The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-08-06 00:00:00

DORSET COUNTY EXPRESS

DORCHESTER, TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 1861.

NOTES OF THE WEEK.

The first general engagement between the
North and South American troops has resulted
in the disastrous defeat of the former. This is
the Northern account of the great event, and it
is impossible, therefore, to doubt Its substantial
truth. The conflict, which took place on • Sun-
day, appears to have been of • most protracted
and sanguine character. In the first instance,
after nine hours' fighting, the Northern, or
Federal army, captured three of the Confederate
batteries, but General Beauregard received large
reinforcements from General Johnstone, and
made no powerful an attack upon the Federalists
as to lead to the dispersion of the latter, with
the loss of the whole of the artillery and muni-
tions of war. The Confederates pursued General
Di'Dowell's forces as far as Fairfax—a distance
of 15 miles. The Federalists report their loss
to be lees than 1,000 men, and assert that the
slaughter which they inflicted on the Secession-
ists before they retreated, was three or four
times that number. Now, this is to imply that
the Southerners must, if they proceeded at this
rate, eventually be destroyed by their own
victories, and that in the present instance the
Northerners turned away from the carnage
themselves had made. That the loss on both
sides was very great there can be no doubt,
but it is impossible to believe the reports reach-
ing us from New York to the effect that the
Federalists were panic-stricken and defeated,
while beating their opponents in the proportion
of four to one. The fact is, the
Confederates obtained • complete victory;
as complete as the victory of Austerlitz.
But will it be such a victory as will lead to
peace 1 We fear not. The first thought of the
Northerners will be revenge, and it is said that
the government of Washington are already
making vigorous efforts for the renewal of
hostilities, and has accepted the services of fresh
troops to the number of 80,000. These may
resolve to learn how to redeem their character,
and the next account we receive of an engage-
ment between the hostile forces may be of a
more sanguinary and heart-rending character than
the last.

The Lord Mayor's attempt to obtain a seat for
the City of London, notwithstanding the power-
ful agency of turtle, and of " the loving cup,"
has met with signal failure; and the Times, in
its advocacy of his lordship's claims, has once
more proved that it is fast losing its prestige as
Sir Oracle. The Lord Mayor ingeniously tried
to throw a shade over his recently boasted
"Old Toryism," and presented himself for pub-
lic competition under the guise of a quasi
Liberal The texture, however, was too flimsy
not to be easily seen through, and the electors
of the City endorsed the "heartfelt gratitude"
which the late member for Andover was not
ashamed to feel in parting from his "dear
friends" who "had placed" him in Parliament,
and "kept him" there. The Lord Mayor,
because be had toasted Messrs. Cobden and
Bright, vainly supposed that he could now
"cut" a fourteen years' connection with the
only constituency that ever placed confidence in
his senatorial qualifications, for the higher
honour of representing the commercial capital
of the world. But City gratitude it seems,
does not always grow by what it feeds on, and
in the last days of July, the recollections of the
heaviest dinners is hardly a sufficient provoca-
tion to personal attachment—still less to poli-
tical confidence.
The Ministerial Whitebait Dinner at Green-
wich a few days back, means a session in artienlo
mortis. It is the prelude to that blissful period
when blue books, instead of being perpetually
turned up for reference, may be put to the more
beneficial purpose as serving for targets in rifle
practice. It is the commencement of a calm and
tranquil season of repose, when Pope Hennessey
ceases from troubling, and the tongue of Scully
is at rest; when committees meet no longer,
when the door-keepers of the House can recreate
themselves by the seaside, and when grouse are
strong on the wing. The session which opened
six months ago, promised a great deal of hard
work and useful legislation. No immediate
change of government was anticipated, for Lord
Derby was unwell, and Mr. Disraeli was unready,
and the few members of that connection who
were willing to undertake the responsibilities of
office, had no measure* by which to endow anew
Administration with any distinctive complexion,
or to stamp its policy, either in regard to domes-
tic or to foreign questions, with any special
characteristics. It is true the whole of the
ministerial programme, contained in the Speech
from the Thione, has not been carried through to
• successful result, but upon the whole the
session may be said to be favourable to Lord
Palmerston 's administration. The ministerial
policy, and especially its financial and foreign
policy, has obtained an encouraging
support in Parliament, and won the cor-
dial apprnbation of the public out of doors.
The principle on which Lord Palmerston based
his government--the principle of Reform, Pro-
Free Trade, and non-intervention in
Pro-
gress, polities—is now recognised a/ the guid-
ing star of England's policy, let who will be at
the helm of affair'. This has been what Lord
Palmerston and his colleagues have diligently
sought to carry out; and if majorities have some-
times proved scanty, government has, upon the
whole, done tolerably well. Nothing has
occurred to any serious extent disparaging the
present advisers of the Crown, and if they have
not done all that was desired, it would be a per-
plexing task to find any set of Ministers who
could be expected to do better.
Of all the new Ministerial appointments, that
which has called forth the most adverse remarks
is the selection of Sir Robert Peel to be Chief
Secretary for Ireland. We certainly cannot
agree with those of our contemporaries who
assert that his accession to office will prove a
Douro. of weakness to Lord Palmerston's Govern_
meat. On the contrary, we believe that it wil
be exoeedlnglypopular on bqth sides the Channel'
and that it would be difficult to point out a man
kinder or more tolerant, or better qualified to
conciliate a quick, lively, sad rwoel Erapdsl,o
like the Irish. It mad be oonee on AU

that of late Sir Robert has exhibited an earnest-
ness of purpose, and an elevation of character,
which a few years ago it was not supposed he
would ever display; while he has, at the same
time, clearly indicated that he has in him
the stuff of which statesmen are made. In his
speech to his constituents at Tamworth, on the
occasion of his recent re-election, he gave ample
evidence of his correct appreciation of all the
difficulties and embarrassumuts which beset the
post he is about to occupy, and of the anxiety
with which he reflected as to the course of con-
duct beetcalculated to insure success. With the
past history of government and misgovernment
in Ireland, he is familiar—the traditions of his
own family are a guarantee of his good inten-
tions—the desire not to fall short of his father's
liberality will stimulate his ambition—and the
disposition of the Irish people frankly to recog-
nise the merits of all who desire to promote their
welfare, will secure him a fair field. Lord
Palmerstou has given new proof of discrimination
in the appointment of Sir Robert Peel, who
will assuredly illustrate, by his behaviour in his
place, the wisdom of raising him tothe important
office' by taking advantage of circumstances
and turning them to account as they awe.
On Monday evening Earl Russell took his
seat in the Upper House and voted. One of
his votes caused a good deal of amusement, and
cannot fail to give great satisfaction to aspirants
to the Mayoralty in corporation boroughs for all
time to come. Their Lordships were in com-
mittee on the Municipal Corporations Act
Amendment Bill, when the question arose as to
the omission of a clause giving precedence at
meetings of borough magistrates to the mayor.
Lord Wensleydale proposed to leave out the
clause, and some discussion followed, in which
opposite opiolons on the point were expressed.
When their Lordshipit dielded, there were found
to be an equal ninribet .ol poets !mill for and
against the clause—the Earl excepted, who had
taken his seat some hours previously. As hiving
so recently represented a municipal constituency
his vote was consistently given for the retention
of the clause. That Willed the scale in its
favottri and the Mayor's precedence was pre-
served. .
fluting the past week the House of Peers has
lost two of itimemberi. Foremost on the list is
the Duke of Buckingham, whose nettle has
been often before the public Under the Most
varied aspects. As the Marquis of Chandos, he
fought the battle of his party in the House of
Commons on the Reform Bill with a skill and
success which has rarely been equalled. The
" Chandos clause," which he was the means of
inserting in the measure—by which the franchise
in counties was extended to tenancies of £so—
a marvellous change in some conati-
tuenc,es. end materially Modified the whole
tendency of the Reform Act. But the able
politician did not display equal skill in the
management of his own affairs. With heavy
pecuniary incumbnuces, he went on adding to
them by the purchase of estate after estate,
luntil the whole was involved in hopeless in-
solvency. Then came the great crash—the sale
at Stowe, and all its curious and costly contents,
and a lesson upon the vanity of human greatness
such as the world has not an opportunity of
every day reading. The Duke afterwards lived
in privacy, devoting his leisure to the compile-
' tion of historical memoirs which are universally
acknowledged to be of great value. The Duke
of Buckingham was a Knight of the Garter,
1 and the ribbon now placed at hor Majesty's
disposal will, it is believed, be presented to Earl
Russell.
On Friday last Lord Herbert, of Lee, expired
as his residence at Wilton, near Salisbury, in
the 51st year of his age. His Lordship was an
aeoomplished scholar, a man of the most refined
taste, and, apart from his political life will long
be remembered for his philanthropic exertions
In bettering the condition of the poor, as an
enterprising and liberal landlord, and most
liberal in the treatment of his tenantry. He
I entered Parliament in December, 1832, as a con-
servative, and took office under Sir R. Peel's
second Administration in 1841, as Secretary of
the Admiralty, and in 1845 WU advanced to the
post of Secretary of War, which he held to the
break-up of the Government in the following
yftr. Adhering to his Peelite predilections, he
itopt aloof from the party of Lord Derby when
they came into power in 1852. He, however,
resumed his old post of Secretary of War in
Lord Aberdeen's coalition cabinet, with a seat,
and held it until the commencement of the war
with Russia. It was only so lately as the month
of June, 1859, on the reconstruction of the
Palmerstone Government that Lord Herbert
resumed the labours of official life. The appoint-
ment was regarded with universal satisfaction,
and so long as his constitution stood the work.
the War Minister was looked upon as one of the
ablest and most popular members of the
present Administration. Within the lapse of
only a few weeks this bright prospect has
vanished. By rapid movements the country
has learned that it was losing the services of one
of its most able and honest functionaries. As a
first step he was promoted to the Upper House.
He then departed on • foreign tour in search of
health, though still retaining his official responsi-
bilities, and hoping against hope to resume his
official duties. This last prospect was finally
surrendered. A fortnight since Lord Herbert
resigned office, and only a few days ago the
announcement was made that he had returned
from Spa without having obtained the benefits
which his friends had fondly anticipated from
change of air, and the healing waters of that
place of fashionable resort. In actual fact, Lord
Herbert hurried home with no other view or
hope than that of dying in his own home and
among his own people. This wish, at least, was
gratified; but the void in the official and in tho
political world which his death has occasioned
will indeed be difficult to fill.
;
dear

Doscnsirrait PITCHED CORN M•itsvr, Saturday,
Aug. 4.—The attendance at our market to-day was
small, probably owing to the ensuing fair, conse•
quently, the amount of business transacted was
ezoiedingly limited, and the ',rice' of all articles
remained- nominally as on Saturday last.
COUNTY Couura.—His Honor, judge Everett, will
hold his courts during the present month as follows:
—Tuesday August 60, Dorchester; Wednesday
7th, Bridport ; Thursday Bth, Weymouth; Friday
9th, Wareham ; Monday 12th, Blandford ; Tuesday
1:1, Poole; Monday 19, Shaftesbury; Tuesday 20th,
Witicanton ; Wednesday 21, Salisbury; and Thurs-
day 22, Andover.
PoLicr byrsi.LicENClL —On Monday. George
Payne, under ostler at the King's Anna Hotel, was
brought up on remand charged with stealing a silver
watch and metal guard, value CI, the property of
William Woodward, of the Star Inn. He pleaded
guilty, and as no further evidence was brought
against him, he was sentenced to two months' hard
labour.

COMMITTID TO DORCHZSTIR GAOL.—Hord /oboe,—
Harriet Ciiwaugh, vagrancy at Dorchester, 14 days;
William Staple, robbing garden at Beatninster, 1
calendar mouth; Edwin Robinson, vagrancy at Font-
• Magna, 21 days; Patrick Lsrkhain, vagrancy at
Dorchester, 2 calendar months; Ediin Paine, usault,
&c, at Dewlish. 14 days, and to enter into record.
tames ; George Thorner, leaving service at Sydling, 14
days; Elijah Hancock, vagrancy at Swyre, 1 calendar
month; Joan Uria Goo, ilia° at Ashmore, 1 calendar
month; George Foot, leaving his ahip, the Jane and
Father, at W. ymotith, 14 days; Sophia Mills, stealing
money at Weymouth, 1 calendar month Eli Monck,
steal ng ear cap, hoe. ke., at Lytchet )(shriven, 3
calen tar months ; William H .nn MA John Blackmore,
hes ins 2 geese and 5 ducks at Kingston Magna, 2
calendar months; George Beck, stealing money at
Glanville' Wootton, 3 calendar months and 5 years at
at a Reformatory. linpriernement—Chnles Bishop,
drunk, Ito., at Dorchester, 7 days; Ann Churchill,
assault, its, at Piddletrenthide, 28 days.