The Express.
London, England, 1849-02-08 00:00:00

LEOMINSTER ELECTION.

The election at Leominster took place on Tuesday,
when Mr. Frederick Peel was returned without opposition.
The newly-elected member addremed the assembled voters
at great length, and as some of his opinions were supposed
to reflect those of his father, Sir Robert, he was listened
to with much attention. He referred to certain insinuations
uttered by Sir Bulwer Lytton and by Mr. Roebuck, to the
effect that the voters of Leominster had refrained from
pledging themselves to any candidate in the expectation of a
corrupt return for votes which it might have become impor-
tant to secure in the event of a elms contest. I have, e at-
tuned Mr. reel, the fullest confidence that all those charges
and insinuations are as unjust when applied to yourselves,
as lam certain they are when applied to myself. I believe
the electors of this borough are as incapable of bartering the
free exercise of their franchise for a corrupt consideration as
I feel conscious to myself that I am incapable of soliciting it
on such terms. I can say with perfect sincerity that I have
solicited no man's vote exeept upon public and honourable
grounds. Nay, Igo further and say, that 1 haven de.
sired that any man should give me his vote who could not ,
give It with a clear conscience, and without having to up-
braid himself with the abuse of this most importaat con-
I (*national franchise. I am sure that I shall not forfeit an
portion of your good opinion, and I am equally sure that I
should not have diminished my chances of somas, it
'the other candidates had persevered to the last,
by the explicit declaration that I would infinitely
leave preferred defeat to the being iadebted for
my return to anything savouring of corruption. (Hear.)
Mr. Peel then went on to declare himself a supporter of the
institutions of the country in church and state, but an advo
cab for judicious reforms. He would appropriate the rove- ,
noes of sinecures or separations appointments in the church
to the extension of parochial duties, and to the increase of
the scanty stipends which in many instances are paid to those
by whom the duties are performed. He would ales give ,
support to these measures which provide for the secular ,
education of the children of poor parents who dissented
from the Church of Ragland; and to that measure likewise
which removed a constant source of ill-will and litigation
by setting at mat the question of title In the cases of dissent- ,
ing okapis. On the question of the endowment, as ,
it is called, of the Roman Catholic church, the
hon. member said, if I were to give a pledge that i
at no time, under no circumstances, out of no fan what. I
ever, would I consent to a provision for the Roman
catholic clergy in any part of the Queen's dominions, I
should conciliate many votes. I dare say such a pledge ,
might homily and safely given. I think it very improbable
that any proposal will be made to parliament on this guts-
lion. I cannot canoed from myself the difficulties that Ile
in the way of Each a proposal—difficultiesconnected with ,
the state of public opinion to this country—with the fund
out of which the remuneration would have to be
drawn—and, n with the avowed repugnance of the
Roman catholic prelates to accept any provision for the
clergy of their church. I repeat, therefore, that in giving
the pledge I should probably have conciliated many votes,
and at the same time have no trouble about the practical ful-
filment of my agreements. But what I ask of you is to allow
me to hear the proposal first, if any is to be made, and not
to pledge myself to approach the discussion fettered by
a positive engagement that, be it what it may, I win
vote against it. Supposing I had been asked to give
a pledge In favour of the endowment of Roman catholic
I should have declined to yield an acquiescence to thi
inquest. My language would have been—l cannot under-
take to support a measure et which I know nothing, and
which may be objectionable, and which my reason may tell
me I ought to oette. On the other hand when one adverts
to the state of Ireland, to the dkorden which have long pre-
vaned in that country, to the great amount of military force
which is maintainot there for the purpose of keeping in check
those disorders, it would have been, I think, unwise and pre-
sumptuous in me to have pronounced a peremptory decision
against any measure proposed for the benefit. of Ireland—
especially one whose professed objects would be to render
the Romeo catholic clergy in Ireland—a very powerful and
very numerous class fa good or evil—lees absolutely
dependent for subsistence On the taxation of the poorest
and mom destitute. But I hear it said this is a question
of principle, and on questions of principle peremptory
.lodgments may be pronounced—that it b sinful for a
Ws to credo's a religious stet profeseir.g theological
tenets different, from its owe. I cannot coacox with thou who
advance suck. an opinion. I cannot think tkat a state provision
for the mtknumanes of the teachers of certain religious doc-
trines, ie.volves a recognition by the state of the truth of
such doctrines; but I forbear to enter upon these pciota, and
shall content ramp with saying that in my opinion the

3

question of principle was dhpteed of years and years ago.
The Ie reeognieed and protected
throughout ths hog& eta lecoMi of the British dominions.
It Is sompdeed patella ht Canada, and in many ether
e=areessiees el IM stows ; ad la Ireland, toe, re-
is melded he dill peelbrosance of certain fame-
2.4the lam media glob. This quake has beau .
oslsoloiewil by ma who united to gnat sagacity et .
atotelsmat le Os interests of the asteWfshedamok
Mr. l'ltt was la favour, I do not say of ea andommat of .
the Rama catholic chore*, but of a deceit sod adequate •
ttrfor the ministers of that church. George ,
eldgect to this gunk° belies taken tetanus'
by bis gown:amt. He did object, it Is true, to the re.
mood of civil disabilities which then attsobed to his Boma ,
Sathillie subjects, bat notalakitrovisicn for the male- :
belknos el tbe andatisg • clergy of their church.
Lori Sideleadi and Lord Wreath, too, did not object to
the comideration of the quest:lea. Do not such authorities
justify me in not committing myself to the support of the
measure, but in pausing before, without knowing the nature
of the measure, or hearing a single argument to its favour, I
give a positive pledge to vote against it ? (Hear.) The new
member thin relented to retrenchment, and said : I will not
consent to cut oft tea million in the expenditure of 1849 be-
cause the expenditure in 1835 assented toe given sum.
think it better to inquire what are the real bona fide mum
silks of 1849 than what was the actual expenditure at a
period some thirteen or fourteen years back. I will not
vote for ary expenditure which I do not believe to
be imperatively required by the exigencies of the public ser-
vice, and by an enlightened regard to the pub.ic interests.
As regards the suffirege and the ballot I am not at all satis-
fied that the ballot would insure the independent exercise by
the voter of Ihis right. I sea so many incidental evils as
deter me from coareating to adopt the experiment lam
very far from saying that I think the electoral system, se
framed in 1832, nso perfect that it will nut admit of amend-
ment. (Hear.) It is true I see great evils in frequent
changes, but I will not deny that the progress of mowledge,
that the increase of qualtfications of different kinds in those
classes of the community which are now excluaid, may jus-
tify the matureldeliberatien whether some Witter extension of
the suffrage may not be desirable. But 1 consider that the
main purpose for which the franchise is given, is that we may
be well governed, and that we may have a security for the
continuance of good government, ant it is my deliberate
opinion that our present constitution does secure us that
good government, and does provide a guarantor tor its con-
tinuance in a much higher degree than any other tam of
government under which we can live.

MURDER NEAR BRIGHTON.
Yesterday morning, a little before tour o'clock,
information was given at the Brighton Town Hall by
Mr. Hodson and Mr. Kirton, that Mr. Griffith, the brewer,
had been murdered. These townsmen had been out on a
shooting excursion, and on their way homewards at a very
late hour they discovered a body lying on the road between
Dale gate and the Plough at Piscombe, which, on investiga-
tion, turned out to be that of Mr. Griffith. It was resting
on the beck, and life was (staid. The hat of the deceased
was picked up a few yards off, his packets were turned inside
out and rifled, and a wound was discovered in the cheer
showing that he had been shot throuoh the body by hie
assailant. A gig whip and part of a rein, cut, ware also
picked up on the spot, leaving ne doubt that deceased had
been waylaid by highwaymen. He was a higk-couraged and
powerful mar, and the probability is that he resisted the
attempt at robbery, and paid the penalty with his life.—Mr.
Griffith bad been out on a short country journey to collect
cash, cash, and take orders from publicly' whom he supplied.
The spot where the murder we. committed is immediately
under the South Down hill, and there is only one dwelling
near the place, namely, a faren•lionso in the occutation of
Mr. Mannirgton, and one of Mr. Manningten's servants
heard the report of a pistil between 9 and 10 o'clock in the
evening, eupposed to have been the time the murder was
committed. Mr. Griffith had been in the country oollectiog
cash, and he arrived at Henfleld soon after eight o'clock; and
having baited his horse he left Henfleld at ten minutes before
nine o'c'ock, and the spot where he was murdered was shout
four miles from Henfleld, so that he must have reached the
place where he loot his life at about half-peat nine. The
horse and gig were found at Poynii g, the reins were cut
nearly close up to the hand, and it is evident that they had
both been cut asunder by a sharp knife. Footsteps were
traced on some rishig ground leading to the Downs, but
whether they were the footsteps of the assamins cannot yet
be known.

In January last deceased received an anonymous letter,
warning him of an attack from robbers, The letter was as
follows:—" Sir,—Some parties intends to rob you the next
time you goes to lionham, so bee on your guard." The
letter beans the superscription of " Mr. Mania, Grid's' Brewery, Brighton;and it was posted in Trafalgar-street,
Brighton. There is no doubt that the writer of the letter
knows the guilty parties, and every exertion is being used on
the part of the police to discover the murderers. It Is the
general impresasum that the crime was perpetrated by per-
sons well acquainted with the business habits of the firm, and
that the assassins expected to oktain • very large bsoty. But
we understand that the cash deceased bail with boss did
not probably amount to more than about 201.
Mr. Griffith took two pistols with him, and When his
body was discovered one of the pistols WAI found lying b 7
his side discharged whilst the other pistol was found in his
pocket loaded. Mr. Griffith settled in Brighton in Nov.,
1845, tad entered inti partnership with Mr. Sewell, the ma-
nager of the Branch County Bank, at Brighton. He was
an active member of the commissioners and an intelligent
man. His loss will be lamented by a large circle of friends.
lie ham left two boys, one eight and the other ten years of age.
THE INQUEST.

Yesterday afternosn the coroner proceeded with the in-
quest. The jury haying viewed the body and the spot
where it was found,
Mr. H. M. Blakes, surgeon' Brighton, who had mule a
port rnortenss examination of deceased, stated that he found
a bullet wound in the centre of the breast ; it had pulsed
through the heart and lodged in the back part. It
would cause instant death. Deceased might utter one
shriek, not more. The pistol or gun must have been dis-
charged close to him, as the clothes were singed.
Mr. James Hodson, hatter, Brighton, deposed to finding
the body ea above stated, and else that near it were a dis-
charged pistol, en iron spectacle frame covered with crape so
as to disguise the face, a glove, a whip, an empty purse, and
a rem. He and his companion at once recognised Mr.
Griffith.

Martin stated that he is manager of the noel
brewery, at Brighton, of which deceased was the proprietor.
Witness had been in the habit of going the Bonham
round himself during the lest twelve months to collect
money. This time Mr. Griffith took the Journey himself
in consequence of having some barium at Horsham which
witness could not do. Whams then traduced the anony-
mous letter above referred to. The deceased, he stated, was
lying on his beck when they found him. The legs were
rather in a cramped position, and one of them was rather
raised. They_pleeed the body in the cart and brought it to
the Plough. They ,did not discover the wound until they
brought him to the house ; they then saw the wound in the
breast. The deemed generally wore a gold watch and chain.
The knife produced was not deceased's property.—The in-
quest was proceeding when our parcel was despatched.

ASSESSMENT OF RAILWAYS.
The railways of England pay annually two hun-
dred sad fifty thousand p:Ainds towards the local taxation,
not of the country, but of some three thousand parishes,
whose united expenditure (excluding that of cities and
large towns) cannot be more than seven or eight hundred
thousand pounds. The railway interests complain, and
very justly, that, in their case the sound old principle, that
taxation should not outstep benefit, is egregiously evaded.
They say that, while the assessment to local rates of the
parishes they intersect, does not average more than 31. per
acre, the assessment upon their property averages 801. per
acre : and that while the annual payments for poor, church,
highway, and other rates, on the part of the perishes affected,
do not amount to more than h. per acre, every acre occu-
pied for railway purposes is burdened with an ge
annual tax for these purposes of 101. They say, too, and
most truly, that, having forced railways into existence in
defiance of the scarab= , but most obstinate and expensive,
oppceidon, of the landed interest, and in many cases having
been compelled to buy off their opponents by extravagant
prices for " swampy woods and worthless wastes"—the y are
now made to pay, to the very interest which opposed them,
a rent charge, in the shape of easement from rates, equal, if
capitalised, to twice the original value of the land covered
by the great national works which have been created by
their capital and labours. For it must be observed
that, while railways pay for poor rates BUMS large
enough to keep the whole railway staff as paußers,
and esetribate very largely towards the repair of the high-
ways, the maintenance of the churches, and the support of
the rural police, the n-ither increase pauperism, cause
extra damage to roads, nor necessitate the enlargement of
placesof worship ; and as to police, the railways employ,
sloths, and pay their own.
Under these circumstances, the railway interests may be
excused for combining to alter a sistem which taxes the
very string of their industry and fixes a penalty upon the
extension of those utrivslled means of locomotion which
have condensed all England into a limit more accessible than
the bounds of that eastern "city of three days' journey,"
and have promoted every kind of useful and
honourable employment, and cheapened at once
the luxuries of the rich and the commonest ne-
cessaries of the poor. To railways, in a period when 10
years of peace had accumulated an almost surplus capital,
the competition of which gave unnatural stimu.us to mines
in the antipodes and loess to despotic governments la every
part of Europe, as well as to repudiating republics cn the
i ether side of the Atlantic, so that every gold-hunting ad-
. veaturor could carry out his visionary schemes, and every
miserable tyranny postpone its natural decay by drawing
from the overflowing purse of the British capitalist—to rail-
ways we were indebted for a raw and sound employment foe
our wealth, and for the provision of an honourable and wee-
ful career for thousands of our industrious and ingenious
couctrymen. What claim, then, we 'axone the landed interest
' whom they have benefited and paid have upon an enter-
prise
' fortunate perishes which railways pass through from • third
of their original local taxation? What apology can be
• made for taking a tithe of the net profits eariied by railways
I which hitherto have not averaged more than 4 per sent
i upon the outlay—for the behalf of men who never aided is
• the work, and who have, is all conscience, been tenefited
enough already ? A legal saieniment is the " amount at
which the tenement maybe reasonably supposed to let from
1 year to year"—not the amount which any one
would give for the trade, foe the use of an immense
• moving stock cad a ready made prgsaisation or managers,
I clerks, porters, pointemen, and. police, hat simply the amount
l which • tenant would offer, having to provide all means of
5 working, and all the capital mid appliances of trade Taking

mewing ia land, the Oman &those, to whom slow, all
nil prilisel almost* of s aliwsy msennseat, all ynotion
of Imo sin qualms ask withesteiqe:
railway their
assilded. hen hid Ithst tho prom et • teem
=moths both of messonsat, sad ham these, de-
lbw whim swam/ tiblionser. =slide , should
is and% am smaseahis onmelasse
emu_, dat eas4hisdo sionsdain sawksitost the
nibs nos nth* is the dastastiag theism sflbs various
amenVy Maass nay rola with regard to liss oddest*
=Were then Whin they hen as sumumes ea
of fast, as pains ad be en aufarlansis annsaies
nay appall from the lest In die lima% Donk panided
ill• wine pad then what is sled • 0 ass ;" bat as
than aeon no set always gins, sail sib ives, they an
love nal by die MN msu e op, Is b as beet may
pima *skeane, Os &thins of the on this en-
As plait their dins the aimpardta hays so
_ap-
peal. observed tits eduellee r Ile Herfokl," while
a patty mina be debt, inesiviss No sod twenty pa de,
may be serried by the mannt of her Majesty's salthets
from sewn se wan, di I twin Use Haase of
Deeds, tin thirty rest estopeies. wbo psy • of a
althea 'nasally
Wier we basal so
end= desisioas
The snare oho sonny smites, who snot be inneslad in
laepleg • high aseernent, me relined Ina nth • num-
sibility-tin bens. The rights of property Ansa* ea sin
miss of the tribunal, sad as 'minim -of ohs sphere of
"▪
lint dews be. the quarter soden be tits Puny
sad ether far sessines whops rates are kidonsisone
sad onessere shwa, gissiisin tints& aad osesuils sulked,
is what whits do oho sallesep eneensies dad diessedves
Newt sibs IN sad onetime. as is ease, ca tho Milan
Ulan," 7i asat. of Ithe pail miss, they may_give eis van !
Thst is extent et their popiessolalism Yee ;is vane,
lizjest past sa stitessey, NM that soth appsiat-
sal
need is a anorod la arm bosh bath be the
Wdi mdtht sallasy proprietor thin that riZdene.
'Oben npronalintoo le tyroany, est
sad
to le anistal."
HO sok is ; the essemensat is ia ths malni et*, latenstod
eureely jos* sad the expeaditaro is la the hands of these
littis Uses of pin& wisdom giblet manta war admirably
swaged lend oaks. Anti so deal we with sa nasal to
of • garter et a main.
Thoth so to the mane of apnea
_The ampothrs pay
thin sea errassa, sad also their rateable pa op of
titan of ths wish. Das, is • neon eon sa the Brighton
Railway • Intensithsai appeal wee at W* added. Ms
INIMISIN MOM Lail. ill seth party. TM 111111.1M1 Ina
smandi so first tisplaid 76 pit nat. of the -satire
Waif Ills -i---thse Ind 2,126 i. to pay_ kr apnea,
km, b. —..:l:l4ap.iistf"tgehll.L. 'LT=I
.4:,:a.=ambeitywrigh....L.ivar
lishilp tbe non et_ Isi would boor wathan, seamed se
be bum' bp welato result of this inquiry, sad •
einem anion bas to be fought swer , pother with
rush of then.
Illethisk,therotore, that the railways ban sa equlishls
aloha to swab alterations of the law as will protest them Gem
the avails, 0 parish harpies, open the higher warts to their
appeals. both on questions of law and IIII&WITI of &et, give
thin ropresestation in proportion to their payments, sad
shown, by eoasolidation. the mated* whisk they say have
die leas to dna to undertake.

IRELAND.
DUBLIN, Tao 7.
The Attarnsy-General yesterday sent up a AfIA
bill of indistinct against Gana Duffy ! The fact of
his having celled for final judgment on the fourth bill,
which he has Dow ahemical, against the prisoner,
has caused some remarks not very favourable to Mr.
Mocahan's professional dexterity. In the course of
the day true bills were found against Mr. Duffy.
Mr. Paint Serape has a long letter in this morn-
ing's .Fivecisses Jourstil, addressed to the editor, in
support of the dierriminating rate.
It is expected that the fifteen new Q.C.'s are to
be ailed inside tha bar to-day.
The 'yet= of stipendiary guardianship is under-
going modification. In several unions (not less than
sixteen, where there have recently been vice-guar-
dians) the commissioan have decided that the poor
law gall be administered by ordinary guardians.

UMW= 07 AN OLD LADY.-011 the evealag el the lit
amain, says the Ficiessa, Mrs. Canaries Fitzpatrick, of
CoolosaMa, three 00100 has Froshford, Klikeaay, was
abed Ma has howls. As the lady wee 70 years of wo her
maul abeam ceased a great dal of eazisty. lath was
mode for three or tear bears withal ear same, whoa at
lona a girl said she saw the Mang lady go a the direct-
Ilea et the well, whisk ma about hay makes from the
miasma Oa ezmisalasa to this Mao the body was feud,
Mahar heed ismaesdia loam lathe dip* et about two
hat ; the appeared a amok obese bee asap as If she had
Deaf** sionallei, *man Mod homiest into the well.
ON Illaiskg games ansadel. and ea Timis( Use
baba he them& k podia ma to Mid the aquas mill he
00011 lea dr anhammmede et sew melba asea ; the aNAN!quae
was aossediesif ra wee Kelitley-. Aeg
owes. mod el Maas maimed. to Mann to the ma
sal polder, the jay fogad tai Theme Callsa, et Coal-
man". was eameasd with the 0110147." This
OWN ea la 'abase. wee a east et
tri. sad was is eaddeses et the widow
-t. lase her wager I. may more
Ikea U.. am she ma mar sneer% sad be Desmke her am
tram her. He she, Mesa belt a year see. i bee niche
Ma la the Pada* Issamses Ompaymo .
paid
er Obe
itelf-year's policy ad b , ed maw he Ifs 008001 pms •
tint
hw days ea. Oa the WAN the astrier he was
salt with the dammed aswain bee parbser. Os the sight et the
mealy he was tread to within halt a idle of the dreadful
seem. He Mandel heard afar the arras s bat
ea Tuesday ins .meted at breph_y widie la the
set et ingsi tato the Mk lie hoe to
Dahlia. Hi..med to be Maude& at Wwtissa et the old
hey, sad protasis his atter Lammas* of the deed. He
noted he skit ea Moeda sight was Berbbasey, at the
he.. et Mr. Owe., who is cm of the aroma of the
Cieea's Casty, sod ageat or rancor ear the property of
the larding nay.

SCOTLAND.
IDDIIIIIROM, FIB. 6.
Anticipating the re-introduction of the Lord Advo-
cate.' Merrisge and Registration Bills, the elegy and
erhoolmortere bawl taken the field, and mevigorously
pethieg their opposition. Catchimr up the relmonsh
moat movement, they oppose his lordship on the meal
of eaprass. and secondly, booms of the blowy width
weaid be dose to the church if the momeres pass in
their former shape. The enmity for registration is
now, however, admitted, ea the presbytery of Oh.-
gew has drawn out a " aril' bill, the
gist of which, m might be bto make the
whole Whir a March job. the most likely
method of adjusting difference. be to pat regis-
batten under the bands of the pose law brawl.; many
of the impeders are paresYai admelmathea whilst
at the sum time the of poor law °sews is
thomegAn hlsa jimeedsr
law pails atelmi.
modlng is to be bold here on the
7th host, Lord Pievest in the their. Another
publie 1111141fte of the Mamma Bohm Amesiadoa it
also to be WI hid a abet throb hr the pae,ese of
prltioniag palmed ea the oahhot of national
ecosomy.