The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-03-23 00:00:00

DORSET COUNTY EXPRESS

DORCHESTER, TUESDAY, MARCH 23,1858.

HONESTE AUDAII.

IN both Houses of Parliament on Monday the
correspondence which has taken place between
the new Ministry and the French Government
respecting Count WALEWSKI'S despatch of the
20th January, was produced and ordered to be
printed. In the Lords the Earl of DEBBY, in
answer to the Marquis of LONDONDERRY, stated
that the present Government do not intend to
abide by the late decision of the Lord Chancellor
of Ireland, that the membership of the Orange
Society is a disqualification for the magistracy.
On Tuesday the name of Mr. HALLIDAY, Lieut.-
Governor of Bengal, which had been accidentally
omitted from the resolution of the Bth February,
was added to those who then received the thanks
of the House for their services in India. On
Thursday the Earl of MALMESBURY, in reference
to a petition presented by Lord LYNDHURST with
regard to the engineers of the Cagliari, said that
the case of those men, which had now assumed
an entirely new complexion, had been placed
before the law officers of the Crown for their,
opinion. On the same day the East India Loan I
Bill passed through committee.—ln the Com-
mons on Monday, the London Tramway Bill
was thrown out, on an amendment moved by
Sir B. HALL to the motion for the second read-
ing. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated
that a diplomatist of high character had been
sent to Naples to insist on the two engineers of
the Cagliari being brought to an immediate trial.
After an animated discussion between Mr. B.
OsEoENE and Mr. DISRAELI respecting the policy
of the new Government, in which Mr. HORS-
MAN, Lord PALMERSTON, and Lord J. RUSSELL
subsequently joined, the House went into Com-
mittee of Supply, when several votes were
agreed to. On Tuesday the CHANCELLOR of the ,
EXCHEQUER, in answer to Mr. HORSMAN, said
that the Sardinian Government had applied for
permission to surrender to the French Govern-
ment Mr. HODGE, a British subject who had
been claimed by France under an extradition
treaty; but after examining the papers found
on the person of Mr. BODGE, Her Majesty's
Government were of opinion that they were not
sufficient to warrant his committal by a
magistrate in England, and consequently they
declined to assent to the demand which had
been made. The thanks of the House were
voted to Mr. HALLIDAY, Lieut.-Governor of
Bombay, for his services during the mutiny in
India. On the motion of Mr. EvisaT a select
committee was appointed to inquire into the best
means to be adopted for the promotion of Euro-
pean colonisation in India; and leave was given
to Lord ELCHO to bring in a Bill to amend the
laws relating to the medical profession. On
Wednesday, on the motion of Lord J. RUSSELL,
the House went into committee on the Oaths
Bill, when the clauses and preamble were agreed
to. The report was ordered to be brought up
on Monday, Mr. NEWDEGATE, giving notice that
he will then move the omission of the sth and
6th clauses, admitting the Jews to Parliament.
On Thursday the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
announced that the Government intend to in-
troduce a Bill for the prevention of corruption
at elections, and that they hope to introduce
their Bill for the government of India before
' Easter. Mr. RICH moved for papers relating to
the Indian mutiny, with the view of showing
that the punishment of the mutineers had been
I excessive, and that the time for mercy had ar-
rived. After some discussion the motion was
agreed to. Mr. G. CLIVE obtained leave to
bring in a Bill for the disfranchisement of the
freemen of Galway, founded on the report of
the commission of last year.
Telegraphic despatches from India inform us
that a portion of Sir Corm( CAMPBELL'S army
had crossed into Oude, and that the bombard-
ment of Luclmow was expected to commence on
the 25th February. The RING of DELHI had
been found guilty, and sentenced to be trans-
ported for life to,the Andaman Islands. Shora.

Was taken on the Bth February, and the
Rajah himself, after being defeated by the
Madras column, was captured at Hyderabad on
the 12th of that month. The news front China
states that Canton rcniains Uncier the
rule ef the Allies, and that YEA is still a pri-
Sober on board Her Majesty's ship Inflexible.
A despatch from Naples announces that the
KING signed a royal decree on Thursday last al-
lowing the engineer WATr to return immediately
to England.

THE DERBY Government having got pretty well
over the very simple bitainess—under the cir-
cumstances in which they were placed—of the
WALEWSKI dispatch, and having begged very
effectively for an allowance on the estimates, are
about to proceed immediately with the India
Bill. The leading provisions of the measure are
understood to be pretty nearly identical with the
Bill of the late Government, so that the work of
legislation may be thought to be rendered com-
paratively easy, while opposition, to a consider-
able extent, may be supposed to be disarmed.
The whole question, however, is one of so great
magnitude and importance—involving interests
so greatly complicated and diffuse—that the fate
of a Bill of this nature could hardly, under the
auspices of any Administration, be considered as
at all certain. How far the present state of
parties and the temper of the House of Com-
mons may be regarded as unfavourable or other-
wise to the success of a measure like this is, at
least, very doubtful; but a due estimate of the
weight and character of the DERBY Government
would, upon reflection, seem to be against the
supposition that the honour of legislating for
the Indian Empire, in an emergency like the
present, will be resigned as an undisputed pos-
session into the hands of Lord DERBY. No doubt
the East India Company, as a governing body,
is doomed; and the abolition of their functions
would be one plain and recognizable feature in
the Bill which would command the willing anent
of the House. If, therefore, rather than grapple
with the Indian question, as a whole, Lord
DERBY finds it more expedient, as prolonging
his tenure of office, to proceed in the way of a
bit-by-bit legislation, this mode of dealing with
the East India Company may possibly form the
first instalment of a more comprehensive mea-
sure, and afford his Government a little breathing I
time before reverting to a more weighty business.
It is certainly true, that whatever may be the
ramifications of Indian government, as such,
centered in the Parliament and the SOVEREIGN
of England, an immense deal remains to be done
with regard to these magnificent dominions, in
the way of "ships, colonies, and commerce."
Not only is the tenure of land to be put upon a
just and satisfactory footing, but the cultivation
of the land is a matter that claims vast improve-
ments. English settlers, under new conditions
of encouragement and security, are wanted in
great numbers to open up and extend the vast
resources of which India is capable; and no set
of laws will be really beneficial and worthy of!
the legislature of this country which do not tend ,
directly to foster and promote colonization in
India. Surely the time is come when the growth 1
of civilization and intelligence, and the great
extension and improvement in all the accessories
to trade and commerce may be turned to some '1
good amount in these rich and fertile regions.
Thus the civil and military administration of
India will be charged with duties of unusual im-
portance and responsibility, and it may well be
hoped that the Government which undertakes to
deal with them will do so in a liberal spirit, and
with enlarged views; and that the permanent
good of the Indian empire will be shown to be
the ruling principle of their minds, unalloyed by
the mischiefs of temporising expediency, and
=diverted by any mere considerations of place
and power. Political ambition would, indeed, I
be better served by a straightforward course and
singleness of view; and there is, perhaps, no
question that can come under the consideration
of Parliament which more imperatively demands
a candid, effectual, and honest treatment at the
hands of the Government.

DORCHESTER PITCHED CORN MARKET', Saturday.
—The supply of wheat at market to•day was again
moderate; the trade was very slow at barely last
week's rates. Barley and oats in fair demand, for
seed, at full rates.

The Yeomanry Cavalry will enter Sherbome for
eight days' drill, on Saturday, May 29th.
LECTURE. —On Wednesday evening the Rev. Wm.
Barnes, B. D., delivered a lecture at the Townhall on
"Gold and Labour," being the second under this de-
signation which the rev. gentleman has given in
connection with the Dorchester Working Men's
Mutual Improvement Association. The audience
was not large, and the chair was filled by J. F.
Hodges, Esq.
Petitions against the admission of Jews to Parlia-
ment were presented to the House of Commons on
Wednesday by Mr. Her Seymer, from Poxwell and
Warmwell ; and by Capt. Napier Shirt, from the
clergy, freeholders, and inhabitants of Dorchester.
Petitions against legalizing marriage with the
sister of a deceased wife were presented by Mr. Her
Seymer, from Pozwell and Warmwell.

Fox HUNTING IN Doßerr.—lt is understood that
a noted pack of foxhounds has been purchased by
Mr. Digby, and are now at the Blackmoor Vale
kennels. These hounds formed one of the packs be-
longing to Lord Portsmouth, and had been hunting
the Vine country. In forming his pack Lord Ports-
mouth purchased three packs of foxhounds, and has
since kept his hounds up by breeding largely, sparing
no expense to bring his pack to great perfection. In
consequence of ill. health Lord Portsmouth leaves
the Vine country, and keeps only his large pack,
consisting of about 33 couple of hounds. These go
to Devonshire, the remainder have been purchased
by Mr. Digby for the Blackmoor Vale, and will, no
doubt, add to the efficiency of this pack. Bell's Life
contains the following Editor,—Knowing, as
we all do, the interest you manifest in whatever ap-
pertains to the sport of foxhunting, it is with plea-
sure 1 inform you that there is every possible chance
of two packs of hounds hunting Mr. Farquharson's
late country. It is, I think, generally known (as it
should be) that Dorsetshire abounds with many true
sportsmen, and therefore we were on the look-out
for some suitable muter to divide the country with
Wingfield Digby, Esq. We have found one in H.
Hutchins, Esq., who has offered himself in the most
handsome, and I may say liberal manner. From his
position in the county, his attachment to the sport,
combined with those inestimable qualifications which
characterize the English gentleman, he will, I feel
sure, impart spirit to the hunt, and secure to himself
the universal approbation of the county. The kennels
will be at Houston, near Blandford, a judiciously
chosen locality. We are all in high spirits at our
future prospects in the Dorsetahire Minting field.—
Yours, &c., Ron:N.—The Athena3um, Pall-Mall,
March 10, 1858.

LOCAL UNION OF LITERARY INSTITUTES.-At a
special general meeting of the Dorchester Working
Men's Mutual Improvement Association, held on
Tuesday evening, after an animated discussion, it
was determined, provided necessary funds are
raised (on the motion of the newly-appointed
honorary secretary, Mr. Jacobs) to join the associated
literary institutions of Dorset and Somerset, for
whose benefit Mr. Macready last winter gave choice
"readings' in several towns willing to form educa-
tional classes in connection with the Local Union.
A proposition to join the Society of Arts, however,
fell to the ground. In October last Mr. Macready
generously offered to give a "reading" in behalf of
the Dorchester Society, similar to those he was giv-
ing at Bridport, Poole, Weymouth, and elsewhere;
but a few members of the Dorchester committee
declined the proffered kindness of Mr. Macready,
and thus, whilst the society lacked the benefit neces-
sarily resulting from the countenance and advocacy
of so excellent a gentleman, our townspeople were
shut out from the pleasure of welcoming and of hear-
ing the eminent tragedian. There is scarce a hope—
though since the resolution above mentioned was
passed a correspondence has been going on upon the
subject—that Mr. Macready will visit our town and
give one of his delightful readings. If he does not
come, the society, in order to qualify themselves for
belonging to the Union, will have to subscribe a sum
to be contributed towards the prize fund of the
associated institution. A communication has since
been received from Sherborne stating that the Dor-
chester society cannot be admitted to the Union
without another aggregate meeting of delegates. The
Rev. Mr. Barnes has offered to give a reading on
'The Dorset Dialect" for the benefit of the institu-
tion. We have the pleasure to announce that the
Honourable W. Henry Berkeley Portman, M.P.,
has sent a donation to the society, and Captain
Darner, M. P., has given an annual subscription of a
guinea.

CIIORCEI PASTORAL A/D SOCIETY.—Tho anniver-
sary of the Dorchester Auxiliary td this society took
place on Tnestlay. There was a
_good attendance at
the morning itieetbig, when J. Moyer, En.. Presi-
ded The Rev, IL riiitli Honorary Ileeretarys rgad
the report, which showed receipts £584 lie. Ad-
dresses were delivered by C. Percher Esq., the
Revds. A. Burton, W. Lyon and W. McCall. The
sum of £2O le. 4d. was collected at the door. In
the evening the Rev. J. Fisher took the chair; and
the Revds. W. McCall, 11. P. Cookesley, and H.
Water addressed the assembly. £4 17s. sd. was
collected at the close of the meeting. The collection
last Sunday, in behalf of the society, at Trinity
Church was £10; at West Fordington, £4 fis. 6d. ;
and at Fordington, £2 les. 6d.
THE rEES OF WITNESSES AT SESSIONS, ASSIZES, &O.
—The following are Rowe of the regulations recently
authorized by the ex-Home Secretary, Sir G. Grey,
as to the scale of payment allowed in respect of the
expenses of prosecutors and witnesses, as well by ex-
amining magistrates as by courts of again and ses-
sions of the peace. The new schedule came into
operation last week at the Lent Assizes, and the
sweeping reductions were, we understand, far from
palatable to many parties interested. As the next
quarter sessions for this county will shortly take
place—being fixed for Baster Tuesday—perhaps the
subjoined outline of amended rates will not be un-
acceptable :
t. s. d.
To members of the leg-al or medical profession,
when giving professional evidence, and resident
within two iniles of the place of examination 010 6
If residing beyond two miles
At assizes or sessions
If detained a night—same as ordinary aitnesses
Mileage each way—per mile
Constables paid by salary and attending on duty,
within 3 miles of the examining bench,
but magistrates may allow them per day 0 1 0
Beyond Sand not exceeding / miles, to eonstablee
not attending on duty
If such constables are detained all night
When travelling necessarily to the plans of exa-
mination, constables to be allowed for mileage nil
Prosecutors or witnesses being constables, not
able to travel by rail, for every mile beyond 4
each way, when not necessarily attending on
police duty
Common witnesses residing not more than 1 miles
from the place of examination, per day 0 I 0
If resident more than 5 miles off, and detained
more than four hours 0 1 6
If detained a night 0 2 6
Mileage, second clan railway fare, or per mile
Common witnesses and prosecutors, per day, at
assizes or sessions 0 3 6
Per eight, if entitled to mileage at assizes or gaol
delivery
Per night at sessions of the peace
Mileage beyond two miles of the court, second
class railway fare, or per mile, each way, not by
rail
The officer of a gaol, whose duties require at
tendanoe in court, for giving evidence on for-
mer conviction 0 3 6
No greater allowance than 3d. a mile each way to be
allowed, by the shortest route. The above expenses to
prosecutors and witnesses to be allowed in one case
only per day. The lowest amount per mile autho-
rized by Act of Parliament to be allowed to super-
intendents, inspectors, sergeants, and constables.
Wherever lower rates than the above are authorized
by law they are to be abided by.

THE MAINE LAW AGITATION.—Laist week a bill
from Mr. Patch's printing office announced that
Mr. Hilton, of the United Kingdom Alliance for
the suppression of the liquor traffic would, on Thurs-
day night, deliver an address on a "Persuasive"
Maine Law for England. 'rho word "persuasive,"
however, was a misprint for "permissive." The
bill also stated that at the close of the address
discussion would be allowed under the direction of
the Chairman, and that a collection would be made
to defray expenses. Accordingly, at eight o'clock
on Thursday evening the Townhall was nearly
filled by expectant listeners, many of whom were
working men. Mr. Hilton having taken his seat on
the platform, Mr. Penney, the photographer, and
house painter, glazier, and paper hanger, moved
that Mr. John King, the tallow-ondler, should pre.
side; and, whilst this proposition was being seconded,
Mr. King ascended to the chair. Hereupon, amid
some commotion, Mr. Cole, a coach-painter, objected
to the selection, urging that any one known to have
a penchant for the Maine law was disqualified to pre.
side; besides it was out of order to walk into the
chair before appointment. Mr. Cole added, "How.
ever, as these gentlemen wish to have Mr. John
King, they shall have him." Mr. King apologised,
and vacated the chair. Mr. Cole took a show of
hands for Mr. King, who reassumed the presidency;
Mr. Cole comforting his confrere«, in emphacized
personal pronouns, with, "He tells me I shall have
justice, and I want nothing more. That's all I
want." The Chairman then briefly introduced Mr.
Hilton, who began his address by saying he would
go home if he saw any disposition to unfairness in
the meeting. He had been invited by gentlemen
present, who bore the expense of the room and
printing, to advocate a permissive Maine law bill;
hence, it would be his privilege to occupy great par
of the evening in declaring his sentiments, and
limited time only omd I be allowed for discussion
subsequently. No one ought to monopolise all
that time, but he (the speaker) was ready to fairly
meet an opponent at any time. He desired truth
to triumph, and was not there to flatter those who
had power—the working classes. Mr. Hilton then
answered objections brought against him at his last
lecture in this town. The Alliance Weekly News had
been charged with making two cases of suicide out of
only one that happened in Dorchester; but the lec-
turer heard, after the last discussion here, that the
suicide made three attempta at self-destruction. As
to the complaint against the Bristol meeting and the
forcible removal of disturbers, the fact was the boot
was on the other leg. Mr. Hilton then quoted the
Bishop of Salisbury in 1743 against the bill for low-
ering the price of gin' reading portions of a protest
by Bishops relating tothe licensing system. Again,
instead of the Maine law party being completely
overthrown in Maine, the slightest alteration had
been made in the liquor law in that State, and not a
tippling shop was allowed there—not as in this
country one to every 120 inhabitants. It was
all very well to use moral suasion to a certain
extent, but there were cases where something
should be added thereto. All who had moral feel-
ings would be influenced by moral suasion; but
some who had no moral feelings would do anything
for money. Why did not moral suasion prevent
stealing? It was necessary to protect property by
law. It was easy to object to the Maine law
remedy for the evils of intemperance, yet every
patriot and professing Christian who acknowledged
the evils was bound to grapple with them. If by
magic a picture of those evils could be presented as
they existed, there was not a man who, beholding them,
was vile enough to continue the traffic another hour.
Nearly a million paupers were annually relieved in
this country-760,000 of whom—at the lowest com-
putation—were produced by the liquor traffic. Pass
them in procession before liquor vendors' doors. Then
pass 9-10tha or 90,000 of our criminals, made by the
drinking system. There were 600,000 drunkards in
this country; and annually from drink 30,000 pre-
mature deaths occurred. Let all these pass by and
what would be the result? We were so used to the
evil that we could not see it. Well, what was the prin-
ciple of the Maine law? He likened the state to a
vessel, and the vessel had one tremendous leak,
letting in everything that was bad, in the form of the
drinking system. All kinds of machinery were at
work—hospitals, dispensaries, lunatic asylums—to
remedy the disaster; but the United Kingdom
Alliance were proposing a law that would effectu-
ally stop the leak. Some said religion alone would
stay the evil and he believed this, yet religion also
taught him to bring about a measure that would
effectually stop the leak. How was this to be done?
By suppressing it. This was not asked against the
people—the people were asked to demand that the
evil should be put down by law. (Oh, oh!) All the
operations of the Alliance were based upon moral
suasion. The permissive principle of legislation
was comparatively new and very important. The
principle might be looked upon as the parliamentary
triumph of the 19th century ; it was the principle of
the Health of Towns Act, the Nuisance Removal
Act, the Free Public Libraries Act—measures that
could be adopted when desired by a majority in any
town. The Alliance meant to ring the Maine law
bell—in spite of all opposition—till they won their
remedy for the evils of the drinking system. He sup-
ported the bill because he was a lover of true liberty.
When persons granted that three-fourths of a com-
pany of sailors on an iceberg were right in request-
ing whiskey to be locked up from all for the safety
of all, he should expect them to support a per-
missive Maine law. Mr. Hilton concluded by parti.
cularizing the clauses of the suggested enactment.—
Mr. Cole, who is a teetotaler, then amidst loud applause
ascended the platform while the Chairman was
stating the course to be pursued in discussion, and
limiting a speaker's time to 20 minutes. Mr.
Cole said he did not care a rush for being
misrepresented if he was not misunderstood.
As an Englishman, he asserted that the rights of
Englishmen were at stake by the proposed
measure. The Maine law was an attack upon
British liberty; and he was ready to meet Mr.
Hilton and discuss the question fairly the following
night. Mr. Hilton had indirectly charged him with
not discussing the Maine law -bill but him at the
former meeting. Well, perhaps he had discussed
Mr. Hilton, and the fact was that two-thirds of the
people of this country were enraged when they
heard the measure promulgated. He (Mr. Cole)
thought it the duty of Government to prohibit such
men as the lecturer going about. As to the Gin
Bill of George 11., the Bishops' protest was only a
Bishops' protest and did not emanate from the
...pie ; and to his mind the Bishops were not the
t authority to go to. The Weekly Record of the
Temperance Movement, of the 13th inst., contained
a letter from America saying that the tidings of
Maine were so cheering—there was a great prospect
that a prohibitory bill would be recommended by
the present legislature. This showed that the old
Maine law was actually abolished at the present
time. (Applause.) Were they going to play the
genie of Frenchmen, and have one law to-day
and another to-morrow? (Cheers.) If his father-
land owed its liberty to one thing especially it was
to the stability of its laws—laws that had been
altered gradually. in Maine the course had been
otherwise. Mr. Hilton said he was a friend to
moral suasion. Well, he (Mr. Cole) was as worthy
of credit as Mr. Hilton; and the difference between
them was that he (Mr. Cue) would take the drunk-
ard by the hand and say "come with me," whilst

toMrt.hHe isitatotnionwhooulut.sendTioii‘
say that
proper citizen would believe with the lecturee was
to say indirectly that he (Mr. Cole) was not such a
citizen, Mr. Hilton said he knew some men who
io° Ye a;kl genii end
in
'md
Wotild tics iqything for money. Now mark his con-
sistency. Direetly he sithlt, that if he eould pass all
the evils of the drinking eysteut before the doors of
the publicans they would not keep hodsosurpen any
longer. How could such facts be reconciled 1 He
(Mr. Cole) would not like to use each logic. He
argeed that it would be proper to prohibit intoxi-
cants in the case of the iceberg; but what analogy
between such an instance in the Arctic regions and
Great Britain ? As to villages being without pub-
lichouses where there was hardly any crime or
poverty, ithy was there not poverty in a village
where a man with six or Nivea children got only Se.
a weak? There would be poverty until working
men were better paid for their labour. Mr. Hilton
said persons might take intoxicants medicinally.
Why a person might be ill three times a day if he
wished to get a glass. A , person said to him (Mr.
Cole)—one of the men who was most earnest at the
Maine law meeting had a son who said " Father got
another half-dozen wino in. He's ill; and he gave me
half a glass not to tell, and he gave me some brandy."
(Laughter.) Was that honesty—to drink themselves
and prohibit others? When the noblemen and vice-
presidents d the Alliance ceased to drink and became
teetotalers then in consistency they might pass a
Maine law to prohibit working 'den. When the
bill containing the word "persuasive" was being
circulated he (Mr. Cole) told the distributor there Was
a mistake in it,lyet the friends of the cause allowed
the bill to remain in shop windows uncorrected.
And this showed that they were only following their
leaders, and though urging a Maine law they did not
know what the Maine law was. Mr. Cole then
considered some of the clauses of the suggested bill,
strongly deprecating them as opposed to English
liberty, colt nion sense and reason. Our liberty
had been won bit by bit and would, if ever lost, be
lost bit by bit. 'lten do not let the Maine law
men chip a bit off the bulwark. Again, the pro-
posed law was capable of two constructions; but
Englishmen should have a law with one construction,
and that a true, right, and honest one. He (Mr.
Cole) did not care a rush for the constitutional argu-
ment about the bill unless it &Mid be said that every-
thing that was constitutional was right. If he could
call from the tomb that model patriot Felice Orsini
(hisses and cheers), and ask him how Italy lost her
liberty, the answer would be by laws, treaties, and
such like, not appearing to be bad in themselves,
but capable of a construction laicize. Mr. Hilton
argued as if all people in the country were as bad
as the drunkards. This was an old teetotal fallacy
and abominably untrue. Pass a law against
drunkards and (Mr. Cole) would agree therewith.
From the correspondence describing the Frankfort
Conference it turned out that the Maine law was a
mere dodge to rob working men of their liberties.
After alluding to several charges of libel brought
against some of the principal persons connected with
the Maine Law Alliance, he went on to say the move-
merit was a means to get money. The Alliance
organ stated that Dr. Lees at Edinburgh astonished
some of his auditors by telling them that the aboli-
tion of the liquor traffic was principally a matter of
expense, that if they paid £6,000 a year a Maine
law might be got in 10 years; but if the country
would put down £50,000 the bill might be got in
two years. He said, like the monkey said to the
dog, "Don't you wish you may get it." He (Mr. 1
Cole) did not believe there was any statute giving
power similar to that sought to be gained by the sug-
gested bill, else the Maine law people would have
brought it forward as a precedent. He did not wish
to say anything if Mr. Hilton and his friends would
keep away; but he thought he must write to Lord
Derby saying how strong the temptation was to
him (Mr. Colo) to be saucy, when Maine law advo-
cases troubled Dorchester. He (Mr. Cole) was not a
friend of moderate drinking, but he preferred Eng-
land being a nation of tipplers to being a nation of
American slaves. If working men allowed such
alliances to get the thin end of the wedge into British
liberty, working men must answer for it. Mr. Cole
resumed his seat amid deafening cheers—Mr. Hilton
essayed to reply, remarking that from beginning to
end Mr. Cole had endeavoured to misrepresent and
give a false colouring to what had been advanced.
(Shouts of "No, no, no.") He was not answerable
for the Permissive Bill, but let persons investigate it
for themselves.—A warm altercation ensued, Mr.
Hilton saying he had been unfairly treated, and the
audience supporting Mr. Cole in the opinion that the
latter had acted fairly. Mr. Cole expressed willingness
to discuss the bill on the next evening. Mr. Hilton
agreed to discuss the principle of the measure. Mr.
Cole wanted a definition of the principle. He agreed
with the preamble, and would discuss the clauses if
friends would bear part of the expense of adjourn-
ment. Mr. Hilton at length acquiesced, Mr. Penney
offering to pay the half of the expense of a future meet-
ing. Mr. Hilton took a show of hands of those
favourable to the new law, and some three hands
were lifted, whilst the opposite view was pro.
claimed by deafening plaudits. Mr. Hilton—in
contradiction to Mr. Cole's assertion that no
policeman would dare to take up the Earl of
Derby if his lordship were drunk, whilst a
working man would be apprehended for smoking
—said that only the day before an Earl had
been taken before a London magistrate and convicted
for assaulting a gay woman. Mr. Coles asked if it
was an Earl or a Baronet? Mr. Hilton then admitted
that it was a Baronet- -Baron Mackenzie. (The
dmission was received with loud noises.) A scene
af singular confusion ensued, the end of which was
othat an adjournment to Friday evening should be I
made, Mr. Cole to occupy the first hour and a half
and Mr. Hilton to have as long as he liked, with the
"last word," provided the Hall could be had. The
proceedings closed at half-past 11 by "three cheers
for British liberty." The Mayor was asked to
grant the use of the Hall for a renewal of these
oratorical di/clays, but his Worship declined to com-
ply with the request.