The Express.
London, England, 1851-10-07 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

'MIS DAT.

WORSHIP-ST*IIAT..

AN ENTHCPILVITI.: IttoossalL—A Imi7like woman, about
2.i years of age, who gave her nomis as llory !Jenson, was
brought up this morning, before Mr. S'Eyncourt, charged
with causing a mob to assemble Ist front of the British
School, Cowl". r-street, Vity-roud.
It appeared, from the evidence of polite constable Hay-
ward, 212 0, that about hnlf.past nine Lot evening a great
crowd collected at the place above-mention-d, where the
defendant was haranguing the multitude, and railing on
them to adopt the dress she wore (the Bloomer costume),
sad also to wait and hear Mrs. Dexter lecture. Witness
gave information at the police-station in Featherstone.
street, and Inspector Jenks, with a bode of police,
went to disperse the mob. In spite of their en-
treaties, however, the lefendant insisted on her right to
address her fellow country-women, and nu being told by
the inspector that Mrs. Dexter would not lecture that night
(it was Lot week her lecture was to have taken place at the
above school), she said, if Mrs. Dester did not come she
would &Bun • lecture herself. The crowd assembled
evinced the highest degree of excitement, and it was found
impossible to disperse them without removing the primary
cause. who was taken in eu.tody by witness.
It was stated by. the inspector that the demeanour of the
defendant whilst in custody, together with the property in
her possession, bespoke her to be a person of no mean station
in society.
The defendant said she was a native of Gloucester, and
she was so convinced that the costume sought to be estab-
lished would be of much utility and convenience to her
fellow countrywomen, that she had come to town on purpose
to give it her advocacy. She understood it was hot night
MN. Dexter's lecture was announced for; regretted her
present position, sod promised not to give cause for a re-
CUrrenee.

11r. WErrteonrt, taking into consideration that she had
been 'oiled up all night, took her personal recognisance'
not to offend again, and ordered her to be discharged.

THE BLOOMER DEMONSTRATION.

Last evening a public meeting was held in the
Royal Soho Theatre (late Miss Kelly's) to hear an Ameri-
can lady, who is *taus' to have come directly from Sew
York fur the purpose. explain the merits of the Bloomer
costume. The building was densely tilled.
At a quarter past eight the Bloomers, eight in number,
appeared on the stage. They appeared to be timid persons,
unused to the dress, and not very bailey in their new situa-
tion. Four of them were mere ehbareu of from 7to lt
years of age, one was about 17, two were of riper years,
and the lady who was to deliver the address might have
been' 5 or '26.
The lady who was to deliver the address stepped for-
ward, and was well received. There were some few jocose
remarks from the gallery, but they were soon suppressed.
She was the only venue who could by any stretch of imagi-
nation be supposed to be habited according to the real
Bloomer mode. The living illustrations were made
up most oddly fur the occasion. The lady came forward and
proceeded to say that the present movement was not dic-
tated by any freak of vanity, and was taken in hand from
no merely personal motives. It was not strange that at a
time wh, is everything was in process of change, the quit-
tam of limes should 111111 e come wider consideration. The
Kyle of dress now in vogue was nearly analogous to that
which prevailed about the 18th century in Greece. It at-
tracted the attention of the lawgivers of that country, who
decreed that none but courtesans should be allowed to ap-
pear in such dress before the public. The women of
America and England were not, therefore, the first to re-
gard the clothing of women with a claim to reform. She
was not able to speak with any degree of certainty with re-
gard to the women of England, but with respect to the
women of America, she was enabled to state that there
were strong moral reasons which prompted them to such
a Munn as that which they bad now undertaken. While
attempting to explain those reasons she claimed the calm
attention of a British audience. (Bear, hear.) The Ameri-
can women who hail taken the lead in the present reform
were those who took the leaa in that high and holy reform
which had fixed the attention of the present age. That
question was the question of American slavery. (Loud
cheers.) The lady proceeded at some length to explain the
present aspect of the slave question as it wail connected
with the United States, and was iu the midst of her dis-
quisition when eight more young ladies entered, most oddly
attired. The audience found it impossible to maintain its
composure, and burst forth into a genuine burst of laughter,
a proceeding which seemed for a moment to daunt the laic
lecturer.

Another lady, in semi-Bloomer °odium, came in front
of the stage, and begged a fair hearing for the Ameri-
canly.
The Lecturer continued—Some of the women iu America
had gone through a collegiate course of education, and it
had ken found that they were not inferior in general
knowledge and in mental discipline to their male competi-
tors. Many of their number had outstripped the men in
classical, mathematical, and general infurmation. Led on
by such noble exampled, had the women of America done
too much in asking fur a reform in a branch in which they
were deeply interested, and on which it might be supposed
possesed proper information? It mig t be said, what
had all this to do with the Bloomer costume ? (Cries of
'' Hear, hear," and some interruption.) If they went
balk to the war of independence they would and
that if the women had not displayed more than
human vigour, the men would never have been
fns'. (Loud and long continued cheering.) In their in-
vestigations into the question under consideration, the
amen of America found that they had one despot in the
nay one that refitsed to be questioned either by morality,
riligion, or law. That tyrant was known to the world by
the came of fashion. Diet tyrant the women of America
had determined to bring before the bar of public opinion on
three separate charges. lot—That nature had been violated
br its rules, and life endangered; 2nd —That in conae-
quote of its requirements a vast amount of money
Ltd been expended which might have been de-
voted to higher and holier purposes; and 3rd.—That
or encumbering women it incapacitated them from
rendering services to society worthy of their high destiny.
These. doubtless, were strong charger, and for them
!he hoped the tyrant fashion would receive either
uEntausient or transportation for life—hanging she could
at recommend, as it visa contrary to her American creed.
9a~) The lecturer then went fully into the familiar
n of stays." These, she said, in resuming, were
"et. ef the reasons that had prompted the women of
Cana to take a step which threatened to turn the world
!.k down. (Cries of " Oh, oh," and some cheering.)
pit letterer, in a mild and impressive tone, said—l same
ft!.",, In an American citizen to explain my views, and I
:44. 104 at 40 inappropriate time. You have publicly
.aed, st this time, for In • for improvement from
every civilised nation of the world, sad I hare come
.novroot you to advocate what I believe to be the greatest
'ww,rovrement that could be conceived as far as regards the
theww,, Englaad. (Load cheers.) I do think that
people should hear before they him. (Be-
tniniMg.) We have looked to Great Britain most
i-7,7tif for assistance in this oar work of reformatiea.
lir: a then proceeded togive a **telt
epos. Bloomer's
11,44 unwittingly, the ma by mouse-
Lublista .otedibutnwthase sgumagbject to read
llollsmswentrett•thing thattiwalbsawbaef.:
followed, but, quiet having been restored, the lecturer

concluded by thanking her audience fur the treatment she
had received, although it was not exactly what she had ex-
pected, nor, probably, had she acquitted herself in the .
manner she had anticipated. She thought so much of
English politeness that she was rather embarrassed by the
want of courtesy which had at first met her.
Three cheers were given for Mrs. Amelia Bloomer, and
a young lady was called upon to sing the National Anthem.
This performance was accompanied with the most absurd
interjectional remarks, which convulsid the audience with
laughter.
the assemblage then dispersed.

LONDON TEMPERANCE LEAGUE.
MEETING AT EXETER-HALL.

Last evening a public meeting, which was pretty I
numerously attended, was held in Exeter-hall, for the pur-
pose of inaugurating a new temperance association to be
culled the London Temperance League. In the absence of
Mr. L. Heyworth, M.P., who was announced to take the
chair, and from whom a letter of apology was read, Mr. O.
Cavicsif ANIL WU called upon to preside, and, afters short
address from him,

• The SECRETARY read the report of the committee,
which stated that the week commencing August 4 was
devoted to a series of temperance meetings, held under the
presidency of the demonstration committee. Preparatory
thereto tlity held a temperance convention, on Thursday,
the 31st of July, and Friday, the Ist of August, 230 dele-
gates being present. On Sunday, the 3rd of August, 18
sermons on temperance were preached in the metropolis,
and on Monday, the 4th, Mr. Lawrence lleyworth, M.P.,
presided over a grand aggregate meeting of welcome
to their provincial brethren. On Tuesday, by the special
permission of the Royal Commissioners, the Crystal
Palace was opened one hour earlier than usual to
admit the total abstainers, who visited it in great numbers
47,000 persons having entered the building within the first
hour and a half, an unprecedented occurrence. On Wed-
nesday, the 6th of August, after the public breakfast in the
London Tavern, at which 300 were present, the Royal
Surrey Zoological Gardens, which had been secured by the
demonstration committee for the day, was thronged by such
a vast gathering of teetotallers as was never before convened.
On the following day a crowded meeting was held at St.
Martin'shall, sad the week's demonstration ended by a
goodly attendance on Friday in the Rosherville Gardena,
where a public meeting for the advocacy of their principles
was held. The committee having thus brought their pro-
ceedings to a close, had convened this meeting for the double
purpose rendering
thofirn
future.
.pastritreyd stliosspirileg.
tcationans for theet
a balance sheet, showing about 330 f. to be
the haads of the treasurer. The committee had
determined on the formation of a new temperance 11/4064-
tion, to be called the London Temperance League, the ob-
ject of which is to he the promotion of the practice of total
abstinence from all intoxicating beverage's, the members to
be of both sexes and the contribution from each member
2s. Gd. a year. iseter Ihll had been engaged by the cem-
mince for monthly lectures and meetings, and quarterly
soirees will be held where members with their friends can
join social intercourse with business in connexion with the
effectual working of the league.

Mr. BEGGS was then called on by the chairman, and he
read an address, which ho said he had been requested by
the committee to prepare. Ile took the condition of the
manual labour class at the teat of the prosperity of the
country. Ile contended that the poverty and misery of the
people were owing principally to their means being wasted
in intoxicating drinka. They had to teach the people that
alcohol in whatever shape or disguise was the enemy of
health, and consequently of morality, religion, and happi-
ness. Supposing alcohols to bo as hermless as milk or pota-
toes or sugar, yet seeing the mischief it produced, they were
called upon to abstain. The next thing of importance was
that of enforcing the temperance cause as a question of
political economy. The amount spent upon in•oxicating
drinks in this country was 20,000,0001. a year, more than
the whole value of our foreign trade ; and it should be im-
pressed upon the people that every shilling spent in drink
was so much abstracted from the fund that goes to sup-
port labour. There was much to he done yet in London
I in instructing the people in the prineip.c of this movement.
lle suggested that there should be meetings of workmen
to discuss the best meals to put an end to ilnnking usages
in workshops, and that =eaters should be called upon to
I give their assistance. Ile conceived the temperance re-
formers should be first and foremost in directing public
attention to the necessity of finding wholesome and inno-
cent recreation for the people. In conclusion, lie called on
teetotallers to have faith in their principles, and to lose no
opportunity of inculcating them.
Mr. F. W. KELLOG, from the United States, was the
next speaker. The first society, he said, for the suppres-
sion of intemperance, which was formed in the Lnited
States, was in 1808, and it consisted of five individuals. In
1813 another society was formed in Beaten, Iliesachussetts.
Since then there hail been many such societies constituted,
and they had effected an entire change of public opinion in
North America. lle might venture to toy that they could
not find throughout North America a single Baptist, .11e-
thodist, or Presbyterian minister who was not a teetotaller;
and most of the members of their charches were teetotal-
lers also. The traffic in intoxicating drinks was illegal in
ten of the states of the Union. In New England no one
could obtain a license to sell them. In Maine their sale was
prohibited in any quantity except by agents ap-
pointed under strict laws, and for medicinal pur-
poses only. In Wisconsin, if a man gut drunk,
and went home drunk his wife could sue the rum seller for
damages. In Mampshire, where before the prevalence of
teetotalism they were contemplating enlarging the gaol,
crime had so much diminished that last year there was only
one prisoner in the gaol. Concurrently with this state of
things pauperism and poverty were disappearing, and were
it nut for the immigrants, he believed there would bo no
poverty in the land.
A vote of thanks was then given to the chairman, and
the meeting separated. In the course of the evening a col-
lection was made in aid of the funds.