The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-10-14 00:00:00

, • •'''• \ '• • s - • THE LATE RIOTS AND THE MANCHESTER AUTHORITIES. Sir Charles Shaw, the chief commissioner of police at Manchester, has addressed a letter to the London Times, the chief portion of which is subjoined. The former part of the letter which we withhold merely contains the reasons of Sir Charles for remaining silent, holding as he says an official situation, which expired, with the act of parliament, on the Ist instant. He then proceeds as follows : As chief commissioner of police of the borough of Man chester, I had no means of knowing what was taking place beyond its limits, except through occasional and chance in terviews with the commandant of the troops. About one o'clock on the afternoon of Monday, the Bth of August, he informed me that he had received a letter from the !magis trates of Ashton-under -Line, requesting him to have troops in readiness, if necessary. At three o'clock the same day he informed me the troops had not been called out, and con sequently I supposed all was quiet. We then separated, and immediately atter the second command of the constabulary by mere chance waited on me, and I found him, like myself, totally ignorant of any disturbance. However, on account of the casual conversation with the commandant, I requested him to meet me in half an hour, during which time I might perhaps obtain some information. Not succeeding in this, I ordered two inspectors to proceed by Coach to Ashton, and at 4 o'clock I again met the officer of the county constabulary, and strongly advised him to proceed to what were stated to be the " disturbed districts," so that he might judge for him self. He kindly promised to report to me. After this I despatched two more intelligent officers to Staleybridge and that vicinity, not only to be a " check" on other information, but to report to me on their return. Between 9 and 10 o'clock that night the first two inspectors returned from Ashton, saying they had found all peaceable, but that every mill round Ashton and Staleybridge had been stopped, and that there was a report of a meeting which it was said would be held in Ashton, next morning at five o'clock, to deliberate as to the propriety of the " turn-outs " march on Manchester. On this vague report I ordered one of the horse patrol to be is Ashton at four o'clock in the morning (he having a fresh horse half way between Ashton and Man chester, so as to convey to me the most speedy information as to any movements of the meeting); also one division of police to be on the Ashton road at five o'clock in the morning. I continued on the alert, and, rising at three o'clock, and while mounted, ready to start for Ashton, the second infor mation arrived, with a similar vague report of a meeting to take place in Ashton. Having issued orders for two addi tional divisions of police to form on the Ashton road, and one in reserve behind the infirmary, I galloped to Ashton. I passed through that town to Staley-bridge, and, awakening the gen tl e man who the people said was the cause o f the ''strike," I had an interview with him, hut I received little or no information. The " turn-outs " were now assem bling. I instantly returned to the Ashton town-hall, every room of which was open, but there was not an individual in that building from whom I could glean information. I there fore repaired to the meeting and mixed with the crowd; yet I could not distinguish the words of the speakers. However, in order to calculate - their numbers more easily, I left them and returned on horseback. Shortly after, six determined-look ing men left the meeting and took the Manchester road. I followed them. Here 1 found my horse patrol. I gave him strict orders to watch the mob, and should they begin to move, to gallop at full speed to Manchester, where he would find the police ready. I then accosted thestisix men. They did not know me. While in conversation with them, the second in command of the county constabulary passed me on his wwy to Ashton, but we did not recognize each other. These men told me that yesterday they had turned out all the " hands" at the mills, and that this day the people were going to Manchester to do the same, and take bread, as they preferred death to starvation. I warned them that they would find both military and police at Manchester. I dismounted, and having met a borough magistrate, who informed me the mayor was in London, I drove to Tib-street Barracks, in which the 60th Rifles were quartered. I waited on the officer in command, and begged him to have his men " fallen in ready to march," as 1 was certain he would have an order from the commandant in five minutes to march three or four miles on the Ashton road. Having done this, I hurried to the town-hall, where I found the commandant. I told him what I had seen—what I had done ; upon which he instantly wrote an order for the cavalry, I impressed on him the great necessity of " having the fight out of town ;" and I took the liberty of pointing out some capital positions on the Ashton road for a handfull of troops to stop any mob. I was very anxious to see the troops in. stantly on the move, but the commandant informed me he was totally powerless without the presence of a magistrate. On this I dispatched a letter (by cab) to the stipendiary ma gistrate, marking it "immediate," and requesting him to bring the Riot Act with him, as he would find the commandant on the Ashton-road with the troops ready. Having been led to believe that the stipendiary magistrate might not be in town, I instantly wrote a similar letter, but with no address, and put it into the hands of an inspector to fix it on the first county he could find, as the borough magistrates for the last three years had refused to act. Before quitting my office to join the police force, which I had left formed near to the Ashton Road, I intreated the commandant to impress upon the stipendiary magistrate the necessity of " having the fight out of town" that there was no time to think and argue upon" legal technicalities," and to bear seriously in mind that every quarter of an hour spent in deliberation was the gain of a mile of ground to the rioters, if on their march. (I should here state, that I have it from undoubted authority that my suggestions as to rapidity of movement were not attended to, but that the stipendiary magistrate delayed full three quarters of an hour in my office in the town-hall.) On my arrival at the Ashton-road, I was astonished to find no troops, as I had been delayed some time on my way, in changing my clothes, having been wet all the morning ; however, I moved forward with a small patrol of police along the Ashton road, with some slight hopes that their apeearance might have a moral effect. Perceiving the mob taking a mason from his work, I ordered the ringleader to be seized, but in a few moments I thought it prudent to set him at liberty, as I was not strong enough to detain him in custody. The Dragoons now arrived, and 1 went with the officer in command to put him in com munication with a magistrate, The mob which entered by the Ashton New-road did not go into the interior of the town, but turning to the right, and passing Ancoats-hall, entered Ancoats-street. Having ordered the divisions of police to re form without delay in the rear of the infirmary in the centre of town, I hastened to Ancoats-street, but where Pollard-street joins it I found the military placed in such a manner, that to the moment the town was all safe, the great mob being still in the power of the authorities. I saw the stipendiary' ma gistrate in conversation with some men who appeared to be leaders, among whom were two of the six men whom I had seen leave the meeting in Ashton, and with whom I had conversed. There was a mutual recognition. I spoke to the stipendiary magistrate, who informed me they were ask idg permission to have a procession through the town, promising to be peaceable, and to return to their homes after passing through certain streets. I was then quite close to the magistrate. I reined back a few paces, and said in a loud, distinct voice (which must have been heard by the military), " Sir, I must protest in the strongest manner against these people passing. Sir, I report to you officially that these very men, who tell you that they are going to be peaceable, in formed me this morning in Ashton, that yesterday they had turned out all the mills round Staley-bridge, and that they were coming this morning to Manchester to do the same, and get bread." The magistrate on this came nearer tome, and said, " They promise to be peaceable." I answered, " You have heard what I said." The magistrate then held further con versation with the leaders. I again repeated loudly,—" Now" Sir, recollect I have reported this officially" (putting a very strong.ernphasis on the last word.) He then addressed the military commandant, who ordered the troops to move, and the magistrate, placing himself at the head of the mob, pro. ceeded down Ancoats-street, I drawing back ; loudly exclaim ing' " I will not be mixed up with this affair all I can now do is to to count the enemy, who are attacking the town." I placed myself at the headof Store-street, and counted those who were arm and arm, When the rear of the mob had passed, I was riding quickly, to see if the police were formed according to my orders, and on reaching Portland-place I saw the head of the mob opposite the infirmary with the military commandant on its right flank. He called to me that the " procession" did not seem inclined to keep their promise to the magistrates, and requested him to show the leaders the nearest road to Ashton. I did what I could to induce them to go down the London-road, but they insisted on passing through Portland-place (which at this part is very wide), and we could not prevent them. Shortly after this. the stipendiary magistrate came up, declaring that the leaders of the procession had not kept their promise to him, and asked me, where was its head ? 1 an swered, "You will be clever to find it, as by this time it has 50 heads ; in fact, they are all loose, but still, if you will permit me, I will, and can, stop them, as I have got about 200 police close at hand." His answer was, "No, no; we must have no collision." We halted here for some little time, vie doing by persuasion what we could with the mob, who jeered us in return. One man was most insolent to the commandant. I proposed his being apprehended, but the magistrate would permit of no interference. The mob then passed through Minshull-street, a part assembled in Granby-row-fields, their chief speaker calling on them to preserve " peace, law, and order," as their meeting wrs legal, the procession having been conducted into the town headed by the civil and military authorities, who :vere then listening to them. The stipendiary accompanied be another magistrate escorted this assemblage from Granby row-fields as far as the Ashton road; but while this was going dn the mob were attacking in other quarters, and continued to do s o , but ,vere so rapid in assembling , destroying , and dispersing, that the town was in a state of anarchy. Such were the events of the " evil hour." The Attorney -G en eral is likewise reported to have said, ~ That for some days the town was at the mercy of the mob, and the authori ty of the - magistrates at an end." This is a fact. B ut why was this ? On the morning of the 9th of August th e of the ITob ent ere d. About two o'clock on the after noontaken up a the mayor and borough magistrates, having fire of g Position in the Town-hall, opened a heavy mar k. of resolu tions, which are placards, notices, proclamations, &c., the chester are still to be seen on every street in,Man " CauxioN.—Au not to join in ell-disposed persons are hereby warned " PUBLIC Nor d -The promiscuous crowds in the streets," &c. persons are desired to go Riot Act has been read, and all !I Peaceably to their homes, on pain of being apprehended of the public peace." Punished as rioters and disturbers " BOROUGH OF MAFeuts are takeyn&Te. Whereas a great number of di s T o , PUB LI C NOTIOE. — The in this borough and neighboarlesatcjl persons , have assembled notice that e ffi cient means and we hereby give and suppress such meetings and to prevent, e re y laws to be put in force for that Pu r pos e , and proceeding, and to cause the a n nd iot fo A r c b t ri ,, neine the offenders to justice." , e Proclamation commonly called "Th e ' l ea o rl r v d h e : All these have the signature of the "Alay or • Naturally supposing that these placards were not waste paper, paper, I ordered the police to be formed at z a , n the morning of the 11th to carry into exectiVo n d the the. procla mations mations of the Mayor. A hand of 200 .marauders p a • ssing the town-hall at 5 o'clock in the morn in g , police to disperse and apprehend them. The p o li ce had marched to execute my orders and fulfil the wishes expr es . sed in the proclamations of the Mayor, when they were stopped in the execution of their duty by the exprrder of the Mayor, and ordered to return to th e town-h a ess order nd f I nor and was the system, or rather system neith o co n f usion or and disorganization from beginning toe a any civil authority in the borough of Manchester had any right to take credit to himself for preserving the peace of the town during these disturbances. Let the merit rest where it ought,—with the praiseworthy and energetic mea sures of the inhabitants themselves. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, CHARLES SHAW.. Baketvell, Oct. 11. CHURCH AT JERUSALEM.—The church at Jerusalem goes on slowly ; the workmen are still occupien with the trenches. Some of the Turks imagine that a secret mine is in progress to communicate with the exterior of the town. The health of Bishop Alexauder continues to improve.— Correspondent of the Times. Her Majesty the Queen Dowamer left town on Tuesday, the 4th instant, and proceeded to''the Vauxhall station of the South Western railway, where she was received by the di rectors and officers of the company, the ladies in attendance, Earls Howe and Denbigh, Sir D. Davies, Physician, and the Rev. Mr. Wood, chaplain to her Majesty, and canon of Worcester Cathedral. On arriving at Southampton the royal party proceeded to Canford House, Dorset, the seat of Lord de Manley. which has been taken for her Majesty's residence during the winter. \ • , • 'ME gPitaL COMMISSI;jIS'.. NISI PRIUS COURT.—TUESDAY. (Before Lord ABINGER.) RIOT AND FELONY. _ James Dolan, 22, Frederick Johnson, 16. Aaron Thorp, 18, William Hughes, 19, James Robinson, 18, John Manley, 22, and George Edge, 41, were indicted for having, on the 10th of August, at Manchester, feloniously stolen ten loaves of bread, the property of Joseph Howarth. The Attorney-General and Sir Gregory Lewin conducted the prosecution. Dolan was defended by Dr. Brown ; and Mr. Whigham appeared for Thorp and Robinson. The other prisoners were undefended. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, having briefly stated the na ture of the case, proceeded to call witnesses. Mr. John Scott Green, barrister-at-law, said he was in Princess-street, at the time of the riot, and he saw the pri soners Dolan and Manley there. Close to the prosecuto rs shop, he heard a person in the mob call out " here is a shop." The mob then rushed towards Mr. Howarth's : Dolan was among the foremost of them ; and three or four loaves were thrown by men from the shop. The mob were violent and threatening. The police came and apprehended Dolan and Manley. Mr. Joseph Howarth, owner of the shop, said the mob came up at about half-past twelve o'clock, on the 10th August, from the number of one to three hundred. They demanded some bread, and witness gave them five or six loaves. They seemed satisfied with what he had given them, and in return they saluted him with cheers. Witness gave them the bread because he was afraid they would break into the shop. No damage was done; nor did he see any of the prisoners there. The JUDGE asked the Attorney-General whether he could carry the charge of felony any further ? At present it was not sufficient. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he could not, and he would abandon that charge. The Jury, under the direction of the noble and learned Judge, then acquitted rill the prisoners on the indictment for felony. The same prisoners were again placed at the bar, and indicted for a riot. The evidence was the same as in the last case, with thetaddition of the testimony of Macelroy, a police-officer, w ho apprehended the prisoner Johnson with a piece of bread in his hand. Superintendent Irwin iden tified Robinson, Manley, Thorpe, and Edge, as being there. Robinson bad a piece of bread in hii hand. Mr. Wilma/al, in bis address to the jury, on the part of Thorp and Robinson, contended that they were not part of the mob who made the demand on Mr. Howarth's, and that there was no proof that the bread which Robinson was eating was the bread from Mr. Howarth's shop. Johnson, in his defence, said he was not engaged in the mob at all, and that when be was taken he was on his way home. He called his father, a member of the Society of Friends, who gave him an excellent character, and stated that he was, at that time, upon his way to his dinner. Witnesses were next called, who gave Thorp and Robin son a good character. The JUDGE. in summing up, went over the principal parts of the case. after which the jury retired to consider their verdict. On their return they found all the prisoners guilty, except Frederick Johnson. The JUDGE, at a subsequent period of the day, sentenced Dolan, Edge, and Manley, to one year's imprisonment to hard labour; Thorp and Robinson, to six months' imprisonment to hard labour ; and Hughes, to three months' imprisonment to hard labour, all in the House of Correction, at Kirkdale. After the above case had been disposed of, the following prisoners were placed at the bar to receive sentence :—Row land Davies, William Reed, Jeremiah M'Cormick, John Platt, and William Cash, convicted of a larceny in the shop of Mr. Shipman, of Manchester. His lordship, after ad dressing the prisoners in similar language to that of Kelly and another, on the previous day, sentenced them to be transported for the term of seven years.—The moment the sentence was uttered, the mothers of the unfortunate young men uttered the most piercing shrieks, and earnestly im plored his lordship for mercy, in which the prisoners joined, saying they had never been guilty of any offence before. They were then removed from the dock, but it was some time before order was restored in the court. CONSPIRACY AND RIOT. John M` Cann, Giles Peter Hardman, James Hardman, and James Gorton, were indicted for a conspiracy and riot, in order to turn out the workmen who were employed in the mill of Mr. William Morris, manufacturer, in Salford. It appeared from the statement of the Attorney-General, and the evidence of the witnesses, that the transaction in question occurred on the 27th of August. The turn-out workmen of Salford had been in the habit of meeting in Gal ley's-room, Ordsall-lane, for the purpose of considering the measures they should adopt. A witness named Perron, who was acting for the Salford police at different times, saw all the prisoners in Galley's room, and said that the persons who addressed the workmen assembled there called them selves " delegates from the central committee," and ex horted them not to go to work till they had obtained the prices of 1839. On the day in question the prisoners were there ; and at the close of the proceedings the workmen left the place in three parties. Perron followed one of the par ties, and he found that, though they each went separately; they met together at an appointed place, near Mr. Morris's mill, which is James's-street. On arriving at the mill. the mob broke the windows, and shouted, "Turn the hands out ;" but the doors being locked they did not succeed in their object. Some of the prisoners had previously been in the employment of Mr. Morris; the gatekeeper of the mill, and several special constables, identified them as having been in the mob, and heard them cry out, " Turn the hands out." The Hardmans were proved to have thrown stones at the win dows of the engine -house; in fact they were foremost in the riot. For the defence all the prisoners set up an alibi. The Jury, after retiring to consider their verdict, found all the prisoners guilty. The JUDGE sentenced the prisoners to one year's impri sonment to hard labour, in the House of Correction, at Kirkdale. TRUE BILL AGAINST THE CHARTIST EXECUTIVE. About half-past three o'clock the grand jury came into court with a true bill of enormous length, for conspiracy, against " the chartist executive," consisting of Feargus O'Connor, the Rev. William Hill, the Rev. J. Scholefield, Bernard Macartney, Peter M`Douall, and others, amounting to the number of sixty. The defendants will be arraigned to-morrow. MR. FE ARGUE O'CONNOR. Mr. Wlmoss said he had an application to make to the court on the part of Mi. Feargus O'Connor, against whom the grand jury had recently returned a true bill. His lord ship was aware that Mr. O'Connor bad been taken by war rant before Mr. Hall, the chief magistrate at Bow-street, and held to bail to appear and answer any indictment which might be found against him. It the court would allow Mr. O'Connor to plead to the indictment by proxy all difficulty in the case would 'be obviated, which was generally done in misdemeanours. If not, he (Mr. Wilkins) should be pre pared with some affidavits, showing that Mr. O'Connor could not be removed from home without risk to his life. The JUDGE thought that this was only done in the Queen's Bench. Mr. WILKINS said it was very often done at sessions. He did not mean to quote the practice at sessions as a precedent for his lordship, but that it wonld be the most convenient. The JUDGE said the question was whether the Attorney- General would consent to allow it, and whether Mr. O'Con nor would be found by it afterwards. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he should be quite satis fied with the undertaking of his learned friend Mr. 'Wilkins. The JUDGE—And you wont repudiate? Mr. WILKINS—if he be alive. I will undertake that he shall appear here at the assizes. I have no intention to re pudiate, nor has Mr. O'Connor. The JUDGE—Then it is understood he is present, and pleads not guilty ? Mr. WutoNs—Yes, and traverses. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he had seen the affidavits, and he bad no doubt of the great inconvenience and danger to Mr. O'Connor if he were called upon to appear ; and as it was his intention to traverse, and the intention, he be lieved, of most of the other defendants, he (the Attorney- General) had no objection to the application. The JUDGE—Very well ; if you have no objection, I have none. The application was then granted on the understanding that the affidavits should be filed ; and Mr. Wilkins, on the part of Mr. O'Connor, pleaded not guilty and traversed till the next assizes. Mr. O'Connor's bail was also extended till the same period. ROBBERY AT THE MANCHESTER, BOLTON, AND BURY RAILWAY. Edward Knowles was feloniously entering the premises of the above company, and stealing a quantity of wood, which was afterwards co nver t e d i n t o bl u d geons , f o r th e p ur p os e o f arming the turn-outs. The evidence in this case was very short. The charge was clearly brought home to the pri soner; and, the jury having returned a verdict of guilty, his lordship sentenced him to be transported for seven years. CONSPIRACY TO TURN-OUT WORKMEN. William Evans and Robert Burns were indicted for a mis demeanour, in conspiring to turn-out the workmen from the mill of Mr. Speakman, manufacturer, at Salford, on the oc casion which was the subject of inquiry in the last case. Mr. Speakman identified Evans as among the mob which attacked his mill. He ceased work in it on their demand, from the fear of personal violence, and to preserve his pro perty, which was menaced with destruction. In reply to the judge, Mr. Speakman stated, that he employed about 130 bands, principally women and children, whose earnings, on an average, would he 103. a week each. A police superin tendent identified Burns as having been with the mob from eleven o'clock till past twelve, when they went into Man chester ; but there was no evidence to show that he was with Evans at Mr. Speakman's factory. Under these circum stances, the case against him was abandoned. Evans, in his defence, asserted his innocence. The jury found Evans guilty. He was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment to hard labour, in Kirkdale. Burns was discharged. The court adjourned a few minutes before six o'clock. CROWN COURT.—TUESDAY. Baron Alderson took his seat on the bench this morning at nine o'clock. TURNING OUT WORKPEOPLE. .......,.. , .. , . .. .... Richard Stacey and John Tear (Secretary of the Dyers' and Dressers' Union) were indicted for having formed part of a riotous and tumultuous assembly, turning out the work men employed at Messrs. Segar and Dcwhurst's dyeworks. Salford, on the 12th of August last. Mr. Sergeant Atcherley and Mr. Hilliard appeared for the prosecution ; Mr. Cobbett and Mr. Whigham defended Tear ; the other prisoper had no advocate. It appeared from the evidence, that on Friday, the 12th of August, a mob of about 2,000 persons went to the dyeworks in question, broke upwards of 200 squares of glass, and com mitted other damages, amounting, altogether, to about £BO. Both the prisoners were fully identified as having been among the rioters. Stacey was an apprentice employed at the works when the outrage was committed, and had received, within the last fourteen or fifteen months, upwards of £4O in wages. 'When arrested, he denied having been among the mob, but afterwards said he would sooner be transported than continue any longer to work as a block printer. Mr. COBBETT called two witnesses for the defence, who endeavoured to prove an alibi. The prisoners were convicted. Sentence deferred. RIOT, &C., AT MANCHESTER. John Abbot, John Smith, James Thorpe, William Hill, John Dobson, Patrick Raddican, Joseph Sutcliffe, Joseph and Nath an Gillibran Chester. The indictment Crowther', T homas Firmough, Richard Parker, John an h j oja s Connor, Thomas Jones, William Walker, on Wednesday, were charged with riot, &c., at Man . thiictment was for a misdemeanour, in having, at Manchester, fo r e several manufactorier t rth of August last, riotously assembled p.;,irpose of turning out the hands at and. fourth counts charrd with having incited others for the prosecution was second count charged the prisoners to riotous conduct; and the third with wa s having a same been as present in the last a s t t summed c f up defended. i l I Tireega l m counsel case. None of the prisoners sum te the evidence very mi nutely,at five rninute s s His Lordship havit , Raddican, past seven o'clock. the Jury retired five minutes Sutcliffe, and found They returned into court e,.Gillibran, leis youth, Pobscin , redommend- Abbot, Smith, Thorpe, Hill, Connor, Walker, and Johns o o f n Parker, ing Thorpe to mercy on account Fairmough, Crowther, and Jones were acquitted. The Court adjourned at five minutes past eight o'clock. MAGISTRATES' ROOM. (Before Mr. Justice CRESSWELL.) CONSPIRACY AND RIOT. Abel Motley, Samuel Sigley, William Hamel:, John Ingham, John Hague, Thomus Morris, alias Thomas Fitz simons, John Leyland, Thomas Ashcroft, Thomas Mar- :\ .1 I\\ shall, Joseph Fletcher,, Joseph Bowers, John Harrison, Robert Allen, Richard Slerndale, and Josiah Andrew, were indicted for conspiracy and riot at Ashton. All the pri soners were found guilty, but not sentenced. RIOT AND LARCENY. Edward Walsh, Patrick Mooney, Patrick Ferns, Thos. Tinan. and John Calvert, were charged with having been concerned in a riot at Manchester, and with having then and there, with force, feloniously stolen from Thomas Snibson the sum of five shillings. The prisoners were found guilty, but the sentence was deferred. NISI PRIUS COURT.—WEDNEsDAY. (Before Lord ABINGEII..) Jobn Hickey, Hugh Cavannab, Nathan Dalton, James Twesdale, and James Saxton, were placed at the bar to re ceive sentence. They were convicted, on Monday, of an at tack on the mill of Messrs. Stirling and Becton, at Manches ter. Saxton was sentenced to three months' imprisonment, and the others were ordered to be imprisoned one month. The following individuals, charged with conspiracy, pleaded, and travel sed to the next assizes :—James Scholefield, Jas. Leech, Christopher Doyle, John Campbell, Bernard M'Cart ney, Richard Otley, George Julian Hardy, William Hill, Robert Brook, John Thornton, Thomas Brown Smith, John Allinson, Samuel Parke, Thomas Railton, William Schole field, Richard Pilling, John Durham, James Fenton, William Stevenson, James Crowley, Albert Wolvenden, George Jer man, Thomas Storer, William Woodruff, Thomas Pitt, Frederick Augustus Taylor, James Wild, and John Massey. They were ordered to find bail, themselves in £2OO and two sureties in £5O each to appear at the next assizes, and to keep the peace in the mean time. John Bell, Andrew Pearson, William Forrest, Alexander Braid, John Tootle, Leonard Boardman, George Grimshaw, Edward Williams ' Thomas Hodges, and John Eccles, pleaded guilty to a riot at Eccles. ASSAULT. James Dunn was placed at the bar and acquitted on the charge of assault. The prisoner was tried on Monday on another charge, and acquitted, and the Attorney-General de clined to offer any evidence in this case. PRINTING A SEDITIOUS PLACARD. Thomas Turner pleaded guilty to publishing a seditious placard at Manchester, and expressed hif: contrition for so doing. He was to be brought up for sentence during the day. PUBLISII4VG A SEDITIOUS PLACARD. Richard Warwickgias charged with having, at Oldham, wickedly, seditiously,tind maliciously published certain false, seditious, malicious, and scandalous libels and placards. From the statement of the Attorney-General and the evi dence, it appeared that on the 16th of August the prisoner exhibited on a board at his door the address " of the Ex ecutive Committee of the National Chartist Association" to the chartists, and that on being requested to take it down by the chief-constable he refused to do so. The Attorney- General read over the placard, and at some length commented upon the evil tendency of its contents. Joseph Wild, the head-constable of Oldham, stated that he saw the placard at defendant's door, where there was a great crowd assembled. Defendant refused at first to pull the placard down, but ultimately allowed it to he taken to the magistrate. He had seen the placard on the 19th and 20th at defendant's door, and it was not taken down till the 22d. Mr. Irvin, of the Manchester police, and others gave evi dence of the progress of the riots, about the time of the riots, and the oflject of the rioters. His Lonnsnip summed up the case at great length, and the jury almost immediately found the prisoner guilty. He was sentenced to six Moths' imprisonment. Richard Warwick and William Walmsley Warwick, his son, were then arraigned on another charge of publishing a seditious libel, but the Attorney-General refused to prose cute, and they were acquitted. Alexander Hutchinson pleaded guilty to publishing a se ditious libel at Manchester, and on the application of Mr. Wimuris, approved of by the Attorney-General, he was held to bail, himself in £lOO, and two sureties in £2O each, to appear to receive judgment when called on, and to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for two years. CROWN COURT—WEDNESDAY. (Before Baron ALDERSON.) Richard Malloy, Michael Lynch, Thomas Scott, Job Berk*, Bryant Kearnan, and six others, were charged with having on the llth of August last, been concerned in certain riotous proceedings in Granby•row fields, and Canal-stret, Manchester. The prisoners were all found guilty. Thomas Ward, 2i, was given in charge for having been concerned in a conspiracy and riot at Saltord. It appeared from the statement of counsel and the evi dence of the witnesses, that the transaction had occurred on Wednesday, the 12th of August, at Salford, upon which oc casion a mob of two :thousand persons assembled and at tacked works belonging to Wilson and Co. The prisoner took an active part in the attach, and, after the mob had ef fected their purpose at Wilson's, the prisoner directed the to proceed to the concerns of Mr. Langworthy, Mr. James, and Mr. Greatris, whither they went and directed the hands to be turned out. The prisoner was found guilty on both the counts of riot and conspiracy. Mr. Sergeant ARABIN informed the court that the pri soner had been convicted on a former occasion on a charge of having been actively engaged in drilling the chartists, and that he was then sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment. He had been convicted in that very court (the Crown Court of Liverpool), and he had undergone the punishment. His LORDSHIP then sentenced the prisoner to bard labour for two years. The prisoner, as soon as he retired from the bar, said, "As soon as .1 come out, I'll start again." Bold Ratcliffe and William Gorton were given in charge for having been concerned in a riot at West Leigh, and pull ing out the fires from under certain boiiers in that town. It appeared from the evidence, that the transaction took place on Thursday, the 11th of August, and that the fires were pulled out in the works of Messrs. Issuewood and H ayes. _ . . The prisoners were convicted and sentenced to imprison ment and hard labour for three calendar months. James Mather was given in charge for having been con cerned in a riot at Hindley, near Wigan. It appeared from the evidence, that on Monday, the 15th of August, a mob of seveial thousand people stopped the mills at Hindley, and abstracted provisions from different places, and that the prisoner, who was a stranger in the neighbourhood, was heard to cry out, " I have done the job." The prisoner was convicted. Jabez Birch, William Tootal, and William Bridge, were given in charge fur having - been concerned in a riot at Entwistle, near Bolton-le-Moors. It appeared from the evidence, that on Saturday, the 13th of August, the mills of Messrs. Roxborough and Bust were attacked by a large mob, armed with sticks and bludgeons, and that the prisoner, Birch, was the person who took the weights off the safety valve and let off the steam. The jury acquitted Bridge and convicted •the other two prisoners, recommending them to mercy. The court adjourned at a quarter after six o'clock. MAGISTRATES' ROOM.—WEDNESDAY. (Before Mr. Justice CRESSWELL.) Sentences of the prisoners. The learned Judge took his seat at nine o'clock. George Thornton, Joseph Webb, James Melbourne, and Patrick O'Brien, convicted of having, at Manchester, begun to demolish the mill and premises of John Preston, were placed at the bar to receive sentence. The learned Judge addressed the prisoners at considerable length, remarking on the many evil effects resulting from such disorganisations as the prisoners had taken part in. It was impossible that such things could be permitted, and those who thus sought to break the laws and to exercise tyranical influence, would find the laws too strong for them. Thornton, Webb, and Melbourne, were sentenced to twelve month's imprisonment and bard labour. John Cannon, George Thornton, James Harrington, Edward Mitchell, and Barney Collins, convicted of having been present at an unlawful assembly, and assisted in a riot at Manchester, were next placed at the bar. The learned Judge said, that Thornton appeared to have been a ringleader on the occasion, a leader and exciter of the tumult; while others were also very active. Cannon, Thorn ton, and Harrington, were sentenced to be imprisoned twelve calendar months, and the others to be imprisoned six calen dar months with hard labour. Joseph Thomas, John Oldham, John Edwards, Ellis Hall, John Lever, John Holmes, and Micheal Clarke, convicted of having been present at an unlawful assembly, and of creating a riot at the mill of Messrs. Birley and Co. at Man chester, were placed at the bar. The learned Judge baying alluded to the evidence against the prisoners, said all of them except one had been seen tak ing a very active part in the transaction. The prisoner Thomas was said to be of weak mind, but he had a most mischievous disposition, for not content with breaking win dows he had inflicted an injury on Mr. Birley. After allu sions to some of the other prisoners, the learned Judge said Clegg stood in a different position from the others, he having been an apprentice driven from his work by the tyrannical mob, and, therefore, in his person an exception would be made as regarded the measure of punishment. All the prisoners, with the exception of Clegg, were sentenced to 12 months impri sonment and hard labour. Clegg was sentenced to three months imprisonment and hard labour. Abel Matley, James Ingham, Thomas Morris, William Hughes, Thomas Leyland, James Harrison, James Ashley, Samuel Sigley, and William liarrett, were 'convicted of riot, putting out fires, &c. at Ashton-under-Line. The Learned Judge, after recapitulating the chief offences against the prisoners, sentenced Sigley and Harrett to impri sonment, wsth hard labour, for nine calendar months ; and that all the others should be imprisoned and kept to hard labour twelve calendar months: Edward Welsh, Patrick Mooney, Patrick Terns, Thomas Tinan, and John Calvert, convicted of having been engaged in riot, and stolen five shillings from Thomas Snibson, as Manchester. The Learned Judge said the prisoners had been convicted of a robbery, committed in company, under circumstances of very great aggravation ; they had proceeded to acts of out rage and robbery, which were no part of the general scheme, or eke, not being mingled in the general design, they had taken advantage of the confusion to plunder the shopkeepers in the town. The law had pronounced against the offence of which the prisoners had been guilty, the punishment of transportation for life, or ally period not less than fifteen years, or imprisonment in England. He should not be jus tified in sentencing the prisoners to imprisonment in this country. He felt bound to dismiss them from this land. The sentence of the court was, that they be severally transported beyond the seas, to such place as her Majesty, by the advice of her privy council, might direct, for the term of fifteen years. James Ashley and John Hoyle were indicted for a riot and conspiracy at Todmorden. Mr. WORTLEY said the prisoner Ashley was a chartist lec turer, and had been instrumental in creating a riot at Tod morden, and the rioters had gone to the mill of Messrs. Hardman and stopped the works. Hoyle had also knocked out the plug from the engine at the time the riot took place. The prisoners were both found guilty and sentenced— Ashley to 18 months, and Hoyle to 12 months imprisonment. Patrick Agnew stood charged with being present at an il legal assembly, but as no serious consequence bad ensued, he was hound over in recognizances to appear when called on. John Woolstencroft and Joseph Bailey pleaded guilty to an indictment charging them with a riot at Manchester. They were also allowed to enter into recognizances to ap pear when called upon. Joseph .Turner was indicted for an illegal assembly at Dew hur's mill, in Manchester, and with causing the hands to leave their work. He was found guilty, and sentenced to three months imprisonment. Israel Cook pleaded guilty to an indictment, charging him with being present at a riot in Manchester, and was bound over to appear when called upon. William Collins, who also pleaded guilty to a similar charge, entered into recognizances to appear when called on. Robert Taylor. William Marsland, John Travis, Row land Beatley, William Gartside , and Robert Warburton, were indicted for assembling , along with other persons, at Nell tleesy endeavouring's mills, n O h Oldham, to fortenl a the nd bands to leavebreaking thea work. s Gartside and Beatley were acquitte d. T he oth ers were found guilty and sentenced to 1 2 months' imp ri sonment. n James Pitfield pleaded guilty to an indictment, charging him with riotous assembly at Manchester in A u g ust last, an d he was allowed to enter into recognizances to m ake hi s ap . pearance when called on. • The court rose at five o'clock.. ) NISI PRIUS—THURSDAY. (efore Lord ABINGER. The ATTORNEY B GENERAL proceeded to reply in the case of Dyso n an d ot h ers, Wednesday. which was left unfinished on The JUDGE recapitulated the evidence, anti the jury retired to consider of their verdict. They returned in a short time with a verdict of guilty against all the prisoners. Lord ABINGEIL sentenced David Taylor, Thomas Dyson, and James Smith, to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for the space of one year. With respect to Townley, he could not make that allowance for his youth which be would otherwise have done, and he could net do less, therefore, than sentence him to ten months' imprisonment with hard labour—he limited it to tell months solely on account of his youth. With respect to James Taylor, he was glad to find that the prosecutor was inclined to do that which he (the Judge) felt much inclined to do. It appeared that he was a hard-wt rking industrious man; it was stated that his intel lect was not very strong, that he had shown great piety to his mother and his family, and he therefore acceded to the pro position of the Attorney-Gmeral that heshould be discharged after finding sureties. SENTENCE UPON BELL AND OTHERS. The prisoners who pleaded guilty, on Wednesday, to an indictment charging them with a riot and conspiracy at Eccles, were brought up for judgment. Lord ABINGER, in passing sentence, said the prisoners had been indicted for a conspiracy and riot, and they had pleaded guilty to the indictment against them. The sen tence upon John Tootle and William Forrest was, that they should be imprisoned for nine months, and afterwards to enter into sureties to keep the peace, and be of good be haviour for the space of two years—themselves in £lOO, and two sureties for each in £25. The sentence upon Andrew Shearson, John Bell, Thomas Hughes, Edward Williams, John Eccles, and George Grimshaw, was, that they should be imprisoned for istx calendar month s , an d enter into like recognizances, with t ureties to the same amount to be of good character, and keep the peace, and to continue in prison till they found the sureties. As to Alexander Braid and Leonard Boardman, against whom the Attorney-General did not pray judgment, they would have to enter into recogni zances to appear and receive the judgment of the court when called upon. They would have no sentence passed upon them at present, but they would remember that that course was taken from the leniency of the crown, and it was in the expectation and hope that they would conduct themselves in future like peaceable and faithful subjects ; but they would be liable, if ever they broke the peace or committed any offence of the same nature, and would be brought up to re ceive judgment. They would have to find two sureties in £25, and enter themselves into recognizances of £lOO each. ASSAULT AND RIOT. Thomas Holt, 35, was indicted for riot, and with having maliciously and unlawfully wounded William Cheetham with a stone, with intent to do him some grievous bodily harm. The prisoner said he was quite innocent of the job. He was not nearer the place than Oldham market. • The Jury immediately returned a verdict of guilty. Lord ADINGER said the• prisoner had, been convicted on evidence that could not be doubted of throwirir , the stone at Mr. Cheetham. He might have been indicted . for a much more serious utence, and, in fact, he might have been the cause of the logs of Mr. Cheetham's life, in which case he would most assuredly have been hanged. The sentence of the Court was, that he should be imprisoned for two years and kept to hard labour, John Briefly pleaded guilty, and was discharged on find ing bail, as was also John Avison. Robert Fadeh and John Cheetham were discharged upon their own recognizances. CHARGE OF CONSPIRACY AND RIOT. John Ward, 20, was placed at the bar, charged with riot ing and conspiracy at Staleybridge, and, by force and vio lence, compelling her Majesty's subjects to desist from working. Mr. OVERVID appeared for the prisoner. Several witnesses were called, who proved that the prisoner had taken part in proceedings at riotous meetings on the Cheshire side of the river, but not in Lancashire. The JUDGE said, that there was no case against the pri soner, because the witnesses had only spoken to transactions in Cheshire, told he must be acquitted. Having ascertained that there was no other case for trial, Lord AnDroxr., addressing the jury, said he was happy to inform them that they were now discharged, and he thought it right to express the satisfaction he felt at the manner in which they, and those who sat in that box, had discharged their dnties—for the deliberate and temporate attention they had paid to the cases, and the propriety of all the verdicts they had given. It must have given them very great pain to have witnessed the transactions which had taken place • and he must say that the prosecutions had been condncted with as much leniency and forbearance as was as possible, consis tently with public safety. His Lordship retired a few minutes before one o'clock. CROWN COURT.—YESTERDAY. (Before Baron ALDERSONZ,_ On the openiqg of the court, at nine o'clock, the prisoners who had previously been convicted—upwards of twenty in number—were put up to receive sentence. His LORDSHIP addressed them at considerable length. They had, he said, been convicted, on undeniable evidence, of taking part in riotous attacks on property in Manchester — an offence of a most serious nature, involving great loss to parties who possessed property, and still more lamentable consequences to that class to which they belonged, and whose only capital was their labour. He then made allusion to the result of similar tumults in France, commenced at Lyons in 1831, when the)iilk weavers in that town turned out for a uniform scale of wages, of which they dictated " a - tariff," beyond what the masters could afford to give. The leading manufacturers, consequently, stopped their works, and strife and animosity ensued, thousands being left without employ ment. The tariff" was maintained by the workmen. The consequence was that in 1834 an insurrection took place, and the workmen were at first successful against the authorities, both civil and military. But shortly after the insurgents were begging for work, their leaders fled, and tbey were lett in a more miserable condition than before. The same re sult would follow in this country were such outbreaks to be also successful for a time, and it, therefore, became neces sary, both for the sake of such offenders themselves as well as of the public, that such offences should be severely punished. His Lordship then proceeded to pass sentence on the prisoners, beginning with those convicted of the attack on the police station at Manchester. Lee and Sheridan (tried en Monday last) had both been very active. Lee, in particular, had stamped upon a bird-cage. He (Baron Al derson) hoped the bird was not in it, but the circumstance showed that he took vengeance both on the animate and in animate—upon all descriptions of property that fell in his way. Lee must, therefore, be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for fifteen calendar months, and Sheridan twelve ca lendar months, and six months additional for a second of fence. His Lordship then sentenced others of the rioters as follows : George Turner and George Sbaw, for turning people out their work-places at Rochdale, nine months' each and hard labour. Richard Stacey, an apprentice, for attacking the property of his master, who had made no material change in the wages given for the last ten years, nine calendar months and hard labour. John Abbott. John Smith, and James Sutcliffe, nine months. Hill, Gillibrnnd, Walker, and Johnson, twelve months each and hard labour. John Tear, for twice leading a mob, and heightening the offence by an attempted alibi ; and being, moreover, secetary of a trades' union, and the publisher of a pl acar d h ea d e d " Union is Strength," which, under the circumstances, was rank hypocracy—to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for two years, with security afterwards to keep the peace for two years, and to be kept in gaol till such sureties be found. Morris Burns—imprisonment and hard labour for eighteen months. Lynch, Scott, Berks, the two Kearnan's, and Fitch, twelve. months ; Campbell and Collins, six months ; James Mather, for riot at Ilindley, twelve months; Tootle, four months, and Birch, s i x m onths, for a riot at Entwi s tl e ,— a ll w i t h h ar d labour. His LORDSHIP concluded by hoping that the prisoners would remember that the law was strong, and that what they had attempted to do would be productive of no good. The following prisoners were then brought up dispost.d of as under : John Hunt, Thomas Wilde, and Robert Whitehead, pleaded guilty to a charge of riot at Manchester, and were discharged on their own recognaances. Richard Hardman, who pleaded guilty to a similar charge at Rochdale, was dealt with in the same lenient manner. Abel James Hardacre, T. Bottomly, Alf re d B u t terworth , Duke, Henry Hindley, Thomas Gerard, and David Minus, who pleaded guilty to like charges, were similarly discharged, some of them giving small sureties. James Jones, William Bell, Ambrose Hurst, and Samuel Yardley, pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy and riot at Oldham, and . were sentenced to be imr r s died for six calendar months, and the end of which to find sureties, themselves in £lOO and two in £25 each, to keep the peace for two veers. These concluded the cases sent before Baron Alderson at these assizes, and his Lordship discharged the jury and left the court precisely at twelve o'clock. MAGISTRATES ROOM.-YESTERDAY. Mr. Justice CRESWELL took his seat ill this Court at hall-past nine o'clock this morning. RIOT, &C. Joseph Kitchen, Joseph Mills, Ralph Wolfenden, and John Wright were charged with a conspiracy to turn out factory bands at High Crompton, near Oldham, on t h e 18 t h of August la t. They were also charged with attending an unlawful assembly, and with a riot. Mr. J. S. Wortmy and Mr. POLLOCK' appeared to con duct the case for the prosecution. Mr. WinG HANI defended Kitchen. The rest were undefecded. The learned counsel for the prosecution in stating the case observed, that he should not trouble the Jury with the charge of conspiracy against the prisoners, and therefore their atten tion need only be directed to the other charges, namely, that of attending an unlawful asstmhly, and a riot. From the evidence then adduced it appeared, that about one o'clock in the afternoon of the 10th of August, a large mob assembled at High Crompton, near Oldham, which visited several of the factories, and turned out the hands. Kitchen was there and addressed the mob, advising them not to go to work until they got a fair day's wages for a fair day's work. The whole of the prisoners were sworn to as taking part in the proceedings of the riot, but Wolfenden and Wright did not appear to have taken any active part in the riot. They were all found guilty of the riot and attending an un lawful assembly. The prisoners all received good character s, and at the intercession of Mr. Wortley, Wolfenden and Wright were disch arge d on en te r i n g i n t o their own rec•?g nizances of £4O each, to appear when called upon to receive judgment, and to keep the peace for two years. His Lord ship, after addressing the others on the Mischievous nature of the offence of which they had been found guilty, sen tenced them to be imprisoned in the House of Correction for twelve calendar mo n th s an d kept to hard labour , and di. rested that, at the expiration of that period, Hitchen should find two sureties to keep the peace for two years. Jenny Marcrofl was found guilty of a similar offence, com mitted at the factory of Messrs. Butterworth, at Spotland, on the 18th of August, and the learned Judge sentenced him to six months' imprisonment in the House of Correction. CONSPIRACY. Isaac Hoyle, William Booth, Thoma s Ogden, John Chisenhale, and John Wolstencroft, were indicted for un lawfully conspiring tegethet to impede, by threats and in timidation, the carrying on of ti._ trade and manufactures of the country. The prisoners Chisenhaleand Wolstencroft, on the recom. mendation of Dr. Brown, pleaded guilty, and the others not guilty. Mr. J. S. WORTLEY and Mr. POLLOCK conducted the case on behalf of the crown, and Mr. MATTHEWS that on behalf of the defendants. Mr. Won:pixy said the three prisoners were indicted for conspiracy, together with other persons, one of them named Taylor, who were included in a more serious charge, and was not then on their trial for conspiring together, to pre vent her Majesty's subjects following their occupations, to effect some private purpose of their own, either to procure the charter, or sorm, oti•erst alteration in the laws of this realm. During the period between the 12th and 20th of August numerous meetings were held at t Royto n, allof which w ne h a ic r h ieOtlid. ham, o f cons id era bl e b o di es o f people, a prisoners were present, and inflammatory language was used, and they were advised not to return to their work until they obtained the charter. They all seemed to have had one common object in view, and had pursued that in company with large bodies of people, who had turned out workpeople during the recent outbreak. Several witnesses were then called, who proved that there had been a number of meetings held every day, from the 12th to the 20th of August, at which all the prisoners had generally attended, and occasionally Hoyle acted as chairman. At some of the meetings a person named Taylor was appointed as a delegate to' attend the meeting of that body in Man cbester, that they should not g 3 tack to work until they bad obtained the Charter; and at one of the meetings it was said, if the people returned to their work they would visit them and give them a good hiding (thrashing), and that the men would use their swords, and the women would know how to direct them. It was also said at one of the last meetings, they would bear of something glorious in a few days. Evi dence was also given of the proceedings of some of the mobs which had collected, as to their attacking the factories in the neighbourhood, turning out the hands, and pulling the plugs out of the boilers. Mr. MATTHEWS addressed the jury at considerable length in behalf of the defendants, contending that the objects of those who attended the various meetings was purely of a peaceable character, or, at all events, if they had any object in view, it was to obtain the Charter; and, as they were in dicted for conspiring to prevent her Majesty's subjects from pursuing their lawful occupations, they could not be found guilty, even if the jury were of opinion that they were guilty of unlawfully conspiring to obtain the Charter. Mr. WORTLEY replied, and the learned Judge proceeded to sum up the case, stating what he conceived to lie the law of the subject, and the bearing of the evidence which had been adduced as applicable to to it. The Jury merely turned round in the box, and then pro nounced a verdict of guilty against all the prisoners. Mr. WORTLEY then addressed his Lordsbip on behalf of Chisenhale and Wolstencroft, who had pleaded guilty to the charge. He said he certainly should not have been able to have shown that they had taken any active part in the recent outrages, and as most probably they had been made dupes of by others, and he believed had some good characters, he was not desirous for calling for any judgment against them. He understood also that their masters were willing again to take them into their service, and, therefore, he should be satisfied on their being set at liberty on giving sufficient security to appear when called upon to receive judgment. His LORDSII then sentenced the prisoners to eighteen months' impri so nment in the County Gaol,, and ordered them to find sureties to keep the peace for two years after that period. Wolstencroft and Chisenhale were the liberated on giving two sureties to appear for judgment when called upon. Thomas Ashcroft, Thomas Marshall, and Joseph Fletcher, tried on Wednesday, were then brought up and sentenced to six months' imprisonment in the House of Correction. This terminated the business of the Special Commission, and the learned JUDGE, in dischargino. the Jury, said, he hoped, as long as he had the honour of having a seat on the bench, not to be again called upon under similar circum stances to try persons who had been guilty of such outrages against the public peace. QUALIFICATIONS 02 MASTERS AND MATES, An adjourned meeting of the shipmasters of the port of Liverpool was held on the evening of Tuesday, in the Ship masters' Rooms, Oldball-street, for the purpose of taking into further consideration the provisions of the bill intro duced into parliament by Capt. Fitzroy, R.N., for appointing boards for the examination of masters and mates in the merchant service. Captain MIDGLEY was unanimously called to the chair. The meeting was very numerously attended. The CHAIIIMAIV opened the proceedings by stating that the meeting had been assembled for the purpose of proceed ing with the business relative to Captain Fitzroy's bill, which had been left incomplete at the previous meeting. On that occasion the bill was considered as far as the 21st clause; and they would now commence with the discussion on the 23d clause, which made provision relative to the age and time of service requisite to entitle parties to apply for certificates of qualification. Captain LOTT, of the steam-ship Caledonia, objected to the bill in foto. He considered it a one-sided measure. holding out great assumed advantages to tha shipowners and underwriters, and subjecting the masters to annoyance and expense without affording them any equivalent. Captain BISSETT said, he did not go so far as his friend Captain Lott, in objecting to the bill altogether. He saw no valid objection to an examination as proposed by the bill, provided it could be arranged so as to have the desired effect without injury to the means of masters and mates. He considered, certainly, all the advantage in the bill to be upon the part of the underwriters ; and he strongly objected to the masters and mates being called upon to pay for their certificates. The CHAIRMAN explained that the Shipmasters' Asso ciation having with"other public bodies memorialised govern ment to bring in a bill to establish boards of examination, the question of the propriety of the bill could not now be entertained—and more especially so as the meeting had been called for the express purpose of considering its details. Mr. Row Err stated it as his opinion that the bill would tend very much to the benefit of the shipmasters, by raising them in society ; and that it would ultimately conduce to their pecuniary welfare by securing them a better remunera tion for their services. Indeed he had no doubt that the time was not far distant when shipmasters, like officers in the navy, would be pensioned for their services. Captain CALDBECK approved of the bill as a general mea sure, but be objected to the classification of certificates .as proposed by the 22d clause as invidious. Lieutenant TRACEY, R.N. supported the bill. It would raise the character of the shipmasters, and give them a status in socizy which they did not appear to have at present ; but at thdikame time he. thought it bore rather hardly upon officers in the royal navy, because, after they had undergone the examination requisite for naval officers, they must un dergo a second examination before they could be entitled to command a merchantman. This was an obvious defect in the bill, which he should think only required to be pointed out in order to insure a remedy. He also considered the fees to be paid upon examination rather too exorbitant, when compared with those paid by naval officers under similar circumstances. He had passed his examination upon the same day with Captain Fitzroy; and although it might have escaped the memory of the gallant captain as being too trivial to be retained in it, he (Lieut. Tracey) well recollected that for his two certificates he was called upon to pay only £1 2s. 6d. He was further of opinion, that three masters in the merchant service would form a very proper tribunal to conduct the examinations. After some further discussion a resolution was carried on the motion of Captain CALDBECK, and seconded by Captain LOTT, to the effect that the 22nd clause embraced provisions inimical to the interests of the shipmasters in general, and that it also contained undeserved reflections upon their ability as a body. The 23d and 24th clauses were then read and approved of, without eliciting any remarks of importance. On clause 25 being read, Captain Bissm repeated that he had no objection to the examination for qualification; but he certainly did object most strongly to the fees proposed to be paid for certificates. The fee, it must be remembered, was charged at a time when the master or mate was least able to afford it, he having, perhaps, at the same moment his outfit, chronometer, and nautical instruments to purchase. The underwriters, in fact, would derive all the benefit which the bill was likely to give, and on that ground he thought they ought to be re quired to pay for the certificates of qualification. It was then resolved, on the motion of Mr: ROWETT, se conded by Captain BISSETT, that clause 25 ought to be so altered as to provide that all examinations should be made entirely at the expense of government. The 26th and 27th clauses were next read and approved of. On clause 28 being read, which gives a power to revoke and cancel certificates in cases of misconduct, Captain BISSETT objected to the clause, on the ground that it would subject any shipmaster to double punishment for one offence—first to punishment by a civil power, and next to punishment by this clause. Mr. ROWETT supported the clause. It was intended as a protection of the really good man; and he instanced two cases in which such an enactment might have been enforced with advantage. One was a merchant captain who had be come a pirate ; and another was a recent case where a captain had taken a ship out for the express purpose of losing her, in order to defraud the underwriters. On the motion of Captain CALDIIECK, seconded by Cap tain BISSETT, it was resolved that it was desirable to expunge clause 28 from the bill ; and that if the master or mate of a merchant ship were tried by a jury and convicted, he should be deprived of his certificate for such period as the court might award. The 29th and 30th clauses were approved without ob servation. On the 31st clause being read, which enacts that persons having or being entitled to certificates of exemption, under the bill, might apply for certificates of qualification--a long discussion took place. At the end of the debate the clause was left as it stands in the bill. Captain LOTT again protested against the whole bill; and he announced his intention of leaving a memorial against it in the rooms of the Shipmaster's Association and other pub lic places. Captain CALDBECK endeavoured to impress upon Captain Lott the propriety of confining himself to the especial pur pose for which the meeting was convened ; and instead of opposing the measure in toto, to lend his aid in making it a good bill. Thanks were given to the Chairman by acclamation for his able and impartial conduct. The meeting was then adjourned till T u e s d a y nex t, th e 18th instant, at seven o'clock in the evening, on the motion of Captain CALDBECK, seconded by Captain CHALMLEY. Mr.s. ALFRED SIIANI7.—The story of this accompli s h e d vocalist, who has recently made so successful a debtit at the Covent-garden, is an odd one. She was a factory girl in one of the manufacturing towns of Lancashire—Rochdale, we believe—and some one, noticing that she had a fine voice, had her taught singing, and she is now unquestionably the first contralto of the day. Mrs. Shaw was engaged at the Liver pool festival in 1836, when the town was thronged with fac tory girls (her old companions), who had come from Roch dale to " hear Peg Postans sing,"—for by her new name they had not schooled their tongues to call her. The lady's husband is an artist of some celebrity, and a,brother of Mr. Shaw, the architect of Christ's Hospital, under whose super intendence the new wing of Eton College was erected, and who has also been appointed architect for the proposed Royal Naval School. Dramatic and Musical Revi,etc. [This story is denied, and Mrs. Shaw's family are stated to be highly respectable.—E. L. S.] THE INDIAN Pnasoxnas.—Lady Sale has written two very interesting letters, while they (the prisoners) were at Lughnan. The first was written in very good spirits just after receiving clothes, &c., from Jellalabad. "They had not changed," she said, " since they left Cabul, and there was such a scramlatt for them ; some (the weakest) got none, which, when she heard, she had them divided more equally. They were living 12 in one room--herself and Mrs. Start (who were expecting to be confined), Mrs. Trevor and her five children, and Ayahs ; and poor Captain Mein, who lay at the foot of their bed, was so frostbitten he could not move." But the most interesting anecdote she tells was, " that they picked up a Bible and Prayer-book on their road from Cabul, and in this poor Mein reads the lessons &c., to them every evening; but the evenings were so long and dreary, they wanted candles more than anything." Her last letter is very desponding, as they were going to be removed behind moun ted horsemen, they knew not whither, but not very far off; and that Akhbar Khan was willing to treat. Lady Sale says if she escapes she will publish everything, as she has taken notes of the whole proceedings; but there are painful tales already hinted at:—of officers following their wives, instead of staying at their posts. Calcutta Englishmen. EXPORT OF MACHINERY FROM ENGLAND.—The English Government have just come to an important determination. It has permitted the exportation, hitherto prohibited, of machinery for spinning worsted an d cotton. The permission may extend to other machines; those alone now expected are such as arc used for fl ax an d hemp. This decision, which may be considered as the contre coup of the augmentation of the rights imposed by France on English linens and linen threads, has caused quite a sensation among French machinists, and they have just addressed a letter to the Minister, demanding that tho duty on foreign machinery, which is now 15 per cent. shall be raised to 30 per cent. ; and further states, that even with this !heavy protective duty, they shall not be able to go on. Two years ago, the manu facturers of machinery, attributed their depressed condition to the dearness of the raw materials ; iu their present com plaints they have forgotten that old grievance, and now con tine themselves to the one just alluded to. One of our Ministers recently complained that, since the formation of committees in all the different branches of industry, it was impossible for any government to bring forward measures to the satisfaction of them. For our own part we are far from looking on those associations with such terror. If they give us any uneasiness, it is because we see the weakness and the powerlessness, of the Government. With a strong Ministry, on the contrary, these committees would be useful, for they form a sort of permanent jury on the state of Wench industry. Besides it is the duty of the Government to listen to all the grievances of every branch of trade and industry ; and it is their duty to watch over the interests of all—La Siecle. FRIDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 14, 1842 The charge of the Lord Chief Baron, which we gave at length in our last, is an instructive document throughout ; and we know not at this moment by what means a greater service could he rendered to the work ing classes in the manufacturing districts than by its circulation amongst them. If we were to form our judgment from recent events in those districts, a strange misconception exists amongst the population, not only with respect to its own power, but with respect, as well, to the powef of the law. The notion is almost universally entertained that displays of phy sical force, congregations of masses of people pro fessing regard for " peace, law, and order," yet avowedly endeavouring to intimidate the government and the sovereign of the country, will not only he tolerated, but are perfectly legal. The exposition of the law by his lordship will go far to dissipate this unfounded idea, propagated by designing men, to subserve their own bad purposes; and its general cir culation would warn, if it did not effectually convince, the working classes of the folly and danger of listening to the councils of men who thus act in direct viola tion of the spirit as well as of the letter of the constitution. It is not, however, to this point that we purpose now directing the attention of our readers. In the charge before us, we conceive that Lord Abinger has spoken only a portion of the truths which, it is evi dent, were pressing upon his mind. He has darkly hinted, however, at the remainder; and we shall en deavour, here, to bring his lordship's meaning into more full and prominent light. The seditious and inflammatory speeches of the chartist demagogues, O'Connor and others, were evidently pointed at by the Chief Baron as having aggravated the danger of the recent disturbances, and as calling for the prompt visitation of the law. It is a crime, we are told, almost, if not actually, amounting to high treason, to conspire to restrain or force the will of the Sovereign. It is a crime, then, by, inflam matory speeches or publications, to excite others to such conspiracy The demagogues of the chartist party are for this abiding the award of a jury of their country. Are they, we ask, the only offenders whom at this moment the law can reach ? Are these men, whose trade is sedition, and who lire by it, to be visited by punishment, whilst the amateur in sedition, is permitted to escape ? To speak plainly,—is the chartist leader, with his tools and dupes, to be punished, whilst the Anti-G-law Leaguer walks away free in the impunity of his crime ? There is not a question that, up to the very hour of the recent outbreak, the members of the League wore sedulously engaged in that very seditious speaking and writing which is denounced as illegal and dan gerous by the Lord Chief Baron. They have again and again proclaimed their wish to excite just such demonstrations of physical force, to " impose a re straint upon the will of the Sovereign," as are by his lordship considered to amount to the crime of high treason. The .'him and tendency of their entire pro_ ceedings are to effect their particular objects by a violent action upon the will of the legislature; and, with Lord Abinger, we " are at a loss to know what distinction there is between a conspiracy to subvert the govern ment, and have a particular measure passed into a law; and the crime of high treason." The Anti-Corn-law League is, of itself, A CONSPIRACY ! It has through out its existence contemplated intimidation of the government, by the excited masses, as its chief weapon. To effect this intimidation, it has agitated; levied, and is now levying, funds from the pockets of its dupes dispatched its hired lecturers—its Thomsons and its; Aclands—to all parts of the empire; congregated its "ministers of all denominations," and even held its convention at the very doors of the House of Com mons : and, if LorcVAbinger's be the correct interpre tation of the laws of Great Britain, there can be little doubt that such a body so conducted is an illegal body—a seditious and highly-dangerous CONSPIRACY! Nor, we believe, is evidence wanting to connect the League, sufficiently for the satisfaction of the law, with the recent outbreak of the manufacturing tnasses. It is not necessary that the particular proceedings of the turn-outs should have been advised by it ; that the League, in its capacity as an organised body, should be proved to have provided funds and advice to their leaders—although perhaps even that might be proved. To meet the interpretation of the law furnished in the charge before us, it is sufficient that its conduct has been such as was designedly calculated "to excite disaffection, sedition, and insurrection ;" and with the atrocious placards of the League fresh in our memory, coupled with the incendiary speeches of numbers of its members, their threats of coming insurrection, and heir prophecies of the exact time at which it would break out, need we go far to seek for evidence which would be satisfactory to any honest jury ? Assuredly we need not. What may be the intention of Government upon this matter we have no means of ascertaining. We should certainly not be surprised, however, to see its condemnation visited upon certain gentlemen in Man chester, upon whom we have our eye, in a very intel ligible shape, if not precisely in that of a criminal prosecution. By the spirit of English law the posses sion of intelligence and station has always been regarded as aggravating the offence of an accused party ; and we are confident that an honest Government, whilst punishing the misguided and ignorant dupes of these men, will never overlook the crimes of those so far their superiors, merely because they write " coun cillor" or " alderman" after their names, and by a profligate ministry have been permitted to exhibit their ignorance upon the magisterial bench. We speak ad visedly when we say this. The conduct of these men cannot be passed over; and, perhaps, it might be wise in some of them to make the attempt at least to mol lify the offended justice of their country by retiring from the prominent and responsible position which they occupy in the public eye. They may live to thank us for THE HINT ! The prevention of the destruction of property, warehouse or of other descriptions, by fire, is un doubtedly an object well worthy the attention of every inhabitant of this community. But there is another species of destruction going on daily around us, and attributable, in part, to the same cause, to which it is equally the duty of every lover of his kind to direct his earnest attention, and to endeavour to devise a check. We refer to the lamentable destruction of hu man life arising from the crowded, ill-ventilated, and ill-cleansed dwellings in which the labouring poor of this town are compelled to locate themselves. From a publication, just issued from the office of the Poor-law Commissioners, containing the result of an enquiry into the sanitory condition of the labour ing population of Great Britain, and from which we propose, on a future occasion, to quote largely, we find that in 1840, the number of deaths in Liverpool were, of "gentry and professional persons," 137; of " tradesmen and their families," 1738; and of " la bourers, mechanics, and servants," 5597. The ave rage duration of life in the first class was 35 years ; of the second, 22 years ; and, of the third only 15 years ! Of all the towns to which the commissioners have di rected their attention, the sanitary condition of Liver pool appears to be the worst. The labouring classes of Manchester, of Leek ;, of Bolton, of Birmingham, of Bethnal Green, and Whitechapel Union—the worst districts of the metropolis—are apparently in the en joyment of a larger amount of health than the labour ing classes of this, which might be made one of the most salubrious localities in the kingdom ! And why, welsk, is this the case ? Have we no medical charities to which the poor labourer can applY in his sickness ? Is there anything. peculiarly unhealthy in the employment of that class in Liverpool ? We have medical charities, and the employment of our poor is not of a peculiarly unhealthy kind. The evil, we are satisfied—and the report before us bears us out in our conviction—is solely in the filthy and wretched character of the dwellings in which the labourer is confined; in the damp, unwholesome cellars, the un ventilated courts';' and unsewered streets, in which he is doomed to breathe out a miserable existence. A report presented to the commissioners, by Dr. Duncan, states that " there are upwards of 8000 inhabited cellars in Liverpool," the occupants of which he estimates at 35,0t1p to 40,000 in number. Add to these the vast number of courts, most of them closed up at one end, and the dark and ill-severed streets which abound in some localities, and are even filthier than the filthiest courts; and we have presented to our view the residences of the great bulk of the labouring population of this town the second port in the empire ! " Few of the cellars" in question, continues Dr• Duncan, "are entirely free from damp; many of those in low situations are literally inundated with a fall of rain." And " with regard to the courts, I doubt whether•. there is a single court in Liverpool which communicates 'with the street by an underground drain, the only means afforded for carrying off the fluid dirt being a narrow, .open, shallow gutter, which sometimes exists, but even this is generally choked up with stagnant filth." He continues— " There can be no doubt that the emanations from this pestilential surface, in connexion with other causes, are a frequent source of fever among the inhabitants of these un drained localities. I may mention two instances of corrobo ration of this assertion :—ln consequence of finding that not less than 63 cases of fever had occurred in one year in a court in Banastre-street, (containing 12 houses,) I visited the court in order to ascertain, if possible, their origin, and I found the whole court inundated with fluid filth which had oozed through the walls from two adjoining ash-pits or cess pools, and which bad no means of escape in consequence of the court being below the level of the street, and having no drain. The court was owned by two different landlords , one of whom had offered to construct a drain provided the other would join him in the expense ; but this offer having been refused, the court had remained for two or three years in the state in which I saw it ; and I was informed by one of the inhabitants that the fever was constantly occurring there. The house nearest to the ash-pit had been untenanted for nearly three years in consequence of the filthy matter oozing up through the floor, and the occupiers of the adjoining houses were unable to take their meals without previously closing the doors and windows." Evidence in every way similar is given by the medical officer of the West Derby Union, who, how ever, attributes a portion of the disease,- by which the lives of the labouring poor of Liverpool are reduced to an average duration of 15 years, to other causes be sides their residence in these wretched cellars and courts, still setting down, however, that high rate of mortality to the nature of their places of dwelling. The cottages of the poor, he contends, are almost uni- versally ill-built ; and the practice of crowding whole families into one or two apartments, in streets un sewered and unprovided with the means of ventilation and cleanliness, is fatal to health, and productive of disease in every, form : and not only is this the case in Liverpool, but in every town throughout the kingdom similar results are observed to flow from similar causes. In whatever particular localities in any of our large towns, and even in the country, the drainage of dwell ings has been found deficient, there fever and epidemics have been found to prevail, and the mortality of the population to be in fearful disproportion with that of places, even less favoured in situation, but better cleansed and ventilated. We directed attention a few days ago, in connexion with this subject, to the pressing importance of some comprehensive measure, by which this dreadful mor tality, and the immorality with which it is accom panied, as well as the danger from fire, could be removed from the immediate neighbourhood of our principal public thoroughfares. We again call atten tion to it; and in particular that of the committee delegated by the Council to enquire into the steps to be taken for the prevention of such a calamity as that by which the town has lately been visited. If that committee inspect in person the neighbourhoods to which we refer, the wretchedness, the immorality, and positive vice which pervade them, will come as glaringly before their eyes as any danger to mere property can do ; and we trust that it will not be thought a more important matter to provide for the safety of the cotton and other produce which loads our warehouses, than for the health, the lives—nay, the souls—of thousands of their fellow. creatures, who I are yearly swept, as by a pestilence, into premature graves. . We have not of late thought it worth our while to bestow even the trouble of a perusal upon the prosy rubbish administered, in anything but homoeopathic doses, in the columns of the Liverpool Mercury. We saw our contemporary busily engaged in writing him self down; and we anticipated, and still anticipate, the time when his soporific effusions will become unfailing nightcaps for the sleepless; and a few doses of Mercury, administered over a pint of sixpenny, will fix the recipient in a trance deeper than either Animal Mag netism, Braidism, or any other ism can produce. With all otir toleration, however, we cannot allow our dozing contemporary to blunder out in his sleep such indecencies as disgraced even his columns OP Friday last without recording the disgust with which they inspire us, in common, we believe, with nine-tenths of the people of Liverpool. We refer to an article upon the subject of the thanksgiving recently offered up in our churches for the abundant harvest with which we hare been blessed. It has entered into the head, or the inkstand, of this sapient personage, that a proceeding so full of propriety—so touchingly expres sive of the gratitude of a people to the Giver of all good —presents a subject upon which he may, with decency, exhibit, under the guise of an anti-corn-la" diatribe, his sectarian hatred towards the established religion of the land and its revered dignitaries. With a twenty-dissenting-parson-power of nauseous cant, our contemporary denounces any public thanksgiving as a " loud and ostentatious display," and its authors " hypocrites"—men who " pass their lives in devising schemes to defeat the bounty of God"—to " stop the bounty of the Creator in its way to his creatures. The form of thanksgiving itself is not only, in the opinion of this organ of Popery, hypocritical, but i m pi ous ," eve* It "conveys an insinuation that the Deity is to blame for the deficient harvest of preceding years"! We shall certainly not attempt to controvert the extraordinary positions of our contemporary, our object being fully answered when we have called public atten • tion to their grossness. The spite of Popery, disguised though it may be, is still too apparent to do serious injury to the object against which it is launched. The sarcasms of an abler writer than him of the Mercury would be required to turn away the affections of the sincere Protestant from one of the most becoming practices of his . dhurch. Conservatives, do read the prosy columns of the Mercury. It finds its way int° the family of many a Churchman ; and although we have no fearnhat its ribald mockery of ordinances which they hold dear and sacred will turn a single ' mind from TILE TRUTII to the abominations o f the . idol which itself worships, yet we cannot but s uggest to those Conservatives, if they must be supplied with a dish of Liberalism once a week, the prudence of select- . ing one whose concocters can distinguish between politics and profanity, and whose hatred to their church and themselves is a little less intense and obtrusive. • We have never presumed to interfere in the question as to the party best fitted to occupy the post of Chief Magistrate of Liverpool for the ensuing year; a nd we should not do so now did we not find such an unani mity of feeling upon the subject, that we run no risk of offending or being deemed intrusive. We believe there is a very g eneral opinion i n a ll quar t er s that Mr. Robertson Gladstone should be the gentleman fixed upon. The long connexion of the family of that gentleman with the commerce of this great port ; the respect in which its various members are held by all classes of their A TO COl/11171SPONDENTS. " 0. P." and " P. S. M." must stand over for considera . tion until Tuesday. " A Shipper of Goods" may be right in his remarks to a certain extent. Our correspondent appears to deprecate the use of a naked candle in warehouses, but states it as his firm conviction, that, in some warehouses, the goods are packed so close together, that it is quite impossible to find them with merely a locked-up candle. We have seen Mr. Abbott's reply to the reflections upon his conduct contained in the report of the Paid Officers Com mittee. That gentleman may or may not have offered a triumphant refutation of the charges against him, as " An Enemy of Abuses" wishes to show. In all probability something may be said on the subject at the special meet ing of the Council on Wednesday. It does, however, ap pear somewhat surprising to us, that whilst the report refers to a resolution of the Council which Mr. Abbott is alleged to have disregarded, that gentleman only refers to two resolutions of the Finance Committee. With respect to the appointment of poll-clerks, Mr. Abbott states as follows :—" I was applied to for a number of poll clerks, not as Mr. Abbott, assistant committee clerk, but as Mr. Abbott, law stationer, South John-street. The applica tion was in the usual way, the same as it had been by the predecessors of the Town-clerk. For the services of my clerks I had the usual profits and no more, (passing through my books as a matter of busir ess,) and these profits would have been enjoyed by any law stationer under similar circumstances." ebt Ltberpoot &tanZiatti.