former of these years they ranged from 40s. to 90s. per ton. In the presens year the average has been from 10s. to 150 s. per ton. I also learn from the same gentleman that of these twelve cargoes some were so bad, that they were cleared out to the lightermen, and given to them to carry away for the purpose of being converted into ma nure.—(Hear.) There was also an instance of one cargo, which, at the cost of 30/, had to be dug out and thrown away, being of no use whatever to any one I have latterly been in every part of England, and I re gret to say that the accounts of the potato crop coincided with what I have stated regarding the port of London.— (Hear.) I believe that by next spring—and it is my duty to state it—there will not be a sound potato to be applied for the purposes of seed.—(Hear.) It is easy for our dukes and squires, maundering like old women, to say there is no scarcity, and to attempt to arrest the opinion in favour of free-trade. They can go out to shoot and hunt during the day, and when they come in they can regale themselves with venison champagne and the like dainties. With them there is no scarcity ; not so with the people—(Hear, hear.) But these men are ignorant of what is going on in the cottages upon their own estates ; and, being ignor an t, are unprepared with a reme y for the evil which is impending. I am quite certain that before the fine weather of next spring sets in, that whole districts will be dependant on charity, and in consequence will be flocking into the great cities and towns for relief; and you in this great city will be called on to subscribe to save the starving peasantry from famine. And what is the state of things respecting the Executive of the country ?—(Hear, hear.) We have no Government. Sir R. Peel has taken flight on the first operation of his sliding scale.—(Laughter acid cheers.) Though possessing a majority of ninety in the House of Commons he has ran away from his own handy work.—(Hear, and laughter.) This does not show much pluck on his part.—(Renewed laughter.) But he has not even told us what he intended to do. On this occasion he has put on as much mystery to the free traders as he did to the agricultural interest when he first brought forward his alterations in the tariff. Noody knows what he intended to do. We enly know that he has run away from office—that he has left the ship without a helmsman.—(Loud cheers.) On the first signs of danger his courage failed, and he retired.— (Cheers.) Lord Jchn Russell was now called in. —(This was fol lowed by loud and long-continued cheering.) We are all deeply interested in the public career of that states man; yet, notwithstanding that, I will say, as an elector of the City of Lond,,n, that I wish, for the sake of our cause that Lord John Russell was not her Ma jesty's adviser, but that she should receive the Duke of Richmond in his place.—(Hear, hear.) Let him try to form a Cabinet, with Sir John Tyrrell in the Home office, and Colonel Sibthorp at the Horse Guards, and see the issue. Let them try a Protectionist Govern ment, and see what they can do.--(Hear, hear.) I am sure such an object -- such a Ministry would kill us all with laughter. If Lord John Russell undertakes the government of the conntry with 180 or 200 men only to vote for his measures, and support him in his position, at all events, I am sure he will act in a much more dignified manner than the Minister who has ran away with a majority of ninety behind his back.—(Loud cheers.) Suppose he does accept office, and stand by the people on this question—and that he will do so I am firmly persuaded—and supposing that he is defeated by the protectionists in Parliament, what follows ? A general appeal to the country. In that case what will you do in the City of London ? Why send four good ones.—(Cheers.) We must have four good ones and no shams.—(A voice here called out, " We will have you for one.") No, continued the Hon. Gentleman, I do not intend leaving Stockport till I go in for Bucking hainshire.—(Loud and enthusiastic cheering.) With you, electors of the City of London, it must ba four or none. It must not be as at present, half and half—two voting on one side and two on the other—like parties in an action, firing the half of their guns on their own friends.—(Loud cheers.) When the election takes place, you must do as they do in America, have a ticket for four free traders, and go the whole ticket.—(Cheers.)—Four good men must be got to re present you ; two of these you have already got ; two others you must obtain.—(Cheers.) When the time does come for taking the sense of the country, you will have to set the example. Your election takes place first, and you must make it such as will be felt in every part of the country. I know you will do it, for your registry has been right well looked after this last two years. With tegerd to the metropolitan boroughs, I am sure they will not return any curry powder candidates, but deter mined supporters of free trade.—(Loud cheers.) Middle sex will be safe, as will also every large town in the North. We shall have Edinburgh and Glaigow; and do not for a moment think that a protection candidate will go for Bristol or Newcastle. Give us a general election, and we will carry a repeal of the corn-laws.—(Loud cheers.) We; will command the unanimous voice of the Members returned from every large and powerful constituency of the country.—(Cheers.) Do the calf representatives of Essex think that they can stand in array against the power and the wealth of this great coutry on such a question as this.—(Hear, hear,) If Lord John Russell stands to the principles declared in his letter, and I am sure he will, the country will be at his back. He will also have the support of a disin terested organisation at his back, who seek to obtain neither place nor power, but whose only object is to free industry—to emancipate the commercial, the middle, and the working classes from an injurious monopoly— (Hear)—and who, having once accomplished that great work,will be fullysatisfied with it as their reward.—(Loud cheers.) The time has gone by for tricksters and chicanery men to deal with us. The country wants honesty and straightforwardness —an honest man to speak plainly what his opinions are—to print them and put his name to them, so that they might be bro ug ht t o b ear aga i nst him in uture times if he attempted to vaccilate. That man we have long looked for, and we have him now. —(Cheers.) Now, gentlemen, it was said by one of the speakers who preceded me, that four years ago the League would have been satisfied with a compromise. Gentlemen, I can only say, that for my own part, I would never have been a party to any compromise of this question.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) I never looked to a repeal of the corn-laws as a matter of ex pediency, or a matter of compromise. I looked to it on the broad ground that you have no right to tax the food of the people—no right to prevent the industrious man from living by the fruits of his industry, and I say in principle we are bound to remove the corn-law, and by God's help we will remove it.—(Cheers.) But we seem to be talking of a compromise still ; for I see by the Morning Heald—(Laughter) -1 see according to that venerable authority, that if Sir Robert Peel had brought in this measure he intended to have compensated the mono polists.—(Cries of " Oh; oh," and laughter.) And this paper goes on to say that a country which compensates slave-owners would never object to com pensate landowners.—(Hear, hear.) Why, gentlemen, the difference is this, that we are not slaves, and do not intend to be so.—(Cheers.) I will tell you the sort of compensation I would give them, if compensation they ought to.have. They should take just that sort of com pensation which one of our city policemen would give if he traced out a lost piece of furniture —perhaps a last bit of furniture of some industrious artizan that had been stolen, and he had traced to the hands of a light-fingered gentleman. (Laughter.) The light fingered gentleman says, "I have been enjoying this piece of furniture for the last thirty years. I have been making arrangements founded upon its possession. You will not, therefore, take it away from me, without making me some compensation;" upon which the poor artizan steps in, as we will step in, and puts in the plea of those who have been deprived of their own property for a long series of years, and says, and there will be meetings everywhere of electors, to instruct their representatives to vote for what is right and just in this matter.—(Hear, hear.) This is the true spirit which actuated our forefathers when they met in this hall seventy years ago, when they had to deal with the power of the great and arrogant dictation of an autocrat Ministry. To show that they did not quail before the Crown of the Sovereign, look to that monument (pointing to the monment of Beckford) put up there to record an act of spirited citizenship on the part of one of you Lord Mayor's when in the presence of a King. But, gentlemen, our strug gle is not with our most gracious Sovereign, she does not wish to have the interest of the people sacrificed, she does nut desire to reign over merely sordid men, she desires only to live as the Queen and Sovereign of a free and contented people.—(Applause.) No your strug•- gle is not with the Queen ; it is with a section not most intelligent—not most disinterested—nor a most useful part of your country.—(Hear and laughter.) Your struggle is against a large section of the landed aristocracy of the country, whose everlasting struggles are to keep you, the people of England, within the nar rowest limits they possibly can for the exercise of your skill and the reward of your industry.—(Applause.) They wish rather to live great amongst a little and impoverished people than to rise with the greatness and increased power of those who will rise higher still if they will only allow claims to those beneath them.—(Applause.) Your struggle is with the mono polising landowners of this country who are but a hand ful of men. Confront them with the people of this country, and they are as but a cork upon the Cataract of Niagara. Confront them with the millions, and they will shrink into their native insignificance. Founded upon injustice, .their power will shrink from under them, and then they will forget to ask who will com pensate them. But they are not entitled to com pensation, because they will only be giving up that which they never were entitled to. They passed the bread-tax in 1815, but they never had a right to it, and it was passed under protest from the people of England. Why there are men living now, old enough to remem ber how the thousands assembled around the Mansion- House to sign the petition against this tax, but it was simply against the tax. They prayed in a body the Par liament to give time to consider what its effects might be upon the nation. Upwards of 40,000 names were put to that petition in one day. London was moved from its very centre, to oppose this infamous law. We say, therefore, down with the idea of compensation—down with the idea of compromise—we go for the total, im mediate, and unqualified repeal of the corn laws.— (The Hon. Gentleman resumed his seat amidst thunders of applause.) become payable to their representatives or nominees, and which have been duly discharged: this amount paid to the representatives of deceased members fully demon strates the benefit of Life Assurance, most of the members whose deaths are referred to, though in health at the time of effecting the assurance, did not live long enough to contrikite more than a small proportion of the sum paid to their respective families who are now deriving the benefit of the provision thus made. " The death of six annuitants has caused the sum of 1,687/. to fall to the credit of class 3. " The next division of profits will be made in Novem ber, 1847, and the Directors have no doubt that the re sult will prove perfectly satisfactory to the members. " In the early part of the year, in consequence of the large increase that had taken place during the two former years in the nnmber of proposals, and the great accumulation of general business consequent there upon, presented weekly for the consideration of the Directors, it became obvious that it was impos sible longer to get through, in a satisfactory manner, all matters pressing upon them at one weekly meeting ; and to relieve this pressuae, and to afford greater convenience to persons attending to make as surances, a second weekly board, to be held every Fri day, was adopted. In confirmation of the necessity and expediency of holding an addional weekly meeting, the Directors refer to the extraordinary increase of business since its adoption. " In conclusion, the Directors confidently trust that by a perseverance in the course hitherto pursued to in sure the stability of the Institution, and which has led to the succesaful results herein detailed, the members may have the satisfaction to witness a long continuance of that prosperity which has throughout so signally marked its progress." In answer to a Proprietor, Mr. CASH, one of the Directors, said that the Direc tors had expected that the price of Exchequer-bills would fall, and that they had accordingly been prepared to take advantage of the fall, by purchasing those securities. He assured the meeting that no more funds than were necessa y were le:t in the hands of the bankers. The report was then agreed to unanimously. Mr. GOSDELL then rose to propose the election of several gentlemen in the room of the present Directors. He had no fault to find with the present Directors, who had done all they could for the prosperity of the Institution, but they had too much power. There were several of the rules of the Institution which required altering, and as the power of altering them was lodged in the Directors alone, be with a view to get those altera tions made his new list. The resolution was then put and carried by acclama. tion. Mr. LLOYD seconded the nomination solely for the purpose of affording an opportunity for discussion. Mr. TYLER, who represented the great body of those who were desirous of seeing the rules altered, yet bore testimony to the honour, integrity, attention, and effi ciency of the present Board of Directors, but it was to prevent any future Board abusing their power, that he wished to see the altered, and more power given to the subscribers at large. The Honourable Proprietor, in the course of a long speech, went through the rules of the institution, pointing out them which he considered required amendment, and concluded by moving as an amendment, that the meeting do adjourn, in order to give the Directors an opportunity of more fully con sidering the subject. A long and somewhat acrimonious discussion followed, in the course of which it appeared that the Directors themselves had already taken steps for the alteration of many of the rules. After this discussion has lasted nearly four hours, it was suggested that the amendment should be withdrawn as the Di rectors had already taken the subject of altering the rules into their consideration. Mr. P. TAYLOR moved the next resolution which was to the following effect :—" That our four representatives be requested and instructed to support the re peal of the corn-laws in the Commons House of Parliament." Whether they would all four do so he could not tell, but it they did not he trusted they would follow the example of Sir Robert Peel, and resign. —(Loud laughter.) Without mean ing to hold out any threat, he wished to commu nicate a little information to them. Mr. Cobden had told them that great pains had been taken with the registration of the City of London in the last two years, and he was witness that there bad been great attention paid to it. He was happy to say that there was not the slightest doubt that when ever an election took place, four thorough free traders would be returned for the City of London by a very large majority. Some gentleman said no, but the proof would appear by and by. In the spirit of these remarks he begged leave to move the resolution which he had read to them. Dr. BOWRING came forward to second the resolution, and was received with loud cheers. When silence was restored he said—My Lord Mayor and fellow-electors, I have been delighted at seeing the work of conversion going on even here. Against the first resolution three teen had the courage to hold up their hands, against the second two, and against the third one. I believe now that those who oppose this resolution will not venture to show themselves at al/.—(Hear, and laughter.) You have done your duty nobly and bravely to day, and the object of this resolution is to call upon those who profess to represent you in the House of Commons to do their dnty. How delightful it is to wit ness the progress of this great question. When I see my friend appear before you who, in a spirit the most disinterested and most self-sacrificing, first came forward to organise that admirable work whose effects we now see visible in every part of the land, how little could I anticipate that here, in the City of London, his proposal could be received with perfect unanimity. How little did he expect that with one voice the people of the metropolis would now be prepared to declare that the time had arrived when the corn-laws should be repealed once and for ever. Whom e have we convinced ? From the Premier in the highest regions down to Punch himself.—(Laugh ter.) Everybody is now with us. The Premier is with us by deserting his friends, and we have now the secu rity that whether to-day or to-morrow, or the day after, no Ministry can long exist whose aim shall not be the total overthrow of the corn-laws. My friend has spoken of those who will probably be some of the new Ministers, but, I believe, public opinion would not be satisfied until a portfolio was in his own hands. He should be Presi dent of the Board of Trade.—(Applause.) He is the man to hold out the hand of peace and of friendship to all nations.—(Hear, hear.) He is the man to teach mankind, as he has taught his country, that their interests are the interests of peace and commerce and extended trade, and to give a new tone to the character of the legislation of the land. —(Applause.) Gentlemen, I will not detain you longer. You ask obedience of your servants. You are the electors, and the masters, and have a right to ask it. You, in whose power the interest of the country, and the country itself, is vested, have a right to require, and you will require, that your views and your opinions should be carried into Parliament —namely, that Parliament should represent the voice of the people, and let me tell you that the voice which now echoes through England, and, in fact, throughout the world, shouts for the overthrow of monopoly, and calls out—Free trade I Free trade for ever !—(Loud applause.) The resolution was then read, and carried unanimously. Mr. PATTISON, M.P., said they had heard the excuse of Lord John Russell for not being there, and that was quite satisfactory. Why their other two representatives were not present was best known to themselves. For himself, he had only to say that his principles were known to them all. Now, what was the case with the late Ministry? Why, they had fair weather all along, and when a speck came on the horizon they deserted their post. All they had now to do was support his colleague, should he be called on to take the reins of Government. He could only sa y, i n conclu sion, for he was not addicted to long speeches, that he re quired no instruction,,but was ready to do_his duty on the question of the corn-law!.—(Hear.) In conclusion, he would request them to give three che ers f or th e i r inde pendent and uncompromising representative, Lord John Russell.—(The demand of the speaker was heartily re sponded to.) Mr. WANSEY said he had to propose to them that a vote of thanks should be given to the Lord Mayor for his presidency upon this occasion. He had earned that honour from his having merged his private feelings in his public character. J. DILLON, Esq., chairman of the requisitionists who had gone to the Lord Mayor for the use of the hall, said he:felt bound to second that: resolution. He had waited on his Lordship, who mentioned to him that he was quite opposed to the repeal of the corn-laws, but, never theless, that be would not only give the use of the hall, but also would agree to fill the chair on that occasion.— (Hear and No, and some confusion.) The resolution was then put and carried with a few tokens of dissent. The LORD MAYOR briefly acknowled ge d the compli ment paid him, and the meet i ng, a f ter three hearty cheers for the repeal of the obnoxious restriction on food, separated. After a few words from Mr. G. THosisoN in favour of altering the rules for the purpose of giving the general body more power in the direction of affairs, The CHAIRMAN said that he had consulted those Directors who were present, arid that he thought he might say on the part of the Directors generally, that they would be prepared at the next annual meeting to propose certain alterations in the rules and that the proposed alterations should be printed and cir• culated among the proprietors two or three months be fore the meeting. This amendment was received with loud applause. The amendment and the original motion were both withdrawn. The Directors were re-elected, and a vote of confidence in the Buard of Directors carried by accla mation. Thanks were voted to the Chairman and the officers of the Institution, and the meeting separated. DIRECT LONDON AND EXETER RAILWAY.—(THIS DAY.) A very full and influential Meeting of the shareholders of this Company was held to-day, at the London Tavern, in consequence of the call of the Chairman of the Com mittee of Management, Sir Bruce Chichester, for the pur pose of hearing a statement of their affairs, and determin ing whether the Company should be (carried on :or not. The proceedings of the meeting, which throughout,was an extremely stormy one, were opened by Sir BRUCE CHICHESTER, from whose statement It appeared thst previous to his joining the Com mittee [of Management the affairs ,of ;the Com pany had been carried on in a very improvi dent spirit, that out of 61,000 shares that had been allotted only 28,000 had paid up the deposit, that the produce of those deposits was 32,3951, that out of that amount there bad been paid tor preliminary ex pentes, 4,3441. 11s. 3d.; for engineering and surveying expenses, 14,050/. ; for law expenses, 8,791/. 6s. ; for advertising, 2,639/. 19s. 4d. ; for printing and stationery, 584/. ; for travelling expenses, 2361. ; for rent, salary, &c., 5571. 15s. sd. ; for miscel laneous expenses, 1861. 3s. Id. ; to Dr. Blundell, not accounted for, 512/ 10s. ; leaving a balance in hand of only 492/. 14s. The announcement of these expenses, and the statement of the balance in hand, created the greatest dissatisfaction in the meeting. The report of the Committee of Management having been read, a long and stormy discussion ensued, in the course of which several motions and amendments were proposed, and it was admitted that the affairs of the company had been grossly mismanaged by the preceding Committee. Ultimately, amid great con fusion, the following motion was agreed to:—" That Sir Bruce Chichester, Dr. Phillimore, and Mr. Cham bers be requested to form a Committee of Manage ment, with power to add to their number. That the Committee be authorised to issue shares to the extent required by Parliament, with this condition, that if the necessary amount should not be subscribed for, the whole sum to be raised should be returned ; and that whatever steps can be taken without expense beyond the means in hand towards placing the project before Parliament be so taken, and that the Committee of Management be requested to prepare a statement of the accounts of the Company, and that a copy thereof be sent to every share and scrip holder. The report of Mr. Braithwaite, the engineer, was read, and a vote of thanks was unanimously car ried to Sir Bruce Chichester, not only for his presiding over and calling the meeting that day, but for the manly course he had pursued in endeavouring to uphold the interest of the shareholders. CRIMINAL COURT.—(THIS DAY.) /VA IV CO UR T. (Before Mr. Commissioner BULLOCK.) CRUELTY ON THE HIGH SEAS.— Alexander Gordon, captain of the barque Nathesis, and John Cummins, mate of the same vessel, were charged with having cruelly assaulted William Scott, one of the apprentices on board that vessel, about the 20th of June last, while the ship was near the line. Mr. PAYNE, the counsel for the prosecution, said the case was one of a serious character, and if proved would exhibit a very cruel mind in those who have been in • dieted on the charge. The charge was made against the master and mate of the Nathesis of assaulting and cruelly treating Scott, the apprentice. One day, after crossing the line, the boy had been rather tardy in getting up out of bed. Cummins, the mate, went below with a rope's end, and flogged him up on deck. When the boy came on deck he was sent aloft to tar the royal rigging, with nothing on him except a blue shirt. The mate followed him up, and struck him while aloft, but the boy to escape the flogging, leaped to lay hold of the stays, which he missed, and tell into the water. But the main part of the charge was—when the boy was brought upon deck, after falling into the water, the mate pulled the shirt over the boy's head, and the master himself gave him two dozen of strokes with a cat made for the purpose. The mate wished to give him another dozen, but the master refused to allow him then; but a short time after the boy was brought again on deck, and the mate gave him a dozen more. The boy was then taken down into the cabin, and was placed on his knees on the cabin floor. The master and the mate then said they would pour vitriol on his back. The master re quested the mate to put it on the boy's back, as he was afraid of burning his fingers. The mate had the same fear, and hesitated to use the liquid, but he afterwards poured what both called vitriol out of a bottle on the back of the apptentice Scott. Mr. PAYNE then proceeded to call the witnesses to prove the charge. The first witness called was the boy William Scott. He said he was an apprentice on board the Nathesis barque. Gordon was the master, and Cummins the mate. Th e d ay a f ter cross i ng the line, he was late in getting up. H e was fl ogge d u p on deck,i and then sent up the foremast with the tar barrel to tar the royal rigging. He had nothing on but a blue flannel shirt. When he refused to tar the rigging, the mate, who was aloft, struck him. Mr. BALLANTINE here interrupted the evidence, to say that his Learned Friend had so conducted the case as to make the acquittal of Capt. Gordon a matter of justice. He had already proved an assault against the mate. There was but one count in the indictment. The assault proved against the mate satisfied that count ; the captain, therefore, he argued, must be acquitted. It had been settled so long ago as the time of Lord Ellenborough, in the case of " Stant v. Prickett." More than one assault had been committed in that case. The counsel for the prosecution had proved one assault, and was proceeding to prove another, when Lord Ellenborough stopped him, and said he might have detained the Court and the jury all day going through the different charges in order to select the one on which to rely ; his Lordship said that must be done by counsel previous to coming into Court, enough in that case had been proved to satisfy the count. On this ground he (Mr. Ballantine) held that enough had been proved to satisfy the single count in the indictment in the present case, and as that was proved agains the mate alone, he held that Captain j Gordon should be acquitted. Mr. HUDDLESTONE, Counsel for the mate Cummins, objected against the Counsel for the prosecution tends ring evidence of any further act in which the mate might have been concerned. The case in the present instance was analogous, he said, to the case of a declaration. There, if there was but one count put in, and a juatifi catioi proved by the accused for any one NATIONAL PROVIDENT INSTI TUTION.—(TBIS D AY.) The tenth annual meeting of the members of the Na tional Provident Institution was held this day in the large room, at the London Tavern ; Charles Lushington, Esq., in the chair. Long before the commencement of the proceedings the room was crowded to excess, and at length the pressur e was so great that the gallery was ofened, and that also crowded. This full attendance was owing to the circum • stance of Mr. Gosbell, one of the Proprietors, h av i ng given notice of his intention to move that the present Board of Directors should be ousted, and a new Board substituted in their place. This announcement brought up several subscribers from the country, and it was evi dent throughout the proceedings that the large ma j ority of those present were in favour of the present Board of Directors. The C HAIRMAN , i n o p e ning the proceedings, bri e fly adverted to the motion of which Mr. Gosbell had given notice ; and having congratulated the members on the prosperous state of the institution, he called upon the Secretary, who read the following REPORT of the Directors to the Tenth Annual Meet ing of Members, held at the London Tavern, Bishops gate-street, Dec. 15, 1845: " Encouraging and satisfactory as all former Annual Reports have been, the Directors are much gratified, on this the Tenth Anniversary of the Institution, to have to present to the members a statement of the business of the past year, far surpassing in amount every previous one, and exhibiting, as the Directors confidently believe, an extent of prosperity which is , unexampled in the his tory of life assurance societies. " During the past year, 911 policies have been issued, making an increase of 189 beyond the former year, and producing an annual income of 16,335/. 13s. 7 d., and during the same period, the number of proposals de clined have amounted to 113, the lives not having be en deemed eligible for assurance. " This large yearly increase of business of the insti tution has been effected, notwithstanding the coMprqi lion it has to contend with from many new as well as old established offices, a convincing proof, that the more the benefits of the mutual principle of Assurance) on which this society is based) is known the more it is ap. proved. " The total annual income now amounts to the suns of 70,819/. 14s. sd. " The accounts of the Institution, made up to the 20th of November last, have been subjected to the usual audit, from which it will appear that the capital stock of the Society on that day amounted to the sum of 2 41,460/. 13s. 3d., being by far the largest annual increase vehich has hitherto been made. - "By the deaths of members since the last rtport, claims 41310unting to the sum of 21,2304 25., Bay. " compensliticit indeed, away with him to the poliZle office, and let him have compensation there !" (Applause.) There is one part of the resolu tion to which I am speaking which I look to with great satisfaction, and I wish here to express my gratification tt) you for having passed a resolution wherein you direct, you request, and instruct your four members to rote for a total and immediate repeal of the corn-laws.—(A voice, " We have not passed that yet.") But, gentlemen, it is coming, and I am sure you will pass it.—(Loud cheers.) It is the sort of language which electors should hold out to their representatives, and it is an exam ple that will be followed throughout the country. Ctiar Ebition try and cheapen t was the boa;; OWn luxuries.—(Hear, hear.) It a'.. e s of H us kisson that he had expunged from the statute-book the word " prohibition."—(Cheers.) Let it be the boast of the people of the present day that they had expunged from the statute-book the word protection."—(Cheers.) Let the Government pass laws for the repression and the prevention of crime, and let them too have taxes—as few as possible—(Laughter) for the maintenance of the State ; but let them have no taxes which would operate as a premium upon famine.— (Cheers.) In the spirit of those observations he begged leave to move the first resolution.—(Cheers.) Mr. RICARDO came forward to second the resolution. He said that if it had been necessary to apply talent to the seconding of that resolution, he would not have come forward to do so ; but the proposition it con tained was so self-evident, that it carried conviction with it, and, therefore, it would not be necessary for him to say a word in support of it ; and, indeed, the talented and eloquent gentleman who had proposed it left him not a word to say in addition. He begged to second the resolution.—(Cheers.) Mr. WILKINSON said he wished to speak on the reso lution before it was put. He was as determined an enemy to the corn-laws as any of them, but he could not agree to the conclusions that many had come to in arguing the question. Had' it not been for the violent language used by many of the advocates of free-trade, the corn-laws might have been repealed.—(Uproar.) He repeated that such parties had materially arrested the progress of free-trade.—(lncreased uproar.) Moreover it had been said that at present there was a deficiency of food in the country. He did not believe that there was.—(Great uproar.) He maintained there was no deficiency of food.—(The speaker was here stopped by a tremendous burst of hissing rind yelling, which lasted for several minutes. The' peaker after the exhaustion of the first volley of discordant shouts, attempted to go on, but after several attempts desisted.) The LORD MAYOR came forward and requested the meeting to give a patient hearing to Mr. Wilkinson. Mr. WILKINSON again essayed to speak, but after the delivery of several sentences which were inaudible to those even immediately around him, on account of the hisses and shouts with which he was assailed, he stood still. Then retiring amidst loud and indignant cries of " turn him out;" " off, off;" "we have had enough of you," he again sat down. The LORD MAYOR then took the sense of the meeting whether the speaker should proceed, when the negative was carried by an immense show of bands. Mr. WILKINSON then retired amidst loud and con tinued derisive shouts and cheers. The LORD MAYOR having again put it to the vote whether the speaker should be heard, the question met with its former fate—namely, was negatived. Mr. Wilkinson having bowed to the wish of the meet ing, the original resolution was put, and carried una nimously. Mr. ROBERTSON said, however trite might be the re mark, he felt himself bound to say that he felt perfectly incompetent to do justice to the subject now under dis cussion. This was partly owing to natural inability, and partly to having been only that minute called on to propose a resolution touching the corn-laws.—(Hear.) The speaker here read a resolution to the effect, " That the protective laws, commonly called the corn-laws, had not afforded protection to any existing interest in the country, that they had engendered strife amongst diffe rent classes at home, and hostility against us abroad, and that the sliding-scale had effected none of the good but all the evils that had been predicted of it.— (Hear, and cheers.) Now let them look at the conse quences that were likely to result from persisting in these laws. On the sth of January last there were only 360,000 quarters of corn in the market, while on the Baltic there was a superabundant supply ; but From this they were unable to derive any benefit. He would con clude by moving this resolution.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. CHRISTIE seconded the resolution ; s but he deli vered his observations in so low a tone that it was im possible to hear him. However, he was understood to say that he had great pleasure in seconding the resolu tion, which was put and carried amidst loud cheering. Mr. CHARLES PERKINS proposed the next resolution. He said that the resolution entrusted to him to propose contained matter for the grave and serious consideration of the meeting, as well as for all persons in this country who were in any manner connected with the land. Having read the resolution, he proceeded to say he would ask the people to look at the present difficult and embarrassing position of the country by reason of the resignation of the present Ministry.—(Hear.) The Ministry had looked about in every direction for an excuse or a means of escape, but they found they could not shrink from the responsibility GREAT ANTI-CORN-LAW MEET- they had incurred.—(H ear .) Thi s country was now ING IN THE GUILDHALL. looking forward with anxiety to the arrival of the speech of the President of the United States, which they might (THIS DAY.) expect within the next ten days. That was a document The Lord Mayer of the City of London having, in which he knew the Government of this country did not compliance with a requisition from the citizens, cost lik e to face.—(Bear, hear.) The United States of respectaisly and numerously signed, ca ll e d a public America were now somewhat more extensive than they meeting for thisday in the Guildhall,thatspacious building were a few years ago; in fact they had extended all for some time before the proceedings commenced, became over the Continent. Such of these States as were crowded toexce-s At a fewminutes past one o'clock the Lord situate inland or at a distance from any port Mayor came upon the platform, and amongst those who wanted to dispose of their produce to the best accompanied him we observed Alderman Wood,llichard advantage.—(Hear, hear.) The States had now a Cobden, Esq., M.P, whose appearance was greeted majority in the Congress, and it might be relied upon, with lopd cheering ; Milre.-1. Gibson, Esq, M.P. ; James that they never would meet this country upon terms of Pattison, Esq, M.P. for London ; Dr. Bowring, M.P. ; amicable feeling and mutual interest until they had free D.:NA hittle Harvey, Esq.; W. D. Saul, E s q. ; Ashurst, access to the markets of this country.—(Hear, hear.) He Esq. ,• -- Norris, Esq., proprietor of the Railway Times; had heard a great deal said about the protection of the Mr. Moffat, M.P. ; Raikes Currie, M.P. ; Hastie, landed interest ; but he could assure that class that it ; Win. Williams, M.P. ; Sheriff Lawrie ; T. M. would be infinitely more secure and satisfactory to them Robinson, Esq. ;H. L. Keeling, Esq. ; Ralph Ricardo, to have the corn-laws repealed altogether and all artifi- Esq. ; Charles Perkins, Esq., &c. &e. cial prices for food.—(Cheers.) Until that be done, he At a quarter past one o'clock precisely, would ask, how was the farmer to act ? How was he to The LORD MAYOR came forward to the front of the take a farm ? What was he to bid for it ?—(Hear.) platform and said—Gentlemen, I have called this meet- In fact, he knew not how to proceed while ang in compliance with a requisition of my fellow-citi- these corn-laws existed, for all was now curl zens, most respectably signed, in order to afford you an fusion—(Hear)—and a confusion so great that the opportunity of expressing your sentiments on the ques- present Ministry did not dare to face it—(Hear, hear.) tion of the corn-laws. I have now only to observe But it was for the electors of London to be now serious that I trust you will adhere strictly to the subject for and determined in the good cause, and they might rest the discussion of which you are assembled, and I do assured of success.—(Cheers.) assure you that I shall endeavour to secure to every per- Mr. Wm. Hawes next came forward. He said he son who wishes to address the meetir a a patient and wou ld not d eta i n them many minutes in observing upon attentive hearing—(H ea r, hear)—and e l trust you will th e resolution, for he was certain that it would meet approach the discussion of the subject calmly and dis- with the unanimous approbation of the meeting.—(Hear, passienately.—(Cheers.) hear.) He would just call the attention of the meeting The Lord Mayor's Secretary having read the requi- to the fact, that the feelings of the country had now sition, signed by 1,230 of the electors, attained such a height in regard to the corn-laws, The Loan MAYOR said he would now read a letter that the Prime Minister himself had been convinced he had received from Lord John Russell.—(Hear.) of the necessity for their total repeal.—(Loud cheers.) His Lordship then read the letter, in which It was but a few years back that they had met in that the noble writer said that the peculiar po- hall, and declared in favour of a Bill—the Reform Bill_ sition in which he was at present placed would pre- and the Government of the day resolved to carry it; but vent him attending the meeting. The Lord Mayor then even th a t was s p o il e d, not b y t h ose who had originated introduced or introduced it, but it was spoiled in its progress through Mr. theaote, who said, they were met to express an the Legislature by a few interested persons, who intro opinion on the existing rn-laws, and he suggested, duced so many qualifications into it that it was rendered that the conclusion they should come to was, that the almost useless.—(Hear.) But now that the people were corn-lave should be repealed.—(Loud cheers.) resolved to have a repeal of the corn-laws, that repeal He would briefly give his reasons for that must be without any qualification whatever.—(Cheers.) suggestion. In the first place, as conveyed in the They should have a total and effectual repeal of every resolution he was about to propose, the principle tax upon food.—(Cheers.) The meeting was aware of protection was bad, false in theory, hurtful to that Mr. Cobden was present—(Cheers)—and therefore the class protected, and injurious to the whole commu- he (Mr. H.) would not longer deprive them of the pity ; in the second place, it was a bad law in its ge- pleasure of hearing him.—(Cheers.) He was a citizen neral Application, but more particularly so in th e present of this comity, and had been received everywhere with state of this country ; and in the third place, it operated the greatest enthusiasm and honour, for he was indeed in a !tartlet and injurious manner at most times, but now regarded as the great leader of this movement. more decidedly so when famine stared the nation in the Mr. COBDEN then came forward, and was received face, as it now did. Some four years ego, a law was with the most deafening and prolonged shouts of ap passed for a sliding-scale, but what had been the result? plause. When it had subsided he said,—My Lord Had it produced the wonders promised ?--(No, no.) Mayor and brother electors of the City of London, Had it regulated the supply i n a l eg i t i mate manner ? although I have been almost living in public meetings —(N., no.) Had it not turned out a t ota l f a i lure ? in various parts of this country for the last fortnight, (Cries of " Yes, it has.") At that time m an y h onest yet it was not until I had come here and witnessed men—at least he believed them honest—and he was one this magnificent gathering, that I felt the full of them, differed from the sliding-scale, and advocated a force of the strength which this great move fixed duty. That opinion was thought the best adapted ment now enjoys. —(Loud cheers.) Hitherto we have then to the serigencies of the country. Circumstances been dealing only with the exhumation of the body had changed since then, and now he was an advocate politic ;it has already received a goodly kick in Lance for a fixed duty no longer, but for absolute free trade. shire, and a blow of no inconsiderable magnitude was —(Loud cheers.) He could advocate such a view in the also inflicted on it from Edinburgh.—(Loud cheers.) But present state of the country. But in advocating the now at length the head is in motion. I have now total repeal of the corn-laws, they should do so, not as brought with me a message to you from the north of a party question —not as a measure to benefit one class England. They are at work there for you ; they at the expense of another class—but, as a measure well have taken a position in this great cause, and they calculated to benefit the great body of the cons- have no doubt that you will sustain them with munity. They sought not to benefit one class honour and credit to yourselves in this great move or party, but to benefit every class of society. ment.—(Cheers)—for what would this cause be with- A great difference of opinion prevailed in this country as out your assistance ?—the assistance of the inhabitants to the comparative advantage of an agricultural or of a of the metropolis of the greatest commercial empire in manufacturing population. There were those amongst the known world.—(Cheers.) The importance of them who advocated the existence only of an agricul- every movement which takes place in this city is aural population, and said it was greatly superior to a felt and acknowledged in the most distant parts manufacturing population ; but how absurd was it in of the civilized world.—(Hear, hear.) And let me this age to entertain such a view of society. How could ask then, can laws be suffered to exist which they go back to an agricultural state of society ?—(Hear, would have the effect of convulsing the mercantile opera hear.) It would be as easy fur a man to return to the age tions of such a vast mass of people?—(Cheers.) Why of childhood, as it would be fur this country, advanced should we not be so circumstanced as to be at perfect as it was in civilisation, to return to an agricultural liberty to exchange the products of our industry for that state of society. But if they were to return to an agri- food which is offered to us with an open hand in cultural state of society, what was to become of our ma- every country of the globe? Who are they that nufectures ? Were they to be destroyed ?—(Cries of will not permit us to do this ? Oh, we No, no.") No, it was perfectly absurd, it was mon- must find them in Buckinghamshire and Essex.— strous, it was perfectly ridiculous to hold such an argu- (Cheers and laughter.) In Essex they had the great meet in the present state of society.—(Great ap- protection gathering ; and they tell us that that which plause.) What was the question which agitated the coun- is to stem this mighty avalanche—this great movement try at this moment ? It was, whether an agricultural seeeis to come from Chelmsford. —(Laughter.) Now he or a m anufacturing state of society w as b es t ; b u t l e t cou ld no t b etter ill ustrate our position, than by taking a him remind those thousands who had started this ques- glance at what they have been doing in Essex. Let us tion that there was a population more to be cared for, see who they have got to join them in their cause ,and and more to be feared, than either an agricultural or a what are their chances of success.—(Hear, hear.) Essex, manufacturing, and that was a starving population.— vie are told, is fertile in wheat, and, as a friend near me (Applause.) How were they to deal with them ? Would has suggested, very fruitful in calves.—(Great laughter.) gunpowder stop them —would curry powder feed them ? Now I believe that all the wheat the Essex people have --(No, no.) When first he heard of the Noble Duke's to sell comes to London. You are the customers to the recipe be was_ . anaued at it, but upon more serious Essex growers. You buy it and pay for it; and, I believe, thought his indignation_ a t a , moved, because he saw in give a higher price for it than would be obtained in any it reason to believe that it was the intention of the other market in the world.—(Cheers.) But then you say Noble Duke to excite the stomachs of the labouring you want more, and must have it. But then Sir John population, for the pur po se o f . making them content, Tyrrel calls som e p eo pl e t oget h er , an d t h ey tell and as quietly as possible s übm to starvation. Wh at you that there is enough for yon in Essex, o q were the arguments in favour f the corn-law? why, and that, therefore, you shall not buy any more. That first, it was said that agriculture was the base of seciety is exactly a fair epitome of what the great mass of the Let them make the base a 3 broad as they possibly could: people of England are told by the landlords of England. Let them extend it to other countries. It Ives —(Hear, hear.) But you tell them that you will buy asked what would:eh e y d o i n ti me of war,. if they re. wheat whenever you like, and that you have a right to placed the corn-laws ? Why let them remain at. Peace, buy as much more as you can, after having got all that and let them make it for the interest of other nations to they need in Essex.—(Laughter and cheers.) These remain at peace with th em . L e t th em buy their corn gentlemen of Essex are rather bold, considering that from America when they cou ld not pro d uce enoug h in . their you are their customers.—(Laughter.) Now, it own country, and then America would not go to war with is the custom in the City for men of busi them. Now, let us look at this for a moment. In the first ness to be courteous, and civil, and polite to place, he could never understand how the present system those by W h om they are enabled to keep of policy was calculated to advance the resources of the their shops open. But the Essex gentlemen are rather country, or add to its prosperity. He thought the interest above their customers. There is wheat to be bad in of the proprietors m us t i ncrease w i th the prosperity ef Russia, in Poland, in Spai n , and in America, but if we the country, for if there was an increase in the supply of attempt to seek these markets for a supply, in steps this their cr o p s . B es id es, when there was a great demand for (Hear, hear.) But we have been told there is enough foul, it would be neces sar y f or t h e l andlords to improve law and stops us, unless we Pay an enormous duty . of _,_s_upply of food f rom a b roa d at hand, there was a t en - f oo d i n the country. The gentle man who has addressed uenoY to increase the price of corn in those countries, and you (Mr. Wilkinson) said there was no scarcity in the therefore enable the growers of corn i n thi s country to land.—(Hear.) judging by the capa c i ous spencer of the compete with the forei,gn grower. Food was necessary H on. Gentleman entleman, ther. , d oes not appear tobe.—(Laughter ) for all classes of the peop/e, and therefore those who Judging, I say, by the capacity of his_ spencer, h e would tax it d ° wrong, while) they do not hesitate to pears to be well filled.— (Renevsed laughter and cheers.) SUN OFFICE, Seven o' Clock. THE NEW MINISTRY. Lord Joni.' RUSSELL has called a meeting of all the Members of the former Cabinet, and of other influen tial liberal leaders for to-morrow morning, at his Louse in Chesham-place. The Marquis of LANS.. DOWNE, Lord PALMERSTON, the Right Hon. EDWARD ELLICE, Lord GREY, and several others, ha% e been in consultation with Lord Jour' RUSSELL this day. Sir Daais LE MARCHANT and Mr. TUFNELL have been in atttendance also. Rumours have been afloat, that the Marquis of LANSDOWNE, and not Lord J.Rus- SELL, would be the Premier; but we believe there is no truth in the rumour. Until after the meeting of to morrow nothing can be with certainty predicted, but the strong leaning continues to be, and to increase in strength, that Lord JOHN RUSSELL will form his Government without much longer delay. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) A general meeting of Lord JOHN RUSSELL'S political supporters will be held to-morrow, and after the meeting Lord Joins RUSSELL will proceed to Windsor Castle to communicate the results to the Q UEEN. AMERICAN NEWS. EXPRESS FROM LIVERPOOL. LIVERPOOL, MONDAY MORNING.—The arrival of the New York packet-ship Hottinguer, Captain Burs ley, late last night, has put us in possession of pa pers from that city to the 21st ult., her day of sail ing; they do not, however, contain any news of importance. The auxiliary screw-steamer, Massa chusetts arrived at Holmes Hole, Nantucket, on the 19th instant., having put in there owing to the illness of the Captain. The Britannia's news was hourly expected in New York when the Hottinguer left, as she had been telegraphed off Boston the day before. The following are extracts from the papers : __ DAMAGES FOR SEDUCTION.—At the Monmouth, N. J. Circuit, just closed, the case of " Rogers v. Ivins," for the seduction of plaintiff's daughter, resulted in a ver dict of 1,000 dollars. THE FLORIDA ELECTION.—Mr. Cabell, the Whig candidate, has got his certificate of election, as the law requires that the Governor shall certify within thirty days after the election who has a majority of the re turned votes. Mr. Cabell was found to have 69 more returned than Mr. Brockenburgh, who, however, has a small majority of the whole vote cast in the state. INCENDIARY ATTEMPTS.—Four attempts were made on Thursday and Friday evenings to set fire to build ings of a combustible character, in the vicinity of Brown's and Coleman's Hotels, in Washington. A BIBLE FOR OLE BULL.—The Home Missionary Society of Philadelphia presented Ole Bull with a mag nificent Bible on Saturday last, as a testimony of the appreciation of his kindness, in giving a gratuitous con cert to the poor. The St. Louis New Era makes the following strange suggestion. We hardly think it will be carried into effect. It would be a fatal advertisement for some Al.D.'s : —" In marriage notices, it is usual to give the name of the clergyman who performed the ceremony, and with equal propriety in obituary notices the name of the at tending physician should be given." COMPLETED TO KALAMAZOO.—The Detroit Free Press says that the Central Railroad will be completed, and cars running as far as Kalamazoo, by the Ist of January next. of the assaults committed, that justification was held to apply to the single instance of assault proved: The prosecutcr was at liberty to put any number of counts he pleased on the indictment, but if he had put one only, be must choose that act on which he will rely and prove that. He said his Learned Friend would argue that the charge in this case was a joint charge, but it was joint and several. Mr. PAYNE said the charge was a joint one, and the evidence put. in was not intended to prove the act of as sault., but only an incident leading to it. Mr. BALL INTINE, in reply, said an assault was an assault by whatever name it might be called. Mr. HUDDLESToNE, for the mate, said if his Lordship was prepared to admit the charge was a joint charge, then he must be prepared to follow his principle out, for if the charge were a joint charge, one being acquitted, both must be acquitted. The Learned COMMISSIONER retired to consult with the Learned Recorder. On returning into Court, he in timated that the opinion expressed by the Learned Re corder coincided with his own, and that no further evi dence could be brought against either of the accused. The jury was then directed to find Captain Gordon Not Guilty. The testimony of the boy Scott was continued—He said that the mate came up w ith the intention of flogging him. When he saw thiS he jumped off the yardarm, and attempted to lay hold of the backstays, but, missing them, fell into the slater. He was a quarter of an hour in the water. Mr. HUDDLESTONE objected to evidence of anything more that might have happened ; enough had been brought forward to satisfy the court. The objection was allowed, and Mr. Huddlestene proceeded to cross-examine the boy Scott. He said it was his watch that morning. he watch began at 7 bells, that is half an hour before eight o'clock. When he came up he found all the vi atch en deck. He did not know what time it was then. (The captain here was observed by a juryman making use of means to intimidate the boy in giving his evidence, and was ordered out of Court.) Scott said there were four men and two boys in the watch ;he was one of the boys. All the sails were set except the flying-jib and the Spence. At that time he (witness) was dt zing in bed, when the mate came down and gave him two or three blows on the back with a rope's end, He then ran up to the deck. He was ordered up to tar the ropes with nothing on but a blue woollen shirt. He asked the mate to allow him to put on some clothes, a pair of trousers at least ; but the mate refused this. He refused to tar the ropes in this condition, and was struck by the mate while on the yard-arm, where he jumped from to catch the stays, but tell into the water. William Morris was a seaman on board the Nathesis, and rem(mbered Scott having been in the water. He saw the mate go down below with a rope is his hand. On the deck he saw the mate give the boy two or three blows ; the boy then had no trousers on. When aloft he saw the mate in chase of the boy. The boy ran along the yard-arm, where the mate struck him twice or thrice. The boy then jumped off the fore lee yard-arm to catch the back-stays, but he missed them and fell into the water. The boy might have been a quarter of an hour in the water. He could swim a little. The ship was put about, and the boy was picked up. He, witness, was then at the wheel. Harris, another seamen, was called into the witness box, but proved nothing. The Counsel for the mate then addressed the jury. The Learned COMMISSIONER said that an assault had been admitted, the jury were to consider whether that assault had been justified, and if they should find so they were to acquit the prisoner. The jury, after consulting, found the mate Not Guilty. The mate is, however, still in custody. The case will be tried on a new indictment on Thurs. day next. THE COMING CHRISTMAS. Coming events cast their shadows•before. You will say, perhaps, that the sun, like other great folks, rarely conics to town at this time of the year, and his absence makes us all as shadowless as Peter Seblemit ; but the coming event of Christmas casts .a most portentous shadow before, at Barry's temple of nick-narks at the Egyptian-hall, where the pleasantest half-hour possible may be passed in inspecting all his recent importations from Paris. In going in, mind that you do not, inads vertently, that which Louis XI. could not accomplish, —knock down Charles the Bold ; look at Jean Sans Peur, and him of Santillane, and other bronze statuettes, so admirably executed that you cannot suppress a secret desire that some one may send one or two of them as Christmas cadeaux ; and those charming little cassettes, half-desk half-dress ing-case, in which, like Pandora's box, something good is always to be found at the bottom ; and then those millions of pails reins, all so ornamented that it is abso lutely necessary that the airy nothings should have a local habitation on your drawing-room table ; and those embossed pocket-books, and calendriers of all sorts, shapes, and hound sizes, in either velvet or morocco, for ladies of business habits, for since Lady Aylesbury has set the fashion, hundreds of ladies are now given to " raillery." But, " basta cosi," let us cross Piccadilly, and stroll up Bond-street ; what a blaze of triumph, as the poet Bunn would say, attracts the eye in Doudney's shop; what grotcsque waistcoats, what excruciating coats, what varied devices to make the human fcrzn divine appear symmetrical. What an odd idea it was for a tailor to settle in the wilhome Alexandrian Museum. L• ok in, and you will see Doudney over- Is Wined with business, and like Shakspeare's smith, with shears and measures in his hand. What admirable workmanship is displayed in those registered cloak lying an the counter, and which the Coma Circular lately announced as having had the honour of gaining her Majesty's approbation. Beware, oye dress and mantua-rnakers, Doudney is galling your kibe, for he has already been sporting on your domains, and his well-lined carriage-cloak is already on the shoulders of many a dame who formerly shivered under your fairy likes , fab,ics. And then there is another of these schucider, named Becker, in the Rue Neuve des Petits Champs, 15, who is also making energetic efforts to eclipse his rivals in the French capital ; those who delight in a combination of elegance and comfort in their attire, makes a point of enlisting the services of the skilful workman. A Frenchman is in his fashions as Sir Robert Peel is in his politics—to one thing constant never ; it would be, therefore, hope less to enumerate the novelties at Becker's, but they are all to be commended fur the good taste which he inva riably ditplays. And in that same city of Paris, in the Rue d'Alger, 13, there dwells a watchmaker, Capt, who has ;assuredly the art, ad capt-andum ragas, for every one speaks in the highest possible terms of his clocks and watches. He has attained the most unerring accu racy in chronometers, as several French naval captains have testified. His flat watches also perform their func tions with inconceivable precision ; and he will sell you a watch no thicker than a five-franc piece, which will keep time as well as the renowned horloye in the Bourse. The evening papers have of late been extolling the sys tem of book-keeping promulgated by Mr. Foster, whose establishment adjoins the entrance to King's College. Air. Foster is knoll n to the mercantile world as the author of an invaluable code of instructions for mer chants' clerks, and others, who sit over the bulky ledger. His fame as a penman is, we believe, unrivalled ; and, it is said he is remarkably successful in imparting his art to his pupils. Many people think it fine to write badly, because Byron, Canning, and Voltaire wrote a bad hand. Even Hamlet says " I once did hold it, as our statists do, A baseness to write fair ;" but be afterwards found that his skill in writing did him yeoman's service.—ro.st. LORD DRUMLANRIG AND THE --- PRIZE RING. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Six,—From a paragraph in Tuesday evening's Sun, I find that there is a dispute as to whether Caunt or Ben digo won tfie prize battle, and that thousands of pounds are dependent on the verdict in the case of " Caunt v. Drumlanrig," being an action, as appears by your report, to recover from the stakeholder the wager or battle money deposited in his bands to abide the decision of the fight. Now, Sir, is there any reasonable man ex isting who for one moment can suppose that the Judges of the Court of Exchequer will suffer themselves to be made the umpires of the prize ring ? If there be, he will surely be disappointed ; for the instant it appears that the money sought to be recovered was a wager to decide the event of a contemplated breach of the peace, will the judges stop the trial. My opinion is, that any loser of a prize fight may bring an action against a stakeholder, and recover, not the whole stakes or battle-money, but simply his own deposit ; so if Caunt has taken this position, and seeks to recover 100/., and not the double deposit, he will most certainly recover his cash. Caunt will prove the deposit of a certain amount of money in the hands of Lord Drumlanrig : do you suppose that the Court will allow the defendant to prove that be has paid it away to a party who committed a breach of the public peace, and that in the committal of such offence the event terminated against the plaintiff, and that he paid away the money agreeably to the terms of the deposit ? The Court will be very likely not only to inform Lord Drumlanrig that he must repay the plaintiff the money deposited by him, but that his Lord ship has also rendered himself liable to an indictment for taking part in a breach of the peace by becoming stakeholder in a prize fight. Whichever position Caunt takes—viz., to recover th , battle-money or simply his own deposit, you may 'st assured that the event of the trial will not decide ti., ts on the prize fight between Caunt and Bendigo. The Court of Exchequer, I say again, will not allow itself to be made the umpire of the prize ring. Yours, &c., "LOMBARD-STREET TO A CHINA ORANGE." Ilfracombe, Dcc. 11, 1845. YARMOUTIL—THE HERRING FISHERY.—The sea son which is now drawing to a close has been, on the whole, one of the most successful which has been known for man± years, aLd we trust the benefits of that success will be felt in the provision which the poor men employed therein have been enabled to make for their support during the winter months. One firm in this town employing eight boats has realised an average of 41 lasts a boat, one realising 56 lasts, and another 53%. The crew of one boat divided 2801., and the firm paid 1,700/. only for doles to the several crews, ex clusive of ferrying, victualling, stores, &c. &c. This large outlay at this season of the year affords a timely relief to many families, who might otherwise have been compelled to endure the sharp pinchings of want. We repeat the hope we expressed last week, that the facilities afforded by the railway for securing a profitable market for the proceeds of our fisheries will lead to a consolidation of their interests, which will greatly tend to the promotion of their prosperity. —.Yorf.7/4 Chronicle. CORONERS' INQUEST 6. On Saturday afternoon, Mr. Waleley, M.P. , held sa inquest at the Champi on , S a li s b ury - street , Li s son.grov e i on the body of F ra n c e s Eli za Ry a ll, age d 23, the Nile °f a plasterer living a t N o . 14, Li tt l e C ar li s l e - s treet, au' had died from th e e ff ec t s o f h y d rop h o bi a . Mary White e xam i ne d—l resi d e d w i t h decessed,l, knew her well, and w as p resen t a t h er d eat h, which to o place at ten minutes after one on Wednesday movlll last. She was taken seriously ill on Monday evert last, at tea time, and complained of her throat, and she could neither drink nor eat. She kept getting W° rs d e . from that time, and co n ti i ue d t o d o so un til she die At times she was insensible, at others rational, and then she complained of pain in the head, and in the bitten s arm. The dog bit h e r seven or e i g ht wee k s a go. it e s her own dog, which the deceased had taken out for t walk, and on her return she was about to feed and I `l4 it up, when it flew a t h er . Sh e was so muc h frighten ed that she fell backwards, and then the animal bit her all' inflicting a deep wound, which was afterwards cauterised The dog had bitten several children. Mr. Fitzpatrick, surgeon, examined—l was called attend the deceased a t a quart,r-past four on Thursday evening last. When I went in she exclaimed, " Oh, ° 3 4, throat, prey save me ; I canno t b reat h e ." I e ve g . doses of tincture of Indi a m h em p ever y fift e en minut e ; gettingwhich gave her ea se f rom th e convu l s i ve attacks- No a' she went on gr a d ua lly worse , and die d _ s „e a state of collapse, after h av i ng 'laboured u nder u tt 'i r nervous excitement that the slightest draught a d , threw her into convulsive fit s . I h ave o p ene d the bol . and have found nothing w h a t ever t o acc ount for de st o a o All the organs were perf e ctly h ea lthy, an d there wes no congestion of the brain. I found no morbid appear r a h s in the throat, except an e nl a r gemen t o f the base 0' ' se tongue. From the history of th e case , I believe that Fej died from the effects of a bite i n fli c t e d by some rib animal. The CORONER—Th e fact admit s o f n o doubt. I ars, happy, however, to sa y th a t cases o f hyd ro phobia l? a o much diminished in the m e t r opoli s; an d this, I bele is the first case I have had s i nce th e p ass i n g of the o f Police Bill, preventing dogs from being used 318 be o S tS t be draught. I wish the A c t w as en f orce d throughout kingdom.. Mr. Obie, the surgeon, here remarked that afte r tb : deceased had taken the tincture of Indian her°P.' ol . liquor used by the Indians for th e purp o se of into% l tion, her irritability comp ara ti ve ly ceas ed, and 5 could drink freely. mibes The Conosten—l do not see that any blame at` — 'e, to a third party. The d o g was th e property of eleeee,c 0' and has been, I understand, kill e d. I would ad every person that has a dog which becomes sed ue ol snappish, after having been all its life affectioeat,Ao. faithful, to kill it or tie it up until the cause of its su" change of temper be known. ailed Verdict—" Died from the effects of the disease - hydrophobia." On Saturday night, at half-past seven o'clock , se Wm. Payne, the Coroner, and a jury, went into se inquiry, in the board- room o f St. Th omas ' s Hoslutth te la 11 view of the body of J o hn L am b er t, a g e d 42 years, o re in the service of Sir John Rennie, vs hese premise s situated in Hallend-street, Blackfriars-road. sa il, Stephen Collier, of No. 2, Angel-court, Brosli-ie Stamford -street, deposed that the deceased was a the wright and en g i neer , an d h a d b een i n t h e se rvice ° ow above gentlem an f or severa l years . O n T ues day ra pe ing, the 91h ult., deceased and witness were engag e ko f, board a barge, mo ore d o ff Si r J o h n R enn ie's lv' eo li directing the shipment o f th ree l arge d oc k-gatek s tiill weighing about five tons. They were l o wered t he means of a crane, and in getting the third one in to is. vessel, it lodged on the deceased's foot. The Wa de r stantly raised the ponderou s mass o f i ron with con to able difficulty, and he was extricated, and convey":lst the above institution, where he was placed in bed , %jell the care of the house-surgeon. Witness was of oP d r io dke that the occurrence was purely ac c id e nt a l. He gra f sunk, and died on Friday ni g ht f rom th e effects ° f injuries. aE The Coroner remarked on the melancholy no ta ry the ease, after which the jury returned a verdict of cidental death." AT Er MURDER OF AN INFA N T BY ITS MOTHER, MONTON.—On Friday night a highly respectabl c id several of whom were the parochial officers of the r s - ilio of Edmonton, were imp a n e ll e d b e f ore M r . Higgs' ai de' police station-house, Edmonton, to investigate o str cumstances connected with the death of Emily P bgn, man, aged five months, who is alleged to " ve t oe r thrown by its mother, Eliza Hunt s m an , into the Iva' The a running brook, next the Angel, at Edmontoo.,dl prisoner, who was in the custody of the police of of division, having been char ge d a t th e p e tty sessions !of own confe:sion, with having drow ne d h er child, wi ts r lay sent during the inquiry, arid was supported by b a r ' ther the wife of a respectable trade s m a n in the Y - 11 8 both of whom were accommodated with chairs. fel' evidence of the discovery of the murder was to th e lowing effect : "thher It appeared that the accused had b e en living 1 /2 0 01 aunt, Mrs. Willis, at Lower Edmonton. On W e l ts eef' afternoon, she called upon h er cous in, Mrs. ber. the daughter of Mrs. Willis. She had her child ' Ol 7OO O About half-past seven Jelock the deceased wa s eal , away by its mother, who went towards her bottle 'oh instead of doing so, she went in a contrary di rec a ler towards the brook, which is a l one ly s pot, in the..hiell baby, which she placed by the side of a bridge ( " id ol , !sasses over the brook n ear w hi c h t h e b o d y was Asselli She reached home shortly before eight o'clock, 017 h the vy to her room. Scon after M rs . St acey ca ll e d wit deceased's day clothes, and hearing that the prisonerbik in her room, asked if she was putting the child W„slis Mrs. Willis replied that she was not, and observed , , o et has not the child with her. Ha's she not left it at 1, , i0 house ? " At this moment the accused came d °l/ moci• great agitation. Upon seeing whom Mrs. Stacei.osil, Where is your baby, Ellen ?" Accused exol al 00 " Oh, my baby. There, there." Sbe then fell ilt o ` o rl, hyscorical fit. Upon being ask e d, a fter her re c o ter , where the child was, she stated that it was in the 00 where the bonnet and cap w ere . Up on being &r e o o r der , custody by Sergeant Harrison, on the charge o f I° o she observed, " I do not kno w how I came to do i t .:olos The jury, alter a short consultation, re turned a of " Wilful murder." • , MRS. TROLLOPE'S " ATTRACTIVE ...v.a.AN." oef ef a° f , preface to this work, the a u th or d ec l ares th a t she P b et ' been guilty of personality i n thi s or an y other o f writings, and that, though she has fcunded herself ~a sl vidual study, no one could s a y th a t h e was the °rilcs t he such or such a character. " Thi s may b e true (skOfi , " Literary Gazette) in a particularly guarded sense; . 1) % the exception of the superadded villainy of Vidal , lt Ap so 4 possible not to recognise in that imp ersona tion the ti" f ebe s features of a man who ought no t, even i n fiction, tosis his distinct lineaments so compounded with guil t. ~ 1 1 ,% 4 will Mrs. Trollope say to thi s accusation? Though heard the name of the party alluded to, we prefer to the discovery to the reader% sagacity. be 001'1 HADDON HALL.—Confessedly the most , 50 11, 1 present book that has made its appearance this s r e elle'' " Haddon Hall," enriched by the numerous greed: l ll ' l olV lishments of George Cattermole. The work will , u° is find its way into every boudoir and drawing- roll, kingdom. The Ararat and Military Gazette observti, to 1 ; out the slightest mental reservation we prono unce t t. " rte by far the most elegant, by f ar th e most splendid, 'lb - lit 1 e most intrinsically valu a bl e p ro d uc ti on o f it s clabs.;, o o: fe appeared since we first admir e d th e grace f u l beagil annuals. Cat termole's designs are perfect gems ef is hardly a plate i n th e vo l um e w hi c h may n ot be v il° w l plated for hours without satiety. The literature of D s, Op is happily in accordance with its pictorial illustratio b o a sisting of a succession of charming romantic nove lt i i ; es ecilo most popular writers of the day, litre and there re".. - ' n . heightened in effect by snatches of delightful ° l v cordially congratulate the Baroness de Calabrells oo ol sl #l pearance of this volume, which need f ear n o rival' hOO O O .O cerely do we hope that from H a dd on H a ll, th e tini e : r edf mansion of Rutland's noble house, we may be fav°res• ,he many a similar celebration of the bi r thd ay o f its be lr , GOULBURN AND HIS CON STIT UENTS'. j§ S event of an immediate dissoluti o n o f P ar li a ment' P o to 0 fidently stated that an active opposition will be 11 14 ,„ 0 0, g0 t re-election of the Right Honourable Henry Go . ; sofr o , Member for the University. The grounds of offellc - w ete w the Right Honourable Gentleman are said to bejlis but in the head and front of them are place",. a fl d 51, port of the proposed union of the sees of Ballinitiesll Asaph, the Unitarian Chapels Bill, the Jews' Dissuieor - y and the late endowment of Maynooth. On solu e : l o l '7A of these grounds, it is rumoured that many of his l e cosi l porters will decline voting for the Right Hon. Gen jd e the approaching occasion. —C a mb r id ge Ch ron icb , . briUV, STUPENDOUS BRIDGE AT RUNCORN.-- 1 " e _ from Aston Grange to Huyton, to cross the Mersey it " - fo corn, will be the greatest work of its kind in EureP e r e 'et S i b° l4 consist of five wet arches, of 280 feet span, I ° ° _," - hes 0 , of high water mark at spring tides, and 168 ry alb fee' feet span, and 51 feet high, making a total of 2,'t arches.—Shrewsbury chronicle. s CA s re • f" THE MIDLAND R AILWAY M ANSLAU GOTS; t to P,, - t e —Five bills have been fou n d by th e G ran d JurY, a' t i v?,,'" te r . sent Yorkshire gaol delive r y, aga i ns t Th oma s Iv ; engine -driver on the Midland Railway, for the tna''' f f / e t , of Mr. Commissioner Bot e l er an d po li ceman Stubbs, Deie and the trials are fixed t o b e heard on lO n A l ao,be Wheatley ht_s not yet surrendered, h u t it is expect 74 at' will deliver himself into custody on Monday nw ril ' - opening of the Court.—Leeds Intelligencer. ~te BIRTHS. On the 11th inst., at Holkham, the Countess of f ' e"'- e 6 of a daughter. ri f, of On the 11th inst., at Ban cro ft' s H os pit a l, the , Rev. IL Thomas, of a son. MARRIED. ol e o , On the 13th of June, at St. m Jaes's Church , illeirscllpt. Port Philip, New South Wales, John Sealy Gain , ro ot ? Emma Coltman iJohn's, third daughter of J. Bowling, de s ' . On the 11th inst., at St. Paddington, de Nelson, son of the late John W oo d Nelson. °fllYci f e cT °ll.l) gardens, to Jane, daughter of the late Rev. George' ox, Rector of Hinxworth, Herts. s l e DIED. At 312, Regent-street, L ang h am -place, on Sitint:',;' ti f r 13th inst., after a short illness, M a ry, the beloved v"' Benjamin Smith, in her 55th year. ori s , ls On the 29th ult., at Foyers House, near 1nvei11..,e571.00W Augusta, the wife of Thomas Broadwood, Esq., of er Crawley, Sussex. SO of On the 21st ult., at Middle Chinnock, Crewkern,e,ector setshire, Frances, wife of the Rev. F. P. Veules, " id T that parish. On the 2d inst.. at Radnor-place, Hyde-park , ' 4 " n e relict of the late Patrick Hadawav, Esq., aged 82. 0 f ti e On the 10th inst., at Ashford,. Kent, Sarah, widolfrit. late Rev. Benjamin Davies, Rector of Newchurcb , 5 On the 10th inst., Ann, wife of Charles Law, Es(l-, of Artillery-place, Finsbury-square. On the 10th inst., in Hart-street, BloomsburP Frances, relict of the late James Hooper, aged 61. otio geo t On the 11th inst., at Camberwell, Charles Edward , Y son of the Rev. Robert Martindaie. 8% 0 On the 11th inst., at Fittleworth, near PetWOr th y 511 Ann, the wife of Mr. J. Salter. London: Printed and Published by 311.111D0 111 No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The. Suz Ceice, Strand, in the Precinct of the Sa.roy, in the CQU Middlesex, Monday, December 16, 1845. NEAATItr:( 1 / 4 11tI begse to COUN , aim E-V .LEA Gve, ~,CE To ,CEORGE The 51 eetii John Bright, T ickets of at G 7, Yleet- si Seats will *cation at tl ; meeting ; ree Trade i appl* Ps are al 41 11 A1113urt Satu r d ay OTT RD V s , 4t Ten Morn ry VE we 4 `" Vern] " 40 , at Etgh OSTEND_ 1101.11,032 N , Alutoui . 4 7, at Six, tteM3 T ILTR en, Eveuini ri ut .--wcAs l acarro] 11100 n; , uuy Ek To ,_,Secore 1,27 41 11 re .. gel t. • t HE C "111 1 t i . s t h a e g id u a ' Joecerab4 ef 4 6 4441 whet l'tr tt ara d . d ee, b gove rn% P _ ent ; s k Awl whei -441 , 11 %old 4 ' l be' ered b y tztirt only 44 tter ° ! the dud Whe — "mite y lit ur t of a jarnia ire tbe n ti wil Y e toc , ce of ( 4 4ti rt of Dire *A r ra , but, 44 4 tO g e w e Z i 44 C 1 Vrh e ~ 4 the Ilst;"' be Ins 4% 14 f urther rc ( trout thed Vie w , w , whe t b l i tt thgt hn h; ro lB p t e . r o efotui 1421 Oft - -Pria • orhi t x„ ve L And Rhe ‘T'ir, on t .4tlClurrnat I. 44oilised A°