The Express.
London, England, 1865-04-27 00:00:00

THE VEPkt.gp.

BANQUET AT FISHKONOKRS' HALL.

THE DIFENCIES OF CANADA.

Yesterday evening a banquet was given at Fish-
raeogerelall, which was attended by about 80 persona, ia-
eluding the representatives of Canaria who on now Is this
country for the purpose of represent's' the views of the
oolostial legislature is reamers to the important question of
coloaial defences. The chair was takes by the Prime War-
des, Mr. Jaitrn Smola.
Of the entertainment itself it is enough to say that it was
worthy of the reputatioa for civic hospitality for which the
Filustongsrs' Company is so deservedly orlebrated. The
Maser was admirably served by Messrs. Ring sod Bryroer.
A 'skean of vocal music was piece med ceder the direction
of Mr. Hy. Buckled, who wee ably misted by Miss Ross
Hessen, Miss Whytook, Master Brows, Mr. W. H. Cum-
mings, Mr. T. Dyson, Mr. H. Buokisad, sal Mr. Weir.
Mr. Jabs Cheshire performed on the harp. The followiog
were among those present :—The Prime Warden, JAMES
Hewn, Eat., in the chair ; The Right Honourable Earl of
Shaftesbury, K.G. ; The Hesoarable G. E. 0111140 T, The
Hosolusble A. T. Galt, members of the Oaaadiaa Depute.
ties ; Mr. H. Berard, Secretary to ditto ; The Honourable
G. Waldsgrave Leslie, M.P. ; Sir C. Wentworth Dila.,
Bart. ; laeut.-Clotosel Addison, Mr. Thomson Hickey,
M.P. ; Mr. John Abel Smith, M.P. ; S. M. Pub. Ham,
Y.P. ; Rev. Dr. Davison, Rev. Rele Rev. J. Percival,
Rev. J. Aldis, Rim. C. Vines, Dr. Resets, The Deputy-
Governer et the Bask of Ragland, The Master of the Gro-
cers' Company, Mr. A. W. Gadsden, Prime Wardell of
the Goldsmiths' Company; Mews. Henry Fowler, J. D.
Cook, J. H. Great, Robin Allen, Alexasder Haldane, Wil-
liam Leaf, jun., Jamie Smith, John Demist, C. Tem-
k, C. J. Brydges, John Fairfax, IL Bodkiu Poland, and
. _

After the loyal and national toasts the PRIDE WARDEN
proposed "The British Wades," in connexion with the
names of the Hoe. G. E. Cartier and the Hon. A. T. Galt.
Mr. G. E. Camas, in responding, said—Mr. Prime
Wades, my lords, and p ntlernem—Tbe honour which you
have done my country and myself by the kind invitation
white you have given us to attend thus grand banquet cam-
emit • fading of gratitude upon my part. You have
hews kind enough, and the distinguished members of both
Melee et the imperial parliament present have also been
kind enough, on this occasion to allow the toast of
"The British Colonies" to be drunk before those
of the Lords and Commons, You alicided„sir, to the
weenie now before the British North American colonise,
and before the government and parliament of this country,
of a aorsfechwation of those colonies. Now we have felt in
Quads that, notwithstanding the great lea' slit which the
Coeds have derived from the constitution granted in 1840.
that constitution his been overgrown by the prosperity and
the growing wants of the two Canada% and consequently
we are making for • system which will allow as to
develop ourselves on • larger scale. (Hear, hear.) We
have approached what we call the lower or maritime pro-
✓ince.. We told them frankly that in Canada we possessed
two elements which were mosseery for the constitution of
• nation—the personal element and the territoral element—
but that there was one element which we did not possess,
namely, that element which has made the greatness of
England, the maritime element. (Cheers) We told them
that while they wasted territory we wanted seaports, and
that with the two united we should all became great and
ptesperous, and should assume with the mother country
• sort of co-national existence. (Cheers.) Our government
determined to send • deputation to England in order to
Mimes on the imperial government the absolute necessity
of carrying out that scheme of federation ; and we wish to
obtain the benefit of the adoption of at schema not
merely that we may be stronger and more prosperous, but
also that we may be in • better 'maim to take our share
In she defame of the country. (Loud cheers.) We nodes,
stead very well that in the event of invasion we cannot
meet the foe separately—that we cannot meet the enemy
without the application of the whole foam of England. But,
Mr. Prime Warden, we have secured such • union of the
population of all the provinces as will enable us to take
our share in the defame of the country. (Cheers.)
Singly we cannot defied ourselves, but if united with
the maritime processes we can devise a complete
system at defence in connexion with the mother country.
(Cheers) When we speak of a confederation of the North
American colonies we do not speak of • system which tend/
to loosen the ties between the colonies and the mother
country, but of • system which tend, to develop more
emcee ourselves the maritime and mercantile elements in
British North America, and to increase the power of the
whole empire. Under oar scheme of confederation there
would be no fear of • Minnie like that which has bees seen
in the United States of America ; there can be no danger
of • contention between State rights and Federal rights.
We intend in our representations to the British cabinet to
my that we are reedy—even Canada elect--to take one full
share in the defence of the country ; but we shall put before
the imperial government that it the federal scheme is car-
ried out we shall be in • better position to aid Great
Britain in the event, which I hope will never arise, of
war between it and the United States. I will, however,
tak►this opportunity of remarking that if we in Canadae.
take our share in the defence of the country, that will neces-
sarily involve a great expenditure. But I may add that
you need not fear, what you have been told would
happen, an increase in the duties on goods im-
ported from England into Canada. (Hoar, hear.)
The assertions to which I allude are not warranted
and as they are mustier a great deal of mischief, I
am glad of the opportunity now afforded me of making
this denial. (Hear, hear.) Now it has been remarked in
speeches is both houses of parliament, as well as i• certain
aewspapers in this country,,that siuce,Csnada is so valuer.
able, it would be better for the security of England that
she should be left to exist in a state of independence, or to
farm pert of the United States. (Cries of " No, no.") We
understand in Canada that • cause of war ern scarcely
arias from ourselves—it must arise from au imperial con-
cern. (Hear. bear.) We understand that we are vulnerable,
but we are willing that our country should be the battle-
field, in order that the honour of England may be vindicated.
(Cheers.) Ws have no dad'', to be independent, still less
to be annexed to the United States; we have no wish to
become a portion of the American Republic : such en idea
we view with horror. (Cheers.) But we have the sate-
faction of knowing from her Majesty's speech on the opening
of parliament, that our scheme of confederation is approved
by ber Majesty's government as well as by the sense of the
English people. Subsequent proceedings have shown that
it has the approval of both houses of parliament, and we
feel that under such a system we can aid England in any
straggle which she may have with the United States. If
the fallacious argument prevailed that became the defence
of a particular colony was likely to become a great
source of expense that colony should be left to
Itself, than all the colonel pommies. of England
, must go. If that argument were carried out to its logical
• extent the result must be that the British empire would
ultimately be limited to England,
i Inland, and Scotland, and
he presumed that no one present was n favour of that
lame. (Cheers.)
Mr. GALT said the toast of "The British colonies" was I
one in which not merely the Colonists personally, but all
England must be deeply interested. In the course of • de-
placable straggle which has been going on for the last four
years in America the prestige and the power of
England have been to a certain extent imperilled.
IWe have all hoped, and we still hope, that our
' friends and neighbours in the United States will he
• enabled to come together. We desire in the interests of
humanity that the struggle should came, and cease at an
. early period ; we desire that, irrespective of any personal
interest which we may have in the matter on acconot of
the disastrous results to this country and to the world at
Jorge, arising from that deplorable conflict. I may take
this opportunity, the first opportunity that has been
afforded me, of alluding to the sad news which bas reached
I London to-day—(hear, hear)—news which I believe will be
• • subject of regret to every Englishman, and to every in-
habitant of the North American colonies. (Hear,
hear.) We have not learnt the particulars of the
• events to which I allude ; but whatever may have been our
feelings, whatever our sympathies, with regard to the
great struggle in A merle, we annum but feel that the death
of those twoman—the first men in America—who have fallen
, victims to assassination, is an event which must shock the
public mind of this country, and of the whole world. Differ-
ing as I did from much of their policy, disapproving as I did
of many of their acts, still I musts y with regent to Mr.
, Lincoln, who lee now paired away, that I believe he was •
I pure-minded and patriotic citizen of the United States
(Cheers.) And I will may also of Mr. Seward that !deeply
, deplore his removal from • position in which I believe be
was performing the highest duties in • manner which
showed that he bad not only the hewed' of his own coon-
try at heart, but was also sincerely desirous of =Muta t:dog
' peace with the and with every foreign country. (Cheers.)
I arn mire that the news which has reached London to-day
I will carry a shook of alarm to the mind of every one who is
desirous that the peas of the world should be preserved.
(Hear, bear.) With tepid to the proposed confederation
i of the North America' provinces, after what has been said
by my friend Mr. Cartier, I will only observe that our
object is not to weaken our ties with the mother country,
but to piece ourselves in a position to perform those
duties which we think may be demaaded of • great and
growing British colony. We are not going to ask the mother
' . country to undertaker greater responsibility than that white
' his hitherto devolved npoo her; on the contrary, we are
oome here to show that if this confederation be carried oat
we shall be able to emu= • greater degree of impassibility
than has hitherto fallen on Canada. (Hear, hear.) We
feel that the North American colonies ought not merely to
- I be • support to the mother country in time of war, but
should also aid in developing the sources of wealth
, in time of peace. It I. now desired that the thousands
ad tens of thousands who emigrate from this
kingdom to America should not flock to the United Mate;
where the ties which bound them to this country may be
broken, bat to Canada, wham we can offer them the admit-
) ' tape of • system of goverment which will still keep them
aseocisted with the British empire. (Cheers.)
The next tomes worm " The House of Lords," for whielt
jibe Earl of Shaftesbury retained thanks, and •• The Home
aeon:imam" which was respoaded to by Mr. John Abel

117 e toed of " The Prime Wards.," prepared by the
Earl of Shaftesbury. mmoseded, mid the emieludieg tort
wea, "The Visitors." which WY respooded to by Sir
Wootworth Bilk..
The compay this aspaueti.

TialJltPAT

THE ROAD MURDER.

EXAMINATION OP MISS tfONSTANCE KENT.

TROWBRIDGE. WzmnramiT.

This afternoon Miss Constance Emily Kent man
brought up before the magistrates sitting in petty amebae.
charged on her own confession with the wilful murder of her
step-hroaher, Francis &vile Kent, on the 29th June, MO.
The nisortrates present were Maws. H. G. G. Ludlow,
C. F. D. Mallard, J. H. Webb, John P. Stanoombe and
Thomas Clarke. Clestain Meredith. the chief constable,
and Superintendent Hurls, of the oounty police, ware she
present. The prisoner was undefended. The business was
delayed for some time in consequence of the absence of the
Rev. Arthur Douglas Wagner (of Brighton), and upon his
arrival the prisoner was brought into court. She was
I accompanied by Miss Green, the lady 'twice of "The
Home," or " Hospital," of St. Mary, and in charge
of inspector Frederick A. Williamson and Sergeant
Thomas. of the metropolitan detractive polies force, Scotland.
yard. Miss Meat was dressed in deep mourning, a thick
veil being over her face ; but she looked very much Seabed
on entering the justice.roorn, which was increased upon her
taking her place at the bar, where every person in a most
densely crowded court had an opportunity of gazing at her
I Several ladies were scoommodated with seats on the beach,

and daring the progress of the inquiry they watched with
eager anxiety every particle of the small amount of evideoce
which was adduced. It may be stated that Impeder
and Sergeant Thomas took charge of Miss Kent after the
thaminatioa at Bow-skeet, and conveyed her to the Padding-
ton station of the Great Week's Railway, whence she pro-
ceeded by the 8.10 p.m. to Chippenham. From Chipper-
ham they went in a postokainto Trowbridge, • distance of 15
miles, and daring the satire journey Miss Kent did not my
a word. Miss Green, the lady superior of the St. Mar?'
Hospital, at Brighton, was with them, and on Miss Kent
being taken to the police-station at Trowbridge. Mks Gm=
applied to be allowed to remain with her diking the eight-
This was refused, and Hiss Kent was committed to themes
of Mrs. Harris, the wife of the inspector on duty, who be-
hared with the greatest possible kindness to her.

The primmer wee placed at the her thin morning.
The Chairman (addressing her) said—You are brought on
• warrant from Bow-street, where you appeared yesterday,
and the evideoce then taken will he read to you.
The warrant, however, on which she appeared, wee in the
Ant jadeites formally atiduced. It was as follows :
" Polimmourt, Bow-street.—)fetropolitan police district
to wit. To all and every the constables of the metropo-
litan police force.—Whereas Constance Emilie Keel bath
this day been charged. before the undersigned, one of
the magistrates of the police-courts of the metropolis, sit-
ting at the policeman, Bow-street, in the county of Mid-
dlesex, and within the metropolitan polio* district : for
that on the 29th day of June, in the year of our Lord 1860,
she did feloniously, wilfully, and of her malice 'fore-
thought, kill and murder coo Francis Saville Kent at
Road-hill House, in the county of Witte; and whereas I
have taken the depositions of the Rm. Arthur Douglas
Wagner, • witness examined by me in this behalf, but in-
asmuch as I am informed that the principal witnesses to
prove the said offence saltiest the said Constance Emilie
Kent reside in the county of Wilts, whore the said offence
is alleged to have been oommitteci these are, therefore,
in her Majesty's name, to command you or me of you the
said constables, forthwith to take and °envoy the said Coa-
stal"» Emilie Kent to the said county of Wilts, and there
carry her before some justice or justices of the pesos for
that county, and near unto the parish where the offence is
alleged to have beets committed, to answer further to the
said charge before him or them, and to be further dealt
with recording to law. And I hereby further command you
the said constable to deliver to the said justice or justices
the iuformation in this behalf, and also the deposition of
the Rev. Arthur Douglas Wagon now given into your pos-
session for that purpose, together with this precept. Gives
under my band and seal this 25th day of April, A.D. 1865,
at the polka-mart. Bowatreet eformaid.—(Signad),Tawitts
Hagar, Chief Magistrate."
Mr. H. Clarke, the clerk to the magistrates, the.
read to the Rev. A. D. Wagner, who was present,
the following statement :—" The Rev. Arthur Denise
Wagner, clerk in holy orders, on his oath, saith as
follows I am perpetual curate to the St. Paul's
Church, Brighton. I have known Constant* Kent
about 21 months. She was introduced to me for the
=of being admitted into St. Mary's Hospital at
on, which is connected with St. Paul's church, and
she came there about that time, and has resided there ever
since. I have not in any way induced her to make any cm-
(melon to me, and to the best of my belief the oisfessiou
she has made has been entirely by her own free
will. About a fortnight ago it first came to
my knowledge, and it was entirely her own propo-
sition that she wished to confess and give herself up,
and it was her own proposition to come to London for that
purpose. She stated to me, or in words to this effect, that
she bad, alone and unaided, on the night of the 29th
June, 1860, murdered, at Road-hill-house, Wiltshire, one
Francis Saville Kent. I have
Constance Kent to permed* her to confess, nor have I said
anything to dissuade her from doing so, but 1 have been
perfectly passive in the matter, feeling that she was doing
the right thing. It is entirely her own free act. She
thought of it herself, without my suggesting it to her.—
' Signed, A. D. WAGNEL'"

The Chairman (to Mr. Wriguer)—ls that true?
Mr. Wagner—Yes.
The Chairman (to Xis Kent)—Have you any question to
ask the witnees
Miss Kent—No sir, I have not.
The Chairman (to Mr. Wagner}—You may retire.
Th. Clerk to the magistrates (to Miss Kent)-1 will now
reed over the statement which you made to the magistrate
at Bow-street. It is this :—" I, Coostanee Emilie Kent,
alone and unaided, on the night of the 29th of June, 1860,
murdered, at Road-hill Home, Wiltshire, one Francis
Saville Kent. Before the deed no one knew of my inten-
tion, nor after it of my guilt. No one sulsted me in the
crime, nor in my erasion of discovery."
Mr. Frederick Adolphus Williamson, who was then
called, laid—l am an inspector of the metropolitan detec-
tive foram Yesterday afternoon, the 25th of April, I went
to Bow-street Police-station, where I found the prisoner.
She was undergoing an examination before Sir Thos. Henry,
the chief magistrate, and this paper (the confesidoo) sou
handed to me. (Daring the reading of this oenfession the
prisoner burst into tears, the first time she bee exhibited
any emotion.) The prisoner was handed into my custody at
Bow-street, and I conveyed her down here last night to
Trowbridge.
The Clerk -That is all the evidence that can be adduced
In theme to-day.
The Chairman—Miss Kent, you will now stand remanded
es this charge until to-morrow week, at 11 o'clock in the
forenoon. Until that time you will be taken oars of in the
county gaol at Devizes.
The prisoner then left the court in the custody of In-
spector Williamson and Sergeant Thome', and was con-
veyed to Devises, Mims Green being allowed to accom-
pany her.
it was expected that Mr. Kent, the father of the prieoner,
would be preeent, but he did Dot appear.
The town was thronged with people during the morning,
in the hope that they might be able to catch a glimpse of
the prisoner.

JOHN STUART MILL FOR WESTMINSTER.