The Press.
London, England, 1856-06-07 00:00:00

strong, and at last succeeded, thank God, in getting int
Dover harbour. Had soy look out been kept on board the
ateqmer, on so lovely and calm a night a vessel might
easily have been seen two miles off, especially one with
new sails ; but I am sorry to say that in too many instances
these vessels, going at the rate of twelve or tourteen knots
all hour, altogether neglect that precaution, and many a
poor fisherman is run down by them and never heard of
more. The Alma was nearly seventy tons, and was only
completed at the end of last year. We put our helm to
port, as the law requires, but having little more than
steerage way, we could do nothing to save her.

atu anb
THE CONVICT WILLIXM PALMER.

THE friends of Palmer are making every effort to
obtain a commutation of his sentence, on the ground
that his conviction was obtained by mere circumstan-
tial and theoretical evidence, that there was no proof
that Cook was poisoned, and that at least, under the
circumstances, the life of the convict should be spared
until a further analysis of Cook's body has taken
place. Earnest representations have been made to
the Home-office, and a petition to the Queen drawn
up. Mr. Smith, the solicitor for the defence, has
written two letters to the Times—in one appealing
for a further analysis, and in the other as-erting that
by the verdict the whole spirit of the criminal law
was reversed, denying that the medical symptoms in
Cook's case should be allowed to weigh heavier than
the chemical evidence, and concluding with a solemn
declaration, from his belief that nothing could have
nor had been concealed from him, of his conviction
of Palmer's innocence.

Since his return to Stafford, Palmer has not made
the slightest communication to the authorities in con-
nection with the crime of which he stands con-
victed. His manner is reserved. He still asserts
that he has not had a fair trial, and bitterly complains
pf the summing-up of Lord Campbell, and also of
the evidence of Newton, of the maid servant at the
albot Arms, and of the damage done to his case by
the evidence of Jeremiah Smith. Some members of
his family have had an interview with him, and he
asserts, in reply to ail questions on the subject of his
guilty complicity in the death of Cook, that of what-
ever misdeeds he may have to accuse himself, be is
not guilty of the crime of murder. He has
been made acquainted with the exertions 31r.
John Smith, his solicitor, has made to obtain from
the Government a remission of the sentence, and he
has frequently expressed to Captain Fullord, the
governor of the gaol, and to the Rev. R. H. Goodacre,
the chaplain, his conviction that, in consequence of
those exertions, his life will be spared, and that the
Government will take further means to test the truth
of the charge for which he was put upon his trial, as
well as of those other charges on which be would
have been arraigned had the jury in Cook's case
returned a verdict of acquittal. The coolness and self-
possession which Palmer displayed during the first
few days of his incarceration, after his return from
London, are said to be deserting him, and he betrays
evident anxiety in reference to his fate. He passes
sleepless nights, and during the daytime his mind
appears to wander. Until the last day or two he
would talk upon general subjects with freedom, and
sometimes with apparent cheerfulness, but a feeling
of depression seems to have come over him, and his
whole thoughts' when he is calm and collected, are
engrossed with one subject—the probable result of
the intercession with Government on his behalf. It
is understood that the Government have already
taken the opinion of the judges on the propriety of
the verdict, and that no hope whatever can be enter-
tained that those learned persons have expressed
any reason to alter the very decided opinion they
formed after the trial as to the conclu-iveness of the
evidence adduced by the Crown against the prisoner.
Since the conviction of the prisoner a great number
of letters directed to him have been delivered at
Stafford Gaol, from persons who appear moved by a
vicious sympathy for his fate. Some of these com-
munications contain "poetry,' supposed by the au-
thors to be applicable to a person in his condition,
and the writers, for the most. part, conclude by ex-
pressing a hope that their favours will be acknow
ledged, "if possible." The object of the writers is,
in all probability, to obtain the culprit's autograph,
but in this they will be disappointed, as the letters
never reach his bands. Arrangements have been
already commenced at Stafford for the execution at
eight o'clock in the morning of Saturday week. Ap-
plications have already been made for almost all the
hotel accommodation in the neighbourhood, and spe-
cial trains are reported to run to and from all the
pridcipal towns within a circuit of fifty miles.
In connection with his trial and conviction it is
reported that the jury on their retirement, without
discussing among themselves the subject of the
Prisoner's guilt or innocence, agreed that each indi
Quid ju.ryman should write his verdict, and place it
under MI bet. Within teu inimiteis from the time of