The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-06-10 00:00:00

Corroponbrnrc.

THE EVIL DEEDS OF TFIE WEYMOUTH

CORPORATION.

To the Editor of the Dorset County Express aid
Agricultural Casette.

Sit,— It is recorded in the Book to which all must
bow, that "men love darkness rather than light
because their deeds are evil" It we are to take
these words in their literal signification, all mast pro-
nounce the deeds of the Weymouth Corporation to
be "only evil, and that continually," for, altbeugh
they light a few of the principal streets, the vac-
skirt, of the town and the whole of the back streets
are kept in perpetual darkness, Dulcet., what is very
rarely, the moon happens to shine after the am has
' gone down. lam aware that in their natural sym.
&oblation members of a corporation are no more like
each other than are grubs, or maggots, or black
beetles, or birds of prey, or any other devouring or
aggresaior creature sent to keep the world, premed
down on the side of ill, save and except, they are all
"free and independent," and in point of dispoiation,
when sitting round the baize table, mightily similar.
There is a family likeness in them st heart, however
they may diner from each other in outward
appearance. They are people who generally live in
the best streets, who take very good care of the reeds
and pavements in front of their own houses, but
who, when they have to legislate for those living in
the outskirts of a town or in the back streets, are a
modern representation of the Graia superintending
the family wash, and cutting the children's bread
and scrape ! lf I were to aak a novelist or Lavaterian
the signs and symbols of the Weymouth corporation,
from a correct representation of their conduct in
carrying on the public bnainets .4 the town, I should
be told that the members had their lips—very thin;
eyes narrow in their orbit, and of a cold hard grey;
a nose pinched together at tbe nostrils, and not teo
prominent a chin; hands with large knuckles,
narrow palms, and greedy, incurved finger tips. This
proves the falsity of the eo•called "science"
physiognomy. The fast is, you cannot tell their
character by their outward shapes, nor by their
promises at election times. When they over them-
selves to the burgesses to manage the affairs of the
borough, they represent themselves as making the
most "Alarming saoritioes" for the good of their
fellows. Never went men into • Town Council seine
and unshackled by party influence as the Weymouth
Councilmen. Why those who purchase the votes
to secure their return, never so much as ask them
for a single pledge! Yet how extraordinary is it,
that, except on now and then a lamer point— which
by the way has more sham than reality about it—
they all see eye to eye, and fit into each other as
nicely as the cogs of a machine. Disraeli once said
of the Conservative party that they were a "hypo-
critical sham." and we may say the same of the
Weymouth Town Council, when they profiles equal
legislation towards all parties. Cowper asks,—

"Oh! shy are farmers made so coarse,
And parsons made so fuer
And we may ask why in Weymouth one Maas is to
have £lOO laid out in repairing a foot-path that did
not want repairing, and to have the public lamps
lighted nightly, while in other parts of the town
the inhabitant& must wads up to their hams in
water and mud through the streets to get to their
homes, and to be enveloped in derbies. after night-
fall I If there were two classes of rates there might
be some justice in the distinction, but there can be
DO justice in making those who have been deprived
of public lights for the last live or six weeks,
pay for lighting the Esplanade and a few only
of the principal streets. All ought to be
tarred with the same brush. Fair play is a jewel all
the world over. II the Town Council is so poor
that it cannot afford to pay foe the lighting of the
whole of the town, all the lighta should be pat
"What iasance for the gapes, ought, to be sauce for
the gander." Is there not as much danger to be
apprehended from aocidonta..or -thieves. in the back
street' as in front; as much at the upper end of
Radipole, as the lower cmd 1 The cheese-paring
course of legislation adopted iv the Council is
unjust and absurd. Only last week two vehicles
met in Park-street after it had become dark, and it
was one of the greatest miracles in the world that
there was not • terrible aceident in the destruction
of life and property. The ratepeyers residing in
the neglected parts of the town ought in jastioe to
themselves, and to their neighbours, band themselves
together, and resist all payments of rates so long as
they are thus unjuatly dealt with. Let them re-
member that the slave content is the worst of slaves.
I am, Sir, yours, U.
JUSTITLA.

A M ERICA. .
Viotti:my tor TB* Cohribritting.-The Niagara
arrived at Queenstown on Sunday afternoon, with ad-
trims frona lken Ithe 28th May, and Halifax the
30th. She was detained by Lord Lyons eleven low
for dispatches. At daybreak on the 25th, the Coe-
federates, ender Generals EweHs and Johnstone, 15,000
strong, attacked General Bulks at Winchester. General
Banks's forth, Writ% been reduced to 4.000 by re-
iitforoing General M'Dowell, was obliged to retreat
through Martiesbarg to Williamsport, from Virginia to
Maryland, having behind them at Winchester a large
amount of military stores, including Afty wagon trains,
of which the Confederates took possession. The Goo-
federates kept up an settee pursuit of General Banks all
along the route, rod the unexi octed advance of the
Confederates on Maryland and Wethington caused
intense exeithment thestinghout the Northern States.
By this action. the Confederates regain the oontrel of
the valley of the Shenandoah. The Governors of New
York, Pennaylvents, and Massachusetts have lathed a
csll for =lit* to proceed forthwith to defend Wooh.
ington, and in 24 hours the New York 7th
Regiment, eight hundred irkong, left far Washing'
ton, and several volunteer regiments have also left for
the same destination. Reeruiting for the Federal way
has actively recommenced. General li'Dovell
croaked the Rappahannock and advanced to Mansura
with • largo fore*, the Conk lenges retreatiog and
destroying all tbsk bridges behind them. General
M'aerlan officially reports the capture of Hanover
courthoess on the railroad between Fredericksburg
and Richmond. The Oonlederstes were routed, and
it Is reported the /edge!' osptered 1509 p4sona,,-
The IP4gral &et hag as taptirred Notate& 4.
Killentippt, without resistance. The Rouse of Rays.
~en,srives has offered to pun a Bill waist:sting the
tprheop&rtiyd.doLinebe oyement
n whooaharallhere, :r who fte.rholiida
lioillicenontntryr
down their arms within 60 days after proclamation
duly media by the President It had refused to peas •
Bill 0., seating the dimes of rebels. In Western
Tennessee Si. Secessionists were again assembling hi
sonsiderebk force to march upon Hickman.

RePotrrao DtFILLT or m FRENCH IN ME7OO.
tiensi-odici.l Washington dispatches, published in New
York palwrs ear, that news, dated Orin.* May ?Oil
had bees mewed stating that 10,000 Mexicans bad
attacked the French troops, thres leagues from the cily
of Mexico, and that the French had been defeeted with
• loss et 500 men. The British Minister had con-
cluded • treaty, by which all the diflettilini bOwee°
Mexico and England were settled.

Printed and published for the Proprietor, by CHARLES
WainIBIAD Alawan, of ben Road, fordingielb
Dereheidir. Printer, et the Otos a rho Pawl
Cow, Vot•lieskr, IMP
4ilt 1140 Mir agqk