The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-05-21 00:00:00

HONESTE 4 t7DdI.

NOTES OF THE WEEK.

The letters and journals brought by the mail
which left New York on the 4th May represent
that active preparations for war continue to be
made on a large scale. Large numbers of
fugitives from Virginia and the Southern States
were continually arriving in the North; and in
some parts of the South strong apprehensions of
▪ slave insurrection are said to be entertained.
Men sleep with guns by their bedside; women
refute to be left alone on the plantations. In
one neighbourhood, forty miles from Charleston,
an attempt at insurrection had been put down,
and seven negroes had been hung. In Louisiana
almost every plantation is doubly guarded, and
everywhere slaves are watched with the utmost
vigilance. neuters refuse to let any of their
white employ & enlist, but arm them and keep
them as a private guard; while throughout
Mississippi the same fears prevail and to the
same extent. Considerable alarm was felt iu
Virginia at the prospect of that State becoming
the theatre of the war, and there was some talk
of proposing an armistice. In the North, not-
withstanding its lately-kindled enthusiasm, there
seems but very faint hopes of restoring the ,
Union. Would it not, then, be the wisest
course for President Lincoln to pursue, to do
towards the South without bloodshed, what
George 111., after bloodshed, was compelled to
do to General Washington. It would un-
doubtedly be very ridiculous for Dorset or
Somerset, or any other county to secede from
the authority of the Queen of Great Britain,
for Dorset and Somerset are limbs of one body.
But it is not ridiculous is Virginia,South
Carolina, and Louisiana to from the
central government at Washington, for they
are not parts of a whole, nor limbs of • body,
but separate, self-contained individualities and
entities. In some States the judges are elected
annually, and in others quadrennially, by the
people. In other States they are appointed
for life by the Senate. Every State has its
own parliament for legislating on all matters of
local interest connected with that individual
State. In the Iree States there is liberty of
printing and publishing. In the Slave States
there is • virtual censorship of the press. And
between Louisiana and Vermont, or between
Alabama and Connecticut, there is as much
diversity of climate, of manners, of intellect,
and of law, as there is between Spain and
Holland, or Italy and England. The South are
undoubtedly foolish to secede; but the North
will be guilty of madness if it do not accede to
the Secession as the best solution of the
difficulty, rather than force the South into a
bloody and protracted war.
Syrian affairs have of late occupied con-
siderable attention both in the French Senate
and the British Parliament. The present ruler
of Syria is impotent and corrupt, and all this
country has said, and done, and suffered, in
order to mend it, has been of no avail. At
the present time there are two Great Powers
hovering over Syria, waiting for the decease of
the sick man—Russia, the protector of the
Greek Church, looks after the interests of
250,000 Greek Christians spread out from
Lebanon to the Dead Sea; while France takes
care of nearly 300,000 Roman Catholic and
Greek Catholic Christians covering the same
area. Each of these Great Powers feels jealous
of the other, as far as Syria is concerned, and,
like rival monks about the holy sepulchre,
they may very probably prove not indisposed
to fight it out when the occasion demands it.
What the ulterior intentions of France are,
with regard to that country, it is impossible to
say, but she has signified her intention to with-
draw the whole of her troops by the sth June.
There will, however, be a powerful fleet of
English, French, and Russian vessels cruising
on the comet, with forces ready to embark or
to march to the mountains should events
render their aid necessary. There is no reason
,toibelieve that the protection of the Marouites
will not be quite as well guaranteed in this
manner as by the presence of a European force
in the Lebanon. In addition to this, the
representations made by these Powers to the
Sultan will, it is hoped, put the Turkish
authorities upon their guard and bring them to
a sense of their duty. The Syrian question is
therefore for the present placed in as satisfactory
• condition as could be expected, and, unless
the Christians should be seized with another
unfortunate mania for commencing hostilities,
it is to be hoped that we shall hear no more
of these massacres.

A meeting to consider the question of the perse-
cutiou of Protestants in Spain was on Tuesday
night held in the Philharmonic Hall at Liver-
pool. Sir Robert Peel, M. P. was present, and
moved the first resolution "that this meeting
hopes that her Majesty will be graciously pleased
to take such steps as her Majesty may deem
most fitting, by bringing under the notice of the
Queen of Spain the strong feeling prevailin

among a large number of her Majesty's subjects,
in consequence of the measures most actively
pursued in Spain against those who profess
principles held by her Majesty, in common with
millions of her Majesty's subjects." In Austria,
Italy, and other Catholic countries, reliilious
toleration has been granted, but in Spun no
person can be allowed to profess any other
religion but that of the "Holy Catholic and
Apostolic Churh." Sir Robert said "he had
been a witness to their intolerance. He was at
Malaga when the cholera broke out, and amongst
those who died was one of his own colleagues,
the member for Leicester. They were refused
permission to follow him to the grave, and when
they went to perform the last sad offices for
him, they found that he had already been
buried at the dead of night by order of the
Spanish government, but without any service
being read over the body." We go entirely
with Sir Robert Peel in his denunciations of
Spanish intolerance, but we have little faith in
their utility. Spain can no more be shamed
into liberality than into honesty; and the
government of that country would, unquestion-
ably, answer the remonstrances of the English
Cabinet impertinently should they interfere in
the matter, so far, at least, as regards Spanish
subjects. There is, however, one claim to tolera-
tion which our Government has the right to
urge. If we must leave Spaniards to do as they
Ilk, with Spaniards, we need not allow them to
do u they please with Englishmen. Protes-
tsntism in an Englishman is a matter with
which Spanish law has no business to meddle.
Englishmen residing in Spain have a right to
worship God in their own way, and so long as
they do not meddle with the faith of the natives,
are entitled to every facility for the performance
of Divine service, and the accomplishment of
the solemn ceremonies of religion. Hitherto
these facilities have been denied them. They
have been refused the permission to perform
divine service, and denied the consolation of
paying the last sad tribute of faith and friend-
ship to the dead. For this intolerance no pre-
tence of a justification can be found, and the
English Government ought to insist upon a guar-
antee against its recurrence.

A very remarkable case, after occupying the
Court of Exchequer some days, was decided last
week. Most of our readers will recollect that
about a year and a half ago, Mr. Hatch, formerly
chaplain to the Wandsworth House of Correc-
tion, was convicted. at the Central Criminal
Court of a series of indecent assaults on two
little girls of the name of Plummer, and sen-
tenced to a lengthened term of imprisonment.
Subsequently a prosecution for perjury was in-
stituted against Eugenie Plummer, the eldest of
the girls, who was the principal witness against
him in the previous trial; and as he was now
admitted to give his own version of the case,
she, in her turn, ALS convicted. The brand thus
fixed on the prosecutor necessarily made his
guilt so doubtful, that the Crown granted him
a pardon. Still it was, as yet, only verdict
against verdict; and as it was manifestly de-
sirable, if not indispensable, for Mr. Hatchto
procure a balanee of decisions in his favour,
after some time the ides was conceived of raising
a third issue, by charging his attorney with
negligence. Accordingly an action was brought
against he attornies, Messrs. Lewis, for having
led to the conviction of Mr. Hatch by their pro-
fesaional negligence; and on Tuesday last a
verdict was obtained against them, the damages
being assessed at 405., • sum which, it seems,
does not necessarily carry costa. This finding of
the jury is a manifest inconsistency. If it was
their intention to mark their sense of Mr. Hatch's
innocence of the original offence—which appears
to be generally admitted—surely their zeal to
proclaim him pure, gave them no right to falsely
brand Mr. Lewis with a neglect of duty—an
imputation very ruinous to his professional
prospects. Mr. Lewis no more deserved to be
sacrificed to Mr. Hatch than Mr. Hatch to be
sacrificed to Mr. Lewis's neglect. But if the jury
believed that Mr. Lewis was guilty of neglect, it
was that neglect that Mr. Hatch owed it that he
was ruined in character and proepects, that for six
months he had been confined in a gaol as a
felon, doomed to hard labour, and to all the un-
utterable ignominy and misery which such a
position must entail on any =II who is placed
in it, above all, on a man of birth, education,
and refinement; and for this ruin, and misery,
and infamy, the jury gave him 408. If they
gave a sincere verdict it is a curious estimate
of the value which they affix to the character
of an English clergyman, and the liberty of an
English citizen. The utter destruction of one,
and the deprivation of the other, with every
circumstance of ignominy and suffering for six
months, are, in the eyes of this jury, adequal6l7
compensated by just about the price of a pair
of trousers.

On Friday night Sir Robert Peel brought
the question of religious persecutions in Spain
before the notice of the House of Commons.
He enumerated some farther examples of the
intolerant spirit of the Spanish authorities.
British subjects, in the cases cited, being denied
the privilege of Protestant worship. Lord
Palmerston replied that "urgent representa-
tions" with regard to the conduct of Spain in
religious matters had already been forwarded to
Madrid, and he had reason to believe that the
authorities there would be disposed to grant
redress. He, hoe ever, said that the laws oi
Spain were far behind those of other countries,
and the people generally less tolerant than
the Government.

No one can read the Dor set Chronicle, nor its
satellite, the Southern Times, without being forcibly
I struck with the unblushing falsifications of those
I journals, who seem to pay about as much regard
to truth as a blahomedan does to the New
Testament. These veracious (I) journals re-
present that the Tory party in the House of
Commons have taken a firm, coneiskni, and
patriotic course in respect to the Budget of Mr.
Gladstone; that Lord Palmerston himself does
not approve of many of its details; and that
few men have so thoroughly fallen from their
former fame as the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
With regard to the last named circumstance
there may be, and perhaps are, differences of
opinion; but we believe that if the sense of the
country were taken on the subject it would be
found that Mr. Gladstone never stood higher in
the public estimation, whether as a financier or
as a statesman, than he does at the present
time. Respecting other subjects alluded to,
every ono who has read the debates in the House
from the daily papers, knows them to be false.
No one could have spoken out more firmly, nor
stated wore fearlessly than Lord Palmerston has
done, that by the Budget the Ministry were
determined to stand or fall. Where, then, does
the editor of these two journals gather the
information that Lord Palmerston does not
heartily approve of many of the details of the
Budget 1 And from what GOMM does he learn
that the Tories have pursued • firm, consistent,
and patriotic course respecting it ? The Oppo-
sition debated the question many nights, but
never for two nights together on the same
grounds or principles. Cone:lions that their
cause Us intrinsically week, from the first they
sought to bolster it up by external support. or
fraudnlent pretences. At first they affirmed
that there was no surplus in the year's revenue,
and the Chronic& itself went so far as to say that
we were on the eve of a national bankruptcy.
Mr. Gladstone, however, proved, unanswerably,
that his calculations were correct, and his
opponents, finding that that ground was no
longer tenable, endeavoured to enlist on their
side the most opposite interests. At first they
tried to patronize the working classes, and talked
very philanthropically about the "poor man's
cup of tea." As this dodge did not answer,
they sought a chenille in the very orposite
quarter, and tooled for patronage among the
peers. The last manceuvre proved equally
unsuccessful. Thursday night.' dreary dis-
putation upon Constitutnm precedents and
first principle" could scarcely have been
either pleasant or profitable to the House of
Lord..; while it certainly damaged the Opposition
themselves, by adding one more to their series
of overwhelming and disgraceful discomfitures.
Our tory contemporaries, perhaps, fancy that
by those unblushing and wilful misrepresenta-
tions they are continually making, they are
assisting to bolster the fallen hopes of the con-
servative party, but if they do think so they are
most eggregiously deceived. Truth is stronger
than falsehood, and will prevail.
The fourth son of Louis Phillippe this year
presided at the banquet of the Literary Fund.
The Prince's speech was remarkable for its
liberality, the purity of its criticism upon the
intellectual productions of England, and for the
sympathy it expressed with the institutions, the
sentiments, and moral interests prevalent in this
country. The son of Louis Phillippe is a ripe
constitutional scholar; and while occupying a
position on Wednesday evening which forbade
the expression of political allusions or sym-
pathies, the generous appreciation of political
liberty and free thought, with which alone all
true healthy literature is compatible, manifested
on that occasion by the Duke d'Aumale will
invest him with an admiring interest in English
eyes which the exhibition of great literary excel-

lance, although on the same side, in • dynastic
dispute failed to create. In speaking of • free
press as being the one all powerful guardian
of a free people, the exiled French Prince
said :—"A really free press nearly always
expresses and gives prepoudranca to the opinions
and feelings of a great majority, of the com-
munity, and nine times out of ten this majority
inclines towards the best and wisest course.
The press exerts upon the Executive power an
action at once stimulative and restrictive. It
prevenfa many rash decisions, and it points out
many good things which are to be done, and
which single men might not always perceive
without the aid of the hundred voices of the
press. Its action is felt at the lowest degree of
administrative hierarchy. Nothing impresses
I • public man with a keener sense of his duty,
nothing more forcibly enforces upon him the
I obligations of carefully meditating before he
takes any resolution, or of attending constantly
to every part of hie duties, than the knowledge
that all his acts and omissions will be publicly
reported to his countrymen, and commented on,
not always in a very friendly tone."

DORCRINTRR PITCHED CORN MARRZT, Saturday,
May 18th.—The attendance was not quite so large
as usual, owing to Toiler Down Fair. The general
tone of the trade was dull, but where sales wers
effected there was no change in price.
RIFLE SHOOTING.—OR Friday last the following
meinhers of the 3rd (Dorchester) V. Rifles con-
tended at the butts, Maiden Castle—at the respec-
tire ranged; of 150. 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600
yards, two shots at each distance—for a rifle field
glass, which was earned off, as will be seen by
the following score, by Corporal Mears, The 2nd
prize, consisting of a small lam of money, was di-
vided between Sergeants Homer and Turner, ()apt-
Kinder*ley waiving his right to participate therein:
—Corporal Mean, 16; Capt. Kinderaley, 12; Ser-
geant Homer, 12; Sergeant Turner, 12; Rogers, 11;
Hodges, ii; T. Homer, 11; Sergeant Gregory, 7;
Colour•Sergeaut Davis, 7; Ensor, 4, Corporal
Chick, 3.
_ _ _

THE MOORE—GROUSE SZABON.—Oar own re-
porter states that the next season promises well for
sport, and that the reports of the dry weather
haying done mischief applies only to certain districts,
and is not general. He adds that as far as can be
judged at present, the lovers of the sport may look
forward to a glorious 12th on the heather.
SCRIMS ACCIDENT. —Ws regret to state that on
Friday last, an accident occurred to Mr. Grove.,
timber dealer, Fordington. It appears that early
that morning Mr. Groves, accompanied by his son,
went to Kingston to fetch away some timber, and
while in the act of loading, his foot caught in the
roota of a tree and • large piece of timber rolled on
him, which unfortunately broke his leg. He was
at once conveyed to the infirmary, and we are glad
to hear is going on favourably.
COMMITTED To THE DuRCHESTIR GAOL.—Semrioms :
Charles Richard, housebteaking at Loden. Hard
Labour: Emma Rush, vagrancy at Charmouth, 21 dap;
George Critchell, vagrancy at Dorchester, 1 calendar
month ; Edwin Cood, leaving family chargeable at
Beaminster, 1 calendar month; William Prepler,
poaching at East Kuowle, 1 calendar month ; Thomas
Oliver, leaving family chargeable at Marnhull, 1 calen-
dar month; Matilda Gould, vagrancy at Dorchester, 14
lays; Thomas Legs, stealing timber at Berleston, 7
days; Thomas Wallis, vagrancy at Portland, 1 calendar
month ; Mary Norris, drunk, ke., at Puneknowle, 14
days; George Racist, drank at Corte Castle, 7 days.