The Express.
London, England, 1848-04-22 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 22, 1848.

fao ressipt of the Mkt liethl the 25th ultimo, signed by you
Oa behalf of the Mandlestrair Commercial Association, refer-
Vag to the late distuthuntim at Canton, and requesting that
further protection may be afforded to her Majesty's subjects
residing in China; and I am to state to you, in reply, that
her Majesty's government will not fail to take such measures
in this respect as will ensure, so far as it is in their power, a
full protection to the lives and properties of British subjects.
—I em, &c., H. U. ADDINOTON.
Manchester Commercial Auatiation, July 9, 1847.—T0
Lord Palmerston.—My Lord,—On the 25th September,
1846, I had the honour to address your lordship en behalf
of the members of this association, with reference to certain
disturbances which had taken place at Canton, whereby
the lives and properties of British subjects In that
part of China had been placed in the utmost peril. To that
communication, and your lordship's most satisfactory reply
thereto, dated the first of the following month, I beg most
respectfully to refer your lordship, and I regret extremely
that the present position of affairs at Canton renders it ne-1
canary that I should again address your lordship on the
same subject. We learn, however, that during the period
which has elapsed between the date of the correspondence
above adverted to and the commencement of the recent
hostilities, the British residents at. Canton have been obliged
to rely almost solely upon themselves, associated together as
armed volunteers, for the protection of their lives and the
large amount of property entrusted to their charge. The I
knowledge of this fact has again given rise to the molt
serious apprehensions in the minds of several members of
this association, having large interests at stake at Canton ; '
and they are the more alarmed in consequence of the in-
creased ill-feeling which they are informed bee been mani-
fested by the lower classes of the Chinese population
towards the English since the recent military opera-
tions against Canton, the military force stationed in
the neighbourhood being, from its small numerical
strength, quite inadequate to the magnitude of the duty as-
signed to it, as would at once appear from the commander•
in-chief having gladly availed himself of the services of the
armed volunteers before alluded to. I would, in conclusion,
state, that neither the ageociation which I represent, nor my-
self personally, entertain the least doubt that your lordship's
vigilance has already been directed to the subject, nor that
your lordship will take such steps as the exigencies of the
case demand. It would, nevertheless, be a source of the
greatest satisfaction to us, and would tend materially to allay
anxiety, should we learn directly from your lordship that
prompt and decisive measures had been adopted by her Ma-
jesty's government, to afford due protection to the lives and
properties of British subjects at Canton.— I have, &e.
(Signed), JAMES A. TURN ate, President.
Foreign-office, July 14, 1847.—T0 J. A. Turner, Esq.—
Sir,—l am directed by Viscount Palmerston to acknowledge
the receipt of your letter of the 9th inst., representing, on
behalf of the Manchester Commercial Association, of which
you are the president, the insufficiency of the protection
afforded to British subjects at Canton. Lord Palmerston
directs me to state to you in reply, that if the association
have been informed that the lower classes of Chinese at
Canton have manilested increased 'Meeting towards British
subjects since the successful and brilliant termination of the
recent operations in the Canton river, the information which
has reached the association is exactly the reverse of that
which las been received by her Majesty's government from
persons who have the most reesut knowledge of the facts,
and on whose accuracy and correctness her Map sty's govern-
ment place entire reliance. Iler Majests's government have
reason to believe that, at the time when the last accounts
came away from China, the behaviour of the common people
at Canton towards foreigners in general was much im-
proved, end that commerce was proceeding without
interruption and with security. With reward to the Bri-
fish and other residents at Canton, they are better protected
now than they have been at tiny time since the withdrawal of
our force after the conclusion of the treaty of Nanking;
because while, on the one hand, the Chinese have bad a
practical proof that the ordinary garrison of liong-Kong is
able, at any time, and without waiting for reinforcements
from India, to enforce, if necessary, at Canton itself, a de-
mand for redress, on the other hand, various local arteries-
meats have been made at the factories, which have much
diminished the causes and chances of collision, and have in-
creased the means of the residents to make a successful de-
fence ; and while the occasional presence of a war-steamer
opposite the factories must give support to the residents, the
recent expedition will Five the uovernor of the town addi-
tional motives for exerting. the civil authority and military
power which he possesses, in order to keep the lower classes
in check, and to prevent those outrages upon British subjects
which would again expose him to receive inconvenient de-
mands, and to be compelled to make humiliating concessions.
—I am, &c., 11. U. ADDINGTON
blenchester Commercial Association, March 16, 1848.
To Lord Palmerston.—My Lord,—On the 'Lsth September,
11846, and 9th July, 1847, I had the honour to address your
lordship relative to certain disturbances which had take.
Iplace in Canton, and on both occasions due reference was
lessee to the urgent necessity which existed of affording bet-
ter security for the Eves and properties of British subjects in
that portion of the Chinese empire. Your lordship's reply
to my first communication was caiculated to tranquillise the
minds of those on whose behalf it had been my duty to ad-
dress your lordship, inasmuch as adequate protection was
promised therein, and nu doubt was entertained that it had
actually been provided, until the recurrence of disorder'
becoming known in England, I was called upon a se-
cond time to apply to your lordship, and on that
occasion I ventured to direct attention to the con-
tinued insecurity of British interests at Canton, and
the increased ill-feeling with which foreigners were viewed
by the Chinese population. To those statements your lord-
ship saw fit to take exception, and doubtless your official in-
formation led to the conclusion that this association had
been misinformed as to the posture of affairs in that quarter.
Unhappily, my lord, the disastrous and melancholy intelli-
gence conveyed by the mail of the 30th Dec , 1847, from
China, has fatally realised our worst apprehensions. Three
gentlemen connected with members of this association have
been savagely murdered, officials have been stoned and in-
i stilted, and the lives and properties of others have been
placed in imminent danger. la directing your lordship's
attention to this matter, I would not he understood as attri-
buting blame either to your lordship or any other member
of her Majesty's home government; but I respectfully sub-
' mit that her Majesty's representative in China is not wholly
I free from censure ; as I am informed, by correspondence in
the hands of this association, that there was not any military
I or naval force at Canton at the time of the outrages referred
to; and also that had not considerable delay occurred in
rendering assistance, the lives of four of the parties murdered I
might, in all probability, have been saved. In addition to
which I am requested to notice that when some of the gen-
tlemen most deeply interested in the trying occasion, alluded
to, waited upon her Majesty's plenipotentiary for the pur-
pose of making certain representations on the subject, they
were not only coldly received, but treated with paeitere in-
dignity. Under these circumstances, the association again
moat earnestly solicit your lordship's interference in obtain-
ing adequate protection for British subjects resident in
China, and due consideration for just representations ad-
dressed by them to her Majesty's plenipotentiary on that
station.-1 have, &c., .1. AIPINALL TURNER, President.
Foreign-office, March 25, 1848.—T0 J. A. Turner, Esq.—
Sir,--I am directed by Viscount Palmerston to acknowledge
the receipt of the letter which, as president of the Manchester
Commercial Association, you addressed to him on the 16th
instant, with reference to the murder of six British subjects
in the neighbourhood of Canton, in the beginning of last
December, and lam to state to you in reply, teat this
lamentable loss of life did not happen from any want of pro-
tection which it was possible for her Majesty's government
or for her Majesty's officers, 'political, naval, or military, in
China, to have afforded, butwas the consequence of the great
imprudence on the part of the unfortunate gentlemen them-
selves, who exposed themselves unnecessarily to a danger
of which they seem to have been previously aware ; and Lord
Palmerston cannot but regret that the leading resident mer-
chants at Canton did not exert that influence which they must
be supposed to possess over the younger members of the British
community at that station, in order to persuade them to ab-
stain fora time from excursions into places in the country in
the neighbourhood of Canton, where it was well known to
those leading merchant., that peculiar circumstances had for
the time created a very hostile feeling towards British sub-
jects. If the British merchants at Canton, instead of making
unfounded complaints against Sir John Davis, had done
what they might have done in this respect, the lament I
able event which forms the subject of your letter would
probably not have occurred.—l am, &c., 11. 1.7. ADDINGTON.
Manchester Commercial Association, April 7, 1848.—T0
Lord Palmerston.—My lord,—l have the honour to acknow-
ledge the receipt of your lordships letter of the 25th ultimo,
with reference to the recent murders at Canton, from which
this association regret to learn that your lordship attributes
that unhappy occurrence to the temerity of the British resi-
dents rather than:to any want of foresight on the part of her
M jetty's representative on that station. O this point the
association are reluctantly compelled to dn iffer from your
lordship. The correspondence adverted to in my last com-
munication, clearly states that no protection such as had
otnh,is.asisocd
proitonedolnlbeyohuarlfloorfa.hthipe, Bwriantisaht
resides es: tal eaate4C abn);
hand at the period of the outrage, and that, bad the case been
otherwise, the lives of at least some of the parties referred to'
might have been saved ' • and also that several days elapsed
betore any efficient assistance could be rerdered. These'
facts appear to have escaped your lordship's notice. With
reference to your lordship's observation as to unfoundedcom-
plaints against Sir John Davis, the association are not aware
of the existence of any evidence to disprove the statements
made as to his unbecoming demeanour to those members of
the British community who waited YDOII him in his official
capacity on the occasion alluded to. In conclusion, my lord,
I have only to repeat the expression of my sincere regret at
the melancholy event which we have so much cause to de-
plore, and have, &c.,
" J. ASPINALL TraseEß, President."

'Ube Court.
Lord Ashley arrived at Osborne on Wednesday on
• visit to her Majesty and Prince Albert, and had the honour
of joining the royal dinner party.
Lord John Ituesell arrived at Osborne on Thureday,
and returned to town that afternoon.
Yesterday morning her Majesty and Prince Albert
attended divine service in Whippieghem Church, and re-
ceived the sacrament.

(From kat night's Gazette.)
WHITEHALL, APRIL 18.—The Queen has appointed
Lord P. J. H C. Stuart to be her Majesty's Lieutenant and
Sheriff Principal of the shire of Bute, in the room of the
Marquis of Bute, deceased.

ARRIVAL OF JRNIST LIND IN LONDON.—Madlle.
Jenny Lind arrived at Blackwell yesterday et 4, A.M., by the
Countess of Lansdale steamer, from Hamburg. She ap-
peared in excellent health and spirits.
Tom STEELE, " THE PACIFICATOIL"—An evening
paper has published the following letter, written by Mr.
Steele to one of his most intimate friends, immediately prior
to his attempt at suicide :—" Wednesday, April 19, 1848.
My dear —,—Tou will, I well know, read this letter of
your old friend with deep pain. But when you contemplate
the dreary and heart-breaking. present aspect of Ireland, and
contrast it with what it was in its majestic peaceful move-
ment, under the sublime and benign moral sway of my ever-
deplored friend and leader, august O'Connell, you cannot be
surprised that, with a complication of private ills upon me at
the same time, the ties of life are with me dissevered, and in
disruption for ever. Tne highest aspirations of my nature
were, that I should be O'Connell's principal instrument of
peace. his ' Head Pacificator of Ireland,' in his efforts
for the peaceful, bloodless regeneration of his own country,
and for setting an example to other realms, as was
nobly proved in England by Richard Cobden and his League,
how revolutions may he achieved by the consolidated organi-
sation of public opinion, and withoutthe pollution of carnage,
bloodshed, and convulsion. Before you receive this to-morrow
I will have ceased to live. lam quite weary of existence,
although, of comae, as a matter of manly firmness, in private
society I deport myself as if I were without a care. I shall
manage the matter in such • way that there shall be tio cause
for the ceremonial of a coroner's inquest and post morferri
examinatioa. When a thing of this kind must be done, the
more quietly and lets theatrically it is done the better. —I
am, with most grateful; feelings for all your kindness to me
for so many years, as a private friend and public journalist,
my dear affectionately yours.—Farewell for ever!
—Tuomas Mitsui."

MR. COCEIRANIt'S PAUPER DEMONSTRATION.—
The following circular to the poor-law guardians and masters
of workhouses within the metropolitan police district has
been issued :—" Metropolitan l'elice-office, 4, Whitehall-
plaee, April 20, 1848.—Gentlemen,—The commissioners of
police of the metropolis having observed that a printed pc.
per is extensively circulated, signed ' Charles Cochrane,'
addressed to the inmates of the unions and the workhouses
in and around the metropolis, in which it is stated that Mi.
Cochrane intends to present a petition to her Majesty's
Secretary of State, Whitehall, on Easter Monday, April 24,
accompanied by a very numerous assemblage of per-
sons in procession, the commissioners request you
will make it known to those who might be
disposed to join such procession within the union
of --, that Mr. Cochrane was acquainted by a
1 letter of the 28th of March, is reply to his of the 27th on
the subject, that the Secretary of State cannot receive the
petition during the Easter week, but it would he received at
any other time if sent in the usual way, or with a deputation
of only a small number of persons. The commissioners wish
It should be made known, also, it will be their duty to en-
force such regulations as may be required for keeping order
and preventing any obstruction in the streets or thorough-
fares by a procession or assemblage of persons ; and every
person who wilfully disregards or does not conform himself
to such regulations will be taken into custody immediately
by the police ; and all peaceable and well-disposed persons
should be cautioned and enjoined not to join any such pro-
cession.—l am, &e., RICHD MATNIII."
FIRE AT LimgliousE.—Laat night, about nine
o'clock, a fire troke wit in the midst of a large pile of
occupiedbuild-
ings, rerpectively by Mr. Baron Waterstadt, patentee
of ships' signal lights, Mr. Taylor, boat builder, and Mr.
Horne, sail manulacturer. The premises, which were nearly
100 feet wide, were three or four floors in height. At the
time before stated some persons living opposite Mr. Taylor's
premises discovered flames issuing from the lower flour.
The stock in trade with which the premises was
stored was so inflammable that scarcely ten minutes elapsed
before the immense pile became wrapped in one general
sheet of fire. The buildings for the most part were coin-
' posed of timber, and before an engine had time to get to
the place, the public thoroughfare was cut off by the
flames extending completely over the carriage-road. The
inmates of at least half- wdozen houses on the opposite
side of the road made an attempt to remove their furni
ture to a more distant part for protection, but before they
had time to save a single article, the flames fired the roofs,
penetrated the windows, and in an instant the whole of the
manufacturing premises on which the desolation com-
menced were blazing away with the greatest impe-
tuosity, and the houses numbered 5,6, 7,8, and 9, on
the other side of the road, were burning with equal
violence. After some lapse of time, several engines arrived,
and seeing that the flames were travelling from house to
house on the opposite side of the road, the firemen directed
the full strength of water against them, in the hopes of being
able to cutoff the further extension of the flames. Whilst
so engaged, the whole of the front walls, roofs, and the re-
maining flooriags of the factories gave way, and fell with a
loud crash into the road. Several firemen had a very narrow
escape, and it is not correctly ascertained whether some par-
ties, who were standing by, have not perished. The persons
living opposite, and who witnessed the mass fall, state that
it was utterly impossible fur all to have escaped.
, The firemen laboured until nearly ll o'clock, when they at
length succeeded in cutting off the further progress of the
flames, just as they were attacking the house belonging to
Mr. W. Baker, the coroner for East Middlesex ; but the fire
was not wholly extinguished at a quarter past 12. The total
loss will reach to several thousand pounds ; for besides the
total destruction of Messrs. Baron Waterstadt, Taylor, and
Horne's manufactories, the houses, whose numbers we gave
above, all of which were twe or three stories high, are par-
tially destroyed.

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.—MEETING AT
MANCHESTER.
A public meeting was held at the Free Trade
Hall, Manchester, on Thursday, to consider the connexion
between church and state. A member of the Society of
Friends, Mr. R. Longden, occupied the chair, and opened
the proceedings by saying they were met there to discuss the
subject of religious liberty, in which he confessed that he
felt considerable interest. He denied that they met there as
the opponents of the church of England, but although they
had no wish to interfere with their views they did con-
tend that all men had an equal right to enjoy religious
liberty. (Applause.)
The Rev. Dr. NOLAN then came forward to move a reso-
lution to the effect that maa is responsible for his religion
to God alone; that religious liberty consists in the free ex-
pression of this belief, and is the inherent right of all ; that
this liberty is violated by the civil government be-
stowing patronage and immunities on a favoured
section of the Christian church, and exempting it
from a portion of the fixes, and by bestowing on
its chief ministers legislative functions, by the adoption of
religious tests as necessary qualifications for the diseiarge of
the duties of civil offices, by the appropriation of public
property to religious purposes, and by legislating generally
on religious subjects; and that the meeting is of opinion
that there cannot be full religious freedom until the con.
aezion between the church and state be entirely abolished.
(Cheers.) He did net know on what ground the chairman
had put him forward first. Perhaps it was on the military
principle of throwing forward their light troops first that the
main body of the army might more securely advance, or
perhaps it was his known political moderation—a man who
avoided extreme opinions -- believing only a little more
than the five points. (Laughter and cheers.) The com-
mittee knew iliac whatever allowance might be made
for subsequent speakers in the heat and sxcitemect
of their proceedings note would be made for the first
speaker; his speaking must be necessarily "open and advised."
lie was sure that the committee did not shrink behind him
in such imminent peril, but they held the meeting and de-
volved this duty upon him to prove that as the clause of the
new act about " open and advised " speaking was not yet
come into effect, the gentlemen around him were determined
to-night to give them one open, hearty round of it. There
was no knowing whether they might have the privilege of
" open and advised " speaking again, until Sir R. Peel shall
turn out the whigs again, and should come to take off the
sagging bill and the state church along with it, and give
them liberty both to sp4k and pray as they pleased.
(Laughter and cheers.) lie contended that • state church
was contrary to the genius of Christianity and the Christian
dispensation. If such a connexion were necessary, how
was it that for 300 years and for ten generations of men the
church could survive and save the souls of many millions
of men before it knew what a state connexion could do
for it ? If they had only this one argument to base the
present question upon, it was suffic.ent. Then again, he
asked where did they get their system of economy for a
state church from ? They did not get it from the Bible.
They did not go back to the great head of the church for
this system, but merely to the temporal head of an empire
long since swept away... They did not find its history
written either in the New or old Testaments, but they
found the church vaulting into power to subserve the put-
posts of crafty politicians, whose object was to make it the
slave of the state, little dreaming that the time might come
when the state would be the slave of the church. (Cheers.)
He knew it was sometimes said when they ap-
pealed to the New Testament as giving no autho-
rity for a state church, that our Lord Jesus Christ
had no " opportunity " to establish a state church, or he
might have done so; but surely it would not be said
that he whose mission upon earth was solely to establish a
system suited to the wants of men, lacked the power to create
the opportunity' Could he not have selected some portion
at least of the land of Palestine where a church connexion
ENTHRONISATION OF THE ARCHBISHOP OF CAN- might be established, and where to this day a system of epis-
VERUCH.V.—It is now definitively fixed that this ceremony copacy in all its native simplicity might be at work, and to
shall take place at Canterbury Cathedral on Friday next. which the heads of oar present system might go for advice
The mayor and town council will form part of the proces- and counsel, especially in those grave cases in which it 'night
slots, and the day be one of general celebration, as many of be desirable to determine what amount of fine or imptoon.
the nobility and gentry of the county, and of the extensive meet should be inflicted on a non-church-rate-paying dis-
province over which the archbishop presides, will assemble senter ? (Cheers and laughter.) But state churches were
at Canterbury on the occasion. The enthronement will take Quite out of harmony with the whole system of Christianity.
place between one and two in the afternoon. It is under- 'ere not thew,
words written indelibly upon the page of the
stood that his grace will consecrate the chapel at St. Autrus- New Testament, Icingdom is not of this world, the
,1 tine's College oil the 29th and preach a sermon at the Ca- w uld my servants_ fi, ht? That_one sentence was sufficient to
thedral en Ole 30th refute all tha had ever been advanced in defence of a state

THE CONVICT WILLIAMS.—The Launceston papers
received by the late Sydney mail, dated the 18th of Decem-
ber, state that Zephaniah William,, who was transported
for life with Frost and Jones, for participating in the riots
at Newport a few years since, has been sentenced to one
year's hard work in chains to the settlement at Port Arthur,
for attempting to escape with another convict from the
colony. At the period of the alleged offence be was employed
at a Lavern in Can Diemen's Land on ticket leave. The
sinking of a vessel in which they endeavoured to escape to
New Zealand led to his detection.

Salford, also yesterday (the two last-named being ope
meetings), and a fourth meeting was summoned for
night. The open-air meetings were held with the view 0
electing delegates to the national assembly, and passed o
very quietly. Mr. Mitchell, of the United Irishman, and
Mr. Smith O'Brien, were elected.
BISSIINGRAM.—Yeeterday, the chartists in this
locality assembled for the purpose of electing a couple of
delegates to the national convention in the stead of Messrs.
Linney and Fussell, whose term of office had expired, and
who were expected to render an account of their steward-
ship. Three or four days since a placard appeared on the
walls announcing that en open-air meeting would take place;
but on Thursday, the weather appearing likely to be unfa-
vourable for a grand display of any kind out of doors, a
handbill was issued at the eleventh hour setting forth that
the meeting would be held in the People's Hall. Not-
withstanding this, about two o'clock yesterday, some
two c musand individuals (the greater portion of
whom appeared to have been drawn there by
curiosity) assembled upon a piece of waste ground near to
Moseley-street. These were harangued fur three or four
hours, the language adopted by the speakers being generally
of a very violent character; but the proceedings throughout
produced nothing in the shape of enthusiasm' and the whole
affair wore the appearance of a very dumb show. The dele-
gates were elected, and a memorial to the Queen adopted.
An imposing-looking paragraph appears in the Tines
of yesterday morning, dated " arwick, Wednesday
night." This (miys our correspondent) details circumstances
so entirely destitute of truth, and is altogether an very much
like a " storm in a teakettle" that it is well the public
should be cautioned against giving any, even the slightest, ere-
deuce to such statements. It is set forth that
the Warwickshire Yeomanry would be ylaeed under
marching orders to Birmingham to watch "expected
treasonable movements anticipated from the chartists and
disaffected there on Good Friday." The fact is that
no " treasonable movements " whatever were anticipated,
and existed only in the writer's imagination : the probability
is that not more than • thousand thorough-goino physical
force chartists could be found in Birmingham ; the popula-
tion is somthing like two hundred and twenty thousand, and
there is • civil and military force equal to put down a mob
at least thirty times the number of people that could by any
po-sibility be drawn together. It is only proper that such
scandalous attempts at exaggeration, calculated as they are
to excite uneasiness and alarm, should meet with the cl-
osure they merit.
BRISTOL.--The meeting here was held in the open
air on Brandon-hill, a working man named Nicholls pre-
siding.
_There were in the course of the proceedings as many
as 3,000 or 3,500 persons present, but it was evident that a
very large proportion of them were attracted by curiosity, as
after listening to some of the speakers they walked about
the hill or watched the sports of some boys who were amus-
ing themselves upon the outskirts. A memorial to the
Queen, praying her to make the charter a cabinet measure,
was proposed by a Mr. Newman, seconded by Mr. Rogers,
and supported by Mr. Barnett, of London. The speaking
was of the usual order, but somewhat more subdued than
has occasionally been the case, the majority of the speakers
repudiating physical force. The memorial was adopted
' without dissent, but at the time it was put the meeting had
' dwindled to about 1,000 or 1,200 persons. Upon the motion
of Mr. Clarke, seconded by Mr. Clifton, Mr. Bartlett was
appointed delegate to the National Assembly. Cheers were
given for O'Connor and the charter, and groans for Lord J.
Russell; and the meeting separated.

ehureb. But then it was said again, if there was no defence
for a state church in the New Testament there was to the
Old Testament and under the Old dispensation. Even sup-
peeing that the logic were good which argued for the institu-
tions of an old dispensation, under a new one which had been
built on the ruins of the old, and was intended as a contrast
rather than a reflex to it, he denied the truth of the assertion.
He denied that there ever was a state church under the old
dispensation. The Jewish church was a theocracy, and had
no parallel in the present state of things. God was the King
and everything the church possessed was divinely given, no
human power having aright to make the law unless a prophet
er oracle spoke it as the will of heaven. (Hear, hear.) He,
therefore, who set up the Old Testament as a reason for a
modern state church must tube it with all its peculiarities or
not at all he must take the whole Jewish economy, and land
must be distributed upon new principles. And he was not
quite sure the aristocracy would like this. (Cheers and
laughter.) He denied, though people did say, " Oh, but
there were the tithes," that the present church was at all
sustained by a reference to that system. The priests of those
days were supported by voluntary offerings of the people,
and if the people refused what was the alternative? The
remonstrance of God was the only consequence of neglected
church offerings in those dare we did not read of Mr. So-
and.so the priest, and Mr. so-and-so the Levite, going to
distrain upon the goods of a man, who, like their chairman,
did not choose to violate his conscience by paying church
rates, and seeking to imprison him. (Cheers.) It was said
that the voluntary principle would not answer; but he
asked where had it been tried? The compulsory prin-
ciple had been tried for fifteen hundred years, and the
result had been nothing but • succession of painful and
disgraceful defeats. He said it was time then to give
the voluntary principle a trial. (Applause.) If the
compulsory system was said to have answered any
where, where would they find the evidence ? Was it
from England? Whence then arose the methodist and
other conventicler? (Hear.) Was it from Wales? Why
then was it necessary to send a church education commission
there to malign her people ? Was it from Scotland % Had
we never heard of the Free Church ? (Renewed cheering.)
Was it from Ireland Where in that country could you
look for the bishops who could take up the words, " Thy
kingdom is not of this world, else would thy servants fight ?"
Was not the soil of Ireland stained with the tears and
blood of a persecuted people, persecuted to support this ini-
quitous principle? Wherever state church had peen
planted, there had liberty been prostrated at the foot of the
priest, and men had succeeded in doing what the present
whig government would fail to do in civil matters, the
crushing of " open and advised speaking." Ought we not
to feel this system of high churchism a degradation put upon
us? Might not the priest of that sect claim, in virtue of his
office, the ear of royalty Were they not members of the
highest court of appeal in the land, and were not the men
who denounced the dissenter as under the uncovenanted
mercies of God, judges of the land in that respect, and was
not Harry of Exeter, in fact, the custodier of their liberties %
Such being the fact, were they going too far in saying the
state church was a violator of their civil and religious li-
berties? (Cheers.) In conclusion, Dr. Nolan alluded to
the news which bad been received (by electric telegraph,
he said) of Mr. Milner Gibson's resignation of his post as
Vice-President of the Board of Trade—an announcement
which was received with loud cheers—and said that they
could not, having gone so tar in this great work, go back
from it without branding their names with eternal ohame.
Should some of them, in the prosecution of it, be charged
with "open and advised speaking," he hoped that amongst
their friends on the jury would be found some like honest
John Rylands, of Warrington, who in the cast of Mr. John
Edward Taylor, was not to be intimidated, when open
speech was as unfashionable as the whigs wish to make it
now. Having strongly appealed to the meeting to maintain
their principles, he resumed his sent amidst great cheering.
The Rev. D. R. STEPHEN! seconded the motion, and Mr.
VINCENT afterwards addressed the meeting, which carried
the resolution unanimously.

THE CHARTIST MEETINGS.
Yesterday the " simultaneous meetings," ap-
pointed to be held on Good Friday, to elect delegates to
another chartist assembly, passed off very quietly in those
places where sufficient interest was felt in the question to
secure any meeting at all. It will be seen by the following
that our correspondents have supplied reports from the
large manufact..ring towns, which we add to these coming
from metropolitan districts:
TOWER HAMLETS.—Yesterday afternoon about
5,000 persons assembled on Bishop Bonner'e-tields, Bethnal-
green, for the purpose of electing four delegates fur the
Tower Hamlets. The candidates desirous of the honour
were stated to be Mr. Shaw, Mr. Sharp, Mr. Drake, Mr.
Williams, Mr. Wilson, Mr. May, and Mr. Duncan.—Mr.
Drake, in an energetic speech, supported the charter, and
denounced the new gagging (Crown Security Bill), but
far the present would not recommend fighting.—
Mr. Shaw expressed his firm determination to promote
the success of the charter.—Mr. Wilson also spoke in leach-
tory terms of the charter.—Mr. Sharp, a member of the
Irish Confederation Society, said if he was returned to the
convention, he would be prepared to propose a motion in
the assembly for the adoption of some ulterior measures for
the proper organisation of the people, ready to act on a
certain day. He was rejoiced that the Irish repealer* had
united with the chartists in endeavouring to obtain their
rights, and the most ready way to accomplish that was to
see that they were effectually organised.—Mr. Williams next
addresaed the meeting, and delivered a lengthened detail
of the persecution he experienced at the hands of the
Whigs, and his incarceration in Newgate. He had
all along been a republican, and in the event of
the legislature not conceding their just right he was
prepared to advise them to adopt republican principles.
But there was nothing like organising themselves, and, if
they could not afford to buy at once a pike or rifle, let them
get up clubs like those at public houses, and, by paying two-
pence a week, they would soon get the necessary implement.
--Mr. May, in briefly expressing his warm support of the
charter, also declared himself to be a republican, and he was
determined, if returned to the convention, to sit there till
dragged out by the government.—Mr. Duncan having
spoken, the Chairman proceeded to the election of the dele-
gates, and declared that Messrs. Sharp, Shaw, William', and
Drake were returned, the two former having the precedence
of taking seats in the convention.
WESTMINSTER AND MARYLEBONE.—The spot
selected for the election of delegates for Westminster and
Marylebone was Cumberland-market, Regent's. park. At
three o'clock, the time appointed, there were about 300 pee-
-1 sons present, a majority being boys. About half-past three
o'clock, a van was brought into the centre of the market
and taken posmeion of by the leaders of the affair. A
chairman having been appointed, Mr. Vernon, of West-
minster, was nominated as one of the candidates, hie recom-
mendation being that he would " always be found at the
post of danger either in the council or the field "
—Mr. Savage, in proposing Mr. H. Childs, of St. Pancras,
as another candidate, begged to state he was not Mr.
Mean Childs the returning officer for the Tower Ham-
lets, or the solicitor of Swithin'e-lane, but an honest hard
working man, who would not shrink from doing his duty if
elected.--Some confusion here took place upon the platform,
which the Chairman informed the meeting was caused by a
youth who would insist upon proposing Mr. M'Grath as a
candidate, although he (the chairman) had told him that
Mr. Isl'Grath would not stand if elected. If the meeting,
however, had no objection to bear the youth, he had
none.—The youth said he always understood the principle
of democracy was to hear everybody, but he could not call
those democrats who refused to allow him to speak. He
was certainly a youth, but he knew more of the prin-
, eiples and had done more for the charter than the
nsidth•roota—(loud laughter)—who were now springing
up to reap the ',merit of what the old chartisu h.d done.
What they wanted in the national assembly were tried
men, like Mr. M'Orath, not mnsheroons, who were
afraid—(laughter)—and although the gentlemen in the van
did not wish him to do so, he should insist on proposing
Mr. M'Grath. (Cheers, and cries of " No.")—A chit/tin,'
wearing the tri-colour, green, white, and crimson, adopted
by the chartists, said that having promised Mr. M'Grath
that he would support his election if proposed as a candi-
date, he seconded his nomination.—A show of hands was
then taken, and Messrs. Vernon and Childs declared elected.
—The Chairman said the neat business was of considerable
importance. It was to elect two gentlemen to till the va-
cancies that might be caused by the despotic hands of the
government being laid, which was likely, upon their
representatives, Messrs. Vernon and Childs. Messrs.
James Braney and Churchill were nominated sod
elected to till the " posts of danger," should the
original members of the national assembly be ar
rested by the government on their first assembling, as anti-
cipated. The movers and seconders of these gentlemen
made most violent speeches, condemning the conduct of the
" base and traitorous " government, calling upon the chart-
isle of London to form themselves into a national guard like
the chartists of Aberdeen ; sad applauding the conduct of
Father Kenyon at Templederry tor hurling defiance at the
government.—Mr. Brassy and Mr. Churchill (the latter a
gentleman just arrived from France) addressed the meeting,
stating what they would do " if the gentlemen they suc-
ceeded were sacrificed."—Several other speeches were made,
and the memorial to the Queen adopted by the convention
having been submitted to the meeting and carried, three
cheers were given for the charter, and the assembly, which
never at one time exceeded 1,500 persons, dispersed. The
whole of the S division of police, under Superintendent Fer-
guson, were in the Albany-street station-house, but their
services were not required.
BENNINGTON-COMMON.—During the whole of the
afternoon a number of persons continued to assemble on and
in the neighbourhood of Kennington-common, in the expec-
tation that one of the general " simultaneous meetings" of
the chartist' was to be held ; but up to five o'clock none of I
the speakers who usually appear and take part in each meet-
ings in the metropolis =eking their appearance, and no in-
dication of any meeting taking place, the idlers and
stragglers who had been attracted to the spot by
the mmoared display began quietly to disperse. " During
the whole of the day," says a correspondent, " the common
presented a scene of the most disgraceful character, there not
being lee than 700 or 800 of the lowest thieves and vagabonds
congregated there. Gambling and other most dugraeeful
prongs occurred, and rendered it impossible for any re-
spectable person to cross the common. On Good Friday
there has been for years a large assemblage of persons
here, but on no occasion has there been seen such an
immene number of pickpockets and thieves as were present
yesterday no doubt drawn together in the expectation of
reaping a little harvest,, had the rumoured. meeting taken

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