The Express.
London, England, 1846-10-17 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 17, 1846.

chair, and epologised for his temporary absence on the wore
of an unexpected eneagement. Ile then preceeded to say
that the question which they were that leght met to discuss
was one of the utmost importance, and the gre itest amount
of seal would be requisite in or 'cr to effect the removal of
We disgraceful law which authosixes the ieffietion of d-nth
m a punishment from the statute-hook. Since the iiitroduc-
ticm of milder punishments for offences the am cunt of crime
ei=sensibly diminished. (Hear.) Many persons
the infliction of death on the authority of Scripture
That was not the arena for discussing the point upon that
ground ; but, if the Old Testament was to he appealed to
as the text-book fur penal inflictions, why should they out
continue to inflict death fur the other offence* which were so
punished according to the laws of Moses ? Why should not
adultery—so prevalent amongst the higher classes of society—
be punished with death, if the law of the Old Testament was
still to prevail in respect to other crimes? How many imeances
were there not of men who bad been put to death judicially
fur crimes of which they were afterwards proved to have been
innocent? The Newgate Calendar abounded iti such in-
stances. (Hear.) He therefore called upon the meeting to
give its sanction to the resolution about to be proposed, and
thus to take a step towards abolishing the bloody excesses
which were still sanctioned by the law.
The Rev. JABEZ Beam ruse and proposed the following
resolution ;
"That this meeting regards the infliction of the punishment of death
to be unjustillab.e. Whether it is viewed on the grounds of morality,
good policy, or of religion, it is in the highest degree prejudicial to
the merals of the community."
The rev. gentleman mid, he felt rejoiced that ho lived in the
19th century, and in the sea-girt island of Britain. There
had been dark times, when the minds of men were enve-
loped in darkness. But now the schoolmaster was abroad.
(Hear, hear.) There had once existed superstition. He
was glad that time was passed. There had been despotism.
He was glad that age was also passed, and that the despotic
will of one man wee no longer able to crush the minds of
many. Ringcraft was also abolished, and he felt rejoiced at
hying in a free country. They were met that night to ascer-
tain how many of the suffrages of the persons around him
could be collected in support of abolishing the gallows and
the hangman. (Hear, hear.) There were numbers of
people now who cried out for this abolition. Expediency
likewise called for it. lie asked the meeting were they pre-
pared to perpetuate the practice of putting men to death ?
(" Hear," and " No.") Neither he nor those who thought
as he did, wished to have the gallows abolished because they
were enemies to the laser, or to social order, or to the govern-
ment. No, they wished it because they were friendly to
those institut'ona. But sangeinary laws disgusted and de-
terred the people from loving or supporting them.
They were in opposition to the sentiment* of the
people. What he wished to see woe the proptr
mmeencing and maietaieing the law. He was anxious
W see the death penalty abolished, in order that
the true ends of the law might be accomplished. The law
ought to seek to effect three things, namely, the restitution
of what had been wrongly taken ; protection • and reclama-
tion of wrongdoers. Any system of law which &fled to
accomplish these objets was deficient in itself. Now let
btu ask, does the infliction of death on a 'woad person give
Usk the life that has been token by the murderer, ur restore
pease to the family of the slain ? Certainly not. The execu-
tions, &Wore, of a murderer was a mere sacrifice to len-
gellele complete act of revenge. (Hear.) Did putting
a murderer to death protect society? Did the terror of
suffering prevent the murderer from liftirg his hand ? He
might appeal to the case of the boy Wicks to prove that it did
not. That victim to the savtgery of Newgate had been
in the habit of attending executions, and it might be said
that he had thereby been encouraged to commit the crime
which led to his own death. As for the reclamation of a
man who is hanged, that was a mere farce, unless the exhor-
tations and attendance of the chaplain of the prison could be
eo considered. For his own part, he believed it was possible
fur the lowest and most degraded and guilty of human
beings, to be restored to virtue. (Hear, hula.) He be-
lieved. that, until the awful boundaries which separate life
from death were passed, man was a reclaimable being—(hear,
hear)—and it was a pious and a truly Christian effort to try
to reclaim him. But at present the law thrust the unhappy
wretch, who stood in need of reclamation, out of the world,
and into the presence of hie Maker, without any regard to
the question whether he was fit to appear before that awful
tribunal or not. (Hear) What he sought to effect was, to
render the law equal. Juries, is order to avoid the extreme
penalty of the law being enforced, often violated their con-
sciences by acquitting men of their offences. It was only
recently a man was tried for the murder of his wife, and the
jury found it manslaughter. He was sentenced to twelve
months' imprisonment. A poor wretch was next convicted of
, stealing some spoons' and he was transported for ten
years. (Hear, hear, hear). What equality of punishment
was there? Had not death been the consequence of
the cruel murder of his wife, whom he was bound to protect,
the man would have been proportionately punished. When
criminals see that the meshes of the law are too close fur
them to escape the consequences of titeir offences they cease
to c 'limit them. The certainty of commensurate punish-
ment is the great check upon crime. Ile wished to effect
the repeal of the death penalty because he could not recon-
cile it with the law of God. He knew he was treading on
debatable ground, but he appealed to the book of scripture
in support of his views. Formerly the Scriptures were ap-
pealed to by the despot as aanctioning hie despotism. The
wily priest also held the Bible up in his defence, that book
being the most determined protest against him that ever was
recorded. The soldier carried the Bible with him and justi-
fied his bloodshed by it, and even the despicableand polluted wretch, the man-stealer, appeals to the same
book, and professes to have God's authority for holding his
fellow in slavery. He envied not the advocates of the death
penalty the company in which he found them. (Hear.) But
let him ask, Was not Cain a murderer ? Did he escape from
the punishment of death for his crime by the reluctance of a
jury to convict him l• Was it not by the immediate act of
God that he was permitted to live ? Was not Moses likewise
amenable to death for haviug slain the Egyptian ? Were
the advocates for th death penalty on scriptural authority
prepared to enforoe it on the blasphemer, the Sabbath-
breaker, the undutiful son, as the law of Moses enjoined ?
But what said the New Testament on this subject? II they
went there they would breathe only the atmosphere of mercy
and lovingkindness. Would the advocatesof the death penalty
assert that the Divine precepts of Jesus Christ meant thsit
the man who offended was to be hanged ? No; they meant
quite the reverse. He averred on the authority of these
precepts that the death penalty was anti-Christian. The
reverend gentleman concluded by saying that if the key note
of the cry for entirely abolishing the punishment of death
were sounded throughout the metropolis, it would soon re-
sound in the provinces, and he would venture to assert that
the Premier was not in office, nor would there ever be a
prime minister in office who would refuse to rsten to the
benevolent demands of the people at large. (Loud and con-
tinued plaudits followed the conclusion of this address.)
The meeting was successively addressed by Messrs. H.
Christmas, Charles Gilpin, J. L. Stevens, and Mr. Apeley
Pellatt in support of, and by a Mr. Elliott against, the reso-
lution, which was carried by a large majority. A second
resolution, pledging the meeting to use its most strenuous
efforts to effect the purpose in question, was then agreed to,
and thanks having been voted to the chairman, the Lessem-
- ‘^ese broke up.

AN EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURE.
Under the head of "Miraculous Escape" we
printed n paragraph in yesterday's paper mentioning the
wonderful good fortune of a madman who threw himself
from a " fast" train and escaped unhurt. His own was
not the only life endangered it appears ; he had pre-
viously made a fierce attack on a fellow-passenger. The
particulars are as follows :—A gentleman of the name
of Parker, of Sydenham, Kent, MU travelling by the
mail train from Derby to London, in a first-class car-
riage; his only compauion being a gentleman about 33 years
of age, remarkably, handsome and perfectly gentlemanly in
his appearance and manners. After some preliminary con-
versation, he requested to have the window kept open, and
offered Mr. Parker his wrapper if he felt incon-
venienced by the cold. Other conversation ensued, and
he stated that he once possessed a large fortune, which he
had squandered ; that he had now retired from the army,
and had not been so happy for a long period as at that
moment ,• adding that some friend had given him 1,1001. to
pay his debts, and 5001. more to buy furniture ; and that
the first thing he intended to do was to buy a dressing-case
which would cost him 3.5 guineas, which Mr. Parker re-
marked he thought would be a great pity, as no doubt he
already possessed one. After some further conversation,
which began to alarm Mr. Parker, he suddenly dropped on
hie knees, and in a most energetic and fervent manner
prayed for his friends the Dukes of Beaufort and Wel-
lington, and more particularly that his dear mother, who
had died in hie infancy, should appear. &c. After
rising from his knees he exclaimed to Mr. Parker,
" Did you hear a noise ? You must have heard that God
was speaking to me ?" At the same moment a train passed,
the engine of which he declared to be hell. Mr. Parker, by
this time being greatly alarmed, tried in vain to soothe
him ; his only reply was, Have you repented
of your sins ?" at the same time throwing off his
boots, coat, and shirt, with his gold watch, chain and seals;
he began to slap Mr. Parker in the face, exclaiming, " Yon
must come along with me ?" and thrusting his own head
through the window, he cut his head and neck in a mast
shocking, manner, and was soon covered with blood. He
then re;nrned with double fury, and beat Mr. Parker about
the head and face most severely. Expecting to be murdered
every moment, Mr Parker entreated him (in order to gain
time) to pray again, which he instantly did; while Mr.
Parker, at the immient risk of his life, opened the door and
made his way to the next carriage, where there was onlyone
gentleman; who, having heard all that had passed, helped
him in and shut to the door. They had scarcely done this
when the madman appeared, endeavouring to force his way
in also, and it required the united efforts of both to keep him
out; so he returned to kis carriage. This happened near the
Watford station. Frequent and unavailing appeals
were made to the guard for assistance, stating that a gentle.
man was dying ; and the reply was that being after their
time, they could not stop, as the Manchester train was close
heniud them. This, however, was no excuse fur the guard
not going to the carriage to ascertain what was the matter.
All Mr. Parker knows further of his strange companion is,
that the guard of a following train saw a man in a state of
nudity running by the side of the road, which can only be
' accounted for by his having thrown himself off the train, I
which was then going at an increased speed. A servant
was at the terminus of the Euston-square station, waiting
for his master; but Mr. Parker being in a dreadfully
bruised state, and most anxious to get home, Oid not wait
to hear the result of this strange encounter. We are
happy to say he is now nearly recovered from the effects of
his violent bruises and most alarming position.
The additional particulars which have been forwarded to us
narrate the adventures of the nuoappy assailant after he threw
himself from the train:—On Tuesday morning about half-
past eight o'clock, a horse and cart, having on it the name of
Charles Higgenbottons, Stone-bridge, Willesdon, drew up at
the entrance gates of the world of the pariah of St.

Mary Althutt, aiensinaton, situate in the Litesiceater:ract,
liensingtoa. The cal t contained, in addition to the driver,
polce c instahlts 101 and 115 of the 1) divisioa, wha had
with the:n a wretched-looking object, covered with dirt
and filth, and who was securely bottle' dawn with cords.
On their being admitted into the workhouse yard, the p
',icemen stated to Mr. Blackwell, the matter of the work-
house, that the individual they hail brought with them was
a lunatic who had been found early that morning at Kens:al-
gal:en, in the parish of Remington, under the following
emum-tanc :—At an earls- hour, as tome labourers, in the
employment of Mr. Edward Salter. farmer, of Nutting llama
farm, situate about half-way betweca Notting-hill and
the general cemetery at Ken,al green, were goinz to
their work in the fields, they saw a man is a state of nudity
with the exception of a pair of trousers, and a pair of tine
cotton sock., covered with mud, dirt, and blood,
come over a hedge into one of Mr. Salter's held,, from a
swamp, through which he had crawled, in close contiguity
with the Great Wisteria Railway; that the labourers told
him he was trespassing, and that he must go back, upon
which he became much excited, and, on their attempting
enforce their direc ions, he became so violent, that it took
twelve of the labourers to secure him; and so convinced
were they that he was an escaped lunatic, that they bound
his arms securely with striNg cards to prevent him doing
himself or others further mischief, and handed him over to
the police. Upon hearing this statement, Mr. Blackwell
directed the unfortunate man to be conveyed int, the
insane ward of the workhouse, which was done. When
there, the cords by which he was bound were re-
moved, and a strait-waistcoat put on him. Mr.
Guazzaroni, surgeon, of the Terrace, Kensington, who ,s
medical officer of the workhouse, was then sent for to exa-
mine his state and condition, and, in the interim, efforts were
made to change him from the dirt and mud with which he
wwrilceosoeiredng,.owhiitewhawsaaundto moat
h adifficult
ms task,
an
otherat ,
discovered thatbea
parts of his bode had numerous lacerated wounds, iuto which
the mud, Ate., had so penetrated that they could with great
difficulty. be cleansed. He gave no account himself as to how
he got into the wretched plight in which he was; but on
; being questioned as to his name, and where he had come
from, he stated that it was Osborne Markham, and that
1 his apartments were at No. 91, Mount-street, Berkeley-
I square. A messenger was immediately de-patched to
Mount-street to ascertain the truth of that statement ;
and on his going to No. 91, Mount-street, he found that
Markh..m Osbarne, Esq., lived there, and that that gentle-
man had been expected home on the previous evening from
a shooting excursion at the Marquis of Bute's, that he had
come up on the previous evening to a first-class carriage of
1 the ma I train on the Great We-tern Railway, his man ser-
vent being in a second-class carriage, and that on the arrival
' of the train at the terminus, the servant, on going to the
carriage in which his master had sat, found it empty, and
his master's clothes, with the exception of his trowsers and
melte, with his gold watch, itc.' lying on the seat ; that in
consequence it was thought that the unfortunate gentleman
bad coat himself from the train during its progress, and his
friends had been is active search alter him during the
night. Mr. Gualmaroni, on making a minuter examina-
tion of the wounds, found there was one at the back
of the head of rather a serious character, and also two
severe lacerated cuts on the left arm just above the elbow,
one of which exten:led to the bone. So numerous were the
wounds that Mr. Ouazzaroni was engage d in attendance on
him and in dressing the cuts until 4 o'clock in the after-
noon. Shortly after the return of the messenger from
Mount-street, Mr. Harrison, surgeon (we believe) of Al-
bany court-yard, Piccadilly, came to the workhouse on the
part of Mr. Osborne's friends, and again visited him in the
evening, when he appearing more quiet and collected, he
' was removed in a fly from the workhouse to his lodgings in
, Mount street. The strictest secresy has been maintained by
all the parties connected with the case, as to who Mr.
Osborne is, and the motives and causes which have led to
his extraordinary conduct, but there is every reason to
believe that he is most highly connected ; that he is related
to a noble duke, and is the brother of a titled lady.

BUCKINGHAM PAL ACE AND THE. COURT OF SEWERS.
—A general court of sewers for the City and Liberty of
Westminster was held yesterday at the sewers' office, Soho-
square. J. White, Esq., inquired of the surveyor of the
court, in r lerence to the improvements and enlargements of
Buckingham Palace, as to the progress that had been made
by the •Mctropo!itan Sewage Company in passing through I
Hyde Park ?—The surveyor replied that he believed their
works were at present suspended until it was ascer-
tained to what exti nt the contemplated improvements in the
sewage of the district would be effected.—Mr. White urged
upon the court the necessity of adopting a new line for the
King's Scholars' Pond sewer, which, by being diverted to-
wards Charing-cross and Northumberland-street, would I
secure a deep and continuous fall into the river in the place
of the present defective drainage, with a very slight tall at
the p nut of its discharge. He had made a calculation, and
found, by forming 12 miles of sewer, the whole distrie,
Buckingham Palace included, might be entirely and for ever
relieved, and this at an expense of littlo more than 300,0001.
As they were about to divert the sewer for the improve-
ments at Buckingham Palace, he thought the present time
was a favourable opportunity to take the aubjeet into consi-
deration.—The chairman said that the divergence of the
sewer opposite Buckingham Palace was already in progress, I 1
Mr. Blom, the architect, having stated, on a former. occasion. I
that it was absolutely necessary that the work should not be
delayed one day beyond the time required to obtain the per-
mission of this court.—Mr. White expressed some surprise
that the work should have been proceeded with.—C. N.
Cumberlege, Esq., said that, upon the application of Mr.
Blom, from the ommissioners of Woods and Forests, he
was fully informed that alterations in the line of sewer were
in contemplation, and, if adopted, the money thus spent
would be entirely thrown away..—Several lion. Commission-
ers having expressed their opmions upon the suNect, the
question was ordered to stand over for consideration at
a future court, when the plans of the surveyor would be
laid before them.
STEPNEY. TITHE COMMUTATION. A stormy
meeting of the tithe payers of the parish of Stepney, held
under the presidency of %Ir. Martin, assistant tithe commis-
sioner, took place yesterday. The object for which it was
called was to get the landowners to agree to a voluntary
commutation. Considerable objection, however, was made
to a claim for each garden, called " The garden penny," and
to the expense of mapping the parish, estimated at several
hundred pounds ; and after a continued dispute for three
hours, such as only takes place, we believe, at parish meet-
imp, or, perhaps, at meetings in Ireland, the business was
adjourned by the commissioner for three months.
RAILWAY ILL-CBAOE.—Two complaints, one of a
" light," the other of a grave character, were recently made
in the Tones by railway travellers. The first complainant,
after rernarkingthat on the South-Eastern line third class
passengers are obliged to travel in darkness, relates that,
• One passenger, who knew his customers. had provided himself
with a candle, which he lit, much to the comfcrt of his fellow travel-
lers. This, however, was ordered to be put out by one of the railway
nooberrys, at which all the paasengers rallied round their candle, and
defied the railway authorities, thereby retaining their light, but at the
risk of accident from fire. The company also forced several passes-
gen into the carriage after all the semi were occupied- At one line
we had more than fifty, some of course obliged to stand, walla SI
well as men. On this line the third-claws carriages not parlhemaw.
taryl are open, without coverings, and many passengers last alga
were forced to travel in the rain, in the open c irriages, because the
company had not supplied a sutlicient umber of parliamentary
coveted carriages. Want of civility, and even gross insult, wens
added."
The second correspondent states that
"On Monday, my wife, in returning to town from Ilertloed,
was obliged to entrust herself to the ['marital• merits of the
Eastern Counties Railway. Of course an accident happened.
The train had not proceeded many miles on its journey before
the engine got oft the rails, and was turned completely upside
down, one or two of the company's servants being seriously
injured. Providentially, the messengers escaped, as the phrase un-
truly bas it, " more frightened than hurt," for the state of mind
generatei by mishaps of thischaracter is sometime of painful import.
1 do not know, however, that I should have been reduced to
contribute to the catalogue of casualties furnished daily by this
well-managed railway to your columns, but for this very significant
1 expression, which, in a mournful tone, fell from the lips of one of the
officera " I expected this ;" an expression which could not well have
been uttered but for a reason. Does not this indicate " enmethinit I
rotten in the state of" Ile lsonla I As far as I have been able to gather
touching this accident, it appears that just at the spot where it cc-
curved another line of rails is being laid down, in preparing for which
the workmen seemed to have loosened the earth close to the rails over
which the trains pm, in consequence of which, on the parsing of the
train, a displacement of the rail ensued, and hence the accident. My
nonacquaintance with engineering matters may reader my inferences
untenable. Of the main fact, however, the shattered nerves of my
wife upon ehr arrival at home are sufficient proof to me."
REFORM YOUR WASHING BILLS.—A correspondent
of the Builder professes to have mode a " very careful esti-
mate" of the laundry expenses of the metropolis. lie com-
putes them at five millions per annum! He proposes that
the necessary and expensive locations of linen, &c., should be
carried on on a large scale, and that washing camt.anies
should be once more set on foot. The certain effect of such
establishments—if skilfully conducted—would be to abolish
the extensive and not nnamiahle sisterhood of washerwomen,
I and to save the metropolitan poblis 20 per cent. on the
washing bills, or—should the careful estimate" prove
enerect—one million per annum.
MR. GRANYLEY BERKELEY, HIS LETYER, AND
sus Corierrrummr.—Sir,—liadirg seen an address from Mr. Grant-
*: Berkeley to the dealers of the Western Division of Glouceeter-
shire, in reference to a meeting at Gloucester on the 15th of September
Let, and stating that a resolution then adopted Was made in come-
=of a complaint by the Earl Yitzhardinge of Mr. Grander Bee-
" having abused the government patronage," we feel called
nee, in justice to the Karl ritzbardinge, to ourselves, and in defe-
rence to the feelings of the constituency of the Western Ifivieion, to
offer a eery few oteeryations on that statement. The meeting
which then took place, in consequence of the approaching revs.
Woo, after calmly and dispassionately considering the present poli-
tical position of the Western Ifivikon, kit bound to take the
step it did, as the one most conducive to the best interests of the
Liberal party
_in the division; and in which opinion we still con-
tinue. We feel bound to state, that the resolution come to by the
meeting was principally caused by the knowledge of Mr. Grantley
Berkeley having, In the year 1845, in the strongest language, an-
nounced his determination immediately to resign his seat in Parlia-
ment, unless some private arrangement between himself and Earl
Fitzhardinge were effected. A natural fear arose that upon a revival
of a discussion upon this private matter, the Liberal interest et
this division might be placed in extreme jeopardy by the
I sudden retirement of the honourable gentleman at any moment
lie might tidal: fit, and when it might be Inconvenient, if
not impossible, to bring forward a candidata to supply his
place. We think it quite unnecessary to tip more than refer
to the present position of Mr. Grantley Berkeley as regardsa his con-
stituents, which may be unpleasant to the feeling of the bon. gentle-
man, but of the existence of which we believe be allalla be ignonm.
We beg also to state, that we are no parties to "ad 601111Mili 611
an unexplained plan." We had • perfect knowledge of a
as a candidate for the support of the constituency, who. ti-
dewily presumed and believed, will be acceptable to the whole Dottrel
the Liberal electors of the western division.—T. lirroscore, J. WAITS.
R. J. PVILNELL, R. F. James, T. A. &mammon, J. Paoirre, W.
Jones Ewe.
Although accidentally absent front the meeting of the 15th a
September, I perfectly agree with the contents of the shove address.
Oet. IS, 1548. 1.. S. Arena.
FLOODS AT EDMONTON AND ENVIELD.—III COMO-
quence of the heavy rains of the last two or three day% •
oor.siderable breadth of land in the neighbourhood of Ed-
monton and Enfield is now covered with water. On Thurs-
day night, some alarm prevailed for the safety of tht sheep,

and Luray hundreds were removed. f tie high road between
the Ansel and Lower Edmonton is Under water.
EDUCATION FOR ALL CLASSES.—Sir : The Tory
emsllent articie on Falmation in tour number of Fester] it* has in-
duced me to offer you the (liaison for beat-ion in your valuable
piper. It is gratifying t ) perceive that the chain has at lesieth din.
cover, el that a nodonal edii ran a cannot be placed under the control
of any particular cam of Chria ions, and that this Mom, ry is avowed
by a kalif!' of one mond the many sections into which The establish-
ment is divided. It has 12,71 deitoustrated from the time of lord
Brougham's bid, sometweatv yestro since. But the admission has been
reversed for the year I SRL br. Hook's plan of requiring the child to
i.rocitico w 3looday a certificated having attorled a Suodayschrool in
harnoka e woolen, for be does not suggest a penalty for the default
the met to which the to teems belong might not have a Sun:ay-whoa
in the place, or :hey might be Jews, and I presume the doctor would
not visit the child with depriratioo of literary education because the
puma had emitted to send him to a Sunday-achoul. lam induced to
give you the workia- system of a Khoo' in very active operation in Min
cite, of hi:b lan one of the trustees and committee, because I believe
it to jUM what is desie..ble ar.d 'he only practicable mode of a truly
national !system of education. It mu formerly the custom for the
miuieter of the religious. society to which the school is attached, to
attend once a week and catechise the children. But at that time the
education wee confined to chilaren belonging to he congregation. A
few years since we resolved on enlarging the operation of the school.
We ad-toted the moot excellent system in use by the Irish Beard
Education, and obtained a mister who had been educated at its nor-
mal school. We have shout 30 bays and 30 girls of all sects, and
among them a number of Jews. We Mopensed with the attendance of
our minister on week days, sad an arrangement was made by the
congregation to have religious worship cot Sundays, in the morning
and evening ; and that In the afternoon such of the children ers belong
to the society should attend and receive hoot the minister at the
chapel a ransoms education, together crib the children of the Sunday
school. In the Sunday mornings those of the children also attend
at the school room, when the master reads to them the scripture
exercises wend be the Irish Nation Schods and which are
free from dogmatical passages. Gut all the other children attend
their own Sunday-schools: and we find on inquiry when the
children are admire! that niaedeutho attend those of their
own societies. The real of all sects prampto thew to attend to the
religious education of the Sang generation, and I believe there is not
a chapel in the city without a Sunday school. There are many in
different districts belonging to the establishmont We have thus no
religious exercises in our schools. We think it is the duty of parents
mad of the ministers of the sects to which they belong to exercise
their children in the practice of devotion, according to their own
opinions. We conceive domestic and suoday religious exercises by
1 the parents and the ministers likely to be most efficacious ; while we
could h spe but little from that which would proceed from a school-
master, even If he could make it acceptable to the parents with their
varied sectarianism. In addition, to the Jews it would be a came for
exclaims. We are thus eduutting the children of members of the
establishment in all It. se:tions, Catholics Unitarians, Cale-nista
Methodists, and Jews, who all entrust their children to our ram
satisfied that their young minds will not be imbued with any
hostile to their own, and that they will be left to the ad=
selves and their minister; on Sundays. We find the aNWalfsaa As'
admission to the school as numerous' as we can reggae ma ma oar
cafe, and I believe thin purely sceslar SIAM is the gig grind* OR
which a notional education can be of The paler portion of
the lower oriers in this diocese whose children are eseght to be edu-
cated are dissenters and it would be abortive, the allonpt to engraft
any religious instruction upon a system of education kr their chit. ,
then. B the religion of Eogland was simply Christine and not see.
tarian, it would be desirable. But I believe, in the present state, it
would be impracticabie to place such ochoolo uoder thecootrot of the
clergy of any section of re:an:lnlets. It must be purely a lay system.
—J Sea TERRELL.—Exeter, Oct. 13.
THE GREAT BRITAIN. —Unpleasant and
often dangerous as it Is for little boats to launch forth into public and
troubled imam, I still cannot avoid snoring off from my obsess*
moorings, even at the risk of sinning foul of that numerous asse se
trait, woo do worse than sail with a naked gaff, by cruising 10111111
false colours In other and 'long chore parlance, it cannot be ORS.
cattily deplored, that not only in this case of the Great Britain, beta
moot other, of u like lamentable nature, one Iloilo the public pipets
teasing with anonymous communications, as condeanatory of the
case in po nt as damnatory of the moral courage of the writers, in
concealing their own names. yam as far from attempting to justify
the present lamentable position of the Great Britain as any man, but
I do contend that it is both unfair and unmanly to aggravate such a
calamity by the most cruel, beeattee unatheekable, c, near:, lawny-
moiety put farts; Instead of openly cadencing the merit, and de-
merits of a caste, so very essentially (as this is) fair food for public eon-
' demnation or acquittal. It is not my province, and therefore I shall
In no wise attempt to put forth any pout of that army of ifs your
.natured friends are Pure to favour you with, after you've got
into a ex, unworthy of all notice, because too late to be of use. I,
lipase with, and as fully as the public at large can, do lament the
Sat that so tine a ship, on which such an enormous outlay of means
awl mow lave beat expended, should be now all a thing that was ;
big, ye w prima of England, who live at twine at ease," have mos
MY NOM epos es anararing men; and you by far more aciitraef
pmm, Ob. Public Opinion. asyou are arm r, so also be you
you undertake to paw sentence an her cepa* whilst you
may wirander yourself obliged to censure the owe Ogg. let Justice bur
partially survey a period of many yeers, where, talon rdiet, shall le
found to stand forth a line of the most ordain@ dam so
discharge! a series of voyages sot ably peteee= se e• ggra,
previous knowledge of nautical skill sad with as
untiring wish to do honor to his porsolas r • aavlroCir,to bring
profit to his employers, and to Abed witty sad comfort to his pas.
aengern. When there things are fairly weighed and thought of, the
world, both ashore and afloat, will (at the same time they may de.
plore, and perchance condemn, the present misfortune) I trust, admit
that years of unsullied reputation as an otileer and seaman, stallot,
and ought not to perish in the gulf of one distoter, however peat and
grievous. But to refer to my first observation : if men choose to
canvass the pros and cons of this unhappy business in the public
prints, instead of signing themselves and their twice-laid stuff, J. A.
T. I Pompey, Cato, Pluto, Virtue (God bleu the mark and
Veritas (which by striking out the t, would very often render it no
longer anonymous), let these men, If not ashamed of themselves se
(MVO, confess thematic s to be in props ill *amine, what I sat scat
happy to suboeribe mmelf, your obliged and obedient seerat. M. M.
Ex-Commander of steamers President and British Qum.
RUMOURED LOSS OF ONE OF THE BOSTON
Brsemzus.—A rumour has prevailed in town this week :to
the effect, that one of the splendid Cunard line of steam-
ships, plying between this port and Boston, had been de-
steoyed by fire at sea. The rumour, we believe, originated
in this way c On Saturday last, a mercantile house here
received a note from Dublin, stating that the captain of a
' vessel, which had put in there, on the Bth, through stress of
weather, had reported that, on the 27th ult., in the Atlantic,
he had seen a large steam-vessel on fire, he bring et the
time not in a position to render her any assistance. It was,
of course, naturally supposed that the vessel alluded to must
have been the Hibernia, which a riled hence on the 19th ult.
The Cambria, however, has brought the gratifying intelli-
gence that the Hibernie arrived at Halifax on the Ist inst., and,
as there is KO other steamer ut the line at sea, the Caledonia,
only sailed hence on the ith inst., of course she could not
have been the vessel seen on the 27th ult. Supposing the
report to have any foundation at all, the vessel could not
have been any of the Liverpool steamer.—Liverpool Mer-
cury, Oct. 16.
MISTAKEN IDENTITT.—Oft the morning of Wed-
nesday last, a female, who, being drunk, was taken to the
Fleet-street station, hung herself in one of the cella. The
same night art inquest was opened. As no one claimed the
deceased, and there no evidence as to her state of mind,
the coroner had decided upon adjourning the inquiry, when
a person came forward and informed the coroner that the
deceased was his sister. lie had viewed the body lying at
the station-house, and he was perfectly satisfied that it was
that of his sister. Her name was Emma Pike, and she had
resided in Charles-street, Drury-lane. He had not seen
much of her lately, and he could not therefore speak of the
state of her mind. As there was still no evidence as to the
deceased's state of mind, the inquest was adjourned. Sub-
sequently Pike went again to the station-house, to make
arrangements for the removal of his deceased sister, when he
found her alive and well. Hearing of the death of deceased,
she had gone to the station to see whether deceased was any
one she had known, at the very moment her brother was
limiting arrangements for her own funeral. The deceased
pparains unowned. She was about thirty years of age. Had
OM a half-mourning gown, straw bonnet with white gauze
Iribbon, a black veil, sable ben, white check muslin collar,
black merino scarf. black stockings, and low shoes.
INaIUESTS.—MYSTERIOUS CASE. By Mr. Joseph
Payne, at the White Hart, Fetter-lane, Holborn, on the body
si Jobs Mullins, aged 36, a pensioner from the East India
Company's service. The deceased was said to have lately
come into possession of 2,0001., left him orelative in Ire-
, land. For the last fortnight he had loosed at Crawford's
coffee-house, in Fetter-lane. From the evidence of a young
man named. Cooper, it appeared that the deceased
told him that in the course of Thursday evening he I
had taken something which had made him sick, and that
as he was passing through Virginia-street, Ratcliffe-high-
way, in the afternoon, he was accosted by a man who stated
he knew him, and asked him to drink with him. They went
into a house together, and ho drank something which made
him sick. On Cooper getting up at seven o'clock on Friday
morning, he found deceased in bed a corpse. The surgeon
was of opinion he had died of apoplexy, hut there being
some suspicious circumstances attached to the case, no money
being found, although a quantity of gold was seen in his
the inquiry was adjourned
topossoesbitnoninonftuhrtehperrevio day,
evidence,
and to have the body
examined.—DEATll FROM ALLEGED VIOLENT E.—By
Mr. Baker, at the Blacksmiths' Arms, Baek Church
lame, St. George-in-the-East, on the body of John
Suteliff.
on Wednesday last. It appeared from the evidence of several
aged 66, a labourer in the London Docks, who died
witnesses, that the son of the deceased was in the habit of
beating his parents in a most shameful manner. Oa Friday,
the 9th instant, the deceased complained of violent pains in
his stomach, from which he received no relief, and he expired
on the following Wednesday. The surgeon who had exa-
mined the body of the deceased said he could not di,oover
any marks of violence, and he attributed hie death to natural
causes. The jury then returned a verdict to that effect.

A PORTRAIT OF MANY ORIGINALS.—Miss Tox's
dress, though perfectly genteel and good, had a certain cha-
racter of angularity and scantiness. She was accustomed to
wear odd weedy little flowers in her bonnets and caps.
Strange grasses were sometimes perceived in her hair ; and
it was observed by the curious, of all her collars, frills,
tuckers, write bands, and other gossamer articles—indeed, of
everything she wore which had two ends to it intended to
unite—that the two erels were never on :nod terns, and
wouldn't quite meet without a struggle. She had furry
articles for winter wear, as tippets, boas, and muff, which '
stood np on end in a rampant manner, and were not at all
sleek. She was much given to the carrying about of small
bags with snaps to them, that went off like listlc pistols when
they were shut up ; and when full-dressed, she wore round
her neck the barrenest of lockets, representing a &bey old
eye, with no approach to speculation in it. These and other
appearances of a similar nature, had served to propagate the
opinion, that Miss lox was a lady of what is called a limited
independence, which she turned to the best account. Pawl-
' bly her mincing gait encouraged the belief, and suggested
that her clipping a step of ordinary compass into two or
three. originated in her habit of making the most of every-
thing.—Dealings with the Firm af Liombey and Son.