The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-08-01 00:00:00

Angst 1, IE4B. Eittrature. VARIETIES. man named Mr. Peter Rainsworth Rigby, who paid his addresses to her, and in 1825, they were married and lived together until 1836. Some three years after their marriage, they met, at a dinner party, a gentleman w ho had just returned from the Mauritius, and Mrs. Rig by having, in the course of the evening, asked him if he had ever met Mr. Fox, he replied that he had dined with. Mr. and Mrs. Fox on the day of his leaving for England. This unexpected intelligence, as might be well supposed, produced a most unpleasant feeling in the minds of Mr. and Mrs. Rigby, but they notwithstanding continued to live together until 1836, when Mr. Ri g by d eser t e d M r s. Fox, and went to reside at Liverpool, where he possessed considerable property, Some three years after Mrs. For proceeded to Liverpool, where she discovered that Mr. Rigby had taken unto himself a wife ; and in 1840 he (Mr. Rigby) executed a bond, by which he undertook to give Mrs. Fox £4O a year, to be paid quarterly, pr ov id e d she did not annoy him or his wife in any way. He kept up the payments regularly until about 12 months since. when, without assigning the slightest cause for doing so, he discontinued them, and the consequence was, that Mrs. Fox had been compelled to part with her trinkets and everything she possessed to support herself, and all her ,paeans being now exhausted she was compelled to apply for parochial relief. Mr. Thorndike said that Mr. Fox was not now living. He was killed at the Mauritius in 1834, through the horse in his carriage taking fright. Mr. Norton said that he hoped that now the case was made public the friends of the poor woman would do something for her. The parties then withdrew. POLITICAL MISCELLANY. The Observer of Sunday last says that parliament will not sit beyond the 19th instant. Neither Mr. Cobden nor Mr. Bright voted or spoke with reference to the bill for suspending the Habeas Cor pus Act. RADICAL PURITY. — The late Radical candidate for this borough, Messrs. Bowring and Brook, are being sued for the expenses. Among others, Mr. Dobson of the Bay Horse, has brought an action against a brother spirit sel ler, named Howarth, for "a little bill." Howarth was an agent for Messrs. Bowring and Brooks. Well, to this claim of Dobson's, the following most shabby plea has been put in :—" That the goods, chattels, meat, drink, and cigars, were sold and delivered, found and provided, to enable the defendant to use the same ; and for the pur pose, that defendant should use the same as gifts and re , wards, in corrupting the Electors at the last Election of Members for the borough of Bolton." And this to come after all the protesting, the professions, the loud shoutings of self-approving Liberalism,—the petition against the elected member for " bribery and corruption,"—and the cant of the Radicals that they thanked heaven that they were not as other men were ! No wonder that the poor tool who " did " the Bolton Tinies abandoned his task in despair, and took to costermongering—declaring that the conduct of his erewhile masters " was not worthy of support." And there are electors found in Bolton to trust these men ! Said VI e not right, that the richest of all rich jokes was to hear Bolton Radicalism prate of— " PURITY !"—Bolton Chronicle. THE ORANGEMEN. ' (Fvom the Cambridge Chronicle.) Truth and justice are now bursting through party bar riers, in reference to the Orangemen of England. Who does not remember how these men, whose fault was their over zealous loyalty, were traduced and branded in the palmy days of Whigism ? It was the fashion then with the present official coercionists to pamper sedition and put down loyalty by act of parliament. Loyal Protestant ism was an abomination in the eyes of Mr. O'Connell, and so the Whig ministry directed their parliamentary battery against the Orangemen of Ireland, and placed them, be neath the heels of Popish incendiaries. But the day of revenge has arrived. The Orangemen are now acknow ledged as one of the main-stays of the country. For getting the injuries they have received, they are throwing themselves heartily into the cause of order, and the Times one of their old calumniators, if we recollect aright, is compelled thus to speak of them:— " Of course there is quite a strength and an immense strength on the side of loyalty in Ireland. There is a well disciplined and well-appointed army of 45,000 men, in cluding 10,000 police, worth twice the amount of those very miscellaneous, ill-trained, and ill-officered forces we had in 1791. There are also a million and a half of ' Orangemen,' as superior to the celts in personal courage and strength as they are in loyalty and intelligence. Every Englishman who has had the opportunity of com paring the two classes is persuaded that these million and a half are more than a match for the six or seven millions who claim to monopolise the Irish title and soil." THE BANK ACT OF 1844. The Lords Committee have condemned the working of this act. One novelty, one peculiar feature of the Act of 1844 was, that it tied up the bank issues by a rule drawn from the quantity of bullion in hand. This was a sort of finishing-touch of the great bullionist-statesman. But hear how the practical men of the city—men who under stand what they are talking about—hear how they speak of this last freak of Sir R. Peel. Mr. HORSLEY PALMER thus describes the whole crisis of last autumn—tracing it in a great degree to the absurd restrictions of the Act of 1844:-- " The bank was compelled under the Act of 1844 for cibly to contract, in order to regain its position, and which forced proceeding caused a very severe pressure for the time upon the money market. Extensive suspensions caused a general discredit; and an abstraction of bank notes and coin from circulation to a very material amount, thereby creating a largely increased demand upon the reserve of the bank, which under the Act of 1844 it was found most difficult and indeed impossible to sustain, the amount of the reserve having been reduced on the 23d of October to £2,000,000, including London and the branch banks. Thus situated, notwithstanding that the bank had advanced the rate of interest in August, September, and October to si, 6,7, and even 9 per cent. per annum„ the demand continued to increase until the 25th of Octo ber, when relief was offered by withdrawing the restrictive clause of the Act of 1844, and by which the pressure was immediately relieved, and credit has since been gradually restored. During the whole period, from the middle of April to the day of withdrawing the restrictive clause in the Act of 1844, the foreign exchanges were in favour of this country." Mr. SAMUEL GURNEY and Mr. G. C. GLYNN gave similar testimony. From Liverpool, the following evidence is given : " The state of things immediately previous to the pro mulgation of the government letter of 25th October was perfectly fearful, and, I believe, without precedent in the commercial history of this country. Bills of exchange of the first quality in themselves, and to which this and other banks were willing to add their endorsement, were abso lutely inconvertible into cash ; and it is my firm belief that many houses, who were not merely solvent but able to pay 40s. and 60s. in the pound, must have stopped had the government letter not been issued. Immediately on the issue of that letter the whole difficulty was removed. Not only were our bills available at the Bank of England, but with all the discount brokers ; they were, I may say, eagerly sought for by the country banks. and by private monied parties seeking for investments, at even lower rates than the Branch Bank of England here were willing to discount at. This showed, beyond dispute, I think, that the scarcity of money was artificial, not real, and that the panic was a moral one, caused by the mischievous and whimsical provisions of the Bank Act of 1844, and not by want of confidence in the securities (the bills of exchange) themselves, for the securities remained of course precisely the same after the 25th October as before that date. I have no hesitation in stating that, in my opinion, the letter of 25th October virtually annulled the bill of 1844, and saved the country from an almost universal stoppage of payments, in which the banking department of the Bank of England would have been included." As a general conclusion the Committee thus expresses its own opinion : " Many other statements, authorities, and illustrations might hP given, exemplifying the same principles, and proving the evil consequences or ..u.-. B ..rding them ; but enough has been stated to prove, in the judgment or tlio committee, that the inflexibility of the rule prescribed by the restrictive clauses of the Act of 1844 is indefensible, when equally applied to a state of varying circulation ; and that its enforcement in 1847 was an aggravation of the commercial distress, and was therefore wisely set aside by the authority of the government on the 23rd and 25th of October." Another circumstance to which the committee most properly draw the attention of Parliament is this, that the Act of 1844, having first imposed these absurd shackles on the Bank, next proceeds to set that corporation free from all responsibility, and to encourage it to speculate like any private firm. The result is, that, without stint or remorse, the directors lower their rate of discount when money is abundant, and raise it enormously when money is scarce, thus always exaggerating the existing evil. Hence has resulted this frightful fluctuation : " Mr. Cotton states (3246), that in his commercial ex perience he never knew such a fluctuation in the rate of interest as occurred in 1847. " Your lordships will bear in recollection that the years 1837 and 1839 were years of peculiar pressure. " The following table, extracted from the evidence of Mr. Browne, exhibits the contrast between those years and 1847 : Lowest rate. Highest rate. Difference. 1837 2 1839 1847 He adds—` this does not give an accurate view of what the interest of money, was in 1847, because persons frequently paid a commission which made it amount to 10, 20, and 30 per cent., depending on the time the bill hal to run, and the pressure of money at the moment The commission charged in 1837 and 1839 was by no means to the same extent. The Governor of the Bank states, that on the 23rd of October £225,000 was dis counted by the Bank in the London 'market at rates varying from 51 to 9 per cent.' Afterwards he added, in. reply to the question, whether, within his own experi ence, or within his own knowledge, he was able to refer the committee to any period when the variations in the rate of interest were so considerable as they were during the period to which his evidence applied—' I have no re collection of a period in which the variations in the rata of interest have been so great.' " On Saturday night a man, in a drunken fit, leaped from the upper window of a shop in Whitechapel, his back catching a sign-post in his fall. Although the leap was from a window three stories high, on reaching the ground, he got instantly up, and walked into the shop I He had sustained serious injuries, however, and is now , confined to his bed, scarcely etprd to recover. STAND:rt Oo ,:•,- ',, : i" -- ... -, ..., ~ • ,--' _ ---4 .). .:-% -.. szLn..;.;v: .41: "......_, I STATE OF THE PROVINCES IN GREAT BRITAIN. 3 A PUZZLER.—A few weeks ago, the following persons ccupied a pew in the Baptist Chapel, at Wainsgate, near lebden Bridge, Yorkshire, viz.,—Three mothers, two landmothers, one great-grandmother, two daughters, ne granddaughter, one son, one grandson, and one great . randson. And yet there were only four persons ! To PRESERVE CHERRIES.—Take large ripe morello. berries, weigh them, and to each pound allow a pound of oaf sugar. Stone the cherries (opening them with a harp quill), and save the juice that comes from them in ;he process. As you stone them, throw them into a pan n. tureen, and strew about half the sugar over them, and et them be in it an hour or two after they are all stoned. Chen put them into a preserving kettle with the remainder if the sugar and boil and skim them till the fruit is clear , Erd syrup thick. RELATIVE PROPORTION OF JEWS.—The comparative lumber of Jews to Christians is as follows :—Great Bri tah and Ireland, 1-2,076; Sweden and Norway, 1-5.012 ; 89 gium, 1-2,157 ; France, 1-482 ; Denmark, 1-366 ; li:therlands, 1-61; Austrian dominions, 1-57 ; Russia, including Asiatic Russia, 1-56; in Germany, the propor 'non is 1-90 , but their repartition among the- individual motes varies considerably, for while in the kingdom of ,_ f&T„.. OII Y the proportion is 1-1909, in Brunswick it is 1-180 ; Hanover, l-158 ; in Wurtemburg, 1-149 ; in Baden, i 62 ; Anhalt-Dessau 1-37 ;in Hamburgh, 1 - 22 . In the of Prussia 'the proportion is 1-237 ; in the 'ties and tow ns , 1-26 ; (in Breslau, 1-16.) VALUE OF MINERAL PROPERTY.—MineraI property ? n . the hills, which, when the Monmouthshire canal a nd t tramroads were canstructed, was only worth ss. an eke surface rent, soon increased in value to £l5OO an or more, underground. The area of the Monmouth sir coal field exceeds 89,000 acres, and the various ay e „....of coal that can be profitably worked are said to tabout 50 feet, which produce a gross yield per vi n nearly 73,000 tons. The total quantit ow whichannually is estimated at about 2,200,000 tons; at 150o lch rate there is a sufficient supply left for the next b e . " Years. The net quantity available for export has t 3 .1 estimated at about 3,000,000,000 tons ! Great Bri , 21 13 n0w annually consumes from all her collieries about %MOW tons. 'CEA-WEED BREAD.—Sea-weed bread, or Laver cake, if I °t one of the delicacies, is one of the edible curiosities of the Gower coast. A great sensation was made some years ago, by a st a tement that thousands of the peasantry in the' wild west " of Ireland were obliged, for some months in the year, to live mainly on sea-weed. In Gower and at Swansea sea-weed is rather a popular article of food. Women attend Swansea market with baskets of laver cakes, which are sold at ld. to 2d. each. This weed (Ulm porphyra laciniata) makes an excellent ingredient in sauce for mutton. It is got close to low-water mark; washed well in sea water to free it from sand, then boiled twelve hours, and seasoned with salt. In winter it is onl y necessary to boil it two hours. The weed grows rapidly, except in winter, and is renewed every other spring tide. It is also used in several parts of the Scottish coasts and islands, where it is called sloke or slokum. MOUNTAIN FARMING IN SOUTH WALES.—The farms are of vast extent ; we have seen one which was more , than six miles in length, the farmer's dwelling being at the extreme end, nearest the market town •, the shepherds and their families, who also look after black cattle and PonYs, which are turned out to pasture about the middle or end of May, were stationed in three aged farm-houses . -of the most primitive sort, two or three miles apart, buried near water-courses in the deep shadows of lonely cams, into which sunbeams never penetrate throughout weary winters. The simple people rarely emerge into the every day world except at fairs. The farmer had several thou sand small ragged sheep—true mountain mutton—a number of which are snowed up in deep drifts and lost in winter, but they are wonderfully hardy. One of the adjoining hills bears the expressive name of Drum yr cira, the snowy Ridge." The peasantry live chiefly on oat cakes, cheese, and buitermilk ' • they have so faint an idea `of growing corn or potatoes, that we have seen heaps of manure by the first pla ed icn the water. middle of brooks, to be swept away fresh of idd • DR. CHALMERS IN LONDON.—When Dr. Chalmers first visited London, the hold that he took on the minds of men was unprecedented. It - was a time of strong po litical feeling ; but even that was unheeded, and all parties thronged to hear the Scottish preacher. The very best judges were not prepared for the display that they heard. Canning and Wilberforce went together, and got into a Pew near the door. The elder in attendance stood alone by the pew. Chalmers began in his usual unpromising W ay , by stating a few nearly self-evident propositions, neither in the c h o i ces t language nor in the most impres sive voice. " If this be all," said Canning to his companion, ..` it will n ever d o ." Ch a l mers went on—the shuffling of the conversation gradually subsided. He got into the 111..a.18 of his subj ec t ; hi s weakness became strength, his whole ation was turned into energy ; and, bringing the a volum e of his mind to bear upon it, he poured forth torrent of the most close and conclusive argument, bril, hant with all the exuberance of an imagination which ranged over all nature for illustrations, and yet managed and applied each of them with the same unerring dexterity, as if that single one had been the study of a whole life. " The tartan beats us," said Mr. Canning ; " we have no preaching like that in England." Who would have imagined, when gun-cotton was pro duced by M. Schonbein, and the world was threatened with destruction by being blown up by this terrible explo sive material, that within a few months it should be dis covered to be an excellent styptic for dressing cuts and Wounds ? But so it is. Dissolved in ether, and applied to the severest cut, it forms an adhesive covering of sin gular closeness and adhesiveness, protects the wound, and excludes atmospheric air, or any irritating matter, so that the process of healing is carried on speedily and effectu ally ; and when all is well, the " protectionist," having done its duty, is removed. So also has Dr. Simpson, of Edinburgh, we are informed, similarly applied chloroform and gutta percha! This mixture, in illiquid condition, at - -about the consistence of fine honey, is kept in a phial or bottle, and when an accident of the kind to which we have referred occurs, it is simply poured upon the wound ; the chloroform instantly evaporates, and the gutta percha re mains a perfect, flexible, second skin, over the injured part, preserving it for weeks if necessary, without the need of dressing, bandages, or any other appliance, till . there is no more occasion for this admirable agent. When we call to mind how much human pain will thus be alle viated, how many cures effected where hitherto there have been danger and uncertainty, and how a number of surgi cal operations will be simplified, it may not be considered too much to rank such inventions among the most valua ble that could be discovered and applied for the benefit of mankind.—Literary Gazette. LANCASHIRE GENTLEMEN A HUNDRED YEARS AGO. • — "Gentlemen then lived as they ought to live ;as real gentlemen will ever be found living—in kindliness with their tenants, in open-handed charity towards the poor, and in hospitality towards all friendly corners. There were no grinding bailiffs and land-stewards in those days, to stand betwixt the gentleman and his labourer, or his tenant, to screw up rents, to screw down livings, and to invent and transact all little meaniiesses for so much per annum. Mercenaries of this description were not then Prevalent on our Lancashire estates. The gentleman , transacted his own business ;he met his farmer, or his labo urer , f ace t o f ace . When he did that which was wrong, he was told of it in unmistakable language; or, at any rate, he stood a good chance of being so told. When he did that which was right—which was noble-hearted — he got blessings, no doubt, and made friends who stood by him whilst living, and spoke well of him when dead ; and that is a kind of speaking of which one does not hear over much nowadays. There was no racking up of old tenants ; no rooting out of old cottiers ; no screwing down of servants' or labourers' wages ; no cutting off of allowances, either of the beggar at the door or the visitor at the servants' hall; no grabbing at waste candle-ends and musty cheese-parings. Gentlemen were gentlemen indeed, as ladies were what they pretended to be—loaf givers —dispensers of good. If they lived carefully, they were not mean. If they lived sumptuously, their waste as scattered at home—on the spot whence it was de rived ; and those who toiled to produce it had the benefit of it. The treasure and all the fatness of the land was not carried out of the country, to be wasted and thrown away like dust, in the pride and big babyism of country life, nor in the brothels and gambling hells of London, Paris, or other Babylons of the world.—" Early Days," by Samuel Bamford, Part I. DISTRIBUTION OF CHARITY.—We notice this person [Signora Cuzzoni], whose bones now he in a pauper's grave at Bologna, not from any regard for her, her pur suits, or her memory ; but to inquire whether the distri bution of charity is better regulated now than it was a century ago. We are afraid not. A century since Henry Goldsmith endured the responsibilities of a rector's office 'upon £4O a year. He lived in independence ! With as much per week, Francesca Cuzzoni never had wherewith to satisfy extravagance, and died a beggar. Do we order these things better in 1848 ? The answer is that, much the same as in 1748, we pay philosophers more scurvily than we do flunkies, and Mr. Horsman has shown that there are clergymen whose labours are requited with the ?munificent remuneration of less than a shilling a day— this, too, in a country where a gracefully shameless female dancer receives forty pounds a night for being picturesquely . indecent ! No doubt, a century ago, as in the present Century, individual charity was exercised on sound and Christian principles ; but we doubt whether the last cen tury ever produced such a stupid scandal as has been in One case attempted, and in a second achieved, in this. In the attempt, we refer to the endeavour made to raise a statue in honour of a lawyer who, beyond all of his class, Was famous or infamous for retaining fees when he left undon e the labour for the performance of which the fee cogiven. In the design accomplished, we allude to the that, memorial voted to a man whose only merit was :gat, through bein g lucky. he one morning awoke rich ! it i ne names of a dozen or two of pensioners to be found on 1..T.e civil list would alone suffice to show that charity is misunderstood and abused among us. When foreign teachers of singing, dancing. and other accomplishments, are placed f or th eir li ves on a li st f rom w hi c h a re excluded • s i te of the worthiest sons in England in church and as th , e we inay be forgiven a murmur. These are rewarded Emperor Galba once recompensed a blind minstrel t 2• °had discoursed some most eloquent music. He called e Po or artist to him, and, taking the alms that the peo ple had thrown into his basket, the Emperor put the same into th e: goodr minstrel's hand, with the remark, Take that, • leasf.tit n :it is not th e p eo pl e ' s , b u t m i n e." If some of stt eurttehicselfeabshriitoiens recompensed not so in . sulted, they are, at oampensed With what their na talent may acquire for them they are bidden to rest content. If the requirement fall short of necessity, that whichla lacks will seldom be furnished by the fund which enable s t already over-paid instructor in foreign airs and graces to k .4 eep, not on l y a h orse , b u t a s t a ll f or hi mse lf in dui ep era ousel. As might be expected, the spirit of the disaffected, and ignorant, and rash portions of our large English towns, especially those that are " manufacturing," has become evinced by sundry insubordinate demonstrations. We trust, however, that the generally loyal and manly spirit of the inhabitants of this island will be sufficient to arrest any attempt that may be made to disturb the tranquillity or endanger the lives or the property of any of her ma jesty's subjects. The accounts we have received from Manchester, Leeds, and Birmingham, sufficiently show the excitement alluded to, but it is perfectly clear that the malcontents, though largely mischievous in purpose, are miserably diminutive in numbers, that their attempt at local disorder may easily be crushed, and that the attention of the country need not be thereby withdrawn from the major seditionists in the sister kingdom, who will proba bly require a larger measure of coercion before they be qualled. On Wednesday evening an attempt was made to fire a factory in King-street, Bolton, belonging to Messrs. Pow nall and Lomax, and in consequence of this and other symptoms in other quarters, the Mayor of Manchester addressed a circular to the mill-owners and proprietors of that town, to the effect that as the confederates had de clared " their determination in case of any disturbance to create confusion by attempting the destruction of mills and other property by fire," he and his brother magis trates request they (the owners) will " take all the pre cautions in their power, and especially during the night." The Mayor adds, that though the authorities will ever be ready to afford all the protection within their power, direct protection can only be given by individual watching on the part of the proprietors within and around the building. He concludes by counselling them to dissuade their work people from joining assemblies in the street, and to ap prize them of the injury to their own interests as well as all others that must result from the insane conduct of the clubs, if they be not restrained. Shortly after the issuing of this circular, a fireman in the employ of Messrs. Wat son and Co., Eagle Quay, observed a suspicious-looking man about their premises, and after watching him had him followed by the police. He had thrown away a piece of paper which was found to contain a small quantity of gun powder, and some lucifer matches were found upon him, but he by some means escaped. On Friday morning, a pr ociamation was issued by the magistrates of Manchester, to the effect that illegal clubs had been found in the town ; that large bodies of armed men had assembled, contrary to the public peace; that they would put them down with the co-operation of the well disposed ; that they looked for aid to the great body of the working classes, honest in purpose, and sound in principle, as their faithful allies in upholding that entire security of person and property in which all were inter ested, but which was peculiarly essential to the welfare of those whose subsistence depends upon their daily la bour; that trade, if unmolested, would revive, and that it was the duty of working men to discountenance all illegal associations, to separate themselves from the disturbers of the public peace, and to remain quietly at their lawful occupations, except their services should be required to assist the authorities in repressing attempts for the de struction of property and the creation of disturbance. The proclamation concludes by requesting all persons, in case of disturbance, to go to and remain at their homes, so that they may not be amenable to the consequences of becoming accomplices. Captain Woodford, chief constable, and Captain Shep pard, assistant chief constable, of the Lancashire County Constabulary, have made efficient preparations amongst their corps, for the preservation of the peace, in the event of any attempt at outbreak being made in the country dis tricts. On Friday the town was tranquil. On Wednesday afternoon, at Edinburgh, Mr. Archi bald Walker, and Mr. James Cummings, with some others, were arrested on a charge of a very general charac ter, comprising attendance at illegal public meetings, and for addresses delivered on those occasions of an excit ing nature. The houses of these persons have been searched, and documents of a very suspicious nature have been seized and carried away. An examination of the prisoners took place, but it was of a strictly private cha racter. After the examination, Rankin, Cummings, and Walker were committed to gaol, and the other parties li berated on bail. Bail was offered for the others but re fused. A great demonstration of sympathy is talked of by the more active chartists. At Birmingham, on Tuesday evening, the inhabitants of the Bull Ring were much surprised by the sudden and unexpected appearance of a number of Chartists and Repealers, who had marched in procession from a meeting in the People's Hall, Lovelady-street. The meeting was not called by any public announcement or demonstration, and would seem to have been the result of some secret organization. The numbers have been estimated by some at 2,000 •, others say less ; but there were at least 800 present. On arriving at the Bull Ring they com menced groaning and cheering ; and before leaving, an announcement was made of another meeting. In London, on Tuesday evening, a public meeting of the Irish repealers resident in London took place at the theatre, in Milton-street, Cripplegate, for the purpose of organizing repeal clubs throughout the metropolis, similar to those established in Ireland. Several hundred persons who were unable to gain admission congregated in front of the theatre. The police were on the alert. The chair was taken by Mr. Kenealey. A good deal of seditious language was employed by several of the speakers, so much so that the chairman had to call them to " order" repeatedly ; threatening to adjourn the meeting if such language were not withdrawn, as he was neither desirous of becoming a victim himself in the dock of Newgate, nor any of those around him. The speakers, however, would not be restrained by the advice of the chairman, and the <latter, therefore, adjourned the meeting amidst the most tumultuous uproar. A meeting of Irish Repealers and Chartist sympathisers was held in the Vicar's Croft, Leeds, on Thursday even ing ; but the professional Chartist lecturer, who talked for two hours, uttering only tame things, was listened to by not a very numerous auditory. At Preston, yesterday evening week, a man named Baker, an itinerant Chartist, delivered a sort of harangue, to a congression of chiefly foolish young men, on " the way to national wealth, and the curse of an aristocracy." He dealt in wholesale abuse of all the higher classes of society, and said he was for the annihilation of royalty, &c., &c. ; and thought it would be happy for the people if they had a thorough democracy in place of an over ruling aristocracy. He was not very warmly received. Last Wednesday, a mob of about 400 persons marched through the streets of Bolton, eight or ten abreast, and then, giving groans and cheers, separated. No speeches were delivered, but several of the leaders used military words of command, " Fall in," " Quick march," &c. It is said that torchlight meetings of the Repealers and Chartists are to be held. NORWICH UNION LIFE INSURANCE SOCIETY The members of this society held their annual general meeting, in their offices at Surrey-street, on Thursday, the 29th ult., the recorder, Isaac Jermy, Esq., president, in the chair. _Among the members present were—Major- General Sir R. Harvey, and J. Wright, Esq., vice-presi dents ; the directors, Dr. Evans, T. Steward, Esq., G. Purrant, Esq., J. Neave, Esq., J. H. Barnard, Esq., &c., &c. After having read the resolutions of the former general meeting, the secretary, S. Bignold, Esq., read the adver tisement calling the meeting, and laid before them the following accounts :-Ist. The annual cash account of the receipts and disbursements of the society, from the Ist July, 1846, to the 30th June, 1847. 2d. The account of the capital of the society, as the same stood invested on the 30th June, 1847. 3. The account of the liabilities of the society, as the same stood in life policy contracts, and annuity contracts, on the 30th June, 1847 . 4 th. The society's mortality table, for the thirtieth year, end ing 30th June, 1847. fich. An account of the new busi ness for the last twelve months. The PRESIDENT then rose and said, he was anxious to make some comments on one or two points. Every director, as well as himself, must feel so serious a respon sibility in the administration of the affairs of this extensive society, must at all times render them alive to the inter ests and welfare of the institution. It appeared, on an inspection of the annual balance sheet now before them, that the increase of capital in the year amounted to £97,080, a result, he thought, of a most satisfactory na ture; and although the number of policies issued during the last year was greater than in the preceding year, yet the amount of new business showed a slight decrease. This might be attributable to the distress that had lately prevailed, preventing persons availing themselves as largely as usual of the benefits of life insurance. Another cause to which it might be attributed was the additional caution of the directors, especially by his friend Dr. Evans, in the addition of fresh lives. He considered that although the increase of members might be thus slightly checked, still it would, in the long run, answer well for the prosperity of the office. The society's investments was another point which occupied the greatest attention on the part of the directors. These were improving yearly in soundness, and realised interest. An additional half per cent. on many very extensive investments had been established during the past year, the advantages of which would in due time accrue to the society. In conclusion, Mr. Jermy stated that the directors would be happy to give informa tion on any subject which the members might desire to have explained. Mr. ROBERT HARVEY thought that one unerring proof of the society's increasing prosperity was most apparent in its low rate of mortality. Dr. EVANS was convinced that the great safety of the office depended on the caution exercised in admitting lives, a caution he was ready to assist by all the means in his power. He hoped that it would always be the aim of the directors, to render the society sound and prosperous, by particularity in admitting lives, rather than to court business indiscriminately. Mr. R. STEWARD, of Yarmouth, made some inquiries regarding the accounts which had been read, and stated that the reports of the condition of the society which had been laid before the meeting were, in his opinion, highly satisfactory; considering that 414 policies had been granted during the past year, he thought that considerable pro gress had been made in new business, which would tell well for the prosperity of the office on an examination of the state of its affairs. He had great pleasure in moving, " that the position of the Norwich Union Life Insurance Society, as evidenced by the accounts now read, is very Satisfactory to this meeting, and fully entitles the society to a continuance of that support which it has hitherto re ceived from the public ; and that the best thanks of the members are due to the directors, for their great care and attention to the society's interests at large.' The Rev. J. BAILEY had paid great attention to the proceedings of the day, and placed the greatest reliance in the soundness of the principles on which the society was based. He felt much pleasure in seconding the resolu tion, which was carried unanimously. The PRESIDENT, in acknowledging this vote of confi dence, felt convinced that the directors would continue to do their utmost for the affairs of the society, and urged on THI LIVERPOOId STAND RD. the members the necessity of activity on their part, as the best means.to ensure permanent prosperity to the insti tution. Mr. W. MATCHET would propose the thanks of the members to their secretary, Mr. Bignold, whose explana tions of the affairs had given so much satisfaction to all present. The motion was unanimously carried. Mr. BIGNOLD thanked the members for their good opi nions, and assured them of his best efforts at all times for the furtherance of their interests. He said it was the first year of a quinquiennial series, leading to the next bonus ; and that there was a most satisfactory prospect of a hand some one ; while the low premiums for lives under 45 years of age, was a most important advantage to the mem bers. The meeting then broke up. @rural Altatilanv. On Monday last, a woman was gored to death by a cow, on the Leeds and Bradford Railway. The Birkenhead, Driver and Cyclops, steam-frigates, have received orders for preparation for sea, and were got ready in the short space of sixteen hours. At York assizes, on Thursday, James Bland, a special constable, was found guilty of not assisting in the preven tion of riot and rescue. Sentence deferred. The wheat harvest is general in the neighbourhood of Taunton ; the ears are heavy, and the straw of good qua lity. Barley and oats are fine, and will yield a good crop. The total number of persons who emigrated from the United Kingdom daring the year 1847, was 258,270. The number is twice as great as that of any previous year. A plan is in agitation for conducting sea-water, by means of pipes, on the Brighton Railway, to a vast bath ing reservoir on the south side of London. The Tablet (a Roman Catholic journal) announces that the Hon. Miss Methuen, daughter of Lord Methuen, has become a Roman Catholic. Sarah Stubbs and her sister were last week acquitted at York Assizes of the charge of having killed their father at Harrogate. The Rev. Thomas Wilson, of Bath, has destroyed him self by shooting himself with a pistol. He was only 38 years of age, and his mind had been affected for some weeks. LACE DRESS FOR THE EMPRESS OF RUSSIA.—The Nottingham Review states that a lace dress is now making by Mr. Reckless, of that town, which is intended as a pre sent from her Majesty to the Empress of Russia. Two parrots have been received from South Australia, the first importation of such birds from that country. They are no larger than a canary, and their colours are peculiarly brilliant and various. On Tuesday it was discovered that a letter, containing nearly £600,000, in notes and bills of exchange, had been abstracted while in course of transit through the London Post-office. The result of a long and anxious perusal of the public journals for the last few months is the discovery that six of the leading Chartists and Confederates are named respec tively Duffy, Cuffy, Ruffv, Looney, Mooney, and - Rooney. At the High Court of Justiciary in Edinburgh, William Hetherton, blacksmith, was convicted of culpable homi cide, in causing the death of his wife, by beating and kicking her, and was sentenced to transportation for life. On Saturday the Royal Assent was given by commission to no fewer than seventy public and private Acts of Par liament ! Thus it appears that whatever else England stands in need of, she has no lack of law and taxes. The East-India Company have granted a pension of £lOO per annum, for life, to Lieut. Waghorn, R.N., as an acknowledgment for the services he has rendered the cause of steam communication between this country and India. The Tablet, in a bitter article against education at Ox ford University, quotes the account of the cheering of the ladies under various denominations by the undergraduates at the late commemoration as a proof of the great demo ralisation among the students ! On Sunday week two young men and two young women were overturned in a wherry they were rowing to Kew, which, from the swollen state of the tide and want of ex rience, was unmanageable. All four were drowned , and the bodies of the young women have not been recovered. A boy fell into the Tweed the other day, and was drowning, when a cow in a meadow bellowed loudly, and ran to and fro in so strange a manner that those at hand were attracted to the spot, and the poor little fellow was taken out of the water. He became insensible immediately, and died shortly afterwards. On Saturday Messrs. Bentley obtained an injunction from the Vice-Chancellor to restrain the proprietors of the London Journal from publishing certain numbers of their work containing extracts from Sir E. L. Bulwer's new romance of Harold, the copyright of which they had purchased for £1,600. Manifold symptoms of a revival of trade are manifested among the iron works in Wales. We hear that several of the leading ironmasters have received considerable orders recently, which are now proceeding with much satisfaction and confidence. At Cwmbrain iron works a large order for 1000 tons of rails has been executed within the last three weeks. FOUR LIVES LOST.—On Sunday morning, a wherry, containing two young men and two females, ran aphis, a barge moored on the Middlesex side of the river, near Putney-bridge. The boat immediately upset, and all four were immersed in the river, and carried under the barge. Several boats put off to their assistance, but without any effect. NOVEL WAGER.—Two gentlemen in high life have ar ranged a wager of 1000 guineas, that one of them shall sell one million boxes of lucifer matches in the space of two years, and not sell more than four boxes for one penny, and not exceed more than sixpenny-worth to any one individual ; to commence on the 24th day of July, 1848, at Cork, and finish in Hull, 24th July, 1850. • PRICE OF BREAD IN THE METROPOLIS.—On Thursday the bakers of the west end, and the second-rate ones throughout the metropolis generally, rose the price of the 41b. loaf id. The best bread is now charged 74d. to Bd. ; second quality, 70; some, however, only charge 5Ad. and 6d., weighed on delivery ; good household bread is at sd. The cause of this rudden rise is not stated. THE CHARTIST TRlALS.—Upwards of fifty prisoners were arraigned in batches, at York Assizes, on Friday, for riots, rescue, and drilling, at Bradford and Bingley. Some pleaded guilty, and were discharged on entering into their own recognisances to keep the peace for two years, and to appear for judgment when called upon. Others traversed till next assizes, and one was acquitted. A man named Shearer was brought before the Wake field magistrates, on Monday, charged with a murder which occurred two years ago. The jury, at an inquest on the body, returned a verdict of " Wilful Murder," against Shearer and another man, both of whom ab sconded. The prisoner was remanded, and the case is be ing inquired into. M. Ole Bull, the celebrated Norwegian violinist, is riow working as a journeyman in the manufactory of M. Vuil laume, a Parisian musical instrument maker, in the hope of being enabled to make a violin that shall equal the tones of those made by the celebrated Stradivarius, of Cremona, and for this purpose he has brought from Norway wood more than 200 years old. Her Majesty, as a parting gift to the inhabitants of Brighton, has presented them with the Royal Chapel organ, which was built by Lincoln. It is the intention of the commissioners to put the instrument in the Assembly Room in the Town Hall. The Lord Chamberlain was applied to for the Pavilion clock, but that was refused, and the organ given instead. The Pavilion is completely I dismantled. GUTTA PERCHA.—The importations of this newly-in troduced article of merchandise continue to take place in large quantities. A vessel arrived in the docks from Singapore, has brought 10,902 blocks of gutta percha as a portion of her cargo. The importation of the article tak ing place in blocks renders it applicable for the manufac ture of constables' staves or any other purposes to which it can be applied. MANSLAUGHTER.—OH Monday (last a number of per sons were engaged at hay-making at Messrs. Walkers', the Bower Farm, on the Blackmore Park estate, when some quarrelling took place, a man named Ganderton, who is a Romanist, had been frequently teased on that sub ject. At length he became so exasperated that, being on the top of a rick, he threw his pike at a man named Fisher, and the prongs penetrating his head, he died on the spot.— Worcester Journal. DREADFUL FIRE.—TWO FIREMEN KILLED.—On Fri day morning, about half-past four, a most disastrous fire broke out in the extensive biscuit factory of Messrs. Law ford and Westrupp, New Crane, High-street, Wapping, London, Floor after floor were soon in flames, and when the whole building was in one burning mass, the roof fell in with a fearful crash, burying two firemen, named Peavey and Hancock, and Mackey, the engineer, was also much injured, The Nottingham Journal states that a few days since three men wished to cross the Trent at the Radcliffe Ferry, but as they only possessed 2d. while the fare was ld. each, one of them undertook to swim over the river, while his companions, to whom he entrusted his clothes, crossed in the ferry boat. At first the swimmer seemed likely to at tain the opposite bank with ease, but at length the strength of the current carried him into a deep hole, where he was drowned before assistance could be rendered to him. MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE. —On the 14th ult., as Mr. Thomas Babb, of Caverswall, near Uttoxeter, was return ing home, between eight and nine o'clock, in a gig, w ith his daughter, a little girl five years old, when descending the hill between Bromshall and Loxley, it is supposed his horse, a very spirited one, shied at a bush in the road, and ran up a sloping bank, which overturned the gig, an d threw them out. When found, Mr, Babb was quite dead, with the wheel of the vehicle upon his throat ; but the little girl escaped unhurt. NOVEL DINNER PARTY.—SO favourable has been the opinion entertained by the respectable inhabitants of th e parish of Camberwell of the general conduct of the police force doing duty in that parish, that a subscription was set on foot for the purpose of testifying their approval in some substantial manner. A fund was in a short tiro:: collected, and the sanction of the commissioners having been obtained through the Rev. Mr. Lilly, on Wednesday , 72 constables and serjeants, with Mr. Superintendent Robinson and Inspector Campbell (who were specially invited), sat down to a most substantial dinner. The chair was filled by Mr. Cull, a gentleman of large pro perty in the neighbourhood, with the Rev. Mr. Lilly on his right, and Dr. Flower and Mr. Wilson, the church wardens, and other gentlemen on his left. In the Bankruptcy Court, on Thursday, Mr. Jullien appeared for his last examination. The balance -sheet — with a total of £27,634, showed a lamentable state of affairs, for hardly anything appeared likely to be realised for the benefit of the creditors. The cost for the repair, alteration, and decoration of Drury-lane Theatre, the ex pense of the Grand Opera, and that of the equestrian company, formed a total of £30,584 ; while the receipts for the grand opera were only £9825, and for the Cirque National £5687. Mr. Commissioner Fane censured the course of the bankrupt. Mr. Ju llien said he had offered, before he was made a bankrupt, to pay his creditors as fast as his professional gains would permit ; and he now protested that he would not return to his country uhtil h e had paid every shilling. The bitulirept passed., A PROVIDENT SAILOR.—Avery gratifying instance of what may be accomplished by careful and prudent habits on the part of seamen has just been displayed by one of the old boarders at the Sailors' Home, who has on each returning voyage placed a portion of his wages in the savings-bank attached to thaw institution until the princi pal and interest having increased to £2OO, he has purcha sed that amount in the public funds. This sailor is a native of Ireland, and has always been in the habit of remembering his relatives in that country, to whom he has constantly sent pecuniary. assistance. A public meeting in aid of the Society for the Promotion of Colonisation was held on Friday, at the Guildhall, city of London, and presided over by the Lord Mayor. The objects the society have in view are to assist emigration, to collect and diffuse information, and to form correspond ing associations at home and in the colonies. A numerous assemblage of persons, many of them belonging to the industrial classes, indicated that the subject of emigration is becoming a prominent idea in the public mind. The platform was crowded by gentlemen well known for the interest they take in the question. In the Bankruptcy Court, on Tuesday, William Howitt, bookseller and publisher, in the Strand, and an author, passed his last examination.. The balance sheet, which begins May 1, 1846, and ends at the date of the fiat, June 8, 1848, has the following items :—Sundry creditors, £3006; creditors holding security, £6lB ; profit, £1731 ; capital, May 1, 1846,.£1036 ; liabilities, £2OO ; liabilities on account of the late firm of Saunders, Turrell, and Howitt, £2054. The credit side has the following : Good debts, £369 ; doubtful ditto, £l2 ; property, £641 ; property in the hands of a creditor, £474 ; trade expenses, £1227 ; personal expenses, £1872 ; and losses, £1792. WEIR ON ULVERSTONE SANDS.—About 650 yards of this important work has been completed. When we in spected it on Monday last, preparations were making for the construction of a road, at an angle of some 45 degrees with the weir, to commence the most important part of the undertaking, that of crossing the channel, into which the weir had entered—or, rather, the channel had moved to the Weir. The depth of water within ten yards of the front of the weir was ten feet. The effect of the weir is already very remarkable in causing the deposition of sand, and also influencing the channel on the eastern shore of Chapel Island. and the formation also of a wash on the western side of the channel, opposite the weir. A SURPRISE.—When the despatch announcing the al leged outbreak in Ireland reached London, Sir George Grey was about to start to Richmond, to act as one of the sponsors at the baptism of Lord and Lady John Russell's infant son. He immediately forwarded a communication to the noble premier, who received it just as he was enter ing Petersham Church. After witnessing the baptismal ceremony, his lordship left for town in great haste, and had an interview with the Duke of Wellington. Sum monses were issued shortly afterwards for a Cabinet Council. The Earl of Glengall, Lord Lieutenant of Tip perary, and several of the leading Irish members, were in constant communication during the day. THE BAPTIST SECT.—A Dissenting print announces the public baptism, by immersion, on Sunday week, of the Rev. C. B. Proby, Rector of St. Peter's, Winchester. The ceremony was performed by a Baptist preacher, with whom Mr. Proby is said to have had some previous dis cussion on the subject, and who, at his request, baptized him in a running brook, in the presence of between one and two hundred persons, after he had made a public pro fession of his new faith. In the afternoon, Mr. Proby communicated at the Baptist Chapel, and in the evening preached a sermon at his own church in spite of the re monstrance of the churchwardens, when he announced the fact of his ana-baptism and stated his views on the subject. MURDER BY POISONING.—At the Chelmsford assizes, on Monday, Mary May, aged 28, a repulsive-looking woman, was indicted for the wilful murder of William Constable, by administering to him a large quantity of arsenic. The prisoner, who is a married woman, lived with her husband at a small village called Wix, a few miles from Harwich, and she kept a little grocer's or chandler's shop, her family consisting of herself and husband, two children, and a half-brother, the unfortu nate deceased, who got his living by doing what little jobs he could get in the village, and occupied one of the rooms in the prisoner's house. It appeared that she had entered the poor fellow as a member of a burial club, and that she had poisoned him for the purpose of obtaining £8 or £9, which would be paid on his death. She was ound guilty, and sentenced to be hanged. A public meeting, the proceedings of which illustrate as well the good sense and clear perceptions of the labouring class as the kindly feeling of persons in a higher sphere, was held on Tuesday evening in the metropolis. The as semblage was convened at the Central Mechanics' Insti tute, in Southampton Buildings, for the purpose of sub mitting to the public the plan of the Canadian Land and Railway Association—a scheme purporting to " have ori ginated with, and for the benefit of the working classes, with a view to the improvement of their social condition." The chair was taken by Lord Ashley, and amongst the speakers were the Duke of Argyle, the Marquis of Bland ford, the Earl of Harrowby, and various other gentlemen of rank and station. The utmost unanimity prevailed, if we except the efforts made by a madman and some half dozen chartists, who tried at the conclusion to disturb the meeting, but with signally ill success. KILLING HARES.—The new law on this subject autho rises any person, being in the actual occupation of any in closed lands, or for any owner thereof who has the right of killing game thereon, by himself or by any person directed or authorised by him in writing (according to a form in a schedule to this Act annexed, or to the like effect) so to do, to take, kill, or destroy any hare then being in or upon any such inclosed lands, without a game certi ficate. The authority to kill hares is to be limited to one person at the same time in any one parish ; which autho rity shall be sent to the clerk of the petty sessions, who shall register the same. If authority revoked, notice to be given of the revocation. Persons authorised to kill hares not to be liable to tax on game keepers. Hereafter it shall be lawful for any person to pursue and kill or to join in the pursuit and killing of any hare by coursing with greyhounds, or by hunting with beagles or other hounds, without having obtained an annual game certifi cate. This Act is not to authorise the laying of poison to kill game. HORRID CONFESSION.—Prior to the execution on Monday last of Hewson, for the murder of the turnkey in Coldbath-fields prison ; the murderer gave to the She riff and Ordinary a number of papers relating to himself. He states that he was born in 1803 in Whitechapel ; that he went to the charity school, and became one of the singers at the church, and got a medal for good conduct. That his father was a corporal in the 20th regiment. He married; but having enlisted, and being bought off seven times by his mother and sister in 1826 he entered the Queen's Royals, and shortly after went to the East Indies, and was in the Affghan and Cabool expeditions, and in 1839 was at the taking of Ghuznee and Kelat, and for his conduct received two marks. Previous to his entering the army, he was tried in 1825 at the Old Bailey for stealing a pennyweight of gold, the property of his employer, but was acquitted. By his unhappy intercourse with his daughter he had four children ; the eldest ' died since he had been convicted ; another was still-born, and the other two were murdered to conceal their birth. For the death of one he and his daughter were tried, and for the minor offence he was sentenced to two years', and she to eighteen months' imprisonment. The knife with which he killed Woodhouse he had concealed about his person for four months, sometimes carrying it in his sleeve, some times in his trousers. He intended to have murdered Mr. Chesterton, the Governor, but he never had an oppor tunity. When asked his motives he had none to give, and a few days since he expressed in strong terms to the visiting Aldermen his regret that he could not carry out his object. There was a " scene" in the House of Commons on Friday night. A hot-headed gentleman, named Keogh, made a speech on Irish affairs, in the course of which he contrived to touch up the Whig ministers on a point whereon they are peculiarly irritable, and open to far sharper appliances than any which rough operators like Mr. Keogh can administer—the contrast between their language and conduct upon O'Connell's trial when they were in opposition, and their language and conduct now when in power. This made Sir George Grey very angry, hand he fell upon the unfortunate Irishman with the fury of a scold. • This was all well enough ; but the Home Se cretary at length lost all discretion, and made it a serious charge against his opponent that he attended a repeal dinner some eight or ten years ago, and was returned as an anti-repealer at the 'last election. Upon this, Mr. Keogh returned to the charge, and having fired a shot or two at his old antagonist, turned his weapon against Sir William Somerville, the Irish Secretary. If he was to be called a repealer for accidentally attending a dinner years ago at which repeal was proposed as a toast, what was to be said of the chief Secretary for Ireland, a member of the Government engaged in an exterminating warfare against repeal, who had actually voted for and supported by his purse at the last election a repeal candidate in opposition to Mr. Keogh himself ? A " sensation" fol lowed this home-thrust, and the House was anxious to hear what the ,Irish Secretary had to say to it : but for a long time the right honourable gentleman wrapped him self up in his own dignity. He was at last dragged forth, and compelled to confess that he did give a cheque towards the expences of a repealer's election ; but he didn't do it in his character of Secretary of State ! Now, really this was very pitiable. SCENE IN THE HUDDERSFIELD PARISH CHURCH. — On Sunday week, Samuel Jackson, a young man, who has attained the age of 22 veers, presented himself before the altar table at the Huddersfield parish church, seeing no just cause or impediment why he should not be joined together in holy matrimony" with a pretty-looking girl named Townend, the object of his ardent and early at tachment, and whom he had brought thither for that pur pose. The Rev. Mr. Packer, one of the curates, officia ted and the ceremony had proceeded so far that the happy couple had repeated those spell-bound words "I will," and the ring was about to be given by the clergy man to the bridegroom to be pl ced on the finger of the bride, when, to the utter consternation of the party, Jackson's brother and sister rushed breathless into the church, and up to the communion railings. The former seized the ring from the minister's hand, and the latter dragged the half-married youth by main force through the lower west door, into the churchyard. The astonished bridegroom clung to the framings of the pews as they passed along the transept, but the muscular strength of the sister, aided by the brother (a lad much younger) completely overpowered him, and he was compelled to yield. When in the churchyard, he partially succeeded in making his escape from their ruthless hands, when the brother again urged the sister to another effort at rescu ing him from the hapless fate that awaited him inside the church ; but the luckless wench proved like the rest of her sex, and remarked, " I have done my best,—let him go his whole length ; and in a few moments more the bridegroom was placed at the altar beside his wonder stricken spouse. The ring having been torn away, a female stationed near the altar rails volunteered the loan of her's. The ceremony then proceede d. Meanwhile, the sexton had been dispatched for the churchwarden and a constable, but their arrival was too late to be of service. ROMISH INTOLERANCE.—On Wednesday a curious in stance of the party.enthusiasm which has often been dis played by Roman Catholics, especially in the sister: country, was manifested in our High-street. It would appear that an Orange lodguin the city are in the custom of holding: their meetings in a coffee-housein the High-street ; and in. order, as they represented, to make their local habitation., known, had displayed a large board in front of the house• with a very gorgeous and well-executed representation of the celebrated Orange Prince, William 111., with the in scription, " G.V.I.L.E.L. 111.—R.-1688-9," at the bot tom. This had not been long, displayed before the atten of the Catholics of the city were directed towards it ; and,. unwilling to suffer their eyes to be offended by the spec tacle, especially on the anniversary of the battle of the Boyne (the 12th of July), they assembled in considerable numbers on Tuesday evening, and defaced and bedaubed the odious figure. Throughout the whole of Wednesday, groups of three and four individuals (which it was not dif ficult, from the-indignation visible on their countenances, to recognise as Roman Catholics) might have been seen at different periods congregated in front of the picture ; and, about ten o'clock in the evening, so threatening were appearances, that the authorities deemed it advisable to remove the obnoxious board.—Edinburgh Paper. REMEDIES-AGAINST THE HUNDRED.—Last April, Sir Wm. Clay introduced a bill into the House of Commons for amending the law which denied redress to all but landlords against the hundred, for damage done by rioters, tumultuous. assemblies, &c. The defect in the law was first made manifest three months since, in London, during the Chartist riots, and the object of Sir William's bill was to obviate this admitted defect. The bill is to be read a second time to-morrow, and the public would do well just now to solicit their representatives to support it, in order that it may pass into a law this session. The bill is brief, for it contains only one clause and the customary one. It provides, "that in every case where any house, shop, or other building whatever, or any part thereof , shall be destroyed, or shall be in any manner damaged or injured, or where any fixtures thereto attached, or any furniture, goods. or commodities whatever which shall be therein shall be destroyed, taken away, or damaged, by the act or acts of any riotous or tumultuous assembly of persons, or by the act or acts of any persons engaged in or making part of such riotous or tumultous assembly, the inhabitants of the hundred, wapentake, ward, or other district in the nature of a hundred, or of the county of the city or town, liberty,, franchise, or place in which such damage shall be done, shall be liable to yield full compen sation in damages to the person or persons injured, &c." SUSPECTED MURDER.—On the 17th inst., Mr, Robert Sowerby, the policeman at Hessle, apprehended two men at South Cave, on suspicion of stealing a number of arti cles which he had previously seen in their bundle on the road near Hessle. The articles in question consisted of five fine shirts, twenty shirt collars, a pocket book, a sil ver-bladed fruit knife, with a pearl haft, a black frock coat, and several other articles. No owner could be found for these articles for some time, but thanks to the unceasing activity of Mr. Sowerby, it was at length dis covered that the things belonged to a Mr. Jonas Edward Iredale, a solicitor or solicitor's clerk, of Leeds. This gentleman left Leeds on the Ist of July, and from thence there is account of his being at York, Northallerton, Dar lington, Ferryhill, and Durham. He left the Newcastle ' Arms, New Elvet, Durham, on the 10th of July, and from that time nothing further has been heard of him. It appears the missing gentleman was in communication with a young lady at Leeds, and she received three letters from him, dated respectively the 3rd, 6th, and 9th July, since which date she has not received any letter. The two men in custody are named Henry Bunting and Ed ward Bateman, and it has been ascertained that they arrived at Hull on the 16th from Newcastle, by the stea mer. No clue whatever has yet been found to the mis sing gentleman, and the circumstances altogether lead to the belief that the unfortunate man has been murdered and robbed by the two men now in custody.—Leeds Intelligencer. IMPORTANT DISCOVERY.—A respectable firm in Man chester have received from the partner resident in St. Petersburgh a very interesting and important communica tion in relation to the present appearance of the Asiatic cholera in Russia and other countries in Western Europe. Some few weeks ago the Medical Times and the Man chester Guardian noticed that the ravages of this fearful and devastating scourge were most fatal and more fierce " over twenty degrees of latitude, on a line, nearly due north and south," which line comprehends, as will be seen by looking at the map, the cities of Constantinople, Jassy, St. Petersburg, and Bucharest. Further experience and advices have proved the accuracy of this observation. In telligence has been received of the appearance of the cho lera at Salmi, in Finland, and at Riga, on the coast of the Baltic, all of which places are on the same parallel of lon gitude. The discovery, however, to which we have alluded above, is thus communicated :—" The air here (St. Peters burg) has had a very singular effect on the magnetic power. Whilst the cholera was at its height the action of the mag net was nearly neutralised ; which, now the disease is gra dually subsiding, assumes by degrees its former power. A magnet block, which used to carry 801 b., would, during the worst time of the cholera, not carry above 131 b. Its strength has now increased again to 601 b. The electro magnetic telegraph, at one time, would not work at all." Here, then, have our scientific medical authorities a rich mine submitted for. investigation. If the above paragraph be correct in its details, it is settled that quarantines are utterly useless to prevent the ravages of the Asiatic cholera. We will not, however, presume to dogmatise on a question essentially medical and scientific. We direct attention to the discovery, and solicit a discussion of the subject from the pens of competent medical authorities in this town. We shall be glad to open our columns thereto. —[We perceive since the above was in type that Dr. Hawthorne, in the pamphlet which we recently reviewed, states that a disturbance of the electrical condition of the human body had been observed by him. He was one of the Physicians of the Belfast General Hospital.] THE WESLEYANS.—Last week, the annual " Con ference" took place at Hull. The first business was the supplying the vacancies in the legal hundred. By nomi nation, Francis West and William Barton ; by seniority, W. Beal, Morgan, Cullen, Corbett, Cooke, and Davies, were the parties elevated. The election of president fol lowed. The votes were, for Dr. Newton, 197 ; the Rev.. Mr. Fowler, 83. The esteemed minister now chosen oc cupies the presidential chair for the fourth time—an honour previously conferred only in the single case of Dr. Bunting. Dr. Newton presided over the Leeds Con ference, in 1824 ; the Liverpool Conference, in 1832, and the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Conference, in 1840. He could not have been re-elected more frequently, since one of the regulations of Conference is that a minister shall not be again eligible to the office until the expiration of eight years. For the secretaryship the Rev. Joseph Fowler, of Hull, was elected, having received 111 votes. The Rev. Dr. Hannah received 71 votes, and the Rev. John Farrar 1.56. After this, the newly-elected president was seated in the presidential chair, and invested with the insignia of office. The ex-president, the Rev. Samuel Jackson, tendered the Seal of Conference, the Bible, and the key of the desk with inimitable grace. The sight of the two venerable gentlemen in such a relation to each other, with all the attendant circumstances, was extremely affecting, many of the aged ministers being observed in tears. The station committee presented their report, which included the following ministers for this neighbour hood —Liverpool, north—Revs. J. Keeling, W. thing worth, and S. R. Hall ; south—Revs. P. M`Owen, T. Martin, W. H. Taylor, and W. Willan. St. Helens and Prescot—Revs. Rotherick and R. Dyson. Warrington— Revs. S. Broadbent, 0. Dickinson, and R. M. Wilcox. Newton—Revs. J. Werril and W. S. Bestall. Wigan— Revs. T. Moss and J. Jones. Southport and Ormskirk— Revs. J. Bartholomew and H. L. Church. Lancaster — Revs. W. Coultass and Faulkner. Garstang—Revs. T. Burrows, W. H. Lewis, and G. T. Nelson. Preston and Chorley—Revs, J. Moulton, W. Cattle, and T. Kent. FREE TRADE OR PROTECTION.—BRITISH MERINOS.-- According to the Bradford Observer, (at one time, if not yet, a thorough-going free-trade organ,) the good people of Bradford have begun to find out that the staple manu facture of that town has suffered severely by the operation of free-trade principles. The manufacture of merinos was " once the staple of the Bradford trade," but alas ! free trade has stepped in and all but extinguished it—the French material being preferred in every respect but du rability, pretty much on the same principle as that which induces well-dressed persons to prefer kerseymere inex pressibles to corduroys. There is in the Observer of Thursday a paragraph, setting forth in glowing terms the unequalled excellence of Messrs. R. Brook and Co.'s merinos, of which, by. the way. her Majesty has been graciously pleased to express her approval. The para graph in question commences thus:— " BRITISH MERlNOS.—Differences of'opinion may and do exist as to the policy of- opening our ports to the importation of foreign manufactures ; but sonar as their introduction map have superseded our own, or diminished the sources of employ ment for our own artisans, there is a common feeling of regret. This has been especially the case with respect to the Merino — once the staple of the Bradford trade. The superior finish of the French goods has given them the command of the market; and partly on this account, and partly from other causes, for some time past our manufacturers have almost ceased to em ploy their looms on the finer descriptions of this fabric." Now the French may finish their merinos better than we finish ours, but we cannot help thinking that Messrs. Cobden, Bright, and Co. are, after all, the persons who have "finished" the Bradford merino trade; and if we do not misconstrue the paragraph, the writer of it, no doubt instigated by certain free traders who have found free trade a losing game, thinks so too. So ! There is " a common feeling of regret " that " foreign manufac tures" have " superseded or diminished the sources of employment for our own artisans." We have always said it would come to this. If we are not mistaken, we read something of the kind the other day, in an account of an interview that had taken place between Colonel Thompson and a deputation of his constituents—the free trade Colonel expressing himself favourable to '` a little protection," in order to save the particular trade from being swallowed up by foreigners. We are much obliged to the Bradford Observer for this early proof of the " moving of the straw" amongst the free traders. We shall not be surprised to find friend Bright demurely ask ing for some little protection on some little article in which he is interested, one of these days. CURIOUS CASE.—At the Lainbeth police-office, on Friday, Mr. Thorndike, a solicitor of Staple's-inn who was accompanied by Mr. Bushell, a medical gentleman residing in Kennington-lane, who is one of the guardians of the poor for the parish of Lambeth, applied to Mr. Norton for his advice in the caso of an aged lady, then present, who was reduced to great distress under circum stances of a very peculiar character. The lady in whose behalf he applied had been a member of a highly respect able family formerly residing at Feversham, in Kent, and in the year 1812, she was married to a Mr. Fox, then an extensive merchant. The parties lived happily together until Mr. Fox had occasion to go out to the Mauritius to arrange some mercantile affairs, and ultimately settled there. In 1816, Mrs. Fox followed her husband to the Mauritius, but finding on her arrival there that her husband had got a second wife, she soon after returned to England, and three years afterwards, news reached . her of the death of her husband. In 1823, when, as she supposed, in her widowhood, she met in society a gentle- ~ R } z.r. ?~ a:l ~. y ~ 'l I