The Express.
London, England, 1864-02-27 00:00:00

DORSZTSHIRE ELECTION.-(THIS DAY.)

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGIUPB.)
DORCHESTER, SATCRDAY.
The election of • representative for the county
of Dorset took place this morning.
Mr. Floyer was proposed by Mr. F. J. Farquharson and
wooded by General Sir John Michel, and, there being no
opposition, was declared duly elected.

ACTION FOR SEDUCTION AND BREACH OF

PROMISE OP MARRIAGE.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.-FRIDAY.

(Before the Lord Chief Judie.. &ad a Special Jury of the
county at Dublin.)
THE REV. kt. fIIGCBON c. GORGES HILT; AND JCLIA

CAROUSE FEIGTIbO3 r. GORGIS HILT.

In the first case, an action was taken against the defen•
dant, Mr. Hely, a young gentleman of large fortune in the
county of Kilkenny, to mover damages, laid at 10,0001.,
for the seduction of the daughter of the plaintiff. The
second action was taken by Miss Ferguson herself to recover
damages, also laid at 10,0001., for breach of promise of
marriage.
The jury was sworn yesterday evening.
At 1 o'clock to-day the first case was called for bearing,
but the pleading were not opened till 2 o'clock, when
Mr. Purcell said—Gentlemen of the jury, in this case the
action is brought by the Rev. Samuel Ferguson, of Moy
Glebe, in the county of Tipperary, against Mr. G. Hely, of
Foulkesooart, county of Kilkenuy, to recover damages for
the seduction of Julia Caroline Ferguson, his daughter. The
damages are laid at 10,0001. The defendant has pleaded •
denial of the seduction.

Serjeant Sullivan said that, on behalf of his client, Mr.
Hely, he wished to make a few observations to the court.
Two actions had been brought against Mr. Hely—the fiat
for the seduction of Miss Ferguson, the second for a breach
of premix) of marriage. On behalf of the defendant, he was
instructed to submit to a verdict being taken for the sum of
1,0001. in the case of seduction, and for 3,000/. in the other
cause of action. He bad been further instructed to say that
there was no imputation whatever of any other Immoral
conduct made by Mr. Hely, and that he withdrew any and
every such imputation.
Serjsant Armstrong, on behalf of the plaintiff, said that
the action had not been instituted for the purpose of ob-
taining heavy damages, but with the view of vindicating
the character of the unhappy young lady. Having heard
that no want of chastity was imputed to Miss Ferguson, he
was ready, on her part, to consent to a verdict for 3,030 f.
being takes in the cause of the breath of promise, arid
1,0001. in the other cause. He (Serjeaat Armstrong) was
bound to express his opinion that, in acting upon the judi-
cious advice of Serjeant Sullivan, sod in withdrawing in that
unqualified manner every charge against Miss Ferguson, the
defendant had shown a very proper discretion.
The isms papers were then handed to the jury, and
verdicts according to the arrangement of the parties were
found. _

-_The Chief Justice mid that it was ► mattes of great =da-
ta-Aim that such an mrangemeut had been come to, sad
that in this moiler the public exposum and the disagree-
able circumstances of the case had been avoided. •

SOUTHAMPTON IMPERIAL HOTEL COMPANY
(LIMITED).-(THIS DAY.)

The first annual general meeting of the share
holders wee held at 1 o'clock, at the Loodou Tavern ; Sf
J•MEN CARMICHAEL in the chair.
The report stated that en arrangement had been made
with the London and South Western Company for a lease
for 150 years of a poetics of that company's station at
Southampton, on witch It was prepared to build the hotel,
and that in conesquebos of this advantageous change of site
land previously secured would be disposed of. Aasoou &tithe
agreement for the lases had been executed, the building of
the hotel would be commenced. Under the improved pro-
spects of the company the directors anticipated no di=
in placing such farther amount of capital as might be d
requisite, in allotiag which doe preference would be gives
to the present proprietary. and also to those applicable who
could in any trey promote the future business of the hotel.
leered would be paid to the shareholders et the rata of 5
per cent. per annum during construction lied up to the urem-
ia( of the hotel.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report,
congratulated the shareholders oe the new site for the
hotel, which be said was admirably adapted for such par-
C' He knew no hotel in the country which was placed
such as advantageous position as regarded pareagers.
The motion was @greed to. and the agreement for a
lease having been approved, the meeting terminated in the
usual mariner.

The following is one of seven resolutions intro-
duced into the United States Congress by Mr. 8
—" That, in addition to the guarantees stipulated7r Oa rr a
grass, and and as the capstan to its work of restoration and
reoeocilistion, the ocestitidiou itself mast be so amended
as to prohibit slavery evemwhere within the limits of the re
public ; that such a prohibitice, leaving all permed claims,
whether of slave or master, to the legislation of Ca
mid of the States will be in itself a sacred and iov:Ebire
goarautee. repressetieg the collective will of the people
of the United States, and placing universal 4101•201.
patios under the sanction of the constitution, so that free
dont shall be engraved on every foot of the national
and be woven Into every star of the national deg, while it
elevates sad inspires our whole noticed existence ; sod the
cooatitutioe, so often invoked for slavery, but at last ia bar.
mem with the declaration of independence, will become,
awarding to the holy aspirations of its (minden, the sub-
lime guardian of the inalienable riOt of every hum= being
to life, liberty, sod the pursuit of Nipple= ; all of which
must be do= in the lame of the union, in duty to huma-
nity, and far the sake of permantel!t pesos.
Tee IRISH Passing.—An 'Unrepresented Peer"
writes to the Times:—" In the Irish papers an announce-
meet appeared a few days gibe) to the effect that a meebsg
had been held at Lord Derby's at which it had been detidd
that Lord Poweneourt should 811 the vacant representative
peerage, that the claims of Lord Govt bed been ormedered
and found inferior to his, but that Lord Goat should all
the next vacancy. I was not honoured by an invitation to
stead the meeting at Lord Derby's, and to hear the elo-
quent speeches which were, no doubt, delivered, and
am consequently igoorant of the public grounds which
rendered the claims of young Lord Powersooort
superior to those of that venerable patriot. Lord Geri.
Possibly a fear that if removed from the watchful eye of
the tory leader he might contract some liberal teadosaise
may have had something to do with it ; but whether Lord
Powermoort or Lord Geri, I cameo' aecept him as my re-
presentative. But, sir, I wish to ester my protest egmast
the whole of the preseat memo of settee= (for election it
is not). The Ad of Cabs decreed that 28 peers should be
ohm= to represent the body of Irish peers in parhamsot.
There are about 150 Irish prem. Of these about 60 Woo* to
the liberal party, and of the 28 representative peen they
have not one to give utterance to their minims. Is this
wording to the spirit of the Act of UM= . I wish ma=
you, tar, to appeal to the arose of jostles of the tory leaders,
and ioduse them to allow the voice of the minority to be
occasionally beard. Ten, five, eves two would be a MOS.
ful emossece from this powerful majority. Should this
appeal fail, I have two suggestions to offer. Either let the
Irish representative peerage ream altogether, or, as mockery
and fares are distasteful to English habits, let her Majesty
be invited to wafer on the Earl of Derby the power of
naming 28 peers for life, whose principal qualificatioa will
no doubt be unequivocal subtitled= to the authorised bark=
of the party."
MR. LAIRD, M.P., AND HIS RAWL --SUppolle we
r,,,ht3 war with the United States for the sake of Mr.
hie Alabareas. and his rams. that he may be
enabled, by earrying on private war from an English port,
to amass a colossal fortune founded on the troubles cad the
difficulties of his country. Who but himself will be the
richer for his profits! What honour, what =yenta= does
he offer us in exchange for a war in which. purely as a
matter of boldness, he has almost involved us! Supposing
he emceed@ in proving that an act of parliament is so mre
lastly drawn that it fails to hit the very rem against which
it ought particularly to have been pointed, is that an exploit
for which be entitled to oak us to involve ourselves in a
meek* with a kindred nation, and add Dew horrors to a war
whisk is demlating the whole surface of the western 000-
thrent!—Tincir._

THE LLTI GAS EZPLOATON AT ALDERSHOT. —The
bite terrific pa explosion in the south cavalry barracks,
Aldershot, has been attended with fatal results in the coos
of Mrs. Theaters, wife of the merman of the Gth Dragoon
Garda. The unfortunate woman, whose skull was
fractured in a frightful maser, lingered for 60 boars in
an unoesecieus state, and then expired. An inquest was
held en Thursday, before Mr. Spencer Clarke. coroner for
North Hants, at tbe Army mid Navy Hotel, Aldershot
whoa the jury returned a verdict of " Accidental Death,"
and wished the following to be appended to the verdict
" The jury cannot emirate without expressing their
opinion that a portion of the pipe connecting the meter in
the passage where the explosion occurred, and the maim.
was never properly fixed—in fact, never screwed at all, and
they muskier the contractors for the work are to blame in
the matter. They suggest also that the joints to the mains
f=ly throughout the barracks should he looked to
itsialy to prevent further occident."