The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-03-12 00:00:00

other document& of ii ainntur character.

documents are exceedingly roue, commenc-
ing nearly with the beg g of the 16th cen-
tury, and contain the most valuable information
of our national history. They are, of idl others,
the most deeply important for clearing up the
history of the great struggle for religious and
civil liberty, which lasted with so much violence
during the 16th and 17th centuries, and in which
England and Englishmen acted so prominent a
part. In fact, the papers contain the defence
and justification of the Reformation. lint the
State Paper Office was difficult of access, and the
historian ceidil not make use of the papers with-
out II laborious search, involving great loss of
time. while ii great part of them, and often those
of most importance, are very difficult to read,
except by adepts in pantograph. The value of
these calendars, whereby any one interested in
tho history of any particular period could learn
sufficient of the information contained in the
doe 1111 l ents for ordinary purposes, ca t be
denied ; but this utility depended entirely on
the character and competency of those who were
employed to compile tuem. To misunderstand
ur misrepresent a statement might be disastrous
to the truth of historical writings. Mr. Turnbull
is a gentleman, who first became a violent Piney-
ite, and passed thence into a still more violent
Roman Catholic; he has made himself known
unnecessarily, as a man possessed of a sort of
rabid zeal against Protestantism, which Lord
Palmerston has justly termed " fanaticism,"
declaring that he "would rather be damned as a
Psidst than be saved as a Protestant ;" express-
nig extreme admiration of the Jesuits, defending
the character of liabington and Illay Fawkes,
and justifying the plans for the murder of Pro-
testant monarchs. Ile probably did all this
hoilestly, but does not this circumstance render
him totally incompetent for the peculiar task in
which lie was employed by the Master of the
Rolls I If some injudici 111 l s person had recom-
mended a zealous Protestant to the plat* of'
keeper to the Papal archives at Rome, would
any one feel surprised if the Papal lkoverumeut

rejected the recommendation I We think that
I.onl Painiorston, in accepting Mr. Ttirnbull's
resignation of the oflice, treated the matter like a
man id• t•ciim., and that the Lords, in rejecting
the appoint:neat of a Committee, deserve our
_

Thu Hoese of Commons has triumphantly
vindicated the Italian policy of Lord John
Russell. It was the objict of Mr. Hennessy,
who led on the Pope's brass band, navompanied,
Sir G. Bowyer, and Mr. John Arthur Roebuck,
to call attention to the active interference of her
Majesty's Secrehry of State for Foreign Affairs
in promoting Piedniontese policy," and to" the
effect of that policy in Italy." Hero was a two-
fold purpose. If the allegation could be wade
out, even those who approved of the policy thus
promoted could not withhold their censure upon
that interference, in consistency with their pro-
tendon of neutrality. But Mr. Hennessy sup-
ported his accusation by only vague and 'man-
thenticated evidence, and his allegation was of
the most inconclusive description. Mr. Layard
replied td‘the accusation in a crushing speech;
Mr. Edwin James took up the popular view with
courage and effect; and Sir Robert Peel, who'
was in one of his lucky moods, completely riddled
and tore to rags the inipe.tehment founded only
on eciumrions gossip. hut Mr. I iladstone gave
the Brass Kind a superb philippic. His speech
was perfect as an ar_mment, ns an appeal, as a
rebuke ; rind it might have been imagined that
Brazen Heml himself or an unfrocked priest with
a bought indul,gence in his pocket, would have
winced 1111 l ler the castigation. " Rather might
an honest man," said Mr. Gladstone, be immured
in a casemate, with bullets iSssing and shells
bursting around him, than stand up in a free
assembly and eulogise the expelled despot of
Naples," whose cruelty and guilt he depietedin
language so cogent and powerful that all Europe
will remember, all Italy bless, and all civilized
mankind approve.

THE DORCHESTER TOWN COUNCIL.

Ws do not believe it possible to lay a ghost.
Ingenious children of the altar have heretofore
boasted of exorcism, but anon we find the old
apparition extant, and, as Lord PALM KRNTON
once said of DISRAELI, "in good condition."
We believe the Cock-lane ghost is still to be
waif the proper Dr. JON NtiONS will only look
for him. Years ago the public believed
despotism in England to be dead and hermeti-
cally Mimed ; when lo! the Dorchester Corpo-
ration walk the "once familiar form" into the
Council Chamber. That "perturbed spirit"
has again "revisited the glimpses of the moon"
—and the 111.)01) only for reasons of lunar con-
geniality—making a communication to the
Hamlets who were elected by the ratepayers of
the county town of Dorset to represent their
interests in M 111 l icipal matters in an open, fair,
and hooourable manner. It is greatly to be
regretted that Mr Howirr, or Mr. Drums, or
some other critic of these visitants had not an
opportunity of being present when the Dor-
chester ghost make its "last appearance."
They would have exhibited it to the public
gaze in its true colouring Their description
of the monster would, undoubtedly, to men
living in the nineteenth century, have read
like wine romance of former times ; but,
stranger than fiction is this visitant from the
nether world of despotism, which has been made
to assume the shape of closed doors at the
Council meetings. The inhabitants of Dor-
chester are burdened with local taxation to an
almost intolerable degree, but if any question
arises more than oidinarily affecting their
interests, they must, forsooth, be kept in igno-
rance of all that is going on. At the last
meeting of the Council, when the subject rela-
ting to the liabilities of the trustees to the
estate of the late Mr. Donsox was brought for-
ward, the reporters, who are the representatives
of the public, were ordered to withdraw. The
phantom which haunted the imagination of the
Mayor, was the fear of publicity! "The
reasons," he said, " for making the discussion
Private was that the interests of the town might
be secured !" Admirable logic! Do the Mayor
and the few satellites that hover around him
suppose that they only are the repositories of
legal lore, and that when they die wisdom will
die with them ? Is it come to this, that none
but Dorchester Councilmen know anything
about law or equity Or do they intend "for
the interests of the town" to take sonic under-
hand advantage, or perpetrate some daring
deed of darkness that will not stand the test
of day I Is Bourbonism—driven out of Italy—
to find a quiet mating place in Dorchester?
Let not the Council apply the "flattering unc-
tion to their souls" that we for a single moment
wish to impugn their acts—they impugn them-
selves. We simply put into words what their
acts imply; and we do say that they savour a
trifle too much of what Jasittss would term
"egregious egotism." It has of late become
one of their distinguishing traits, that they seek
to wrap their public conduct in it dark fold,
and to enshroud their erratic mouutobankism in
mystery.
But why this mystery, where all ought to be
open and above board? Or why court darkness
when everything should be open as the day
Have not the ratepayers an undoubted right to
know whether or not those whom they elect to
carry on the affairs of the town for them are
doing their duty ? Have these sages of the star
Chamber any right to start off full tilt into a
Chancery suit, without giving those who pay
the taxes an opportunity of judging whether
they ought not to protest against so reckless
and expensive a course of procedure? When
Mr. STANTON brought forward the question of
liabilities of the trustees to Mr. DODSON estate,
the Tows Ci.r.as stated that under his contract
Mr. DODSON was liable to make good all surface
damages he might commit in laying down the
mains. Mr. STANTON truly remarked that, such
being the case, he was unquestionably liable to
make good the surface of many of the roads that
he had cut up and completely destroyed, and to
pay the compensation for growing crops which
various 'parties had demanded of the Council,
and which the Board hail paid. The Tows
CLERK replied that that Board was no doubt
liable to the parties who had sustained damages
for compensation in the first instance, and that
the Board must recover the loss from the estate.
Mr. STANTON moved that the trustees should be
called on to pay up the amount due from them in
reference to this matter, but it was ruled that
the CLERK should, in the first instance, make his
report. As we understand the case these are
simply the facts. What the report of the CLERK
to the last meeting of the Board was, and what
steps the Council resolved to take in the matter,
or whether, indeed, the members determined to
make the trustees a present of the amount due
from them to the town we are,aa a matter of count',
left utterly in the dark. Perhaps the Council
chuckle over the fact that they possessed the
shrewdness and precaution to exclude the press.
Let them enjoy their self-gratulations. We have
no desire from any private reason to penetrate
the "secrets of the prison house," but on behalf
of the public we must protest against the con-
tinuance of a system abhorrent to the feelings
of a free and enlightened people, and which
cannot be tolerated but where despotism reigns
supreme. How is it that we now so seldom see
the more respectable members of the Council
and Aldermen present at the Council Board
Is it that they refuse to submit to despotism,
and prefer to keep away altogether to kneeling
down to the aat which a few of the members
so devoutly worship I Undoubtedly they possess
good reasons for refusing to become the alders
and abettors of acts which the Council fear to
snake public. But it will soon become neces-
sary, if matters cont. as they have of late
gone on, for the ratepayers to take up the
question. If they do not, by and by the rack
and the thumb screw will be called iuto requisi-
tion ; and if Judge &aeries-ism is not enacted
over again in the borough of Dorchester, it will
not be from want of the will but of the oppor-
t 'ty. Despotism and mystery are twin
sisters; mystery always begets suspicion ; and
suspicion, cruelty. Happily the lash and the
, halter are placed beyond the reach of despotism
in the present day, but let the rammers look
well to their pockets.

DORCHENTKR PITCHED CORN MARKET, Saturday,
March 9th.—A very large attendance of millers and
dealers; and in the wheat trade there was more
disposit to make purchases, and with a small
supply of home grown we quote vice* from is. to
2s. advance, and had it not been for a very liberal
supply of foreign, wheat would have been still inure
in request. In the barley trade we noticed great
depression, and many second class samples were
uttered at front Se. to he. per quarter lower than they
were about three weeks since. Seeds were more
plentiful, and could be bought on quite as easy
terms as last week. .

Dosenierrut ltasoStTowir Sat& —The usual cattle
markets are now quite eclipsed by these repository
sal..; the former attract • few jobbers of little note,
and the latter call together the great dealers, maim-
omen, and butchers, not only of the locality, but of
the country. On Saturday
last the competition for
the fat beef was very great, and higher prices had to
be paid. With sheep the trade was equally good,

and although the supply was very large, nothing
worthy of the name of good mutton was pawed over
without a good and spiiited bidding. The usual
demand for fat calves, barreinicre, mu cows and
calves. Too muck prtiPo cannot be given to :%lessrs.
Raker and Eusr r.,r the 111,11111er 111 which t 'Wee salca
are advertised, which results in bringing down
dealers not only from the Metropolis, but front all
parts.
OFFICIAL—The Commissioners of Inland Revenue
have issued instructions to their varbms officers to
the effect that all persons retailing table beer,
without being licensed for such purpose, will subject
themselves to a penalty of .C2O.
FATAL ACCIDENT. CORONER'S INQUEST. On
Friday last an inquest was held at the lied Lion
Inn, Winfrith, before H. Lock, Esq.. deputy
coroner, on the body of a young man, named Grant,
who met his death under the following circum-
stances :—On the previous day the deceas was out
ou the farm of his grandfather. About one o'clock
in the afternoon ho was returning with his uncle,
who just before arriving home, left the deceased a
short distance behind on the road. The former had
not been in the stable long before he was called to
assist the deceased, who was found by the elder Mr.
Grant, lying on the road with blood flowing from
his mouth. Some water and vinegar was procured
to wash his face, but lio never spoke, and shortly
afterwards expired. It is supposed that the
accident was caused by hia endeavouring to open a
gate wild,/ on horseback, and that in the attempt
he overbalanced himself, and fell over the gate.
The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental Death."

WIMBORNE.

- - - -
SPI:CIAL SESSIONB--An adjourned special sessions
for highways a... 8 held on Monday, before C. J.
I`;,rge, Esq., chairman, Z.jor Portman, Bev. C. J.
Glyn, and Rev. John 11. Anskis.—/fruu Ford, cur'
seyor of higassys, ttiisonze St. Micivel v. I:, r. ,4019 r
'icor IS WM an application on a summons for
refined to pay a highway rate of 24. in the imund,
amounting to Lii odd. Mr. W. H. Dickenson, of
Poole, appeared for the surveyor, and Mt. F. T. Johns,
ltlandford, fur the defendant. The surveyor wa.s
examined as to the publication of the rate, and Mr.
John raised an objection to the effect tint the original
notice put on the church door must be produced to
prove publication, which was overruled by the Dena.
Mr. Johns requested a note to le made of his objection.
The two legal gentkuien then addressed the Bench on
the right of defendant to appeal, after which the
Omit man said they decided the rate to be properly
aside, and the usual cure would be pursued,
and a disrress warrant issued. Mr. Johns said
he would pay the amount. The Chairman
addressing the legal gentlemen, said the Bench
wished him to state that he hoped they
would use their good offices to effect a reconciliation
between the rev, defendant and his parishioners, and
put an end to the painful litigation now going forward,
and restore peace to the parish. Mr. Ford said Ise
would take upon himself to say on the part of himself
and his bruther parishioners, that they would be happy
to accede= their part to the wish of the Bench.