The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-02-09 00:00:00

DORSET COUNTY EXPRESS

DORCHESTER, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1858.

HONESTE AUDAX.

Boni Houses of Parliament re-assembled on
Thursday after the Christmas recess. In the
House of Peers Lord CAMPBELL introduced a
Bill to amend the law of libel in respect to re-
ports of public meetings, and Lord PANIC:TEE
gave notice that, on Monday, he would move
a vote of thanks to the army and navy in India
for their services during the recent mutiny.
The Earl of DEBBY complained that the Govern-
ment should have allowed what was virtually a
new Session to be opened without laying before
the House a summary of the state of Public
affairs. Adverting, in the first place, to the
military operations in India and China, he stated
his opinion that the Indian revolt will not be
put down by partial victories, and that double
the number of troops now in India will be re-
quired to bring the war to a termination. In
order to provide for the proper reinforcement
of the Indian army and for the defence of our
shores he suggested that the whole of the Militia
should be immediately embodied, and that regi-
ments should be raised in the colonies. With
regard to the late attempt on the Emperor
NAPOLEON, he strongly condemned the irritating
language which has been used against England
in the French addresses, and expressed his
opinion that the parties who have really been
guilty of neglect in the matter are the police and
passport authorities in France, who allowed the
assassins to penetrate to the capital with utter
impunity. As a general rule, however, there
could be no doubt that the Government of this
country was bound to keep its eye on these foreign
conspirators, and to warn foreign Governments
of any plot against the life of a Sovereign which
might be brought under its notice. This might
be done without violating the sacred right of
asylum, and the French nation would then have
no right to demand that men, of whatever nation
they might be, should be arrested and punished
on mere suspicion. Lord Gusrrvimat, in reply,

said that nothing would induce the Government
to give Up the right of refuge to outcast
foreigners, or to abridge their liberty, so long
as they obeyed the law. At the same time, the
Government had found that there were defects
in the existing law which it was desirable to
amend, and they had therefore determined to
bring in a Bill to protect foreign sovereigns from
conspiracy to murder. In the debate which fol-
lowed, Lord BROUGHAM and Lord CAMPBELL
expressed their opinion that the existing law is
sufficient for the purpose; and Lord PANMURE
announced that step; have already been taken to
raise troops in the colonies, and that the first
regiment is to be raised in Canada, to be offioered
chiefly by Canadians, and to be called the 100th
Regiment of the Line.—ln the Commons, Lord
PALMERSTON gave notice that he would move on
Monday a vote of thanks to the army and navy
in India, and also ask leave to introduce a
Bill to amend the law relative to conspiracies to
commit murder. Sir Da L. EVANS moved for a
select committee to inquire into the measures
taken by Government for the transmission of
troops to India. After a long and desultory
discussion on the question whether the motion
should include an inquiry into future arrange-
ments and emergencies, Lord JOHN RussELL
moved as an amendment the omission of the
words referring to future arrangements. On a
division the amendment was negatived by 147
to 78, and the original motion was agreed to.
Sir G. GREY obtained leave to bring in a Bill
for the better regulation of the Corporation of
the City of London. The new Bill proposes
that the city shall be divided into 16 wards, in-
stead of 26, as at present; that each ward shall
return one alderman and six common council-
men; that the qualification :for voting shall be
the occupying a £lO house; that the common
councilmen shall be elected for one year; and
that the Lord Mayor shall no longer succeed by
rotation, but be elected by the Common Council.
On Friday night, on the motion of Lord GRAN-
VILLE in the Lords, and of Lord PALMERSTON in
the Commons, both Houses unanimously agreed
, to addresses of congratulation to HER MAJESTY
on the marriage of the PatzwEse ROYAL; and,
on the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHE-
QUER the House of Commons unanimously voted
an annuity of £l,OOO to Lady HAVELOCK, and
an annuity of £l,OOO to her son, the present
baronet.

The Overland Mail has arrived this week with
news from Bombay to the 9th January and
from Calcutta to the 26th December. Sir COLIN
CAMPBELL had left Cawnpore for Furruckabad,
intending to proceed to Agra, where he is to be
joined by the divisions commanded by Brigadier
CHAMBERLAIN, Brigadier WALPOLE, and other
generals. Colonel SEATON'S column, after its
brilliant victories over the Furruckabad rebels
at Gungeree and Putteealee, again defeated the
enemy at Mynpoorie on December 27th, and re-
occupied the town.

We learn from Lisbon that Civil war has bro-
ken out in the River Plate. Revelon had de-
feated the troops of Montevideo and surrounded
the town. At the latest date (the sth of Janu-
ary) the English, French, Brazilian, and Ameri-
can Marines had landed. Advices from Rio de
Janeiro of the 14th of January state that the
Cumberland, Admiral Wallis, had left for
Montevideo.

"A dinner is to be given on Saturday next"
says the Times "to Livingstone, the African
traveller, on the occasion of his departure from
this country for a fresh expedition into the
interior of Africa. He is furnished with all
requisite assistance from the Government of this
country to push his discoveries to a still more
successful conclusion than heretofore. A sum of
£5,000 has been assigned to him for the prosecu-
tion of his enterprise. He is to be accompanied
by competent assistants, and, in short, every-
thing appears to have been done which can help
him on his way. Dr. Livingstone is to proceed
in the first instance to the Cape of Good Hope.
From that point he and his companions will be
conveyed in a Government vessel to the mouth
of the River Zambese, and even there the watch-
fulness of the British Government over the
travellers is not withdrawn. Dr. Livingstone
and his companions are to be conveyed 300 miles
up the river in a steam-launch, and not until
they have been landed in safety at a point so far
onward in the vast continent which they are
about to explore will they be left to themselves.
The adventurous spirit which inspires such an
enterprise as this will surely meet with the
heartiest sympathy in England, and we doubt
not many persons will be present on Saturday
next to bid farewell to Livingstone, the African
traveller, and bid him "God speed." May he
in due course return among us again to receive,
in the admiration and respect of his countrymen,
a due reward !" Every one will subscribe to
the graceful valediction here offered by our
great contemporary.

IN another column will be found a correspond-
ence which has lately appeared in the Times,
between Lord Snarrasanav and certain anony-
mous assailants, in which the correctness of some
statements made by his Lordship in a speech
delivered by him in October last, at Wimborne,
is very gravely impugned. It is scarcely possi-
ble to mistake the animus of the " Lovxa OF
TRUTH" and the "LOVER OF ACCURACY," which
discloses itself only too plainly in the pompous
scrupulosity of these writers concerning the
truth. We scarcely ever remember to have
seen so great a display of "virtuous indigna-
tion" employed to so little purpose; and so
much ill-concealed, and we will add, ungenerous
acrimony, so entirely destitute of proportionate
provocation. Lord SHAFTESBURY, in his speech
on the Indian Mutinies, said that he "saw a
"letter from the highest lady now in India,"
describing certain mutilations suffered by ladies
in India, as well as the death of children under
circumstances of torture. The word " saw "
appears to have been inadvertently used, and
his Lordship explains clearly enough that he
should have said "heard of a letter," from the
said high personage, setting forth the cruelties
which his Lordship described upon the assumed
authority of his informant. A writer, calling
himself "Jimmy" boldly contradicts the cur-
rent story of these atrocities, and does it with
so great an air of decision and authority, that the
"LOVER OF TRUTH" is tempted to bring the force
of the contradiction to bear directly upon Lord
SifarrEsairav's statements, and, with the lofty
arrogance of a triumphant position, proceeds to
lecture his Lordship upon the impropriety of
these harrowing recitals, and admonishes him,
with great solemnity, "not to deviate from the
"truth, nor needlessly to inflame uncharitable-
" ness, hatred, and violence even against hes-
" them." This letter is quickly succeeded by
another, from "A Lovas. OF ACCURACY," who
desires that his Lordship should "take notice"
of the preceding effusion, and states that "it
"is confidently denied by persons supposed to be
"well-informed, that Lady CANNING ever wrote
"the statement imputed to the highest lady
"now in India." " This is the case against Lord
SHAFTESBURY. In his reply, as we have stated,
his Lordship observes, he ought to have said
that he heard of such a letter—not that he had
seen it; but when his Lordship states that the
disclaimer of "A Lovas OF ACCURACY" "is
"sufficient to prove that his informant was in
"error," we are of opinion, with all deference
to his Lordship, that he is too much in a hurry
to make concessions to these anonymous critics,
and that, in fact, he concedes too much. His
Lordship is allowed, by his opponents to be a
nobleman, "who, by his high connection, claims
"to be near the source of correct information ;"
and he himself says he had his information from.
I "a person in whom he had entire confidence."
On the face of it, then, is not the authority of

Lord SHAFTESBURY'S statement at least as trust-
worthy as the denial by "persons supposed to be
"well informed e There is no absolutely autho-
ritative contradiction whatever either from Lady
CANNING herself, or from anybody else acting in
her Ladyship's behalf, in the absence of which
there would not appear to be any" sufficient proof"
that Lord SHAFTESBURY'S informant was really
"in error." As to the fact of the perpetration
of these enormities, there is and can be no
doubt whatever in the public mind. "AN
EYE WITNESS" deposes to three distinct cases,
within his own knowledge, now in England—
"two ladies and one child; one lady has lost her
"nose and ears; the other, nose, ears, and lower
" lip ; the child is minus feet and hands."
Then Lord SHAFTESBURY himself says dis-
tinctly, with respect to his statement about
children of tender years being put to death in
cold blood—"I have by me many letters reveal-
"jag cases of still greater atrocity." We
think, therefore, the confession of error is
somewhat premature and hardly tenable in the
face of well-known facts, and it seems to be in-
consistent, too, with his Lordship's own declara-
tions. It appears to us to be a too ready and
too generous reparation of a fault ; for which
disposition, indeed, his Lordship gains at last
at the hands of his antagonists but a sorry
acknowledgment. Nothing can well be worse,
after his Lordship's candid exposition of the
matter, than the spirit in which the last letter
of the "LOVER OF TRUTH" is dictated. His
Lordship is there twitted with the avowal of
"his informant's error, and of his own indiscre-
tion"—with making certain misrepresentations in
the "heat" of speaking—and advancing facts
upon an alleged authority, which it is impu-
dently asserted (without any proof) had no
existence but in Lord Suarrzsauav himself.
In all this there is too obviously what we vul-
garly call bad blood on the part of these stick-
lers for "truth" and "accuracy"—if they be
not indeed one and the same person, having
recourse to the expedient—by writing under
different signatures—of displaying some con-
formity of sentiment upon points which it is
desired, by all means, to urge with as much
effect as possible against Lord SHAFTESBURY.
We suspect, after all, that it is not so much the
pious horror at the alleged misrepresentation of
facts by his Lordship, as his Lordship's reference
to the supposed letter of Lady CANNING, which
has given offence in some high quarter: else,
why had not these querulous correspondents, in
their zeal for the "heathens," attempted the
controversion of some other details of barbarity
equally revolting, and exhibited by his
Lordship, and which are "founded on
"evidence open to everyone, and never
"contradicted?" The " Lovza or Taunt" calls
the terrible facts adduced by "AN EYE
WITNESS," "isolated instances," after hav-
ing adopted with much complacent assurance,
in his first letter, the statement by JUDEX, that
"no such case "—as of ladies having their noses
and ears cut off—" is to be found." "Isolated
instances," indeed! Well may "AN EYE WIT-
Naas" ask the question-1' Can it be that these
"are the only sufferers ?" Are we to drag to
light and before the public gaze the names,
residences, and circumstantial history, the dis-
grace and suffering, of these poor pitiable
English ladies, whose greatest desire is to live as
though they were dead, and whose griefs could
be augmented by nothing so much as by publi-
city I—ls nothing short of such disclosures
sufficient to prove to the satisfaction of these
disputants in the Times, that the monsters who
have done such deeds are worthy of nothing but
universal execration and abhorrence? That these
indeed are, unhappily, no isolated cases the
public may rest assured upon various and most
credible testimony, published from time to time;
but, if anything more is wanted to prove to the
world the undoubted truthfulness of these sad
stories, it may be found in the concluding para-
graph of Lord SHiFTESBURY'S temperate and
deliberate letter, where he says :—" I have by
"me many letters revealing cases of still greater
"atrocity ;" and then he adds the all-sufficient
reason for withholding them from the public
eye :—"but the sufferers or their relatives
"shrink from any disclosure of their names and
"circumstances." Such unwholesome and indis-
creet attempts as these to excite public sym-
pathy in behalf of the "mild Sepoy" encounter
more than the ordinary risk of indignation and
contempt; they exhibit nothing but a useless
struggling with facts that are patent to all the
world, and a perverted sentiment as little credit-
able to the judgment as to the heart.

DORCHESTER PITCHED CORN MARKET, Saturday.
—There was a good attendance at market to-day,
and a liberal supply of wheat, which met a slow sale
at a reduction of 2e. per quarter, much remaining
unsold at the close of the market. Barley also par-
took of a similar reduction. Oats of good quality
maintained late rates, being picked up for seed.
Candlemas hiring fair, will be held on Monday
next, the 14th falling on Sunday.

Tan FARQUHARSON TE‘THIONI AL. —The grand
dinner to be given on the occasion of the presenta-
tion will take Place to-morrow at the Townhall— Mr.
Manley, of the King's Arms Hotel, being charged
with the business of providing for this distinguished
festival. These important duties could not be in-
trusted to better hands ; and there can be no doubt
whatever that he will discharge them with the same
efficiency and general satisfaction which have
marked Mr. Manley's catering on all similar
occasions. 'I he picture arrived yesterday, and is a
splendid production of the painter's art. It repre-
sents Mr. Farquharson on horseback, nsarly the size
of life, mounted on a favourite hunter, with Tredwell
and a group of hounds, and a whipper-in in the dis•
tance. The portrait of Mr. Farquharson is an ad-
mirable likeness, and the whole forms a truly mag-
nificent and noble picture.

"A RATEPAYER" calls upon us to urge upon the
authorities of the town the desirableness of removing
the lamp near Mrs. Stone's house, at the top of the
town, to the first tree beyond Mr. Lambert's stables,
by which, he says, great advantage will be derived
by all persons passing to and from the Great
Western Railway station in that part of the town.
We have only to state, in reply, that the autho-
rities in question have no power to remove the lamp
out of the borough, and that the rate for paving and
lighting extends only to the old borough of Dor-
chester.

Dr. Cowdell is announced to deliver a lecture at
the Townhall on Thursday evening in connection
with the Dorchester Protestant Society.

Tua GAS WORKB.—A report of the proceedings
at the special meeting of the shareholders on Thurs-
day will be found on our third page.
THE COUNTY BALL•—We are glad to remind OW
readers that Mr. Yearsley's annual town and county
ball is to take place to-night (Tuesday) at the Town-
hall.

Tnz ENSUING ASSIZE& —The following is a com-
plete list of the times and places appointed for hold-
ing the ensuing Spring Assizes (western circuit) as
finally arranged by the Judges :—Western Circuit
(before Mr. Justice Crowder and Mr. Justice Wiles)
—Dorchester, Saturday, March 6; Winchester, Mon-
day, March 1 • Exeter and City, Thursday, March
11 • Bodmin, Thursday, March 18 • Taunton Wed-
nesday, March 24; Devizes, Wednesday, March 31;
Bristol, Monday, April 5.
THE YEOMANRY CAVALRY. —The contest for the
cups given by the officers of the regiment, which
was announced in our last, came off on Tuesday
at Poundbnry, near the barracks. Owing to the in-
clemency of the weather but few spectators were
present. The troopers were accommodated in a
small marquee erected for the purpose. The shoot-
ing was but indifferent. Mr. Thomas Hawkins,
Martinstown, of the Dorchester troop, carried off the
first prize, and Mr. Thomas Gillard, Compton, of the
Sherborne troop, the second. The men afterwards
dined together at the King's Arms, under the presi-
dency of Adjutant, Captain Griffis. ,

THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.—The directors
of this company have determined to recommend to
the proprietors the declaration of a dividend for the
half-year ending the 31st of December, 18.57, at the
rate of 2 per cent, per annum, carrying forward a
balance to the current half-year of about £20,000.

- - - -
THE POST OFFICE. —By the non-arrival of a train
rid the Great Western Railway between half-past
10 and half-past 2 the mid-day delivery of letters
from the north and west, which last month took place
about two o'clock, is delayed till between three and
four o'clock. Three deliveries daily, however, are
maintained.