Northern Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-03-05 00:00:00

but I submit that there is no greater or truer friend to Pregress ; no man who is more disposed to advance with the advancing intelligence and increasing wealth of the country, than our distinguished representative at my right hand. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) I feel that he has fulfilled the promise he made to us when we returned him as our representative, that he will be found always at his post and en fai thful disch a gaged to th e b es t o f hi s a bilit y i n the It is b ecause I belMe of his duty. ong (HMr. ear hear and cheers) believe that Turner'sam manygood qualities, there are are none more conspicuous than this that he is an honest and true man, that' I undertook at the r equest of your' c omm itt ee to pres id e h ere t hi s " e ning ; and it is because I feel that he is a true friend to good progress, and a tru e , f r i en d to re f orm, a man o f sound ;old judgment, that I rejoice in this festival in the ho nour of one of our representatives, Mr. James Aspinall Turner. (L oud and long-sustained icheering.) Mr. Alderman Barnes gave, "The memory of Sir. John Potter," which was drunk amid solemn silence. The organ performed a dirge. • Mr. Entwistle then came forward, and was received With loud applause. He said, he had been requested by tthe com mittee to pre sen t an a dd ress to the i r guest, and z o s n the o h n u e stn w i h o o s, had moved the nom i na ti on o f M r . T urner he ul not refuse to reondthe ca. Ire expressed' his cordial concurrence in o the i sentimen ll t Which the address contained. When he had the honour of of proposing Mr. T urner as o n e o f the representatives ttthat city, he was no t unm i n df u l e i t h er ir the high and important d u ti es t o w hi c h representative would be called, nor the great reponsibilit which rested upon those who should con tribute by their votes to displace the late representatives lof that c ty — gentlemen whose long connection with the :onstituency, and the peculiar nature of the tie which 4 ,, ad so long bound them to it, seemed to give them almost 4orescriptive right to the seats which they occupied. tri(hatneeeasrs, hear, a n d l aug h ter.) It could not be denied that co ntest on that day was not merely one as t o th e of Mr Turner alone for the post which he 'now Oc cupied, b ut there was a greater "question in discussio n -- (e at m eant the withd rawa l o f th e con fid ence—the orfeiture he sh ou ld ra th er say, o f t h e con fi dence Which had been so long plac e d i n th ose w h o t'receded the resent members.hear.) He would e'viceneittn Were tno'e to say that whether the propriety of the recent tested by one or the other of those con siderations, a full and sa ti s f ac t or y answer must be re callied,. (Hear, hear.) If a long and an honourable ;l ar eer of successful industry, coupled with an unblemished a llie and character ; if a thorough acquaintance with the Cants an dinterests, the wants and feelings of the inhabi efits O.i. Man.chester, and a sincere devotio . n . to . the service er the inhabitants ; if an independent spirit in forming e ,,YY Opinion and great ability in the maintaining and _lr9reing of opinions —if all these were qualifications for . 7 e n 'ch that constituency ought to look for in their tr.pui:e.sentative, he should be at a ' loss where they the more more successfully look for them than in il u a e d person of Mr. Turner. (Loud cheers.) Mr Turner of c won for himself, not only the respect of the House in thantinl"; but that of many of his political opponents , city, Ar._ einc,, , to M._ ir. Entwistle alluded, in terms of high W e Lli o , e r.. Turner's services in connection with the atteu ipt haq(l,l,llrY, and 4 , 8 _ if the had a expressed his regret that an Y en in de to treat those services with scorn, shop, i n c Were like the ransacking of an old clothes eloquen, l ar ison with what were termed the brilliant lat e r ean the c omprehensive statesmanship of their in no measured" (Laughter.)- They had been told, f the last 'self ms, terms, that Manchester had disgraced Fah Zealhe littl e election. One gentleman had allowed or his friends, so far to outrun his desecration, e had provoked a comparison which he could preph„ sus , tail; and told th em th at they had stoned the upo nt t (Laughter and hisses.) When it was reflected his late at the majority which returned Mr. Turner and tcolleague constituted perhaps the largest number ° f ele h e th e O rs Which ever returned members to the legislature, (hit_ ought the objection came with a very bad grace. fiterruPtion, and cries of order, and some confusion.) ee ati w ere th e wish of the meeting that he should not p. nt le to offer these remarks— (Cries of hear, hear, 9 ° on L habit jeetio;, C h e ers, and some hisses.) He thought the ob ,_vith bait the majority which returned Mr. Turner . came e an ill grace from gentlemen who were in stit tp , ° ,f Priding themselves upon the' large con fren;nct,s which returned them, and who not Ti the', cut/ taunted their political opponents with were rseititlial,.lll?SS o f the numbers by u,b- 41% sh larn, - principle of -- , nernselves so wedded to the b ti;ren4hairterical majorities that they had rouo•htbe t f b or a e t county a reform bill based almost entirely upon_ Principl e , heardei'nw„el((Rear, hear, cheers and lau,ghter.) The --`41., tletrhefore, against a majority ought not to from n atur e " goyvin n ell coalition h a • , c _,. ' ' somewhat unusual Nruch had been said too, of a _embeen formed of a . 1ibera15,,,,.....,en. rne es and laggard half -converted tor" It. might be that Purpose of securing the return of the there t members at the last election. .. 0, Le was not an entire unanimity of political opinions . ata °u' th theyhe,. want on but if they did not entirely agree in all d, they at least knew something which they u not want. (Cheers and laughter.) . And then opinion u p o n th t • li , ,ib ie a subject was pronounced in a tolerably Intel etlllet.in :neat unnmer upon the occasion of the recent a s k , 1911. (Cheers and laughter: But he might fairly , whether the supporters of the other . g ~ open h as always been a harmonious " happy fal l ): ?.. of r r, h ear, and laughter.) They had heard somet in n „, assn in that hall, where gentlemen advocated e all'iciversal suffracre manhood suffrage, househt?ld !tiff anii„Ting suffrage • advocated eleectoral districts r and (La-al,' Parliaments ' and paid members of parliament. Uastilliqer.) Had they any right, then, to cast wan f PeomP it Y in the teeth of their opponents ? But the el li ,V . °f lianchester had been bidden to . a l dm te t e t m lif b er l 3. '•Ico and the lefty statesmanship of their a clo those que n ( t Lan .ghter.) He begged . leave to ask when in, ti , . voices had been raised in support of the laws and WheLniutions of the country of their birth. Cheers.) tood. w h ili d their powers been exerted to o ot ( mutual : 4: quitr and respect among all classes p o r f m the e ir fellow ,aised Nen, and whether they had not always been th ee ., in threatening disparagement of all ranks above itelo,: e :j:es, and in creating discontent among all ranks 'Nile • 'em (Hear, hear, and cheers.) To eloquence e tribe Perverted and misused, he could not accord h Ag °f his admiration. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) 44 their statesmanship, he took leave to say, that t i e kitni n - n 41ewn. rather in criticising the conduct and b el__ istration of others thanin offering to the country any eleasures of their own. (Hear, hear.) The right hon. of etil her for Ashton filled some twelve years ago the office t e ,_'!Jce-prsident of the Board of Trade. He (Mr. d ep : rt lstl e ) ,„ was not going to criticise his conduct in that regareent, but he never heard that his retirement was__ wtic.) ( ' I as any great national loss. (Cheers and laugh ent But the reason or excuse alleged for his retire ineli vas, that he found the discharge of the duties DiPZlhe tisistent with that higher duty which he considered to the peopl e ? Was that _true Statemanship ? likechar, aiiniug or auskisson think they could not dis their duty to the nation without withdrawing from reti re ,N Lord John Russell think it necessary to retire tbe re presentation of the city of Lond t o he , Cr owe ,u° had been call upon to take office under think for If that be true Statemanship, let them s be, redtieeari lalnitent to what a condition they should itof ' l4 e o li liu ''e'' So PPose as a very extreme ' I ti"ht s lief C ommons were to consist ease e h ti t re r ly L'lc',.," w'' s tconourable Milner Gibsons (Lang e .); a,aho.:e\G°vernruent of the Queen to be carried on l - 'an o 1 —r. / The truth was that the right hon. gen e lef t oftV returned to his Proper sphere of action when he °C ry tlele, which always entailed very laborious and often teeoo,,,en.a,nkless tasks, and betook himself to the . more httler p,iaritioecacupation of criticising the administration of l the Reformov T,„,(Rear, hear.) Passing on to the topic of c uestione.rnnient Bill as a permanent settlement of the .e hiss (l iffr en , but, on the other hand, there was a wide ii , cc indeed between it and the proposal of Mr. e 1'; (Cries of hear, hear.) The effect of the latter, th e eel (Cries would be to transfer the representation of t countr• '' r r esen t ' fro the equitable basis on which it a and _, rested tome class almost solely. (Hear, hear, .I),ciqrochueers) By the disfranchisement of a large number of an d de tl fhs and such constituencies throughout empire, s of° transfer of their representation to the o gre.t cen theasurPoPulation and wealth, and by accompanying that Pralitien°with such a lowering of the franchise as wod the y 2Y throw the voting power into one class alone, el as would no longer have that fair representation of all etloaiiitirstoietrso:thilie eh it ought to be the object of every sta e te o s i ref__ secure. (Cheers.) To cast into the_cr . ueibl whole constitution . y politic of the th e J , and hope to extract out ofthe dissolved elements the constitution which would make them better off than RoY wer e, was i_rllld never a sc h eme of which be hoped the nation 4 . t,lt approve. (Hear, IiFT.,. and loud cheers.) th e t wistle then pooeeeded to criticise what h . e calla. am notorious speech of Mr. Bright at Birmingh_a_m e , pubiriPressed his wonder that no reply on the part of . th o. era ci , e h ad yet been made to the attacks on the anst react: contained in that address. He finally concluded by add r i ng and presenting to Mr. Turner the following ‘,1,18, 8 : - ---." To James Aspinall Turner, Esq., M.P. Ck l ," °, the undersigned members of the Executive,_ tretets-ral, and Ward Committees, formed to secure the l.rttssi'lic:ly:ftlitillse late Sir John Potter and yourself as mem city, at the last general election, have joined ye tir 1 -g you, at this time, to meet at dinner as many Of hail .'uPpoters as could be accommodated in th e l argest p thi s . in this city, f or the purpose of lacing in your ds Inemo rial of th e successful issue of the struggle i (Rear, hear.) Even now, these gentle- I possibly be offered to me by the committee, which we were jointly engaged ; and, also, for the pur - pose of publicly expressing to you our warmest thanks for the manner in which, notwithstanding your previous strongly-expressed disinclination to enter public life, and your refusal to accede to the request of an influential deputation, you set aside all private considerations, and consented, on a sudden emergency, to come forward as a condidate for the representation of Manchester. " Representine , variousgections of th e commun it y, i t cannot be expected that we should all of us coincide in-all your political opinions ; but, as we were agreed to act together to secure your return, so, we are now agreed in expressing our high sense of the ability, integrity of pur pose, independence of action, and conscientious assiduity, which you have shown in performing the duties which you undertook, both in respect to the local business ot this city, and the general interests of the State." Mr. Turner, upon rising to return thanks, was received with the most enthusiastic and long sustained cheering. He said :Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I have assure you that more than once during this evening I have uttered a sin cere and heartfelt prayer that you might not turn my head —(laughter)----or, at least, fill my, mind with sentiments of vanity and self-conceit. (" 10, "no.") For the address which has just been presented to me so kindly by my friend, Mr. Entwistle, I return to the committee, and to you, my most heartfelt thanks. For the compliment which has been paid to me this evening, I can truly say that I am utterly incapable of thanking you as I ought to thank you. This assembly is such a one as, perhaps, was never gathered together within this city. There have, probably, been greater numbers crammed together within these walls ; but when I look around me now, and see myself surrounded by such a company of my fellow citizens—whei I see around me your most eminent bankers, your most eminent Merchants, your large manufacturers, and, I am , rejoiced to add, a multitude of those who are serving in a subordinate capacity, and on whose progress and whose honest fulfil ment of their duty depends the future history of Man chester, I have reason to rejoice that so humble an indi vidual as myself has been allowed such a welcome in this town where he has worked his way for forty years. (Cheers.) The men whom I see aromid me, are the men of whom Man Chester has reason to be proud. (Cheers.) They are men whose names arc conspicuous as the Sup porters of every good cause, the promoters of your local charities, the promoters of your scientific institutions, and the men who form truly a Manchester school, to which I myself wish to belong—to which I shall ever be proud to belong. (Cheers.) Now why has this immense assembly been gathered together ? If it were simply to return thanks to me, I indeed should feel abashed, because I should feel how very disproportioned this display of numbers and these heart cheers of yours were to the very 'small services which, with the best abilities I could bring to the work, I have been able to perform. -However, the object with which you have presented this address to me is the object to which I have particularly to apply myself. So far, as I have had an opportunity of understanding the sentiments of the resolutions you have had conveyed to me, 'they accord very much to my own feelings. There hasjeen some, thing said to-night, and almost more than enough, concerning my connection with the constituency of Manchester as their representative. Perhaps I may be allo wed to express my own feelings in connection with my present position. lam quite willing—as much as any man—to acknowledge the services, the eminent services of your late representatives. (Cheers.) I have often said, before this, that you owe them a deep debt of gratitude—(hear, hear)—for their indefatigable exertions in a cause by which we have all benefitted. (Hear, hear.) I was always sorry that they should not have continued to use their abilities and to use their discretion in such a manner as would ensure to them onwards for years the confidence of the constituency of Manchester. But there is no disguising the fact—it cannot be denied —that they had lost that confidence. (Cries of hear,' hear, and loud cheering.) And why did they lose the confidence of the electors of Manchester ? I believe it was because they habitually advocated principles of both foreign and domestic policy which were far from being in unison with the general sentiments of the constituency. At the last dissolution of Patliament there was a determination formed to test, whether this was the fact or not. An influential committee was formed, and at a very early period they did me the distinguished I honour of asking me to become a candidate for your suf frages. I declined the honour most respectfully, for I v I .considered it was the greatest distinction which could and my rea sons for declining I shall very frankly state. In the first elace I considered that I was too old. (No, no, and laughter.) Aye, gentlemen, but when a man has passed an active life through six periods of ten years each, I think it becomes him to devote the seventh period to some reflection and serious thought. (Hear, hear.) I may not have entirely lost my vigour, my :powers either of body or of mind, but when a man has got to threescore years of age, he must expect his powers to diminish, and it is a poor service to devote only to serious thought these years, when his strength and the powers of his mind are almost entirely gone. Another reason was, the consciousness of want of ability. (No, no.) I am not saying this out of any affectation, but it requires some education, some devotion to such subjects to enter, upon parliamentary life, and take a part with any effect in the deliberations of• such a body. I considered that my active life might perhaps in some degree have prepared me for a certain class of subjects ; but that I was not the man to imitate, for instance, the oratory and the display of talent which were shown 'by your former representatives. I know it as a fact, that many of the constituency have disparaged me upon that ground. (No, no.) Id o no t p re t en d to anything of the kind. I have no oratorical power. I am a man of plain common sense. (Loud cheers.) The third reason was my business engagements. It is no trifling thing for a man largely engaged in commer cial and manufacturing pursuits at once to say, " I will give up all my own business, and think of nothing but your business." (Laughter.) It requires a man to think seriously before he commits himself to such a decision as that. Well, the next thing, and _perhaps the most im portant, was my obligations to my family. A man at the head of a family has serious responsibilities. Although his children may be well grown—although they may be steady and industrious, the father is never in a more ap propriate position than at their head, setting them a good example. (Hear, hear.) Another reason, which is a selfish one, was that my tastes and pur suits are very quiet. lam a reading man ' • I am fond of scientific pursuits, and I d e li g ht t o s p en d all my leisure hours in occupations of that nature. I knew that there must be a sacrifice of everything of that kind and I had some hesitation in consenting to give it up. It was however, pressed upon me again, at an emergency which obliged me to say aye, or no, at ten minutes' notice, in fact, in consequence of Mr. Lowe's declining to come down to Manchester and fighting the battle here. Pre ferring I suppose, as he found to be the case afterwards, to get his head broken. (Cheers and laughter.) Every man to his taste. (Laughter.) I should prefer very much to get the good cheer of a Manchester constituency. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) Well, I did so decide, and what was the result. The verdict was effectually ven. There can be no mistake about it. A voice : " Not the slightest." (Loud Cheers.) Mr. Turner : And there: will be no mistake about it again. (Cheers.) Ido not know, gentlemen, whether you have quite forgotten the state of the poll, but I am anxious to remind you. The votes given for Sir John Potter were 8,368 ; for myself 7,Bs4—(cheers)--for Mr. Milner Gibson 5,588 ; for Mr. Bright 5,400. (Tremen dous cheers drowned the remainder of the sentence.) Being elected I went to parliament with the determination to do my duty. Here I may say that I felt the greatest satisfaction in being united with a colleague with - whom I had acted in various public measures for a number of years. I had worked hard with him, and supported him in the establishment of the free library, and various other institutions which I need not now enumerate, in reference to which we acted together. It was a great sacrifice on his part, more than, perhaps, on mine, to go to parliament, for his health never was in a state to enable him to attend to the continual discharge of duties so laborious. In consequence of my obtaining the confidence of a number of the members of the House of Commons, and I believe of one or two members of the government, I was appointed Commissioner to enquire into the state of affairs which prevailed at the three large military establishments, and I gave up my time during four months of 'the recess to these enquiries ; but I shall not dwell upon such personal matters. My con duct has been before you. If you had wished me at any time to give an account of myself, I have been living amongst you, when not engaged in public duties, and I would always have been ready to obey your call. I presume, therefore, when you pressed the office upon me, that I enjoyed your confidence. That in the same manner I conceive, as you never did call me to come before you, that I still continue to enjoy that confidence. (Cheers.) It is not my fault that I have not come amongst you long since. But it is all the more approving to me, that when hate occasionoauv e calld h o ad as this. meto meet yo u , y ou ca ll me on suc h a f es ti ve occasion t H o a t d el i l t m b e ee t n ha o t th i ez o w l i o se n ,gyerouenjoyed would y o only ur confidence, and I should with the greatest pleasure have resigned my seat, and retired again into private life. Nov gentlemen, I wentinto parliament a free man, un pl e dged to support any government, or to become the pliant adhe renotd fa minister.nysolongas I considered his (C heers. ) I i supported measu rs wise, Lord g Palmerston o and just. (Cheers.) I voted against him whenever o I did not approve of his measures. (Hear, hear.) I have acted in the same way towards the government of Lord Derby, I shall continue to do so as long as lam THE NORTHERN TIMES, SATURDAY, MARCH 5 1859 in parliament with regard to any government which may be formed. I will say further, that as I, along with yourselves, resisted dictation, and a presumptuous do mineering spirit on the part of a faction, which falsely assumed to itself the power of controlling this great con stituency, so I was one that resisted dictation as to my votes, even from you, who conferred on me the power of giving those votes. (Loud cheers.) I cannot expect always to please by my votes all my supporters. I never hoped for it but I do hope for this, that seeing how I have conscientionsly upheld the principles which I professed at the time of my election. I I shall not forfeit your support nor your good opinion. If you will allow me,- I shall very shortly remind. you what the principles asserted by me were when I became your candidate, and I shall leave it to you to judge whether I have constantly carried them out. I told you in my address, that a great commercial nation, a great empire like this, is bound to maintain such means of defence, and such a calm but steadfast attitude before the world as should make known that she was both able and determined to maintain her rights, and protect her shores, and defend her own great colonies, and the lives and property of her citizens who are settled in foreign lands. Now, gentlemen, i n order to do th a t we must keep up our national defences. (Cheers) I be lieve that there is that feeling both in the House of Commons and in the country, and that' the government needs only to explain that there is a necessity for addi tional grants of money, and although we would- all be very reluctant to pay additional taxes, yet I believe the country is convinced that the true economy is to keep ourselves always in such a state that nobody will dare or have the power to injure us. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) I shall support a rational or well digested plan for extending the franchise, repudiating on the one hand the opinion of finality, and on the other hand the opinion that the intelligent and the well-schooled, are no more entitled to the political franchise than the ignorant and the debased. (Hear, hear.) A bill has been introduced recently into the House of Commons, on the part of the government, which is called a Reform Bill. To that bill I have four or five very decided objections. (Cheers.) In the first place I object to the provisions which is made for de priving freeholders in boroughs of their county fran chise. (Hear, hear.) I think it is monstrous that a man, residing within the limits of a borough, and having, bona fide freehold property within that borough, pro bably having other means of voting for the borough, should not be allowed to - exercise his 'privileges as a county voter, because his qualifi ca ti ons happens, to be within the limits of the borough sending members to parliament. (Ilea; hear.) I think he has a right to exercise his voice in the county- as well. My next objection is that freeholders in the borough having property in the borough, wherever they may reside, may come and give their votes possibly by sending a voting paper, as is proposed, and swamping the votes of resident electors. ,For instance, supposing that the government bill was . carried in its integrity, and that the club associated itself 'in London and said : " There is a small snug borough yonder, let us buy some property there. Let us divide it into several small freeholds. Thus we can create some fifty votes in that. borough " (which perhaps has only three or four hundred electors), " and, by voting papers sent down from London, we can turn the election." Thus elections for boroughs may be decided pn the small freehold franchise without the least difficulty, by men who know nothing- of the interest of the borough, and who merely obtain the power for whimsical objects. (Hear, hear.) I have another objection, that it does not go far enough with disfranchisement. lamby no means an ad vocate for a sweeping disfranchisement of all smaller places, and giving thbir portion, up to the large centres and cities only on account of their population and their wealth. lam no advocate for that, because I think it would entirely subvert that mixture of opinions and of interests which are largely and fairly discussed in parliament, and would put too much power in the 'hands of large and influential bodies. Numbers alone would be admitted as decisive of the question as to the number of members to be sent to parliament. There are various interests to be consulted, and interests must be repre sented there. The House of Commons would become very unmanageable, and would work detrimentally even to the . interests of the working classes, to whom so much allusion has been made ; because I believe that their interests would not be well repre sented by a number of men sent in all of one class, and who would be less able to give a valued opinion than those now in the house, upon the general questions of the country. Still the government bill does not go far enough. There are several small boroughs still left which return two members, and which might very well be deprived of one of them, which would afford the means of distribution among the large influential and populous districts which have risen into im portance since the passing of the last Reform Bill. I have another objection to make, and that is that this bill' does not make sufficient provision for the working man. (Cheers.) I believe that the poorest class of the labouring population in this country, give as honest votes as the class immediately above them, who now have a franchise. I should rejoice to see them admitted to give votes, and even to send men of their own class into Par liament freely and fully to express their sentiments, provided they were only there in proper proportion. Their voice ought to be , heard, and I think it is one great defect in the Government Reform Bill that it has not admitted the lower class of householders to any share in the representation. My view of the Government Bill is that it must be very much modified indeed, if it settles the question of reform in this country. We shall have that question brought on over and over again. It will be a sore subject of discussion, and we had much better settle it at once in such a way as is likely to last for another thirty years. As I said before, I think a more decided change might have been made without going to the length of a bill which has been much discussed of late. The tendency and effect would be, in my opinion, to hand over the power of the State to the control of those who, without property of their own, would, by their numbers, rule the property of others. (Cheers.) I mnst approve of the working classes having a voice, and an audible voice, in the councils of the country, but I cannot consent that they should have an overwhelming power given to them,which would pro bably be the ruin of the country. (Cheers.) (A Voice : The ballot.) Mr. Turner : 1 shall notshrink from that question.' On the two occasions when the ballot was proposed in Parliament, I voted in favour of it. (Cheers.) I should wish that every man was in as independent position, as I am myself, to go up to the poll and audibly and honestly to give his vote. But some people feel the want of it, and say that - want deprives them of the power of giving their votes, and I therefore cannot deprive them of that power, although - I may consider it sometimes exercised in an objectionable manner. 'Now, I must venture to ask you a question, whether or not it is true that Manchester was disgraced and degraded at the last election ? (Cries of " No, no." Such statements have been made, and I believe such statements have been promulgated from this very platform upon most distinguished authority, the honour able member for Stockport, Mr. James Kershaw. The same sentiment has been characteristically enunciated, ore rotundo, by Mr. Hadfield, the member for Sheffield. I might say, regarding the latter gentleman, that he has been so deeply enamoured of liberty that be wishes to hold her constantly encircled within his own embrace. This hon. gentleman, than whom no speaker in the House of of Commons excites more laughter, took the opportunity of a meeting in this hall, to make some very important remarks upon myself and my late colleague. (Cries of shame). Gentlemen, I can forgive him any display of spite, for I cannot forget that to hi s bi go t e d zea l in a celebrated case we are indebted for the introduction, by the late Sir Robert Peel, of the dissenting chapel's bill, which relieved so many dissenting congregations from the attacks of that ardent lover of liberty. (Loud cheers). Mr. Turner, after adverting to some other topics, resumed his seat amid loud applause. Mr. Thomas Fairbain spoke to a resolution regarding our Foreign policy, which declares, that we should seek to preserve . peace and abstain from interference in the internal affairs of other nations, while maintain ing power sufficient to sustain in all cases our national honour, and protect in all seas and countries our national commerce Mr. Malcom Ross spoke to 'resolution regarding our home policy, which urged the improved administration of existinc , laws, to removal of all unnecessary restric tions on trade' and commerce, to extending of education, and promoting the social well-being of the people. • Mr. Heugh spoke to a resolution on constitu tional reform, which was declared to be one to give a parliament which should represent all classes and interests of the community, and should not, as in the bill prepared by Bright, give to one class a preponderating influence. Mr. Heugh, in his speech, vehemently condemned Mr. Brioht's bill, which he declared to be not reform, but revolution. The Right Hon. W. Afassey, M.P. (his health having been drunk), addressed the meetinc , in an eloquent speech. On the subjeet of foreign affairs, he expressed' his belief, that although in the event of a war, Which seemed inevitable, England might give her warm sympathy to the struggles of suffering nations, and although Englishmen , would ,never . speak with bated breath in the presence of any foreign tyrant, yet any material aid were full of harm even to the very nations involved. In reference to home affairs, Mr. Massey altogFther condemned the Government Reform Bill, as not sufficiently disfranchising small borthighs, and not suffi ciently enfranchising the working classes. The proceedings soon after terminated. THE BIRKENHEAD, LANCASHIRE & CHESHIRE JUNCTION RAILWAY BILL. FROM OUR OWN REPORTER HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRIDAY, March 4 The committee appointed to consider this Bill resumed its sitting to-day, at 11 o'clock, Mr. Ridley in the chair. Mr. Charles Mason called and examined bY Mr. Webster : I am manager of the Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction Railway. The area of the docks now completed, the Egerton and Morpeth docks, is 20 acres. • The area of the docks at Liverpool is only 212 acres. There are three railways for carrying the traffic from the docks, and they divide amongst them the traffic. There are seventeen lines of railway crossing Canning street. They had increased from year to year. They are not more than is required. More rails will have to be laid down. The traffic over Canning-street is chiefly coal traffic, which is carted from the railway trucks upon the sidings above Canning-street. Colonel Wynne inspected the level crossing at Canning-street, and reported to the Board of Trade upon the danger of the level crossing at that place. The things complained of had been since remedied. The traffic from the docks was 'chiefly through Bridge-street. Persons coming from the docks would never think of going 'through Canning-street. I approve of - the stopping up of that portion of Canning-street which is proposed. The proposed line of railway from Hooton to Helsby would take a great deal of the traffic from Chester station, and would materially shorten the distance to Warrington and Manchester. There is no opposition to the proposed line. There are several distinct kinds of traffic coming to Chester station. There is the mineral t r affi c f rom North and South Wales, which is very large; then there is the iron traffic from the South Staffordshire district; also the pottery traffic from the North Staffordshire district ; and the general merchandise traffic f rom N or th and South Wales coming by the Great Western and London and North Western systems. There is also a distinct traffic from the manufacturing districts, consisting of cotton, &c., which, at the present time, come by' the Chester station, but would take the Hooton and Helsby line when constructed. The construction of this line would be a considerable relief to the Chester station. It was impossible to carry on the traffic in a satisfactory - manner, if obliged to carry it through the Chester station. There has been a constant extension of the station accommodntion at Chester station for the goods and through passenger traffic, going down by the largy railways. The accounts show a. very large increase in the annual expenditure. In 1855, the proportion of the Birkenhead line (which is one-third of the whole) amounted to £6,781 ; in 1856 to ,Z 8,102 ; in 1857 to £8,820 ; in 1858 to £12,520. The Chester -and Holyhead Railway has now become a part of the London and North Western system. Mr. Merewether said, that before proceeding with the cross-examination of the witness he wished to suggest to the the committee that the powers given to the promoters of the proposed line, by the 20th and 21st clause in the preamble of their bill, of entering into agreements with the London and North Western and the .Great' Western should be at once struck out. To enter into any arrangement there must be two consenting parties, the person who proposes and the person who is expected to accept. He ( Mr. M.) had the honour to represent two companies, and he must say, in answer to the proposal on behalf of the promoters, that on behalf of the two companies whom he represented, he empha tically declined to accept their proposal. Mr. Alexander remarked that Mr. Merewether should state some better reason for departing from the usual course. The Chairman said the committee declined to inter fere with the usual course of proceeding, and Mr. Alexander should proceed to cross-examine the witness. Cross-examined by Mr. Merewether : I do not believe the Act limited the number of rails at Canning street in any way. There is not . an ounce of traffic on which we desire toll which does not pass through Chester station. It cannot get upon our line without pass* through Chester station. This includes the traffic from the London 'and North-Western and Great Western systems. The Great 'Western bought what the Shrews bury and Chester had. The Great Western came on to Wolverhampton before they purchased the Shrewsbury and Chester line. The occupation is the same as before the Shrewsbury and Chester passed to the Great Westen, but whereas the Shrewsbury and Chester line enjoyed the profit on a bale of goods for forty mile s , the Great Western Company now have the profits over 212 miles upon that bale of goods. The' buildings at Chester station remained the same as they were before the Shrewsbury and Chester line passed to the Great Western. There was no more room taken by by a bale of goods coming by that system than before. Witness could not say how much property was in possession of the Birken head company at Canning-street station.' Mr. Merewether, in reply to a. question from the Chairman, said he appeared for the London and North Western and the Great Western Companies, and those two corhpanies did not oppose the stopping up of Canning-street. The Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, for whom he also appeared, did oppose it, as it would stop up the approach which they now had there to their works. To the Chairman: We get £l,BOO a-year from the Great Western Company for the use of our station at Birkenhead. To a Member of the Committee : The traffic which would be deviated from the Chester station by the proposed line would be very large. Mr. George Douglas, examined by Mr. Webster : I have been engineer to the company since 1851; I was acquainted with the state of things with , respect to the two embankments at Canning-street, and carrying a bridge over them. The existence of those embanlcm'ents were much complained of, by reason of severing the pas sage to the docks. The level crossing at Canning-street is exceedingly dangerous. We have shunting engines at the station there, which are used for forming the trains on the dock rails. The number of rails at Canning-street would have to be increased, as also the crossings at that place. Cross-examined by Mr. Merewether : I put the cost for altering Taylor-street at about £6O. The card is our own. There are four distinct lines of railway. Two of those go down to the Great Float, and the other two by different sidings. The dock trustees did not lay down the sidings ; they were all laid down by the Birkenhead company. The rails lead to the Egerton and Morpeth Docks and the Great Float. The greatest part of these rails are not through lines. Was not aware when the bridge at Canning-st - reet was made. It was wide enough to allow of the broad guage TO the Committee : Engines pass through the Canning street station three hundred times in the twenty-four This was the whole of the evidence produced on be half of the promoters of the bill. Mr. Merewether, on behalf of the Corporation of Liverpool, and the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, stated the grounds on which those two bodies opposed the clause in the bill for stopping up Canning-street. The Corporation represented the public, and had no other interest in the matter, more than to preserve this communication through Canning-street with the line of docks. It would be exceedinly undesirable to stop up this thoroughfare, which was likely, in a short time, to turn out a most important onc, as forming a direct com munication with the docks on the Birkenhead shore. Mr. Hartley, examined by Mr. Merewether : I am engineer of the Liverpool docks. The works at Birken head were now being proceeded with with vigour. If nothing unforeseen should occur, he hoped to see them completed. In 1855 the transfer of those docks to the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board took place. It is intended to increase the Morpeth Dock to eleven acres, and should this intention be carried out, it would be ex ceedingly undesirable to stop up Canning-street. When the dock was increased to eleven acres, he hoped to see it occupied by foreign steamers and other ships. It is the dock which the Liverpool merchants coming over from Liverpool would be most likely to go to. There are circumstances which would render it • a favourable dock. The corporation of Liverpool have expended large sums of money in im proving the _communication between: those docks. They objected to the stopping up of Canning-street, because it would tend to sever the communication which ought to exist there. The land called the south reserve was part of the land derived from the Mersey board. The lessees of the Corporation would be injured by the stopping up of Canning-street. The land rises at Taylor-street, and persons having to go by the substituted road would have to go up a hill, in the direction of the Great Float. Canning-street would be the line of communication which persons and goods would take. If it be stopped up, any cart with goods coming from a ship in the Morpeth dock to the Mersey warehouses would have to be earned up a height of 17 feet, and come down again, merely to go across the Birkenhead railway. When the rails were laid down at Canning-street, it was the property of the Improvement Commissioners. They were then insolvent. The land on which the rails are laid belongs to the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board. I think it would be very undesir- able to stop lip this access to the increased dock com munication which we propose to make. Cross-examined by Mr. Alexander : There will be a great increase of traffic when the present dock works are completed. Most of that traffic will be due to the Birken head railway, the only line which comes up ,to the docks. There is a line of railway communicating throughout.the whole length of the docks • there are no locomotives. By the 21st section of the act of last session, the Mersey Board were bound to lay down lines of rail Way throughout the docks, and to the several quays and piers. At present there is not a great deal of traffic across the portion of Canning-street, which is proposed to be stopped up. That traffic consists chiefly of cart traffic, coals, &c. He understood that the land to be used as a reserve was to be vested in the Mersey Board, and to be used by the railway company. To the committee : To get over the brid g e street from Canning-street, is seventeen feet. Re-examined by '..11r. Burke : The crossing of Canning street is nearly level. There would' be a rise of the number of feet which he had mentioned; by substituting Taylor-street for the passage through Canning-street. For all the purposes of public traffic, it is exceedingly desirable that the .crossing should be on a level. The Mersey Board were representing the public, and had no other interest than to preserve the communication to and . from the line of docks. Mr. Newlands, examined by Mr. Burke : I am engineer for the borough _of Liverpool. I am well acquainted with 'Canning-street. We have streets in Liverpool analogous to the position of Canningstreet • When the line of docks were complete, the traffic would be considerably increased. It was of vital importance that the passage of any street communic a ti ng with the docks should be kept open, . and that it should be legal and direct. It was most desirable that Canning street should not be stopt up ,t Bridge- Cross-examined by Mr. 'Webster in Liverpool analogous to Cannin a locomotive passes. is no street -street, across which Mr. - Shuttfeworth examined by Mr. Hope Scott : I am Town Clerk of Liverpool ; when the Birkenhead estate was in the hands of the Corporation they were under parliamentary obligations to carry on certain works. Had communicated with the Birkenhead Commissioners and the landowners in 1856, about the stopping up of Canning-street, understanding that the Birkenhead Railway Company intended to apply to parliament for power to stop up that street. There was a clause introduced in the Birkenhead Bill, of 1856, for this purpose, but was afterwards struck out. The Corporation are landowners on that side of the Mersey. They are' owners f 1 fee of the land south of the pool, and also of the land at Canning-street under leases. Canning-street, originally called " Corporation Road,'l was made by the . CorporatiOn. These were lessees for portions of this property held under the Corporation. These parties memorialised the Corporation about the stopping up of Canning-street. The Corporation opposed this bill in the Commons in 1847, on behalf of those lessees, and were successful Railway , accommodation is to be provided on the south reserve and a great increase of traffic may be expected. It is most important that the passage across Canning-street should remain open. -- Mr. William Laird, examined by Mr. Hope. Scott : I was at one time a trustee Under the Birkenhead Dock Company. I am not a lessee under the Corporation. I was an opponent of the bill in 1817, for stopping up Canning-street. The bill was with drawn. It is impossible to say what the future traffic of Birkenhead may be. Canning-street is a street of im mense thoroughfare for carts, and if the passage be diverted, and parties have to go up an incline by Taylor street, and to cross over a bridge, it would destroy greatly the value of the property. Mr. Hope Scott asked the committee to deal with the question of stopping up Canning-street as a separate and distinct Itiestion . _ Mr. Alexander objected. The committee having consulted, the Chairman inti mated that the committee were disinclined to depart from the usual practice, which was to consider the different questions at one time. _ _ Mr. Scott was then heard on behalf of the London and North-Western Company ; and the committee adjourned at four o'clock. TRANMERE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT Yesterday evening, a meeting of the ratepayers was held in the Brittania Rooms, Lower Tranmere, for the purpose of taking into consideration the adoption of the Local Government Act. Dr. Gorst was called to the chair. Chairman: Gentlemen, I thank you for the honour you have conferred upon me in electing me to preside over this meeting, and I hope. you will. support me in the office which you have placed me. The meet ings at Tranmere have become notorious for being stormy, but I hope the present one will not be such. I have to propose that this township adopt the local government act of 1858, and I hope that the proposition will meet with that consideration which it deserves. I will not detain you longer, but merely call upon Mr. Lloyd to read the appointment. Mr. Gill : I beg to enter a protest against the legality of the meeting. It was called for all to attend, and not the ratepayers, and on that ground I beg to enter a protest. . Mr. Lloyd : I shall advise the chairman not to accept your protest, you must state your grounds in writing, in any terms you like. (A voice, that is very weak.) Some time elapsed in Mr. Gill making out the protest, when Mr. Guy remarked, that he thought the meeting should not be kept that long for the protest. (A voice, its another six and eight-pence.) Mr. Lloyd : We have consented to receive the pro test, if given in writing, and I think we must wait for i t. The protest was handed in in a short time afterwards. Mr. Blaylock said, he wished to state that there was no neglect on the part of the overseers in not calling the meeting. He wanted the rate payers to understand that they were not at fault in calling the meeting. (Interruption.) They Were prepared to call the meeting, notices were read for calling the meeting, but. they had not funds. (Gam mon.) The Secretary of State has the power to call the meeting, he could be refunded all expenses, but they had no funds. (You had funds to call another meeting.) Mr. Lloyd : The word " neglect " is the Secretary of State's own languam ° e.l A steam engine here came In front of the building in which the meeting was assembled, and kept hissing away far a long time, during which all manner of remarks as to whether the opposition party had sent it there were passed. Mr. Lloyd said, he hoped that would be all of that kind of noise they would have. He wished Mr. Blaycock to understand that the language was that of the Secretary of State. He would read the facts. He then read a letter from the Secretary of State, empowering them to call the,moeting. Mr. Blaycock : You stated to the meeting that you did not use the word "`neglect." Mr. Lloyd : We submit the fact. Mr. Blaycock : What ; you say you never remainder was lost amid hissesj. —[The Some further stormy talk tool place with regard to the matter, when The'Chairman said they must come to the platter for which the meeting was called—the Local Government Aceof 1858 --- which he had moved should be adopted; and he thought that was what ought to be done. A person - called out that they aid not want the chair man to tell them what must be done, and a scene of confusion ensued that it would be impossible to describe. Some called for the bill to be read, or they would not pass it; others tried to explain that they did not want them to pass a bill, but to adopt an act of parliament. This continued for some time, when Mr. Landbrush mounted the table, and commenced, amid cheers and groans, to say, that he came there to second the proposition of the chairman. The local act was the very thing that was necessary for the township of Trantnere, and the only thing that would remove the odium that rested upon it as a sanitary township. lie was sure that many present had taken a part with myself to remedy the evil that existed in the town ship, by improving its sanitary condition. Only a a few years ago they were called upon to adopt a nuisance removal act, but the committee found the obstacles that presented themselves insurmountable, and they did not possess the power to carry out the provisi ons of that act. Under the circumstances, he felt confi dent that the y would adopt the local government act. ( Read it. ) He felt that all should ha ve made themse lves acquainted with the act before comin g there. It was not long since they h ad a meetin g in that room, and the overseers were present who refused to call th e meeting that was now assembled (say why put him 'ar and had got s a out, put a wisp in the calf's mouth, &c.) The meeting had been called without the overseers. The overseers hish had answer,written and to MI he wished Mir. Roberts thaton the lletter t matter, t t t o l e produced, M r . Roberts was the auditor of the poor law accounts for the township. fter (l lh is e s y e6 lld refused to 3 3. f i r r . . L B a la n y d c b o r c a k sh : T ca h a a t t ia is u n ed ot : fai A r. call the meeting they were obliged 'to apply to the Se pseecdt itnoth act. It was not lik e 1848, for it was as goo d for the tenant as for th e owner of property. Th e act h a d e cretary of State, with respect also the health of town act, would water. The wate r w ou ld not e supplied d ea at a as s u e p h p e l a y p o a f a sanitary object, an d rate by any private company, as they could do it dward made the m m r s . e l lN y T o s. o a speech, and put an amendment, to the effect that the ratepayers be allowed to consider the matter further. Mr. Rampling seconded the amendment. Mr. Downham made a long speech in faveur,of the adoption of the act, and made some observations on some clauses of the act, which he thought would place the township in a better position. Mr. Webb then followed, and explained that there should be no fear en their part to adopt the act, as several other townships had done so. Mr. Collins moved that the consideration of the Ines tion be postponed for a week, but withdrew his motion on Mr. Williams's explaining that, by such a proceeding., the Wirral Water Works Company would have their bill passed before that time, and they could not offer any oppositio' spoke against the adopti on o f the act, as in his opinion it would give the board power which they had no right to: A tremendous scene ensued at this , a description of which would be a of all the wild beasts in iNfaEt- ders' menag The Chairman at length put the matter to it was declared that the act was adopted. Mr. Dodd, however, demanded a poll, but vi as the parties o - 1 in ord to cat( LIB ERPOOI sides w blast of cool air fast leaving the room ICE INTELLIGENC BEFORE MR. MANSFIELD -YESTERDAY AN UNRULY D A UGHTER-IN- LAw.—gannah Sha wife of a fishmonger, residing in Lad-lane, was char° e with annoying, her mother-iii-law, and breakiv, het,bE ro ini windo From the evith the prisoner had two o'clock in the morning•, ald appear that the husba the baby with him. She tho iqd the baby A , and "proceed- complained ( WINDOW S or 14 days' impri- r, was charged with breaking a plateglass window, valued at £4. The defence. was that she had been taken into the shop by an assis.aut of the owner, and as he did not pay her, she, in 41 rage, really did break the window. Fined £4, the value of the glass, -or to beimprisoned for two months. REFUSING TO DO DUTY ON SHIP-BOA RD. —COTA Press, of the I Dock, appeared carpenter on buarc] Rowe n, lying in th-e,--I.lr, for refusing towor and obey his master. He was sent to prison for seven days. =LING. 7 Isaac Neil was charged with smuggling • , baceo, valued 19s, from the Sandon-dock. ' pay : the duty, or be imprisoned for 21 cigars anc lie was c days. a charge in Byte ;ooTs.—Mary Kelley was brought up on 1g three pair of boots, from a shop door t- on Thirsday evening. The prisoner a convicted of stabbing, and sentenced had previously smashir Man lso of the offence of d gave her three months impri- sonment with hard lab ROBBER'S! yonth named Jones, was ehargk d icith following is: at 81, circumstances. On Thnrsday,. a woman Raymond-street, was reman d e d on a charge of 2 being in possession of some r ei ns , w hi c h h a d b een stolen._ She had stated that she bought the reins from Jones. The police kept their eye upon Jones, and about five o'clock that morning, they 'saw him go into the house 81, RaymonOtrect, with a bag. lie was followed, and found secreted in the back yard, with a quantity of bacon, valued at about 30s. He was taken into cnstody, and the owner of the bacon was found. The prisoner was committed for trial at the sessions. We may state that the woman who bought the reins was subsequently brought Up and discharged with a caution. BEFORE MESSRS. HONGILTON AND DIXON. - - - - PUBLICANS' AND BEEESELLERS' cA.sus. Mary Powell, the proprietress of the Royal Hotel, was summoned for selling drink at an unlawful hour on Sunday last, at half-past nine a.m. Two officers who appeared to substantiate the charge, (Pave evidenc e t o th e effect that they w en t i nto the tap of the hotel, which is in Moorfields, dressed as navies, and that two other men followed them, and had glasses of rum for which they paid. Mr. Bluek, who appeared for the defendant, made a furious onslaught upon the conduct of the police officers, describing it as unmanly and un-English to watch about disgutsed as navies, obtain admittance into publie-houses, and thus induce others who might have seen them to seek an entrance also. - Besides:the two men who had been served with drink, were two ostlers who had been engaged ,all Sunday morning in conse quence, of a wedding which had taken place from the premiSes. Fiued 20s. and costs. James Garner, who keeps a public-house in Ti tl___ street, was Charged with permitting drunkenness on his premises. It would appear that about half past three on the morning of Friday, the 25th instant, two officers visited the defendant's public-house. They found four men and the landlord in the back room, all of them drunk. There was drink on the table, as also a pack of cards and 2s. in money. For the defence, two of the men who were there on the occasion, and the landlord himself, positively swore that not one of them were under the influence of drink; but the officer reiterated the asser tion that they were all very drunk, and added that the landlord had said, " Here, officers, have a drink, and don't say a word about it." Much hard swearing fol lowed on both sides, and the mo.tristrates ultimately in flicted efine of 10s. and costs. Martha !Price, who keeps ,a public-house in Gildart's gardens, was summoned for selling a glass of rum and a glass of ale at half-past one on Sunday morning last. Mr: Block admitted the offence, but, as an extenuation, he said that Mrs. Price did not know that the drink was being served, as she was up stairs at the time. Her mother, who was on a visit from the country, had sold it, not being aware of the illegality. Fined 10s. and costs. Benjamin Frew, publican, Rose-place, Rose-hill, was charged with permitting drunkenness, &c. At half-past one o'clock on Saturday morning last, two officers visited the premises, and found nine men and nine women inside. Five of the men were drunk, and five of the women were' prostitutes. Fined 10s and costs. James Brown, publican, Carleton-place, Wellington row, was chargedl with selling drink past eleven, on Sunday morning last missed °barn- venty minutes &minions dis- John Grey, .beerhouse-keeper, Naylor-street, convicted of trading on Sunday morning last, fined 5s and costs. James Lindsey, 'beerhou se -k ee p er , Smithdown-l ane , was charged with harbouringa policeman during his, hours of duty. At half-past twelve on Tuesday morning, the inspector visited the beerhouse, and found the police officer there drinking. He visited the place again at three, but could not main an entrance. The p o li ce o ff icer was then discovered gain to the premises drunk, and he was sent to bridewell. The defendant denied that he had served the policeman with drink, but the inspector swore he saw the officer drunk. Fined 20s and costs. STEALING LETTERS.—WiIIiam Dougherty, remanded o fr f o l m e t t t e h r i s s , day containing wee k on postage thecharge stamps ai of id stealinga number money orders from the letter-box of his employers,. Messrs. J. Lloyd and Sons, 11, St. Anne-street, was brought up m r . Lloyd stated since the prisoner was remanded, he had, ascertained that he had stolen four more letters, contain ing postage stamps. It was stated by Cozens, the detective officer of the post-office, that the lad had given the money which he had obtained for the stamps to his mother, a destitute widow, with a sick daughter, residing in a garret, at 18, Back Blake-street. Mr. Mansfield observed there was little doubt the lad had l , ^- couraged by his mother, and in order , becoming a professional thief, lie would sentc be further imprisoned for 14 days, and then to the Reformatory, in Leicestershire, for five N. en en- ) save him from him to ST. ANNE'S DISPENSARY AND EYE AND EAR INSTITU TION, 13, Rose Hill. —New patients entered on the books last week, viz :-26th February, Relieved at the institution, 1.54 ; relieved at their own dwellings, 65 total, 219. Visitors—M essrs. E. Watts, and G. Jordan. Hon. secretary and treasurer, Joseph Kitchen, Esq. SOUTHERN HOSPITAL. — *eekl Report.—Admitted : Accidents and urgent cases, 50} medical and surgical cases upon recommendation, 13 ; total, 63. Discharged : Cutered, 10 ; reli eve d , 4 ; irregular, 0 ; died, 1; tot a l, 15. tal, 6d,g as out-patients, 30. - Remaining in the hospi- Treasure r : James Houghton, Esq. Visitors: W. Mounttield, Esq., . and S. Madly, Esq Honorary chaplain : Rev. W. Leveson. Physician and surgeon for the ensuing week: Dr. Cameron and Mr..-Hamilton. I p l e o ni us b e ert s o u n r r ons : Mr. John M. Bat eson an d M r . C. 11Ir. lINCIIEON'S LECTU RE. —At the Collegiate Institution, last night, the Rev. Mr. Puncheon lecturd on "The Huguenots." The attendance was very numerous ; so crowded, indeed, that we are surprised how the ladies could applaud under the heat. The ther mometer could not possibly be under 89 or 90, and this taken with the warmth of the speaker —it was almost suffocating. Mr. Puncheon's lecture was certainly a most brilliant and oratoric a l display; but we could wish that it was less abusive of his enemies, and less eulogistic of his friends. But we cannot complain; the lecture was a most interesting and entertaining one. He gave full and graphic descriptions of the lives of the leaders of the Huguenots, and was most vociferously applauded. I t would be presumption to give the lecturer's ideas in the space we can devote to the subject, and we mus t , there fore satisfy ourselves with this notice. In the absence of the Rev. J. B. Lowe, the Rev. Mr. Bardsley presided. and melts to be a b 1 :c1 311 ' thell , - 1 iov ' t tIA • ,r 015 ha" tile u ry for 0 i n b e 3 tbe rotten ths' 11 a t ''' „ it to the 1 •-trtv ,i , ~e t" 1 111 [co, ) re° 17_ 0 . urn S el'l.9 e nt til 113;ev e A ) f re l 11011 o 5 tO bra ,