The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-03-11 00:00:00

TABLE OF LESSONS BILL,

On Tuesday evening a crowded public meeting of
the trades affected by the proposed alterations in the
Boi kof Common Prayer was bell in the Freemasons' ,
Hall, Great queen-street, Lincoln's-inn-fields, London,
to adopt some course to bring about a speedy settle-
molt of the question.
Mr. Thomas Hughes, M. P., who occupied the chair,
referred to the deep distress which had arisen out of
the delay in the musing of an Act of Parliament to
carry out the recommendation of the Ritual Commis-
sion, mule as far back as IfitiO. lathe uncertainty that
' prevailed it was hardly likely the trade would em-
bark in the printing of the old Prayer Book, and the
consequence had teen that something like 2,000
persons were thrown out of employment. Having
adverted to the abortive attempts at legislation, and
tin assents given by Convocation to the Government
he said it only needed a little pressure from with-
out to make the Government insist upon the question
being leeislatively disposed of before Easter— certainly
before Whitsuntide.
Two resolutions, prrpoyed, seconded, and supported
by Messrs. Godeard, Mitchell, Clay, M. A. Haynes,
Collis, and others, were carried by acclamati n, to
the effect that the meeting viewed with extreme regret
the continued depression in the printing, book-binding,
and other trades caused by the withdrawal of the Table
of Lessons Bill last session, and expressing satisfaction
at its recent re-introduction into the /lOUs, of Lords,
earnestly lir ping that it might soon pass both Houses
of Parliament, and thereby extinguish the existing
distress.
It was put forth as • cause of complaint, that the
Reuse of Commons alone stood in the way if a settle.
went, as the bill had once been assented to by both
Houses of Convccation, and twice passed the House of
Lords.
A deputa'ion was appointed to lay the resolutions
before Mr. Gladstone and other member; of the Go-
vernmeut, and the proceedings concluded with a vote
of thant.s to the chairman.
The 131 shop of London, in a letter to Mr. George
Simpson, the bon. secretary to the organizing COM-
n Wee, says, "You are quite right in thinking that
' no our can deplore in .re than Ido the suffering which
has been occasioned by the failure of the attempt at
, legidation last year. Ido not feel at liberty to yo into
the subj-ct of the course proposed by the Government
• this year; but I have no hesitation in saying that
I much fear the object you hays in view will not be
gained by the course i f action to which the Lord
Chancellor committed himself in the House of Lords
last week."

A CONVICT ON LAW AND JUSTICE!
At the Darset Ass!zee, rn Tuesday, before Mr. Justice
Ilyies, J. ha Gwynne, 34, seaman, was charged with com-
mitting three burglaries at Portland •
Early in January be completed a seven years'
sentence at l'orUand Convict Prison, and was given a
little money, and start, d off in the timed way. After
going a short diltaoce he returned, and on the night of
January 6.h broke into the house of an aseistant
warder at the prison, and able various provisions and
culinary utensils. On the following night he enterAl
the house of another warder, and also a public-house
nest., and from them carried off miscellaneous property.
Early on the morning of the 11th he Wei found shelter.
kg from the rain in a stable. A constable apprehended
him near the Ferrs.bridge with some of the stolen
articles.
The surgeon of the gaol thought the prisoner of un-
sound mired; but he cleverly cross-examined the wit.
neeees, and, in his defence, he said he bought the
articles he had from a poor labourer. "If they brought
him in guilty, how could he think that in accordance
with the laws of this free country, with a limited
Monarch (sic)? The laws has takes the power out of
the bands of the aristocracy, and left it to you jnrymen.
If 1 wee found guilty by you I should petition the
State, and the answer would be, 'You were tried by
twelve jurymen as near as possible of your own class.'
Itnt that is not law—it is not justice—it is not policy.
We read that Christianity was introduced into this
country by two monks, who landed in Kent about the
third century ; but from what we can learn it is cone
breed to a very few people. Is there any Christianity
shown towards me in this case ?—not the slightest."
Concluding a long address, he said had he been guilty,
on seeing the policeman he could have dropped the
bundle over the bridge, it would have been carried to
the ocean, and nothing would have been said against
Ile was found not guilty OD. the ground of insanity,
and was ordered to be detained during her Majesty's
pleasure.

ALLEGED INSULT TO ENGLISHMEN.
The carts Correspondent of the Daily Telegraph writes .
A friend who was at the St. Denis Station last
(Fiaturday) night, when the nine o'clock train from
Paris tO Calais arrived there, has informed me of the
following outrage. Six or eight Germ= officers were
waiting to proceed somewhere down the line. As
coon ea the train stopped they directed a guard
to open the door of a comportment in the
front part of the train. All the seats were occu-
pied by English gentlemen. In a tone of insolent
authority an officer ordered them to descend. Since
peace had been signed, and the English had paid
their farm they faked for an explanation.