The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-04-07 00:00:00

ands of bad be, the two coun rl of WicicLow Dogs Bill. Lord CAMPBELL op ad a second time scnssion the numbers were defeated for t their lordships adjourne, OMMONS-MONDAY HOUSE OF The same papers wer relative to the Ashbur ceded to by the Government. The Registration of Voters Bil rnittee Lord J. RUSSELL SI which an appellate prisc Sir J. GRAHAM sa duced white the bill was as it was to be reconsidered Pariiamtntavp lat ottrbintl. cond reading of t otion, and moved that n, in which A Chancellor gave his The Lor on, and the bill is according Lon. re forwarded a stage, after which n the House of Lords, I and the request was ac- dered in com- provisoes by n from election com- might be objected to. The inte of fact or of evidence but strict ferred The committee then seriatim, and on the sB' his objection to eh' of Common Pleas least defer tl of Commons proceeded to consider the clauses i clause Lord J. Russ-ELL renewed i appellate j urisodiction to the Court Gvernmen t would at with the power of the House lying this power to the charge of partiality if ed t e perioa o He ob, se d to judges, who would bk they happened to decik Mikifit i tufffl dency on the part of lawyers to interpr... _ spirit matters connected with the liberty of the subject. Sir J. GRAHAM denied that such was the tendency of opinion amongst lawyers, and contended that in ancient as well as modern times the cou of law ha ta of the ken a people. *inn rights and liberties people. Bill bad recognised ; ,, dges of ,r known .ordance with t oleo objected to such an appeh t in the narrowest part in protecting noble lord in the I ti 'I this very pri only in questions of Nlr. Ru- After a few observa THERFURD, Mr. ROKBUCK con ut to thrust rwhelmed as upon the they were compelled to n The Arr clause, which 7. upon questions of gate the courts of law law only. After a few observat he ob- imitting t the decisions of ele jections which ztions to givi T., fact SUCI: this apps law upon no better too court of appeal won autation of ing, while it would ex udges to ILIG 3 their own known political deciding in all cases at bias. The So ; the object was to giv :r of deciding upon th mrt of validit. al and conclusive. e House of Com- and did its decis This was n Quesik s Bench, and no one at- tempted to im I by the Sir G. Gaiy 1 - ale ju-risdiction was best that could deemed nee, led, and the clause, as it stood in ~,rarity of 164 to 51 The comr the bill, was ster of On the 77 that no seot and voters for the cul 1 from rot Timis to t On a div 81 to 32 The remaining clause resumed The other orders of Louse adjourned HOUSE OF CONINIONS-' Lord Asa opium trade, That it is of the trade in ( territories of B turing interests c,f of legitimate com governments and noble lord, in thi the question, and also the East India Compa suppress the trade in the morals of the Chin destroy British influen China. He quoted a in proportion as the i creased, that of our e,,- latter increased when the to,- the the case in Ireland , where temperance movement caus ed an increased consumption o f clothing and provisions rendering the people happ ier and more comfortable intoxicating than when their money was squan dered in the purchase of liquors. It was clear , therefore, b o th in a commercial and moral point of view, that this opium trad e . was terribly in jurious. He cited a great number of authorities, proving the deleterious effects of opium on the Chinese vopulE!tion, and - upon the popula, c, engaged in the cultivation of the kssam. In th, '•xtter country the people were not -4 u.tc' " this narcotic , but were brought by the as a t.. -,, cr uel, and most immoral -once it. -e nat i ve s before the p o ppy -neak sen ng t the . , o ,t as a str o ng , manl y , -, on o pium cul tivator was also upon the populatu , drug in Assam. In the only enervated by the u.,e up under its influence as a craft race; and yet writers spaki was cultivated there sting the and intelligent race. .111 ~.... ‘,..- , By stimu. enough to d emor alise a whole village. growth of opium this country was governing India for its own pur to the PO/ses only, and not with reference to the wants and prosperity o; its population. He was given to under stand that the cultivation of the popPY was by no means po pular with the natives —that they would prefer the culture of sugar, indigo, and other innocent and useful commodities, to th e pro d uct i on o f which thee oil was devoted before this detestable traffic in opium was tablished. The smuggling of opium into China led to dreadful sacrifice of life, for the traders in it constantl fi re d into the Chinese vessels which attempted t o prevent iy ts i n troduction; and would it be be lieved that in the nineteenth century, not only were mer chants found capable of engaging in such a murderous trade, but the opium clippers were actually armed from the govern rent arsenals, and were looked upon by the Chinese as ves els of war. The East L dia Company, however, did not stand alone as the:supporters of this vile traffic, for a committee ofthe House of Commons had declared it was not expedient to discourage the trade as so r" ' duced could notbe raised In the debate on the g tleman (Mr. Macaula into contempt was high human race. He agree voted with him upon th him, in accorda (Lard Ashley) It was easy to p together. Only Baptists, it was de China, but to mediva the A was so strong trade that it was efforts of our traffic in opium gave a the doctrines w came to the means by Be was told by parti once a gate nine-tent bowever, of putting the growth of the po British India. It was of China was not sinc trade in opium. This reasons. If he growtk of the drug was favourable for a proviso states opium he money, instead of b or he would impose a yield him a large rev( -- per cent. would yield a of the fore, to chp.rg ii Was said that if the grc to in India, it would be tal was to be remembered, ho before it could be prod --rim,, we might ex and such an improved the detestable trade. • _:., ...,b attention with a hope that whoever mi Statements would answer ia—ying, that f the east and I ra ther, if auch Was to withdraw ourselves wits escend power. Mr. BROTHERTON se .. __ rigor that that w -Ir, people c to put a Mr. 1 India, for it c districts, in w did portant that stu up unless they 1 of a remed to smuzzli Emperor of presen lands of the executive government. After a few words from Mr. ACLAND, who opposed the motion, Lord ASHLEY replied, and withdrew his motion i❑ the be lief that from what he had heard it might interfere prejudi cially with the exertions making by the government. The motion was then withdrawn, and the house adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-WEDNESDAY The Players of Interludes Bill and the Admiralty Lands were severa hat the disc ,scion in each case Liould be taken on going ;talon was presented against the return of Mr. Fitzroy fn , - the borough of Cambridge, which was referred to lection. ittee of lbury Witr sees' Indemnity Bill passed through committee, and the Sudbury Disfranchisement Bill was read a third time and passed, when the house adjourned at five 7Librrpool (ttanbatt. FRIDAY MORNING, APRIL 7, 1543 The opposition to the education clauses of the pro posed factory bill progresses apace, as indeed we anti cipated. On Tuesday evening petitions against them were presented by Mr. Busfield, to the number of 40, from various parts of the West Riding of Yorkshire; by Mr. Aldam, M.P. for Leeds, to the number of no less than 160 (1) ; by some dozen other members, four or five each; making, in all, some 300 petitions in one day ! No slight movement this amongst the " minis ters and congregations of all denominations ;" and we only pray that government may have firmness suffi cient to withstand such a pelting shower of dissenting manifestoes. Amongst these petitions we observe that a consider able number profess to emanate from parties calling themselves " Sunday School Unions," " Catholic Sun day Schools," " Teachers of Sunday Schools," and even from the " scholars" of such schools. Now we can quite comprehend how some dissenting congrega tions, of whom dissenting factory-owners are the lead ing personages, can have been brought to petition against this bill. The fact that a restriction of the hours of labour, for children under the age of 13, forms a portion of the measure ; the fact that the hours devoted to educational purposes must. be an entire forenoon or afternoon ; and the circumstance, men tioned by the factory inspector, by whose report the necessity for this measure is so convincingly proved, that " the principal obstacles in the way of education, for t u e children of the factory population, he has found to arise from the dissenting body ;" furnish to gethe* jrufficient to dissipate any feelings of surprise at the h yiility of these parties to the present bill. We can c I ,: ' l prehend, too, by what process of ratiocination dissar I,:leg ministers, whose attention to the course of edaza .4 'n in the existing factory schools has been so exeltsi A fy (9, should view with somewhat of shame, mingl with dissatisfaction, the adoption of a sys tem, wsrthy of the name of education, the superin tende*e of which is to be placed in the hands of the indep.3kient clergy of the Church of England. These are in*lligible affairs; but what Sunday school unions, Sund* school teachers, or Sunday scholars, have pro perly to do with the matter in hand, we profess we are wholl— unable to divine ! It i 3 true that, by the bill of Sir James Graham, the children who attend the factory schools in the week days will be required to attend it also on Sundays. The children of Church of England parents will be re (wired to receive Church of England instruction, on those days, and to attend the established place o worship. The children of dissenting parents, on the other hand, will not be required to receive anythirq beyond scriptural teaching, and will be permitted ti attend their own places of worship, care being takes that they do so attend them. 'What earthly objectia have dissenting Sunday school unions, or teachers, tl offer to such an arrangement, if the motives whicl impel them to their duties be in reality to promote th spread of religious education amongst the rising corn munity ? They lose, it is true, a few dissenting chil dren, having the assurance that their. moral and rel pious training will be properly cared for, and that n )rts—no unworthy effor —ot proselytisr be exercised upon thorn. As a set-off against th. r own sphere of usefulness must 1 We never rd tha dieted witt ,ora of wealth; th e vastness of ti: of means bewaile bscriptions for Sunday-school purposes ur !easingiy solicited, on the very plea of the insijicienc to meet the giant extent of the evil moral and spiritual destitution ! It does therefore appear to us that, were the motive, of this d ass of petitioners pure as they profess to be, an y measure which, without setting up a tyranny over (which this bill does not), operated to pro- mscienc mote the removal of ignorance and irreligious training o f the young, would be welcomed, rather than depre iron I cated with all this violence of protestation. What which was seized and destroyed in Chin a had a just claim for compensation. He had travelled much in China, and had conclusion are we to form, then, from the fact that had great intercourse with the people. He had, while so suc h is not the case ? Why this : that the Sunday travelling, experienced less interference on the part of the schowt sstem is viewed and Yused by the dissenting gentleman conelui led by Sir G. STAUNTO 3n was gIN :tionaole. roviso had been intro- der discussion in committee • 'Deflate jurisdiction '•at questions not aen this a v•-•••• - of law should be thus re- ly objec y of a the plan prop 1 as an appel ,n, the na ; anc :ter cla: 111JU Sacred Scriloture w o n o F Even an ad v t would S 0 vvOt roe exc Indeed ate avocati it with th I that steps he ) abolish the evi aimed _alt interest i❑ g towards i by a desire to 3 a strong tendency to s in order to )veihat ety of of opium into China in- Lnsfactures decreased, and the ►J: t ra a t t i t ,i;minished. This was also t(-4tir 3 a court ( It-GEN 3C pl , - -- rates demanded of him pre- so was negat ed by a m 'eed to, and the house then disposed of, and the int of revenue as it pro v from any othersouree )n. gen- iutb, the lb.._ h a t to bring Christianity eivwsation of the entleman, and d upon novv c. with him 1 traffic. I n ot go, onary to ciosok use L., _ aceotigit of the opium the - 14 o d throug «rdil that our elief in al den Ile now ern • t be su ppressed.il ta d sof the e he evi 3 the ev ouhl at A Aare tain way, si 'mild be to prohibit attire of op i um in tlaat tuhe Emperor the to pt down ply improbable, fo r ....rrnit the ,ieCoordhZ Id , . - ,y was put an ent Aber country. an improved morality in China, lice as would check the revival of noble lord thanked the house for, a by replying to tns He could not help that w ,ce to the level of a t the feeling govern 1 mere unfortrnately unpopular in China, and more particularly . bodi inst us amounted to hatred by the smugg' that man that Lord Athleywou x ho W( .s, rather as a normal system for the I farilit fore portunitie s elsewhere to embrace the teachir popsy of of proselytism of the young of other persuasions, who z of the dissenting bodies—than one having in view the exten- Ision of religious training, per se ! an end nopoly U. UVIUM, at of India Dwth of the poi tote could be found iu the room of the monopoly of the cultivation of the poppy. That monopoly not only acted as a check upon the produc- HOGG contended that nosub's tion of opium, but its evils were greatly exaggerated. It was quite impossible to put down the smuggling of opium upon a coast so extensive as that of China, otherwise than by legal ising the trade, which he hoped would be done before long by the Chinese government. Lord SA.NDON said that he was quite ready to go on if the house desired it, although at that hour and amid the confu sion which prevailed, it was impossible to do justice to the subject of the debate. He bad heard a great deal on minor points, but had received no assistance on the great question, whether it was possible that our relations with China could coexist with the opium trade. Among other things they had heard was a long speech about the glory of the people who ate but had they not evidence of every kind, evidence not only ; yfrom missionaries, but from persons engaged i n th e o o p n i cultivation of the soil, to the effect that the growers and con sumers of opium were a people generally in the lowest state of degradation ? Then another hon. member had told them that opium was the only stimulant permitted to be used by Mussurmans. He believed, however, that opium -eaters were looked on by their fellow Mussulmans with much scorn and contempt, and that they were no more permitted by their religion to consume it than they were permitted to consume any other intoxicating liquor. But all these, as he said be fore, were minor questions compared with the one great point for consideration. What we wanted was a permanent and peaceful intercourse with 300,0000,000 of people, with whom we might, under certain restrictions, carry on a most profitable and flourishing commercial intercourse. To lose such a golden opportunity would be worth an infinitely greater sacrifice than the sacrifice of the opium trade. For the loss of that trade, if we did relinquish it, we should soon receive more than ample compensation. If we did not relin quish it, if we did not act honestly and manfully, let us not us, cnnnnsin , r that the Chinese would give credit to any shuffling apoiogiZs. uc enlightened people. They read our newspapers, and were acquainted with, our customs, and they were fully aware of how, and by whom, this opium trade was supported. It was time that the Government took steps to redress the evil, and if they did not take such steps upon them must rest the re sponsibility. We must show the people of China that we had no hand in forcing this drug upon them. The Chinese Go vernment had been honest and uniform in its opposition to the introduction of this drug. He could not remain silent and see a question of this nature treated with levity, on which the character of 300,000,000 of people depended. He heartily supported the noble lord's resolution. It was a disgrace to a Christian nation to carry on the opium trade as we had done. He entirely concurred in the opinion expressed by every port and large manufacturing town out of London, that `he existence of the opium trade would make it utterly im ossible that our manufactures could have any considerable - , sion in China, or any permanent reception there. .s hoped that no one would vote on the ques _, woo had not heard the speech of his noble friend Lord Ashley, whose proposition he most warmly supported. Sir R. INGL Sir IC FEEL said it behoved the House of Commons to weigh well the resolutions it adopted upon a subject so im portant a&the present. A resolution was a very different thing from a bill. In the case of a bill the house had many opportunities of expressing its opinions, but in the case of a lotion the whole question was settled by a single vote. ild they, under such circumstances, at once decide that no poppy should be grown in India, when, by so doing, they would be only throwing the trade into the hands of the in habitants of the Manilla Islands, and find even there that the trade would be mainly conducted by means of British capital. It was far better to leave the matter in the hands of Sir Henry Pottinger, who was negociating with the Em peror of China upon the subject, while the British Govern- hina, and h even recommended that it shot introduced into Hong-Kong. With respect to putting down growth of the poppy the right honour led that if it was impossible to prevent Auction of opium into India from the neighbouring the monopoly in th t was the opinion of all the authorities on the sub: le best restriction that could be imposed was the ent of this very monopoly. He only called upon ) postpone its judgment by not allowing the ques ut, in order that the whole matte - eft in t the house tion to be to be ruined outri Ye has Virtually these pe- litn,elf witnessed scenes which titioners declare that they would prefer seeing the ,hysical and moral, which had And if he thought the motion neglected children of the factory districts grovelling in the tradein opium he midnight darkness, than see them drawn towards the light " - of scriptural truth by any path which does not lead to their own particular conventicles 1 it is not, by this bill, that the dissenting bodies are to be re stricted in their duties. It is not that the dissenting conscience is to be invaded. But the Church's sphere of usefulness is to be increased ; and hint ire ! It is with sorrow, by the bye, that we learn, from an article in the Liverpool limes—(written most pro bably by Mr. Blackburn, of anti-church-education no toriety, for it contains the worthy doctor's view of the ease as put forth in some resolutions adopted by the Dissenters of Liverpool,) that the Wesleyan Metho dists, firm friends as they are of a similar system of education in our Corporation Schools, are vehemently opposed to the bill of Sir Jomes Graham. We disbe lieve the assertion ; or, at all events, if such opposition exists, we are firmly persuaded that it is based upon a similar want of knowledge as to the provisions of the biil which is displayed by our wise contemporary him self. The Times says, "They, (the Wesleyans,) have no idea of submitting to have the schools which they have supported for so many years, closed by act of Par liament ; of having the children, for whom they have done so much, driven from them by that clause of the act of Parliament which prescribes that no child edu cated in any schools, except those mentioned in the bill, shall he allowed to- work in any factory." Perhaps our contemporary will be kind enough to point our atten tion to "that clause in the act of Parliament" which so urescribes. -We never heard of such, and cannot, for the life of us, Is 1., di. printed bill. We had prepared some remarks upon the debate in the House of Commons, on Tuesday, on the motion of Lord Ashley, upon the subject of the traffic in opium between our East Indian possessions and China. The deficiency of our space, however, entirely pre cludes us from giving them at length ; and we regret it the less, inasmuch as it would be out of our power to convey to our readers more than a very faint idea of the case made out by Lord Ashley and his supporters, in deprecation of this illegal, and indeed piratical traffic, which, for the sake of a paltry Indian revenue of some million of money, debauches the natives en gaged in the opium culture, and cuts off every hope of a peaceful extension of our more legitimate commerce with the people of China. Upon one feature of the debate, however, we cannot forbear remarking. Our noble representative, Lord Sandon, it will be observed, most emphatically and in a tone worthy of a Christian senator, denounced this unholy traffic ; and never, in all that we have seen of his parliamentary career, was the speech of Sir Robert Peel, addressed, with something almost approaching to personality, to his lordship, less worthy of a great statesman than on this occasion. It would have served every useful purpose, towards a member, so little given to initiate or entertain motions embarrassing to govern ment as in Lord Sandon, to hove simply stated the grounds upon which her Majesty's ministers objected to the motion of Lord Ashley. It is seldom, by the bye, that motions merely declaratory of abstract prin ciples are other than embarrassing ; and more seldom still that they are useful. There was something, how ever, peevish and pettish in the tone of the premier on this occasion, which must grieve his most sincere friends to observe, especially directed Co a member of the high standing deservedly possessed by the noble member for Liverpool ; and certain we are, that a perusal of the speech in question is anything but calculated to advance the cause in behalf of which it appears to have been As a whole it is, in sentiment and in argument, perhaps the most utter failure ever made by Sir Robert Peel or any other minister 1 The boon, for which our good neighbours in Man chester S have been praying for years past, is at length about to be conceded. The government of Sir Robert Peel, less hard-hearted than previous governments, has consented to the privilege of bonding foreign pro duce being extended to Manchester; and, from hence forth, the metropolis of the cotton trade will have its custom-house, with a collector, controller, clerks, searchers, landing waiters, and other officers, and be come in fact A mill', in every thing except the pos session of, what have always been considered indis pensible requisites, viz.—the contiguity of water and of shipping. Questionless, such a trivial deficiency can easily be got over. As a condition, however, we observe that it is stipu lated by government—much to the dissatisfaction of our friends in Manchester—that they must themselves disburse to the revenue the cost of their hobby. It will require five thousand pounds sterling, per annum, to furnish even a " skeleton" establishment—to start them, as it were, in their career as an importing and bonding people; and this sum (which the Manchester Guardian considers an extravagant one, but which, if bonding to any extent is to be practised, will have to be doubled and trebled) the Chancellor of the Exche quer, very reasonably, requires to be furnished by the people of Manchester themselves. Of course, there can be no difficulty on this score, when we look at the magnitude of the benefit to be derived—when we con sider the hundreds of thousands of pounds, (in the shape of expenses of cartage, porterage, commission, &c.) to be snatched from the devouring maw of the community of Liverpool. A people, who possess pub lic spirit enough to volunteer the supply of some four or five tons of waste paper weekly, in the shape of anti-corn-law tracts, to the public of the empire, can scarcely be stayed in the realisation of a project, so important as that of converting their town into a depot for the entire produce consumed in the manufacturing districts, for want of the paltry matter of five thousand pounds. The circumstance which puzzles us, in connexion with the subject, is this. It is so long ago as Thurs day last, that the meeting, at which the success of the deputation from Manchester, which has been in com munication with government, was announced to the world; and yet we can thus far discover none of those awful signs which might have been expected to mark the conversion of this great mart of commerce into " a paltry fishing village !" Yesterday, indeed, we ima gined the face of the figure of Britannia upon our town-hall to be a little elongated, as she gazed down upon the " lads of the flags" beneath her. This, how ever, must have been fancy. We have heard of no nettles growing around our docks ; no grass springing in that "place where merchants most do congregate, nothing, in fact, newer than the comet or the nebulous tail which astronomers suppose erroneously must have a head " thereby to hang." We have heard of none of our brokers transporting themselves to the mudfog metropolis, nor of any carters, porters, coopers, genus omne," on the move. The world of Liverpool still goes on, if not " merry as a marriage bell," yet merry as usual; and we ourselves have seldom felt in more excellent humour with all mankind. " et id Perhaps, however, the latter circumstance may arise from the fact that, most unfortunately for us, we are not shareholders in the Liverpool and Manchester Railway—an undertaking which most undoubtedly is ;ht by the change which is about ig place! The Chancellor of the Exchequer, we rve, has not the slightest objection to bonding in Manchester; but, as a sine qud non, the goods to he - ionded must be transhipped into Old Quay fleas, in the same way, Mr. Lingard, the agent of the said Old Quay Company, observes, as they were transhipped before the Liverpool and Manchester Railway had its being ; and, of course, if we were so fortunate as to be railway proprietors, we should be infinitely alarmed for our property ! LOCAL NE 117, been e The British and North American Royal mail steamer the Britannia, Captain Hewitt, sailed from Liverpool on Tues• day, for Halifax and Boston. She carried out between 60 and 70 passengers. She had on freight nearly ?00,000 so- 'ereigns PREFERMENT. — The Rev. John Jackson, 8.A., Graduate and Scholar of St. John's College, Cambridge, and late curate of St. Paul's Church in this town, has been instituted to the valuable living of Dodderhill, with the rectory of Elmbridge, in the county of Worcester, by the lord bishop of that diocese, vacant by the death of the Rev. John Hughes, D.D. riIRENO-MAGNETISM. — Mr. Hall gives his last lecture on this subject this evening. The lecturer brings forward I many curious statements and experiments. PAINTINGS OF ADAM AND EVE. — Thsemagnificent paint gs are still on view, as may be seen from an advertisement. The nutuber of persona who had visited them. since their ar rival in this town up to Saturday night amounted to the ex traordinary number of 10,366. THE WEATHER.—The weather has for the last few days Wednesday was a brilliant day, anable but yesterday the rain fell in torrents the whole day witli 4 ti very brisk wind from the west and north-west. We continue to receive the most favourable accounts of the progress of vegetation from all parts of the country. nkTAL ACClDENT. — Yesterday, an inquest was held be fore the borough coroner on view of the body of Elizabeth Patrickson, who, it appeared, had accidentally fallen from one of the garden walls, at Seacotnbe, to the beach, by which her left ancle was fractured. The accident occurred on the 23d of February, sinbe which time mortification had taken place. Verdict—Accidental death. Suspicious CHARACTER. —Yesterday at the Police court, a man named William Sharrock, who had but been discharged from prison, after serving three months, on the previous day, w a s c harged with having in his possession a quantity of lead, without being able to account satisfactorily for his possession of it. He was committed to the House of Correction for three months. COMMITTALS.—At the Police-court yesterday, two dis orderly girls were committed for trial at the sessions—one for robbing a man named Stanbury, one of the crew of the Virginia packet-ship of one sovereign in gold and three half crowns in silver—the other for robbing a boy belongnig to a flat lying in the Queen's Dock. They both protested their innocence. PATENT.--In the list of patents for March, we notice one granted to Mr. William Laycock, of this town, merchant, for imprcvenients in constructing houses and such-like buildings. This is, we believe, the gentleman who has manufactured the iron residence for the African king now flitting up on the piece of land to the east of the Custom house. COMMITMENT.—On Tuesday last, a boy named Francis Husse was charged, before Mr. Rushton, at the Police court, with having broken the window of a shop in Dale street, and attempted to steal therefrom a piece containing seven silk handkerchiefs. He had previously been three times committed, and twice discharged. He was sentenced to three months' imprisonment. SutctnE.—An inquest was held yesterday on the body of Mary Rearden. From the evidence produced, it appeared that the deceased, who lived in Watkinson's-court, Spading street, had had frequent quarrels with her mother and friends, and that she was not altogether of sound mind. She had more than once threatened to put an end to her existence, which threat she executed on Tuesday last by taking a quan tity of arsenic, which produced death on the following day. Verdict, "Temporary Insanity." . - STEALING COTTON.—Yesterday, at the police-court, two boys were charged before Mr: Rushton with stealing cotton. One of them had forced an iron stanchon from a window of a warehouse in Great Howard-street, and was conveying off a sack of cotton, about ISlbs. The other lad, whose age could not exceed S years, had stolen a quantity from Cromp ton-street. He was banded over to his .mother, a respecta bly dressed person, who promised to be responsible for his future conduct. STEALING A DRESS.—A youth (whose name we did not learn) was yesterday committed for trial by Mr. Rushton, at the police-court, on the charge of having stolen a dress and a shirt from the house of Mrs. Bimson, publican, Scotland road. From the evidence of Martha Large, a servant of the prosecutors, it appeared that she had seen the prisoner coming down stairs, and afterwards found near where he was sitting the gown and shirt, which had been removed from the room up stairs. The prisoner said nothing in defence. THE THEATRE ROYAL V. THE LIVER.—The actions instituted•by the proprietors of the Theatre Royal against Mrs. Honey and Mr. Buckstone, for performing the regular drama at the Liver Theatre, without licence, which were en. tered for trial at our present assizes, were withdrawnon Tues day last, we believe, conditionally. The Liver Theatre, we understand, will in accordance with the conditions close to night until August next : so that for the present at least, litigation on this subject will ease. CALIGRAPHY.—The dispositions of men, say some per sons, are indicated in their writing. The Duke of Welling ton, for instance, makes bold tall letters, significant of daring and ambition ; while th e compac t s tyl e of' Lord Brougham betrays an intellect acute and cogent. Mr. Moore writes a lady hand, from which it is inferred, that gentleness prevails in his mind over more masculine feelings; but here the theory is at fault, for Byron's writing was very like his biographer's. Perhaps, as Lord Chesterfield said, we can write in whatever style we please ; and on looking over some specimens at Mr. Thompson's the other day, we were forcibly struck with the correctness of this observation. Mr. Thomp son's pupils learn in a few lessons to correct the most invete rate habits, and soioe of our friends have had the good sense to profit by his instructions. We would recommend one or two of our correspondents, if they wish us to read their future communications, to lose no time in applying to him. CHARLESTON.—The fast-sailing ship Hibernia, Captain Bunting, arrived here yesterday afternoon from Charleston, after a remarkably short passage of nineteen days, having left that city on the evening of the 17th ult. They had just received the news from England, by the " Great Western," which had taken them " all a-back." The dates from Mo bile are to the 11th, and 10th from New Orleans; a t th e former port a large business has been done in cotton, prices stiff, and tending upwards. Stock on hand (including that on ship-board not cleared) 144,067 bales. Every ship in the port had been engaged, a circumstance which is stated never to have occurred before at the same season of the year. Rates id. The bank was checking on New York 16 per cent. premium. At New Orleans the cotton market had been very animated, and a large business had been trans acted, 6,000 bales sold on t h e Bth. Holders had regained what they had lost on receipt of the steamer's accounts. Middling cotton 5 cent. Exchange (sterling) had advanced, and was in good request at 11 to 2 per cent. premium. Freights dropping, our engagements to Havre are 11 cent. IMPUDENT ROBBERY.—A stout robust looking man, ra ther respectably dressed, named Willcock, was charged at the Police-court, on Tuesday, with felony, under the follow ing circumstances. William May stated that he was a pub lican ; the prisoner came into his house on the previous day and had some gin and ginger beer; there were pietures on the wall of the room in which the prisoner sat. This was in the morning; about noon he was coming up St. James-street, when he met the prisoner, who had in his possession a pic ture now produced, which he recognized, and questioned the prisoner, who threw it down and made off; he also threw out of his pocket a book, which was taken up. The prisoner was stopped by a police-officer. Elizabeth Banbury stated that her husband was a publican, and the prisoner came into his house with a picture in his hand; there was a book in the room in which he sat. The one now produced is it. It is a directory, and cost 6s. 6d. The prisoner said it was his first offence. He was committed to take his trial at the ensuing sessions. DARING RODDERY.—ShortIy after twelve o' c l oc k on t h e night of Saturday week , a couple of scoundrels, wh o h a d their faces blacked and were armed with pistols, entered the toll-house at the Old Swan gate. They threatened to shoot the mister and mistress if they attempted to move or give any alarm. They ransacked the house, and, as it was the night on which the gate-keeper made up his money, they found about £l6, which, with a new suit of black clothes, they carried off with them. A relation of the gat e -k eeper had recently died, and was to be buried on the following day. The clothes bad been ordered for the funeral, and bad never been worn. The robbers left a Macintosh coat behind them. On the same evening, there was a dance or mer r y- ma ki ng a t one of the public-houses adjacent to the Old Swan. During the entertainment, two fellows with blacked faces entered the house and amused the company by singing Jim Crow and sundry other negro songs. As they left the house about twelve o'clock it is supposed that they were the parties who committed the robbery at the toll-house. ARMISTEAD V. CRELLIN.—At the Sheriff's Court, on Wednesday, an inquiry was gone into before the under-shpriff to assess the damages in an action brought for the recovery of a sans of money for services rendered by th e p l a i nt iff, M r. Richard Armistead, of this town, to Miss Ann Crellin, also of this town, in bringing to justice John Orr M'Gill and others, accused some time since of having carried off the said Ann Crellin against her will to Gretna Green. On the action being brought the defendant suffered judgment t o go by de fault, ad m itting that something was due. On this the case came before the sheriff to have the damages assessed. Mr. Atherton appeared for the plaintiff, Mr. James for the de fendant. According to the statement of the plaintiff, when he, Armistead, undertook to assist her in the conduct of the case above alluded to; he received from her a document promising £lOO for his services. This she afterwards re fused to pjty, and the action was hereupon brought for the re covery of the amount. The document was put in, and evi dence tendered to prove the genuineness of the signature. Mr. James pleaded at considerable length in mitigation of damages. After an inquiry which occupied two hours and a half, the jury returned a verdict awarding the claimant £l7. ROBBERY IN STAFFORDSBIBE.--David Harrison and Frances Simpson, two respectably dressed persons, were brought into the Police-court, on Wednesday ; in charge of police-officer 147, by whom they had just been arrested ; and who stated, that having that morning received information of a robbery in Staffordshire, and a description of the parties, he succeeded in arresting the prisoners in Stewart-street. They were about to embark for Philadelphia, in the Potomac, having paid their passage in that vessel t o M essrs . J. an d W. Robinson. On the male prisoner was found a bag containing about £2OO in American and English money, principally gold. A brother of the female prisoner stated, that on Wed nesday last his father had sold a plot of land adjoining his residence, at Grindon, near Leek. The proceeds, about £217, in £lO Bank of England notes and gold, were deposited, for safety, at his brother's house, of which the female pri soner had, the management. Some time on Monday night or Tuesday morning they decamped with the money, and he had traced them to Liverpool. The female prisoner said, that her father presented her with the money. Mr. Rushton directed the officer to take them to the magistrate of Grindon. STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH NORTH WALES.—We are glad to observe that the City of Dublin Steam-packet Company have come to the determination of placing one of their fine vessels on the station between this port and the Menai Bridge. The public will thus have the security of that company's well-earned reputation, that everything will be done that can possibly add to the comfort and safety of the passengers who patronise their steamer. The Erin-go-Brach is a new and very fast vessel, and her accommodations are all that can be wished, both for cabin and deck passengers, as there is a large and airy cabin for the latter below the deck. She is divided into five compartments by wrought- iron water tight bulkheads, which not only prevent any danger from foundering by collision or otherwise, but also add much to the strength of the hull; and, in addition to these great preserva tives to human life, she has a dopot of life-duoys on board sufficient to float 200 persons. Her draft of water is so small that, if she was thrown on a beach, her passengers and crew could walk nut of danger. She will be under the command of Captain George Datil, who has had great experience on the station ; and the comforts of the passengers are to be under the immediate surveillance of a gentleman selected for that especial purpose. SAVAGE A SSAULT.--On Tuesday last, at the Police court, James Finan, who had been remanded from the pre vious day in order to obtain the depositions of the surgeons, was charged with violently assaulting a man named Nl' Kenna, on St. P atr i ck ' s day last. F rom t h e evidence adduced, it appeared that the complainant had on that day, in company with the prisoner anti two other men, been play ing at cards at a public-house in Tithebarn-street ; that the prisoner was the losing party, and wished to play again, but the complainant declined, and went to accompany one of the party home. After parting with him he (M`Kenna) saw the prisoner following him. Whilst in the habit of knocking at the door of the house in which he resided , the prisoner struck hint first with his fist, and afterwards knocked him down with a rod of iron. Finan then took hold of the complainant by the ears, and dashed his head against the causeway, where he was found shortly afterwards in a state of. insensibility. Mr. M'Ardle, and an' assistant to Mr. Cripps, surgeons, stated the nature of the injuries the complainant had re ceived. A slight concussion of the brain had taken place, but it was more probable the injuries resulted from the fall than from the blo w th e person had re ceived. The complain ant, it appeared, had had drink but not in that quantity to produce insensibility. M'Kenna had been unable to attend until Monday in co nsequence of the i n j ur ies he had received. The prisoner denied having struck the complainant with an iron bar, but admitt e d having hit him. though slightly, with his hand. He was committed to take his tri a l at the ensuing sessions, but to be admitted to bail, himself in 150, and two sureties in £2,) each. DEATH FROM BunNima.—Yesterday, an inquest was held on the body of Ellen Connolly, whose clothes had acci dentally taken lire about three weeks ago, since which time she had lingered in great agony. Verdict—Accidental death. THE FUNDS, WEDNESD AN EVENING. Consols have advanced the shade, and are now quoted 97 sellers. For the next account they have been done at 974-. There were good buyers in the market, and the opinion of the public being in favour of the exhibition of a satisfactory revenue account has also given some support to business. Exchequer-bill le ^Q , . t , -1s rule at 68s. to 70s. premium, and 675. to 695. premium ; the higher quotation being for the lid. bills, i , ,cluding those issued for compensation to the claimants under the late for geries, and the lower quotations for the 2d. bills. The anti cipation with respect to the last class of bills is, that if any further reduction in interest is made, it will go below that now current in the March issues, and hence the cause of the difference in their premium. Bank stock is quoted at the high value of 189 for the opening this week ; New Three and-a-half per Cents. closed 102 a to 1, and India Bonds 745. to 775. premium. Some dealings have lately occurred in the shares of the United States Bank, and the Dutch specu lators'are said to be the purchasers, certainly not with the idea of effecting immediate profit from their investment, but regarding them more in the light of a chance security, which in course of time may improve. It does not, however, appear that they are inclined to lay out much capital in the adven ture, since the price paid does not exceed 10s. or lls. for the original £25 share. THEATRE-ROYAL.—Madame Celeste, Mr. Webster, and Mr. Strickland have been delighting the audiences since Monday in some of their popular and amusing dramas. " The Pretty Girls of Stilberg," which has had a great run in London, has been well got up. Mr. Webster gives in it a portrait of Bonaparte, which cannot fail to be recognised as a capital likeness : in fact, he appears as if he had stepped out of some of the French lithographs in which the " little corporal " is depicted. Madame Celeste acts Margot with much archness and vivacity. The most amusing character in the drama is that of a drummer, played by Mr. Strick land. Mr. Shrivall introduced a drinking song in good bac chanalian style. Miss Gardner made a smart little sergeant, and sang a song with her usual ability. " The pretty girls " go through their manoeuvres with remarkable precision. The tableau at the close is very effective. In the " Lover by Proxy," Mr. Webster played Harry Lawless with much gaiety. Mrs. Seymour, as Kate Bromley, created conside rable laughter by her closing address to the house. Madame Simon's Miss Prude was done to the life. Mr. J. Wood overdraws Squib. Mr. Slaiter was amusing enough as Blushinyton s valet. In " Marie Ducange," Mad. Celeste performed in her usual pathetic and graceful manner. The last act of this drama would " melt a rock to tears." The closing scene is one of the most effective on the stage. Mr. L. S. Thompson impersonated Lassells with much earnest ness and ability, but we cannot say we admired his costume. His sky-blue neck ribbon, white gloves, and white jacket, were anything but " shipshape." Mr. Eaton played the French smuggler extremely well. He is very successful in this description of character. Mr. Eaton is evidently a good French scholar. " Foreign Affairs" was produced on Wed nesday. Madame Celeste, Mrs. Clarke, and Mr. Strickland kept the house in one continuous scream of laughter. The acting of the two latter was " excruciatingly droll." It was the broadest of broad farce.—To-night a new drama, called " Sidonia di Molina," will be represented for the first time, with "The Pretty Girls of Stilberg," and Foreign Affairs," for the benefit of Madame Celeste. To-morrow night " The Bastile " will be produced. The house will be closed next week, and re-open on Easter Monday. THE THEATRE ROYAL, THE LIVER, AND THE AMPHI THEATRE.-.-On Wednesday last the solicitors of the Theatre Royal, applied to Mr. Rushton at the Police-court, to exer cise the power vested in him by the New Improvement Act, and to proceed against the parties engaged in, or forwarding, any dramatic entertainments for which admission-money was received.—The solicitor considered that, in accordance with the section of the Act which he read, Mr. Rushton had no power to refuse the application.—Mr. Rushton said he must first require proof.that money was demanded, and that the theatres named were not licensed theatres. The solicitor replied by reading a portion of an Act, that deprived even the Crown and the Lord Chamberlain of the power of grant ing any license, except within the precincts of Westminster, and then only during the residence there of the Sovereign, and argued that they could not be licensed theatres.—Mr. Ellis enquired under what Act the patent of the Theatre Royal was granted, but this was not gone into, as to the proof that money was received, the Act required that the information should be laid on the day the money was taken ; and as this took place at night, he wished Mr. Rushton to forward to the chief constable a written order to apprehend any person connected with the production of the performance. —Mr. Rushton declined to do this, and said they must them selves produce the proof of money being paid.—The solicitor replied, that that would render them liable ; and as the offence was committed at night, it would be difficult to find the Sti pendiary Magistrate . — Mr. Rushton said h e was se ld om out of town, but they must take that risk upon themselves. At present he declined granting their request, on account of other proceedings that were pending against the lessees and other of the minor theatres.—The solicitor then applied on his own behalf, but Mr. Rushton ruled, that he represented the proprietors, though he was not one himself, and it was his (Mr. R.'s) opinion, that the Improvement Act was never intended to apply to such dramatic entertainments as those produced at either the Amphitheatre or the Liver Theatre, but to such as were resorted to by the lowest characters ; and if the present course was persisted in by the Theatre Royal, he would require the Act to be fulfilled to the strictest letter, for he was averse to the proceedings which had been adopted. The application was of course not granted. Yesterday the solicitors renewed their appli cation, and produced the authority which the mayor had granted to Alice Stebbing, of the Amphitheatre. It is to continue in operation until November next, but strictly for bids the production of performances by which a penalty would be incurred. The 2d section of act 10 Geo. 11, chap. 2S, prohibits the exhibition of stage plays without a patent from the crown, or a license from the lord chamberlain ; and the sth section prohibits the grant, except within the pre cincts of Westminster, during the residence of the Sovereign there, and there only. The solicitor then read the 253 d sec tion of the new improvement act, which says—" It shall be lawful for any justice, by order in writing, to authorise the head-constable or superintendent inspector belonging to the pollee force of the borough to enter into any room or house within the said borough for the use of stage plays or dramatic entertainments, or for any public show or exhibition into which admission is obtained by payment of money, and which is not a licensed theatre or room or place appointed by the mayor at any time when the same shall be open for the reception of persons resorting there, and take into cus tody all persons who shall be found therein without lawful excuse. It further enacts that they shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding £2O, or in default to be committed to hard labour to the House of Correction for a time not exceeding two months." The solicitor ably con tended, that as the Mayor had only given a qualified autho rity, and had forbidden the production of play, opera, or farce, by which a penalty was incurred. And that as section 253 of the Improvement Act says, it shall be lawful, he (Mr. Rushton) had no discretion in the matter, if he proved that admission-money had been received, and a play enacted. He then called William Hannay, who statedithat he had visited the Amphitheatre last night ; he paid sixpence for admission, and could define the difference between an opera, a play, and a ballet. A play was produced, it was entitled " The Life of a Woman." It was in three acts, and similar to what was usually represented at other theatres. The solicitor said that anything was a play in which characters were defined by dialogue and action in the usual way. Mr. Rushton said that there was a distinct remedy to en force the law by penalty in such cases, and that he did not consider himself justified in proceeding against those who were unconscious offenders, and subjecting them to the severe penalty of the law or imprisonment to hard labour. It was an infringement on the liberty of the British subject. Many could not afford to go to the higher classes of theatres, and it would deprive the working classes of a rational re creation. The Mayor had granted a qualified liberty to those theatres, and if that was impugned a penalty of £5O could be enforced, and, therefore, he could not interfere. The solicitor said that the process of enforcing penalties were so dilatory as to be almost useless. Mr. Rushton said that that would not induce him to commit hundreds of unoffending persons to punishment. The Mayor had granted a sort of authority and he would not interfere. The solicitor then ap plied for a similar order to be granted against the Sans pareil—a theatre to which, it was stated, the Mayor had given no authority. Mr. Rushton said that this was quite a different case, when Mr. Shuttleworth informed him that the mayor had given notice that he would not suffer this and some other places to remain open after the :31st March last ; but, in consequence of that notice being verbal, the time was extended until the Bth of April (Saturday next). The solicitor pressed on the attention of the magistrate, the 253 d section of the improvement act stating that he thought no discretionary power was vested in him.—Mr. Rushton said that lie would take a few days to consider of it. The solicitor then left the court. MEETING OF THE DOCK COMMITTEE The weekly meeting of the Dock Committee was held yes terday, when the following members were present :—Messrs. Horsfall, Barclay, Holt, Holmes, Middleton Smith, Moly neux, Tobin, Bold, Shand, Ripley, Evans, a Bullev. In the absence of the chairman, Mr. Sands, in London, the chair was taken by Mr. Horsfall, the deputy chairman. The Sub-committee of Works, and the Harbour Masters' Sub-committee, the CHAIRMAN stated, had nothing to report to the general committee. Mr. BOLD called the y attention of the committee to the necessity of additional policemen being stationed on the west side of Prince's Dock, for the purpose of preventing pilfer age. Pilferage was carried on to a great extent : sometimes the thieves actually cut open bales of twist, and escaped behind the sheds so that the policemen on duty could not see them. Ile had spoken to one of the officers, who had informed him that the party behind the shed had an accom plice in Prince's-parade : a string was thrown over the wall, and by that means the property stolen was conveyed away. In one case which had come to his knowledge, a box of cot ton goods had been taken behind the transit sheds, opened, the contents taken, and the hot left. In another instance. a box of soap was taken away altogether. He therefore re commended that an additional officer should be appointed. The CHAIRMitN thought Mr. Bold had made out a cas not for the addition of one officer, but of three or four. It was then resolved that the secretary should write to Mr. Whitty, the head constable, requesting that one or more constables be appointed for the better protection of property upon the west side of Prince's Dock. Mr. BOLD then suggested that all flats which brought goods into the docks for the purpose of being shipped should be subjected to a search, as numerous robberies were com mitted upon the ships, which these flats afforded every op portunity of carrying away without observation. The CHAIRMAN thought the owners of the ships should look after their own property on board the ships in docks. Many additional officers would •be required if all the flats which brought goods into dock were to be searched... Mr. EVANS said such a system would require 500 men, and even with that number there would be great delay. Mr. ItieLEy contended that such a system would not be fair towards the flatmen ; besides there was more theft com mitted by the shipkeepers than by any other class of men. Mr. EVANS.—And there always will be without you get enclosed docks, with warehouses round them. The CHAIRMAN announced that the tables of rates and charges for the new sheds were now published, and they were now in every respect complete. Some financial matters were then disposed of, and th committee separated. ANSWER TO THE ENIGMA IN OUR LAST. None can say that their stock of invention is thin, When it furnishes asses in store ; For two in a verse, and so closely crammed in, No man could in reason ask more, Except 'twas a word to stow two asses in, • And to get it I think I am able— An assassin I've found, and to punish his sin I'd have him hung up in a stable. ATHLONE ELEC TlON. — Contrary to all expectation, Mr. Collett has been returned for this borough. At the close of the poll on Tuesday evening, the numbers were—for Mr. Collett 114; for Mr. Beresford 108. It has been determined upon to run first-class steamers from Brighton to Dieppe and Havre so soon as the Paris and Rouen line opens, which will be on the 3d of next month, being the shortest route to Paris by ninety miles. OUCEIESIATEI INSTITUTION. OPENING OF THE LECTURE HALI On Tuesday evening the beautiful and commodious lec ture-hall of the Collegiate Institution was opened, when the Rev. W. J. Conybeare, the principal, delivered a very argu mentative and convincing lecture on the " connection be- tween true science and revealed religion." At half-past seven precisely the reverend principal, accompanied by the professors of the institution in their college gowns, and several members of the committee, came upod the platform, and were received with the greatest enthusiasm. The Rev. Rector Brooks occupied the chair, and amongst the gentle men about him we noticed the Revs. Dr. Tattershall, H. M`Neile, J. Cordeaux, and F. Barker ; and Messrs. Wm. Potter, Edmund Molyneux, C. Bushell, T. Muncaster, J. Leyland, James Parker, John Grantham, and Wm. Jones. In consequence of the extreme wetness of the night (the weather being even more unfavourable than it was on the day appointed for the opening of :the institution itself) the at tendance was not so numerous as it otherwise would have been. There were probably about a thousand persons pre sent. ; • The Rector introduced the reverend principal by a short address, which he commenced by a congratulation at the opening of the spacious hall in which they were assembled, and in the course of which he stated that there were 508 persons receiving instruction in the day and evening schools, which was indeed a satisfactory progress of the institution. He concluded by saying that the committee had attended Officially at the opening lecture, which they had deemed it right to make of a more general character than the lectures which would succeed it. Mr. Convbeare was then introduced to the meeting, and was received on approaching the desk *ith the warmest applause. Mr. Conybeare began by alluding to the remark made by Mr. Gladstone in his inaugural address, that the great in stitutions of this country have no reason to fear free discus sion, but may well abide the test of scrutiny, and stand the firmer for the investigation. Mr. C. observed that this re mark, true as it is with regard to our political institutions, is still more true of our religion. That we ought not to regret that our lot has not been cast in the ages of mechanical assent; that it was an error to suppose that ignorance in clines men to believe in Christianity. For the ignorant are as likely to disbelieve the true as to believe the marvellous ; and if they receive Christianity, they will probably require it to be in an adultered form. He proceeded to illustrate this by some examples, drawn from the present character of the majority of unbelievers, and showed that the spirit of in vestigation, which accompanies increased knowledge, cannot be dangerous to a religion, founded on evidence, which can answer every question. He proceeded to notice an objection which might be brought, namely, that if increased knowledge be advantage ous to religion, a more intellectual age ought to be a more believing age, which is not always the case. This was an swered by showing how, in particular cases, the decrease of faith has not been the consequence of the increase in know ledge, but has resulted from other causes, as in the case of France, and more generally by the avowal that knowledge cannot give religion ; the utmost it can do is to aid it. Its principal employment, in this aspect, was twofold ; to strengthen the positive evidence of Christianity, and to re move difficulties which might impede its reception. To show how it performed these functions in some of its principal branches, was the object of the lecture. This would be more strikingly evident if we observed the addition made to the evidence of Revelation, since the revival of letters ; and he would therefore begin by noticing the in creased evidence gained during that period by the growth of philological, historical, and critical science. He would ima gine the case of some Christian living 300 years ago, assailed by sceptical objections, in order to show how much we have since gained. He would suppose, for instance, such an ob jector demanding from Luther a reason why, after renoun cing so many old beliefs, he still adhered to his belief in the revealed word of God. He admitted the truth, that in the age of Luther, Christians possessed, as they have in every age, the most important evidence of all, namely, that which the Holy Spirit bears to the faith, in the hearts of all sincere Christians, but showed the need of external evidences in ad dition to this, and went on to show how very insufficient a defence Luther could have given of Christianity (when placed pn the footing of external evidence) compared with that Which it is now in our power to give. Mr. Conyheare proceeded to mention the evidence on which the genuineness of the scriptural books is proved. Ist, —that of successive citation. 2d—the critical evidence from the style and language. 3d—the argument from undesigned coincidences, and gave some examples illustrating the im portant addition which these had received in the last three centuries. He next showed the connexion between the proof of the genuineness and of the truth of the New Testament, proving that when the genuineness was established, the ma terial facts could not be denied, and went on to give a sketch of some of the direct arguments which establish the authen ticity of the scriptural narrative, in order to illustrate the manner in which they had been strengthened by the progress of learning. He gave several detailed examples of this, espe cially of the mode in which modern investigations have esta blished the perfect coincidence of the facts mentioned in scripture with the state of things as represented in foreign and independent accounts. The next subject touched on was the additional proofs of the fulfilment, which have been elicited by the discoveries of modern geographers and travellers; and in connection with the same branch of evidence, Mr. C. mentioned the remark able manner in which the accomplishment of some Prophe cies has been rendered more clear and striking, by a more accurate translation of the original; and instanced particu larly the 53d chapter of Isaiah. Though it could not be expected that our knowledge of Christian doctrines would be increased by an advance in se cular knowledge, yet, in some instances, we had been ena bled by it bett er t o d e f en d those already known to the church. As an example of this was mentioned the confirma tion of trinitarian doctrines, afforded by the laws, which mo dern scholars have established with regard to the usage of the Greek article. From this Mr. Conybeare passed to the connexion of pley •sical science with religion. This must necessarily be less direct, but not yet to be neglected. First, because natural theology, which is the basis of all religion, must rest on it : and, secondly, because it guards us from certain errors which might have prevented our reception of Christianity. For <example, the ancient opponents of the faith referred all - Christ's miracles to magical agency, which our knowledge of the laws of nature renders now impossible. Arid, further, the growth of physical science has led men to beware of some erroneous views concerning the mode in which truth is re vealed in scripture. Formerly it was looked on as given partly to satisfy man's curiosity, and to anticipate the disco veries of science. Such was the idea of those who persecuted Galileo, The danger to faith of such a view was exhibited in the preface to the Jesuit's edition of Newton ; and in more recent times by. some of the ignorant opponents of geo logical science. Mr. Conybeare showed the important con firmation given by this science to the truth of Revelation, since it proves by independent evidence, the creation of ani mals, and of man as.the last.. He concluded with some re .marks on the spirit in which our search for truth ought to be conducted, and on the want of faith evinced by those who Are afraid of its progress. . On the lecturer retiring to his seat he was greeted with ;several rounds of applause. Dr. Tattershall immediately rose, and proposed that the thanks of the meeting be given - to Mr. Conybeare for his interesting and important lecture. "This was seconded by the Rev. Hugh M'Neile, and carried •with acclamation. . . . Mr. M'Neile then. passed a very warm enconium on the rservices rendered to the institution by the worthy chairman, not only on those occasions when the public were aware of ,his presence, but also for his judicious advice and perseve ring labours at the more .private meetings of the committee, :and at other times. This was carried by the meeting with igreat applause without waiting for a seconder. The chairman returned thanks in suitable terms, and the :meeting dispersed, the organ being played whilst the company 'were separating. An Englishman having asked a son of Erin if the roads in. Ireland were good, Patreplied; " Yes, they are so f i ne the t I wo n d er you d o not import some of them into England : let me see, there's the road to love, strewed with roses ; to matrimony through nettles; to ,honour through the camp; to *prison through the . law ; .and to the undertaker's through pil;ysic." " Have you any road to preferment?" said the En glishman. " Yes, faith, we have, but it is the dirtiest ror,d in the kingdom," THE TIDIEST WOMAN IN .THE. WORLD. —Mrs. Baxter's house contained three or four sitting-rooms, yet the kitchen, to the great annoyance .of her hard-worked maid, was the place where she chose to take her meals. Her dining-room .was large and well-furnished; but on entering it you would involuntarily exclaim—" Can this .be an inhabited house ?" for not one sign of. habitation was there. Curtains there were to the windows, certainly, but not put there to be drawn ; for the coldest day in the depth of a Russian winter could never tempt .Mrs. Baxter to see them so treated. There was a comfortable carpet, too ; but, rash visitor, be ware l touch not its sacred.hem, for the last idea ever enter tained by Mrs. Baxter, when she laid it down, was the idea ,of any one walking over it.. Do vou not see that India mat, laid down and across the room, which, and which only is to be so profaned ? There was a fine easy chair, made in the last style of luxury and elegance, which she exultingly told every one cost 14 guineas ; but I wish you could see the clack look she would have bestowed upon any one (sposo not zcepted) who had dared to. remove it from the corner she hid destined to be its abiding place. In short, Mrs. Bax ter's goods, like the Crown jewels, were to be looked at with awe and admiration,. but not to be touched; and thus her poor victim or a husband, more miserable than a traveller in an Arabian desert,.who, if he does not see the element he languishes for, at least is not tantalized, pines in the midst of plenty for the common comforts of life, knowing no rest in his own well-furnished house, but in that blest oblivion— sleep. Came home hungry or thirsty, there was nothing in his larder, Mrs. B ax t er b e i ng much too clean to cook, or allow cooking ; and some excuse would always be found against drawing the strong ale, or opening a bottle of wine. Was he weary, not for worlds durst he seek repose in the inviting arm-chair, or stretch his limbs on the sofa, for he would sully this, and tumble that, and disarrange everything and a lecture from Mrs. Baxter about her household gods (for such they were to her) was a thing in every way to be dreaded.—Ainsworth's Magazine. TREATMENT OP CONVICTS. —An intelligent gentleman has written the following g raphic statement i n re f erence to a fallen divine w hi c h corroborates the Scriptural declaration that " the way of transgressors is hard," and proves that the criminals who were in superior stations arc not for that rea son, shewn any leniency. " Whilst going through the con vict department at Woolwich, one of the inspectors turned to a convict who was engaged in folding some of the articles, and directed him to open one of the blankets. The prisoner seemed disposed to obey with an air of alacrity. He spread the flannel wide, so as to display the stripes introduced as a distinguishing mark, instead of the broad arrow of the Crown. He was attired in the dark brown clothing and long oval hat, worn by the convicts. His jacket tetimed to be quite a new one.: His countenance, though not remarkably prepossessing., was intelligent. He was a man of small size, and without exhibiting hardihood preserved an air of serenity and smiling resignation. Once or twice his lips quivered, as if he were doubtful whether a reply was not essential to one or two of the brief speeches addressed to him--' but answer made he none.' When we had removed from the spot far enough to be out of hearing, my curiosity was roused to ask what of fence that prisoner had committed. A most aggravated for gery,' said the friend who accompanied one that would formerly have been visited with death. It was viewed the more seriously,' continued he, ' from the education of the man, and the high and enviable position which Ile held.' Then who is be?' inquired 1. The reply was, ' Dr. Bailey,' Can that. really be Doctor Bailey,' I exclaimed. It is,' said my friend. Yes, the unhappy being wearing a convict's sombre dress, the fetter on his left ancle, I had seen him who as a distinguished minister of religion had formerly warned his fellow men against the temptations of life ! Y e t h e, happily yielding to their seductive power, was now reduced to sigh— ' Ye cheating vanities, Where are ye now and what is your amount? VexatiOn, disappointment, and remorse.' Pitying the deep degradation I had witnessed, I could have wished that justice had abated her sterd demand. I learned that in a very few days his removal was to take place. He had written to his wife to visit him, but it was very doubtful whether he would not depart before she could arrive. Look ing at his deplorable situation and the melancholy Prospect before him, at that moment I felt all the i mportance of vile solemn admonition—' Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.' Dr. Bailey's case is doubtless a bad one, but if the circumstances connected with hi s former station aggrqvate his crime, how fearfully do they en h ance his pun- COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS. if the Town Council was held sday at eleven o'clock in the forenoon, to 61 The usual monthly meeth on Wed Council Chamber, in the Town Hall FINANCE COMMITTEE. 11 an d The report of this committee set forth that the nil ground adjacent to Islington Market had been purchased le. r purposes connected with the new Assize Courts. The 0 :: flutes embodied a report from the Town-clerk and De 1 1 . ." Town-clerk, expressing an opinion to the effect, that suT_ cient room could be found in the buildings of the new A ss ! -Courts and St. George's Hall for the business of the MaglB trates' Court. Mr. G. H. LAWRENCE, after some remarks on the P u b l. ; chase of the mil!, said the improvements at the Seacom Pier were completed. The cost had been £5,165, end cost of maintenance would be about £5OO a year. The co . T o ' mittee intended, however, immediately to effect similar 101 7 proYements• at George's Pier. Mr. Lawrence moved that the proceedings be confirmed. o f Mr. LLOYD desired to be informed whether the report to the Town-clerk and Deputy Town-clerk, being favourable. _ the Magistrates' Court being held in the new building, tit*, confirmation of the report would decide that it should be so The-TOWN-CLERK said, they had only reported that it t /I s perfectly practicable to procure such accommodation in new building. Pl° the Mr. LLOYD said the courts had been planned to give B , l 3 b acconamodation, and any departure from the plan, we 81 1" a breach of faith with the county. He would ask the TO -- clerk to read Mr. Elmes' report on the subject. 0. fa ith Mr. H. LAWRENCE said there would be no breach with the county. There was ample room, and the difficulty 1. had been to find occupation for all the space at their &W s .% The accommodation would be taken from the Arbi tratto Rooms on the Crown side, where no arbitration rooms mere ever wanted. Mr. EARLE said, Mr. Elmes had constructed the roore% in consequence of interviews with great law men. Mr. E B P spoke of the necessity of space and comfort for the WO . trates. After some explanations fionf *the Town-Clerk, the repo rt of Mr. Elmes was read. It was generally in favour of erect ing the new Daily Courts and Bridewell, and against the the propriation of any portion of St. George's Hall and t" Assize Courts. Sir. S. HOLME spoke at length in favour of building 'te ll courts, and expressed his strong opposition against curtailing the space for the Assize Courts. Mr. Holme concluded.bl moving, as an amendment, that the proceedings be e° l 4 firmed, with the exception of that portion of the r e P ° 't. relative to placing the Local Courts within the area of the Assize Courts, which portion should be r eferred the Local Courts' Committee, to report thereon to t"' Council. Mr. HORNBY expressed his astonishment that any arg,r; meat was necessary to induce the Council to pause ou outlay of so +urge a sum of money when .they had so traT, expenses before them, and no surplus income. If they fief tered upon the expense of building new local courts , t " must resort to a borough rate. he After a lengthened discussion, in the course of whit'" t d Town-clerk gave it as his decided opinion, that the proPosfo, expenditure would be illegal—the Council voted o n t amendment with the following result : For'the Amendment—Messrs. Shand, Isaac Holmes , Fr ei : ton, Edwards, Aikin, Holme, Rae, ROyden, Cooper , I ,,,ig„T e : Lloyd, Parker, Plumpton, Lace, Barclay, Bullet' , Turner, Molyneux, and Evans. Against • the Amendment—Messrs. Shaw, ougb (councillor,) Thornhill, Blackburn, Blundell, North, S. Holmes, Sands, Hornby, Aspinall, .1. Lawrence, Wood, Lawrence, 'Birkett, Bushell, Kilshaw, Parker, G. IL La ‘i rence, Trotman, Platt, Sheppard, Smith, Freme, Holt, Nic° Moon, Sir T. Brancker, and the Mayor. For the amendment, 19 ; g against it, 28 ; rnrity, 9 . Mr. Ilmati urged thegreat necessity which existed for opening Cook-street, and moved that in offering the Que e , li t o Arms for sale, the north side of Cook-street be wide neu the line shown on the plan, and that the purchaser be L e g stricted from. again building over the arch - way ext ern - across the street. Mr. LLOYD seconded the motion. tea A discussion of some length ensued. On its being sta ted as a distinct understanding, that the tenders for' tho 8 ". ° 0 - , property were to come before the council for their decisr to they being not bound to accept the highest tender, u y , ss t decide at their option on the course that may apPea r li t ly likely to conduce to the public convenience, Mr. Hoiru e drew his motion. The proceedings of the Finance Committee were - firmed. WATCH COMMITTEE The proceedings of the Watch Committee was read. i l l ,"11 minutes embodied an order for a return of the names uloc, the constables who had laid informations against P ub is houses, distinguishing such as have gone on this MY plain clothes. • Mr. EARLE wished to know the reason of this order, the motives of the parties who had moved for it ? Mr. LAWRENCE explained that the reason why the retut: was ordered was for the purpose of ascertaining that for men sent out were such as could be depended W u veracity, and would do their duty in a proper manner. THE NEW ASSIZE COURTS. r 01 45 ' A report from Mr. Elmes was read respecting these 03 , t he which are to be proceeded with expedition the mow er ' dis tenders have been received and decided upon. A long t en d cussion ensued, touching the site of the ventilating sbe i tower. It was at length b decided that the ventilating t e ;: t he should be extended to the newly purchased mill, and the' re , shaft should be erected over the site of the latter. r lje port was adopted, embodying the following amendment ,tee r , That it be en instr uc ti on t o th e Co ur ts of Law ,0- to communicate to the architect that the council have l o ' r tli chased the mill near the land of the corporation on the 1 , 1 ,30' side of Shaves-brow ; and that it is desirabl e that the c !',i e llf ating tower should be erected on the site thus prA vt io ve t' whereby the expense of ornamental work that won' attached to an erection on the site of Islington nierl'etoei" be saved': and that the Courts of Law and Finance he se' mittees he instructed to conf er t oge th er , an d to give t" cessary directions to the architect. • o uro On the motion of Mr. ASPINALL, the council adi at halt-past three o'clock to eleven o'clock on the We' of "Wednesday week next. MEETING OF THE BIRKENHEAD COMIVIISSIONERS -------------- The usual monthly meeting of this body Was be ll in Tu,sday evening last. There were very few meM be ith e attendance, probably owing to the unfavourable state ! ) ,,j bf weather a lthe hour of meeting : The chair was ocCtW Mr. J. 1 Cain; tho vice-chair by Mr. Jackson LI." . .IITING AND WATCHING COMMITTEE.„.„ oP The ptot.tedings of this committee were read. Thee tti.j subject of import a n ce was th at o f th e fi re - eng i n e for of the township. (0' Mr. JAC KSON st a t e d th a t At th e l as t mee ti n g of the mod' missioners it was considered desirable that applicatio", e rto „ be made to the various • insurance companies to os — ti ie: whether they would furnish an engine, and in every in ns th e except one there had been a denial,. and that one // 3 , ;IC London Insurance Company, who had sent down c 1 i f, 3.11 00: and plans of different engines to allow them to 08 ; ; ;ecr )t ,; choice. He, (Mr. Jackson) had waited on one of the "" bt V t i when i n London, and told him that he had no clee_or members of the hoard would use their exertions to feitileir the interests of the company by throwing everything r t to be way. He th oug ht th e y h a d ac t e d lib era lly, ar .d oug" supported. He al s o cons id ere d it d e si ra ble that th e ,r oj ev; force should do their duty as policemen as well as fi r th e The terms on w hi c h t h ey were to have the engine scve:y the the committee s h ou ld prov id e an eng i ne -h ouse , a nd - e engine in good order and repair. o's/ After some conversation the report of the conarel ttee ' confirmed. FERIiIES COMMIEE. b The report of this committee was r e ad, from wb,', l e j ,du peared that there had b een an i ncrease o f £255 I s . 1' to ing the last quatConfirmed. 006 Mr. JACKSON then stated that he wished to 1 -o , e o f t w the Corninissioners the propriety of having the duo', iot; i 4 rate office kept separate from other business, as e f t - y 1- t er fered very much to the detriment of the othet as ",..j e be ~1 0 4 at present conducted. He thought it would be' In e ' 4 l o , for Mr. Robinson to take the place of Mr. Hardie,' col s that Mr. Hardman should collect the rates, Mr.. i ' e 4 ,0 dered quite a separate from duty. it ref/ After some remarks the Chairman and othelliitioe agreed that the matter should be referred to the fr° Committee. (te er' The CriArunsAN stated that he had received a le - • io° i o le ft Mr. Walker, tendering his resignation as cono e tio trO b er Several members expressed their regret at the circe, 0 0°,0e as Mr. Walker had been a most valuable and usefai do'' iii of the board, and it was agreed that the high sense commissioners entertained of his services be recoN e joo it d books. Th e Ch a i rman also stated that he cooee oet straightforward and manly conduct on all occasions ,eo their approbation. J f A letter was•then'read by the chairman, whic 3 ,,,ted 0 ' sent to him by Sir Edward Cust, in which it was 5- 6 k ire,' 4l 4 , he applied to them on the part , of . the Rev. Me,' , e irre`,"? Bidstou, who would be injured by the propose"; yr which would run close up to his house, and wishe d ° ,ree a hether there would be an disosition on the P ic ia t ' t iot t commissioners to natke arrangement by which t 'or° of Mr. Gates would be protected. After a short c° e it tee' the matter was referred to the Parliamentary con- 033 The meeting adjourned at a quarter past eight tie e a. tr . COPYRIGHT AcT.—LSaturday, the Ist of 1%4) 01 ' ° le ,,i sl: oo' most importa n t enac t ments ever passe d by the t a nel,r o ,; came into operation. We allude to the CopYrig h bv toms Act, for the protection of English literature 13 11 1 ' o il hibition of the importation of foreign editions e %te. e rir works under any pretext whatever ; and thus. theioy system of piracy and smuggling which has for so r ',. e 3° o io‘ beer, carried on with impunity to the prejuoiee d i e pe r 1- of t" i 56 bookseller, and, in. fact, every artisan engaged in.. ri 0t , 6 11 0 4 of works from the press, will be prevented. It" : ,ille s , ; or t tj haps, generally known that under this statute it I ' l , any person who may purchase reprint copies of Ll „`" ii tli„; r eif,, on the Continent to introduce them into this 0- e: a '" f r any. bookseller is liable to a heavy fine if any of t e e lor e de; editions are found in his possession, being exP i r,., f is So d t • It is understood that all the leading publishing termined to do all in their power to support th e ,'s, • ° enforce the penalties for any infractions commit ted SUDDEN DEATH OF MRS. HON EY.---oLif O f tb o tre C to Tuesday contained a short notice of the death, fi n orit ° , ,, which took place at her residence, No. 149, Regent's Park. on Sunday evening, at eight c''cia°ol:l'elij; the effects of violent i n fl ammat i on, pro d uce d .hi pat 1y , r 3 , , , 16 ., tion in her profession, anti in a manner that r M 01 , 1 1:1, 01 ,,e bled the me l anc h o l y d ecease o f the late M iss ~-s. r e'' regards the very brief period of each lady's i11',,, c 2 ; t 1 g'„d *` o t still bearihg the name of 'Honey the deceased " 0 , er y , i I re ( the title to widowhood during the last fon iv r ir Y s e .a a p r : , oe li d , 4: ; married to a gentleman named Gasten.*.. engagement was at the City of London The , 2 5t11 final appearance there was on :Saturday th e tre ss f ie ce'ho She was the daughter of Mrs. You*, all ac oe „for , e , e r repute, now engaged at the Eagle Saloon• thel he t"„ic , was born on the 6th December, 1817, and t o her 26th year. Early in life she was initiated ' t i,e Oly c° 0 1 ";If trical art,- and was engaged at Sadler's-wells , ,bibit e o,e Victoria, and Surrey Theatres, where she , e , o°, l o derable ability under the name of Laura nen".o ) BS t' age of 16 she formed s matrimonial alliance sv o ' o we , 0 0 who was only two yelrs her elder. The n i s tte r ,,ta g e 4 ill-assorted one, and they parted shortlY il ia r e ag t l;c' Honey was unfortunately drowned in a $ 5 , wast Red" the Thames, in the year 1836. Mrs. 1-I " e f i e d ra t lle " at the New Strand Theatre, in 1833, where! eie gl io sdei ted public notice in the character of Lilias , er th e t be 1 ; $ °, drama of the Loves Y . the Angels, when unde r to or jet .ol o t merit of Mrs. Waylett. Her next renr,ove t be b o i pe ' phi, where she became highly popular ln • r ein 3 ' o rY t pc Cupid, with the late John Reeve. Here Ph° uoy ol f " ° r° seasons. lier next engagement was at th.e„..oce_ # v which theatre she opened in Buckstone'Vseif a! tr eo o r' House; from thence having established h 0 0 0 0 0 4 favourite, she visited nearly all the provine:fe S o t:. great pecuniary advantage and eclat, and S he o'sf .1;11 was lessee of the Nortonfalgate theatre quently been engaged at the Haymarket aol t i er I‘lo l ; h e .d t co theatre she was engaged to appear next E" , ve t b e o tir e ,,lll an actress she belonged to no distinct elessi o ' o e e', o o person, rich contralto voice, and arch h",', success of many of those conimediettas ar b iv as left " are written for a popular favourite. Sh e ,. ren, one ten and the other three years ola . 1 ur . s., * Mr. Gaston has denied this, througl ► " the London papers.