The Northern Daily Times. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-01-30 00:00:00

do all we can to mitigate it. I have made it the rule of ray life to try every experiment I could for'Athe reforma tion of people whether I was sure that it would answer or not. I think we are bound to try every experiment, but this I think is a promising experiment, and I do hope that the people of Liverpool will consider it in that light, and that they will do all they can in support of a reforma tory institution in this town. (Applause.) '4 Mr. W. Brown, M.P., seconded the resolution. He said the time had come, he believed more than •con they should cyart Chair anarniaa in this directiot fromt iia t m fr ; ed; ezna ge — c oit amina ii o n wh i Vass of the juvenile voonlation of this and other towns 'were now subject to. to. It rarely occurred that criminals c ommenced their career of wickedness by being bad. They 'ere n o t v i c i ous natura ll y , b u t th e y were too generally made vicious by their parents who contaminated them :by ,sending them out to the streets to steal and plunder Re ear, bean)" Vic buon Wor+ seldom very a lation st stage of d n was better than cu .jiuced that prevei.-- was their duty as Christians, to endeavour t most effectual iystem of prevention. (Hear, Ivas deeply to be regretted, that they f urther than the law allowed th pre tor the but wh, "v. MeV saw couaren who they prowling 11.1JJ1.11: wig --eY knew were beginning to steal, it was to be regretted that they could not take up those children and Iblanne i them in reformatory institutions, tut should b' : Tl Tl" cue d to wait until they had committed some crim - had fai rlY entered their Prussia, and in other des to the 1 , 0 9. 4 _ some , r or vicE he w : r T r s , and was observed Th;., 7, 8 , inniediately taken np , though he might hay,. corn h•Leci nn mischief, nor a serious crime be alleged aczainst 2 11 2: and handed over 'to the police, or a reformatory %"sTnlltion, to rear him up a useful and honest man. (Hear, near.) Re very much approved of the report, and he trusted that th hi' world afford to the committee pu u • - - very ,idandsuppert in corryine out the ob, s of a i nstitution to their fullest completion. (Hear, hear.) Mr. J. P. Heywood said, he was anxious that tt itstitution should meet with every support • deQtiaired of reclaiming Vie , old, he believed that she only chance of diminishing crime in this country way, by taltines, eharge of the children when very young. s 'Perience of his year of 0 4 ce as High Sheriff for the cone led him to believe that when thieves grew up to a man's estate they would continue to be thieves, • and nothing else. There was no chance of reclaiming the old, but by taking the young before they were matured in crime, t hey might save them from a life of vice and misery. tear, hear.) He confessed that every day he lived he 'was the more convinced of the necessity and importance of reformatory institutions, and he hoped that the one Which they had now established in Liverpool, and which Would serve to raise a race of ' seamen the merchant ser vice much required, would meet from the public the sup- Port it deserved. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Adam Hodgson supported the resolution. He said that there were many questions of more importance than 'the one which had assembled them together, and though It was an extensive one, and might be presented in aspects that would excite their sympathies, it was yet eminently 'aractical question. The whole question was stated in the. clearest possible way in two or three short resolu tions of the Select Committee of the House of Commons tn the subject, and as they were not generally known, he would read them, in order that they might go forth to the public. Mr. Hodgson then read the resolutions, which were as follows :- 1. That it is the opinion of this committee that a'great amount of juvenile destitution. ignorance, vagrancy, and crime, has long existed in this country, for which no aslequate remedy has yet been provided. "2• That the existence of similar evils in France, Ger- Th anY, Switzerland, Belgium, and the United States, has been met by vigorous efforts in those countries : and, in theis opinion of this c omm itt ee, sound ' policy requires that country should promptly adopt measures for the s ame purpose. 3. That it app ears t o thi s committee to be established by the evidence, that a large portion of the present segre- Rate of crime might be prevented, and thousands of m iserable human beings, who 'have before them, under ° lir present system, nothing but a hopeless career of !ickedness and vice, might be converted into virtuous, honest, industrious citizens, if due care were taken 1 , 10 rescue destitute, neglectedtat and criminal children "le the daneers 'eand tempions incident to their . . . position. fe 4 ; • That a great proportion of the criminal children of `: 3 c ountry. especially those coniicted of first offenee en, l l)* ', ar rather to require systematic t Istria' occupation than mere punia o correction,,, n o s t . j u l lat the common gaols and houses t " eorr e e Pa l l Y , provide suitable means for the educational 'whe n F,' l ' e treatment of young children, who ougnt ri o be treated in a manner different from rie a?re . ine, . t 6 . e hat 1 ` e e e - , 111 , 41 7 punishments of adult criminals. rem, at private reformatory establishments fen of pe rmanent - " H eals have proved successful, but are not sure else the slipport, and are deficient 'in legal control an r see inmates. MO. anThat such reformatory schools should be founded cont ieF,P.°"ed partially by local rates, and partly by givenr_efbeeons from the State, and that 'power. should be le is. r raising the necessary amount of local rates. tion hat, irrespectively of the high moral consid' I sle t s wh ich are involved in this subject, this con , e sire to e xpress their belief, that, whatever' is if , pros of suc h schools and establist. st duct, 31 tes _ .ve 9 0 . great pecuniary ""Y Would h in diminishing which 0 . have • )n and th,reerhcvriminal population is now c el "the critninredueing the ge— io Mink„.• a l law. t un ees l ,—lt was a cause of great congratulation to aw het the corporation had come forward in so noble tie n ßY as they had done. (Hear, hear.) But the ques t " T v 'wig what was the public of the town to do? `nPresent they had hardly done anything:. They hardly ew any of the institutions, and they seemed to he almost 1.,,,ant of the services and permanent 'benefits which . .I„e ti l , , , l o soon re. , /lt to them from it. He knew that an oh tutio- a e s xlsted in the minds of many persons to the insti as „o. at present established, because-they argued that population Part "f the cost of management of the criminal t v la tt : e atio n of the country, the expense ought to be borne Rubs .Pe,hlic funds, and not by individual and private t h m at t e el Tr t i n n ; ; There was no use blinking the fact, that igh fairly I crt. generally prevailed, but he thought it was so ill snot et in this Way, that the country at large that it was not vet on the general nature of the question, by sanctionine the iPmrePared to respond to thelegislature, that might be neePßSThposton of direct taxes to . the extent full extent to which it o gut "P ing to er out the object to the to have e v id ence that the o carried out. It wanted was a practi ca l one, that the leet which they had in view plated were r esu lt s which mi ierieltsults which they contem bwee'produced 1 . 33 7 . p w ro o p u e l i Management, and if those result s then agree to the principle that the castreouii ought b it pr o to fall, not On individuals , but on the country at large, - (Hear, hear.) He quite concurred in that opinion, and believed that the larg funds . e which would be required to carry out the ob jteeestva.a_ it ought to be'earried out, would not be obtained by luul ldual subscriptions even in this benevolent town or Country, but then he thought the present institution des • erved support as means to assist the government in t ryinß the experime n t. ( Hear, hear.) An act of parlia !Aent had been passed by which the government under 00k to defray a certain portion of the expense, and what ',Tel , now had to do was t o go to the public and ask that t hey should assist in this transition state in making the experiment. It had been tried in other places and had Pr oved successnd, and he thought there could not, be a it ' r ?nger call on the community than to come forward and b 8 81 st the government in Hertying the experiment in Liver- Thi,°l,* (Hear. hear.) was certain of its success, and at When the efficiency of the system was fully proved ..,""nas would be provided from public sources to carry it " n • (Hear, hear.) There was no institution which was 2f More importance or demanded greater exertion in its V.?h e alf, and he trusted that the public of Liverpool would t(i)no tzlly respond to the enpeal which they made to them The .t day, (Hear, hear.) r. teiptlintion was unanimonsly adopted. which John 4.f Mansfield moved the second resolution, with cone ern , t ' l l l ioW s :----" That this association, viewing juvenile criminars continued increase in the number of discipline, as now , and believing a course of reformatory locality in a school P -fr e Z t r i . to be carried out in this matories as funds accumulVte be. succeeded by land refor with those who otherwise , b : e , is the best mode of dealing repeated committals to n6B:flee hardened in crime by public to supply them liberally ssaritTies f tly appeal to the establish and carry on the institutions ap p ea order h to neighbourhood." Mr. Mansfield said it was f?r t is f. the highest gratification to him, that, Naftersoya a subject o fruit less many efforts, there should at last be, something realised. They had ofa shin, and so . relieved themselves from the necessityfaris in distant 1 sending their juvenile criminals to e town should ; a system which it was SO diSCreditabie to th it had done.. That disgrae'es i t l t a yd. have lasted so long as i b l eea now removed by the measures which had been take the reformatory system Fhe counter importance of exaggerated. The riches of a , could hardly be Y dirilenroo consist merely in its agricultural produce, ;tor did i t marvellous machines in the ingentrity of its people and those which had been multiplied by scientific andlsmemweleecaahlntiFoasfl skill'in the manufacturing towns. But the real a country consisted in the population of the country —in a well ordered and moral population, who would be useful in peace, and a defence in the times of war. (Hear, h ear.) It was said by one w h o k new h uman na t ure b etter than any of those present could pretend to do, that `` Young children were as arrows in the hand of the strong man," and that " happy are they who have their quiver full of them, and they shall not he afraid, but speak with the enemy at the gat e ." Th e un f or t una t e c hild ren o f Whom the previous speakers had spoken, had been well likened I y the recorder of Birmingham to the Masterless dogs which ran about the streets of Constan tieoPle. C ou ld th ere b e anyt hi ng more melancholy—more deplorable? It was to guide and train up that popula tion. so that they might become an honour and a defence to their country that the work was directed about which the Y were now engag e d. It w as th e i r o bj ect to gu id e t hem aria train them as human beings, an d no t mere ly as " t t,man bei ngs , b ut as C hr i st i ans, that they might he an a( lvantag e , a defence, and a glory to the country. These Children wereinstruments, powerful alike for good, and for ev il. They were, as he had said, " Arrows in the hand of the strong man." B u t if t h ey were not used for defence, b th ey would be come a torment, a misery, and an atliction t he country. Th ere was no doubt that much as had geil done hitherto a great deal more remained to be done. 'wile steps had been made. and he thought the very best ducatior ments, they would be aving. by the effect nstantl !from t cost of the administration NORTHERN TIMES.-LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30,1856, direction which could have been assumed in the beginning had been taken. From the position of that town, there were the greatest advantages offered for training up chil lren to the sea service. They all knew that con during the last war, and even in times when commerce was in great activity, difficulties experienced by the country Ind individuals, in loaning ships. It ;hiy desirable that the training of of perc there N) dvautages were also offered by that training to but by the exuberance of that energ whinh, if it and useful be trained to 3 kind of life, for which few of them ever manifested pluctance. (Hear, hear.) At -the same time it 1 not be concealed, that having a floating hulk was the most expensive form in which they could obtain They could only look for and they could not a reformatory .d to train nl.l system of trainitr, to teach them the great ?s of morality in the first place, and in the next, them a trade by which they could get a living. _ direct return was out of the question in the pre seat instance. At the same time, ho felt the most sanguine ,t great p )le cargo, wou1( more piofitable venture, that that ship which now moored in the river. (Hear, hear.) It ited that a criminal in his mate deportation or death from boyhood to n ere now mmencement o . were saved from that felon's life and from the infinite mischief and expense to which they would put society, then there would be saved many hundreds, and he trusted many thousands to the country. (Hear, hear.) This then would be the project of the voyage to the Akbar, althou zh that voynv were limited to swirmin2 in the Mersey. (Cries of hear, hear, and applause.) It was not absolutely necessary, althotuth it would be very, - - rable if they could do it, to have a land reformatory leir own. It was of the greatest importance that the her of boys who herded tozether for the purpose of other to crime, should be broken up, b dis , persing them to different reformatories. This had been felt very much at Bristol and at Birmingham, as well as at. Liverpool. It would, therefore, be a very desirable thing• that. occasionally, some boys should be sent to those places from Liverpoil, and that Liverpool should re ceive others from those places in return—those from Liverpool going to agricultural establishments, and the others coming to the marine reformatory thus accomplishing the object in view. He, thought that unless they obtained for therefore facilities the establishment of an agricultural reformatory which he, nevertheless, ad mitted would he in itself a highly desirable thing—and until they had funds to do it, they must let it remain in abeyance for some time. (Hear, hear.) There was another subject which he thought was still - more press ing, and one which had not: been as vet adverted to, that was a reformatory for girls. (Hear. hear.) Girls were just as much neglected by their parents as boys — they were just as much incited to' theft and depredations —and, owing to their sex, they were peculiarfy difficult to manage. The reformation of the girls was, he thought, at the root of everything. Everything in the morality of a family depended upon the mother. It was one of the most painful things he had to experience or to witness, when, as a magistrate, he observed, day after day, women in the humbler classes, even very young married women, brought up before him for having been drunk and disor derly, committing acts ;of outrage. obviously incapable of performing properly the duties of a mother. He was afraid that that class of persons was exceedingly difficult to manage. On some occasions he inquired where these women had been brought up, mnd he found that several, too many, of - them had come for ward from the industrial schools. so that where every attention was paid still the difficulties were very great. (Hear, hear.) The moment, therefore, they had sufficient funds to accomplish the first object he hoped they would then endeavour to instil into the young female population some principles of morality and self respect, and self-restraint, and to teach them the proper functions of a wife and mother. (Hear. hear.) He differed very much from those persons who were for giving what be might call too high an education to young girls. To be taught questions of chemistry, asked whether the rays of the sun are opaque or not—these things he thought were such as could be of no sort of service to the wife of a ibouring man. The real lessons which women of that ass should be taught were that the modesty of their sex "ot be over-stepped in word or action, that therp -*Taint from drinkint; ardent spirits—for he married women, _...eteen years of age, had been brought up fore him for disgraceful drunkenness—and, further, lot seemed to bo unfortunately neglected, or at all rather difficult to teach at schools, the . - iary work and duties of a woman in her home— sr, hear)—to keep their houses clean, to beep it own, and their husband's clothes clean, to wash, to to nurse their children, and all which a young man ought to be taught to know. Without this know :4- was a mere falsification of temis, to call a woman (Hear, hear.) The husband came nne as the type of all— y to say that many !nts was n he REPORT That they invited Mr. Dignan's attendance at their first meeting, and the production by him thereat of any evidence which he might have to offer in support of the above charge. That invitation was followed by a refusal on the part of Mr. Diguan to attend the meeting, and a long letter by him ad dressed to the board, which letter was subsequently placed in your committee's hands. Your committee find in this letter no facts put forward, nor any evidence adduced of a character to sustain the charge in question. They cannot, indeed, but regret that Mr. Dignan should have given publicity to an allegation so grave in its tendency, yet so groundless, reflecting alike upon the character of the board, its individual member, and its officers, and entail. ing upon the latter especially a vast amount of labour in defence of their own integrity, to the serious obstruction of their official duties. In the absence of any assistance from Mr. Dignan in the conduct of this investigation, your committee called to their aid the relieving officers and the collecting officers who have been concerned for Vauxhall Ward, the district of the town to which Mr. Dignan makes reference ; and, after a long and thoroagh scrutiny of the lists for the last four years, viz., of tho ratepayers (voters) as compared with the rate recipients (paupers), they are unable to discover a single fact giving countenance to Mr. Dignan's charge ; and the officers, all and each, tendered a written declaration that " Mr. Bradley had not at any time requested them to place parties on the relief lists who were voters in Vauxhall Ward, or any persons whatever whom they considered not proper objects of relief. That Mr. Bradley, during the time he had sat on the quorum for relief, diminished rather than increased the :amount given to residents in Vauxhall Ward." In conclusion, your committee feel bound in common jus tice to Mr. Bradley, to record their opinion, that the activity and zeal which he has brought to bear upon the administration of relief, has proved beneficial, rather than otherwise, to the Public interests ; that he has evinced no partiality to any class ; that he has been actuated by no sinister motives in the dis charge of his parochial duties. THOMAS HENRY SATCHELL, Ch?irman Mr. Satchell said, as chairman of the special committee, be would move tha t th e re p or t j us t rea d b e adopted. The com mittee had paid much attention to the investigation, and they had not been able to find a shadow of evidence to support the charges which had been made against Mr. Bradley. They had enquired of the relieving officers, and had gone through the books for the four years that Mr. Bradley bad held a place at the board, and there was nothing to support the charge. Now, that the inquiry was over, be hoped the subject would be allowed to drop, and that there would be no more acrimonious feelings existing between Mr. Bradley and Mr. Dignan. Mr. Jones, in seconding the adoption of the report, exon erated Mr. Bradley from all blame in the matter. Mr. Owen said, the investigation had been given to a com mittee of certain persons, but scarcely any of them had ever attended, and had not signed the report ; in fact, it was a report of three of Mr. Bradley's own nominees. (Hear, hear.) He did not wish it to go forth that it came from the body. (Confusion.) The Chaii man said, the board were departing from the good advice given them by Mr. Satchell. There is a report before the board, will the board adopt it or not ? He did beseeeh of them, not to use any offensive remarks during the business, which they should conduct properly. Mr. Jones and Mr. Owen made a few remarks, after which, Mr. Woodruff explained that, domestic affliction had pre- vented him from attending on the committee, wh The Chairman declared the repot Mr. Bradley thanked the board f placed in him; and hoped sucL le confidence they had would never be for- felted by him After transacting some routine businesss, the board ad journed. pis wit the wages which hd had given ht 1 that of the children had wretched (-1-' pauchery hat she had perhaps indispensable articles of the children's his nd pawnA them roc r,d daily occurred, could it be wondered at that. Cita took place by the wretched , husband upon fierce a is mor ruched Wife, and that he himself sought to )wn his sorrows in drink. (Hear, hear.) Another tson why he thought the government lad done well in .owing the matter upon the shoulders of the public, her than undertaking the whole expense and manage nt thenvelves, in the first instant which lad been was the L government had in dealing with details, n in the cnmmisiariat and army arrange e war. (Hear, hear.) This he contended henthe - question was dealt with by a body of private individuals. Finally, Mr. Mansfield proposed the resolution, and resumed his seat amid loud applause. Mr. Samuel Holme said: Mr. Mayor, I have been requested to second the resolution which has jest been proposed by Mr. Mansfield, acid I should have been well content, sir, to leave the question on the basis where it has been placed by the preceding speakers, but that I think it is of some importance that the proceedings of a meetinc , like this should go forth to the world, and especially upon a subject which touches so nearly the interests of the whole conaniunity. You and I know, sir, that there are gentlemen who have an objection to a reformatory, and we have heard objections to it even in this room. Amidst the anxieties and responsibilities, sir, which often attach to the high office you at present so well fill, anxieties and responsibilities which frequently occur, it is cheering to be able at all times to bring the influence and the dignity of that office to bear upon any purpose of true benevolence. (Hear, hear.) And it is strikingly characteristic of the present age that while we are astounded by the wonderful achievements of science which are changing the features of human society. benevolence itself is not left in the rear. (Hear, hear.) If any proof were wanting, sir, I might point to our dispensaries and infirmaries for the sick, to the asylums for our deaf and for our blind, and I might point likewise to those noble institutions I mean the ragged schools ; and all honour be to those gentlemen who went into the very purlieus of our great cities, dived into the materials, of the existence of which, many of us were scarcely aware, who have acted as the pioneers of institutions like this, and have been our pre cursors in the good work. (Hear, hear, and applause.) Sir, benevolence, ran, indeed, exhibit her trophies .in our Christian country ; and I trust she shall ever have her trophies more important in these legitimate results, than the victories of our army and our navy • more important than the victories of science, because the one is physical, the other is moral ; the one deals with questions of time, the other deals with questions of eternity. (Hear, hear.) Sir, the benevolence of which I have spoken, which cops among the.poor, wretched, and forlorn, is an emanation from the spirit of hiin who went about doing good. (Hear, hear.) All these institutions, and there are many more than I have already named, are merely the precursors of something more; and my experience, and the experience of many of the gentlemen who surround me, tell us that we must go one step further. (Hear, hear.) It is true, indeed, that all those which I have named. are doing good, but we have more yet to do. (Hear, hear.) Hitherto, Mr. 'Mayor, we have :punished crime - in this country rather than attempted to prevent it. We have permitted the evil seed to grow up, and are we then sur prised at the harvest? Who can read the appalling accounts, sir, which fill the columns of our newspapers from day to dap heinz moresl—.vho can read those records wnich distisTore Vic. face of a human srr.iety, so much' brongt /Imam Am I•a Christian man? do I possess any intia ewe in the world ? and am I able to do anything for the pnrmse of preventing those unmitigated evils ?" (Hear, creature im, an beai.) The only war, sir, I can dell with the question is just to trace the career of an individual criminal. Fre quently he is born of parents who are themselves the victims of intemperance and of vice. In many cases his very parents are unknown to him. He has never known the blessing of a mother's smile. Tie has never felt the soft and sweet endearments, to which the Rector h as a ll u d e d, of domestic life. Clothed in rags, in some filthy court, vveltring in'squalor, enduring the crsvings of hunger and the winds of winter—no eye has pitied his infantile suf ferings, no voice has warned him, no hand has guided him,, there has been none to bless him. Hie habits have been those of the animal. His language, caught from the intercourse amidst which he has been living, has been b T ich.emY—his very prayers have been oaths and curses. s little creature, sir, infests our markets, our dock quays, and our public thoroughfares, that he may pick up garbage with whic h to allay the' pangs of hunger. He begins bys tanding petty larceny . He robs under a s in one of our markets. Last of all he picks a pocket, and emboldened by success and the glittering prize which would enable hire to allay his hunger, enable him to possess animal enjoyments and gratifications, he goes on pursuing his course from little to more, until at last he is detected and sent before a magistrate. Now. sir, is the critical period of the young criminal's life. The case is proved and he is sent to gaol. Now commences his edu cation. He is taught there by the experience of older thieves how he may elude suspicion and rob so that he shall escape detection, and for a few years he pursues his course. At an early age, sir, he almost invariably forms an illicit connection with some of those abandoned females to whom Mr. Mansfield so feelingly alluded, and so he goes on, until his final transportation from this country, the subject of continual prosecutions, living half his time in our gaols, inflicting upon us the cost of clothing him and feeding him, until, after he bas cost us some 2001 or 3001, he is finally sent away to a penal settlement—a what ? An intellectual and living being, useless to his country, and his life a:burthen to himself. This is the career of many of our criminals. He has been the victim of circumstances. Did seelety expee' it would find angels, air, among children who have had the education of devils ? Now, sir, I would ask if that ne glected creature had been transferred to an educational reformatory, while young, while his mind was compara tively untainted, where he would have had physical, men tal, and religious teaching, and would have acquired a knowledge of moral obligation, where he would have been separated from the companionship of prostitutes and thieves, and whence, after having been thus trained, he would have been sent to some honest occupation, how lot have been his lot are constantly Jefore the magistrates in the court, boys Of such - di - minitive stature, that their heads scarcely reach above the table; and nothing can give one more anxiety and pain than to know what to do with them. (Hear, hear.) Send Hum to gaol, and you send them to a school where they will be educated in crime. Discharge them, and you send them back to the society from whence they appeal, and in a few weeks hunger drives them aga th.ft, and they are again brought before the magic.. Now, sir, what are we to do ? The question must be in qnired into, are we to go on building gaols for ever? In this reds of in , ' up to be criminals, and if we do not do something with them, depend upon it that we shall have to maintain and feed them, and, eventually, transport them. ((Tear, hear.) We have just expended an amount of 160,000/ or 170,000/, to build •Che new gaol at Walton, to accommodate 1,000 criminals, and it is almost full. If the pre ient state of things goes on for a much longer time, if we do nothing to prevent crime, rather than to punish it. in a very few years more, we shall have to spend 160,0001 more. - Far better would it be to build a reformatory, and to do some thing to prevent crime, rather than attempt to crush it (Hear hear.) Ido not wish it to go forth to th public. that even with these reformatories and their training, we can expect to have our gaols empty. No, sir, unfortu nately not—intoxication has its victims. I happened to be the magistrate upon the day to which the Rector referred. There were 205 cases ; I counted them, sir, and 141 of these cases were cases of drunkenness and disorderly conduct arising from it, and the rem7indcr, or at least the majority of them, crimes committed under the influence of drink, or in consequence of it. Nor. sir, will education atone prevent our gaols from being filled. We have seen educated men, nay, sir, we have seen those who moved in the position of gentlemen, stand at the bar as well as the poor offscourings of the earth, whom we desire to protect. The extravagant man who lives beyond his means, the idle and dissolute man, who will steal rather than work,—prostitution, intemperance, rage.— all these have their victims, and all help to fill our gods. (Hear.) But now, sir, having occupied you so long, pardon me.for one moment more. I assert if we can nip crime in the bud, if we can snatch away the juvenile wretch from his companions in vice, and teach him the way of industry, and further, if we can fit him to be a seaman, as this institution is calculated to do, and thus give what the country . wants—for we shall want more seamen to man our ships, according as the colonies are increasing, and trade improving, when we get this war at an end—l say then, that if we put the juvenile criminal in the way of getting an industrious living and teach him honesty, we should be doing mach to IPssen the greatest evils which afflict society. (Hear, hear.) Sir, I would apologise to the gentlemen present for making these remarks, but I see gentlemen here who are sending forth what we say to the community, and we wish the public mind to be agitated upon this question, in order that the public may think about the question before they give us their aid. I ask why cannot we do in the moral what is done in the physical world ? The reason is because there is more energy about things physical than there is in the general heart for things moral. The most polished stone which decorates the finest edifice was once unhewn, and rough in the quarry. The mighty engine which propels the steamer against the winds and tides, and carries across the Atlantic's wave, with all its wonderful cranks, and all its magnificent motions. What was it once ? Moving as it does in powerful sublimity, it was once, sir, a mass of iron-stone in the quarry, until it was smelted in the fur nace, and reduced by the skill and determination of the artizan to be the beautiful engine which we all so much admire. (Hear, hear ) Chemist?v, too, can extract fragrance even from corruption, and beat from the coldest substances. Every work of art we see was at one time a rough and unshapen mass,.until brought into form and made beautiful by the skill of the artizan. Let us recollect, Mr. Mayor, that the material which we have to work upon possesses mind, intellig ence humanity, and an immortal soul. The meanest of the little creatures who stands at the bar of justice—the poorest little ragged wretch we see about the streets, pining with hunger, and clothed in rags, is an immortal creature like ourselves, and if properly . taken care of, if he had the advantages we have possessed, if he had had a father to labour for him, and a mother's care to and to brin Etitution ttend to him, he m attain a position even as high 1 you at Int so wcrthily fill :heeis.) I say it U, there- fore, our duty to do something for these poor creatnreS, to remove them from the stigma and the contempt of the gaol, and teach them to do their duty both to God and to man. (Hear, hear, and loud cheers.) Al 7 l should give them the means of earning their bread, and direct them in the path of virtue, honesty, and usefulness, and then we shall have the gratification of knowing that we have done our duty, and we may fairly expect the blessing of God upon our exertions. (Hear, hear, and applause.) Before sitting down, only one single word. It is a fact painful to reflect upon, and not creditable to the town of Liverpool, that the subscriptions to the public institutions can barely count 2,200 persons, in a population of nearly half a million. Sir, there is an amazing amount of wealth in this town, which does not contribute anything to our public institutions whatever, and the pressure has, therefore, become great upon the few who do contribute. If people who now possess the means would only know the luxury of doing good!—if they would only depend a little lesss upon them selves, and look at the state of society in which we are existing !—a state of society which, if something is not done for the purpose of amending it, depend upon it will, at some distant period, in the judgment of God, bring an explosion upon the country which will make us regret that we did not 'moue- snatch away some of our fellow men from the degraded position they are sunk in at present, and lift them up to the lofty influences of citizenship, manhood, and Christianity. (.Applause.) Yes, let rs do this, and do it in the spirit of Him who went about doing good, and who said—" I was in prison, and ye visited me ;" and, " Inasmuch as you have done this to the least of my disciples, you have done it 'unto me." (Applause.) Sir, most cordially do I second the resolution proposed by Mr. Mansfield. (Loud applause) • . The Rev. Mr. Bishop supported the resolution, and in doing so begged to be allowed to take exception to an expression used by the preceding speakers in calling the in.titution an experiment. It was not an experiment. (Hear, hear.) The system of reformatory institutions had been tested under various circumstances not only on the Continent in those schools of which they heard so much within the last few years, but also tested in a country more closely resembling England—he meant the United States. More than thirty years az° a reformatory on a large scale was established in New York, a city very like Liverpool in the cbaracter of its population and condition of trade. He visited that institution in 1852, and he found there about 400 boys and 100 girls in separate but contiguous buildings. Every thing he saw in connection with it proved the soundness of the system, and the results had been equally satisfactory. (Hear, hear.) Since the establishment of the institution there had gone out from it upwards of six thou sand young people—(hear, hear)—and he had been informed by the governor of it that about three-fourths of that num ber had been knowr to have been permanently reclaimed. (Hear, hear.) That, the reverend gentleman declared, was an all-sufficient proof of the soundness of the system, and he contended that by a like management the same result might be produced in Liverpool. The resolution was unanimously adopted. Mr. J. C. Ewart, M.P., in moving the appointment of the committee, said that after the very able speeches they had heard, he would not occupy their time by any lengthened observations. In such a port as Liverpool the temptations to juvenile crime were very great. The merest children were sent down by their parents to the docks to steal what they oould lay their hands on, and when brought un at the police courts, the great difficulty which the magistrates experienc.d was in determining wbst to do with them. The object of all punishment was the prevention of crime—(Hear, hear)—and if the magis trates sent them to jail they sent them only where they would be further contaminated, and from which they would come out worse than when they had entered. They were now going. to try another experiment, and he hoped that it would be successful. (Hear, hear.) In Liverpool they had peculiar advantages to aid them in making the experiment. They would have opportunities of sending tha boys to sea, and so find employment for them, and by that means he trusted they would be able to prevent the juvenile delinquencies which, unfortunately, to so great an extent prevailed in Liverpool. (Hear, hear.) In conclu sion the hon. gentleman moved shat the following gentlemen constitute the committee :—Rev. Rector Campbell, 3. S. Mansfield, Esq.; W. Rathbone, Esq. ; G. Holt, Esq. ; H. Ban ner, Esq. ; J. A. Tobin, Esq.; John Wybergb, jun., Esq. ; Lan Samuel gton , lI E o lsncit. ~ e, Hugh H . -,oSranmblyte, Esq. •, John North, Esq. ; 1 Martin, Esq. ; Charles Wm. Mann, Esq.; Henry Romilly, Esq.; S. it. Graves, Esq. ; John Clint, Esq. ; John Aikin, Esq. ; Rev. F. Bishop, Captain Schomberg, R.N.I Samuel Rathbone, El. ; J. Wakefield Cropper, Esq. ; J. P. Palmer, Esq. ; 3. Woodruff, Esq. T. D. Anderson, Esq., Treasurer. John Cropper, Esq , James R. Brougham, Secretaries. Mr. J. A. Tobin seconded the resolution. He said that had it not been for the remarks of Mr. Holme and the pre ceding speakers, showing how much the public were in iglu>: rance"with reference to r fustitutions of this kind, he would not think it necessary to say a word in seconding the resolu tion, but u it seemed desirable that the question should be fully discussed, in order that it might be better understood, he would, with their permission, trouble them with a few ohser,vations. Ilear,:hear.) When the late Mr. Rushton lived amongst them the subjeettof a reformatory institution was discussed, but it was found that the law was so defec !live that it was thought desirable, before anything was done In it, that the subject should ba brought under the notice of the legislature, in order that a remedy for those defects might be provided, In 1854. Lord ealmerston brought in a bill on the:subject providing a remedy for many of the existing defects, but though from a variety of circumstances the establishment of a reformatory institution in the town had to be kept in abeyance, it was never 'yet lost sight of, until it was brought before them in its present form. (Hear hear.) There were one or two points which it was desira ble they should bear in mind, when as magistrates they were called upon to punish poor children. They should ascertain whether society had performed its duty towards them, and and they should - to discriminate far as possible, snow, sir, I endeavour, .8 Tea those who wilfully com those who were forced to it. treat in the same way those heir parents to steal, the wretched mitted crime, Surely it would be wrong children who had ben sent out I home their nefarious ryairs, an and degraded parents themselves, who placed their offspring in the way of pollution and c-ime ? (Bear, hear.) They should also ascertain whether the present system of reforma tory training had been effective where it had been else where tried, and thus be enabled to form an idea of the probabilities of its success amongst themselves. In 1850, a special committee was appointed by the National Assembly of. France to inquire into the operations of the system in that institution at Mettray, which 'formed the basis of al- most all the institutions of the kind, in this and other countries. The committee reported entirely in its favour, and that the problem of juvenile reformation by labour, with strict discipline, combined with kindness, had been completely . and satisfactorily solved. (Hear, and cheers.) It was important that they should bear in mind some facts in connection with the subject. In France, in 1830, the recommittals to prison of juvenile offenders was about l 9 per cent. In 1843 it increased to something like 39 per cent., and even in some of the large towns to so much as 50 per cent. The authorities, upon that state of facts. took 500 of the juvenile prisoners and sent them to the in t Mettray.. And what was the result ? That the recommittals subsequently Edid not exceed five per cent. (Hear.) That simple fact would bear out the argument urged by the Rev. Mr. Bishop, when he said that, out of the 13,G00 children in Liverpool, a very large proportion, if not all, might be reformed. As regarded the new law, it had the great advantage that, though the children might be removed from their parents, the latter would still - be called on to provide for their maintenance. He did not think it necessary to go any further into details on the subject. It had been fully discussed, and their duty, now, was to urge on the community at large to come forward liberally with their subscriptions in support of the institu tion,—(Hear, hear)—and, if generous aid were afforded, it would not be from want of zeal on the part of the com mittee, if the , mass of juvenile crime in Liverpool was not soon diminished : (Hear, hear.) Mr. W. Rathbone sepported the resolution. He adduced the working men of Dundee supporting, the ragged school of that town, as a proof that the poor were ready to aid in every work for the advantage of society, and he hoped that, by the results which would flow from reforma tory institutions, and from the labours of the society for erecting suitable houses for the working class, the saying of Charles Lamb's would be reversed, and " the home of the poor man be no longer a fallacy." (Hear, hear.) The Rev. Mr. Carter, in supporting the resolution, urged that some steps should be also taken to stop the supply, which would otherwise go to swell the existing mass of juvenile crime, and that the paternal responsibility should be stringently enfoned. The principle was recognised by the act, and whenever they took the child from the parent, because of his neglect, and of his suffering it to be brought up in wicked courses, they should not relieve him of the responsibility to pay for its mainteuance. (Hear, hear.) It was one of the best means to cut off the supply to the 'ranks of juvenile criminals, to make the parent suffer in his pocket, as the consequences of his neglect to his child ; and as this responsibility of the parent, in duch cases, was becoming generally known, he could observe a shaking among the leaves—a stir among the criminal population, at the serious aspect which the matter was assuming. They did not care much about their children being in gaol, but when they found that they would have to pay for them, they were seriously alarmed. (Hear, hear.) At that very morning, at an early hour, a father, whose son was now in the gaol, and who was about to be sent to the Refoimatory, came to him (Rev. Mr. Carter) and en deavoured to show that he should not be made to pay for his son's support. The man had been himself discharged from gaol in Ootober, after undergoing a term of imprison ment, for an assault on his step-child, and he had been sent there on the complaint of his wife, who was herself now suffering two months' imprisonment, for having_ sent her child to steal clothes off a line. Mr. Holme had drawn a touching and feeling picture of the progress of the juvenile criminal, and he (Mr. Carter) could bear his testimony that it was not in the slightest exaggerated. He would narrate an instance—he would take the unhappy perpetrator of the Wolfe-street murder. He had been nineteen times in gaol, and the murdered woman twenty-six tides. and both of them had commenced their career of crime as juveniles. If they had been taken to a reformatory before they had become hardened in crime, their fate would undoubtedly have been different. From the character of the murdered woman's mind, he was convinced she might have easily been reformed when young, and that chance not having been given her, she had been sent before her time, " unhonsled, unanointed, unannealed, and with all her imperfections on her head," before her God, while the murderer awaited his doom, and might have to expiate his crime on the scaffold. The rev. gentleman then pointed out that great temptation to theft was held out to young children in the manner in the manner in which goods were exposed at shop doors and in the docks, and observed that this practice, because in many cases tempting to evil, should be suppressed. He also urged that the pre sent system of gaol discipline might be improved, and pain fully illustrated the evils of inten.perancc in the lamentable case of the starvation of the Aspinall children by their wretched mother. The resolution was unanimously adopted. Mr. John Cropper, in moving that the thanks of the meeting be given to the Mayor, oserved that they had got a considerable number of donations, but that the support of the institution must mainly depend on annual subscriptions. They should supply the committee with £2,000 a year at least before the efficiency of the institution could be devel oped ; and when they looked at the princely palace erected ou Brownlow-hill for their paupers, at a cost of £105,000, surely it was not a great thing to ask from the community of Liverpool so small a sum as £2,000, to do so much good, and effect such great services to society as he was satisfied would flow from the work they had in hand. (Hear, heap.) Mr. T. D. Anderson seconded the motion. In doing so he said that as chairman of the Executive Committee perhaps he might be allowed to say a word in explanation on the apparent delay in establishing the reformatory. He could assure them that there had been no unnecessary delay, and that the committee had done all in their power to have it established sooner, but owing to the changes in the government at the commencement of last year, the committee had not hnotadbeen put in poss ess i on o f th e Akb ar un til June last. still a difficulty in getting land, but they hoped that a nobleman, who had large property in the neighbour hood, would either give or lease them a piece of land suited for the purpose. They had received application within the last month from the magistrates of Warrington to know if t h e committee would take some of their juvenile criminals on their bearing a proportion of the expenses of the institu tion, but if any such applications were entertained, the committee would take care that they did not deprive them selves of the power of taking in the children for whom the institution had been established. (Hear, hear.) In con clusion Mr. Anderson stated that ma boys had been sent from the reformatory at Hardwike to serve the purpose of the mare easily leading the boys on board the Akbar to order and obedience. The motion was unanimously adopted. The meeting then separated. EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY. ♦ The adjourned meeting of the shareholders of this company took place yesterday at 12 o'clook, at the London Tivern, for the purpose of receiving the report of the scrutineers of the poll on Mr. Goodson's amendment to dissolve the Committee of Investigation; the effect of which was to reinstate Mr. Waddington as chairman of the company, with the full confi dence of the shareholders. The meeting was not so numerous as on former occasions, the room not being more than half filled. Mr. Waddington took the chair shortly after twelve o'clock, and was received with immense cheers and mingled hisses and groans. The Chairman then rose and said he had received a letter from Sir Charles Morgan and Mr. Whetham, the scrutineers, who reported the following as the result of the poll : For Mr. (Godson's Amendment. Personal 5 votes ... 12 1,17 L 2 7 4 7: Proxies 8 3 , 8 1 ) ( 0 Vo: , es 147:011141 - - 712 1,452,220 Votes 21,125 Against the Amendment. Personal votes 508 £695,280 Votes 11,710 Proxies ... , 175 231,500 7 , 3,994 927,480 Votes 16,704 M a jority for the Amendment. Proprietore, Stock Votes 29 524,740 5,421 Mr. Buller, amidst much confusion and laughter, said the majority of the proxies in favour of Mr. Waddington were those of ladies and ladies' maids. Mr. Ball, M.P., said that although Mr. Waddington had obtained a legal triumph, thi committee bad obtained a moral triumph. If the case had been before a committee of the House of Commons, he felt satisfied that the result would have been not only the ejection of Mr. Waddington from his seat as chairman of the board, but from his seat in that house. A long and animated discussion then followed, but no decision was come to. The general feeling of " the opposition" seemed to be acquiescence in the result of the poll, with a determination to try the question again at the February meeting, SELECT VESTRY.-YESTERDAY, e The usual• fortnightly meeting was held yesterday at the board-room, in the public-offices, Brownlow-hill, the Rev. Rector Campbell presided. Tke other vestrymen present were, Messrs Woodruff. Shaw, Crawford, Bold, Owen, Denton Mellor, W. Jones, J. Jones, Hand, Satchell, Chesney Bairstow, Taylor, Whitty, Wensley, Whitby, Bradley, Fair-, hurst, Brucker, H. Jones, and Luff. The minutes of the last meeting were read and conilrmed. From the report of the workhouse committee it, appeared that during the past week 87 males, 102 females, and 18 children, had visited the vagrant sheds; and from the report of the master of the workhouse, it appeared that there were 2649 paupers in the house, including 708 cases of sickness, 48 fever cases, and 57 cases of itch. In tho course of the proceedings of this committee allusion had been made to a complaint made against an officer connected, as was supposed, with the West Derby union, for alleged improper conduct, stating that the clerk had placed the facts before that board, a which, Mr. Wensley, who is a member of the West Derby board of guardians, said that there had been some mistake made in the matter, as the person complained of had nothing what- ev . er.to do with that board, but was a servant of the overseer for the na sh of Tox ,h-park esney contended that they were all the same body The Clerk said that was not the case, as the person was appointed, as Mr. Cleaver had informed him, by the Toxteth park vestry, which was quite a separate body from the West Derby guardians. Mr. - Jones said they were an unmanageable body, and the motion had better be passed over. The proceedings of the committee were then confirmed. as were also those of the Industrial Schools, Kirkdale, committee. The proceedings of the medical relief committee were then read. The clerk had proceeded as far as that portion which recommended that ar application should he made to the poor• law board to sanction the increase of the salaries of Messrs. Ayton and Games £5 per annum, as recommended by the vestry, for the increased duties they had to perform at the stores, when Mr. Bradley said he thought such a subject had no right to bo men tinned. called upon the clerk to proceed with the Mr. Woodruff reading of the minutes Mr:Bradley said the vestry would see the impropriety of g so afterwards Mr. Woodruff : It is mentioned in the minutes, and it must be read. Mr. Chesney : It appears very strange that when Mr. Bradley opens his mouth vll the other persons must hold-their tongues. (Laughter.) _ _ _ . The Clerk then proceeded with the reading of the minutes, after which a desultory conversation ensued, in the course of which it.was elicited that the vestry had, on a previous occasion, recommended that the increase should be made. The Chairman : Do these men perform any additional duties ? If so, they have a right to be paid. Mr. Bradley : They do—such duties as were not in their agreement when appointed -In this report the chairman informed the committee that he, in company with Mr. Shaw and Ayton, had visited Rain hill Asylum for the purpose of ascertaining the probable number of lunatics, chargeable to Liverpool, that might be safely removed to the workhouse, and had received an answer that there were many who might be removed, of which a careful investigation should he made, and a list prepared. After a brief conversation on that subject, in the course of which a vestryman expressed it as his opinion that no person had a right to take that duty upon himself, without first consulting the board, the entire proceedings were con firmed. The Finance Committee reported to the board that they had considered the qualifications of the several candidates for the situation of out-door inspector; they had first reduced the number to eight, but bad subsequently reduced the number to three, namely, Messrs. J. W. Hughes, Charles Robinson, and E. Roberts, one of whom was eligible to be elected. During the time the clerk was reading the proceedings of this committee, :there was such confusion in the board-room that the chairman had, more than once, to call the select vestry men to order, and informed them that it was impossible that they could known what was going► on if they did not listen to the minutes of the committee, which really were of the utmost importance. Mr. Whitty wished to know why the name of one person, who had at a former meeting of the vestry been all but elected to fill the place, had been, by the committee, excluded from the list. He alluded to Mr. Lamphier. He (Mr. Whitty) had been informed that that person's name had been excluded from the list on the motion of one of the members of that committee, because he looked upon him as having disqualified himself, for having, after being attacked by Mr. Btadley at the board, written a letter to the newspapers to defend himself. If such was the case he should move that his name be added to the list. Mr. Woodruff said to some extent such a feeling did prevail. There were eleven of the committee present, out of whom seven thought him disqualified for that reagon Mr• Jones wished to know why it was that 72 out of 75 candidates had been laid on one side. Was it for similar reasons ? (Cries of No, no.) Mr. Whitty thought that it was not a reasonable ground to disqualify a person. Mr. Lamphier had been attacked by Mr. Bradley, which no doubt that gentleman thought it his duty to do, and was it for defending himself that he was to be disqualified ? He thought it a most unfair act on the part of the finance committee to have taken such a course. Mr. Woodruff : The committee thought that he was dis qualified for filling the office. Mr. Luff, as one of the committee, said that Mr. Bradley had nothing whatever to do with the matter. He (Mr. Luff), consWered a man who would rush into print and lampoon a member of the board, unfit to he a servant of it. Mr. Whitty said he considered, under the circumstances of the case, it to be his duty to move that Mr. Lamphier's name be added to the list. Let him have fair play at any rate. The Chairman said, after the resolution which had been agreed to by the board, and the instructions to the committee, he could not put the motion. Mr. Whitty : If we vote for him, and ho has a majority, will he be elected ? Mr. Bradley : No, certainty not. The Chairman : The resolution you put was a very stringent one, and he can only be elected by rescinding that resolution. The board then divi4ed, when there were nineteen votes for Mr. 'Hughes, six for Mr. Robertson, and one for Mr. Roberts-. The former gentleman was therefore elected, and the proceedings of the committee were confirmed. MR. BRADLEY AND MR. DIGNAN. The clerk then read the following report Cf a special committee, in reference to the dispute between the above two parties. . . . The special committee which was appointed by the Select Vestry on the 18th Dreember last, to investigate a charge made in the following terms by Mr. Dignan, the editor of the Liverpool Chronicle, against Mr. Bradley, a member of the board, viz. : "He (the editor) was not singular in the belief that a con siderable number of the Doctor's supporters in Vauxhall Ward are the recipients of parish relief, at the expense of the struggling ratepayers of Liverpool." THE TOWN MISSION Last night the annual meeting of the subscribers above institution held their annual meet e Hope-hall, Hope•street. There was a fair atten- of pers platform we observed the Revs • Falloon, Lowe, Joseph, Taylor, and Edwards; Messrs, Wood fall, Pennell, Rowland, J. Houghton, J. 0. Jones, 'ham, Mat also, Dry. Raffles Taylor, W. H. Jones, and many others ; and Roche ; notwithstanding that here were several other meeting of rc other parts of the town chair was taken by S. Cropper, Esq ;ions denominations half-past six o'clock the g was opened by a suitable prayer by the Rev. The Chairman, in introducing the' objects of the meeting, said, they had met together on another of those interesting occasions, when the committee have to give an account of what they had don( past year, bn was most happy to say ' that they had a most satisfactory account to render, which he thought should fill their hearts with gladness. During the past year there had been nothing to retard the progress of the mission—none of its agents had suffered from illness, or any sort of disease. They had also been enabled to carry on the working of the mission, as they had had sufficient funds. It was true that at times the funds have on some occasions been low, but whenever they did require them God had found means to provide them, which was a pleasing feature in the mission. He would not detain them with any further observations, but would call upon the secretary to read the annual report. Mr. W. H. Jones then came forward and read the report, which was a very long but interesting document, from which we glean the following facts as appertaining to this mission. During the past year many changes had taken place in the agents. At its commencement they had 24, and through the kindness of the subscribers they had aug mented that number to 27, but from various causes they had lost the services of four of their old agents, so that this year they had only twenty-three agents ; but some we-e then under examination, for whom a selection would be made. The report then, in feeling language, regretted the deaths of Mr. Blackburne and Mr. Mancroft, who were great supporters of the mission, and whose loss will be much felt. During the past year, the agents of the mission had paid no less than 61,979 visits to the dwellings of the poor, for the purpose of giving religious instructions to that class, who most required it ; 11,865 special visits to the sick ; and 359 visits to the death-beds of the poor. In the course of the year, the agents had held 3,252 in-door meetings, which were attended by the aggregate numbers of 17,102 persons , being an average of 33 to each meeting ; they had also held 343 out-door meetings, which had been attended by at least 57,303, or 167 at each meeting; they had also distributed 142,722 tracts, and 2,200 books, which it was hoped would be read by a large portion of the poor, and thus have a tendency to check the spread of profane and immoral works, which were chiefly found in such loca lities. The report then went on to give extracts from the agents accounts of the visits they had made, and the general aspect of the progress the mission bad made, and the work vet to be done, and calling upon all those who had the well being of the poor and ignorant at heart, to come forward and support the mission, by which much good would be accomplished. - _ The treasurer, Mr. Horton, then read the statement of accounts for the past year, from which it appeared that the expenditure had been £1,871 18s. 4i., while the income had been £1,793 17s. 4ad., but with the balance they bad in band at the commencement of the year, would leave them a balance on the 31st December, 1855, of £156 4s. 7d. The Rev.W. Falloon, in the course of a most impressive address, during which he ably commented on the report, pointed out the great advantages derivable: from the mis- sion, He concluded by earnestly exhorting his hearers not to be discouraged by the difficulties they might have.to con tend against, but to go on in their great and good work— that of saving the souls of those who might otherwise be neglected and lost. To this mission, which had accom plished so much good, and which, if supported as it should be, would do yet more, he and ail Christians wished them God's speed. He concluded by moving that the report be printed and circulated. . _ The Rev. Mr. Taylor, of Bootle, seconded the motion.' The Rev. Mr. Lowe then tnoved the second plution. He argued that, in giving sunport to such an institution, all religious differences should be put on one side, and that all should do their utmost to give effect to such an under- taking. Several other gentlemen addressed the meeting, in the course of which they ably advocated the claims the mission had upon the public. A c . ollection - was made and liberally responded to, after which, the meeting closed with a prayer. TRADE REPORT.—TrEsDAY CoTroN : The Cotton market continues very firm, and with an active demand, and pretty ample supply, prices tend to favour the seller. The sales, including 90 Pernambucos. 6kl to 61d ; 40 Bahia, 541 ; 30 Maranbam, 541 to 64-d ; 200 Egfptian, 514 to fild : 1,000 Surat, 311 to 411 ; are reported 10,000 bales, of which 3,000 are on speculation and for export. PIG IRON The markets for warrants el( cash ; three month to 77s 63 rather better inquiry—.4lip'ment, 7,220 I at 76s 1. llere was a laqt year, 10,300. TALLOW : Steady at 58s 3d February and March; 533 to 51s 6d April, Jnue ; 51s to 51s 6d last three months. SUGA.R : The demand is still very moderate ; the sales comprise 100 hhds. Demerara, at 38, 6cl to 41s 3d, 900 bags grainy yellow Bengal, at 45s to 45s GI, and 100 cases white Bahia, at 28s in bond ; besides which, 1,300 mats Mauritius have been taken for export, at 42s 6d per cwt. RUM, MOLASSES, AND COFFEE : Nothing has occurred. TEA : The market is rather quiet, but pric'A remain RICE is still neglected. LINSEED : 500 quarters of Bengal are reported, at 65s per quarter. PEPPER : 160 bags Singapore black, reported at sid per lb. THE RUGELEY POISONING CASES. COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, WESTMINSTER. MOTION TO REMOVE THE TRIAL, Yesterday. before the full court, Mr. Sergeant Wilkins, on behalf of William Palmer, a prisoner, moved for a writ of certiorari to bring up the inquisitions and depositions which had been taken in the cases in which his client was involved, with a view hereafter to a trial at bar, or to move the ve.tue to any other county than the county of Stafford. The learned sergeant moved upon and read the affidavits of the accused William Palmer, on which the application was founded. The atfilavit, which was volu minous, contained the following p%ssage :—" I am informed, and believe, that I cannot have a fair and impartial trial in the county of Stafford, or in fact elsewhere in the mid land c,unties, inasmuch as the prejudice against me is so great, that I do not believe, amongst an ordinary panel of jurymen, any twelve men could be found unbiassed, and unprejudiced." Lord Campbell observed that the writs of certiorari now moved for could not possibly bring tho inquisitions before the court, so that the court might make an order upon them in the course of the present term. The indictments would not be presented, nor could they be found, until the ensuing assizes at Stafford, and until they were fo:lnd it was clear that the court could make no order. The learned serjeant might, however, take a rule, which, with the affidavits, might be served upon the attoruies in the c )untry, and upon the coroner, that night, if great efforts were made to accomplish their serve, Mr. Smith, and Mr. George Palmer, the brother of the accused William Palmer, then hastened t.) adopt the necessary steps, for the service of the rule and affidavits, upon the various parties concerned at Rugeley, and Stafford. The subject will, in all probability, come before the court again to-morrow, which is the last day of term. COVENT -GARDEN THEATRE.—Mr. Gye, the lessee of Covent-garden Theatre, has already secured the services of Grisi and Mario for the next operatic season. THE NATIONAL GALLERY.—The number of visitors to National Gallery wa., in 1846, 608,140; in 1847, 808,060; in 1848, 703,410; in 1849, 592,470; in 1850, 636,565 ; in 1851, 1,258,8.37 ; in 1852, 507,233 ; in 1853, 877,732 ; and in 1854, 695,107. In June, 1850, the numbers include visitors to both the Trafalgar-square and Marlborough House Galleries. The number of students have increased steadily, from 1,774 in 1846, to 2,354 in 1854.