The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-01-30 00:00:00

1 E AN D. THE STATE TRIALS COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, DUBLIN, The Court sat on Monday morning at ten o'clock. Three of the Judges only were in :itendance. We regret to state that Judge Burton's absence was owing to indispo sition. An attempt was made on the part oe traverscrs to suspend the investigation pending the illness of * lunge Burton, but the ehjeol ion was overruled. The first witnesses examined were Thos. Packer, John end Joseph Annesley, all persor:i in the etaployment of Holbrooke, Crow -street, who were questioned in reference to the engraving and printine of the different cards used by the Repeal Association, and the source from which Mr. Holbroolre had received the order. In the course of the day Mr. O'Connell and Mr. Steele left the court for the purpose of attending a Repeal Meet ing at Conciliation Hall. The circumstance having be come known to the Attorney-Generai, the Right Hon. Gentleman very properly insisted on the traversers ap pearing in court. Messengers were accordingly dis patched, and after a short interval, both the traversers resumed their places, and continued to occupy them the remainder of the day. John Ulick Macnamara, examined by Mr. Tomb, Q.C.—I am a shorthand-writer, and was present at a re peal meeting at Tullamoore on the 16th July last ; I arrived there the evening before the meeting; the pro ceedings commenced about two o'clock ; I observed the people coming into Tullamoore as they would have seen coming to a market ; there were great crowds ; I took a note in short-hand of what passed at the meeting, and copied my notes out with the exception of a few senten ces ; my short-hand notes have been destroyed ; I have my transcribed notes here. (Witness produced the tran scribed copies of his notes, and said he saw Mr. D. O'Connell and Mr. Steele at the meeting ; the Rev. Mr. O'Rafferty presided.) Mr. Hatchell—State what the Rev. Mr. O'Rafferty said at that meeting? The witness proceeded to read the following speech : " Fellow-countrymen and brother repealers, the regene rator and liberator of our country has come to pay you a visit. Allow me to tell you that the mighty leader of the Irish people has come to address you; this is the first time we had the honour to see him at a public meeting in the town of Tullareore. I don't say too mech for the people of this locality when I assert that they were at all times the ardent and sincere supporters of every measure introduced by that great man for the benefit of the coun try. He has come to talk to you about r peal. I believe you all know what that means ; he has come to bring back our =dive parliament, to establish a legislature in this country thatwill make thelaws for the benefit of the people; that will respect the rights of the people, and that will give them good government. They have been too long trampled on by the representatives of Saxon authority ; too long have they been trodden down and treated worse than slaves. That great and illustrious man will address you; he will tell you, as he often told others, the gr eat and lasting bles sings that a domestic legislature will bring to this coun try. I return you thanks for the honour you have done me ; for thirty years I have laboured sincerely for the pub lic cause. I have been a supporter according to my hum ble means of every measure introduced for the good of the country, and my exertions shall not be wanting to forward the great cause of repeal." The witness then detailed what was spoken by the Rev. Mr. Spain, Mr. Nolan, Mr. Kcarney, and others, and stated that continually during the speeches the mob uttered cries of " Repeal, repeal. He also gave a long report of Mr. O'Connell's speech. The meeting was held on Sunday, at Tullamore. Mr. Tomb.—State to the jury if you saw any of the inscriptions on these banners what they were. One was " See the conquering hero comes." Another " Breathes there a man with soul so dead Who never to himself bath said — This is my own, my native land. (Laughter.) Mr. Tomb—Any more? Yes—" Ireland, her Parlia ment, or the world in a blaze," and " Cead mille failtha." A Juror—Was the banner on which were the words " Ireland, her Parliament, or the world in a blaze," dis played at the meeting or in the town ? I saw it before the meeting took place, in one of the streets. (To Mr. Tomb.)—There were a great many bands of music there ; the meeting lasted about two hours. Cross-examined by Mr. Hatchell. Q.C.—I arrived in Tullamore on the evening before the meeting : I went to the, market-place before any crowd had gathered ; there was a platform erected for the speakers ; 1 was on it ; I saw one reporter there, and I understood there were others; there was not the least obstruction to my taking notes; the people assembled as if they were coming to a market or a fair; there was a great number of females amongst them, and some children; everything appeared perfectly peaceable, so far as the conduct of the persons there; I do not belong to that part of the country. Mr. Macnamara was then subjected to a severe cross examination from Mr. Hatchell, but his testimony was not shaken. John Sampson Stuart examined by the Attorney-Gene ral—l am a sub-inspector of constabulary ; was stationed at Tullamoore; was there at the great meeting which was held upon the 16th July ; was on duty there ; I looked about the town on that day ; I saw mottos and banners before the meeting was called ; there were a large number of persons in the town ; a great number had come early in the morning, between nine and ten o'clock, but the great body had not come in ; thousands were there at that early hour; I know " High-street = " Tullamoore; I observed banners and mottos in that street, and I took them all down. What mottos or inscriptions did you see ? On the arch in High-street I saw on one side, " the slave master may brandish his whip, but we are determined to be free!" and on the other side I saw, " Beware, phy sical for ce is a dangerous experiment to try on the Irish people —Repeal shall not be put down by the bayonet." Where in Tullamoore is the Roman Catholic Chapel? Opposite the Corn-market, where the meeting was held. Was there any banner or motto in the Chapel ? No. Was there a banner or motto opposite the chapel ? Yes, there was a motto on the archway which extended from one side of the street to the other, opposite the chapel. `'bat mo tto was there. " Ireland, her parliament, or the world in a blaze." On what day of the week was this ? Sunday. And this was opposite the chapel gate? Yes. Did many of the thousands of persons who were assembled pass in that direction ? Yes ; the greater part of them went under that arch. Where was the platform erected ? Exactly opposite the arch. Was there a banner opposite the plat form ? Yes ; stretched along the wall, and on it was in scribed—" Ireland must not he—ought not to be—a serf nation." Was there any motto on the platform ? Yes ; " Nine millions of people are too great to be dragged at the tail of another nation." Mention any other mottos? " See, the conquering hero comes ; " " God save the Queen ; " " Breathes there a man with soul so dead," & c . ; " Repeal ; " " Justice, and prosperity to all creeds and classes." At what hour did the crowds begin to en ter the town in the morning ? The greater number came from ten o'clock to one by the Birr road. Did many bands come into the town that morning? I saw about nine bands, exclusive of the Tullamoore temperance band. Did any horsemen come into Tullamoore that morning ? Yes. Did you observe anything particular in their man ner of coming ? Yes ; the horsemen who arrived by the Birr road came in sections of four—that is, four abreast. Did you observe anything particular with respect to one of these horsemen ? I did. What was it ? One of them wanted to leave and alight at a house before going into the town, and another got indignant at it, and said to him, 4 D—n you, sir, keep your ranks." Did he do so? He did. How many horsemen did you observe there? I counted from seventy to eighty sections of four. That is about three hundred and eighty ? Yes. Did you observe anything particular in the manner of the footmen? They endeavoured to observe the same kind of order as the horsemen, but were not able to do so ; they kept about, the temperance bands, and were forced on by the crowd. Did you observe any persons giving them directions? I did. I observed persons halting them, and appearing to give them orders. When did Mr. O'Connell arrive ? The night before. At what hour did Mr. O'Connell ascend the platform ? At about two o'clock. Did you see any other of the traversers there besides Mr. O'Connell? Yes, that gentleman (pointing to Mr. Steele.) Did you bear Mr. O'Connell speak there ? Yes. Where were you ? I was in a store over the platform, and about 10 or 12 yards from it. Did you take any notes of what Mr. O'Connell said? I took very short notes, indeed. Read what f ou did take ? " Mr. O'Connell commenced by assuring them certainty; solemnly that repeal of the union was now a that he came there that day to announce from the centre of Ireland the certainty of repeal—he could prove from Peel and Wellington themselves, that they knew repeal was certain. But to keep appearances, Peel had made the Queen to say she would not consent, and had told a great :lie to the House of Commons. With respect to Sir Robert Peel's declaration that he would prefer a civil war to granting repeal, I say (said O'Connell) the better day the better deed, he tries the experiment of going to war with the Irish people, and he came there that day to give .Peel a haughty defiance." Did you make any calculation of how many were at the .meeting ? I did. I think there were from 60,000 to 70,000 persons there. How were the bands dressed ? In fancy drosses of white and green. Neale Brown, Esq., R.M., examined by Mr. Napier— am a res:dent magistrate in Tullamoore; I was residing there in July last : I remember Sunday, the 16th of July, the day of the zreat meeting ; I know the part of the town where the church is situated ; my house is not in the neighbourhood of the church, but in the high street of Tullamoore ; saw the people coming into town that day from the western side ; that is the Frankford side of the town ; it was about one o'clock in the morning ; that was the first time I observed them coming in ; there were some in before one o'clock, and some came in about that time ; had not been at church before one o'clock that day ; one o'clock was church hour ; remained from church for the purpose of being in readiness if called on as a magistrate ; when the procession was formed to go to the place of meeting, it turned to the left, and pas sed near the church ; it was about half-past two o'clock ; ( saw Mr. O'Connell and Mr. Sheil—(laughter) and Mr. Steele I mean, who was sitting inside the carriage; had been in the sere of my house when I heard the mu sic coming, I then went to the front, and in about five minutes the carriage passed. The great body of the pro cession passed before I came up ; the people were walk ing about fifteen abreast ; they were walking with regu larity and order : the bands were playinr while the pro cession was passing the church? I afterwards saw people coming leora church through my own field ; that was not their usual way of going home ; the number I saw going this way was about thirty ; they usually went home by the route the procession came; the bands had on what he should call military uniforms, with the exception that they had no belts ; the Roscrea band had shoulder-scales like what cavalry officers wear in undress; another bard had some device in their ceps. I don't know the names of any of the tunes they played; the procession moved in a column of about five abreast. James Johnston examined by Mr. Sergeant Warren— ' head-constable of co nstabular y bel onging to the Sligo es tablishment ; I was at Longford on the twenty -eighth and twen ty-ninth of May last ; there was a l arge repeal meet ing held there on the latter day. As near as I could guess the number assembled was forty or fifty thousand—seve ral of the persons were on horseback ; I should say about one hundred of them, who stationed themselves in front of the platform : the people were led in large bodies, headed by horsemen and priests; they were in many in stances accompanied by bands who were in uniform. There were several banners with mottos of which I took a note. State what those mottos were that you saw ? " Cead Mille Failtha." `, Ireland for the Irish, and the Irish for Ireland." '` Every man who commits a crime gives strength to the ene m y." " B rea thes there a man with soul so dead." " Welcome Ennis brightest star." " Repeal and no separation." "A population of Nile Millions is too great to be dragged at the tail of any other Nation." I saw Mr. O'Connell and Mr Steele at the meeting, accompanied by several other persons whom I don't know ; the first speaker was the Chairman, Count Nugent; he said the Irish would get all they wanted if they attended to their priests;" he also referred to the conduct of the landlords, but I did not take his words: he also said that it was the duty of every Irish man to rally round the standard of repeal; Priest O'Brien was the next speaker ; he said—" This is not a time to give a silent vote; every Irishman must rally round re peal. The loyalty of Ireland is not the loyalty of expe diency. Ireland will be raised again to the dignity of a nation, and cease to be legislated for by those who are ig norant of her condition and hostile to her prosperity." A person named Carberry said, " they ought to join to crush England—this year will close with your parliament in College-green. Your liberator 's prophecies will be fulfilled, we will legislate for ourselves, and make our people happy and contented." Another person spoke, but I don't know his name. The next person who spoke was the Rev. Mr. Gavern, as he took it. He said " Ireland was coerced some years ago." I was told that Bishop Hig gins was the gentleman who next addressed the meeting, but I could not catch what he said. Mr. O'Connell, senior said .—" I can tell von yours is no vain cause"— " we are peaceable"—let them but attack us—then—we stand at their defiance. (The pauses are to denote the emphasis.) I will tell you what they will do—they will take the commission of the peace from your respected supporters ; but an Irish parliament will help us one of those days to punish them in an exemplary manner ; talked of the depressed state at present of the Irish linen trade—and said, we will see that the tempo ralities of Ireland are not all allocated to the church of the minority. I will tell you what repeal would give you— fixity of tenure, I will explain what this is. It would prevent you having any landlord but one that would give you a lease of 21 years. " I'll tell you what the union ' has done for us ; it has carried away nine millions of mo ney from the country that could otherwise be spent in it —hurra ! bravo !) We will not continue under the do mination of the Saxon, (depreciated the English charac ter in a comparison with the Irish.) We will not submit to the Saxon oppressor, and be ground to dust, but (long and expressive emphasis), but were never conquered. Ireland must be Irish.' You will be libet ated from their oppression. ' You are too good not to have the majesty of your nation raised—you must fight for repeal and liberty.' Go home quietly and tell your friends, and when I want you again I will let you know the day." I took no more notes further than the character of the meeting. The court adjourned at a quarter to five o'clock. The Judges took their seats on the bench a few minutes past ten o'clock on Tuesday moraing. Mr. Justice Bur ton was absent fi onp indisposition.—The first witness called was John Maguire, Head Constable of Police at Sligo. He deposed, that he attended the Longford meet ing on Sunday the 28th of May. There were several bands of music there, dressed in military caps. He cal culated the number of persons present to be about 40,000. Some of them came inw the town in military array, led by a person he believed to be a Roman Catho lic Priest. Bishop Higgins was in the same carriage with Mr. O'Connell. Messrs. O'Connell and Steele were the only traversers the witness could identify who attended the meeting. The last sentence of Mr. O'Connell's speech on that occasion was, " Go home quietly, and tell your friends what was said, and when we want them here again, to be ready."—John Jolly, a head constable of police, said he had attended at the Malton meeting, in June last. There was a large procession, about six deep, headed by two persons who seemed to command, carry ing wands, with ribbons attached, in their hands. Mr. O'Connell and Mr. Steele were in the procession. Mr. 0' Connell, in addressing the meeting, said they should have the Union repealed. That they should have Ireland for the Irish, and he defied the English to withhold it, for the Irish were too strong, too virtuous, and too tem perate to be kept in slavery.—Henry Godfrey, a police man, was the next witness. He was examined by Mr. Freeman, in reference to the Baiting-glass meetings in August last, and deposed, that Mr. O'Connell and Mr. Steele were present, and that some violent language was used. An interruption on the part of Mr. Cantwell, during the examination in reference to a leading question, led to an altercation between the counsel on both sides, which terminated by a threat, on the part of the Chief Justice, to have Mr. Cantwell removed on a repetition of such conduct. Nothing interesting was elicited by the cross-examination. Patrick Lennaghan and Mander Hughes, constables, corroborated the testimony of the previous witness, and added, that previous to the meeting he had heard several persons declare " that Mr. Sander's house should be attacked because it was once the scene of blood." Mr. Justice Burton was still absent from indisposi tion on Wednesday. At the opening of the court there was some discussion about a letter written by Mr. Samuel Maunsell to the High Sheriff, couched in very abusive terms, because that functionary had refused him a ticket of admission to the court. 11r. Maunsell apologized through counsel, but did not attend in person whe❑ summoned. The first witness called was James Healy, a constable, who attended the Mullaghmast meeting on the Ist of Oc tober. He calculated that there were 250,000 persons present, and stated that many came preceded by bands in a boisterous manner, driving all before them. Others came in a very regular manner. There were about thirty bands. Some were dressed in uniform and some in dress resembling very much the Hussar bands. Purchased for a penny a printed document, of which several thousands were distributed. Tore up his own copy, but remembered another being purchased by John Donohan, a sub-inspec tor. [The document was understood to be an account of the massacre at Mullaghmast.] Saw a great many per sons who had labels on their hats—" O'Connell's police." —and a piece of timber in their hands, from five to six feet in length. Were they thick ? No, your Lordship, (laughter) quite small, about the size of a cane. The witness proceeded to describe the banners, mottoes, &c., but gave no account of the speeches. Cross-examined— Mingled very much with the crowd, but the only expres sions which be could catch were, " Repeal and Old Ire land," although sent specially from Cork to watch the proceedings. It was a very peaceable assembly so far as he saw. The people were enjoying themselves in tents and other places in peace and quietness. Those who were driving all before them did no mischief. Did not see any of the papers given away for nothing. People were in the habit of attending large meetings for the sale of ballads. There was then a long legal argument as to the admis sibility of ballads or papers sold under such circumstan ces, the counsel for the traversers contending that it ought first to be shown that they had some connexion with them, but the Court ruled unanimously that the document was admissible. The Attorney-General put in the Queen's speech on the prorogation, after another legal argument, observing that he did so because it bad been asserted that it was not her's but that of her ministers—that it was a lie ; and was the language of a fish-woman from Billingsgate. James Irwin, who is connected with the police-force of this town, stated that on the 14th of October last, he saw a number of placards posted in the streets of Liverpool, (O'Connell's address.") He produced a copy. Mr. Charles Vernon, registrar of newspapers, was called to prove the proprietorship of the Pilot, Freeman's Journal, and Nation newspapers. He did so with re spect to the two former, but with respect to the latter, could only say that he received the declaration of the pro prietor of thr Nation newspaper on the 18th of Novem ber, 1842, and saw it signed by a person whom he under stood to be Mr. Duffy, but did not know that gentleman, and could not speak to his handwriting. This was objected to as insufficient. The Chief Justice and Mr. Justice Crampton, in the first instance, seemed to think further evidence of pro prietorship requisite ; but the Attorney-General contend ing that he had done all that was required, they ultimately ruled the proof to be sufficient, Mr. Justice Perrin dis senting. The Lord Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Crampton, and Mr. Justice Pcrrin, took their seats upon the bench at ten o'clock precisely on Thursday. The jurors and tra versers having answered punctually to their names, Mr. M'Evoy Gartlan (agent for Mr. Duffy) applied to the court to grant his client permission to retire until two o'clock, on the ground of Mr. Duffy's illness. The Chief Justice said it was not in the power of the court to make any order upon the subject ; but it was for the Attorney- General to say whether he had any objection to such a course, and whether he would insist on having Mr. Duffy called upon his recognizance. The Attorney-Ge nera l in timated that it was not his intention so to do. He would mot take any notice of Mr. Dufly's absence from co ur t. The proceedings commenced with the reading of docu ments from the N a tion and the Pilot , which gave rise to more legal discussion, and lasted the whole of the day. The court adjourned at five o'clock. The whole of Friday was occupied, like the day before, in reading , from the Nation, Pilot, and Freeman, the va rious passages referred to in the indictment. The crown very properly declined entering into proof of the con nexion of the trav ersers w i t h f ore ign s ympathisers, which would be unnecessary in reference to the general objects of the prosecution, and would have had the effect of in creasing the tedium of an already sufficiently tedious pro ceeding. The case for the crown closed at a quarter -past three o'clock, and Mr. Moore, Q.O , applied to th e court to adjourn till the next morning, .as Mr. Sheil, who was to open the case for the defence, was confined to his bed by illness. The court acceded to the proposal. On Saturday Mr. Sheil delivered his address on behalf of Mr. John O'Connell, and occupied the whole day . ❑ doing so. This speech was in the possession of most, if not all the Dublin journals, prior to its delivery, and was, we are informed, in type, if not published, on Saturday morning. The language of Mr. Shiel was sometimes very touching, but he did ❑ot attempt to grapple with the law so lucidly aid calmly laid dow❑ in the opening address of the Attorney-General. MEETING OF PARLIAMITNT.---THE ROYAL SPEECH. —The Dublin Evening Mail, of Monday, says,—" We can state upon the most authentic grounds that the speech to be delivered by her Majesty at the opening of parlia ment, on the Ist of February, will contain a strong and pointed reference to the state of Ireland—to the organised system of agitation by which its peace has been disturbed, and the safety of the empire endangered ; and to the means adopted by her Majesty to vindicate the laws and main tain the union inviolate." EFFECTS OF THE AGITATION.—The Limerick Chran icte says,—" The Derby estate was put up for sale on Saturday at Master Goold's office. Counsellor James Dwyer was instructed to move, on the part of the Head family, that the sale be adjourned to April, on account of the depreciation of landed property in that riding of the county of Tipperary, from the disturbed state of it. The Master said the state of the country was unfortunately notorious, but he must proceed with the sale. The estate was then set up in the whole and in lots, and adjourned for want of bidders—X3,ooo per annum in fee, with a beautiful residence on the banks of the Shannon. So much for agitation and outrage. If quiet prevailed this fine estate would rneet a ready and remunerative market." ALDERMAN ROE'S " AMNESTY.”—The Corporation of Dublin has received an answer from the Secretary of State for the Home Department, acknowledging the re ceipt of the address to the Throne praying that Her Ma jesty will be graciously pleased to grant an act of amnesty to Mr. O'Connell, and the other gentlemen now on their trial before the Court 'of Queen's Bench on charges of sedition and conspiracy, and stating that on the return of of Her Majesiy to London, a day will be appointed for the reception of the deputation, of which due notice shall be given. Their " reformed" Honours were to meet on Wednesday, for the purpose of taking Sir James Graham's letter into consideration, when a wish was expressed that Sir James should present the petition, in order to save the expense to the City that would be incurred by the state journey of the Lord Mayor. A Ix WOMAN POISONED BY HER HUSBAND AND MO TIIER-IN-LAW.—A poor woman, named Mary Potts, died in the townland of Kilpike, and parish of Seapatrick, three miles from Banbridge, on the 6th inst., after a short illness, and was interred in Dromore on the following day. Suspicion having been excited by the abruptness of the interment, and by a communication made to her brother, to the effect that her death had not resulted from natural disease, the body was exhumed, and an inquest held be fore the county coroner, at Banbridge, on the 11th, after a post mortem examination. The inquest was adjourned till Tuesday last, and the stomach of the deceased in the meantime was submitted to test by eminent chemists in Dublin ; the husband of deceased, John Potts, and his mother, Elizabeth Potts, being committed to Newry Bridewell. The result has been that a verdict of Wilful Murder has been returned against both, on the evidence of a little girl, daughter of the deceased, and of a young woman named Isabella Dickson, and they have been com mitted to Down jail for trial. Potts was proved to have purchased poison in Banbridge about six weeks before, and, on the day of the death of deceased, the little girl saw her grandmother mix some white substance from a paper in deceased's drink. She had been lately confined. Arsenic was found in deceased's stomach.—Belfast Vin dicator. MURDER AND ATTEMPT TO MURDER.—On the night of the 16th instant, a poor man named Peter Donovan was proceeding homeward from Dunmanway market,. when he was attacked by some person or persons, who beat him on de head with stones in a most frightful man ner. He was discovered on the following morning lying on the road side a ghastly corpse, with an extensive wound above his left temple, and otherwise much injured. The constabulary were shortly after on the spot, and had the body conveyed into Dunmanway. Two men have been taken under suspicion of being the perpetrators of the foul deed. The unfortunate man has left a widow and three children.—On the night of the 17th instant, at Dunmanway, a person named Daniel Collins quarrelled with a labourer of his, named John Collins, about nine o'clock, and in an hour after came, with two others, to the labourer's house, forced in the door, put out the light, and dreadfully beat him and his sons with stones on their heads, inflicting on each several cuts of a dangerous na ture. Poor Collins, who is upwards of sixty years of age, has been so maltreated that he now lies in a hopeless condition, and was unable, as also one of his sons, to go before a magistrate. The others escaped with less injury, having got under a bed. Two of the wretches have been lodged in our bridewell, and fully identified.—Cork Con stitution. REPEAL ASSOCIATION.—There was an extremely crowded meeting at the Conciliation Hall on Monday, in consequence of the announcement that Mr. O'Connell would attend, notwithstanding the commencement of the State trials in the Court of Queen's Bench. When the hon. and learned gentleman entered the meeting, about half-past three o'clock, he was greeted with the most en thusiastic cheering. Martin Honan, Esq., ex-mayor of Limerick, filled the chair. A great number of subscrip tions and remittances were announced, including one from Newfoundland. Mr. O'Connell, in the course of his address to the meeting, alluded to the State prosecu tions. He did not, he said, care one pinch of snuff about them. (Cheers and laughter.) And, as he used neither snuff nor tobacco, they might easily estimate the degree of importance he attached to the prosecutions. (Continued cheers.) Mr. O'Connell in the most earnest and impressive manner conjured the people to observe the strictest order, and the most complete tranquillity—to be perfectly inoffensive in their demeanour to those who differed from them. He had heard that some persons during the procession to the court to-day had called upon others to take off their hats. Such conduct as that was most reprehensible and absurd. He (Mr. O'Connell) would not like to be compelled to take off his bat for any man he did not respect ; and the same liberty they claimed for themselves they should extend to others. It would be tyranny to do otherwise. (Hear, hear.) At the close of the proceedings, Mr. O'Connell announced that the repeal rent for the week was £904 19s. sd. (Long con tinued cheering.) Martin Madden, Esq., ex-mayor of Sligo, was called to the chair, and the meeting adjourned. DARING ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE.—On the eve ning of Monday, the Bth inst., as Mr. D. O'Malley, his wife and sister, were on their return from this town to his residence, Windfield-lodge, within three miles of here, they were met on the road below the Charter-house-hill (before coming to which he overtook one of his herds, to whom he was speaking) by two men armed with pistols. Whilst one of them was putting a question or two to Mr. O'Malley, who was driving his car and pony, the other, on the opposite side, pulled a pistol out of his breast, and fired the contents at the above gentlemen. The pony (being a spirited one) plunged, and broke some of the har ness, and the car upset, throwing Mr. O'Malley and his wife into the gripe, immediately upon which the herd knocked down the ruffian who fired. However, his ac complice rushed upon the herd, also presenting a pistol, and the poor man, imagining his master and mistress was killed, ran away. The pony also took fright, but Miss O'Malley was enabled to preserve her seat for two miles. The second assassin, whilst Mr. O'Malley lay prostrate in the gripe, tired his pistol at him, but providentially he escaped both. The screams of Miss O'Malley induced the ruffians to leave their victim, who have as yet evaded detection. The cause assigned for this inhuman act, it appears, is, that Mr. O'Malley some time since took a farm from the Rev. Thomas Goff, from which several families were the previous two years ejected, and shortly after the taking of which 100 of his sheep were killed at night. Mr. O'Malley his since obtained a presentment either off the townlands or parish. Shortly after which he was served with various Rockite notices, desiring him either to give up his claim for the malicious injury alto gether, or at least to have it placed upon the county at large, which he could not attempt to effect till the next assizes. Very strong informations have been sworn, as well by Mr. O'Malley's herd, as by Mr. O'Malley, his wife and sister. Mr. O'Malley has always given employ meet to a great number of labourers, and a kinder family to the poor does not exist.—Roscommon Journal. THE IRISH REBELLION OF 1798.—After the battle of Ross, in 1798, and when the insurgents had taken Wex ford, "The rebels, after causing thirty of their prisoners to be either picketed or shot at the ball door of Scullabogue House, forced the remainder—to the number of one hundred and eighty-four persons, men, women, and children. mostly Protestants—into a barn, when they deliberately consumed the barn, with every living being therein by fire." A Roman Catholic priest—Father Philip Roche—was named by the rebels their commander in-chief. At the battle of Arklow, in 1798, where the rebels had 20,000 men, (of whom 5000 were armed with muskets, and the remainder with formidable long pikes, sustained by three pieces of well-served artillery,) a Roman Catholic priest, named Father Michael Murphy, was killed by a cannon-shot within thirty yards of the British lines, while leading on a furious assault of his men, under which the royal troops quailed and were very nearly routed. At Gorey, which was in the possession of the rebels in 1798, the Protestant Church was sprinkled with the blood of two Protestants, who were ignomini ously massacred therein, after which the rebels destroyed the sacred edifice. In Kildare, the rebels put to death Mr. Crafford, a Protestant, by thrusting a pike upwards through his body, and the n ro as ti ng him before a slow , fire. ONE OF HIS YOUNG CHILDREN WAS ALSO PUT TO DEATH IN A SIMILAR MANNER." Mr. Boyd, an amiable but a Protestant magistrate, had an iron pin thrust through hi* nose, his hands tied behind his back, and he was left fastened to a dunghill until he expired. One Protestant clergyman was bled to death in a pig_ trough, after which the Roman Catholics danced and washed their feet in his blood " Let those whe believe the charge against the Protestants of Ireland of " religious bigotry," for their reluctance to confer political power on a vast number of uneducated and but nominally Chris tianised Roman Catholics, peruse, as the writer has done, pages upon pages of the most disgusting details of human ferocity, and savage fiend-like barbarity, as practised on the Protestants of Ireland in 1641 and 1798, and they will then see that this charge is like other statements relating to Ireland, which, from being unscrupulously as serted and widely propagated, have at length been most erroneously supposed to have some foundation in truth. And let it he remembered that this rebellion arose after the elective franchise had been restored to the Roman Catholics, and a Roman Catholic College had been esta blished by an act of the Irish Parliament at Maynooth, and after the passing of different acts in favour of the Papists, and removing disabilities—whether us regarded the possession of property or the dictates of conscience: Indeed, both the British and Irish Parliaments vied with each other in removing with all practicable prudence the disqualifications under which the Romanists laboured, notwithstanding the experience of the past : but this did not prevent the insurrections of 1798 and of 1803. An examination of the debates in the Irish Parliament will todemonstrate religion so f far a fullytsh it t t penal i t u h fl e uenes laws had political reference conduct and public liberty. THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD. FOREIGN 4- COLONIAL, INTELLIGLAIC AMERICAN. The fine American ship Liberty, Captain Norton, arri ved at this port on Saturday evening last. She left New York on the evening of the 4th instant, and made her passage in twenty-three days. The intelligence from Washington is of some interest. In the Senate, on the 29th ultimo, Mr. Allen brought for ward a number of petitions and memorials, signed ny the citizens of Ohio, including whole brigades of mtlitia, asking the immediate occupation of the Oregon territory. The office of Secretary of State, had been conferred upon Mr. Upshur, and that of Attorney-General upon Mr. Nelson. General Thompson, United States Minister at Mexico, had resigned, but no person had been named as his successor. It is stated that the President intended to nominate Mr. Spencer as Justice of the Supreme Court, vacant by the death of Judge Thompson. The annual state of the affairs of the Bank of the United States, made to the stock holders on the Ist inst., shows that, at that period in 1843, the foreign indebted ness of the hank was 14,744,190 dollers ; while, this year, it was 12.69-1.190 dollars; being a decrease to the amount of 2,132,927 dollars. In the amount of stocks and se curities deposited in Europe there appears, also, a dimi nution of 5.686,887 dollars. The product of this amount was 2,344,987 dollars ; exclusive of charges for interest, commission, &c., to the amount of 205,059 dollars. If the states issuing these stocks had paid the interest on them, and others sustained their credit, the address says they would have proved ample security. The Message of the Governor of the State of New York has been published. It appears that, on the 30th Sep tember last, the state debt had increased, as compared with the same period in 1842. 517.073 dollars. The interest in the repeal question was again reviving. A meeting of the Irish inhabitants was held, in New York, on the 3d instant ; being one, the Herald states, of a series of simultaneous meetings which were to be held the same evening throughout the Union. The intelligence iespecting the state of the cotton crop is confirmatory of that contained in the last advices, and no doubt now remains that the yield will prove short of what was some time since anticipated. The accounts touching this point, which are meagre, will be found in the proper place. Stocks were quiet. In foreign exchange nothing of im portance had been done. The rate on London is quoted at 109 to 1091. In ashes little had been done. Pots are quoted nomi nally, at 4.50., Pearls 5.12 i. Flour was inactive. Ge nesse held at 4.62 i to 4.621. Prime Yellow Beeswax sold at 29 cents. We have but little from Canada. The decision of the home government in favour of Montreal as the seat of the provincial government had been received by the Hibernia. The intelligence was, of course, very upleasing to the citizens of Kingston, and, indeed, of the whole upper province, and petitions, with immense numbers of sig natures, against the removal, were to be forwarded im mediately to this country. A rumour that eleven men had been killed in a riot on the Welland Canal is mentioned in the papers. It is, no doubt, gr, atly exaggerated. NEW SOUTH WALES. Sydney and Port Philip papers have arrived, the date of the former being to the 10th of September, and the latter to the 27th of August. The Legislature was sitting and discussing the propriety of regulating the interest on mo ney by special enactment ; and the appointment of a com mittee to investigate the question of ways and means, in reference to the revenue of the colony, was also spoken of. Business had not revived, and the suggestion is thrown out in the papers, that as English, French, and American vessels are likely to follow up trade in the Pacific, it would be as well to send samples of the goods in the markets to Tahiti for the consideration of the English and French commanders there stationed. Wool was quoted ls. to ls. 4d. per lb. The Sydney Herald thus describes the state of trade at the latest date : " During the week not the slightest improvement had taken place in any of the markets, and the sales effected have been of the most trivial kind. The demand for every description of imported goods has been languid in the ex treme, and a general disposition is evinced to suspend pur chases as much as possible. In fact, every description of business may be said to have come to a stand still. Con fidence being wanted, has completely set aside all specu lation. In monetary affairs the depression is as great as ever, and is likely to be so for some time to come." At Port Philip there was rather more confidence in bu siness. The aborigines are stated to be troublesome to the sheep-farmers ; who, however, if we may credit the accounts we read, hesitate not to avenge as well as pro tect themseves by hunting them down and shooting them. THE QUEEN OF PRUSSIA.—The Prussian Universal Gazette of the 18th instant announces the serious indis position of the Queen of Prussia. The following is the last bulletin published :—Her Majesty the Queen has passed a restless night. Her cough is incessant. Never theless, her malady pursues a regular course, and causes no uneasiness. MADAME CATALINI STILL ALIVE !—Florence, Jan. 9.—The recent account copied by German Journals from the Journal des De'sba?s, respecting the death of the cele brated Angelica Catalani, at her villa near Sinigaglia, proves to be quite erroneous. It appears that, on the contrary, she is at present in her beautiful villa in the neighbourhood of our city, and is in the best state of health that could be expected with reference to her ad vanced age. The report that her husband, M. de Valabre que, died in 1828, is equally untrue. tie is also still alive, and resides here.—Allyemeine Zeilung. ANOTHER DEATH FROM GLANDERS.—A wealthy wine grower at Verzy, in the Aube, named Beuzard, having a glandered horse was a few days ago giving him a drench recommended by the veterinary surgeon, when the gag by which the animal's mouth had been kept open slipped out, and M. Beuzard received a wound in his cheek from one of the teeth of the horse's upper jaw. On the next day his face became dreadfully inflamed, his nostrils ejected a purulent matter similar to that discharged by the glandered horse, his body was covered with gongrenous spots, and every other symptom of the glanders appeared, and in creased in violence until his death, which rapidly ensued. —Galignani's Messenger. BISHOPRICK OF NEW BRUNSWICK.—The bishoprick of New Brunswick will be the next established by the co lonial fund. The colony is equal in extent to one half of England, and is rapidly increasing in population. Sir William Colebrooke has officially expressed his opinion in favour of the see, and the Chief Justice, the Attorney- General, and other leading gentlemen in the colony, are exerting themselves to raise a fund towards the endow ment. The Special Committee, to whom was entrusted the duty of soliciting subscriptions on the same behalf in this country, have estimated the necessary income at £1,200, although they will be prepared to recommend to Her Majesty's Government the appointment of a Bishop as soon as a clear revenue of £l,OOO has been permanently secured. A capital of £30,000 will therefore be required. The sum of £20,000 from the colonial fund will be appro priated to the purpose. A cape of Good Hope shipping list of the 10th of No vember, gives the value of the exports for the quarter ending the 10th of October at £75,625. It appears, of this gross amount Port Elizabeth contributed £32,892. In the general return the leading items were—wool, to the extent of £16,975; wine, £10,403; hides, £16.97-1; and skins, £5,377. The amount of imports at Port Eliza beth for the same period was 26,721 ; but the returns for the whole colony in this 'respect had not yet been pub lished. Attention is called to the opening of a new port called Stanford's Creek, about six hours' sail from Si mon's bay. Captain Stanford had rendered it navigable at his own expense, and though small, it is stated to be one of the safest on the coast. The Colchester had arrived at Table Bay, on her way out to Angra Piquena. Her Ma jesty's ship Bittern, 16 guns, from St Helena, had arrived in Simon's Bay, having captured, off the west coast, Sept. 23, a schooner under Brazilian colours, from which the negroes escaped, and a brigantine, name and nation un known, both of which had been sent into St. Helena for adj udication. MYSTERIOUS DISCOVERY.—A few days ago, as some workmen were employed in demolishing the ruins of a tower of an old manor-house, near the Chapelle-Gaugain, on the confines of the Sarthe, they came on a skeleton, which was recognised as that of a woman. A. chaplet of glass beads was found round the neck, and on two of the fingers were gold rings, one bearing the letters " C.D.8.," and the other, in which was a turquoise, the figure of a turtle, engraved on the gold, with the word " impossible" close to it. The skeleton was in a place only just large enough to hold it. The teeth are in excellent preserva tion, and evidently belonged to a young woman. About 200 years ago this residence belonged to Jacques des Loges, Gentleman to the Chamber of Louis XIII. By a legal process this estate was declared forfeited, but he was subsequently allowed to sell it, and in the act of sale he signed for his wife, whom he declared to be absent, but engaged to produce her ratification within a period of six weeks. This ratification, however, is not to be found amongst the titles of the property, which are otherwise complete. The wife of Jacques des Loges was Cateerine de Broc C.D.B. TRADE OF IRELAND.—At the period of the Union, the exports and imports were valued at £10,000,000; in 1835, they are given at more than £32,000,000 ; and now, in 1843, they may be quoted at £40,000,000: many of the Irish ports, indeed, had no existence in 1800, not even as fishing harbours. The tonnage belonging to the port of Dublin increased by more than sixty-one thousand tons on a period of three years ; Belfast augmented its shipping property by 128,000 tons ; and almost every other outport has more than doubled or trebled its tonnage Since the Union—viz., Limerick, Newry, Wexford, Londonderry, Drogheda, and Sligo ; in fact, on every point of the Irish coast l—Montgornery Martin's Ireland. MITYLENE.—Like Milo and others of the Greek is lands, Mitylene has the achantage of possessing hot springs, and is sometimes resorted to on that account by invalids from the continent. The two principal thertuce are roofed. That on the shore of the beautiful harbour port Jer6 is the better kept and the more frequented. The other, which is not unworthy of a visit, lies further from and to the northward of the town, and is also near the sea-side. The walk to it, by the villages of Morii, Pafla, and Serlidgequev, will please the lover of rural scenery, and will not b e alt oge th er wanting in interest to him who has a fancy for the chiselled though moss-grown stone, whence time and weather have not yet worn away all traces of the masonic craft and its old departed masters. He will have a distant view of the ancient aqueduct. To vary the excursien the townward-bound pedestrian may climb the steep hill, on which a knot of choriates have perched their village of Fhloni—a situation often chosen by the people of this region for the sake of increased se curity against the attacks of the marauder and the mala ria. UNIVERSITY AND CLERICAL NEWS. CAMBRIDGE, JAN. 25. At a congregation just held, the following degrees were conferred : HONORARY M.A.—Earl Nelson, Trinity College ; Lord James de Burgh Browne, Magdalene College ; Hon. Aubrey Richard Spring Rice, Trinity College ; Hugh Seymour, Trinity College ; Thomas Arthur Babington, Trinity College. M.A.—Robert Ainslie, Emmanuel College; Edward Birch, St. John's College ; John Simeon Hiley, St. John's College; John Henry Buck, Christ's College. CHURCH REFORM.—An important letter from the Rev. Dr. Hook, of Leeds, to his parishioners, contains a most important scheme relative to the ecclesiastical superin tendence of the important town of Leeds—a scheme - which involves the sacrifice on the part of Dr. Hook of half his income, and the whole of the patronage which he now en joys. The whole town of Leeds is at present one parish and one vicarage. There are, however, 21 district churches or chapels of ease to the parish church, the ministers to which are appointed by the vicar of the pa rish. Dr. Hook announces that he has been in commu nication with the government and the ecclesiastical corn .missioners on the subject of making all these districts separate parishes, and the clergymen of them independent vicars, responsible only to the same ecclesiastical authori ties as the vicar of the mother church, and receiving all fees and emoluments within their new parishes. A bill i s to be brought into parliament in the ensuing session to effect this important arrangement. The patronages of the new parishes is proposed to be vested in the bishop of the diocese and the ecclesiastical commissioners. Dr. Hook, in consequence of his relinquishment of income, proposes t to o give u a I p ie h r i o s o p e r e n s e e a n r t t r h e e s i p d a e t n i c s e h , e a h nd to or eh w w o hi e i t h h w h las was familylately rebuilt with great magnificence by the liberal contribu tions of the parishioners. It is a grand object in this new plan to free the floors of all the Leeds churches, and to leave them open to the occupation of the poor, while the galleries alone are to contain pews for those who desire to have exclusive seats. SEES OF BANGOR AND ST. .ASAPH.—The tenth annual report of the Bath C'urch of England Lay Association, among other important matters, thus alludes to the pro posed union of these two Welsh dioceses :—" The subject to which we first bent our attention before the opening of parliament, was the threatened union of the ancient dio ceses of Bangor and St. Asaph. Against that most un just and cruel measure we prepared two petitions, in readiness to be presented at the commencement of the session; for that interference we were honoured by the special thanks of the two prelates, and other leading indi viduals in North Wales. These petitions were presented by Lord Kenyon and Sir Robert H. Inglis, Bart. Owing to the disturbed state of the Principality, smarting as it Is, in many places, under poverty and acknowledged evils, it has become more and more imperative on the church to make her voice to be heard on this invasion of her rights. Founded as were the'dioceses of North Wales, long before the arrival of Augustine, even from the very first preaching of Christianity in Britain, they are stand ing memorials of our immediate connexion with the primitive church of these islands. Surely, then, from ,their antiquity they are deserving of that protection which the state fully and freely gives to the endowments of popish and protestant dissent. Limited as are generally the professional incomes of our clergy, they are com paritively lower still in most parts of Wales. Almost the only increase they have comes from the bishop, whose in come (if the fiat of the Ecclesiartical Commissioners be carried out) is to be hereafter circulated in the far wealthier locality of Manchester." LAW INTELLIGENCE. THE GALMOY CASE.— In the Dublin Consistory Court the suit of Lady Galmoy against Lord Galmoy has been dismissed, on the ground that both parties were dis entitled by their own conduct, each having proved the charge against the otter. LORD W. PAGET V. THE EARL OF CARDIGAN.—Mr. Sergeant Channell moved for a rule to show cause why the defendant should not have judgment as in case of a non suit. In support of the present motion, affidavits were made by the defendant, his attorney, Mr. Powell, and the clerks, who bad the conduct of the cause, stating, in the most positive and unqualified terms, that neither he nor they were, directly or indirectly, concerned in procuring the absence of Winter, the principal witness. Rule nisi granted. BREACH OF PROMISE OF MARRIAGE.—On Friday last, at Guildhall, before Mr. Justice Coltman, a case was tried in which a Mrs. Hone sued a man of some property, named Winstone, for damages for a breach of promise of marriage. It appeared, that there was no love between the parties, who were somewhat advanced in life. The plaintiff is in humble circumstances, and several witnesses had heard the defendant promise to make her Mrs. Win stone. In the expectation of the marriage she gave up her school and shop. The defendant, who, it appeared, was determined to have a wife, though his first helpmate was but recently deceased, became acquainted with ano ther widow who possessed some property, and he married her. The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff, damages £2OO. THE WILL FORGERS.—On Monday morning, Messrs. Barber and Fletcher, and Mrs. Dorey, the parties charged with having committed various frauds on the government, and whose case has been so often before the public within the last few weeks, were brought up to the Mansion house, London, before the Lord Mayor, for re-examina tion. Mr. Clarkson (for the prosecution) said he had a new and fourth charge to bring against the prisoners. The learned gentlemen then proceeded to charge them with having obtained the sum of Li ,300 by fraudulent means and false affidavits, which had been paid over to the Com missioners for the reduction of the National Debt. It appeared that a Mr. John Stuart, who had been head vr dener and steward to a Mr. Stroud, a rich gentleman in Great Marlow, Buckinghamshire, bad died in 183 i, leav ing £5l per year in the Long Annuities, and that having no relatives to claim the property, it passed into the hands of the Commissioners for the reduction of the National Debt. The charge against the prisoners was that by false affidavits, fraudulent representations, and the personation by Mrs. Dorey of an alleged sister of the deceased, they succeeded in getting £7OO belonging to him as back in terest, and that they sold what remained of the stock for upwards of £6OO. Another party, named Griffin, was charged with being implicated, by a false affidavit, in the transaction. The parties were to be brought up again on Friday ; the first three to be finally committed. Mrs. Dorey is rather a remarkable person. In 1834 she ap peared before the public as a plaintiff in an action for breach of promise of marriage against the " Rev." Ro bert Taylor, the notorious lecturer on infidelity, in which she obtained a verdict of £250; and one of the principal witnesses was Fletcher. She was then Miss Richards, and was housekeeper at the Rotunda, in Blackfriar's road, where Taylor lectured. She was then considered a person of extraordinary abilities. DEATH OF SIR FRANCIS BURDETT. This melancholy event took place on Tuesday last, at the residence of Sir Francis, in London. The death of Lady Burdett we announced some days ago, and her re mains were removed only on Monday morning for inter ment in the family vault in Wilts. Soon after her lady ship's death it became evident that a very serious impres sion had been made upon the feelings and strength of the deceased baronet. On Monday he appeared much worse, and on the morning of Tuesday, as already stated. he breathed his last, in the presence of his son and the other members of his family. He would, had he lived 48 hours longer, have completed his 74th year. He was a man of very ancient descent, the possessor of an old baronetcy, the owner of a splendid fortune , the re p r esentative of a great county, the head of an honourable family ; a man most carefully educated, of considerable attainments, of great natural endowments, of very popular talents, of gene rous feelings, whatever may be thought of his wisd om an d discretion, of dignified manners , of winning address, in vested with almost every personal advantage and prompted by the most benevolent impulses ; it can occasion there fore no surprise that he should have enjoyed a remarkable degree of popularity. Sir Francis Burdett was born in 1770, and was educated at Westminster School. In 1793 he married Sophia, youngest daughter of Mr. Coutts, the well known banker. In 1796 Sir Francis entered Parlia ment, being elected for Boroughbridge. In the following year he succeeded his grandfather in the baronetcy.° About this period Sir Francis became an earnest reformer. He contested Middlesex three times, but failed, or was unseated. In 1807, Sir Francis first became a candidate for Westminster, and was returned without one shilling expense .. to himself. His popularity was immense. In 1810, Sir Francis was committed to the Tower, by a vote of the House of Commons, for addressing a printed letter to his constituents on the commitment of Mr. Gale Jones. The vote was taken after a long and stormy debate, in the course of which Mr. W. Wynn's celebrated defence of the privileges of the House of Commons was delivered. The " Manchester massacre," in 1819, again brought Sir F. Burdett before his constituents, to whom he addressed a very strongly expressed letter on that unhappy affair. For this he was prosecuted by the government, tried in the King's Bench, found guilty, sentenced to pay a fine of £2,000, and to be imprisoned for three months. In 1837 he ceased to be member for Westminster, and took his place for North Wilts. The circumstances connected with the loss of his seat for the former must be fresh in recol lection. He supported reform up to a certain point, and said he would there take his stand. To proceed beyond that would be revolution—not reform. On his return for North Wiltshire he joined the conservative party, and continued to support them till the c l o se of last . session. REPRNSENTATION OF N ORT H WILTS.-1 he death of Sir F. Burdett occasions a vacancy in the representation of North Wilts ; and a general hope is expressed through out the division that Mr. Sothcron will allow himself to be put in nomination. A requisition will then be presented , to Mr. Ludlow Bruges , to oiler himself for Devizes. W e do r in ton Nev 0 00 t nrs t e ! e x rov i a e n c t tie t3,v.. shold there whether t ld h b e town there a n , opposition blde u oppositionuty e t ol secure.— th c Devizes Gazette. 411•=1,1•40 THE DOWAGER. COUNTESS OF CLARE.—The death of the Dowager Lady Clare took place under the most awful and distressing circumstances. On Tuesday afternoon, her ladyship and her daughter, Lady Isabella Fitzgibbon, were sitting by tire light, when the latter retired to dress for dinner, and was absent about half an hour. On re turning to the drawing-room, her ladyship found that lights had not been brought ; as she entered she observed, Mamma, I have put on your favourite gown," and, receiving no answer, again repeated it, adding, " Mum ma, why don't you answer me ?" Alas on approach ing the fire-place the unhappy daughter found her mother extended on the hearthrug perfectly lifeless.. filer lady ship's grief and amazement are indescribable—indeed, the whole family are weighed down by this sad event. Jan. 30, 1844. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. LIVERPOOL AND MANCHESTER RAILWAY• On Wednesday last, the half-yearly meeting of the ; proprietors in the above railway, was held at the Cotton Sales Room, Exchange-buildings. The chair was occu pied by Charles Lawrence, Esq., Chairman of the Board of Directors. The report was read by Mr. Henry Booth, the treasurer. It appeared that a considerable increase had taken place in the general traffic on the railway during the last half year, owing to a revival of trade and com merce, though its beneficial effects had been in some de gree neutralized by one of those unfortunate contests be tween the Railway Company and the Canal navigation , causing a pecuniary loss to both parties ; that hostile and unprofitable rivalry had, however, been brought to a close The extension line of railway at II unt's Bank, will, Rif; expected, be open in April next, and the directors content• plate charging such advanced rates as will afford them a reasonable return on the capital expended ; they also felt the importance of resting their chief claim for public support on ample accommodation provided at a moderate charge, and in the revisal of fares, on the completion of the extension line, intended to keep that principle its view. The opening of the new railway between Preston and Bolton, in connection with the existing railway from Bolton to Manchester, as stated in the last report, was followed by a severe contest for three months between the competing companies, which terminated in an arrange ment on a principle of mutual concession, such as the circumstances of the case appeared to warrant. The, re port also stated, that though the rates on merchandise had been reduced, owing to the opposition of rival con c, h tl a ie d, i i n n c s r o ea m s e e m o e f a t s r u a r ffi e, c e , o o m n pe t n h s e nt g e e d n f e o r r al th r n e t v r i e v d al uc o . f tion. It appeared from the statement of accounts that the receipts were ; coaching department, .£69,467 2s. 4d., merchandise ditto, £48,412 2s. Ild.• ' coal ditto, £3,211. 19s. 3d. ; total £321,031 4s. 6d. The total expenses were £57,642 10s. 2., leaving a balance or net profit of £63,388 14s. 4d. for the half year ending December 31, 1843, out of which amount the directors recommended dividend of £5 per £lOO share, which, on 12,090 shares, amounted to £60,450, leaving a balance of £2,938 Hs. 4d., to be carried to the account for the next half year, the dividend, however, being chargeable with the income tax. The CHAIRMAN said he hoped the report met with their approbation, and if any gentleman present wished to ask any questions, be should be happy to answer them. Mr. ARNAUD remarked, that with respect to the in crease of the rates on the opening of the extension line, they ought to be as moderate as possible. The CHAIRMAN wished it to be understood that they were not going to make an exorbitant charge, but simply to get a moderate remuneration for their outlay, which would be to the amount of £200,000. The report was then adopted, and it was agreed that powers be given to the directors to carry into effect such arrangements as may be necessary with the company of proprietors of the Manchester, Bolton, and Bury Canal Navigation and Railway, and that they (the directors) be authorized to affix the seal of the company to such instru. ments as might be necessary to carry that object into effect. The four retiring directors—Mr. Chas. Lawrence, Mr. Hardman Earle, Mr. Thos. Sands, and Mr. John Crop per were then proposed for re-election. ... . . . Mr. ALSTON thought that the number of directors might be reduced to twelve, which would be a saving of expense to the shareholders. There were larger under takings with a smaller number of directors. The CHAIRMAN conceived they had no power to alter the number of directors, which was in accordance with the act of Parliament; and if they had, it was hardly worth while, the expense being only trifling. He thought the number not too great, as there was no line of railway, when the amount of traffic was considered, that required more looking after. After some further remarks from Mr. D. HonusoN, Mr. BLAIN, and one or two other gentlemen, the four retiring- directors were re-elected. Thanks having been voted to the Chairman, the meet ing separated. MANCHESTER AND BOLTON RAILWAY COMPANY.-- On Friday, a special general meeting of the company of proprietors of the Manchester, Bolton, and Bury Canal Navigation and Railway Company was held at the Cla rendon-rooms, in this town. James Brancker, Esq., presided. The 11th half-yearly report was read, and also the receipts and disbursements on the railway and the canal, for the half-year ending the 31st of December, from which it appeared that the railway receipts had amounted to £21,042 11s., and the disbursements to £8,084 10s. id., leaving the railway surplus £12,957 Os. 11d. The canal receipts had been £6,987 Os. 64d., and the disbursements £2,957 Ss. 101 d., leaving the canal surplus £4,029 Ils. Sd., which, added to the railway sur plus, and deducting £554 4s. 3d. for interest, rents, and commission, left a net profit for the half-year of £11,432 Bs. 4d. To this was added £1,736 6s. 4d. for half-year's dividend, and the balance from 30th June, making the disposable net proceeds £13,168 14s. Bd. A dividend of £2 per share would amount to £12,402, leaving on hand, including, the dividend on the 120 shares held by the r u d r i p o l al4 dividendScl.; and o f h2e per share to be paid to the proprietors on the Ist of February. In commit tee had pa n accordingly o s the course of the proceedings, the Chairman stated inci dentally that the committee had that morning borrowed £20,000 at: per cent. The agreement of the company with the Liverpool and Manchester Railway Company, giving the latter an interest in the line of the former, was approved and confirmed ; as was the agreement with the Manchester, Bury, and Rossendale Railway Company ; IsyordiXrelered6 and the committee of management were authorised to carry it into effect, and, f or th a t purpose , to obtain par liamentary powers to raise _any sum not exceeding £lOO,OOO. Thanks were then voted to the directors and the chairman, and the meeting separated. RAILWAY TO HUDDERSFIELD.—At a large and influ ential meeting of the inhabitants of Huddersfield, it was resolved unanimously, " that the proposed branch line from the Manchester and Leeds Railway, as laid dowr by that company, is not calculated to benefit the town of Huddersfield, but will be to its decided disadvantage." RAILWAY ACTS.—The applications to parliament in n o p url , j e o r a o t u i o s o t s h r a e n l a i t n e t a o n l y i s rev ex i previous d i y o e g a r s i since o l d B r 3 e s d . the approaching s ess i on f or ra il way ac t s w ill b e more m T ile h s es in e length ; and so confident are the projectors of obtaining their bills, that they have been eager to make contracts, even before the bills are passed, and many of such con tracts have been entered into for the formation of rail ways, at an expense, including stations, of £lO,OOO per mile. A large demand for iron and other railway mate rials must ensue. STATISTICS OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC IN 1833.—An in teresting table, prepared from the returns of the past year, appears in the Railwag Itagazine of Saturday. We have not room for the table, but quote the following results :-- " The number of passengers was 17,255,085 during the past year, upon thirty railways : the total traffic receipts upon forty-four railways for the year, being £4,827,655; making an average earning of £3,076 per mile per annum, which is at the late of £59 per mile per week. If we de duct 40 per cent., £1,931,062, from the total receipts, as working expenses, we shall have, less the passenger duty government (5 per cent. on passenger receipts), £179,662, and income tax, £81,509, leaving the clear sum of £2,635,462 to pay an average dividend per cent. of £4 13s. 101. d. upon the actual amount of capital already expended as per last reports, namely, £56,135,104 ; which, of course, entirely excludes nominal eapital and preference advantages. The traffic receipts for 1843 exceed those of 1812 by at least £170,000, showing an increased average traffic of more than £9,000 per week in favour of 1843. s w p b e i r c i h t y and , perhaps, m ayin a some promising measure argumen taccount f railwayfor rthe pro great desire the public have shown lately for railway invest ments, in consequence of which, and the state of the money market, railway shares have risen to an astonish- of astonish ing price." RAILWAY ACClDENT.—Yesterday evening week, a man named William Beaumont was killed on the Manchester and Sheffield Railway, near Dukenfield. He was walking on the tram-way, when he was knocked down by the engine. NORTH BRITISH RAILWAY.—Since the Midland rail ways, headed by Mr. Hudson, have decided on supporting the North British line, the share list has been rapidly filled up. The proprietors and inhabitants of Hadding ton, who had determined on opposing the passing of a bill for incorporating the company, have agreed to with draw their opposition, an amicable arrangement having been come to to that effect, on the assurance of the pro visional committee of the company to form a branch line to Haddington, simultaneously with the main line. At NEWT! A.VEN EDINBURGH, LEITH, AND was a t hest w a m g ee r ee e kt e i d n ga t o of the bill for the unanimously. petition th e E t to parliament bu rgh in Chamber favour o o u f r o t the l Commerce,ine approved; RAILW AYE / bpThelraacnec in general h irn els; nthboaulLs-:1::tyroel Grantors and yesterday e aL t y i e n r g t ehe o wk f stwhrheeeand and proprietors took and the subscription to the preference shares being more than sufficient to enable the directors to proceed to par liament for both lines, the same was unanimously agreed to. The traffic of goods and passengers on the present line is daily increasing ; but, when the Edinburgh and Glasgow and the North British Railways form their junc tio❑ at the North-bridge, the terminus of the Edinburgh, Leith, and Newhaven, and its branches, there is every reason to expect that this railway will become a yen' profitable undertaking. INCUN!DENTS AND CI:RA TES.—Shortly before the last prorogation abstracts of the num b er an d c l asses o f non resident and resident incumbent s , according to the dio cesan returns fo r th e year 1841 'were presented to the House of Commons. The document relates to resident and non-resident incumbents, to the value of benefices of non-residents, to curates of ;ion-residents, and to assist ant curates of residents. It appears that in the dioceses comprised in the abstract there are 10,987 benefices. The total number of resident incumbents is stated to be 6,699. In t he non-resident list the number of exceptions is 1,85-1, of which 401 are s t a t e d t o b e doi ng d u t y ; t h er e are licences to 965, of which 191 were doing duty, making, the non-resid en t li st amount to 3,73 6 . T he number of non-resident incumbents doing duty is stated to be 1,059. In the second abstract, showing the net value of the bene fices on which the incumbents were non-resident, it seems that returns were made to 3,757, and no return was made as to 1,457, The amounts are set forth in various co lumns. In the third abstract of the number of curates to non-resident incumbents, it is stated that there are 2,711, of which 1077 reside in glebe-houses, and 503 iii . the parish es; t h e d i ff erent st i pen d s are g i ven. A further return is m a d e o f t h e num b er and amount received ba . curates to in cum b en t s w h o res id e en th eir benefi c es , the number of cura t es i s 2 , 032, o f w hi c h 1.493 were li censed.